The Darkness

The Darkness is an ageless power dating back beyond human history. It has been on Earth since its creation. The ability for mortals to control it, however, has not. No-one really knows who was the first, but someone, somewhere learned how to manipulate Darkness and that ability was passed on to the generations after them. Information is hard to collect on the wielders of the Darkness as they are very secretive because of their many enemies.

Overview
The Darkness is a semi-sentient substance that is bonded to its wielder. It attempts to protect the wielder and lets him create things out of ambient Darkness.

The Darkness is not good or evil; it is just the Darkness. Having the Darkness gives the capacity for evil and many who have had it have been in league with the Brotherhood of Darkness and have used it for terrible purposes. The darkness does not have much of a personality, it just knows that it will disperse if the wielder is killed and so tries to survive.

The Darkness stays inside the wielder's body and boosts her physical qualities and aids in healing. This is all it can do while the host is in the light. When there is enough ambient Darkness the wielder can create anything, the effectiveness of his creation depending of his knowledge of it. When a full, direct light hits anything created from the Darkness, it will turn to dust.

The Darkness is passed from generation to generation. If the possessor of the Darkness has sex and gets someone pregnant or gets pregnant, the Darkness is passed on to the unborn child and the former wielder dies instantly.

There are three distinct types of Darkness referred to: the semi-intelligent Darkness inside the wielder, the ambient spiritual Darkness hanging around, and normal mundane darkness (absence of light).

Creation
The Darkness manifests itself when the person is about 20 years old, give or take. This can be a very confusing time as the Darkness tries to protect the wielder when he's in danger. The wielder will also experience flashbacks for a while of the past users of the Darkness. The Darkness sometimes spontaneously creates things (and sometimes even darklings) at random before the user learns to control it.

Since the Darkness is passed on from parent to offspring, wielders are organised into lineages. No-one knows how many lineages there are for the wielders are very secretive. The Estacado lineage is an example.

The attitudes of the wielders are very much mortal because they grow up mortal. The wielders grow up subconsciously knowing that they will have need to defend themselves when they get older. This is actually the Darkness trying to prepare the host for a full bond.

The wielder usually receives tuition from a darkling or the Brotherhood, whichever finds him first.

Healing
The Darkness can aid healing by 'stitching' up holes and repairing flesh, etc. The rate is one non-aggravated wound level per round with concentration. Aggravated damage is regenerated at a rate of 3 days per level (except for bruised which is 1 day).

Lost limbs will not regenerate but a temporary transplant could always be made out of the Darkness...

Creation Powers
In order to create something, the wielder must have knowledge of what he is creating. It may seem simple to create yourself just by looking the mirror, but it's not that simple. Medical knowledge of how it works or a deep understanding of the type of creature is required.

Once made, the creation must be sustained. This is represented by expending temporary Darkness. You get this back when you stop sustaining the creation. A created item may be uncreated at any time by the wielder. Even if he can't see it, he simply stops sustaining it.

It is important to note extended rolls may be used when creating in order to accumulate successes.

Minor Forging
This covers simple things that have no moving parts such as blades or wings. Anything created must be in direct skin contact with the creator or else it will turn to dust. This is actually the Darkness from within being used. The wielder can create body armor making him resistant to damage of most sorts. This armor usually looks the same every time. The armor that covers the eyes provides a filter that lets the user see in the dark better.

Forging
The wielder may create more complex objects from ambient Darkness. The creator must have knowledge of the object and how it works to create it. Forging covers objects with moving parts or ones that are made of composite materials. Objects don't have to be in skin contact or even in line of sight to continue to exist.

Summon Darkling
The wielder calls forth a darkling spirit and lends it some Darkness to give it material form. The summoner has no control over which specific darkling is summoned unless she knows its name.

Life Forging
The wielder now has enough experience to create simulacra of living creatures. The living beings lack free will, emotions or creativity. They cannot carry on a conversation or use public transport, but can be instructed to fight or act as a decoy. Note that they will die for you. When forging life, no supernatural powers may be duplicated.

Weaknesses
"Now, what you gotta watch out for. Light is bad. Doesn't matter if it's daylight or not, a bright light that shines on somethin' made of the Darkness will make it turn to dust in seconds. Your personal Darkness will withdraw into your body to escape light, but can still help you heal and increase your power."

As soon as a bright light touches anything created from the Darkness, it will crumble to dust. The Darkness is still present within the wielder's body so he keeps his physical powers.

Darklings
Creating darklings is special. Darklings are minor darkness spirits that use the Darkness to materialise, so you've still spent the darkness to 'create' one but you're actually summoning it.

Darklings have minds and needs of their own. Their creator has no say over which particular darkling is called unless aided by someone in touch with the spirit world or if he knows its name.

The Brotherhood of Darkness

The Brotherhood of Darkness was formed five centuries ago when Miguel Estacado reached the shores of the Americas. Miguel founded the Brotherhood hoping to get worshippers. Led by the sinister Lord Sonatine, their purpose is to help protect the current wielders of the Darkness power, as long as that wielder shares their vision of changing the world.

If refused, they're not scared of using terrorist tactics against the wielder. The Brotherhood will continue to be a thorn in the wielder's side unless she is willing to go along with their plans...or die.

The Brotherhood maintains a vast spy network, always on the lookout for wielders of the Darkness. If they know how many lineages are out there, they aren't telling anybody.