The Magus’ Protection
The Way of Magic is a way of constant risk. The Magus continually meets enemies who seek to profit from his Power, and he is also subjected to accidental and deliberate blows from vortical structures.
The more actively the Magus acts, the stronger the resistance. The more “magical” his actions are — that is, directed toward acquiring and developing the Power of mind — the more rigorous his protection must be.
All strategies of magical protection fall into two major groups: methods of withdrawal and methods of mastery.
In some cases, a combination of both approaches is also effective.
Magical withdrawal is the separation of worlds. To accomplish it, the Magus draws upon the great Power of the rift. The Magus separates himself from a hostile environment in various ways: the creation of a “personal universe” in the form of a Magic circle; the disidentification used in envoûtement; the shifting of a blow onto a “decoy” object. In every case, the Magus places himself outside the brackets of the process and acts within it as an “external,” transcendent Power, without direct ties to the forces in play. Despite their prevalence and apparent obviousness, techniques of Magical withdrawal work only to the extent that the Magus can withdraw completely. The task is complicated by the fact that a prolonged operation demands periodic returns to the field of events — sorties from the fortress — during which the Magus is extremely vulnerable.
Magical mastery is the unification of worlds. In this process, the Magus uses the Unifying Power. With this strategy, the Magus introduces additional elements into the field of action that shift the balance of forces. Such methods include pentacles, amulets and talismans, runic symbols, calling upon gods, and the like. Techniques of mastery allow the Magus to shape the disposition of forces around him so that “attacking” forces are counterbalanced by “defending” ones. This method of protection demands precise calculation of the number and strength of the attackers, so one can position one’s outposts correctly.
Choosing a protection strategy suited to each specific case is a matter of extreme importance. Withdrawal is more reliable, but it constrains movement. Mastery offers greater lability, but it is fraught with unexpected “breaches.”
It is also important to understand that “excessive” protection can hinder the manifestation of the Magus’ own will, neutralizing it as effectively as any other active agent.
Therefore, the Magus must not forget methods of protection or neglect them, yet he must not become obsessed with them either. He must combine the mobility of a warrior with the reliability of a fortress.
Protection and Security
When the Keepers Do Not Protect
Battles of the Magus
The Price of Error
Blocking of Power
Apprehensions and Warnings
The Art of Shaking Oneself Off
Power and Violence
I have long needed this article! Thank you – Enmerkar! )
The option of “Magical departure” will be more effective for “beginners”, when the Authority is still not great, and experience has not been accumulated 🙂 But “Mages with scars” precisely maneuver and combine both methods.
Hello.
I would also add Separation (partiality) and Merging (incorporation). Unlike the previous ones, they suggest maintaining a connection.
What is your opinion?
Regarding “Separation” – I do not see a fundamental difference from Departure – to me, it is just a “softer” variant of it. But I fundamentally doubt the usefulness of “Merging”. Merging without mixing is an extremely complex matter.