How do you avoid getting ganked by mages?

[Maurk]

Be extra friendly, and apologize to your attackers when you don't need to.
/plead before you get attacked always works
You will gain respect.

Begging for mercy, and spamming /y (yell for help) is also very helpful to survive as a rogue.

P.S. Just surrender your plats and loot to avoid getting pwnt initially, and tell some funny jokes, and surely you will have friends, and be left alone.