Drakul's game

[Yuillegan]

It occured to me that Drakul could have killed or captured all the wardens, Harry, LtW and River Shoulders.

Harry says he carries more personal power (at least in terms of raw will, if not magic too) than the Lords of the Outer Night. It's unclear if he was including the Red King too, but it seems likely given that Drakul is one of the beings that could have beaten Man in a straight duel.

If he had used his Will to bind or even kill them, I doubt any of them except perhaps Harry could have resisted for long and maybe River.

It seems like the entire point of the tactical contest, at least to me, was to see what they were made of. If they had been to weak he wouldn't have bothered with them. He wants strong recruits surely, hence why he picked battle hardened wardens.

Despite this, I am not sure why the whole charade. Why not capture and turn all of them? Surely LtW would be a target, let alone River.  Imagine a Black Court Bigfoot. Would be truly terrifying! Blood on his Soul would look like a cartoon villain compared with that.

Perhaps there was a distraction element for Ethniu too...but LtW seemed to think he didn't really care how the battle went as long as he got what he came for. Three wardens out of all that seems like slim pickings. And the three weakest at that. Especially when you consider he lost two vamps too.

Unless he wanted them for other reasons of course. Perhaps it isn't about recruits really. We know star borns get sacrificed for the stars and stones.  Perhaps it's about luring them to him. But then, he seemed rather bored of Harry quickly.

So perhaps it's more like the whole Justin/He Who Walks Behind thing. Perhaps it was one thing meant to look like another. Perhaps it was about twisting Harry a bit...into whatever he is supposed to be.

[The_Sibelis]

We know star borns get sacrificed for the stars and stones.

citation needed, as far as I'm aware we know no such thing.

[Wicked Woodpecker of West]

We know dead Wardens shall serve as new recrutis FOR STARS AND STONES.

Which implies either event for which Black Court is renewing his armies or organisation or cult to which Black Court belongs.

[Yuillegan]

citation needed, as far as I'm aware we know no such thing.

Mavra announced it in Battle Ground when she takes Dresden prisoner. Woodpecker quotes it well and you can look up the page if you wish.

We know dead Wardens shall serve as new recrutis FOR STARS AND STONES.

Which implies either event for which Black Court is renewing his armies or organisation or cult to which Black Court belongs.

Agreed

[The_Sibelis]

Mavra announced it in Battle Ground when she takes Dresden prisoner. Woodpecker quotes it well and you can look up the page if you wish.

Agreed

nothing in that says starborn are rounded up OR sacrificed specifically. New blood for the stars and stones. New recruits basically. Not sacrifices.

[Wicked Woodpecker of West]

Yes. It was only told that Starborn blood is for a master. Not that it's meant for specific sacrifice.
I mean Dracul was quite ready to kill Dresden right there.

[TheCuriousFan]

Pretty much, they're recruits for the sake of a big push to rule over the ashes while starborn are for Drakul to eat.

[Yuillegan]

citation needed, as far as I'm aware we know no such thing.

Could be that you're right. Mavra seems to suggest the entire point of the Black Court being at that battle was to acquire new blood for the stars and stones. She may well have merely meant wizard blood. I don't think she merely meant more black court vamps.

Not sure why starborns specifically are relevant to Drakul (apart from the fact he is one). Perhaps he like the taste. Perhaps it empowers him especially. Perhaps he enjoys the challenge and it makes him feel good. Maybe it's a "there can only be one" situation (which wouldn't surprise me at all).

But I am sure starborns are connected to the stars and stones. Even if you look at it literally - the star connection after all.

Yes. It was only told that Starborn blood is for a master. Not that it's meant for specific sacrifice.
I mean Dracul was quite ready to kill Dresden right there.

True enough, and he didn't even seem to care to feed on Dresden. Perhaps he just wanted to test Dresden's mettle. Dresden gets tested like that all the time by the real players. Especially the baddies.

BUT we are off topic.

Why is it Drakul went easy? Why did he leave when he did? Why didn't he just trap the lot of them with his mind?

[Walter the skull]

I wonder to what extent people turned by the black court can exert there own will?  If I remember correctly Drakul says he's going to kill Harry after Harry is able to resist his will.  River is thousands of years old I don't think anyone would have much luck bending his will.  LTW can probably resist at least as well as Harry. 

The question I have is, Drakul's actions could be taken as support for Ethniu, does that put him at risk for retaliation from other members of the accords?

[The_Sibelis]

I think he is libel for retaliation, especially if Harry is smart enough to take it to mab as such. She'd have little choice but to assist in his endeavor.
Woj is Blamps become something entirely inhuman only vaguely related to who the host used to be, so out don't think it's a matter of willpower or identity.

[Walter the skull]

I think retaliation is likely. Mab isn't going to thrilled by what Drakul did, and Lara is definitely not a fan of the Black Court. 

This isn't really the Dresden Files way of doing things, but retaliating would be pretty easy. All that would need to happen is for some one to figure out where Drakul and the Black Court elders are living, and for Lara to bone a drone pilot.  It might be easier than that, Lara would just need to tweet Drakul's location and say that the people who live there were involved in the terrorist attack on Chicago.  I'm pretty sure that @Draculasdad neglects his social media, so he wouldn't see it coming. 

[Bad Alias]

I think Jim said there was going to be a book about giving the Black Court some payback.

[Walter the skull]

Good, I really liked those chapters in Peace talks.

[Yuillegan]

I wonder to what extent people turned by the black court can exert there own will?  If I remember correctly Drakul says he's going to kill Harry after Harry is able to resist his will.  River is thousands of years old I don't think anyone would have much luck bending his will.  LTW can probably resist at least as well as Harry. 

The question I have is, Drakul's actions could be taken as support for Ethniu, does that put him at risk for retaliation from other members of the accords?

The original being is dead. Drakul gives out a false immortality. He almost clones their memories and reanimates them in a body. I wonder...does Drakul create more Black Court vampires or just different strains? It was Dracula (in the series) who started the Black Court and Drakul wasn't impressed. In fact, in the early series the Black Court were as old as human memory (according to Harry) but that sort of got retconned. I suspect Drakul is the creator of all the various Vampire Courts, myself. But even if the original being hated Drakul, the parody that replaces it probably doesn't have any real will (except perhaps a White Court style). But even if Drakul is only associated with the Black Court I doubt any being he turned would or even could resist. There wouldn't be enough of the real being left.

Interesting question, I think Drakul has definitely earned some retribution for breaking the rules. Question is though - why did they let him join the accords in the first place?

Walter the Skull - Don't think Drakul has any of the regular Black Court weaknesses. He is the original. And as Bad Alias said, there is going to be a story about the Black Court getting what's coming. Not sure if will be a full novel or if just part of a story, or even a short story.

[TheCuriousFan]

The original being is dead. Drakul gives out a false immortality. He almost clones their memories and reanimates them in a body. I wonder...does Drakul create more Black Court vampires or just different strains? It was Dracula (in the series) who started the Black Court and Drakul wasn't impressed. In fact, in the early series the Black Court were as old as human memory (according to Harry) but that sort of got retconned. I suspect Drakul is the creator of all the various Vampire Courts, myself. But even if the original being hated Drakul, the parody that replaces it probably doesn't have any real will (except perhaps a White Court style). But even if Drakul is only associated with the Black Court I doubt any being he turned would or even could resist. There wouldn't be enough of the real being left.

Interesting question, I think Drakul has definitely earned some retribution for breaking the rules. Question is though - why did they let him join the accords in the first place?

Walter the Skull - Don't think Drakul has any of the regular Black Court weaknesses. He is the original. And as Bad Alias said, there is going to be a story about the Black Court getting what's coming. Not sure if will be a full novel or if just part of a story, or even a short story.

On that note, Drakul got enough stuff straight from the Dracula novel that he's probably also got the whole "kill the master and the minions die/stop being vampires" thing going for him too.