The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers

The Darkhallow

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Yuillegan:

--- Quote from: Mira on April 02, 2023, 10:23:31 AM ---  Let's not forget that Darkhallow is one of the things that runs through desperate Harry's mind along with trying to call back Lasciel's coin as worst, worser, and least worse option of becoming Winter Knight as he laid on his broken back in his office in Changes, to save little Maggie.

--- End quote ---
True, but I think given Harry took the Winter Knight option - which hardly seems comparable tbh - Jim has written that story line out for now. Which isn't too say there isn't a Harry who didn't end up performing a mini-darkhallow (given the proper one needed to be on Halloween).


--- Quote from: Conspiracy Theorist on April 02, 2023, 11:15:27 AM ---I think that The Darkhallow strength is dependent upon the circumstances, Halloween is a peak time to perform it where you can draw in the most power. Do it any other time it will give you a power up but not to God level, more in the Denarian/Winter Knight level. There may be other factors which affect its power, such as the presence of The Erl King in the mortal world.

Kemmler might have already done such a ‘weak’ Darkhallow, he was so much stronger than the average wizard, but unable to achieve the circumstances for a full Darkhallow during his lifetimes. The Erl King was in the 19th C Wildfae, by Dresden’s time he’s sworn fealty to Mab. This may have been to protect him from being summoned by Kemmler and Nameless - certainly when the latter was paperclipped into Winter.

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Very true, the amount of available energy is entirely circumstantial, not to mention that in order to go from mortal to immortal, the spell/rite must be performed on Halloween. Otherwise the change in state from mortal to immortal cannot occur.

Then there is the quality of the spirits. Older spirits carry more metaphysical power than those more recently deceased - hence partially why they used Native American spirits (all the more grotesque I imagine to the local Native people). Spirits also are drawn to things of the material world (places, objects etc.). So you also need a certain amount of objects the spirits would be drawn to (hence why Corpsetaker posed as a historian on an ancient Native American exhibition, and why it was also performed at a museum). As you also point out, the Erlking is somewhat crucial as you need his power to weaken the barrier between the Nevernever and the real world further and for him to summon even older spirits (hunters, specifically). Finally, you need to create a certain amount of metaphysical turbulence between the real world and the Nevernever, which has been occurring for a few years before the Darkhallow was attempted in Chicago. So there is a big difference between a Darkhallow like the one that was attempted in Dead Beat and just trying it out anywhere, anytime.

In a way, Chicago is primed for another Darkhallow. All the recent death and destruction, all the turbulence. Just happens that one very angry, increasingly powerful Wizard watches over the place (who now has soloed a Titan). Not to mention all the other protectors the city has...like Marcone.

If I were Cowl, I would pick a much, much older city with far more violence in it's history than Chicago. Like London or Rome or Cairo, or maybe not even a capital. Pick a less protected city than Chicago too, somewhere the White Council holds less sway - so probably not Europe. Cairo or Luxor seem like good options. Maybe Grozny in Russia or Palmyra in Syria, or even Baghdad in Iraq.

Then you create another big distraction for the White Council and it's allies - another Ethniu-like situation, another massive Outsider assault on the Gates, another critical war going on. While everyone is distracted, you perform the Darkhallow. You also at this point would have gathered enough relics, enough historical objects for the spirits, created enough spiritual turbulence for the past few years, and summon the Erlking or another psychopomp-like being (surely there are a few). But that's just me.

I think the Erlking was far stronger in Dead Beat than he is later - Jim was still sorting out relative power levels. Hell, the Erlking uses telepathy to communicate the first time!

Curiously, Harry always assumed Mavra wanted the Word of Kemmler for herself to become a god, or whatever. But now we know she works for Drakul and is likely his most loyal servant. Perhaps it is Drakul who wishes to become a god (or something closer to what he was), again. Terrifying food for thought.

Also, CT, why would Nameless be involved in all this? I don't remember his connection to Dead Beat.


--- Quote from: Conspiracy Theorist on April 02, 2023, 01:30:03 PM ---It’s Checkov’s Darkhallow

It might require a Starborn for peak effect, which is why Drakul wanted it BUT Harry would only use it if it didn’t harm innocents. Ripping the Lifeforce from say a Fomor Army in achieving it would help ESPECIALLY if he has the Blackstaff to shield from the harmful effects and the Spear to maximise success. We have literally seen Eb rip the life from a hundred Red Court flunkies in the same way the Darkhallow would.

Any innocents could hide behind the Placard THAT would shield them from the Darkhallow as would the Carpenters House.

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I don't think it works that way. It uses spirits, not life energy, to power to ritual. The vacuum of all that magic being eaten is what steals life force to bring back balance. So I don't think you could use it to "eat" the Fomor army like that.

Also, there are a lot of innocents - more than could fit in Mac's Bar and Michael's house. Think a few million.

LostInTime:
Harry, with the blackstaff, performing the Darkhallow on Demonreach on Halloween.

Mira:

--- Quote ---True, but I think given Harry took the Winter Knight option - which hardly seems comparable tbh - Jim has written that story line out for now. Which isn't too say there isn't a Harry who didn't end up performing a mini-darkhallow (given the proper one needed to be on Halloween).

--- End quote ---

 True, he took what he saw as the least bad of three very bad options, his only options.  However that was choice, not lack of skill or knowledge of how to do it.  As you know very well, Jim doesn't give his characters those options unless they may have to use it at some point.  Interesting don't you think, when Cowl got the "Word" from Kemmler's book, Harry had also read and gotten it?  Jim could have just as easily had Harry simply stopping Cowl, which he could have done without him ever understanding how to work it himself. Jim put that option in Harry's back pocket for a reason, it could be that in the end the only way to stop the final battle against the Outside is for Harry to use the final option, giving himself the godlike powers needed to end it.

Conspiracy Theorist:
On another thread I have posited that the Erl King is the son of the Gorgon Euryale and Poseidon, (brother of Hades) the giant hunter Orion.

That would explain why it requires the presence of the Erl King in the mortal world to trigger a full Darkhallow.

vincentric:
I used to think there's no way Harry could use the Darkhallow but I finally came up with a scenario where it's not only possible but useful.

The Darkhallow sucks in all the life around it as a side effect of apotheosis. Imagine Harry using it on Halloween on Demonreach (using Alfred as his drummer) and having Alfred loose all the sleepers an instant before the finish. Harry gets god-level power and the sleepers are all killed irrevocably. (cuz Halloween). It stops any escapee problem and uber-Harry can then head over to the Gates and turn the tide there.

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