"...you were keeping the cuttings in complete darkness for rooting?"
Yes. The successful cuttings would etoliate strongly, but I'd just strip the stalks of all but the top and bury deep. Seemed to promote strong rooting. I just used my thumbnail to strip the stalks, although I had scissors for taking the clones. The rougher wounds seemed to root readily when buried and availed 24/7 light after their Stygian trial. It was not a sterile procedure at all, but I had no expectations of delicate divas in my grow.
They were all hardy survivors or compost.