The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Can a Wizard's Powers be Stolen or Taken permanently?
Mr. Death:
--- Quote from: Snark Knight on June 27, 2017, 01:41:39 AM ---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.
--- End quote ---
Plausible deniability. There's a huge difference between, "There's a rumor that the Senior Council has a hitman," and "The Senior Council has a hitman, we know this for a fact, and there's nothing we can do about it."
Snark Knight:
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on June 27, 2017, 01:51:06 AM ---Plausible deniability. There's a huge difference between, "There's a rumor that the Senior Council has a hitman," and "The Senior Council has a hitman, we know this for a fact, and there's nothing we can do about it."
--- End quote ---
Not sure I buy that. Ebenezar's thinking was that even the rumour of the Black Council going public would send a bunch of wizards scurrying to defect to the side with momentum. Would wide circulation of rumours of a hitman be so readily discredited?
LordDresden2:
--- Quote from: peregrine on June 26, 2017, 08:57:03 PM ---They have them. The Wardens.
--- End quote ---
The Wardens are themselves (mostly) bound by the Laws. That leaves them unable to cope with some problems.
--- Quote ---The Blackstaff doesn't just stop wizards who violate the Laws, it breaks the laws.
--- End quote ---
Actually, it's not clear that it does from the Council/legal standpoint. If the Laws don't apply to the Blackstaff, he can't break them. As for the natural/cosmic consequences...
--- Quote --- 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.
--- End quote ---
We have no idea if that's true or not.
In practice, I suspect the Blackstaff rarely uses time magic or deals directly with Outsiders. That's the Gatekeeper's bailiwick. He might be legally authorized to do so, but I suspect his activity is more about the first 4, and necromancy.
--- Quote ---
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.
--- End quote ---
Pretty much. That sort of thing is sometimes necessary, esp. in wartime. Dangerous, but necessary. It's not surprising that the Council has its black ops man. It would be a huge surprise if they did not.
LordDresden2:
--- Quote from: Snark Knight on June 27, 2017, 01:41:39 AM ---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.
--- End quote ---
That's where one of the Iron Laws of Life (real or in the DV, it's true both places) kicks in: Either you will discipline yourself, or someone else will discipline you instead. Restrain yourself, or someone else will restrain you.
If the Blackstaff made a habit of abusing the power that way, it would tear the Council apart, as you note. That's why one of the job requirements for the role would have to be discretion and self-control and judgement.
Also, the Blackstaff is just one man. Keep that in mind. If he gets too far out of hand, he can be dealt with by the Council, which outnumbers him thousands to one. If necessary, any individual man can have an 'accident'.
The Blackstaff is a very powerful person, but he's not unchecked in practice, whatever the case might be on paper.
unity1813:
--- Quote from: LordDresden2 on June 27, 2017, 02:50:10 AM ---Actually, it's not clear that it does from the Council/legal standpoint. If the Laws don't apply to the Blackstaff, he can't break them.
--- End quote ---
I would expect it's a kind of 007 license-to-kill situation. Yes, he can do it and not have the Wardens sicced on him by the Senior Council, but you can bet that if Arianna had indisputable evidence that Ebeneezer was behind Asteroid Dresden they'd disavow him and hang him out to dry. Choosing a wizard to be the Blackstaff is probably a matter of picking someone who isn't going to leave that evidence as much as it is finding someone both magically strong and morally incorruptible.
On-topic, recall that Harry threatened Binder with using his death-curse to take his power in Turn Coat:
--- Quote ---I faced him with a chilly little smile. “You’ll spend the rest of your life unable to use magic, I think,” I said in a quiet, hopefully confident-sounding voice. “When I die, I take away your power. Forever. No more summoning. No more binding.” Binder’s expression began to flatten out into neutrality...He stared at me in silence for a second. “You can’t do that,” Binder said. “Take away my talent. That isn’t possible.”
“I’m a wizard of the White Council, Binder. Not some stupid hack who spent his life using his gift to hurt people. Do you think we go around advertising everything we can do? If you knew half the things I’ve done that you think are impossible, you’d already be running.”
--- End quote ---
Death-curses seem to be able to do things that regular mortal magic can't, plus of course Harry could be bluffing. I wouldn't take it as gospel that it's possible or not, but Binder at least seems to think it isn't.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version