The Umbra houses a staggering variety of spirits. They are creatures of raw soul force and are not intertwined with flesh and blood. Some are closely related to beings in the Realm, but many are unique to the Umbra and are difficult to describe in physical terms.
The denizens of the spirit world have a clear hierarchy. The very greatest spirits exude/create lesser spirits. These greater spirits are called patrons of the lesser. Though most spirits appear to have patrons, the Garou suspect that certain rogue spirits exist outside the chain of spirit patronage.
The greatest spirit is Gaia. Below Her is the Triat: the Wyld, the Weaver and the Wyrm. Below the Triat are the Celestines, who are akin to gods. Below the Celestines are the Incarna: the lords and kings of the spirit world. Their servants, Jagglings and Gafflings, are like knights and vassals.
Gaia
The Realm-system begins with Gaia and is bounded by Gaia. All things that exist within the Tellurian are considered to be of Gaia, though some Garou would refute the notion that evil beings are truly a part of Gaia. Gaia's growth and development are inextricably linked to the growth and development of the living beings within Her. Gaia loves all of Her creations, and extends to them a pure, unconditional acceptance and respect. Life is both a manifestation of Gaia and a celebration of her glory. Death is but a transfiguration of Gaian energy, as the dying being ascends to a new state in the cosmological cycle. This natural cycle of death and life has been altered by powerful intelligences, and this in turn weakens Gaia. She is also greatly weakened and degraded by the ongoing clash of the Triat. The Garou rage at the violence that the Weaver and the Wyrm inflict on Gaia, and have pledged their lives and souls to defending, upholding and restoring Her. They fear that the impending Apocalypse may signal her ultimate destruction.
The Triat
Below Gaia in cosmic power are the mysterious, personified forces called the Wyld, the Weaver, and the Wyrm. According to the Garou, these entities, collectively called the Triat, shape and control eternity. The interplay of these impersonal, spiritual forces makes uo the Tellurian and comprimises all within it.At a base level, the members of the Triat represent the forces of creation, growth, and destruction, but they are far more than that. They represent potential, materialization, and unraveling. They also embody chaos, order, and balance.
Celestines
Below the Triat in the cosmological totem pole lie the Celestines. The greatest of the Celestines are Luna, the spirit of the Moon, and Helios, the spirit of the Sun. Gaia's most directly comprehensible manifestation is a Celestine form. The true form of Gaia is so much larger than the Triat as to be completely unknowable by any means other than the transcendent bliss of mystical union. Other Celestines are powerful servitors of the Triat, but their forms are all but unknown to the Garou. They are sentient and highly intelligent. Most Celestines abide in Realms of their own design; here they are omnipotent and omniscient. They are usually visited only by Incarna.
Celestines sometimes send avatars to communicate with Garou. These avatars are aspects of themselves that are approachable and understandable by Garou. The true form of a Celestine is unimaginable; it is only through an avatar that communication bewteen them and lesser beings can take place. To create an avatar, the Celestine wills itself to appear in a finite, limited form. Because of its near-infinite nature, a Celestine may have many avatars active at one time. Celestine avatars cannot be destroyed or adversely affected in any way by beings of lesser potency than Celestines.
Incarna
One step below the Celestines are the Incarna. Incarna are minions, consorts, advisors and warriors who serve the Celestines and derive power from their patrons. Some of them have Domains of their own, but most of the Domains they inhabit were created by Celestines. When Celestines die, their Incarna often survive. These powerful spirits seek both Gnosis and a purpose. Many of them seek to become Celestines.Totem spirits are the Incarna most familiar to Garou. These beings, most often servants of Gaia, can create many avatars to sommunicate and interact with the Garou. Pack totems are totem avatars. Totem avatars resemble Jagglings in form and powers. While Incarna are less powerful than Celestines, they are still immensely potent and vast, existing on many levels. Usually, only their avatars can be interacted with, although Theurges tell legends of great seers who encountered Incarna in the Umbra and came away with a truer understanding of power.
Jagglings
Jagglings are simpler spirits that serve the Incarna, though some Jagglings serve a Celestine directly. They are formed from a part of the spiritual essence of their patron, and are usually quite loyal. Some develop (or are given) free will by their patron. The more advanced Jagglings can duplicate this process and thereby create Gafflings to serve themselves. Garou can, and often do, interact with Jagglings. Some Jagglings teach Gifts to Garou, while others, such as Englings, can provide an entire sept with Gnosis.
Gafflings
The lowest spirits are gafflings - semi-sentient or insentient servants of the Jagglings. They are used as tools by their masters and by the Incarna, who don't regard them as intelligent beings. Gafflings are used to power Garou fetishes and to send messages through the Umbra. They are in constant communication with their patron to assume complete control over them. Many of them feel most "whole" when they allow their patron to dominate them. Some Gafflings are fully intelligent, but these are the exceptions, and are often the work of mysterious higher forces. Garou interact with Gafflings more than any other spirit type. Gafflings can teach Gifts to Garou and be bound into fetishes.
Spirit Traits
Spirits differ from physical beings in many ways. They do not share the same Traits; spirits do not have Attributes and Abilities. Instead, spirits have the following Traits: Willpower, Rage, Gnosis, Power, and Charms. How they use these Traits is detailed below.
Willpower- Willpower allows a spirit to take "physical" actions: attacking an enemy, racing after another spirit, or even flying through the Umbra. Contests of this nature between spirits are resolved by opposed Willpower rolls.
Rage- Rage is a spirit'anger and anguish.Spirits can destroy and harm other spirits or Garou with their Rage.
Gnosis- Gnosis is what a spirit uses for any sort of Social or Mental roll, or any other roll to transform the parameters of a situation.
Power- Unlike Garou, spirits rarely use their own Gnosis in attacks; instead, they use "batteries" of mystical energy, which they harness from the Umbra to sustain themselves.
A spirit's "battery" is known as its Power, and it is depleted through the use of special abilities and through taking damage. When a spirit's Power reaches zero, the spirit dissipates into the Umbra for a number of hours equal to 20 minus its Gnosis, after which it Reforms with one Power point. Optionally, a Garou who knows the proper rite can bind the spirit into a fetish; however, the fetish will not be usable until the spirit's Power is recharged. A Garou who reduces a spirit's Power to zero may also elect to siphon up to five points of Gnosis from the spirit in order to recharge his own Gnosis. This kills the spirit if it has fewer than six Gnosis points.Needless to say, this is a good way to make lots of spirits very angry.
Charms- Each spirit possesses special powers, known as Charms. Charms generally require a certain amount of Power to employ. Unless otherwise stated, a Charm lasts for one scene. Combat-oriented Charms, however, last one turn per use