ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

Before any proper discussion of the Umbra can take place, a mystic must first consider the physical world, the Earth herself. Many mystics consider the Earth to be but one realm of many, but most consider the Earth to be of primary importance (at least, to mystics native to this world). As such, the physical world is often simply referred to as The Realm, without further qualifiers.

The physical world is familiar to most people and little description is necessary. The Realm is a place of things that you can see and touch, not of the emphemera and spirits of the Umbra. The Realm is not devoid of spiritual energy, however. It is the center, from which the rest of the Umbra derives its power. At one time the Realm and the Umbra were as one, and there was no distinction between body and spirit. Modern man is largely blind to spiritual power, however, and the mystic must journey to the Umbra to find true insight.

The Periphery

Though the Realm is mostly separate from the spirit world, this is not completely true. In certain places and certain times, the spirit world can bleed through and partly join with the physical world once more. This cross-over is referred to as the Periphery and is a much sought after state for mystics.

On the Periphery, a mystic is more aware of the spiritual world. The world seems more vibrant and everything seems alive, as the spiritual side of all things partially manifests. Even non-aware individuals can feel the spiritual power of the Periphery. The barriers between the physical and spiritual world are weakest here, and it is possible to accidentally slip from one world to another. Mages call this the Shallowing Effect.

The Periphery exists in places of great power, the Caerns, Nodes, Haunts and Freeholds of the various supernatural races. In these places the spiritual world is felt most strongly, though the exact aspect or layer of the Umbra which shines through may vary. In other instances, the Periphery may only manifest temporarily, due to some outpouring of spiritual energy. Some say that the Periphery is not a place but rather a mental state, the mood one has when on the edge of stepping from the physical world into the Umbra.

The Gauntlet

The Gauntlet is not a place, but a boundary. It is the barrier between the physical world and the Umbra. In the ancient past the Gauntlet did not exist, but in modern times it has been growing ever stronger. Mystics fear that some day it will harden completely, and the physical and spiritual worlds will be cut off. There are forces at work, the Weaver in the opinion of the Garou and the Technocracy according to the mages, that actively work to thicken the Gauntlet.

The thickness of the Gauntlet varies from place to place, depending on the spiritual power of a region. The cities of man tend to have the strongest Gauntlet, being farther removed from the Umbra. Natural places tend to have thinner Gauntlets, and it is easier in those places to reach the spirit world. In sites of great magickal power, the Gauntlet barely exists at all. In those places, the physical world lies in the Periphery. The Umbra can be entered with ease, and even non-mystics can sometimes make their way through, by accident or design.