ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

I don't think it's a good idea to decide what Pardox really is. Leave it undefined and contradictory and let the players try to find out. As some of you might remember, one of my players believed it was "negative quintessence" and tried to channel it with Prime. It worked, but not in the way she thought. She never realized it. So let your players believe you have decided and then surprise them!

Some possible explanations:

Paradox is anti-quintessence and can possibly be handled with Prime or a Paradox Sphere.

Paradox is bugs in the tapestry, parts where the lattice of reality has dislocations. The reason it seems to oppose Prime is because Prime seeks to weave smooth and perfect patterns, while Paradox warps them. Add lots of Prime and a Paradox will smooth out.

Paradox is an automated system of defence for reality created by the Technocracy / Sleepers / Oracles / Illuminati /...

Paradox is caused by a subconscious desire among mages to be limited.

Paradox is the immune system of static reality.

Paradox is the insane truth behind reality, which would drive mankind mad if they ever learned it (look at the Nephandi and Marauders). When a mage warps reality, small parts of reality leak through, causing weirdness and danger.

Mages are really elaborate paranoid schizophrenics who support each other and develop mutual delusions (the "Traditions"). They suffer from magical thinking (classic psychotic symptom), delusions of power, hallucinations and paranoia. To explain to others why their "magick" didn't work, they invoke "Paradox", hallucinations which serve to protect them from the truth ("It's the Sleepers' fault!" is just projection). The Technocracy is just paranoia.