There's been a lot of questions running around concerning the upcoming Obia Sourcebook. The bloodline first appeared in the Vampire: Undeath Corebook described as being vampires descended from the Bucoli, instructed by their founder Felon. There are little hints about Aesma Dheva and the Shadow World but not much else, aside from their Dark Gift which allows them to manipulate shadows. Well and update is here to let you know how that book is coming along.
Are the Obia vampires?
Yes. The word vampire in Damnation means a creature who feeds off of another and steals/takes a lifeforce. Typical vampires steal blood and absorb the lifeforce in the blood to survive. The Obia are no different. They originated as Thralls and ventured into the Shadow World where they encountered horrors not known to any other vampire. Not much is known about how they came back but what is known is that they are seen as a kind of night terror, slinking through shadows and traveling using darkness. They may move about freely from one point to another using shadows and any area where it is currently dark. They can even affect the world around them, causing it to become more dark, giving shadows more texture, thinning the realms for a moment. They seem to be able to command the shadows that have become a part of their very being and are able to feed using this darkness.
In West Africa, the Obia are known as "night creatures" which can be summoned by witches to murder small children. In Jamaica they are known as beings who sold their soul to the devil for eternal life to amass riches. Some tribal peoples refer to the Obeah Man as a symbol of fear, power and respect. Other cultures discuss these Shadow People and attempt to discern what they represent, what they want and what their goals are.
What do they feed off of?
In the world of
Damnation, much isn't known about what they feed from. Their victims are typically healthy, young individuals with everything going for them. Their bodies are perfectly in-tact with no sign of damage. Their blood is in their body and toxicology reports come back 100% normal. However, for the vampire who attempts to feed on the recently deceased victim, there is no sustenance to be had. This act causes great alarm for members of the Vampire Nation who have scientists across the globe working to discover what happened. Obia are very secretive and do not always appear in a territory or domain.
Popular Rumors
It is rumored that the Obia are the Shadow People of legend and superstition. It is believed they know who is thinking about them and who is talking about them. It is generally believed that they are made of shadows themselves, existing in a plane between the Shadow World and our own. Some believe they feed on the soul of their victim while others suspect they don't feed at all. Whatever happened in the Shadow World, the events had a profound impact on their existence.
Umbris
The Dark Gift of shadows and darkness, Umbris is wielded by the most secretive of societies, Covens, Houses and Bloodlines in the modern world: The Obia. Umbris, literally the absence of light or the reduction of light on a subject or given area, takes it’s user into the dark and dank underworld of reality. Granting the power to choke out light from a given area is often misunderstood for a lesser ability. When others scoff at the very thought, they only see it at face value -the power to dim light and cause other things to appear more dim than they really are.
The ability to alter/change the amount of reflected visible photons has caused quite a stir in both the mortal world as well as the supernatural realm, when denizens are instantly blinded by utter darkness where they had previously been able to see without any hindrance.
When a user takes up the mantle of the Obia, they first are challenged to empower themselves with the ability to bend, change and alter natural darkness. Then, once this has been mastered, they are able to summon supernatural darkness, choking the light and eventually the very lie from objects and creatures.
1. Dim/Brighten
2. Release Shadows
3. Summoning
4. Creative Mind
5. Abyssal Mastery
UPDATE January 11th, 2014:
When asked to review early material for the upcoming Obia Sourcebook, Kirin King had this to say: "It's really good, I like the detail, description, and all of the resources too."
When asked if she thought fans would enjoy the book, her response was: "For beginners it's a lot to take in but it would be easy to get the hang of, for seasoned players...hell yes it gives a great back story and a lot of ways to use it."
A Thank-You to Kirin King for taking a look and giving such kind words.
UPDATE #2 January 12th 2014: We've got a cover for the book completed as well as the first 50 pages of the book. Most of the details which will shape the book are complete, as are most powers. Similar to the Bucoli, the Bloodline they descend from, Obia will be able to use and shape Darkness, a primordial element they may shape in a similar manner to the Daemoni and Bucoli's Blood Magic. A preview of the cover is posted below.
