The Lasombra are masters of obtenebration, otherwise known as shadow play. At low levels obtenebration can cause inky darkness, which causes fear in their enemies. As their mastery improves, they can use their shadows as arms or tentacles. At the highest levels Lasombra can use their shadows to travel anywhere in the world by entering one and exiting through another.

The Lasombra are one of the founders of the Sabbat. The Lasombra Gratiano was the leader of the Anarch revolt. The Lasombra choose their childer with care when they can but otherwise the childer are nothing but shock troops for a battle. It is only the strongest and, perhaps, luckiest that survives to take on the leadership roles in the Sabbat they tend to fill.

Lasombra choose their childer from the stocks of humanity that often deal in politics. This does not mean that they take the highest in power. The fact is that they choose more often to take the less successful and the ones who are not going to be missed as greatly. They have found that those in high power seldom make good vampires because they are too tightly bound to their mortal lives. They generally take from low-level diplomats or secretaries, translators, and other aids. They choose on intelligence and thoughtfulness in their plans.

They also choose those who are disenchanted with society and feel that there is nothing left for them but the kindred life. Once they choose a potential candidate, they test them until they break to determine their limits. They cut off their potential childer from their life and make it so that the childer is easier to convert to the Sabbat way of life.