Is there any precedent for people working with the Good Folk gaining some of their attributes? I.e. liking certain things, or burning at the touch of iron? Are there wards to reverse or prevent this from happening? I apologize if you aren't taking asks right now, I've been having a bit of a situation.
Apologies for not seeing this sooner - for whatever reason, mobile isn't showing asks.
So let's start - there's a bit of a saying, "you are what you work with". This is true of all things regarding deities, spirits, fair folk, etc. However, discernment is a must.
Food cravings can come on strong when working with certain beings, especially fair folk - you might have seen people talk of unusual cravings for honey, milk, fruits, etc. There have been times when I want nothing but milk and honey, other times when I subside on almost nothing but cigarettes and hard liquors. It all depends on who is knocking. Others on here have discussed their experiences with this and for the most part, it's not led to anything drastic - however, there are always those practitioners that can't separate themselves out from the nature of the beings they work with and they take it too far.
For myself, when I'm going through periods of heavy spirit engagement, that is when the cravings become more intense. It does ease up, and it does pass as things settle down or settle into routine. But the flare ups during those particularly busy times can be very intense.
I've never heard of anyone stating that they felt that they were burning at the touch of iron - however, I can't rule it out for you because I'm not you and I'm not living your experiences. Unfortunately, it's something you'll need to discern for yourself. Divination is a good idea here and may shed light on whether what you are experiencing is due to outside influence or possibly something like a psychosomatic effect. If you find that the beings you are engaging with are negatively affecting your day to day functioning, it may be time to question whether that's a relationship you wish to continue pursuing - do the benefits outweigh the cost?
For wards/protection - take a look at your current set up. Where are you doing your workings, have you made any invitations that are a bit too open ended? Have you perhaps mingled your personal living space with your magical working space? It's not always a bad thing, especially if you don't have an alternative option; but it can lead to some boundary issues if you haven't set down rules and enforced them with the spirits you are hosting.
A Charm Against the Fairies:
Peace of God and peace of man,
Peace of God on Columb-Killey,
On each window and each door,
On every hole admitting moonlight,
On the four corners of the house,
On the place of my rest,
And peace of God on myself.
Elder, vervain, St. John's wort, daisies, four leaf clovers, iron, steel, turning your clothes inside out, hag stones...these are all objects mentioned in folkloric tales that have been used as wards against the fair folk. I suppose the only caution I have left to offer here is: don't do anything halfway. If you want to cut ties with them, do it completely and make sure to protect yourself thoroughly. The fair folk are not the type to forgive and forget.
