Gauntlet

Stepping Sideways

For a character to step from one world to the next, the player rolls Intelligence + Presence + Primal Urge. The werewolf must be in the area influenced by a locus to even attempt stepping sideways, unless he’s using the Rending the Gauntlet rite (p. 165). The following factors affect the roll:

• The werewolf stares into a reflective surface (+1)
• Near a locus with a rating of •• or ••• (+1)
• In the vicinity of a locus with a rating of •••• or above (+2)
• Attempting to cross the Gauntlet during the day (–2)

The strength of the Gauntlet varies from place to place. The Gauntlet’s strength reduces the dice pool according to the following table:

The number of successes achieved on the Intelligence + Presence + Primal Urge roll indicates how long it takes the werewolf to adjust himself to the other facet of reality and cross the Gauntlet.

• Dramatic Failure: The werewolf’s attunement goes badly out of synch. He remains in this aspect of reality and is rattled by the experience. He may not attempt to cross the Gauntlet again until the following night — which could leave him in a precarious position if he’s currently in the spirit world — though he may be brought across by a Gift or by a pathfinder.
• Failure: The werewolf remains in the same aspect of reality. He cannot take successive attempts for the next hour. Further attempts to step sideways during the next hour automatically fail, though he may be brought across the Gauntlet by a third party using the Rending the Gauntlet rite or acting as a pathfinder.
• Success: The werewolf fades from the world he’s currently in (physical or spirit) and enters the Gauntlet. He reappears on the other side in 30 seconds, or about 10 turns. He cannot be attacked during this period of transition, unless by certain mystical abilities that can affect entities currently between the physical and spirit worlds.
• Dramatic Success: Transition is instant. The werewolf appears on the other side on his next turn and may act normally.

Alternatively, a player may spend one Essence while in a locus’ area of influence for his character to step sideways. In this case, the transition is an instant action.

Path Finding

Packs may travel across the Gauntlet as one, allowing one member to make the transition and take the other characters with her. The werewolf leading the attempt is colloquially known as the pathfinder. The members must all remain in contact with one another for the attempt to succeed. The pathfinder’s player’s roll determines the transition time for the whole pack. If the pathfinder fails or dramatically fails the roll, she may not try again for the specified time. Any of her packmates may try to lead the pack across instead, though (if they haven’t recently tried to step sideways and failed themselves, that is). A werewolf cannot act as pathfinder if his character is spending Essence to make the transition rather than rolling. Pathfinding is truly effective only when all those making the transition are a true pack, bound together by the bonds of a pack totem. If the pathfinder is trying to bring allies from outside the pack along, it becomes increasingly difficult. The less connection a creature has to the spirit world or to the pathfinder, the harder it is to guide him through the Gauntlet. Each werewolf to be brought across who’s not a member of the pathfinder’s pack, or each member of the pathfinder’s pack who’s currently unconscious, imposes an additional –1 penalty to the roll. Creatures who aren’t werewolves but are otherwise capable of crossing between worlds at a locus, such as spirits, some Ridden and some mages, impose a –2 penalty for each individual being brought along. And each person or creature who’s incapable of spiritual travel, such as a vampire or a human, imposes an additional –3 penalty to the roll. In no case can a pathfinder bring across an entity that’s actively resisting transition.