The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Can a Wizard's Powers be Stolen or Taken permanently?
Snark Knight:
--- Quote from: LordDresden2 on June 24, 2017, 01:48:23 AM ---JB has said that Goodman Grey could devour Harry's essence like a naglooshi, but in so doing he would absorb so much of Harry that he would essentially rewrite himself into a copy of Harry. You'd have a near-perfect physical, mental, and spiritual duplicate of Harry running around, but Harry would be dead or in a coma or something.
--- End quote ---
Yet the full-blood naagloshii don't seem to be subject to that risk. From what Morgan said, they just gain power from those they kill without it changing their fundamental nature (he initially thought Shagnasty was tracking him for a chance at eating him, rather than on contract to the Circle).
I wonder what that implies for the human skinwalkers who were taught the techniques of the originals? I'd guess they're probably at least as subject to being changed according to 'you are what you eat' as Grey himself would be, since as mortals their nature is more changeable than the real deal, but maybe Grey is uniquely vulnerable?
groinkick:
--- Quote from: Griffyn612 on June 24, 2017, 01:40:38 AM ---It's not common knowledge among the Council. If the masses found out, there could be major backlash. Harry really only forgave Eb because he was his mentor. If anyone else on the Council had it, Harry would be paranoid as hell.
--- End quote ---
Same could be said for the CIA, FBI, or NSA. Do I trust them completely? No. Do I worry that they may abuse their power? Absolutely. Do I think that they should exist? Yes, as long as their power is not absolute, and they are held accountable. You can be sure that if Eb went around murdering people for the fun of it, the Council would remove him.
If I were a wizard I'd feel the same way about the "Blackstaff". I think that the wizard community is probably more in the dark about the Blackstaff than the supernatural community. I picture the Blackstaff as a type of boogieman to vampires, and evil doers. They whisper about him, but not too loudly as they fear he may find out. Because wizards aren't the ones on the receiving end of the Blackstaff they aren't really aware of him.
peregrine:
--- Quote from: groinkick on June 24, 2017, 05:05:58 AM ---If I was a wizard I'd be glad there was someone who had the power to defend the Council from those who use the laws against it. I'd recognize that there were wizards who violated the laws, giving them great power and making it almost impossible to stop them. The Blackstaff levels the playing field.
--- End quote ---
They have them. The Wardens. The Blackstaff doesn't just stop wizards who violate the Laws, it breaks the laws. And some of the dangers involved in doing so are inherent, not just some kind of dark magic taint. Rewriting time or letting Outsiders in is not something the staff can undo the consequences of.
Plus, the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc... still have due process. The Blackstaff is more like a covert organization that just goes around assassinating people. Because, you know, that's what he does. Remember the outcry over secret Eastern European prisons and warrantless wiretapping? That's all the Blackstaff does.
Mr. Death:
Don't look at the Blackstaff like a cop or an FBI agent. The Blackstaff is an assassin, a hitman, who makes problems for the White Council go away.
Without any kind of public process, no vote, no trial, nothing between the Council deciding someone is a problem -- or the Blackstaff himself deciding so -- and removing that problem.
So don't look at it like a cop who's allowed to kill when necessary in defense of the law and his own life.
Look at it like a shady-as-hell Man in Black who might just shoot you while you're going about your day to day business because the Senior Council decided you were a problem.
Snark Knight:
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on June 26, 2017, 09:19:30 PM ---So don't look at it like a cop who's allowed to kill when necessary in defense of the law and his own life.
Look at it like a shady-as-hell Man in Black who might just shoot you while you're going about your day to day business because the Senior Council decided you were a problem.
--- End quote ---
Given how prone the Council can be to factionalism, I don't think that would make it better. Every member who knows there is a Blackstaff but not who it is would be paranoid they might get whacked over political differences dressed up as 'for the good of the Council' at any moment.
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