The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Are there more wizards like Elaine?
LordDresden2:
--- Quote from: SerScot on June 01, 2018, 09:51:02 PM ---I see your point. Most would lack the training and finesse to “fake” the tests.
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Or even to need to.
Elaine is more than good enough that she is properly entitled to demand a seat on the Council if she wants it, but for her own reasons she doesn't want it. She's even good enough to 'fake it' well enough to pass as almost Council level, good but not quite good enough. Not only can she fake it, she can fine-tune the fakery. Which is useful for her because faking it at that level means she can wield some pretty potent magic without alerting the local Wardens of just how hot her talent is.
But if she had not been raised and trained by a rogue Council member, she probably not only wouldn't be able to fake it that precisely, but she wouldn't actually be at Council level for real. If she knew any magic at all, it might be strong spells, but nothing like what would get you a Council seat.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: Avernite on June 01, 2018, 06:39:59 PM ---Still, that serves as a suitable counterpoint to the "standard" Supernatural powers having a pile of Wizards. If they did, the Black Council would be just more of the same.
Plus, the Red Court did not trot out a pile of them when it gathered the premier part of its power at Chichen Itza, and their spell was all Blood. We know some Vampires do learn, but they're not using a stash of Human wizards (and Changes suggests very few of the non-LordsofOuterNight Vampires were wizards, since they had no magical impact on the battle apart from Arianna in the duel - and she was aiming to take her place among the Lords).
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Nah, we've actually seen it on stage (sort of) in the case of Maggie La Fey and the White Court. The Red Court is a specifically bad example because they have no need to keep mortal, they'd just turn them into vampires (unless they had /very/ niche outsider goals and needed literal "mortal" magic). But the vast majority of supernatural creatures would not be able to so easily absorb magical capabilities into their own ranks. Some could be innately magical but would not be able to reach the full capabilities of a mortal wizard, as is the case with the White court. many others would simply not have the numbers and/or breeding speeds to produce a significant number of wizards (which even applied to /humans/ until very recently. The Fomor are scooping them up left and right, which might be a clue that the reason we/Harry has not heard of it more is that doing so would be some sort of Accords Violation, since the Council can very easily claim Authority over all mortal practitioners (if not all human-kind).
Bacchus:
i feel the need to point out that pre Internet, paranet, and mass information sharing, it would have been almost impossible to self train yourself without a rebel wizard of some sort teaching you directly, or stealing books from practitioners likely much stronger than you.
Now though you could probably have a weaker paraneter download scores real magic spell books deep on the bit torrent network or the darknet and print them out for a paranoid young wizard. id say give it 50 years to develop and that situation with secret council level mages will increase exponentially.
im talking about the apprentice stages because after the basics wizards don't seem to need much outside help to improve.
for example i downloaded dozens of rare old occult books once just to skim through, there were WAY more available.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: Bacchus on June 25, 2018, 06:47:37 AM ---i feel the need to point out that pre Internet, paranet, and mass information sharing, it would have been almost impossible to self train yourself without a rebel wizard of some sort teaching you directly, or stealing books from practitioners likely much stronger than you.
Now though you could probably have a weaker paraneter download scores real magic spell books deep on the bit torrent network or the darknet and print them out for a paranoid young wizard. id say give it 50 years to develop and that situation with secret council level mages will increase exponentially.
im talking about the apprentice stages because after the basics wizards don't seem to need much outside help to improve.
for example i downloaded dozens of rare old occult books once just to skim through, there were WAY more available.
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It really all depends on how much useless Crap they'd have to wade through to get to the actual, applicable Lore. In a world were there is a real supernatural presence, I dont know if there would be less or maybe even MORE misinformation. Either way you'd need someone or someTHING that is clued in to Teach you. The purely Mortal options are basically limited to the White Council, the Venators, and St Giles Bro's, all of which have a vested interest in keeping the Information restricted to an exclusive group. All the non-mortal groups are likely going ot be more forthcoming but are going to have ulterior motives and less palatable means of Control (Unless you are talking to the Wraith Family specifically).
Mira:
One has to wonder about Harry though. If he hadn't killed Justin, got caught and put under the Doom, and as a minor in the custody of Eb, wouldn't he also be avoiding the White Council and faking his abilities if he was tested? I mean until he killed Justin and was captured by the Wardens, he didn't even know they existed. The fact that he survived and was placed in the care of Eb, not only his grandfather [unknown at the time] but also highly placed/regarded on the Council would insure a favorable view of the Council.. If he learned about the Council from other points of view, he might well have avoided becoming a member. Or if he had earlier understood his mother's rebellion against them and their prejudice against him because of her, he may also have figured out a way to avoid becoming a member.
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