Obtenebration
“I screamed in the darkness, filled with rage. Filled with anger. Filled with grief. Filled with a mourning that made the core of my soul ache for a reckoning the likes of which the world had never known. Justice was a lie. Hope was a lie. That’s when he came. When I could scream no more, when I had no more tears to shed. He came to me and I saw him and beheld a terrible truth. He asked me but a single question.
Do you seek vengeance?
I took his hand. He never let go. I did not want him to.”
They have many names. Darkling, for they are the children of the Dark One. Eboncaster, for the darkness they harness. Whatever their title, the bearers of Obtenebration are as feared as they are mythical. The Dark Mark has always been rare. Even at the height of his power, the Dark One granted it sparingly. He bestowed his gift only upon those deemed to be true champions of his ideals. Those who falter in the face of the power he grants are ultimately consumed by it, a fate considered worse than death.
The mark of Obtenebration is simple. It takes the form of a single ring of inky blackness. When viewed in broad daylight or under light, it appears perfectly mundane to any who see it. Within the pitch blackness of the dark is when the mark truly comes alive. The inky black ring becomes a circle of dark fire within which shadows emanate and rise, seeking to consume all that they touch. When an Eboncaller summons the powers of Obtenebration, this ring comes to life with terrible clarity.
Attracting Divine Attention
Even at the height of his power, the Dark One was selective in whom he bestowed his mark. He cared not whether one was a highborn noble or a lowlife crawling through the dregs of society. He was as likely to mark one as he was the other. People marked by the Dark One came from a variety of walks of life but they held common themes. They were people who were outcasts. Those who had suffered terribly at the hands of a society that misunderstood them or feared them. Those he marked were people who stood out and not for good reasons. The Darklings were feared, hated, or outright reviled by the societies they tried to belong to...until they rejected them. It was in those moments, when the Darklings rejected any notion of seeking acceptance and simply embraced their own way forward, that the Dark One would come to them. He promised to give them the tools to enact vengeance for the wrongs they suffered.
And the Dark One never broke a promise, even if it meant breaking the world in the process to fulfill it.
The Age of Wonders
“The world wanted a savior. So I gave them one.”
It is believed that this is the first era that the Dark One became active in the world. Whether or not this is the era he came into existence is unknown. Few are the events clearly record from this time but one of the most defining events is the war between Light and Dark. At the center were those forces committed to the Dark One and those opposed to him. Across the age, the Dark One remained an ever present force that dwelled behind the scenes, manipulating things from the shadows. He played upon the fears of not just people, but of entire nations. He drove allies to mistrust one another, heightened the terrors that stoked the flames of conflict, and taught mortals to fear what lurked within the shadows.
It was during this era that the Shadowcasters first came to be known. Mortals capable of bringing the darkness in the world and within others, to life. People who could play upon the fears of others and who could enact terrible vengeance upon those who wronged them. Stories began circulating that the Darklings were the boogeymen who haunted the dark places. The shadow out of the corner of the eye. The hushed breath on the back of the neck. The sense of dread before crossing the threshold into a dark place. They were all of these things.
Until the conflict between Light and Dark came to an end and the Dark One slew the Demigod of Light. Following this act, the Dark One vanished from the world. Whether he was destroyed in the onslaught of Eikaen’s wrath following the murder of his son is unknown.
The Age of Sundering
The Dark One returned to the world. The Cult of Mending devoted itself to cleansing the world of all who were unworthy of persevering into the new world created in the aftermath of the Sundering. Exactly what they defined as worthy was nebulous at the best of times. But there was no mistaking the fact that some of the most prominent members of the Cult wielded the powers of Shadow to terrible effect. Terror and fear were already high in the early years of the Age of Sundering as mortals struggled to adapt to life in the disastrous aftermath. This was capitulated by the Cult of Mending as they recruited many to their ranks, promising a new world. They delivered a new world but whether it was the paradise they envisioned remains to be seen.
The Dark One ultimately did not make himself known until the end of the conflict that played out between the Dawnmartyr Order and the Cult of Mending. A sliver of the broken Godspire’s power was activated but it was quelled and the Dark One once again disappeared from the world along with what many believe was a reincarnation of his ancient foe.
Applying for Obtenebration
Any who are interested in bearing the mark of Obtenebration may apply in the Support Forum and receive permission from the Staff. The following should be kept in mind:
- The Dark One does not mark simply because one does random acts of evil. Truth be told, most of the people he has marked are not individuals that can be fit comfortably into a category described as pure evil. Do you have a purpose? What is your drive? If your intent is to cause chaos, that might serve his purposes but that alone does not guarantee you are worthy of his divine gift. The Dark One comes to those who believe wholeheartedly that they have been robbed of any chance of living a life that could be considered normal. These are people who are willing to break the world for what they believe in. No matter the cost.
- This Emblem cannot be taken at the start of play.
The Tenant of Shadow
“...and so I asked him. What is there to fear in the Dark? He answered.”
“Only what you bring with you.”
Darkness is everywhere. It is in everything. It is in everyone. It is eternal. It is inescapable.
That does not make it inherently evil and only the naive would believe it can be used wholly for good. The liar hopes the shadow of ignorance will make their deception withstand the test of scrutiny. What do they lie for? To swindle? To inflict pain? A lie can be used to protect someone just as much as it can be used to cause harm. The warlord uses mortals' inner vices to stoke their dark urges to bloodshed and war. The guard captain who opposes him in the village the warlord raids, tells his soldiers to harden themselves against the coming assault, to know that they will be inflicting death, a dark thing, but doing so in the name of those they protect. The refugee hopes the cover of darkness will shield them from relentless pursuers. The trembling child hopes the dark will protect them from the raiders ransacking their village even as brigands use the cover of darkness to enact that raid.
Darkness serves the purposes of the one who uses it. Use it wisely. Use it well.
Or be lost to it.
The Gift of Shadow: Eboncasting
To the Darkling, the shadows have substance. The mark of the Dark One enables those bearing it to harness the shadows around them and create constructs capable of interacting with the physical world. The ways of Eboncasting are divided into two primary schools of practice. There is the art of manipulating existing shadows, such as causing darkness in an enclosed space to spread further and become impenetrable. Then there is the art of conjuring shadows and giving them weight, physicality and substance. The Eboncaster can perform both feats to varying degrees depending on the tier of their mark.
The Tenant of Fear
“Fear can be vanquished. Only the fool believes it is gone forever.”
Master your fears or become a slave to them. The bearers of Obtenebration are, ironically, some of the most fearless individuals in existence. That is because they are taught that fear will always be present. It is a fact of both life and death. The weak tremble in the face of their fears. The strong rise to challenge them and the wise use them to bring low their enemies. The Dark One teaches that continued exposure to fear will teach one how to navigate through it. To understand it, one must experience it. To master it, one must inflict it.
The Gift of Fear: Dreadspeaker
Those marked with Obtenebration are able to look upon any within their line of sight and speak their deepest fears. It can be a whisper. It can be a commanding shout. It can be in an enthralling conversation. But the Darkling must give voice to it. In so doing, the Darkling takes possession of that fear and can thus manipulate it to varying degrees depending on the tier of their mark. Individuals whose fears the Darkling speaks become subject to this terrible manipulation. At its weakest, this might merely make them uncomfortable around the Darkling. At its most powerful, the Darkling can paralyze those around them with abject terror. This ability, while powerful, carries with it a warning. The longer the Dreadspeaker holds on to the fears of others, the stronger the likelihood that their own fears will come to haunt them. Harnessing fear carries with it a price, one that will eventually come due in time. The Dark One expects his marked to be able to withstand their own fears, not avoid them and no one is fearless forever.
No one.
The Tenant of Vengeance
"I begged for Justice. My prayers fell upon deaf ears. I begged for Vengeance. He spoke."
"You shall have it."
Justice does not come to all and nor is it applied fairly to everyone. To that, the Dark One offers vengeance. Justice taken into one’s own hands. The urge to right wrongs by forging one’s own path. It is a punishment inflicted for a wrong committed either on behalf of oneself or another. Where society will fail, where the Law will fail, where nobody else will provide an answer for the horrible crimes one has suffered; vengeance will supply that answer. The Dark One grants his followers the strength and power to achieve their vengeance.
The Dark One teaches that whether it be in life or death, if one wants retribution for wrongs committed one cannot wait for another to act. It must be taken. The Dark One’s principles stem from cornerstones of a belief that society is fundamentally flawed, that the law obstructs true justice, and that the only fairness in life is the fairness one creates for themselves. The foundation of this belief is that people are, at their core, prone to acts of cruelty more than they are to acts of compassion. As a result, those carrying the Dark Mark tend to be hardened individuals whose idea of mercy is a swift death as opposed to a life of prolonged suffering.
The Gift of Vengeance: Domination
Domination must be actively used. It is not a passive ability. The gift of Domination allows for the Darkling to stand as an unshakable bringer of wrath and vengeance down upon the deserving. These can be any who stand in opposition to their own ideals or perhaps even the Dark One’s purposes. It enables the marked to reinforce their physical prowess with divine fury, turning them into a terrifying warrior of retribution that remains indomitable against those who would assail them. Like all the gifts of the Dark One, it must be wielded carefully. Delve too deeply into the darkness and one is liable to become a slave to the power they wield, turning into what is known as a Revenant.
Darklings who use Domination frequently must be cautious. The ability is tied to their perceptions of what can constitute as an act in need of avenging. The Dark One has little in the way of tolerance for those who use his gifts flippantly only to become lost to them. Domination allows the user to leave a trail of destruction in their wake when the individual is brought to full wrath but if one loses complete control, it is difficult to come back from the burning need to enact vengeance for every perceived slight.
For these reasons, Darklings tend to be very headstrong individuals which can be both beneficial for keeping themselves in check and a detriment due to a tendency to be stubborn or even arrogant. The use of Domination is not without cost. As mentioned, being instilled with this burning fury to enact vengeance can be all-consuming. This anger, while serving as the source of inspiration to harness the powers of Domination, can take a toll upon the body. A Darkling who uses the power of Domination becomes swathed in the shadows that they call upon, it shields them, protects them, but the further one delves into the fury of vengeance, the harder it becomes to banish these shadows once summoned. Push too far for too long and the recoil will manifest as a draining of the individual’s lifeforce and vitality. Given enough time, the Darkling can recover but a step too far will turn them into a Revenant whose sole purpose is to pursue vengeance for the act that drove them over the edge.
Faith of the Darkling
Faith is surprisingly integral to the life of a Darkling. The Dark One came to them in the hour they needed him most. He bestows upon them great and terrible power and a promise made by him, is a promise kept. This fosters within the Darklings a strong sense of loyalty to the demigod that has patroned them. They were outcasts. He embraced them. They were afraid. He made them fearless. They were in darkness. He turned that darkness into their greatest weapon. However cruel the Dark One might seem, there is a strange sense of honor from both him and his followers. They value loyalty, adaptability, and the ability to act independently for they are a people who will be persecuted and hunted wherever they go. For as long as they live. Within that dark brotherhood, they find solace in each other. The Dark One encourages this. For the Darklings are his chosen and only they have what it takes to lead the way in this broken, cruel world.
Acolyte | The Acolytes of the Dark One are people who have been cast out by society. They have suffered a terrible grievance from which there is no coming back. Their lives are forever changed or they possess in them such an overwhelming need for revenge that they themselves change their lives forever. Whatever the truth, there is no going back for them. For the Acolyte, the only justice in this world is that which they make for themselves and the world will learn to fear their name or they will crush them in the wake of their fury.
Eboncasting. An acolyte has passive darkvision. They are able to clearly see in pitch blackness for up to 60 ft. Acolytes find it easiest to manipulate existing darkness than conjuring it. They are able to manipulate shadows for a range of up to 30 ft. Giving shadows substance and physicality is more challenging for the acolyte and requires concentration. Acolytes are only able to give substance to one shadow construct at a time and only up to a total mass that equals roughly the size of their own body at maximum.
Dreadspeaking. An acolyte can only speak the fears of three individuals at a time. This enables them to inflict a sense of uneasiness upon those whose fear they have taken possession of. This uneasiness is not so powerful that it cannot be overcome but it can serve as a deterrent to act against the Darkling for whatever purpose they might have in mind. The Darkling can hold on to those fears for only a span of up to ten minutes before their own fears come to haunt them.
Domination. An acolyte is able to shore up their own physical resiliency. Their endurance as well as physical toughness is reinforced by divine fortitude. The shift in physical strength and endurance is enough to give even an unskilled acolyte an edge in conflict. A blow that might have knocked them unconscious will instead only leave them dazed. A person whose physical stamina might allow them to naturally run 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) before growing winded will find that they can push themselves twice the distance before suffering the same effects. A person who could naturally lift 23 kg (50 lbs.) will find that they can now lift and move 45 kg (100 lbs) with the same level of ease. Acolytes can safely channel the use of Domination for up to 10 minutes before suffering ill effects.
Avowed | The Avowed of the Dark One are people who have grown in their closeness to the demigod. They are individuals who have come to accept that the only real justice in the world is that which they take for themselves. These people can sometimes be considered anti-heroes and vigilantes that pursue what they consider to be the only means of evening the status quo with a society that has turned its back upon them. Vengeance is something they inflict terribly and with grave precision.
Eboncasting. The darkvision of the Darkling expands to encompass an area of up to 90 ft. The Avowed can now comfortably manifest shadow constructs up or equal to their own body mass. They can now manipulate up to three shadow constructs at a given time. Their control over existing shadows expands to a radius of 90 ft. All light within these shadows is suppressed though not dispelled, plunging the area into absolute darkness. Light that has been conjured by magic (i.e. a rune of magic) up to the Journeyman level is affected.
Dreadspeaking. An Avowed of Obtenebration can speak the fears of up to six individuals at a time. This enables them to inflict a sense of chilling fear upon those whose fears they have taken possession of, enough to leave most people disturbed. Alternatively, the Avowed can focus their dreadspeaking ability onto a single individual and completely cripple them with a stunning hallucination of their worst fears come to haunt them. The Avowed Darkling can maintain this manner of dreadspeaking for up to 15 minutes before their own fears come to haunt them.
Domination. The Avowed is able to shore up their physical strength and resiliency to even greater heights. They are not immune from fatigue, wounding or direct assault but they enjoy the privilege of not having to be concerned about being harmed by acts that ordinary people might be injured by. Whereas a normal human might suffer a sprained or even broken ankle after dropping from a height of 3 meters (10 ft.), a Darkling need not be concerned about such things. They could fall from twice that height and suffer no serious ill effects. A person who can naturally lift 23 kg. (50 lbs) can comfortably lift or move 69 kg. (150 lbs) with the same level of ease. Avowed of Obtenebration can comfortably channel the use of Domination for up to 20 minutes before suffering ill effects.
Champion | Locked at this time. Pending further story development in-game.
Herald | Locked at this time. Pending further story development in-game.
