The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
New Blackstaff discussion
Serack:
--- Quote from: Snark Knight on June 29, 2017, 06:01:23 PM ---I'm pretty sure I recall something like that from one of the AMA's, including that he tried to stay away from Maggie Sr. so his enemies wouldn't learn she mattered to him up until her powers manifested.
Edit: Oh, yes. That stuck in my memory because it was part of the same answer as something ... uhh ... just a teensy bit important.
https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/3lye65/i_am_jim_butcher_author_of_the_dresden_files_and/cvadt1h/
--- End quote ---
Ah, thanks. I have a good excuse for why I was having trouble with that information.
Rasins:
Okay, here's a slightly different tangent ....
In Changes, we saw the Blackstaff apparently siphoning off the taint of Ebenezar performing a black magic spell (ripping out the lifeforce of the Ramp's Mercs.)
What if all that was being siphoned off wasn't just from that act? What if he didn't need a staff to perform the spell that pulled the satellite out of orbit, so the Blackstaff wasn't able to pull it out then, but this was the next time the staff was used, and it was taking all of the taint, even from other uses of black magic, out of Eb?
Quantus:
--- Quote from: Rasins on June 29, 2017, 07:44:42 PM ---Okay, here's a slightly different tangent ....
In Changes, we saw the Blackstaff apparently siphoning off the taint of Ebenezar performing a black magic spell (ripping out the lifeforce of the Ramp's Mercs.)
What if all that was being siphoned off wasn't just from that act? What if he didn't need a staff to perform the spell that pulled the satellite out of orbit, so the Blackstaff wasn't able to pull it out then, but this was the next time the staff was used, and it was taking all of the taint, even from other uses of black magic, out of Eb?
--- End quote ---
Let me make sure Im hearing you: your suggesting that Eb had accumulated Black Magic Taint over the years, and that the instance in Changes was the first time he'd used the Blackstaff in that time and consequently was "catching up" on purging the Black Magic Taint?
Not impossible, though it would surprise me if he hadnt had reason to use the blackstaff in the decade or so of open warfar. I dont expect that the blackstaff /only/ protects against Black Magic that is channeled through it at the time of casting, though I expect that to be the safest, most efficient, and likely least painful way to go about it.
LordDresden2:
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on June 27, 2017, 05:08:52 PM ---It really, really is not. A sniper is sent to places where there are known or suspected enemies, his orders coming from a chain of command and only allowed to shoot in that specific instance, in that specific space, at that specific time and often, specific people that are pre-approved.
--- End quote ---
That depends. Sometimes there's a specific 'kill list' (which may be just one name), sometimes there's a 'kill category', depending on the situation, and it can be very broad. For ex, a sniper behind enemy lines doing commando work might be told 'Use your own discretion' and anybody counts as long as its an enemy.
Or a witness. What do you think a sniper in wartime, behind enemy lines, or in some similar situation, does when he gets spotted by a kid or an innocent bystander or whatever? Somebody who might tell the enemy about him? Might give away the entire operation?
And of course, when a sniper is operating unsupervised, even if he has specific orders, it's more or less a matter of faith whether he follows them.
--- Quote ---The Blackstaff has no orders. He has no real oversight. He has full discretion to do whatever he wants (remember, "What's the point of having a license to ignore the Senior Council if I don't use it?"). He is not sent after a target -- he decides who to kill, when to kill, how to kill, and can do so whenever he wants to.
--- End quote ---
In theory, maybe. In practice, the Blackstaff has to consider the consequences of his decisions like everybody else. He's still just one man, honk off enough powerful people and sooner or later it's going to catch up with him. The Council outnumbers him thousands to one, and could wipe him if they wanted to. Or if gets too carried away, they could refuse to back him up. Or they could physical take the blackstaff itself away from him.
Or they could pick him off with a sniper rifle. Or poison him. Or whatever. He's still just one man.
--- Quote from: groinkick on June 27, 2017, 05:02:30 PM ---
I still find it hard to believe the majority of the White Council is unaware of the Blackstaff. It's been around for a very long time, and wizards instinctively are curious, and gather knowledge. It's their nature. They also seem to associate with the supernatural community, again sources of information on the Blackstaff.
--- End quote ---
I doubt they know the details. I don't think most of the outsider supernatural community knows the details, Kincaid is probably an exception there. But it's pretty likely that both the general Council members and the larger supernatural community (at least the major players, not necessarily people like Anna or the like) know that something exists, and have heard rumors or have their suspicions, even if they don't know the details.
--- Quote ---
I think it's more likely that Harry personally didn't know for a number of reasons.
1. He's young for a wizard
2. He has been shunned by the Council, and seen a a security risk
3. Harry avoids the White Council
I think the 3rd reason is the biggest. Harry has gone out of his way to avoid everything to do with the White Council and only exposes himself to them when he has no choice. I think most wizard folk who are involved with the Council probably know of, or at least heard whispers of the Blackstaff. I doubt that they are 100% unaware. It's more likely that they suspect, but can't confirm.
--- End quote ---
This^^^. Harry, at least at the time that he found out about the Blackstaff position, had been making a point of avoiding the rest of the Council for the most part.
--- Quote from: Mr. Death on June 27, 2017, 06:39:53 PM ---
Both Maggie Sr. and Harry were and are members of the White Council. I.e., the White Council has outright told him to take out its own members.
--- End quote ---
Yep. That's a big part of his job. To take down the warlocks that are so badass, so powerful, or so whatever that the Wardens can't handle them on their own. That's not his only job, but it's a big chunk of it.
Mr. Death:
--- Quote from: LordDresden2 on June 30, 2017, 03:19:21 AM ---That depends. Sometimes there's a specific 'kill list' (which may be just one name), sometimes there's a 'kill category', depending on the situation, and it can be very broad. For ex, a sniper behind enemy lines doing commando work might be told 'Use your own discretion' and anybody counts as long as its an enemy.
Or a witness. What do you think a sniper in wartime, behind enemy lines, or in some similar situation, does when he gets spotted by a kid or an innocent bystander or whatever? Somebody who might tell the enemy about him? Might give away the entire operation?
And of course, when a sniper is operating unsupervised, even if he has specific orders, it's more or less a matter of faith whether he follows them.
--- End quote ---
Even so, that's in a specific context, and the sniper is given specific instruction that he has discretion. The Blackstaff has that kind of discretion all the time, without having to be told.
--- Quote ---In theory, maybe. In practice, the Blackstaff has to consider the consequences of his decisions like everybody else. He's still just one man, honk off enough powerful people and sooner or later it's going to catch up with him. The Council outnumbers him thousands to one, and could wipe him if they wanted to. Or if gets too carried away, they could refuse to back him up. Or they could physical take the blackstaff itself away from him.
Or they could pick him off with a sniper rifle. Or poison him. Or whatever. He's still just one man.
--- End quote ---
He should, yes. But until they catch up to him, he can get away with a lot, and we haven't seen anything in the way of oversight. Given it's a secret position that's not really supposed to exist, it's not like he's filling out after-action reports.
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