CHAPTER 4 - Casting Shadows: Storytelling

The following pieces of correspondence between the Abyss Mystic Agatha and the Necromancer [TO BE DETERMINED] were found together between various pages of the Leges Abyssi.

Dear Brother,
I have many questions I would ask you, concerning the Abyss mostly, from which the Lasombra's power is drawn.

The Ocean
Firstly, one should remember the Lasombra attraction to water and the sea which may give some clues to the nature of the Abyss. Perhaps it is in some way connected to the same dark places from which the Churlorviasis springs, a disturbing thought indeed.

Kuie-Jin
Cathayans are already connected if one successfully connects Wraith to it as they have relatively easy ways to travel into the Shadowlands and beyond, in fact they can even travel to the Yang world and go visit the Abyss Realm detailed in Werewolf.
KotE has the same thing actually but as they have fairly common rite's, and even a few discipline powers, to travel into either Shadowlands or the umbra they are as easy to connect to the Abyss as Werewolves, or even easier if considering their easy connections to the Underworld as well. Also a thing to note is that the Kuei-Jin have been seen to learn a few new tricks through their association with the Kin-Jin, Cainites, as shown by them learning new techniques to Yin Prana, allowing them to control more direct manifestations of Entropy/Oblivion, from the Nagaraja refugees in the Green Courts. So there is a possibility that the Kuei-jin could learn some Abyss related powers from prolonged contact with Lasombra Abyss mystics. Whether this would be a good thing or not is of course debatable, especially considering the Kuei-Jin notably closer associations with the Spirit worlds.

Mummies
Mummies are already connected if one successfully connects Wraith to it as they have relatively easy ways to travel into the Shadowlands and beyond
Like said Mummy have access to the Shadowlands and the rest of the Underworld both through their Necromancy and their Death Cycles. But I must say that I don't remember them having much access to the Umbra and so to the Abyss Realm itself. So yes the easiest way to link them to Abyss is through the Underworld, but do note that if facing Lasombra they will likely make the association with their powers of darkness and Apophis almost immediately and react accordingly.

The Tempest
Tempest is a realm comprised of tempestuous emotions located between the Shadowlands and the Labyrinth.

Oblivion
Oblivion is not the Abyss nor could any Abyss mystic be able to summon shadow beings from the Abyss in that case for there is nothing in Oblivion. Oblivion is quite simply the End.
It truly might be what was before everything else and what could be once Oblivion swallowed all that exists, as the Neverborn might well be beyond even the power of Oblivion to destroy and once all that is left is them, the Children, and their dreams of darkness and all would be as it was.
Oblivion is a force felt by each and every spectre, as they carry it's taint with them, and it offers them release from their constant agony, the peace of non-existence. This alone might cause some Spectre to start worshiping it but there is more to it than that.
Also as beings of emotion, and in the case of Shades pure emotion, it becomes them to give such emotional meaning to Oblivion and it's Children the Neverborn.
Spectral Oblivion Cults amongst the living including how the Spectres can grant investments to their chosen priests.

The Labyrinth
he Labyrinth is, the home, and sometimes the very flesh, of the Neverborn beings older perhaps than the Elohim or even the Creator itself. Why would a god, or the Heavenly Host itself, imprison the Fallen so close to the greatest threat to very existence itself?

The Neverborn
As an alternative option I offer you the possibility that the Abyss that the Lasombra tap into could be the darkness beyond existence itself. Somewhere far beyond the Horizon. For who truly knows what lies beyond that which is and that what is not.
So the question remains what and where the Abyss does lie? I personally think that the Abyss lies within the Dreaming minds of the Neverborn manifested within the Umbra far beyond the Horizon and anything resembling reality. Abyss is the darkness the Neverborn dream of that exists beyond all that is created.
This has the disturbing effect of making most of the Lasombra into unwitting servants of the Neverborn's dreams and Abyss Mystics would be those to take out that dreamstuff and give it a way to break through the boundaries of worlds and enter our realm even if only in small manifestations.
The Neverborn as creatures of purest Oblivion, with but the slight flaw of existence stubbornly hanging on to them for now, inflict their will through their dreams that echo through the, and are, Hive-Mind. Once you feel their non-existent whispers within your mind you can do little but fall down in worship of them and their "master", as former people Spectres tend to personify powers beyond comprehension like Oblivion. After all existence is merely a story about the triumph of the Neverborn as seen from the point of view of the loosing party.

The Baali
if you think about the Children, who are beings native to the Primordial Darkness that was before before there was light and so perhaps before there was God, it comes as no surprise if the Baali are somehow connected to the Abyss.
the Children seem to most closely resemble the Neverborn, and have been at times hinted at being them, that brings up the disturbing connection to Oblivion once more
As for the Baali perspective the Lasombra might play with the echoes of the Children's names twisted so far as to mostly revere their dreams but still even those echoes hold power. Each prayer of devotion send by an Abyss Mystic to bring the darkness here and give it form and malefic sentience strengthens the Children's dreams. Yet the Baali are unsure if it works to keep the Children asleep, as their dreams gain power, or to awaken them, as their dreams are drawn towards reality.
Baali with which you are already familiar, which has some information about both the dreams of the Children and how the Baali, at least those following Moloch, seek keep those dreams pleasant to the Children as to not awaken them.
Baali also has a level six Daimoinon power that breaches the walls of reality for the briefest glimpse of that which lies beyond.

The Biblical Abyss
Abyss of the Fallen is located somewhere within the Underworld so that they could hear the cry's of souls lost to various Maelstroms which would suggest that the walls are perhaps against the Tempest, meaning most likely that they are either trapped in a realm of their own, floating within the Tempest, or somewhere within the Labyrinth itself.
Also Abyss where the Fallen were imprisoned has been stated to contain nothing but the Fallen themselves, thus making it different from the Abyss that Obteneration connects to and from which Abyss Mystics call their shadowy slaves.
Demon is a tricky game since, if we take the Abyss to be what is outside existence and what was before God created light, the Fallen have by necessity been created after or at the time of separation of that which is and that which is not. That is even they have little to none contact with the Neverborn, the Children and that which was before the first act of creation and being. This is made especially tricky by the fact that the Fallen seem to have only the capability to interact with and travel to the Shadowlands and no true ability to traverse through the Umbra, in fact the Umbra seems to be outside their area of expertise which naturally creates a small dent in their credibility as creators of our world through their Lores. That aside they too can be connected to the Abyss through the Shadowlands and the Neverborn and their dreams. Then again their seeming ignorance of the greatest enemies of creation slumbering there in the center of their haven for human souls is a bit odd don't you think?
Now the thing is that according to DtF a Slayer, Halaku, named Charon (what a blatant ripoff from Wraith I know) created a place called Haven to shelter and protect human souls from the Host of Heaven. It is said that to create it he, and the other Halaku, had to pierce through to the void beyond Creation, which implies direct contact with unbeing and so perhaps the Neverborn and Oblivion but of these there is no mention. It is mostly portrayed as a perfect but for one flaw the barrier that separated it from the living world left a pallor of decay over everything. Still no mention of this Charon himself ever noticing these being of uncreation, as old as the first act of creation itself, slumbering in the hearth of this Haven not to mention he seems to miss the fact that there is an actual gateway to Oblivion within the realm itself. Now then the Fallen lost and were banished into the Abyss, with the exception of Charon who had fled deep into the Haven during the final battles of the War, and when they return in the modern day they are horrified by what the Haven has become, the Underworld has changed drastically by each Great Maelstrom after all. And only now these modern slayers have started to learn that there is something called the Labyrinth at the hearth of their Haven and that it is inhabited by some things unknown to Angel and Fallen alike, do note that this is mostly through proxy and intel gathered from the dead not anything any of them have witnessed. Yet no Slayer is willing to travel into the Labyrinth as it lies too close to the walls of the Abyss within which they were imprisoned in so all they have is stories of the dead. Naturally, as beings of great hubris they interpret this to mean that the entities within this Labyrinth are either Fallen, or most likely Earthbound, changed further by their long residence in such a place, perhaps they are what remains of those rebels who fled into the depths of Haven at the end of the War. But like said they still have no clue of what lies in the very heart of their "Haven". Thanks to this ignorance and the fact that it seems only Charon, if even he, knows the true lay out of the Haven it seems to me that the Fallen had no idea of what they did as they created their Haven for souls and that they never even noticed how beings from beyond creation rested at the very center of their realm.
So no I'm not actually inferring that the Neverborn are demons quite the contrary I infer that the demons never even noticed how they practically offered human souls to these beings by leading them to a realm in which they resided. Blinded by their own Hubris and War against Heaven they never noticed the true enemy at their doorstep.
The only other option is that Charon, and his lieutenants, knew of these beings residing within the center of Haven and either did not care or made a pact of some sort with them what this pact would be, considering the Neverborn wish to cast all things into Oblivion and the Halaku's claimed goal of protecting and preserving human souls, I have no idea. But still it is a disturbing thought that the Halaku might have know that they had opened the door for Oblivion through their Haven especially so as their reasons for such an act are not readily apparent unless it is to reap the greatest harvest by killing all that is and in so doing killing God as well.

The Umbral Abyss Realm
Umbral Abyss on the other hand does, if my memory serves me correctly, have shadowy beings inhabiting it and in many ways it may be what the Discipline draws forth.
[the following was written by Agathe Ze Night] We are all aware that there is a realm in “Umbra the Velvet Shadow” that is obviously called the Abyss but in MtA this realm as an other name: the Chasm (u can find it’s description in the “Book of Worlds” p56). The fact that Nightmaster appears in both book and that the chasm has also the way of gold, silver and iron is imho a proof that they are one and the same.
The Chasm as presented in the Book of Worlds add the bridge of despair, the description of 2 other paths (the Way of Steel and the Way of Soil) and a bunch of detail concerning the paths they share in common. It seem to me as if the chasm is a cemetery of the memory, a place where objects, plants, people & gods fade from memory:
The Way of Gold leads to your own cemetery: Self-destruction
The Way of Silver lead to what I call the cemetery of forgotten diety (Fae ? Could have something to do with the Kyasid)
The Way of Iron leads to the the cemetery of human, the low umbra through the black labyrinth of the Wyrm
At one point there is the Bridge of Despair, which is made of bones and causes deep depression (forbidding anyone not able to resist it to leave the realm)
The Way of Steel leads to, the cemetery of objects: the lost & fond place of the umbra
The Way of Soil leads to the cemetery of plants
I belive the different "Way" are touching different aspect of the Umbra (like different levels of pressure within the darkness) That would make the Abyss a realm "in between" the other realm or at least "at the edge" of the other realms. The way of gold could be a lead to an Astral reach, to a reversed epiphany, to the Nihil or even (unlikely to happend) to the motherhood (see the Infinite Tapestry p93); the Way of Silver be connected to Arcadia or a least to the Arcadia gateway realm of the middle umbra; the Way of Iron to the Underworld; the Way of Steel seem close to the part of the penumbra where objects are lost, mostly in the city close to the weaver; while the way of Soil could lead close to the wild side of the penumbra…
The Deep Caves share some resemblance with the description of the Null Zone. There could also be some resemblance with the Lasombra’s Abyss since it’s at the bottom of the realm and the darkness should be total, thick and heavy. The place u can observe through the widows seen in the caves is the earth seen through it’s shadows… It might be linked with the penumbra of the way of soil and the way of steel…
Even though it seem easy for it’s inhabitant to leave the realm, but what really hold them in is the deep depression state felt by all his denizen which erase all will to leave… the perfect cell for infernal shades, long dead or the same: long forgotten…
By the way the description of the Nether Realm (the astral Hell, aka known as the Nihil) in the “Book of Worlds”, p 35, mention that the entrance is made by “the tunnel downward”, “leading down into darkness” [this concludes Agathe's portion]

Changelings
Changeling has plenty of darkness in it that could serve as connections to the Abyss but nothing specific comes to mind. Of course we have little real knowledge of the Green Court Fomorians except that they were powerful enough that they were not defeated by the Tuatha but decided to slumber of their own accord and for their own reasons. So who knows if these monsters of primordial nightmare, or merely primordeal dreams which may seem like nightmares to most sentient beings, are connected to the primordial beings that are the Neverborn but such connection has not been officially made. And there are always the Black Paths of Balor for those interested in seeing the Shadowlands for themselves and the Green (at least if I remember correctly) Paths of Balor for those who would visit the Abyss Realm within the Umbra.
The thing is there is fairly little know about the Green Court except that they exiciled themselves at the end of their war with the Tuatha, but it's a probable association for any Changeling coming into contact with information about the Neverborn to make. After all both are slumbering horrors from the time before time wielding unimaginable power and likely to cause the end of everything as we know should they ever be roused to take direct action. So it is, in my humble opinion, a reasonable way to look at things.

Mortals
The connection for mortals would likely be either through the static magic Path of Shadowcontrol or through Lasombra Vitae and Ghouldom.
the Victorian era had a certain resurgence of mysticism during it which would lead many humans interested in the Occult to doors they should never open, Abyss Mysticism is just one of them. As for non Hedge Wizard mortals, it could be actual Mages as well do note, I would say that people joining an Occult society that had an Hedge Wizard Shadow Crafter in it might likely get associated by default and might even participate in rituals venerating the Abyss without having such a full understanding of it or principles behind magic to enact hedge wizardry by himself.
Mortals who would pick up Shadow Crafting are amongst other things curious occultists, people who would serve a deity whose dominion included darkness and people who had an encounter with something able to manipulate shadows to mention few possibilities. All these could come up as antagonists in a Vampire chronicle as they too are wielding greater power when it is dark, and some might even come looking for Vampires if they had any foreknowledge of them being able to wield darkness as well.

The Well of Bones

The Well of Souls

Beyond these mostly basic ideas, Storyteller's can also take advantage of the perceived connection between the Abyss and the Underworld, and by extension Necromancy. Two ideas should jump immediately to mind, here: studying and dealing with Necromancers for Abyssal knowledge and understanding, perhaps seeking information on the Tempest; and also the same as above, except instead focusing on interactions with ghosts/Wraiths instead of vampires. Not to mention what it would take for a vampire to gain access to the Underworld, and then subsequently its Abyss—for whatever reason.
What about the hardly-mentioned connection between Abyss Mysticism and science. Abyssal Science? The deep space is a great void of darkness akin to the Abyss, maybe the Abyss is the deepest reaches of space far way from any stars and their light, perhaps even at the edge of the universe and all that exists, or further?
Player's characters could also have the need to seek out mortals worshiping the Abyss or practicing some sort of shadow magic unrelated to Cainites and the power of their blood (see Appendix II, p. XX, for more on this subject). Then there's the possibilities in the Yin-related powers of the Cathayan (Kuei-jin) and other supernaturals of the East, some of which manifest as shadow-like, spiritual “stuff.” There are definitely more ideas out there, including ones that aren't even covered by the examples and material provided in the rest of this book.

Dark Secret (1 Point Flaw)
(V20, p. 489)
You have a very dark secret indeed, one that few of the vampires around would understand without questioning your loyalty, sanity or worth. As an Abyss mystic, or one attempting to study the subject, few others besides yourself see the difference between Abyss Mysticism and Infernalism, or perhaps they do, but believe the difference is still so minute as to be meaningless. Regardless, if discovered, you are sure to be ostracized, mistrusted or worse if discovered.

Enemy (1-5 Point Flaw)
(V20, p. 490)
You have an enemy, be it an individual or a group of individuals, who have reason to seek only the worst for you. Taking the 1 Point version of this flaw would result in a minor enemy, perhaps an ambitious Cainite seeking to make their name by villainizing your connection to the Abyss or Abyss Mysticism. A 3 Point enemy might be a competent Inquisitor of the Sabbat or Friend of the Night, while 5 Points would result in a powerful Methuselah or ancient Abyssal entity.

The preceding were some of the more obvious Merits & Flaws available to Abyss mystics or characters in a game involving Abyss Mysticism. The following lists, however, are even more ideas that Storyteller's may wish to take advantage of. Please feel free to assign your own numerical values to these suggestions.

Examples of changes in one's physiology:
Your face is now completely incapable of expressing any type of feelings or emotions
Your voice has been changed into a terrifying sound that gives the listener cold chills
Your skin grows so pale that the blood in your veins can be seen through your skin as thick, dark threads
Your blood is no longer its original, natural, dark red but instead completely pitch black

Examples of changes in one's personality:
You mind often drifts away, mulling over strange thoughts, staring into nothingness (such as the dark, night sky, far-stretching surfaces of water, or the dark corner of the room), and you may be either fascinated or terrified of the things you “see”
You are addicted to visiting the Abyss, often using whatever excuse you can to travel there, and if your Willpower ever fails, you may end up choosing to remain their of your own “free will”
You feel uncomfortable and stressed while in the presence of light and even avoid rooms that are illuminated by small night-lights, and though the problem lies solely within your mind, it can make social interactions difficult

Examples of Auspex-related changes in one's Aura:
There are always human-like, shadow-forms lurking around around your aura in the Astral Plane
Whenever another vampire (or any supernatural creature, for that matter) attempts to read your thoughts, they also hear the dark, disturbing voices of one or more “others” as well

Using Science

To run an abyssal story with a science approach might not be as strange as one might think. After all, the two places man has not yet fully discovered is covered in complete darkness. What's hides out there beyond our ozone layer and what lurks in the depths of our black waters where no machine yet is able to go? To get involved in the space program is not much different from the ways that the Lasombra used to control kingdoms, you don't have to be the astronaut, you just gotta be the one in control. If you don't want your vampire game to turn into Startrek, Stargate or any type of Star, then the ocean approach might be more suiting. Vampires doesn't breathe, so no need for gas tubes. But what horrors can be found in the darkest places of the earth and what secrets are there to be discovered on the ocean floors where the Eldest walked for decades? Think Jules Verne and remember to bring some blood.

(Mexico City by Night, p. 51)
Situated somewhere within the dark, dank storm drain system of Mexico City lies the lair of the Schicheriel, or the “Black Ones of God,” a comparatively well-known cabal of mostly Jewish Mystics of the Abyss. Though purposely difficult to find, there are at least some Nosferatu antitribu who know its location—though they rightly charge a substantial sum to betray this information.
A large, brick vault with seemingly infinite pipes interweaving through each other, there seems to be a steady supply of water that falls into a central pool of water from above. The pipes and bare slabs of solid stone or laid bricks that serve as beds for Schichiriel disciples who spend the day are some of the only furnishings, as well as ten different statues of gods and goddesses of death and darkness, each with a mystical Hebrew word inscribed on their foreheads. In addition, Zadkiel's occult texts and ritae-related tools are sealed in moisture-proof cabinets when not in use.
The central pool of water is actually a hundred-foot-deep well infused with Abyssal energies, at the bottom of which slumbers Zadkiel ben Aron himself during the days. Also within this murky water are five Abyssal entities, summoned permanently and bound to the well through unknown methods by the grim rabbi, Zadkiel. These Abyssal retainers mercilessly attack any intruders who descend more than twenty feet into the waters, and never leave the shadowed shelter of the well unless commanded to defend the haven by their master.

What about the hardly-mentioned connection between Abyss Mysticism and science. Abyssal Science? Running an Abyssal Story with a scientific approach might not be as strange as one might think. After all, the two places humankind has yet to fully discover are immersed in darkness. Deep space is a great void of darkness akin to the Abyss, maybe the Abyss is the deepest reaches of space far way from any stars and their light, perhaps even at the edge of the universe and all that exists, or further? What hides out there, beyond our ozone layer, and what lurks in the lightless, watery depths of our own oceans where not even machines are yet able to go? To get involved in the space program is not much different from the ways that Clan Lasombra used to control kingdoms, you don't have to be the astronaut, you just have to be the one giving the orders. If you don't want your Vampire game to turn into Star Trek, Stargate, Star Wars or any type of Star-anything, then the oceanic approach might be more suiting. Vampires doesn't breathe, so no need for gas tubes, and Fortitude is easy enough to learn, so the pressure shouldn't be too much of a factor. Now that a vampire has decided to simply walk to Europe, what horrors can be found in the darkest places of the earth and what secrets are there to be discovered on the ocean floors, where the Eldest in Shadows himself walked for decades? Think, “Jules Verne,” and remember to bring some blood.