Turncoat

[EBRIEN]

Obviously, I've been rereading. 

Near the end of Turncoat, Dresden and McCoy are talking about the fact that Peabody wasn't by himself on the island. Who was the 2nd person? Did we find out and I missed it along the way? Do we think this was Cowl joining him in Chicago? Some other Black Council wizard/entity?

Hope all are well. Cheers!

Brien

[Talby16]

I have always assumed it was Black Council. Cowl or Kumori are the most likely suspects because they are the ones we have met. There are most likely other Black Council members, but I think at this point it will be someone we know in the shadows not someone we haven't seen yet.

[g33k]

... Near the end of Turncoat, Dresden and McCoy are talking about the fact that Peabody wasn't by himself on the island. Who was the 2nd person? Did we find out and I missed it along the way? Do we think this was Cowl joining him in Chicago? Some other Black Council wizard/entity? ...

The "most sensible" answer, IMO -- and almost certainly, the wrong one -- is one of the Wardens, as a bodyguard.  It'd make excellent tactico-strategic sense to bring one along; and he has ample mental controls in place to do so (he had Luccio commit murder against a senior council member!), so bringing along a "fine thrall" combat-wizard looks like a very good tactical move.

But, of course, that's just a narrative dead end; there's fundamentally no mystery in that, no "payoff" in dropping the hint, little to no interesting "reveal" later as to who it was.

How about it being Cristos, or some other White Council member (maybe one who's also Black Council)?

[Talby16]

The "most sensible" answer, IMO -- and almost certainly, the wrong one -- is one of the Wardens, as a bodyguard.  It'd make excellent tactico-strategic sense to bring one along; and he has ample mental controls in place to do so (he had Luccio commit murder against a senior council member!), so bringing along a "fine thrall" combat-wizard looks like a very good tactical move.

But, of course, that's just a narrative dead end; there's fundamentally no mystery in that, no "payoff" in dropping the hint, little to no interesting "reveal" later as to who it was.

How about it being Cristos, or some other White Council member (maybe one who's also Black Council)?

Great answer. I agree that bringing "muscle" like a warden would make sense, but narratively unsatisfying. I assumed it was either a peer or a subordinate, but I like the idea of a superior better. Someone who is there to keep an eye on the whole situation, but also Peabody and use him as the fall guy if necessary. Cristos definitely fits that bill. We know who was on the island from the senior council. You can count Rasheed out. I like the Langerty being secretly on the Grey Council WAG so that leaves Cristos (technically not on the Senior Council at this time) and Martha Liberty.

[g33k]

... so that leaves Cristos (technically not on the Senior Council at this time) and Martha Liberty.

I think we have a large number of named/identified (but minimally-seen) characters who potentially might be that "unindicted co-conspirator" on the WC... Klaus the Toymaker, the whole list (Montjoy, Lucciozi, Gomez, etc) recited before Ebenezer got named to the Senior Council, and maybe some others I'm not recalling.

Offhand, I don't see any good reason to suppose it's any one of them over another.

Cristos -- specifically -- strikes me as particularly narratively-useful in his very vagueness:  "is he evil... or just stupid?" but also that just-trying-to-get-by everyman.  Despite being a skillful wizard, he's busy with politicking and reputational advancement, trying to "business-as-usual" the problems away.

[Mira]

  At this point it could be any number of wizards on the Council or even someone as shocking as Carlos.  My point it isn't about ignorance or evil, everyone who had dealings with Peabody, and that's just about everyone, had contact with his ink.

[Talby16]

  At this point it could be any number of wizards on the Council or even someone as shocking as Carlos.  My point it isn't about ignorance or evil, everyone who had dealings with Peabody, and that's just about everyone, had contact with his ink.

It comes back to why were there two (presumably wizards) people present? If it is just added muscle than it could be someone Peabody controlled with his ink. For disposable muscle it would have to be a young wizard. Peabody couldn't bring someone like Cristos there against his will. If the second person is on the Executive Council then they would have to be there of their own free will and thus on the Black Council and either a superior to Peabody or a peer to Peabody.

I think we have a large number of named/identified (but minimally-seen) characters who potentially might be that "unindicted co-conspirator" on the WC... Klaus the Toymaker, the whole list (Montjoy, Lucciozi, Gomez, etc) recited before Ebenezer got named to the Senior Council, and maybe some others I'm not recalling.

Offhand, I don't see any good reason to suppose it's any one of them over another.

My only issue that I have with Klaus or any of the other names you have mentioned is that they are at this point just names. It wouldn't be narratively satisfying to have a name mentioned once in the whole series be involved with big events against Harry. Any of those names could be fillers on the Black Council. However, to have someone be filling a role, like Peabody, actively working against the White Council, they should have more screen time.  Cristos has been dangled in the books as a possible Black Council member, and it would make sense with some of his actions, but what if he is just stupid or ignorant and all of his actions are just to benefit himself and the whole time its Martha Liberty. Now we have to go back and look at every interaction Harry has with her in the series to see examine her motives and dialogue for clues. We don't get that same effect with a one off name like Klaus. There is still time for another wizard to have more development in the upcoming books, but we are going to be extra suspicious of any new introduced wizards or dramatically increased book time for anyone.

[Mira]

It comes back to why were there two (presumably wizards) people present? If it is just added muscle than it could be someone Peabody controlled with his ink. For disposable muscle it would have to be a young wizard. Peabody couldn't bring someone like Cristos there against his will. If the second person is on the Executive Council then they would have to be there of their own free will and thus on the Black Council and either a superior to Peabody or a peer to Peabody.

Luccio was the captain of the Wardens at that time.  Granted the body switch screwed her up somewhat, hormones were firing her sex drive because she was in a younger body, and she no longer could make the special Warden swords, but basically to be captain of the Wardens of the White Council her wizard mojo is pretty strong.. It appeared to remain strong, otherwise it would have been noticed, yet Peabody and his ink managed to screw her up controlling her to the point of committing murder.  Or did Peabody screw everyone else up so badly with his ink that they just didn't notice that their Warden captain wasn't quite right anymore? What I am trying to say is apparently they didn't notice, so it isn't inconceivable that Peabody could in fact, manipulate someone like Christos with his ink.. Not against Christos's will,  because he had no clue he was being manipulated by the ink, nobody did.  Remember  when Rashid visited Harry in the infirmary afterwards?  Rashid looked down at his own hands wondering how much he had been influenced by Peabody's ink.  Eb's reaction as well,  said the same thing.. Now, we can agree that Peabody wasn't the brains behind the plot, he was a mere cat's paw.  Somewhere along the line he was corrupted and as an insider to the White Council did a huge amount of damage that would have gone on a lot longer if Harry had attended more Council meetings and signed paperwork.  So who was behind it?  Nemesis?  And why would the second person or creature on the island with Peabody have to be from the White Council?  Peabody used a Way to get to the island, a pretty nasty one at that.  We know that Cat Sith got infested with Nemesis, we also know that Lea and Maeve got infested by Nemesis, so not impossible that maybe it was someone else infested from one of the Courts that was with Peabody on the island.  Oh and I can think of another who we know from White Night can go in and out from the Nevernever, Cowl...  We still don't know his agenda, and yeah he'd be strong enough to manipulate Peabody.

[Talby16]

Luccio was the captain of the Wardens at that time.  Granted the body switch screwed her up somewhat, hormones were firing her sex drive because she was in a younger body, and she no longer could make the special Warden swords, but basically to be captain of the Wardens of the White Council her wizard mojo is pretty strong.. It appeared to remain strong, otherwise it would have been noticed, yet Peabody and his ink managed to screw her up controlling her to the point of committing murder.  Or did Peabody screw everyone else up so badly with his ink that they just didn't notice that their Warden captain wasn't quite right anymore? What I am trying to say is apparently they didn't notice, so it isn't inconceivable that Peabody could in fact, manipulate someone like Christos with his ink.. Not against Christos's will,  because he had no clue he was being manipulated by the ink, nobody did.  Remember  when Rashid visited Harry in the infirmary afterwards?  Rashid looked down at his own hands wondering how much he had been influenced by Peabody's ink.  Eb's reaction as well,  said the same thing.. Now, we can agree that Peabody wasn't the brains behind the plot, he was a mere cat's paw.  Somewhere along the line he was corrupted and as an insider to the White Council did a huge amount of damage that would have gone on a lot longer if Harry had attended more Council meetings and signed paperwork.  So who was behind it?  Nemesis?  And why would the second person or creature on the island with Peabody have to be from the White Council?  Peabody used a Way to get to the island, a pretty nasty one at that.  We know that Cat Sith got infested with Nemesis, we also know that Lea and Maeve got infested by Nemesis, so not impossible that maybe it was someone else infested from one of the Courts that was with Peabody on the island.  Oh and I can think of another who we know from White Night can go in and out from the Nevernever, Cowl...  We still don't know his agenda, and yeah he'd be strong enough to manipulate Peabody.

Peabody and his ink only managed to screw up Luccio because of the body switch. In Turncoat it states that every wizard under the age of 50 was more susceptible to Peabody's manipulation and had the sleep command programmed in. Several of the younger wardens also had the lone gunman reprogramming as well. He was only able to impact the Senior Council in subtle ways. Ebenezer said that the ink only let Peabody nudge them, but that they were too "crusty" to bend. Yes, Peabody could manipulate the older wizards with his ink, but the only people he could have forced to the island was a younger wizard. Otherwise, it would have had to have been a co-conspirator.

You make a valid point about it not having to be a wizard though. There are plenty of other characters we've been introduced to that could have joined Peabody on the island. I wonder if Harry might visit the island in the time travel book to see who it was.

[Mira]

[quotePeabody and his ink only managed to screw up Luccio because of the body switch.][/quote]

Not because of the body switch, but because of the ink.

Peabody and his ink only managed to screw up Luccio because of the body switch. In Turncoat it states that every wizard under the age of 50 was more susceptible to Peabody's manipulation and had the sleep command programmed in. Several of the younger wardens also had the lone gunman reprogramming as well. He was only able to impact the Senior Council in subtle ways. Ebenezer said that the ink only let Peabody nudge them, but that they were too "crusty" to bend. Yes, Peabody could manipulate the older wizards with his ink, but the only people he could have forced to the island was a younger wizard. Otherwise, it would have had to have been a co-conspirator.

We don't know that, nor if a Senior Member was on the island with Peabody influenced by the ink could you really call him or her a co-conspirator.. The key word here is, under the influence, not fully responsible..  Maybe not zombie or robotic mind control, but enough influence to severely affect judgement.. Also like all of us, wizards, even senior wizards have different levels of tolerance to chemical influences.   

Official testimony from Eb at the trial, page 386  bolding and italics mine...

"Working on the evidence Dresden found." Ebenezar said, "Warden Ramiez and I searched Peabody's chambers thoroughly not twenty minutes ago.  A test of inks he used to attain the signatures of the Senior Council for various authorizations revealed the presence of a number of chemical and alchemical substances that are known to have been used to assist psychic manipulation of their subjects.  It is my belief that Peabody has been drugging the ink for the purpose of attempting greater mental influence over the decisions of the members of the Senior Council, and that it is entirely possible that he has compromised the free will of younger members of the Council outright."

Listens-to-Wind's mouth opened in sudden surprise and understanding.  He looked at his ink-stained fingertips, and then up at Peabody.

Now in the end the Senior Council may not admit to the extent that they were compromised, but from Listens-to-Wind's honest reaction, the effect on the Senior Council was potentially quite serious.. Remember he would know as both a medical doctor and a scientist the  effect of those drugs on the mind, even the minds of Senior Council members.

No, the whole White Council, if they came in contact with the ink, was affected to some degree. ages 397- 398 Turn Coat on the effects on the whole of Peabody's ink, from Lara's independent investigations;

He might have wound up with his brains spattered all over a desolate little hell hole in the Nevernever, but Peabody had influenced one hell of a lot of damage before he was through. A new age of White Council paranoia had begun.

It was all tougher for the members of the Senior Council, in my opinion, all of whom had almost certainly been influenced in subtle ways. They had to go back over their decisions for the past several years, and wonder if they had been pushed into making a choice, if it had been their own action, or if the ambiguity of any given decision had been natural to the environment.  The touch had been so light that it hadn't left any lasting tracks.  For anyone with half a conscience, it would be a living nightmare, especially given the fact that they had been leading the Council in time of war.

I tried to imagine second-guessing myself on everything I'd done for the past eight years.  I wouldn't be one of those guys for all the world.