The Traveller's Guide to the Umbra

 Welcome back, or if you're here for the first time, then hello. These blog posts are dedicated to the roleplaying game Werewolf: The Apocalypse, one of my favourite games. They're intended to form a primer for the game, to explain it to potential new players. Most of what I've written has been tagged with the Werewolf label, and I'm working to ensure everything I've published for the game here has the tag. 

This week, we're returning to the mysterious spirit world, the Umbra, to discuss travel and survival. Last time we got a basic idea of the part of the Umbra werewolves interact with the most (there are other realms, but those appear in Mage: The Ascension and Wraith: The Oblivion far more than in Werewolf, and can be challenging for the Garou to visit, so I'm only going to cover them if it's requested. This content is designed for the 20th Anniversary Edition of Werewolf, which is what I'm sticking with. Apologies if you're a 5th Edition fan, and I hope you still find this content useful. 

The Umbra is a vast realm, a universe all of its own and learning to survive it is a challenge in itself. While, in contrast to the Apocalypse's successor game Werewolf: the Forsaken's Hisil, the Umbra is positively fluffy there are still significant dangers. Most Gaian spirits are friends to the Garou, recognising them as allies to Mother Earth and are only dangerous if they've been corrupted by the Wyrm's energies. The various Realms and the presence of the insane Weaver and Wyrm, however, mean that even here - in the spiritual home of the Garou, they're still in danger. 

Let's consider then, what a young pack should do to be able to travel the Umbra safely, or at least while minimising danger. 

1) Carry A Mirror: Given that the size of the mirror, or other reflective surface, is immaterial, packing something reflective so you can bug out back to the material world, is a good idea while you're in the Penumbra. While in some places, this may drop you into more trouble (if, for example, you're using the Umbra to infiltrate a Pentex base), for general travel purposes, this is a good idea. As well as letting you duck out of danger, unless you have the Umbral Key fetish, it gives you a way back to the material world at any time. Without one, you may be trapped in the spirit world. 

2) Learn Spirit Speech: This Rank One Theurge Gift allows you to speak with spirits and understand their replies. A vital part of travelling the Umbra, this will permit you to commune with the spirits and not get into fights (remember you'll not get XP for defeating enemies and being rude this way will only earn you the local spirits' ire). This also makes Theurges, a low Rage Auspice, more useful to your pack, and opens up the Umbra as a more interesting location for exploration and plots. 

3) Walk Softly But Carry A Big Stick: While being able to communicate with spirits is important, the Umbra is still dangerous. It's important not to antagonise the spirit world's denizens, but Banes and other threats are common - especially in the spirit version of cities. Consequently, your pack must be able to defend itself, not to make enemies but to help cleanse the Umbra of corruption and defend Gaia. Make sure you can fight, which Gifts like Razor Claws, Falling Touch, and Pack Tactics are always helpful with. Obviously, at higher Ranks, you'll have more powerful Gifts to play with, but at Rank 1 (Cliaths) the power to do extra damage, create space on a battlefield, and coordinate the pack are great things to be able to do. 

4) Find Allies: If you're going to spend any length of time in the Umbra, enough to do a significant quest, or travel deep into its heart, you don't want to do it without help. Nobody knows the Umbra better than the spirits, so seeking out allies and friends among them is a great thing to do. This may not be free of course, spirits can be fickle creatures for all the respect they have for Gaia's Warriors. Offerings and gifts may be needed to bring them to your pack's side. The game has a term for this sort of thing: chiminage. This could take the form of rare items, a quest you perform for the spirit you're courting, or something else entirely (depending on the story the Storyteller is telling). 

Bear in mind that many spirits will expect you to adhere to their customs and signs of respect beyond just receiving chiminage. You should be cautious, and polite and never take anything for granted while dealing with them. 

5) Pay Attention To The Umbra: The Umbra isn't the physical world and doesn't operate by the same rules. To an extent, the Law of Sympathy applies, by seeking out something like the place you're looking for, you may well stumble onto the realm you want to access. For example, if you're looking for a Weaver realm searching where the spider webs are thickest will be a good way to find one. Taking the most direct route isn't always a sensible course of action here, and you can't necessarily rely on geography. Paying attention to what's around you and what you can use to find your way. The sympathetic nature of the spirit world becomes even more important if you can find paths or Trods (faerie roads) and most Garou simply meditate and follow their instincts in such situations. The main thing to remember is that you can use the Umbra's curious "logic" to your advantage in such situations. 

Exploring the Umbra is one of the most rewarding—and dangerous—parts of Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Whether you’re stepping sideways for the first time or leading your pack deep into the unknown, preparation is key. What are your favourite Umbral encounters, or what questions do you have about spirit world survival? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s keep the discussion going!