# Darkness Domain
Gods of darkness include Asmodeus, Bane, Cyric, Deep Duerra, Grumbar, Laduguer, Leira, Mask, Moander, Myrkul, Null, The Raven Queen, Shargaas, Vecna, as well as Lolth and other members of the Drow's Dark Seldarine. The Goddess Shar, or the Mistress of the Night, is an originator of magic and subsequently of the shadow weave through which clerics of this domain have access to dark magic. She is sometimes heretically worshipped alongside her twin sister Selûne.
While some gods of darkness promote death and destruction, others favor mystery, deception, the secretive, the paradoxical, and the occult. Still others simply offer a measure of humility and balance against the arrogant avatars of light, radiance, and fire. The new moon, the eclipse, the abyss, cave-mouths, shrouds, owls, a hollow tree, and the dark hand or door are symbols commonly associated with dark divinities. Some gods of the dark insist on the unrepresentability of their dark form, accepting black or grey as indications of their inaccessible higher truth.
Clerics of dark gods are commonly but not necessarily evil. Since full enlightenment is disavowed, and since followers are often unjustly persecuted outside the underdark or their small surface enclaves, dark clerics will often rely on clandestine networks and conceal aspects of their worship while questing. Service to dark gods frequently takes place at night, by way of closely guarded rituals.
**Darkness Domain Spells**
| Cleric Level| Spells |
|:----:|:---------------|
| 1st | Bane, Shar Bolt |
| 3rd | Darkness, Shadow Blade |
| 5th | Nondetection, Hunger of Hadar|
| 7th | Death Ward, Shadow of Moil
| 9th | Legend Lore, Enervation |
**Note**: The Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard cantrip Chill Touch replaces the standard Sacred Flame Cleric cantrip. Likewise, the standard Cleric cantrips Word of Radiance and Light are replaced by Word of Ruin (substitute necrotic for radiant damage) and Veil (a brightly lit area becomes only dimly lit in a 20-foot radius; a dimly lit area becomes dark in a 20-foot radius).
**Bonus Proficiencies**: At first level you gain proficiency in Martial Weapons, the Insight, Stealth, and Deception skills, in Undercommon, and in either Arcana, or Religion.
### Practitioner in the Dark
Starting at level 1, immediately gain Darkvision to 60 feet (or add 60 additional feet). At level 4 your darkvision gains another 60 feet. At level 8 your Darkvision pierces your own magical darkness and others' after passing a Wisdom saving throw. At level 12 your Darkvision can pierce all magical darkness except that crafted by your deity.
### Gloam Bender
Starting at level 1, if you are immediately adjacent to a dim or dark area you can bend the darkness around you, producing dim light or darkness for an additional 5 feet. Starting at level 4 you gain the ability to do the same for one additional medium sized creature within 5 feet of you. At level 8 when you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can skim the Shadowfell barrier and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.
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### Channel Divinity: Despair of the Void
Instead of turning the undead, starting at level 2, you can channel your god to instill a paralyzing dread in your opponents. As an action, present your holy symbol to focus your enemies’ attention on the void that lies between all things. A glimmering pall spreads in a cone 30 feet out from your symbol. Enemies in range are induced into a frightened state when they fail a Wisdom saving throw, and at higher levels, continued fright produces growing fatigue. Starting at level 5, if fright persists for a second round add one point of exhaustion. At level 8, a third round adds a second point, and a further point is added at level 11 in the fourth round, at level 14 in the fifth round, and at level 17 in the sixth round. This action has no effect on the undead, the blind, or servants of any dark deity. A successful saving throw overcomes fear, and fatigue diminishes one point per round.
### Channel Divinity: Shadowfell Transfer
Starting at level 2, you can service your dark lord while healing the badly injured.
When you and your targets are together in a dimly lit (or darker) area, as an action, present your holy symbol to quicken a dark mist that absorbs damage from them. The mist syphons their pain and transfers it into Shadowfell. You can restore hit points equal to five times your cleric level (ten times your level for hit points lost through necrotic damage) and divide those hit points amongst your targets. You cannot use this action on creatures who serve light, life, or fire, nor those who were damaged by your deity or an agent in their service.
### Magical Wisps
Starting at level 6, your magic becomes saturated with shadow. Whenever you cast a spell of 3rd level or higher, you may cause wisps of shadow magic to begin to obscure the area around that spell's effect. If the spell affected an area, then these wisps cover the same area as the spell. If the spell affected
specific targets, then these wisps cover areas that extend 5-feet outwards from each target. The wisps adhere to the target for 1/2 minute (or until dismissed), and the area they cover is “lightly obscured” for the duration. At the end of their turn, each target in an obscured environment can make a Dexterity saving throw against your cleric spell save DC. On a success, their wisps are dispersed.
If you cast another spell or cantrip that affects an area already containing wisps, you may choose to either animate the wisps within the second spell’s effected area or deepen the existing wisps into heavier shadows. Three actions used to deepen wisps produce a “heavily obscured” effect for 1/2 minute, which may be extended as long as another deepening effect is chosen within the appropriate duration.
Animating the wisps in an area causes all wisps directly connected to that area to be animated as well. Animated wisps attack a living creature of your choice within the affected area. The chosen creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your cleric spell save DC or take necrotic damage equal to your cleric level + your spell-casting ability modifier + the combined spell level of the wisp-producing, any deepening, and the animating spells. Count cantrips as spell level 1 for totaling necrotic damage. After the wisps attack, they dissipate into nothingness.
### Potent Spellcasting
Starting at level 8, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip
### Divinewright Shade Shield
Starting at level 17, you may ritually imbue one shield bearing your holy symbol with a fragment of your god’s energy. The ritual requires a full day and the guidance of another, more elevated devotee of your god. This devotee retains the capacity to annul the shield’s magical power if, in their judgment, you are ever deemed insufficiently pious. You alone are attuned to this shield.
When used in combat the shield emanates a darkness that provides partial cover (an additional +2 to your AC). This darkness absorbs the brunt of fire, radiant, and lighting attacks, providing resistance to these kinds of damage. Additionally, anyone contacting the shield who wishes to do you immediate harm elicits your god’s wrath. They must roll a Constitution saving throw against your cleric spell save DC at time of imbuement and take 8d10 + your cleric level (also at time of imbuement) in psychic, necrotic, or force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful save. The choice of psychic, necrotic, or force damage is made at the time of imbuement by the higher servant of your god.
