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The Dresden Files => DF Spoilers => Topic started by: Mira on August 02, 2018, 02:44:22 PM

Title: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Mira on August 02, 2018, 02:44:22 PM


    As I said, find it hard to get excited about Mirror Mirror, that is at least one book off, plus x amount of short stories...  I am much more interested in the next book, in particular what Rashid said to Harry on the dock on Demonreach in Turn Coat.. Mainly that his hour to confront the Senior Council was not over Morgan..  He implied that in some time in the future he would confront the Senior Council, but didn't elaborate....  My question is will this happen in Peace Talks?  But if you insist,it could happen in Mirror Mirror... Our universe Harry goes before the other universe Senior Council and tells them they have to kill his evil twin... All the while they are trying to kill him because he violated the Laws by showing up in the first place.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 02, 2018, 09:00:50 PM
I don’t know when or if it will happen, but, like you, I think it will be more interesting if it doesn’t happen in a parallel universe. As winter knight, I’d think Dresden should be out of the Council’s jurisdiction so he should have more latitude to act without consequence from them.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 02, 2018, 09:04:34 PM
Probably much later. Just before or in the apocalyptic triology. In Peace talks Harry is still not powerful and experienced enough for this and the next two books are probably not that much about the council.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 02, 2018, 10:31:07 PM
I don’t know when or if it will happen, but, like you, I think it will be more interesting if it doesn’t happen in a parallel universe. As winter knight, I’d think Dresden should be out of the Council’s jurisdiction so he should have more latitude to act without consequence from them.
Yeah, but the Council disagrees with you.  And for that matter, so does Mab.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: wardenferry419 on August 03, 2018, 12:09:04 AM
I do think Harry's "Fuck Yous" to the Council will get louder and more direct.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 03, 2018, 02:53:55 AM
Probably much later. Just before or in the apocalyptic triology. In Peace talks Harry is still not powerful and experienced enough for this and the next two books are probably not that much about the council.

Given what peace talks is you can guarantee that at least some of the senior council will feature. It may not be about them but thats never stopped Harry from telling certain members where to shove themselves.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 03, 2018, 02:57:51 AM
Yeah, but the Council disagrees with you.  And for that matter, so does Mab.
They do? I can’t remember him having any interaction with the council since Changes. Besides chatting with Rashid, have I forgotten something?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 03, 2018, 02:59:45 AM
Word of Jim on the matter.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: kbrizzle on August 03, 2018, 04:55:51 AM
It seems likely this will happen during the BAT. Here’s how I see it going down:


Either
Harry is unable to stop the corruption of the Council by the likes of Christos/ Nemesis, who cause the Council to become even more hostile towards Dresden.

Or
Harry decides to stash someone the Council really wants, but is innocent a la Morgan. This time Harry decides it will go according to his terms.

Whenever Harry’s “hour” arrives, it will be at a time Harry has learned to harness the power of the well on Demonreach, so when he challenges the Council or Senior Council he can put up a real fight.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: groinkick on August 03, 2018, 04:56:50 AM
I don't think he will confront the Council in Peace Talks.  I think it will be more of a BAT type deal.  Changes was kind of like wrapping up a chapter in a book.  I think Peace Talks is like going back to Grave Peril where the war with the Reds was kicked off.  Just like a big decision was made in Grave Peril, there will be one made in Peace Talks which is kind of cool that Mirror Mirror will be the following book to highlight this.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 03, 2018, 05:06:39 AM
Given what peace talks is you can guarantee that at least some of the senior council will feature. It may not be about them but thats never stopped Harry from telling certain members where to shove themselves.
But that is nothing special, that is just Harry being Harry. Peace talks will show that Harry is still a member with all the rights and obligations that brings.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 03, 2018, 05:31:54 AM
They do? I can’t remember him having any interaction with the council since Changes. Besides chatting with Rashid, have I forgotten something?
Sidhe thinking. Since when can you get rid of an obligation or debt just by taking up another one? Medieval thinking. If you have fiefs in two kingdoms you have to serve two kings and figuring out how to do so is your problem.

The idea that you can have only one nationality, master, etc. is relatively modern and even now far from universally accepted. My wife has two passports, no problem at all.

Mab takes these obligations very seriously. Lea mentoring Molly and helping her protecting Chicago as the ragged lady showed that as well.

There may be conflicts but Mab will not on purpose prevent Harry from his obligations. Worst case that would mean Mab would have to fulfill them in some way.

Everything points to the council having a similar way of thinking. Harry is not the first wizard making deals outside the council and they just claim all wizards regardless of their other obligations.

Besides, they are paying his salary.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 03, 2018, 06:17:26 PM
Sidhe thinking. Since when can you get rid of an obligation or debt just by taking up another one? Medieval thinking. If you have fiefs in two kingdoms you have to serve two kings and figuring out how to do so is your problem.

The idea that you can have only one nationality, master, etc. is relatively modern and even now far from universally accepted. My wife has two passports, no problem at all.

Mab takes these obligations very seriously. Lea mentoring Molly and helping her protecting Chicago as the ragged lady showed that as well.

There may be conflicts but Mab will not on purpose prevent Harry from his obligations. Worst case that would mean Mab would have to fulfill them in some way.

Everything points to the council having a similar way of thinking. Harry is not the first wizard making deals outside the council and they just claim all wizards regardless of their other obligations.

Besides, they are paying his salary.
That all makes sense and seems logical, but I just don’t see the white council arresting and executing Molly, for example, if they meet up in Peace Talks. I’d think they’d be equally stand-offish regarding arresting and executing Dresden for something he does as winter knight while conducting business for Mab. I think, for the moment, he and Molly are a bit out of their grasp. Moreso for Molly. They just need to watch out if the day comes and they are no longer part of the winter court because, then, I think, the white council would come to make them pay the bill.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Mira on August 03, 2018, 08:17:15 PM


The Council isn't going to touch Molly as long as she is the Winter Lady... No way are they about to piss off Mab and start a war with the Winter Court.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 03, 2018, 08:24:26 PM
Molly is not human anymore, according to the councils definition of human. That will place her outside the councils jurisdiction.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 03, 2018, 09:56:44 PM
But that is nothing special, that is just Harry being Harry. Peace talks will show that Harry is still a member with all the rights and obligations that brings.

Um what. That was exactly my point. Harry being Harry he's been calling the council out for ages and will undoubtedly continue to do so for ages more. There's nothing special about Harry doing that and there never will be. Yes maybe someday circumstances will conspire to give Harry the whip hand and change how the council works, but Harry's not going to treat them any different just because he's got the whip hand, thats not how Harry works. He'll stand there and spit in the eye of gods, faires queens, vampire,s angles, (fallen or otherwise), and plain old vanilla mortals no matter what his relative position against them. Thats how Harry rolls.

Molly is not human anymore, according to the councils definition of human. That will place her outside the councils jurisdiction.

More to the point so long as it doesn't interfere with the purpose of her court Mab mostly isn't going to give a monkey's about what anyone does to any of her people. The Winter Knight Mantle changes hands reguarly, getting a new knight would put a hiccup in Mab's work, but an easily smoothed one. Having to replace the junior queen would be a major disruption, and that makes it a direct attack on the courts purpose. Mab is really going to care about that, zand she's winter fae, her response to any kind of threat to her purpose is going to be to kill it as fast and hard as possibble.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 04, 2018, 08:10:39 AM
That all makes sense and seems logical, but I just don’t see the white council arresting and executing Molly, for example, if they meet up in Peace Talks. I’d think they’d be equally stand-offish regarding arresting and executing Dresden for something he does as winter knight while conducting business for Mab. I think, for the moment, he and Molly are a bit out of their grasp. Moreso for Molly. They just need to watch out if the day comes and they are no longer part of the winter court because, then, I think, the white council would come to make them pay the bill.
The salary is important. When you get a salary from someone you acquire obligations with it. Harry is a warden as long as they pay his salary and he accepts it.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Snark Knight on August 04, 2018, 07:42:53 PM
I doubt even Harry's enemies on the Council would want to hash out their problems with him during PT. The Council would hate showing disunity or weakness in front of the assembled who's-who of the Accords powers even more than they hate Harry. With all the other powers around, it's a better opportunity for trying to manipulate Harry into a duel with someone who overpowers him. But taking him out in-house is better done later and not in front of so many witnesses.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Mira on August 04, 2018, 07:56:11 PM
I doubt even Harry's enemies on the Council would want to hash out their problems with him during PT. The Council would hate showing disunity or weakness in front of the assembled who's-who of the Accords powers even more than they hate Harry. With all the other powers around, it's a better opportunity for trying to manipulate Harry into a duel with someone who overpowers him. But taking him out in-house is better done later and not in front of so many witnesses.

   From what Rashid implied it will be more important than  a mere hashing out of differences, or who hates or doesn't hate Harry..   He implied that it will be more of a life or death situation with repercussions that go way beyond Harry's life or the future of the Council.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: morriswalters on August 05, 2018, 12:15:23 AM
I had an idle thought.  Maybe rather than confronting the Senior Council possibly he ends a White Council civil war.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 05, 2018, 02:14:08 AM
The salary is important. When you get a salary from someone you acquire obligations with it. Harry is a warden as long as they pay his salary and he accepts it.
Was that from his talk with Rashid? It seems familiar. I’d forgotten about that; good point. Still, I don’t think they will interfere with him while he’s doing Mab’s business. Later, when he’s either not needed or out from the job, I guess they will want him to pay the whatever bill he’s accrued.

Speaking of a bill, he is an accessory to murdering a mortal when they broke into the vault in skin games. He had been using magics there, so think that gets held against him? Marcone took payment, but that’s not how that magic laws work (can’t buy justice).
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 05, 2018, 02:21:49 AM
Harry didn't murder a mortal with magic, Laws don't care.  There is no accessory issues as far as the White Council is concerned.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 05, 2018, 02:37:21 AM
Harry didn't murder a mortal with magic, Laws don't care.  There is no accessory issues as far as the White Council is concerned.

Interesting thought on this, where do all the members of the fellowship who died of old age after Harry took out the red court sit. The council obviously isn't concerned but JB's been clear in some WoJ's that what the council's laws are and what the universe level laws are on black magic don't allways line up.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 05, 2018, 02:46:50 AM
Harry didn't murder a mortal with magic, Laws don't care.  There is no accessory issues as far as the White Council is concerned.
That’s one opinion. Most human legal systems would find him culpable. It could go either way, I think. I guess it comes down to if the Merlin likes him or not for if he presses it.

Speaking of more of Dresden’s bill, how is it he never was charged for all the young people he burned to death at Bianca’s par-tay? I can’t remember if that was ever explained in the books. I remember him fearing he’d pay for it, but I don’t remember anything ever happening. I remember a question mark on if they were already dead, but it seems unlikely all were. Unless I’m forgetting something, the books seem to have dropped it.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 05, 2018, 02:58:17 AM
That’s one opinion. Most human legal systems would find him culpable. It could go either way, I think. I guess it comes down to if the Merlin likes him or not for if he presses it.

Speaking of more of Dresden’s bill, how is it he never was charged for all the young people he burned to death at Bianca’s par-tay? I can’t remember if that was ever explained in the books. I remember him fearing he’d pay for it, but I don’t remember anything ever happening. I remember a question mark on if they were already dead, but it seems unlikely all were. Unless I’m forgetting something, the books seem to have dropped it.
The Laws are not most human legal systems.  They are explicitly about using* magic.  Just being there when magic is happening is not an issue.  Murdering someone is not an issue. 

As for the deaths at Biancas, I imagine that it's chalked up to them not knowing who, if anyone, actually was killed by the fire vs already dead.  Though given the grudge some folks held against him, you'd think they'd try a bit harder to look into it.

*And some bits about seeking information, which may or may not require/cover magic only, vs reading it in a book.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 05, 2018, 03:00:23 AM
Interesting thought on this, where do all the members of the fellowship who died of old age after Harry took out the red court sit. The council obviously isn't concerned but JB's been clear in some WoJ's that what the council's laws are and what the universe level laws are on black magic don't allways line up.
And how about the Grey Council members who were mortal wizards who killed the gunmen and so with magic at that fight?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 05, 2018, 03:21:55 AM
And how about the Grey Council members who were mortal wizards who killed the gunmen and so with magic at that fight?
The only one we know of is Eb who has a specific exemption from the Laws.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 05, 2018, 03:37:42 AM
The salary is important. When you get a salary from someone you acquire obligations with it. Harry is a warden as long as they pay his salary and he accepts it.
Part 2 response because F this heatwave in Europe! I can’t sleep!

I was thinking about your reply in concert with Rashid’s conversation with Dresden. Upon reading that bit in the book, I had just assumed Rashid was being kind. But, now, with what you said about obligation due to the monies, I find I’m rethinking the just being kind assessment. Was Rashid purposely bringing Dresden into obligation? 

If so, I wonder what his various motives were? Some could be as a measure of protection to keep Dresden from becoming “other” to the council. Others could be less altruistic. Now you say this, though, it seems very calculated to re-obligate Dresden to me.

Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Mira on August 05, 2018, 04:59:44 AM
Quote
As for the deaths at Biancas, I imagine that it's chalked up to them not knowing who, if anyone, actually was killed by the fire vs already dead.  Though given the grudge some folks held against him, you'd think they'd try a bit harder to look into it.

   Harry did feel guilt that he actions might have killed some of those at the party.. However it was Michael I believe that said, 1] as you say  no way of knowing who may have died from Harry's fire rant since most were dead or about to die in any case.. 2] It was never Harry intent to kill the young people at the party, if any died by fire it was indirect consequences not as actual targets of Harry's spell.  Which brings up the question, yes, killing with magic breaks the First Law... But one does that go for those who happen to die because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and not the target of the actual spell?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 05, 2018, 05:41:14 AM
Part 2 response because F this heatwave in Europe! I can’t sleep!

I was thinking about your reply in concert with Rashid’s conversation with Dresden. Upon reading that bit in the book, I had just assumed Rashid was being kind. But, now, with what you said about obligation due to the monies, I find I’m rethinking the just being kind assessment. Was Rashid purposely bringing Dresden into obligation? 

If so, I wonder what his various motives were? Some could be as a measure of protection to keep Dresden from becoming “other” to the council. Others could be less altruistic. Now you say this, though, it seems very calculated to re-obligate Dresden to me.
That is the Sidhe way of looking at things. And as always that is both true and uncomfortable and not how humans would look at the same facts.

The gatekeeper is simply saying: what you do for winter is important and not in conflict with your position in the white council. You are still one of us. Jus like me.

And heatwave yes. I could not sleep the night before but this night I was so tired that I just passed out.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: exartiem on August 05, 2018, 11:22:12 AM
One point about Harry challenging the White Council while Winter Knight:  Mab would take a dim view on Harry using the power of Winter to attack a signatory of HER Accords.

Harry will have to either get out from under Mab, or prove that the Council violated the Accords and get Mab to allow it.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 05, 2018, 01:20:20 PM
@Ananda: The Laws of magic are about preventing black magic. If in the councils view it won't cause you to become stained with black magic they 100% don't care, (at leat as an organisation, individual members will have distinct views but the council as a whole will have no formal policy).

A wizard could go around using magic to rough people up and extract protection money and whilst a good piece of the White Council wouldn't approve as individual's, the Council as a whole wouldn't do a thing to stop them, it isn't against the Laws of magic and thus isn't there problem unless it threatens to splash back on them in some way, (like say getting the council put on an arrest on sight watchlist), that threatens them with retribution from someone else. Even then it would be about protecting the Council's continued existence, not about the actions that created said threat.

@Mira: Remember though we have a WoJ that actual Black Magic corruption doesn't care about intent or  accidents. The end effect is what counts. The Council also likely wouldn't care if they could be sure of what happened.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 05, 2018, 07:11:04 PM
@Ananda: The Laws of magic are about preventing black magic. If in the councils view it won't cause you to become stained with black magic they 100% don't care, (at leat as an organisation, individual members will have distinct views but the council as a whole will have no formal policy).

A wizard could go around using magic to rough people up and extract protection money and whilst a good piece of the White Council wouldn't approve as individual's, the Council as a whole wouldn't do a thing to stop them, it isn't against the Laws of magic and thus isn't there problem unless it threatens to splash back on them in some way, (like say getting the council put on an arrest on sight watchlist), that threatens them with retribution from someone else. Even then it would be about protecting the Council's continued existence, not about the actions that created said threat.
Right, I read that stuff in the books, too, but I was thinking more political expediency and manipulation of situation to get rid of people. Certainly, they’ve used politics and trickery to attempt certain ends within their laws before. There’s pure logic and then there’s cunning and manipulating a framework for a desired end.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 05, 2018, 07:21:04 PM
And heatwave yes. I could not sleep the night before but this night I was so tired that I just passed out.
It’s literally not cool how hot it’s been. 36 here midweek and swedish buildings are made for holding heat in like an oven. By night, it’s 30+ inside. At least I’m not in Portugal or Spain where I think I read it will be 46+ this week. My husband almost bought an ac for us in may, but decided against. Now, you can’t buy one in the whole country.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 05, 2018, 08:22:33 PM
As someone with a portable AC unit in my bedroom/computer room/hidey hole i can't give enough +1's to how nice it is to have in a heatwave. Been 34+ here for most of the last few weeks. I've spent most of it indoors in a cool 20c.

Also as far as manipulating it goes, again varies by individual. The senior Council and some of the more Senior wardens can to some degree impose their will on the way things are interpreted. So it's really messy as a whole.

Which is one of Harry's, and was one of his mothers problems with the whole system.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: morriswalters on August 06, 2018, 03:01:18 AM
It’s literally not cool how hot it’s been. 36 here midweek and swedish buildings are made for holding heat in like an oven. By night, it’s 30+ inside. At least I’m not in Portugal or Spain where I think I read it will be 46+ this week. My husband almost bought an ac for us in may, but decided against. Now, you can’t buy one in the whole country.
Your heatwave is my normal weather. :'(  Of course AC is the rule here in the southern US, not the exception.  Stay cool.  If the humidity is low enough you might try a swamp cooler.  Oh yeah and use Mack's recipe for lemonade with lemonade ice.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 06, 2018, 03:17:40 AM
Your heatwave is my normal weather. :'(  Of course AC is the rule here in the southern US, not the exception.  Stay cool.  If the humidity is low enough you might try a swamp cooler.  Oh yeah and use Mack's recipe for lemonade with lemonade ice.
Those climates are not meant for human habitation and were only colonized after the invention of ac, we however live since time immemorial in a temperate climate and we did not need those ugly blobs on the top of our houses, we don’t have flat tops on our houses either traditionally.

But all those ac’s caused global warming and so the problem spread to holland and apparently even Scandinavia. We used to have only a few hot days a year now it is weeks.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 06, 2018, 03:34:41 AM
Your heatwave is my normal weather. :'(  Of course AC is the rule here in the southern US, not the exception.  Stay cool.  If the humidity is low enough you might try a swamp cooler.  Oh yeah and use Mack's recipe for lemonade with lemonade ice.

Yeah but i doubt you get lows of -5 most years either in the winter, and snow is that weird stuff that happens to other people.

Those climates are not meant for human habitation and were only colonized after the invention of ac, we however live since time immemorial in a temperate climate and we did not need those ugly blobs on the top of our houses, we don’t have flat tops on our houses either traditionally.

But all those ac’s caused global warming and so the problem spread to holland and apparently even Scandinavia. We used to have only a few hot days a year now it is weeks.

Mines a portable stick a pipe out the window job, a bit bulky for my small room, (okay a lot bulky), but no flat roof or big thing on top of the house required.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 06, 2018, 05:18:40 AM
Yeah but i doubt you get lows of -5 most years either in the winter, and snow is that weird stuff that happens to other people.

Mines a portable stick a pipe out the window job, a bit bulky for my small room, (okay a lot bulky), but no flat roof or big thing on top of the house required.
A neighbor attached one on the front of his house clearly visibly from the street and he had to remove it after people complained. It was an eyesore.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: vultur on August 06, 2018, 05:50:14 AM
Yeah, given the information in CD that Fae can ignore thresholds when coming in for benevolent purposes, I think it probably was Mab -- specifically, Mab acting in Lea's place (since she was preventing Lea from fulfilling her obligations), and coming in from the NN through Lea's garden.

As for the Calvin and Hobbes book, I prefer the theory that it was a subtle hint about the hobs that were about to show up. Since they're Winter, that also points to Mab, IMO. (And against future-Harry, since it didn't actually end up being a helpful hint, and future-Harry would have known that and not bothered.)
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Kindler on August 06, 2018, 04:07:24 PM
I think the Big Moment won't come in Peace Talks, not till after Body Slam. I've always figured it would be Harry coming to the Council with evidence of wrongdoing, and them playing political games to avoid it.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Snark Knight on August 06, 2018, 05:05:54 PM
As for the deaths at Biancas, I imagine that it's chalked up to them not knowing who, if anyone, actually was killed by the fire vs already dead.  Though given the grudge some folks held against him, you'd think they'd try a bit harder to look into it.

Bianca probably had the bodies disposed of before the council were aware of what had happened there. Later books show the Wardens aren't actually as all-knowing and all-powerful as early Harry's fears make them out to be.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 06, 2018, 05:13:38 PM
Bianca probably had the bodies disposed of before the council were aware of what had happened there. Later books show the Wardens aren't actually as all-knowing and all-powerful as early Harry's fears make them out to be.
If he stood there for murder with magic they had to kill him but the vampires wanted him alive.

Ok, that is a conspiracy theory and why use a conspiracy theory if laziness, stupidity and cowardice explain the facts as well?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 06, 2018, 08:40:53 PM
Bianca probably had the bodies disposed of before the council were aware of what had happened there. Later books show the Wardens aren't actually as all-knowing and all-powerful as early Harry's fears make them out to be.

We know from death masks that she didn't, Butters did the autopsy's. Harry got off because no one, not even butters could determine how most of the actual human remains died.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Snark Knight on August 06, 2018, 11:20:41 PM
We know from death masks that she didn't, Butters did the autopsy's. Harry got off because no one, not even butters could determine how most of the actual human remains died.

I was thinking of after the coroner stage. Although I suppose Bianca personally might have been dead before Butters was done with them.

The Red Court hierarchy would have had an incentive to claim the bodies and dispose of them before anyone could double-check Butters' work and notice that hey, he's got a point after all.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: morriswalters on August 07, 2018, 01:05:20 AM
Quote from: Carl
Yeah but i doubt you get lows of -5 most years either in the winter, and snow is that weird stuff that happens to other people.
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 07, 2018, 01:37:43 AM
We know from death masks that she didn't, Butters did the autopsy's. Harry got off because no one, not even butters could determine how most of the actual human remains died.
I thought these acts were supposed to leave some sort of stain on the perpetrator?  Couldn’t they just take a look at Dresden for such “stains”?  There were quite a few dead, so it wouldn’t have been too subtle. Molly used magic to try to help a baby and a couple of junkies and Dresden saw the darkness in her in his gaze thingie. Morgan was cray-cray in Storm Front, lusted for blood in later books, but where was he after this? Maybe on holiday in Ibiza?

Punishment aside, wasn’t killing all those people supposed to affect Dresden in some major way? The current books talk about Eb’s staff protecting him which leads to the conclusion that there’s something to protect against. So, what, if anything, happened to Dresden?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 07, 2018, 04:40:06 AM
I thought these acts were supposed to leave some sort of stain on the perpetrator?  Couldn’t they just take a look at Dresden for such “stains”?  There were quite a few dead, so it wouldn’t have been too subtle. Molly used magic to try to help a baby and a couple of junkies and Dresden saw the darkness in her in his gaze thingie. Morgan was cray-cray in Storm Front, lusted for blood in later books, but where was he after this? Maybe on holiday in Ibiza?

Punishment aside, wasn’t killing all those people supposed to affect Dresden in some major way? The current books talk about Eb’s staff protecting him which leads to the conclusion that there’s something to protect against. So, what, if anything, happened to Dresden?
No you can’t because those stains could have many causes not all caused by breaking the laws. They are also very subjective and you don’t want to execute someone just because is not Lilly white enough just because of a soul gaze, you need extra evidence especially if someone is already a group member.

That is why they wanted to invalidate his membership. You can do all kind of things with people who do not belong.

And Harry already had some stains from killing Justin. Just being stained is not breaking laws. The grey wardens are probably all a bit stained if you look at it from the perspective of someone whe kept his soul particularly clean.


Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 07, 2018, 04:44:52 AM
I was thinking of after the coroner stage. Although I suppose Bianca personally might have been dead before Butters was done with them.

The Red Court hierarchy would have had an incentive to claim the bodies and dispose of them before anyone could double-check Butters' work and notice that hey, he's got a point after all.

Yeah but thats the thing, no one else likely would notice. You don't think they got butters committed to a mental institution just on hearsay, likely one of the other coroners looked at it, came up with an explanation and then used that as expert testimony to get him committed. If the bodies had just vanished it's a safe bet butters would have noticed when he got back and mentioned somthing too. Remember the masquerade works because 99% of mortals are fully willing to disbelieve in the supernatural even when it walks right up and smacks them in the mouth hard enough to leave scars.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 08, 2018, 03:03:27 AM
No you can’t because those stains could have many causes not all caused by breaking the laws. They are also very subjective and you don’t want to execute someone just because is not Lilly white enough just because of a soul gaze, you need extra evidence especially if someone is already a group member.

That is why they wanted to invalidate his membership. You can do all kind of things with people who do not belong.

And Harry already had some stains from killing Justin. Just being stained is not breaking laws. The grey wardens are probably all a bit stained if you look at it from the perspective of someone whe kept his soul particularly clean.
While discussing this and some other stuff recently, it struck me that it’s  interesting how matter of factly many responses are when discussing things that aren’t actually in the books. I don’t necessarily mean this answer, but in general.

Re: invalidating his membership
That’s why I speculated that Rashid could have had returning Dresden to the fold by obligating him with payment as an ulterior motive. Essentially, to keep him from having “other” status and so being the object of fear because, as evinced by history, frightened people are scary.

Having said that, I do have the feeling that the Merlin doesn’t currently want Dresden dead, though that is subject to change! It’s my speculation that, st the moment, he finds him more useful alive than dead. They could have a whole bromance buddy cop adventure, the Merlin and Dresden. That could be fun.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Wizard Sibelis on August 08, 2018, 03:12:17 AM
Punishment aside, wasn’t killing all those people supposed to affect Dresden in some major way? The current books talk about Eb’s staff protecting him which leads to the conclusion that there’s something to protect against. So, what, if anything, happened to Dresden?
Eh, now any significant lack of manifestation I chalk up to the dark magic cleansing foo dog.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 08, 2018, 04:18:18 AM
For some reason missed these two posts until just now, you know because reasons.

(click to show/hide)

Oh i read it as (snarky), sympathy, i was just trying to snark back ;).


No you can’t because those stains could have many causes not all caused by breaking the laws. They are also very subjective and you don’t want to execute someone just because is not Lilly white enough just because of a soul gaze, you need extra evidence especially if someone is already a group member.

That is why they wanted to invalidate his membership. You can do all kind of things with people who do not belong.

And Harry already had some stains from killing Justin. Just being stained is not breaking laws. The grey wardens are probably all a bit stained if you look at it from the perspective of someone whe kept his soul particularly clean.

Not just that but look at Ebeneezer and Harry, they traded a soulgaze way back, yet him being the blackstaff came as a complete shock to Harry. As WoJ pointed out a soulgaze shows you the essential essence of a person, but not everything about him/her. In Molly's case she;s in her formative years with her magic having just appeared and with a limited set of life experiences acting on her. there's functionally less to her personality for the stain to hide behind. On top of all that Harry has a pre-existing stain from killing Justin and has been soulgazed by the majority of senior wizards allready. There's no way for them to tell what is from what source.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 08, 2018, 05:01:49 AM
Harry was not soul gazed by a majority of wizards during his trial because that would have brought a level of knowledge and understanding on both sides that was clearly not there in Summer Knight.

A soul gaze stays with you so you don’t want to look at warlocks more than necessary, it can give you some ugly memories that never disappear.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Mira on August 08, 2018, 12:01:36 PM
Harry was not soul gazed by a majority of wizards during his trial because that would have brought a level of knowledge and understanding on both sides that was clearly not there in Summer Knight.

A soul gaze stays with you so you don’t want to look at warlocks more than necessary, it can give you some ugly memories that never disappear.

Yes to the second part, but the reason Harry wasn't soul gazed by the whole Council at his trial is the same reason Molly wasn't...  Protocol, the arresting warden does the soul gazing of the perp and testifies as to what he/she observed in that soul gaze.  Which, when you think about it opens another can of worms, interpretation is based on the mind and experience of the one doing the soul gazing.   
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Avernite on August 22, 2018, 06:03:23 PM
Yes to the second part, but the reason Harry wasn't soul gazed by the whole Council at his trial is the same reason Molly wasn't...  Protocol, the arresting warden does the soul gazing of the perp and testifies as to what he/she observed in that soul gaze.  Which, when you think about it opens another can of worms, interpretation is based on the mind and experience of the one doing the soul gazing.
IIRC Carlos had to give a second opinion re:Molly, and I suppose that is supposed to catch any too-egregious interpretation effects. I imagine Harry, too, was soulgazed by two Wardens.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 22, 2018, 06:42:27 PM
IIRC Carlos had to give a second opinion re:Molly, and I suppose that is supposed to catch any too-egregious interpretation effects. I imagine Harry, too, was soulgazed by two Wardens.
Why? It is ugly to soulgaze warlocks. You are going to see all kinds of uglyness you will never forget. Mostly you just don't do it and kill them when they try to run away. But sometimes they have a trial for political reasons, when the warlock knows somebody or the merlin needs it to prove a point. But even then one soul gaze is more than enough. Why should several wizards look in the same sewer? One is more than enough thank you.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 22, 2018, 10:19:11 PM
Why should several wizards look in the same sewer? One is more than enough thank you.
An obvious reason is that someone can lie, be biased, or just be mistaken as a single source of judge and jury.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Snark Knight on August 23, 2018, 02:56:52 AM
Eh, now any significant lack of manifestation I chalk up to the dark magic cleansing foo dog.

Mouse came into Harry's life around a year after he torched Bianca's place, though. If he was stained from burning a bunch of teenage vampire groupies who were unconscious but still alive, Morgan and the rest of the hardliners would have had plenty of time to notice it on him.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 23, 2018, 03:05:30 AM
An obvious reason is that someone can lie, be biased, or just be mistaken as a single source of judge and jury.
You mean the accused has rights?. I don’t see any evidence for that. The Merlin fully expected Harry to have killed Molly in stead of calling Edinburgh and wasting everyone’s time.

Fair trial is not high on the list. If the accused usually does not get to say anything, has no formal defender, is blindfolded and can not understand what is going on because everything is said in a dead language you can not expect other considerations of fair trial to be high on the list.

And even Molly did not get a second soul gaze. Even when the Merlin did not trust Harry at all. The Merlin probably thought one soul gaze was already overkill. She was proven guilty, kill her and be done with it.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Wizard Sibelis on August 23, 2018, 04:34:20 AM
Mouse came into Harry's life around a year after he torched Bianca's place, though. If he was stained from burning a bunch of teenage vampire groupies who were unconscious but still alive, Morgan and the rest of the hardliners would have had plenty of time to notice it on him.
Whose talking about any of that? I'm talking about Crazy Made Manifest. Screw the council.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Mira on August 23, 2018, 11:09:42 AM
Mouse came into Harry's life around a year after he torched Bianca's place, though. If he was stained from burning a bunch of teenage vampire groupies who were unconscious but still alive, Morgan and the rest of the hardliners would have had plenty of time to notice it on him.

No, he came the same year... Remember Harry sitting on his sofa in pain from his badly burned hand listening to Eb with baby Mouse sitting next to him trying to give comfort..
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Maz on August 23, 2018, 02:52:56 PM
No, he came the same year... Remember Harry sitting on his sofa in pain from his badly burned hand listening to Eb with baby Mouse sitting next to him trying to give comfort..

Bianca != Mavra

Otherwise, yes, Mouse arrived during Blood Rites when Harry got burnt by Mavra's Renfield's flamethrower.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 23, 2018, 05:28:36 PM
Bianca != Mavra
Watch out someone might see that as a challenge.

Throw in some time traveling and you can probably build a theory based on Bianca = Mavra

Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Maz on August 23, 2018, 07:38:47 PM
Watch out someone might see that as a challenge.

Throw in some time traveling and you can probably build a theory based on Bianca = Mavra

What's both funny and sad is that that is an accurate statement :)
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 23, 2018, 10:19:07 PM
You mean the accused has rights?. I don’t see any evidence for that. The Merlin fully expected Harry to have killed Molly in stead of calling Edinburgh and wasting everyone’s time.

Fair trial is not high on the list. If the accused usually does not get to say anything, has no formal defender, is blindfolded and can not understand what is going on because everything is said in a dead language you can not expect other considerations of fair trial to be high on the list.

And even Molly did not get a second soul gaze. Even when the Merlin did not trust Harry at all. The Merlin probably thought one soul gaze was already overkill. She was proven guilty, kill her and be done with it.
You asked “why should” there be more than one person essentially on the jury. Whatever the case with this organisation, I answered why there should be. :)
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: forumghost on August 24, 2018, 12:12:46 AM
My opinion is that Rasid never said such a confrontation was going to occur.

What he said was "If you challenge the Council you will die." And when prompted as to why he cared said "It is not your hour"- A common expression used to say "you shouldn't die right now".

This is imo purely a response to the second half of the previous statement, not the first. AKA Rashid was intervening to stop Harry from getting his dumb ass killed.

The idea that Harry can/will take the Senior Council on has always been a bizarre reading of that conversation to my mind.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: forumghost on August 24, 2018, 12:17:39 AM
Watch out someone might see that as a challenge.

Throw in some time traveling and you can probably build a theory based on Bianca = Mavra


I mean the Black Court is capable of converting other Species of Vampire into one of their own...
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: morriswalters on August 24, 2018, 02:31:09 AM
Quote from: forumghost
"It is not your hour"- A common expression used to say "you shouldn't die right now".
It's actually a paraphrase of a Bible quote, uttered by Christ. John 2.4. 
Quote
"Woman, what has this to do with me? My hour has not yet come."
Evidently referring to his Crucifixion.

The Gatekeeper seems to be conveniently always around to have something enigmatic to say. He pops up in some weird places. He's hob nobs with the Mothers and has pissed off Demonreach.  I smell a talking head.  Version 2.

It is almost certain that Harry will go head to head with some members of the Senior Council, assuming that the Black Council is represented there.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 24, 2018, 07:59:10 AM
You asked “why should” there be more than one person essentially on the jury. Whatever the case with this organisation, I answered why there should be. :)
I should have asked why would  :)

Of course the white council is flawed in many ways.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 25, 2018, 02:16:21 AM
It's actually a paraphrase of a Bible quote, uttered by Christ. John 2.4.  Evidently referring to his Crucifixion.
You know those books weren’t written in english, right?  That means the translator just used an existing phrase.  :P

Speaking of ancient stories and their translations, I absolutely love the Grene, Latimore english versions of Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some of the lines in Agamemnon are amazing.

And, on the figurative “hour” stuff, you have to love Yeats’ The second coming. As a member of the golden dawn, his verse was full of interesting imagery!
Quote
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 25, 2018, 03:20:09 AM
You know those books weren’t written in english, right?  That means the translator just used an existing phrase.  :P
How do you think translation works?

Keeping in mind that we have the original Greek of the Bible, so we're not playing some eons-spanning game of telephone here.

Though, I do disagree with the general idea that the phrase refers to His crucifixion, given the context, I'm pretty sure He's talking about revealing Himself to the world.  Which could tie in with Harry's shenanigans in another way, if you like.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Carl on August 25, 2018, 07:22:14 AM
You mean the accused has rights?. I don’t see any evidence for that. The Merlin fully expected Harry to have killed Molly in stead of calling Edinburgh and wasting everyone’s time.

Fair trial is not high on the list. If the accused usually does not get to say anything, has no formal defender, is blindfolded and can not understand what is going on because everything is said in a dead language you can not expect other considerations of fair trial to be high on the list.

And even Molly did not get a second soul gaze. Even when the Merlin did not trust Harry at all. The Merlin probably thought one soul gaze was already overkill. She was proven guilty, kill her and be done with it.

The merlin isn't free to do as he pleases, he has to pay attention to the other council members, (usually anyway), and not all of them are as dumb as he is.

It's actually a paraphrase of a Bible quote, uttered by Christ. John 2.4.  Evidently referring to his Crucifixion.

The Gatekeeper seems to be conveniently always around to have something enigmatic to say. He pops up in some weird places. He's hob nobs with the Mothers and has pissed off Demonreach.  I smell a talking head.  Version 2.

It is almost certain that Harry will go head to head with some members of the Senior Council, assuming that the Black Council is represented there.

Nah IMO the gatekeeper will become more important further down the line, but he needs pre-established characterisation first. Your probably not wrong that he's serving a bit of a talking head function in the process. But well, tropes are tools. In this case a period as a talking head to establish him is ok. The talking head issue only becomes an issue if all he ever does is provide info.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: morriswalters on August 25, 2018, 12:45:56 PM
Yes, I'm aware that the Bible wasn't written in English.:)
Though, I do disagree with the general idea that the phrase refers to His crucifixion, given the context, I'm pretty sure He's talking about revealing Himself to the world.
My source implied otherwise, but since I care about the Bible only as it relates to the Dresedenverse, I have no strong opinion on the matter.

The Gatekeeper is as clear as mud in this case.  He in fact suggests that he is prepared to make Harry's death immediate.  Suggesting I suppose, that it is the lesser of two evils.
Quote
He shook his head. “Places in time. This is not the time, or the place. What you are about to do will cost lives—among them your own. I wish you no harm, young wizard. But if you will not surrender, so be it.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Arjan on August 25, 2018, 06:57:24 PM
The merlin isn't free to do as he pleases, he has to pay attention to the other council members, (usually anyway), and not all of them are as dumb as he is.
Sure but that does not give rights to the accused just a possibility that someone else is a little bit less trigger happy.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 26, 2018, 01:32:10 AM
How do you think translation works?
With license. The turn of phrase wasn’t invented for that series of stories. How many languages do you speak?  You don’t really translate things word for word.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 26, 2018, 01:44:07 AM
With license. The turn of phrase wasn’t invented for that series of stories. How many languages do you speak?  You don’t really translate things word for word.
I'm confused.  Are you talking about translating the Dresden Files, or the Bible?
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: Ananda on August 26, 2018, 10:33:20 PM
I'm confused.  Are you talking about translating the Dresden Files, or the Bible?
I was talking about the bible, but it’s the same for the DF.

Unless you’re translating a list of ingredients, you don’t translate word for word. You translate meaning and intent, but there are many times where language 1 has a way of saying something that is not in language 2. This is particularly evident when you get into figurative and poetic works. I’ve translated a fair amount (not literary works) but, even websites describing the beach or forest near the hotel use figurative speech and metaphor.

Here are three different translations of one of my favourite lines from the play, Agamemnon. This is Clytaemestra upon killing her husband. One is vivid, alive, and poetic, one is decent, and one is just plain boring, but all three say the same general thing. The difference? License.

Quote
Thus he went down, and the life struggled out of him;
[and as he died he spattered me with the dark red
and violent driven rain of bitter-savored blood
to make me glad, as plants stand strong amidst the showers
of god in glory at the birthtime of the buds.

Quote
Fallen thus, he gasped away his life, and as he breathed forth quick spurts of blood, [1390] he struck me with dark drops of gory dew; while I rejoiced no less than the sown earth is gladdened in heaven's refreshing rain at the birthtime of the flower buds.

Quote
So he fell, his life throbbed away; breath and blood spurting out him of like a shower, spattering me with drops of crimson dew. I soaked it up joyfully as spring buds do the gods’ sweet rain.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: peregrine on August 26, 2018, 11:18:17 PM
Yeah, that's great, but "My hour has not yet come" is in no way that.  There's a bit of variation in translations, which is why there's always new version of the Bible coming out, but if you look at the original Greek that's what he said.

Basically, if they decided to just toss that phrase in there because it was a well established one, it's well established because it came from the Bible.
Title: Re: Will the Big Moment Come in Peace Talks?
Post by: morriswalters on August 27, 2018, 12:29:39 AM
There is no problem with translation.  That may be faced by editors who have to translate the text into languages other than English, but it isn't the case for me.  I'm ignorant.  And since I am, I speak no language but English, or the bastardization of English as spoken in the US.    My response was to this.
Quote from: forumghost
And when prompted as to why he cared said "It is not your hour"- A common expression used to say "you shouldn't die right now".
While it can be read that way, obviously the Gatekeeper was prepared to kill Dresden at that point.  Since Dresden has made it perfectly clear that he would take it to the wall if he needed to.  The Biblical quote refers to the death and resurrection.  To a moment in time that when Jesus would serve his purpose on earth.  I'm assuming a similar meaning for the "starborn"(I feel foolish even writing that).  As in, Harry is destined to fulfill some function of which he remains ignorant, but which everybody(important or powerful) else knows.  By the way does Butters have a king in his family tree somewhere?