Nick's Goal in the Vault

[Paviel]

Fail to get past the ice trap, or fail to stop Nic from getting the weapons?

Because Harry could have succeeded at the former and still failed at the latter.

[Mira]

If Harry had failed Nic's daughter would not have been sacrificed because the ice test was before the human sacrifice.  Nicodemus would have been upset but Harry Dresden would have been dead (a big plus for Nicodemus), and Mab would have still owed him a favor + interest for her failure to keep her end of the bargain.

   She did keep her end, not her fault that her Knight failed..

[khadgar4606]

I think nick wants to act as second coming of Christ with him as the Christ which makes major portion of the globe under his power since the event is big enough that pope imminently giving him the seat of biggest power he can get. add some old school mind control and nick has the world with non of the bigger supernatural powers can reach him. he just achieve the promised kingdom of most holly books. he is in the top of the world. thanks to Hades harry has the blade that can kill him (the myths kinda say spear did make the killing blow.) so his big plan i think complete the set then forge them as one item of ultimate power.

[groinkick]

   She did keep her end, not her fault that her Knight failed..

Still doesn't change that the revenge was his daughter dying which would not have happened if Harry had failed.

[Arjan]

Still doesn't change that the revenge was his daughter dying which would not have happened if Harry had failed.

That was what Tessa thought. But I think she was wrong.

I think Nicodemus had the Genoskwa as backup for Harry for the ice gate, with the coin he had not that much difficulty in following Harry through that gate until Harry started to play dirty. And that was after Grey had mutilated him.

And Hannah with Lasciel was the other backup for Harry. That was why he still tried to kill Harry even after he had closed the gate, Nicodemus had backup for that as well.

So I think that even if Harry had failed with the ice gate the Genoskwa would have handled it and after that Deirdre would still have died. Nicodemus is too experienced not to have a backup plan for Harry.

[Mr. Death]

I'd have to agree, Nicodemus is not the sort of guy to go into a situation with only one plan to win if he had any choice in the matter.

[wardenferry419]

A main plan, a back-up plan and an ace-in-the-hole plan, like Merlin.

[Mira]

I'd have to agree, Nicodemus is not the sort of guy to go into a situation with only one plan to win if he had any choice in the matter.

Yup and he'd also know why the artifacts were so hard to get to, he always thinks he is the smartest and his spy is everywhere.  However he underestimated both Mab, who blocked Anduriel at Mac's bar, and Harry, who realized that the relics were weapons and pocketed them for himself for later study.

[Arjan]

A main plan, a back-up plan and an ace-in-the-hole plan, like Merlin.

Except for the gate of blood. Nicodemus did not even try something else first which tells us a lot.

Anduriel wanted him to kill his daughter, he blocked all alternative ideas like recruiting a necromancer or a spiritual being or trying a near death/out of body experience.

He did not even try. Anduriel had his soul completely and this sealed it.

[groinkick]

I'd have to agree, Nicodemus is not the sort of guy to go into a situation with only one plan to win if he had any choice in the matter.

Where was his backup plan for the fire master?  He didn't appear to have one.  I don't think anyone but Harry could have made it through the ice challenge because it was designed that way, and as we could see Hades was aware of everything going on.  Nic's backup plan was that 2 people Harry wasn't aware of had Coins.

[raidem]

Anduriel wanted him to kill his daughter, he blocked all alternative ideas like recruiting a necromancer or a spiritual being or trying a near death/out of body experience.
He did not even try. Anduriel had his soul completely and this sealed it.

I'll use this to support the theory that the other side cheated and compromised Nic's free will which will allow Nic a 2nd chance, perhaps a new shot say at having a redo back in the past at having a new life, a new child.  Say, Nic fills the shoes of one Malcolm Dresden
That was a WAG of mine I titled "My Dad Nick" way back when. So, Harry's father was a Denarian who was redeemed perhaps becoming a Knight of the Cross for a short time before he got his second chance at life in a new time, etc.  Malcolm has experience with swords, etc...

[groinkick]

Anduriel wanted him to kill his daughter, he blocked all alternative ideas like recruiting a necromancer or a spiritual being or trying a near death/out of body experience.

He did not even try. Anduriel had his soul completely and this sealed it.

I'm not considering that aspect at the moment.  I'm disagreeing with the statement that this was a test from Mab for Harry.  I saw it as the real deal, a true mission, not just another test.

[raidem]

Those weren't my words. I was quoting another and for some reason Edge doesn't allow me to format so I had to change to Chrome.

[groinkick]

Those weren't my words. I was quoting another and for some reason Edge doesn't allow me to format so I had to change to Chrome.

lol oh ok

[raidem]

Arjan said it though.