A necromancer's anxiety

[Aurora]

It still didn’t sit right with her. “Your Mentor should have made it perfectly clear in your training.” At least any Mentor who knew what they were doing. “Well, yeah, you don’t underestimate what the Abyss will do. I’ve had my ass kicked numerous times by it. And the lasting effects come from when you overstep, when you take a life.” Sounded like she had knowledge on that too.

This was going rank up there with the weirdest conversations she had ever had. Yup, number one.
Looking to Phoenyx, then back to Corn, “You do realize that you cannot control everything that happens right? It’s a burden you’ve chosen to take on by having a Sleeper life. Your wife and child will always be at risk.” Harsh? Maybe. But it was the truth.

Catching the amused snigger, she looks to Phoenyx, slightly confused. Eyebrow raised in a ‘what?’ question.

Then a shrug, “There are all kinds of statistics we could throw around. But the long and short of it is this, it’s rare. I can think of numerous examples of things that have neither been proven or disproven. But the thing is, it’s always going to be a risk.”

Nodding towards Phoenyx, he needed to tell her what she was looking for. But she knew, he would never be able to fully protect his family.

[Corn]

"The way I see it, and they way I was told things work is that you can't put definite rules on the Abyss. There are rumors of mages that got a Branding from Paradox because another mage cast something and didn't contain the paradox. Rumors that so far I have been considering rubbish and so did all the books and credible sources I have found. That's why you have seen me be so lax about magic in the past Aurora . To be honest, I was considered too magic-happy and too dismissive of the possible consequences in the past." Guru has chewed his ear off when he said that nothing can go wrong with magic with a bit of care and so had his mentor and teachers in the past.

Corn sighed when Aurora put in a few words what he was dancing around. "I know they will always be at risk. It is a problem for me and it will remain a problem for me. The upsides of my sleeper life are more than the downsides the way I count them. But there are downsides." After a small pause he said "You are a bit blunt, aren't you daduche? Still, I appreciate your honesty."

To Phoenyx 's question he took a breath. Somehow he suspected that Phoenyx was of the laconic idea of "less words is more".
"I want to know how I could make my loved ones safer from the supernatural and mundane dangers of the world. "

To be clear, Corn is not re-inventing the wheel here; I simply assume that there are different theories and stories from "a friend of a friend" than the rules in the book. I.e. Corn is aware how paradox works in the game, but he assumes that's 99% of the time, not all the time.

[Phoenyx]

The Arrow looks at Aurora's raised eyebrow reproachfully. "It was funny." She shrugs.

As Corn explains what he is looking for, realization passes across her face. "Ah! I see! You cannot," she replies brightly, her tone wildly misplaced. "Any magic that protects them from mundane effects marks them as connected to magic. Supernatural dangers can only be minimized by removing key supernatural influences, that is, for you to distance from them altogether or for you to rurally isolate you and your family from all others as much as possible." Her reply has the earnest nature of someone supplying the exact answers someone wanted. "As their main point of supernatural connection, the more you interact with magical society or phenomena the more likely they will be drawn into it - this is why most mages sever much of their mundane lives, to protect people from that danger." Phoenyx delivers the information brightly with a complete absence of tact and no awareness of the issue. If Corn though Aurora was blunt, who knew how he would take the Obrimos.

[Aurora]

A shrug, “I can’t speak on those rumors because I don’t know. I only know what’s happened to me.” Looking thoughtful, “But I could see a paradox causing damage to those around a mage that doesn’t contain it. Depending on the level of course.” Sure, getting a manifestation is gonna hurt some people. “Being lax isn’t always a bad thing, but magic needs to be respected. As a Master, there is some nasty shit I can do, and some nasty paradoxes that can come from it, but I know I need to respect it. Only use those things when my life is threatened, or my friends.” A nod to Phoenyx. She’d seen how nasty Aurora’s magic can get. “It’s just one of those things you learn as you go, and everyone is different about it.” She was more cautious now then when she was younger.

Another shrug, “As I’ve aged, I’ve gotten blunter about things. I don’t see the benefits of sugar-coating things in our world. Not being blunt and honest with someone can lead them down a dangerous road.” Did it sometimes hurt feelings to be blunt? Sure. Did she care? No.

It was funny? Maybe she was just tired.

Then Phoenyx lays it out for Corn, blunter than she was.

The Shaman simply nods sagely in agreement and drinks her coffee.

[Corn]

Corn shakes his head gloomily at the Obrimos' blunt truths. "I am aware that I am a source of danger for my family, because of my nature. We have come full circle, it seems. While I don't present a threat for my family just for being a mage, the dangers that come from being a mage are passed to them. The reason I am kinda part-timing the mage society is exactly what you said, Phoenyx . To mitigate those dangers.
Since I cannot protect them both from the mundane and the supernatural at the same time, I have to figure out which side is a greater danger at each point. The good thing about our powers is that few outside our society can detect them. The bad thing is that those people are as powerful as we are... "

Corn sighs "I have been called to make the same decisions for the past 5 years. So far, nothing bad has happened and I understand things are not in our control all the time.
I think it would be better if I found ways to veil spells, but this could take years. In the meantime, " he looks at Phoenyx and Aurora "I would like some hints, pointers and possible strategies to defend myself and those I love with magic magic, if something happened. Sure, not having spells active has worked so far. But mages are tricky opponents with a large variety of tools. Any pointers? "

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx watched Aurora. She had found the killing difficult, as one who valued life, and told the Obrimos. All masteries were dangerous in their own way. She agreed with a single nod.

Looking back to Corn, the Arrow thought carefully before answering. "An apprentice of Prime can Cloak spells - it is not as hard as you think. But what you ask is difficult to condense. No one strategy will suit all events. We Arrows say that adaptability is strength. In general terms, honing ones awareness and reactions work for both magic and physical defences. When employing magic in dangerous situations, use spheres that you are familiar with and have a high chance of success, rather than risking a spell that may be better but you are only an initiate of the Arcana for. Consider hypothetical scenarios, and how your strengths best work against them." She frowns a little. "Beyond that, it is how imaginative you can be about the skills in your possession. If you tell me what they are I may be able to advise more. As Arrows we train to fight - it consumes much of our time. There is no simple fix for that - you either commit or do not."

[Aurora]

Ever feel like you were talking, yet no one was listening? That’s what was going on right now.

“Part time or full time,” a shrug, “it won’t make a difference.” At least not in her mind. He was Awakened, that was long and short of it. Sleepers and those he loves are a danger. No way around that.

“Even for a Master of Time and Fate cannot control everything. You’ve been lucky.” That was what it was. Luck. And now a baby in the mix? He was setting himself up for pain.

Sighing, “I honestly don’t know what to tell you for advice. I’ve never been in your situation; I only look to protect myself and my friends. But my friends are Awakened as well. So, it’s a hard question to answer, I would advise someone to keep their eye open for anything odd and follow their instincts. But you also cannot really tell her why you’re worried and want her to be more careful without breaching the Veil. Maybe Phoenyx is better on this one than I am.” Another shrug.

[Corn]

Corn listens to Aurora and Phoenyx express their opinions. They were touching some subjects that concerned him but he was... well, not at peace with it but he knew what they were talking about.

"I understand what you mean, Daduche. I have been doing that for several years. The good news are that there are other mages, not the majority but some, that have managed to keep connections with sleepers - dangerous as it is.

However, that was not what I was asking advice about now. Phoenyx mentioned adaptability, awareness and working with spheres one is familiar with. I think that being prepared also has its benefits, although mages have a great variety of powers.
Aurora, Phoenyx, would you be interested in discussing strategy? Battle strategy? And then, perhaps some training?
Before Kaze left, we have agreed to play paintball... so that he would become better in addressing 'bullets' and I would become better at aiming. That kind of thing. "

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx nodded at Aurora's thoughts again. There was little to add there.

She looked to Corn and his frankly rather surprising request. "I would be happy to discuss these things with you. My offer of training has always remained open." She frowns a little. "If you do not intend to keep a firearm with you, there is little purpose learning to aim one. Using a lethal weapon automatically raises stakes. If you are willing to accept those consequences, I can teach this. If you are not, you may wish to consider more traditional methods of defense." There was no judgement - the words are calm and reflective. It required a lot to take a life. If you weren't ready... well. Aurora had ran away trying to figure the result out. Bella had gotten injured because she had not realised what she was asking for an Arrow to not hold back.

[Aurora]

She knew he was right. There were other Awakened who kept their connections with their Sleeper life and family. And she still didn’t agree with it.

“Strategy?” how was that something you even prepared for? Eyes turn to the Arrow; this was more her thing.

“She raises a good point, are you willing to accept the consequences that come with defending those around you?” because those consequences could be deep, they could cause more harm than good.