by Sean Riley (Werewolf: The Apocalypse | The Face of Rage | Columns)
When studying the spirits, one, almost by necessity, must study the gifts that they bestow upon us. Such studies are useful for two reasons. Firstly, they are the most practical studies to undertake for they teach us of the tools that we use and maybe the limits of those tools. Secondly, they are the most tangible aspect of the spirits to us, more than just what we can see, touch, hear, smell and taste, Gifts we can feel, and thus we can learn more about Spirits in this way than we can by perhaps any other study. This also makes such studies more tangible, and we must be careful not to speculate too much when we have concrete evidence available.
The first piece of evidence we have is observation and study of those employing gifts. As an example for study, let us observe the effects of a Garou employing the gift most commonly given the moniker of "Wasp Talons". When this gift is called upon in the material world, only the effects of the gift are observed, that is, the Garou in questions claws detach from the hands and are directed by an unseen force toward the target. Whilst there is little extraordinary to comment upon, let us not forget to comment on the lack of extra details - No facial features change to mimic the spirit, nor do the paws or claws turn into literal "Wasp Talons", since such items do not exist. In the umbra, a similar although not identical response occurs. Whilst there is little activity besides that of the talons ejecting from the paws, an occasional spiritual 'aura' can be seen to manifest around, although not emanating from, the Garou. Still, this is minor and it is not always the case, often no aura is seen at all.
Can then, based upon this lack of any exceptional evidence, we assume that the "Wasp Talons" are a simply figure of speech, rather than based in any essential 'waspness'? Of course not! A spirit of Wasp teaches the gift to the Garou, thus when we employ this gift, we are taking on a little piece of the Avatar of all Wasps itself. And yet there is no visible sign of anything wasp-like in the application or execution of this gift at all.
What then, are we to make of this? I will posit that this means that not only are our gifts taught by an outside source, but they remain located outside of us at all times, and presumably located within the original spirit that taught it to us. This, in turn, means that when the Garou summons the power of the gift, she summons the spirit itself.
To recap, let me propose a theoretical mechanics of Gifts. When 'learning' a gift, what the Garou is actually doing is, in a way, negotiating for the spirits favors in due time. We assimilate this as a learning process, the spirit, for all we know, may not do so. What is exchanged is a brief ritual that we believe activates the gift, but more truthfully acts as a way to summon the spirit and inform it of what favor we need. The spirit, in turn, performs the favor as agreed and then departs.
The most obvious question that emerges from this hypothesis is just how the spirit is able to notice it's own summoning. After all, a Garou can travel from one end of the either world to the other and the gift functions no differently. So how then is a spirit capable of sensing the Garou's need wherever it might be? It would be easy to simply suggest "It does", but I refuse to be confined to such complacency.
To me, this suggests our perception of what the spirits are is flawed. We currently see them as basically akin to us, a limited being bound within a finite form, the main difference being that their form is primarily spiritual and ours is equally physical and spiritual. Again, I point an accusing finger at the Garou as a whole and lay charges of arrogance. This smacks of either Levinasian reduction of the Other, or of Christian superstition that we are "made in God's image". Arrogance, as I declare again.
Let us assume that spirits in fact are composed entirely differently to us, and are in fact stretched across the entire tellurian! This explains a spirits ability to sense that it is needed, no matter where it's summoner is.
Then how do we explain the visual forms of spirits that we so frequently observe? I would suggest that these are the focused points of attention for a spirit, where it can act on its intentions and force its will upon its environment. Consider it, if you will, the nucleus of the Spirit, assuming a sort of amoebae-like construction to spirits. Whilst they can detect any spiritual 'pushing' upon any part of it, it can only focus a dedicated attention to a localized area, in which is has the visual representation that we can see.
Now then, more astute readers will no doubt be reading my description of spirits and comparing it to traditional descriptions of a far more discussed spirit - Gaia. I urge those of you not to take offense at this, although I can see the source of your outrage, how can I compare the least of Gafflings to Gaia herself?
To that I answer, why not? Gaia and Gafflings alike are both spirits, both essentially the same type of being, the only difference is in scale. Why not might we consider Gafflings and all spirits to be kinds of "mini-Gaias"? After all, they are direct shards of her being. Gaia is a spirit of such power, grace, glory and might that she becomes our Goddess, whilst the humble Gaffling has only enough power to be a valued ally, or some might even suggest a useful tool. In construction, this might mean that Gaia's 'nucleus' comprises the entirety of her being, which would explain why she seems to influence the world without any obvious physical representation, although it would not, then, explain why we establish her as female. This I cannot answer, although I am tempted to venture the suggestion that it will be anthropologists or historians of our kind who answer it, not the pantheologians.
