Umbrakinesis is a discipline that stands on the edge of the abyss is more ways than one; not forbidden in the strictest sense of the word, it's powers are nonetheless unsettling and are seen by many of those who know of it to be profane and by the more puritanical outright heretical, although the protestations made by the Librarians of the Raven Guard and others like them have prevented wholesale outlawing. Much like the element it seeks to control, Umbrakinesis is little-known, mysterious, and dread-inducing. Evil, however, is up for debate.
Those who wield Umbrakinesis are rare; Few, if any formal institutions exist in the Imperium to teach it. Those who seek it's power must search for old tomes that speak of men shunning light in favor of the darkness, seek out the illusive few who have mastered it, or, as the legends say those who first learned of it did, stare into the void, be it space, cave, or something else, and allow it to stare back, sharing it's knowledge.
The people who wield the power of darkness and shadow are often a grim lot. Cold, of few words, often stealthy and prone to isolation, they are not viewed that fondly, but the power they invoke has saved many a life, and seen many an enemy of the imperium drowned in shadow's and sent away from the sight of the emperor. Rogue Trader's and there people are often viewed with much suspicion anyway, and even if not, what Rogue Trader would let a few raised eyebrows or stares stand dissuade them or their retinue from such power?
The Umbrakinesis Discipline
Activation time: Half action
Maintainable: yes
Range: self
Focus Power test: willpower
Power Scale: At levels 1-3, the shadows conjured
will seem subdued or muted, overpowered by
the light but still strong, and the pyskers shadow deepens.
At 4-6 the powers will stand out from the light, and will
move with greater fluidity and intuition, his enemies gaining
a sense of dread when is his presence. At 7+ the darkness
overawes the light, sucking it in and dimming it, and shadows
seem to radiate from the psyker, and he gains the darksight trait.
Basic Technique: Shadow cloak: The psyker draws upon his mental prowess to deepen his shadow, making it surround him and hide him from unworthy eyes. The Psyker gains a +10 bonus to the stealth skill, and enemies take a -10 to perception tests to spot him. Every degree of success can either add +10 to the stealth or -10 to the perception, up to +30 or -30
Shun the light
Value: 100xp
Prerequisites: none
focus power tests: willpower
range: 5m x psy rating
sustainable: yes, but see below
The psyker commands the darkness to snuff out the light of nearby things, surrounding him in comforting shadows. All Light sources within
the powers radius, from lights to fires etc. turn off or snuff out. For things that have their origins outside the powers range, the light stops short at the range. So long as the Psyker maintains the power, the lights cannot turn back on.
Note: for each turn the psyker sustains this power, he must make another focus power test, with a -10 penalty for each turn it has been active after the first. Ex. Marcus activated the power two turns ago, so the test to keep it up is -20.
Blind the enemy
value: 150xp
Prerequisites: shun the light
focus test: wp
Range: 10m x psy rating
sustainable: see below
The Psyker, having mastered clouding himself in darkness and in sending it out, now works on using it offensively. The psyker sends the darkness to blind his opponent, forcing him to see only black, to stumble around in the dark; a fitting fate for those who oppose the Emperor of Man! The target must make a perception test or go blind for the round, plus a number of rounds equal to the degrees of success on the test. Alternatively, the psyker can forgo one of those rounds to add a -10 penalty to the perception test, up to a -30. Also, the psyker can attempt this on as many targets as he wishes, each target after the first adding a -10 to the focus power test
Inspire Dread
Value: 200xp
pre: shun the light
focus test: wp -10
range: self
sustainable: yes
The psyker harness the innate dread all (or rather, all but him/herself) beings have of the darkness. It leaks from his body, radiates from his eyes, forms horrific shapes as it rises from his body. All enemies count the psyker has having a fear rating of 1, or plus 1 if he has it. for each 2 degrees of success, the psyker can and another +1.
Night Terrors
Value: 200
pre: inspire dread
focus: wp
range: 5m x psy
sustainable: see below
The psyker seeks to overwhelm the target with darkness and the fear of the night, sending him reeling to the floor and whimpering. The target must pass a wp test at penalty to 5 times the psy rating used on the power or count as stunned for as many round as degrees of success on the focus power test. Each additional target adds -10 to the test
Field of Nightmares:
Value: 300
pre: blind the enemy
focus wp -10
range: 10m x psy rating
sustainable: yes
The psyker conjures a field of dark goo, nightmarish thoughts and monsterous shapes, psy rating meters across. All enemies entering it must test strength, willpower and perception at -10. If they fail strength their movement speed is halved. If they fails Willpower they test against fear (2). If they fail the perception test they are blinded. Leaving the field ends these effects. If they enter again, they must retest. While still within it, they do note have to retake succeeded tests, and may retake failed ones once be round with a +10 bonus for each round after the first. However, each round they spend, after the first, they take 1d10 enegry damage with a pen equal to psy rating.
Dark Bolt
Value: 200
pre: blind the enemy
focus: wp
range: 10m x psy
sustainable: no
Darkness is about debilitation and subtly before an overawing and overwhelming force, a calm before the storm. This power proves it. The psyker launches a bolt of pure dark energy, sending it towards an unfortunate victim, causing 1d10 energy damage + psy, with a penetration equal to psy. For every 2 degrees of success, the psyker can launch another bolt, at the same target or a different one. For each of the following criteria, add 6 damage: stunned, blinded, surprised/unaware.
Darkness surge
Value: 300
pre: dark bolt
focus: wp -10
range: 10m x psy
sustainable: no
Trading quantity for quality, this technique sends a powerful beam of dark power at a target, overwhelming him with raw eldritch might. the target takes 2d10+psy energy damage, with a pen of psy+wp bonus. Dark bolt damage conditions apply.
Darkness blast
value: 500
pre: darkness surge
focus wp-20
range: 5m x psy
sustainable: no
Abandoning all subtly for the sheer power darkness offers, the psyker nominates an area in range 1m x psy in diameter, and launches a nightmarish blast of power. Each enemy within that zone takes 1d10+2x psy explosive damage, with a pen of psy x2. Dark bolt damage conditions add +10 rather than +6.
Vortex of the Void
Value: 600
pre: darkness blast
focus wp-30
range: 30m
sustainable: yes
Drawing on the darkest voids and emptiest abysses, the psyker conjures a vortex into being that seeks to annihilate everything it touches. the Vortex is 5 meters across. Everything within 20 meters of it must make a -20 strength test or be pulled 5 meters x degrees of failure. touching it means the enemy takes 2d10 damage with the tearing quality, ignoring armor and toughness. Each round the psyker sustains the power, he must make the focus test again at -40. Even If he succeeds, he gains a level of fatigue that cannot be removed until he rests (no drugs or recaf)!
That's all for now, let me know what you think and what needs balancing.