The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

"At last the masquerade ends! Kill them! Kill them /all/!"

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g33k:
This is Vittorio's line, near the end of Chap.38 of White Night.

It suddenly struck me:  "At last" ??!?  ???

I mean, the only thing that had just happened was that Madrigal the Schmuck had contracted a severe case of Dead.  Why is THAT the signal to launch Ghoulmageddon?

It seemed like Harry & Carlos were genuinely a surprise, that Vittorio (and Madrigal) weren't expecting them.  So the Ghoulmageddon plan was aimed at the Wraith Deeps already (even a badass like Coul needs a place to stage his uberghouls, time to gather them... the logistics don't end just because you're an archmage).  The aim, evidently, was to decapitate the entire White Court -- Raith, Malvora, and Skavis -- in one blow (presumably placing King Vittorio on the throne, but who (besides Cowl) really knows, at this point?).

The thing is, Vittorio could (I'd say should!) have performed the beheading as soon as everyone was there:  by waiting, he lets various plots and plans advance, possibly causing one or more of the targets to flee the event being held in their honor, and blunting the strike.

Even after Team Dresden arrived, there was this interval while the Schmuck sent for weapons.  Everyone was lounging around looking forward to the show; guards were, if not lowered, at least a defcon step less primed:  everyone WANTED the show, and DIDN'T want it disrupted.  So they had all pulled their horns in, to not give offense, not Start Something that might interfere with the spectacle to come...  THEN, if ever, Vittorio could have gotten a surprise-attack launched while everyone was waiting for the Party To Start.

But Vito waited until Madrigal died; then he broke cover and went all Igor/ArnaudAmalric on them.

Why then?

I'm not clear else what was going on that night, but I'm pretty sure something else happened that I didn't notice...

Anyone?

Bueller?

peregrine:
Because if Harry and Carlos roll up to a cave full of dead vampires and full ghouls, we don't get the big impressive wizard duel.

Arjan:
Because that was his backup plan. Vito was possessed by an outsider, Lash explicitly said so. With hindsight it might be a nemesis infection. Placing his family on top and Vito in a good place to take over was probably Cowl preferred outcome but that failed so killing everyone was his second best option.

Avernite:
Indeed, and maybe Vittorio disagreed with Cowl about which plan should have priority.

Losing Madrigal, then, was the sign of losing the duel.

Alternatively, maybe Madrigal knew too much; if he lived and the Ghouls had been sent, he might've represented a big security risk by being able to figure out Vito's sponsors. With him dead, noone could put together anything more than 'it was Cowl and the outsiders'.

morriswalters:
The attack happened when it was supposed to happen.  The phrasing makes sense if you posit that the timing was prearranged. The attack was to go off at some arbitrary time.  Since Vittorio would have no idea when everyone would be at the party, he set a time that would give them time to gather. Madrigals death had nothing to do with it.

And what peregrine said.

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