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The Dresden Files => DF Spoilers => Topic started by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 14, 2023, 12:53:14 PM

Title: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 14, 2023, 12:53:14 PM
Martha Liberty to Eb page 51 Summer Knight I believe this is the earliest allusion to Harry being Starborn.

LTW is present so all three are aware.

Earlier in Summer Knight, Mab in her first meeting with Harry mentions that she watched Harry stalemate the Leansidhe. In Grave Peril  I believe that Mab was told  by The Gatekeeper of a potential divergence in futures the centre of which was Harry a Starborn. She was watching Harry, not the Leansidhe, and it was after that that she bought Harry’s mortgage, I don’t believe she had any interest in Harry until then.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 14, 2023, 06:31:46 PM
Martha Liberty to Eb page 51 Summer Knight I believe this is the earliest allusion to Harry being Starborn ...

I don't think we know for sure what she meant.

Most-trivially, it could just have been "Justin DuMorne's pet enforcer," a bullyboy warlock.  Here, I think, the part she's not saying out loud is, "all his basic training is from a black-magic practitioner, and while we didn't find any mental booby-traps we may have missed some; and because of that basic training, we cannot discount that his basic mindset may be fundamentally that of a warlock."  This is the POV of those who distrust Harry & think it was wrong to levy the Doom of Damocles instead of just killing him.

I presume most of the SC understand what a "Starborn" is, and that Harry (at least potentially) is one.

I also presume that not all of them were aware of the Ariana/Pere-Raith/Margaret.LaFey "starbabe" plot; that info would have come from Eb (who they failed to enroll) and I think he'd have protected Maggie by only telling a few he trusted (not the whole SC).

My own theory is that Martha was being deliberately obfuscatory: she knew most or all of it, as did Eb, and she was reminding him; but at least one person there (besides Harry) did not know all of it.  So by speaking in generalities, she uses "DuMorne's bullyboy" as cover for the more-dangerous plot.  (n.b. there may have been other veiled parties watching & listening, who did not drop their veils -- why would the wizards do something aboveboard when they could do something sneaky?)


... Earlier in Summer Knight, Mab in her first meeting with Harry mentions that she watched Harry stalemate the Leansidhe. In Grave Peril  I believe that Mab was told  by The Gatekeeper of a potential divergence in futures the centre of which was Harry a Starborn. She was watching Harry, not the Leansidhe, and it was after that that she bought Harry’s mortgage, I don’t believe she had any interest in Harry until then.
I disagree (strongly).
1.  All the major powers see the signs and understand that something apocalyptic is coming (they likely have a very good idea what that "something" is).
2.  All the major powers understand (a) what a Starborn is; & (b) that the conditions for a "Starbirth" were right, 30ish years ago... so there are 1 or more Starborn running around right now.
3.  Mab, as warleader of the Outer Gates, is primarily about fighting Outsiders (being "Winter" on Earth is the smaller part of her duties).
4.  Because a Starborn has both resistance-to and power-over Outsiders, Mab is keenly interested in bringing any Starborn (that she can) into her service -- particularly in such key roles as her Knight.
5.  We know Mab lays plans -- long, long plans.  WoJ says that Mab doesn't care about burning through most of her footsoldiers, because it only takes a generation to breed the replacements.
6.  We have to presume that Mab knew (1) & (2) ahead of time -- that an apocalypse & a Starborn were both coming; given (5) I cannot believe Mab wasn't laying plans (at least a generation ago) to get her hands (and oaths) laid upon Starborn to fight the Outsiders.

Then consider:

7.  Margaret LeFay was likely the most "faerie-famous" human alive (possibly excepting the ever-changing Knights); she was also an unusually strong wizard, and (via Salic Law) likely to birth a strong wizard as offspring.  This would automatically put her on Mab's radar vis-a-vis point #6.
8.  Mab's handmaiden is the Leanansidhe... who "somehow" ended up as Harry's faerie Godmother.
Really.  Mab's Handmaiden as the Faerie Godmother to one of (if not the) strongest wizards of his generation, who "just happens" to be the Starborn that Mab wants and...

egads, man!

You're a Conspiracy Theorist and you can't see this??!?   ;D
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on February 15, 2023, 05:47:39 AM
Quote
I don't think we know for sure what she meant.

Most-trivially, it could just have been "Justin DuMorne's pet enforcer," a bullyboy warlock.  Here, I think, the part she's not saying out loud is, "all his basic training is from a black-magic practitioner, and while we didn't find any mental booby-traps we may have missed some; and because of that basic training, we cannot discount that his basic mindset may be fundamentally that of a warlock."  This is the POV of those who distrust Harry & think it was wrong to levy the Doom of Damocles instead of just killing him.

I agree, I believe this is what she meant also.  However I think you could lump starborn into that as well, given what we've seen of the overt starborns in the series so far, i.e. Drakul and Listens.. And perhaps that is the general rule for them? It also maybe the reason why Margaret chose to mate with a truly good man, Malcolm, to create one, to upset the chemistry...
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 15, 2023, 07:24:29 PM
I agree, I believe this is what she meant also.  However I think you could lump starborn into that as well, given what we've seen of the overt starborns in the series so far, i.e. Drakul and Listens.. And perhaps that is the general rule for them? ...
I think the message was more layered than that; she was saying different things to different audiences.

Maybe there was a cadre of combat-Wardens, both veiled and standing out of Harry's line-of-sight, ready to take him down if he offered any sign of violence.  Seriously:  if you were Captain Luccio, protecting multiple Senior Council members from a suspected Warlock (who was known to be an unusually-strong Wizard already) ... wouldn't you insist on a precaution like that?  (I mean... the Blackstaff likely needs no protection, but -- as Harry's advocate there -- his willingness to act swiftly in taking-down the warlock is subject to doubt; so, a backup plan).

Thus -- so I WAG -- Martha needed to speak "plainly" to Ebenezer, but have her context (Starborn, Adriana/Raith "starbabe" plan, etc) be completely-misunderstood by the magical brute-squad standing by.

And yes (given, as you say, Listen & Drakul; and also (as of the Journal microfiction) Morgan's mention of a "Destroyer") it seems possible that many (most?) Starborn turn to evil.  I don't think we have complete info, but Jim seems to be hinting that way.

OTOH, I've also seen the theory (is there WoJ on this?) that Rashid himself is a Starborn...  So it's also very possible that we simply don't see enough known Starborn "onstage" to have a good basis to judge.

... It also maybe the reason why Margaret chose to mate with a truly good man, Malcolm, to create one, to upset the chemistry...
If you're arguing that "goodness" (and evil) is a heritable characteristic, I've got to disagree with you strongly.  That idea underpins some of the worst instances of racism the world has ever known.

If you think she wanted Malcom to be the father-figure raising Harry (inculcating ethics & morality in an Aristotelian "give me a boy until he is seven years old..." sense) then I suspect you're right; although I also suspect she simply fell in love with him.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 16, 2023, 01:19:01 AM
“Aurora nodded, slowly. ‘From the beginning, you have been meant to be a destroyer.”

Page 239 of Summer Knight - the second reference to Harry’s Starborn status, we only know from Morgan’s Microfiction of  Starborn/Destroyer duality
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on February 16, 2023, 04:02:33 AM
Quote
If you're arguing that "goodness" (and evil) is a heritable characteristic, I've got to disagree with you strongly.  That idea underpins some of the worst instances of racism the world has ever known.

In this case I think it is.  I may not have myself clear enough, disposition and personality is inherited to some degree and has nothing to do with racism.  What underscores this in the series is the often repeated line, "you inherited your father's good heart.."  Now while that could mean a lot of things, that it is a repeated line in the series is significant.  Heck, Lash points out to Harry that one of the motives for Margaret setting up conceiving a star born was meeting and falling in love with the kind of man Malcolm was.  She did that because of what he brought to the table genetically in his temperament, something Harry clearly inherited.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: vincentric on February 16, 2023, 03:36:00 PM
We also may be taking the term "Destroyer" out of context. Coming at it from a Western viewpoint, a Destroyer is generally viewed as "a bad thing" that brings chaos and violence to upend a peaceful society. But in some Eastern belief systems, a Destroyer is a necessary part of the cycle of the universe. They clear away the built up evil and allow for the growth of a new and better future.

Perhaps a "Starborn Destroyer" can go in either of these directions. Free will is an overarching theme of the Dresdenverse. Mab, Uriel and to a lesser extent Vadderung are trying to recruit Harry to the latter view while Nemesis goes for the former. It seems to me that the White Council is more focused on the first interpretation and discounts the possibility of the second. Also, their basic reactions are based on fear rather than hope. They default to killing a potential danger instead of nurturing a potential asset.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Tinfoil hat on February 16, 2023, 05:13:04 PM
What Martha meant was, 'he was the chosen one, it was said he would destroy the outsider not join them.
For some reason as soon as i saw the topic that just popped up in my head.
The SC and some of the older gus in the White council know exactly what he was meant to be.
The starborn occur every 2or3 generations. Im sure the journals and other records are full of signs and stories about starborn.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: vincentric on February 16, 2023, 05:18:28 PM
But apparently, being Starborn doesn't make you good or evil, you choose. I mean our two main examples are Rashiid and Drakul. Harry could follow either path.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Tinfoil hat on February 16, 2023, 06:37:22 PM
We aren't sure about Rashid. But according to batman if there is a 1% chance. Im sure the WC uses that type of logic
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 17, 2023, 02:28:10 AM
The Tigress was hired by Ace to kill Harry, completely separate to Aurora’s plot, to gain protection from Maeve and Lloyd Slate from the Ramps, who we know were working with Cowl from Grave Peril.

Maeve moved her Court to Chicago around the time of Grave Peril, forcing Aurora to move her Court to Chicago as well. This suggests Cowl may have influenced Maeve on this point.

The Athame raised Lea’s power level above Maeve’s in Winter, destabilising Winter quite apart from its Nemfection of Lea.

We later learn in Cold Days that Ace is the Redcap’s scion, and latter still in Battle Ground that the Redcap was in fact a spy for Mab in Maeves Court for several decades.

Cowl would have wanted Auroras plot to succeed and  having seen several of his schemes badly damaged already by Harry and sought to take him out of the equation.

In The Law we learn Nameless has been cast out from Winter due to suspicions as to his loyalty. As part of Winter he most likely would have been drawn to Maeves Court as a Demi-god of Discord.

Lloyd Skate was the only Winter conspirator in Aurora’s Scheme, Nameless would have had access to him as part of Maeves Court and it would be in his nature to stoke his jealousy of Ruel and push him into Auror’s Scheme.

At page 203 of Summer Knight Maeve says” ‘There,’ she said, once I’d been seated. ‘Not so untamable as he claimed.’ Harry asks who and she dismisses it as no matter. Cowl would be in a position to know Harry’s nature, Nameless in a position to inform her of it.

Cowl is Nameless, hiding in the fringes of Maeves Court in Undertown when Harry visits, sowing discord to the Winter Lady and the Winter Knight, manipulating them to pressure Ruel through the Winter changelings and then have Slate kill him paving the way for Aurora’s scheme to destabilise the Courts.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 17, 2023, 10:14:29 PM
In Death Masks Ortega challenges Harry just as he is about to get involved in the fake Shroud caper, did Cowl put Ortega up to it to eliminate Harry from it? We know Cowl has ties to the Red Court and later on we find a Denarian is working with the Black Council, so Cowl should be aware of what Nicky is planning, and wants it to go ahead so uses the Red Court to do his dirty work, like Ace and the Tigress in Summer Knight, Harry is facing two apparently unrelated threats but Cowl links them.

Cowl of course would be unaware that the Shroud is a fake, that would appear to be knowledge held by Hades, Uriel and Mab at this point.
 
“because God said so.”page 59 Death Masks Harry explaining the theories limiting The Fallen, eventually shown to be correct and subject to balance in his dealings with Lucifer and Uriel.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on February 18, 2023, 12:53:04 AM
You presume the Denarian knows what Nic is really planning. I do not think ANYONE, other than the actual Fallen, knows that. Casting Dierdre down to the underworld? Do you think she saw that coming? And that was his daughter
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on February 18, 2023, 05:02:15 AM
You presume the Denarian knows what Nic is really planning. I do not think ANYONE, other than the actual Fallen, knows that. Casting Dierdre down to the underworld? Do you think she saw that coming? And that was his daughter

 Maybe not that, but the fact is she was willing sacrifice.  To be a willing sacrifice, one has to be prepared to sacrifice for the cause.  Also I don't think it was Nic who planned it.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 18, 2023, 07:57:22 AM
‘Don’t you think you should?’ Page 93 Death Masks

Ushalvhas The Cabbage Patch Doll who knows an awful lot about Harry, asking Harry why he does what he does, and Harry replies he doesn’t know. U obviously knows Harry is Starborn/Destroyer and agent of change driving his destiny and Harry won’t start asking UNTIL bloody Peace Talks, more than a decade later.

Yes Harry you bloody well should.

It should be noted it was at this point Bob says the shroud isn’t on his frequency but suggests U as an ally of the  Loa who are next mentioned in Battle Ground as serving Martha Liberty suggesting U, the Loa and Martha are attuned to that frequency an indicator Martha has Soulfire, which is why LTW can recognise it, later in the series.

“ ‘Do too,’ he replied. ‘I know more about you than you do yourself.’ ‘Such as?’ ‘Such as why you chose this kind of life for yourself. To appoint yourself protector of mortal kind, and to make yourself the enemy of any who would do them harm. To live outcast from your own kind, laughed at and mocked by most mortals. Living in a hovel, barely scraping by. Spurning wealth and fame. Why do you do it?’

Page 222 Death Masks Nicodemus to a freshly laundered Harry recalling the earlier conversation on page 93. Both Heaven and Hell have told Harry the same thing.

Not something I was looking for but on page 300 Harry laments the absence of his shield bracelet (lost earlier to Nick) later on the same page the absent bracelet is burning his wrist- Beta reader failure.

Page 315 Death Masks A dying Shiro to “ ‘Harry,’ Shiro whispered. ‘Nicodemus is afraid of you. Afraid that you saw something. I don’t know what.’ This is before the epithany Harry has that the Noose can kill Nick, but after the Barabus curse has been cast.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 19, 2023, 05:07:46 PM
In Blood Rites Harry is rescuing the puppies stolen from Brother Wang - they have been brought to Chicago because presumably this is where the mastermind behind their theft dwells. In Zoo Day we learn this was actually successful MyShadow and his sister were in fact taken before Harry rescued the rest of the puppies including Mouse. The actual abductor is a Sorceror, another one in Chicago after Victor Sells and Leonid Kravos.

The Winter Court had been resident in Chicago from Grave Peril and Nameless was part of the Court, upon expulsion from the Court he practices as a lawyer in Chicago. Nameless was the mastermind behind the puppy theft. The swine. For some reason Nameless required a corrupted Foo Dog, but then Nameless is Cowl and part of the Black Council. All three Sorcerors are connected to Nameless.

Thomas this time asking the question of Harry page13 Blood Rites

“Thomas laughed a little and shook his head. ‘I don’t get it.’ ‘Don’t get what?’ ‘Why you do it.’ ‘Do what?”

Harry is still burying his head in the sand over his motivation.

Page 14 - Thomas who meets up with Harry one or two days a year at this point knows about Bob, and Bob is a big secret and Harry blithely just carries on when the “Talking Skull” is mentioned. How did Thomas find out?

The A Plot and B Plot are unrelated -Raith made that clear in The Deeps.  No motivation is given for Mavra bringing her scourge to Chicago, no Athame, no Word, no recruitment drive, so the most likely explanation is that it was a favour owed to Cowl, or better yet owed by Drakul to Cowl,  specifically as a trap for Harry in much the same way he used Ortega in the previous book, they have a pre-existing relationship from before Grave Peril, and whilst Harry annoyed her he really didn’t do anything to justify her setting up a trap for Harry, fearful that Harry would derail his long-term plan for the Leansidheand in disrupting the Winter Court.

Cowl of course organised the photos of Harry, Murphy and Kincaid which turn up at page 14 of Dead Beat that Mavra uses to blackmail Harry, his back up plan.

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 24, 2023, 10:57:34 AM
In Dead Beat note that Harry has his ‘dream’ of his father just after visiting Mort, who lets slip that he knows Colin Murphy, we find out later in Ghost Story Colin Murphy works for Uriel, so this would suggest Mort is indirectly working for Uriel at this point at the point where he starts developing a backbone. Many theories suggest Malcolm was sent by Uriel, after Lasciel crossed the line,  this would appear to confirm this. The Mort episode also seems designed to mislead the reader that Malcolm is a ghost. Malcolm is I believe the ‘balancing’ allowed to Uriel following Shiela making her first appearance in Bocks, suggesting Malcolm is the equivalent of Sheila, a shadow of the Malcolm in the Good Place, but not cut off from him like Sheila is from Lasciel.

Page 136 Dead Beat ‘‘No one can tell you that,’ he said. ‘Not me. Not an angel. And not a fallen angel.” The only Angel Harry knows at this point is Mac, and he is not  going to tell him anything. It’s at this point Uriel can directly intervene outside of the Swords.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 24, 2023, 03:41:16 PM
... Casting Dierdre down to the underworld? Do you think she saw that coming? And that was his daughter
Deirdre?  She knew, yes.  She was 100% on-board with the plan; regretful, but resolved.  She obviously knew it was coming.

She even foreshadowed it, during the private convo she had with Harry, in the rafters(?) of the warehouse... she was a bit melancholy about having to die for Daddy's plan, but convinced it had to happen.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 25, 2023, 08:02:14 AM
Up to Kumori saving Marcone’s man on Whacker and two thoughts struck me:-

(1) whatever Kumori did generated significant cold, forming ice which is indicative of Winter.
(2) she saved the life of one of Marcone’s men, Marcone owes her or whoever holds her vassalage. That’s important, it could have been any random passer-by but was she deliberately targeting one of Marcone’s men for exactly this purpose?

This would suggest Cowl engaged the outside contractor to deliberately engage Marcone’s man with Kumori waiting in the wings. Nameless may not have a penchant for healing as a Demi-god of Discord, requiring his use of Kumori in his stead, someone with a penchant for healing. Kumori doesn’t have a major talent for showy magic page 224 Dead Beat, Kumori wasn’t strong enough to wrestle the book away from Harry not using his magic, but even a minor talent can be honed with instruction and practise. Was Nameless gaining control over Sarissa by teaching her the Necromancers version of healing he learnt from Kemmler, but couldn’t use himself due to his nature?

We know in The Law that Nameless will go to work for Marcone, was this the favour he traded on to get a foot in the door? I can’t see Gard being agreeable to Nameless unless Marcone thought he had good reason to overrule her. Nameless was fully in Winter at this point as the attack on Arctis Tor which led to his exile had yet to come. This would suggest he was planning on exile at this point.

So a female Winter Mortal, with a penchant for healing, part of Mab’s Court where Nameless could gain a hold over her would suggest Sarissa is Kumori if Cowl is indeed Nameless. We won’t be introduced to Sarissa until Cold Days and it strikes me as very Nameless to target Mab’s Changeling daughter twin to her bully Maeve? Using Lloyd Slate as part of his plan to gain a hold over her? All the speculation as to Kumori from Dead Beat to Cold  Days would be rendered irrelevant.

Jim certainly has a pattern of dropping something pertinent in one book which is seemingly inconsequential and then revealing a pertinent connection in a later book. Colin Murphy as a ghost  for example in Dead Beat, revealing that ghost works for Uriel in Ghost Story after Uriel has revealed himself to Harry.

It would also seem that Nameless has a penchant for manipulating women, we see this directly in The Law with Miss Laplander, but this would include Maeve, The Leansidhe, so easily Sarissa as well. He would have figured she was the spare Winter Lady, I bet he stoked Maeves paranoia over this leading to Lily’s death, inadvertently freeing Sarissa from his hold.

In Summer Knight Mab says that this is the last time that Maeve hires the help. Did Maeve choose Lloyd Slate based upon Nameless recommendation? That Slate was always Nameless man due to his heroin habit? That he could use Slate to bully the Winter Changelings and manipulate them like Ace in engaging the Tigress to take out Harry? which is exactly what he did in Summer Knight?

Page 231 the Erl King is described as Wildfae in Peabodys book, written approximately a century before, but in Battle Ground is definitely part of Winter. Did the book or Kemmlers creation of the Darkhallow force the Erl King to choose Winter? Page 241 would suggest so, Mab knows about The Word and Peabody’s book and the danger that it represents. Who did she find that out from? The existence of the Word was known to Bob, the heirs and from The Law Nameless. Nameless may have traded that to Mab as his price for entry into Winter, gaining the Erl King as a powerful and unlike Nameless a TRUSTWORTHY Vassal. In return for a vow to not summon the Erl King or cause him to be summoned, could that be why Cowl is trying to destroy it at first?  Could both Nameless and The Erl King being bound by Winter Law mean that Nameless/Cowl couldn’t use the summoning, but could hijack Harry’s if Harry isn’t doing it on Cowls behalf? Cowl was only destroying copies of the book, preventing others from using the Darkhallow, initially because it was no good to him.

Mavra knows about the Word but not about the Erl King, did Nameless trade knowledge of the Word to Drakul? But not about the Erl King? so Drakul couldn’t use it? Harry giving Mavra The Word means Drakul has only half the solution

Page 239 of Dead Beat, Mab has caught Lea and put her on ice forcing Cowl’s hand at this point is Cowl going back to the earlier plan of the Darkhallow to get enough power to break free from Mab?
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 25, 2023, 06:33:08 PM
... (1) whatever Kumori did generated significant cold, forming ice which is indicative of Winter ... Jim certainly has a pattern of dropping something pertinent in one book which is seemingly inconsequential and then revealing a pertinent connection in a later book ...

That's a fascinating notion!
I mean... it's not a sure thing.  Like... "died in erotic ecstacy" isn't a sure-fire proof Whampire, there's other entities that do the "succubus schtick."  And there's plenty of phobophages other than fetches, so it took a while for Harry to figure that out in Proven Guilty.

So maybe Kumori's powers (or the specific magic she used) are something non-Winter but still cold & icy.  But as you note, Jim loves to toss out cross-book breadcrumbs.  My gut says you're on the right track.

I think, though, that Kumori being "Winter" is actually evidence *against* her being Sarissa:  at this point, Sarissa is a changeling & hasn't Chosen; she is not Winterfae and has no Winter magic on-tap.

I'm still on Team Harry for CowlWAG's:  Cowl = Future!Harry & Kumori = WinterLadyMolly.  Cowl's powerset is remarkably similar to Harry's.  When Harry dumped the car onto Cowl, a quick flash of a Shield (bracelet or no) to survive the impact, then a WinterKnight power-move to push the car off of himself.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 26, 2023, 10:39:40 AM
Dead Beat page 352 Harry is confronted on the stairs by Kumori and summises that she wears a hood because she might recognise him because she is on the White Council. Harry would indeed recognise her, if she is Sarissa she is Maeves identical twin sister, and of course Maeve is publicly known to Harry from Summer Knight, meaning she knows she needs the disguise from Harry and the wider world, which is why it was adopted in Grave Peril in the first place. She is Winter and her Mother is currently holding Leas obligation to Harry, which she isn’t going to disrupt, so no she isn’t going to kill Harry. Kumori can do a veil (a Fae strong suit) despite not being especially powerful. Harry knows bugger all women on the Whire Council except Martha Liberty and Luccio who is Edinburgh at this point in the narrative.

Kumori appears to show professional interest in Harry’s fire damaged hand which means that Kumori is one of the recurring medical professionals in the series, Butters, Lamar, LTW or Sarissa.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on February 26, 2023, 11:04:27 AM
Dead Beat page 352 Harry is confronted on the stairs by Kumori and summises that she wears a hood because she might recognise him because she is on the White Council. Harry would indeed recognise her, if she is Sarissa she is Maeves identical twin sister, and of course Maeve is publicly known to Harry from Summer Knight, meaning she knows she needs the disguise from Harry and the wider world, which is why it was adopted in Grave Peril in the first place. She is Winter and her Mother is currently holding Leas obligation to Harry, which she isn’t going to disrupt, so no she isn’t going to kill Harry. Kumori can do a veil (a Fae strong suit) despite not being especially powerful. Harry knows bugger all women on the Whire Council except Martha Liberty and Luccio who is Edinburgh at this point in the narrative.

Kumori appears to show professional interest in Harry’s fire damaged hand which means that Kumori is one of the recurring medical professionals in the series, Butters, Lamar, LTW or Sarissa.

  I think you are a little confused, neither Sarissa nor Maeve were ever on the White Council, that is for wizards only.  It may or may not be significant that Kumori showed interest in Harry's burnt hand, I don't think she treated or suggested therapy for it.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 26, 2023, 07:04:41 PM
Dead Beat page 352 Harry is confronted on the stairs by Kumori and summises that she wears a hood because she might recognise him because she is on the White Council ...
I think "because he might recognise her" is a good hypothesis... but WC doesn't necessarily follow.  The easy explanation is the "Darth Wannabe Fashion Trend;" Cowl himself adopts it.  But Jim has made enough of a fuss about the hooded ID's that I expect it *is* a thing, not just a requirement of being in the Ominous & Mysterious Club.

... Harry would indeed recognise her, if she is Sarissa she is Maeves identical twin sister, and of course Maeve is publicly known to Harry from Summer Knight ...
Not necessarily.  Harry didn't twig to Sarissa/Maeve for a long period of working closely with Sarissa, even when they were side-by-side.  She may have *thought* she needed to hide?

But honestly I doubt that.  The Mantle itself seems to obscure the human identity, rendering the bearer a more-vivid and slightly-inhuman being.  Harry is actually a rather-keen observer, and it took him a LONG time to discern the similarity.  I presume the effect is well-known to Sarissa by this time.

But Kumori *cannot* be Sarissa.

Kumori has magic:  regular mortal-wizard magic.  And we know from Cold Days -- where she was Harry's physical therapist -- that Harry detects no practitioner-aura when they have skin-contact.

Harry ... summises that [Kumori] wears a hood because she might recognise him
 - no she isn’t going to kill Harry
 - Kumori can do a veil (a Fae strong suit)
 - despite not being especially powerful
 - Harry knows bugger all women on the Whire Council ...
 - Kumori appears to show professional interest in Harry’s fire damaged hand ...
All of these points seem to point equally to Molly!
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 26, 2023, 08:54:19 PM
I had thought of that, Thorn Manacles or power burnout from the Darkhallow collapse would remove a mortal practioners aura, and she isn’t strictly mortal, she’s a Changeling. If she chose human perhaps, yes,  Fae definitely not.

Proven Guilty the Rear ending by the old Chrysler. Could Nameless in Chicago for a conflab with Peabody following the execution have just run across Harry and let his annoyance with Harry finally get the better of him. A old Chrysler and it’s steel body would shield Nameless from Mab Peabody would have been there because paperwork, and they were to set into movement the scheme to murder the current warden of Demonreach and install Peabody in the role. To do that he needs to get Peabody to the island quickly, and needs to scout a possible route from Arctis Tor from the Never Never, hence the attack to free Lea to cover his tracks.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on February 27, 2023, 02:14:44 AM
Up to Kumori saving Marcone’s man on Whacker and two thoughts struck me:-

(1) whatever Kumori did generated significant cold, forming ice which is indicative of Winter.

Possibly, but be aware of the flip side of the coin - she may have been drawing HEAT from her surroundings, like Harry did to make the fetch slip. Harry took heat from the water... which left ice behind. She may not have emanated cold at all.

Jim would love to divert you with such niceties.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 27, 2023, 06:26:56 AM
I had thought of that, Thorn Manacles or power burnout from the Darkhallow collapse would remove a mortal practioners aura, and she isn’t strictly mortal, she’s a Changeling. If she chose human perhaps, yes,  Fae definitely not ...
Thorn manacles are a hard no.  They are strictly temporary; there has never been any indication it could produce a "burnout" (Lash would surely have told Harry, if it were possible).  Also, Sarissa had no scars from them.

I guess the Darkhallow maybe could produce burnout ... ?

The thing is:  I'm not sure "burnout" is a thing that happens in the Dresdenverse.  Fading happens:  Charity Carpenter was a low-grade talent, presumably near-ish to the Ordo Lebes... all of whom (that he touched) tingled Harry's wizardly spidey-sense; but never Charity.

Why doesn't the WC just burn-out captured warlocks, if it was a thing (or, for that matter -- why not thorn manacles?)
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on February 27, 2023, 04:36:30 PM
Quote
Why doesn't the WC just burn-out captured warlocks, if it was a thing (or, for that matter -- why not thorn manacles?)

  That is an interesting idea, but like a lot of things maybe either more complicated than just burning out a warlock... In the case of Charity, even though she was well on her way to becoming a warlock, I don't remember it being said what level her talent really was, her talent did fade.. Or it hasn't faded, but since she is in total denial of it, cannot be detected.  There might be several reasons, maybe Harry's spidey sense doesn't work on her because her talent is competely dormant from total lack of use"?  She was saved from that dragon by a Holy Knight whom she fell in love with, her desire to quit to win Micheal with intervention from the Almighty made it happen.  I really think Charity is a unique case.  In the case of your garden variety warlock, the desire to stop being one doesn't exist.  They are addicted to using the black magic, Molly is a good example of this, even Harry, the temptation to back slide is very great.. And when they do backslide the consequences are usually dire.  The White Council doesn't have their own Demonreach Island to rehab young warlocks, and there are so many it isn't practical to use the one that exists.  Nor do they care to take the time in what most likely be a fruitless effort at rehab.  If a wizard is willing, they take a shot at putting them under the Doom if rehab is deemed possible, otherwise, the chop is considered the best solution for all concerned.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 27, 2023, 09:45:25 PM
Thorn manacles are a hard no.  They are strictly temporary; there has never been any indication it could produce a "burnout" (Lash would surely have told Harry, if it were possible).  Also, Sarissa had no scars from them.

I guess the Darkhallow maybe could produce burnout ... ? I suspect that Cowl was diminished for at least. Time by the Darkhallow, by the time Proven Guilty he still doesn’t display power relying on others for the assault on Arctis Tor .

The thing is:  I'm not sure "burnout" is a thing that happens in the Dresdenverse.  Fading happens:  Charity Carpenter was a low-grade talent, presumably near-ish to the Ordo Lebes... all of whom (that he touched) tingled Harry's wizardly spidey-sense; but never Charity.

Why doesn't the WC just burn-out captured warlocks, if it was a thing (or, for that matter -- why not thorn manacles?)

I suspect a wizard trying to cross the Carpenters threshold without permission would suffer permanent burnout, and removing the power from a warlock doesn’t render them sane or harmless.

Page 139 Proven Guilty ‘Your wolf children did me a petty wrong,’ Maeve replied. ‘They killed a favorite hireling of the Winter Court.’ Maeve confirms the Tigress was a repeat contractor for the Winter Court to which Nameless was attached at the time. Lloyd Slate forced Ace to hire the Tigress to kill Harry, even though Harry was doing Mab’s bidding.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 28, 2023, 02:31:11 AM
... In the case of Charity, even though she was well on her way to becoming a warlock, I don't remember it being said what level her talent really was, her talent did fade.. Or it hasn't faded, but since she is in total denial of it, cannot be detected.  There might be several reasons, maybe Harry's spidey sense doesn't work on her because her talent is competely dormant from total lack of use"?  She was saved from that dragon by a Holy Knight whom she fell in love with, her desire to quit to win Micheal with intervention from the Almighty made it happen.  I really think Charity is a unique case...
Charity's own testimony was that her talent was minor.  I think she was being honest.
The head of her coven was stronger... but not WC-caliber strong.

But we have other indicators that power fades:  When Harry finally admits to Michael that he picked up Lasciel's Denarius, Michael advises him to "put aside his power," and the Shadow would fade as his power did (to which Harry replied, "fuck that."  Michael winced.).

I'm pretty sure there's WoJ to this effect, too; mortal magic in the Dresdenverse is a "use it or lose it" thing (except for the "anyone can do it" rituals that have been described as "like a vending machine, put in the ritualistic coin & get out the magic spell").
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on February 28, 2023, 02:44:07 AM
... In the case of your garden variety warlock, the desire to stop being one doesn't exist.  They are addicted to using the black magic, Molly is a good example of this, even Harry, the temptation to back slide is very great.. And when they do backslide the consequences are usually dire.
Agreed on all points.

 
... The White Council doesn't have their own Demonreach Island to rehab young warlocks, and there are so many it isn't practical to use the one that exists.  Nor do they care to take the time in what most likely be a fruitless effort at rehab.  If a wizard is willing, they take a shot at putting them under the Doom if rehab is deemed possible, otherwise, the chop is considered the best solution for all concerned.
I think there's very little "rehab" happening on Demonreach; only for Harry, really:  he can lair-up there to heal.  The inmates... not so much.

Seems to me that Thorn Manacles would be a perfect solution, actually.

The warlock can do a bunch of normal-ish things in life; MUNDANE things.  Every time they try something magical, they suffer intense agony.  Pavlov showed the way, here (and Harry avers, "pain is an excellent teacher").  They'll learn, on a reflexive level, not to do magic.  After they stop even trying, their powers will begin to fade.  10-15 years later, they should be safe to release (at least, magically safe).

They could spend that time being educated for a mundane career... college, trade school, etc.  They will get out with no "criminal record" in the mortal world, so they can go get a mortal job in their career of choice.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on February 28, 2023, 05:22:00 AM
But their power may be recoverable -didn't Harry say Mort's power had faded away, when he was doing fake seances and medium stuff, yet he regained it.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on February 28, 2023, 11:52:42 AM
But their power may be recoverable -didn't Harry say Mort's power had faded away, when he was doing fake seances and medium stuff, yet he regained it.

I don't think so, what I remember Harry saying is that Mort hid his power from the White Council because he didn't want to be a part of it.  Elaine did the same thing, so it is possible to appear to be a lot weaker than one really is.  So apparently short of a soul gaze there really isn't a way to gauge just how strong a talent a person has except by the magic one can do, which can be hidden.  In the case of Mort, I believe Harry also said he had also thought Mort was a minor power until Ghost Story and he really saw him in action.  That's when he made the remark that Mort had hidden his talent to stay out of White Council hands.  I believe earlier Elaine remarked to him that she thought the Wardens were pretty easy to fool, she had done it for years.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on February 28, 2023, 06:06:54 PM
‘Another player,’ I said. ‘Someone we haven’t seen yet.’ Harry to Murphy page 177,  Proven Guilty about someone chaining up Pell’s Theatre. We have seen Molly, Darby Crane, Lucius Glau

The Theatre creates a route to the Phobophages lair just outside Arctis Tor, and was likely used by the Black Council in the attack organised by a weakened Cowl, who we haven’t seen other than taking a swipe at Harry’s car. Fair enough Harry hit him with a car first. The attack by Hammerhands was directed by Cowl at Pell, he isn’t their usual young hormonal victim as Murphy points out to Harry, and Pell isn’t one of Molly victims. They needed the Theatre shut during the horror convention when it would be swarming. Would Cowl/Nameless be mortal enough to summon Hammerhands or would he have to get Peabody or some other mortal stooge to do it? ‘


‘Crane,’ I said. ‘What do you want?’ He smiled a nasty smile. ‘To build the future,’ he replied. ‘Networking is very important in my business.’ Page 202 Proven Guilty. Was Crane getting into bed with Cowl? Nameless and Glau may have been professionally associated, why take your lawyer with you unless you are hammering out a bargain with another lawyer?

Page 204 Lasciel confirms the Thorn Manacles are Faerie make - provided by Nameless who would have access to them, when it was realised Harry was once again involved. The Whamps are just about to start their campaign against the talented, with Cowl’s help, a demonstration for the fearmongers of their efficacy?

Page 224 ‘I believe you,’ I said. ‘But I don’t think it was a coincidence, either. I think you were there for a reason. Maybe one you didn’t know.’ Harry to Madrigal, Madrigal was being used to firm up the link to the Phobophages lair near Arctis Tor, he had been booked for a year previously, so this and the attack on Arctis Tor was planned before Dead Beat

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 01, 2023, 01:14:07 AM
‘Another player,’ I said. ‘Someone we haven’t seen yet.’ Harry to Murphy page 177,  Proven Guilty about someone chaining up Pell’s Theatre. We have seen Molly, Darby Crane, Lucius Glau

The Theatre creates a route to the Phobophages lair just outside Arctis Tor, and was likely used by the Black Council in the attack organised by a weakened Cowl, who we haven’t seen other than taking a swipe at Harry’s car. Fair enough Harry hit him with a car first. The attack by Hammerhands was directed by Cowl at Pell, he isn’t their usual young hormonal victim as Murphy points out to Harry, and Pell isn’t one of Molly victims. They needed the Theatre shut during the horror convention when it would be swarming. Would Cowl/Nameless be mortal enough to summon Hammerhands or would he have to get Peabody or some other mortal stooge to do it?

Except they weren't generic "phobophages," they were fetches, so that "other party" was Mab.   Fetches are directly Mab's (not generic Winter).  Scarecrow, you will note, took Molly straight to Mab.  Scarecrow was Eldest Fetch; he certainly knew Mab was there atop the tower, watching the climactic scene of the melodrama he had enacted at her bidding.

The Scarecrow's Way from the theater debouched right near Arctis Tor and the Winter Wellspring.  I doubt anyone -- not Maeve, not Nameless, not Denarians -- can work Ways that close to Arctis Tor, without Mab noticing (if the earlier assault on Arctis Tor (whose signs they saw) came by way of the theater, it's certain that Mab was completely aware of it.

Mab -- or maybe Lea -- had made certain that Molly's early magical efforts led her down dark-magic paths, so she'd be a semi-warlock in need of Harry saving her by assuming the Doom of Damocles (Harry is really predictable in this regard).


... Was Crane getting into bed with Cowl? Nameless and Glau may have been professionally associated, why take your lawyer with you unless you are hammering out a bargain with another lawyer?
I go with Harry's gutcheck here:  "Crane" didn't know who he was getting involved with.  Glau was the cut-out.  But remember -- Glau was more than just "Darby Crane's lawyer," he was Madrigal Raith's "right-hand-man," so of course he was nearby.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 01, 2023, 04:42:09 AM
It has always been presumed a Denarian led the attack on Arctis Tor, because of Hellfire but the sheer scale of the attack is far greater than any Denarian, what if it was Lucifer himself? It would explain Uriel being able to ally with Mab and approach Dresden.

Proven Guilty page 320 “I thought I could overcome what stalks us all.” Lea to Harry in the ice Prison. Fate?
The Fae’s time will end as did the gods, was she trying to avoid this?

Page 234 Harry hears The Erl King’s horn. At this point he is definitely Winterfae.

Page 235 ‘This entire field trip isn’t what we were meant to think it was,’ I told him. ‘We’ve been used.’ Harry to Thomas .By Mab. Auditioning Molly, breaking the stalemate with Summer, and exposing Nameless (the latter we learn from the Law) as being complicit in the attack, and Maeve as lying

‘And one day last week, Sandra Marling and I had a talk. And during it, she told me how they were discovering that the presence of a very strong source of fear could bypass all kinds of psychological barriers. Page 340 Proven Guilty. Marling set up Molly with Madrigal to be the fall guy - two potential Marlings -Kumori/Sarissa or Laplander?

I shrugged. ‘Coincidences happen,’ I said. ‘And I don’t think God’s got me warming up in the bullpen to be one of his champions.’ Harry page 357 by Peace Talks Harry has changed his mind

Peabody is at Molly’s hearing in Chicago ergo he was around at the execution a couple of days earlier. Paperwork. He would therefore have been around to meet up with Cowl driving his Chrysler.

Page 371 - 233 Harry invokes God once publicly and another four time internally.

‘That’s Michael. Knight of the Cross.’ ‘Which Sword?’ the Merlin asked idly. ‘Amoracchius,’ I said. The Merlin lifted a brow and nodded, never looking at me.

We later find out the sword has been called Excalibur and the OG’s Merlin’s to dispose of - later Harry’s. That just gripes the Merlin

The Training camp was attacked by Outsiders, a mortal had to whistle them in - Peabody? Another reason for the meeting with Cowl days before? Second point the Swords are very effective against Outsiders when even Ebenezzers magic isn’t. Cowl organised both attacks at the same time, Peabody summoned the Outsiders and Cowl left the door open for Fallen at Arctis Tor, ostensibly to rescue Nemesis/Lea. The dual attack tactic in Battle Ground and what allowed Michael to come to the White Council’s aid, and eventually Molly’s, the future Winter Lady.

‘Spare me,’ I said. ‘Hell, Michael, I had one of those bastard Denarians here last year. Quintus Cassius. You remember him? While I was lying there watching him slice his way into my guts, I thought maybe it would be a good time for someone like you to show up. You know. One of those Denarian Knights. I thought to myself, hey, it would be a great time for one of the Knights of the Cross to show up, eh?’ I shook my head. ‘It didn’t work out that way.’ Foreshadowing not a Denarian anymore, Harry saved by a Knight to be. Sometimes Jim Hugs himself with glee to know what is coming.

The Gatekeeper fixed Little Chicago, he came in via the Never Never and Leas’ Murder Garden under permission of Mab, he stopped Harry using it the first time with as he had foresight of Molly’s Call. He fixed it when Bob was with Harry at Splattercon so Bob didn’t see him, and it was fixed in time for Harry to track Molly’s entrance to the NeverNever in Pell’s so he could get to Arctis Tor to rescue her, and turn up for the denouement with the White Council. It was the Gatekeeper all along with nudges from Mab and an unannounced Uriel.

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 01, 2023, 11:43:25 PM
It has always been presumed a Denarian led the attack on Arctis Tor, because of Hellfire but the sheer scale of the attack is far greater than any Denarian, what if it was Lucifer himself? It would explain Uriel being able to ally with Mab and approach Dresden.

The presence of a large number of fallen cannon-fodder doesn't really speak to "sheer scale."  Ebenezer showed up to Chichén Itzá with a small army in his pocket!  I presume many senior wizards (let alone someoe such as a Denarian) could do as much.

I've always considered that "hellfire" just means a wizard using that method, which doesn't have to be a Denarian.  I presume there are other means to learn it.  But later in the series, Mab seems to confirm that it was one of the Denarians.

Lucifer, if freed to act, would overwhelm even Mab -- more power, more planning, more cunning.  Mab wouldn't stand (if you'll pardon the phrase) a snowball's chance in hell.

Page 234 Harry hears The Erl King’s horn. At this point he is definitely Winterfae.
Not necessarily.  Erl just loves a hunt, and he has some "unfinished business" with Harry.
I think there may be some sort of "Winter Consort" Mantle that the Erlking sometimes wears, so he may indeed have been Winter (at that moment in time).
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on March 02, 2023, 04:50:55 AM
Quote
I've always considered that "hellfire" just means a wizard using that method, which doesn't have to be a Denarian.  I presume there are other means to learn it.  But later in the series, Mab seems to confirm that it was one of the Denarians.

  I don't think "hellfire" can be learned, it is the opposite of "soulfire" which also cannot be learned. Harry had hellfire when the Shadow of Laciel possessed him, later when he rejected her he was gifted soulfire by Uriel. 
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 02, 2023, 04:05:46 PM
I don't think "hellfire" can be learned, it is the opposite of "soulfire" which also cannot be learned. Harry had hellfire when the Shadow of Laciel possessed him, later when he rejected her he was gifted soulfire by Uriel.
Harry experienced getting Soulfire as just a minor "jostle" or "bump" in his normal casting, a minor adjustment of his way of working.  It was, perhaps, a highly obscure adjustment, one that's overwhelmingly-unlikely to be stumbled-upon.  I don't know that Harry could (or couldn't) teach it, for example to Molly, or write down a method that would be in any way meaningful to the uninitiated.  Even if he could, I doubt that he would:  I'm pretty sure he's wise enough to realize that he isn't wise enough to know who should or shouldn't have that tool.

Hellfire is "the flip side of the coin" of Soulfire, so I presume a similarly-minor adjustment there.  Rather tellingly, I think, Harry couldn't refrain from using Hellfire, for quite a long time.  I presume Lasciel's Shadow was messing with his sense of it, preventing him from noticing her "bumping his elbow" (the abilities of a shadow to mess with the senses of their Host seems quite comprehensive).  Later on, he had better control of it; but not perfect control (during Lasciel/Lash's tenure, I don't recall him ever calling light from his staff when it didn't smolder with the odor of brimstone).

But Hellfire is a tool of Hell.  I doubt they exactly give it out like candy at Hallowe'en, but I suspect Down There is delighted to give ambitious & power-hungry wizards access to "great power and (entirely optional) responsibility."

I presume -- if Harry had cared to do so -- he could have bargained with Chauncy or another demon of Hell, to get access to Hellfire.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on March 02, 2023, 07:18:20 PM
Quote
Harry experienced getting Soulfire as just a minor "jostle" or "bump" in his normal casting, a minor adjustment of his way of working.  It was, perhaps, a highly obscure adjustment, one that's overwhelmingly-unlikely to be stumbled-upon.  I don't know that Harry could (or couldn't) teach it, for example to Molly, or write down a method that would be in any way meaningful to the uninitiated.  Even if he could, I doubt that he would:  I'm pretty sure he's wise enough to realize that he isn't wise enough to know who should or shouldn't have that tool.
No, we are told pretty much when he was gifted with it in Small Favor.  It is for lack of a better word, "an angelic power" he was gifted with.  How to use it and when to use it is another matter, and Harry is still a lot to learn. Uriel also pretty much told him he has to figure it out for himself. He has mostly used it like adding a "dash of salt" to spells, it made all the difference in the world between failure and success when he did his thing with the island creature we now know as Alfred. 
Quote
Hellfire is "the flip side of the coin" of Soulfire, so I presume a similarly-minor adjustment there.  Rather tellingly, I think, Harry couldn't refrain from using Hellfire, for quite a long time.


I don't think he wanted to refrain from using it, simply because it gave kaboom fire magic such a boost.  That was the trap, it was addictive, it wasn't until Murphy called him on it and he almost burned Molly's face off trying to make a point that he really tried to get a handle on it. Mainly because it wasn't just how hell fire came out of his staff, but how it affected his anger levels.
Quote
I presume -- if Harry had cared to do so -- he could have bargained with Chauncy or another demon of Hell, to get access to Hellfire.

Possible if he knew about it before hand, but then again demons are not on the same level as fallen angels, so possibly not.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 02, 2023, 08:41:45 PM
White Night “of a man in his mid-thirties, tall and lean and wolfish.” Description of Cowl page 128

The Law ‘A tall, lean man sat behind a desk facing the door of the office. He wore a black suit that matched his coal-black hair, swept straight back from his face, and an emerald-green tie that matched his emerald-green eyes.”description of  The Nameless Son, page 37.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on March 03, 2023, 06:13:52 AM
I don't think so, what I remember Harry saying is that Mort hid his power from the White Council because he didn't want to be a part of it.  Elaine did the same thing, so it is possible to appear to be a lot weaker than one really is.  So apparently short of a soul gaze there really isn't a way to gauge just how strong a talent a person has except by the magic one can do, which can be hidden.  In the case of Mort, I believe Harry also said he had also thought Mort was a minor power until Ghost Story and he really saw him in action.  That's when he made the remark that Mort had hidden his talent to stay out of White Council hands.  I believe earlier Elaine remarked to him that she thought the Wardens were pretty easy to fool, she had done it for years.

Harry had thought him stronger at one time...in Grave Peril (p. 84, pb)
Harry says "I've read your books, Morty. Ghosts of Chicago.The Sppok Factor. Two or three others. You did good work there." and later "your powers wouldn't have faded like they have".

On the next page Mort says "I've lost my powers, remember?"

on p. 87 Harry says "If you give yourself a chance, the power will come back."

If Mort has put out at least 4 books, I am sure the WC is aware of him.  Harry seems to think, from what he has read, and the WC should have read, that he knows what he is about. He may no longer have that kind of power, but he has had it, and might again.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Mira on March 03, 2023, 11:12:36 AM
Quote
If Mort has put out at least 4 books, I am sure the WC is aware of him.  Harry seems to think, from what he has read, and the WC should have read, that he knows what he is about. He may no longer have that kind of power, but he has had it, and might again.

  Aware, but what does that mean?  All that means is WC knows he exists, however because Mort is a master of hiding the strength of his talent, they ignore him.

Quote
On the next page Mort says "I've lost my powers, remember?"

But in truth, he hadn't, but at that point in time, why would he reveal it to Harry?
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 04, 2023, 11:48:44 AM
In White Night Helen Beckitt is working for Marcone, the are previous associates of Victor Sells, a Sorceror trained by Cowl to push Three Eye. Did Cowl push Helen to work for Marcone (Nameless himself will shortly be starting to work for Marcone) does Cowl know Marcone’s secret? It’s the one reason Marcone took her on. Harry himself only found out in Death Masks. Plot twist, what if Cowl/Nameless was ultimately responsible not only for the accidental creation of Harry by his abduction as an orphan/murder of Malcolm, but also the accidental creation of Marcone and the injury/near death to Amanda? What if Cowl is responsible for Amanda’s current condition? Something a Necromancer would be capable of.

“‘It is relevant,’ Lasciel said, ‘because of the circumstances of your birth – because of why you were born, Harry. Your mother found the strength to escape Lord Raith for a reason.’ Page 373 White Night Vitorrio is possessed by an Outsider, according to Lash,proof of whom Cowl is working with.

We know Helen will later try to betray Marcone.

What is Gard doing “on assignment” at this time? Recovering from making a hero bullet?

Helen anticipates and refuses a soul gaze page 240, would it reveal a connection with Cowl? She seems stuck in the moment of Amanda ‘death’


Vittorio was possessed by an Outsider demonstrating Cowl is definitely working with them.

‘It is relevant,’ Lasciel said, ‘because of the circumstances of your birth – because of why you were born, Harry. Your mother found the strength to escape Lord Raith for a reason’

‘There was a complex confluence of events, of energies, of circumstances that would have given a child born under them the potential to wield power over Outsiders.’ Page 373

After which, we were going to have a long talk about my mother and these Outsiders and their relation to the Black Court and exactly what the hell was going on. Page 374 how unHarry like.


Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 05, 2023, 12:58:39 AM
Small Favor - what has Marcone done to warrant Titania wanting him dead? Building Sunset Hills?And why have the Denarians ‘rescued’ him from her?

But the Gruffs attack Harry BEFORE he is appointed Emissary. Did the attack force Mab to appoint Harry?

This would be about the time that Marcone hires on Nameless (according to The Law) subject of Winter, Nameless exiled from Court due to suspected involvement in the attack on Arctis Tor. It would create an imbalance between Summer and Winter and Nameless would know this. Was that the reason? Nameless/Cowl uses his connections with the Denarians to rescue/recruit Marcone? Having had Marcone previously thwart his scheme in White Night it’s to either kill of neutralise Marcone by having him subject to a Fallen Angel and because it is Baron Marcone by this point this draws the Archive in, Cowls true target because of the Oblivion War.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: KurtinStGeorge on March 05, 2023, 04:31:03 AM
White Night “of a man in his mid-thirties, tall and lean and wolfish.” Description of Cowl page 128

The Law ‘A tall, lean man sat behind a desk facing the door of the office. He wore a black suit that matched his coal-black hair, swept straight back from his face, and an emerald-green tie that matched his emerald-green eyes.”description of  The Nameless Son, page 37.

No, reread that page again.  It's a description of Vitto Malvora.  We have no idea what Cowl looks like.
 
One major problem I have with Nameless being very important is he has only appeared in a novella, not in one of the case files.  Many readers of the series will never read The Law or any of the short stories.  I want to see Nameless play an important role in one of the novels before I'll consider that he may be a major player.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 05, 2023, 11:05:18 AM

One major problem I have with Nameless being very important is he has only appeared in a novella, not in one of the case files.  Many readers of the series will never read The Law or any of the short stories.  I want to see Nameless play an important role in one of the novels before I'll consider that he may be a major player.

Point on the description, it’s Jim using the same thing over and over again lazy writing.

Firstly this is the only standalone Novella, it was published because it needs to be published before Next Book, which means Nameless HAS to be introduced at this point in the narrative and gives two important pieces of information that Nameless worked with Kemmler and that Nameless was kicked out of Arctis Tor right after the attack, reading back both are significant as regards Cowl’s known movements and works.

For example Torelli starts planning his move on Marcone a couple of weeks before Small Favour, the point presumably when Nameless was retained by Marcone, as Nameless brings discord wherever he goes even in the most organised of organised crime organisations. We also get Beckett previously associated with The Shadowman, a Cowl catspaw betraying Marcone as well.

Secondly, since when has Jim been fair to his readers? One of his favourite tricks is to imbed information or foreshadowing in an innocuous passage of one book to pick it up much later. We know from a WOJ we have seen Cowl in his actual persona before which means Jim has done exactly this, but in a context we weren’t aware of. Given Nameless associations if he his Cowl that means in Court, in the Winter Court, or around Marcone.

Murphy page 164 Small Favor ‘The law is there to protect everyone. It’s supposed to apply equally to everyone.’ I sighed and paid attention to the road. I’d drive for a few minutes to be sure we were in the clear, and then circle back to Michael’s place. ‘That’s wishful thinking, Murph, and you know it. Pretty sure Marcone’s lawyers love that attitude.’ That would include Nameless at that point

‘The law isn’t perfect,’ she replied quietly. ‘But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to make it work.’ Murphy page 165. Oh how Jim must be laughing

‘‘I believe you’ve been told before that Nicodemus makes it a point to destroy any records the Church manages to build concerning him. That’s not going to be as easy to arrange in the future—’ ‘Hail the information age,’ I interjected.” Michael telling Harry exactly Nick’s motive for snatching Marcone  page 170.



Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: vincentric on March 05, 2023, 01:24:58 PM
The WoJ that we have seen Cowl in his true persona predates "The Law" by years. So, which non-Cowl character that has appeared before was he since Nameless as himself has never appeared before "The Law"?
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 05, 2023, 01:34:02 PM
We have seen Nameless, it’s just that he has remained nameless, I think he was one of the unnamed dancers in Maeves Court in Summer Knight. He would have attached to her Court at that time, Maeve refers to someone male telling her about Harry, before shutting up almost immediately.

Cowl’s the arsonist who is always in the crowd watching the burning building. We will have seen him in crowd scenes.

The Hobbs, why? They are clearly Winter, clearly after stopping Harry. Harry has fulfilled his purpose in this scheme by summoning The Archive for the Denarians to later scoop up. Mab wouldn’t send them, she wants Harry to succeed, but perhaps another heavy hitter in Winter would? Maeve? On Nameless urging? Maeve would consider exiling Nameless of more of Mab’s strange behaviour.

“ obviously whoever was behind it wasn’t in complete control.’ Page 207 Harry doesn’t think it is Mab.

He then thinks that the Archive was the target, but that is probably coincidence, Hobs are ambush predators, they were drawn off Harry to the children. Attacking The Archive wouldn’t make sense to anyone at this point .
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 06, 2023, 02:15:34 AM
...  We have no idea what Cowl looks like.
I might wonder if a shapeshifting magic (or item) might not be a wizard's best disguise.  A hood -- a cowl -- is always subject to blown wind, bright low lights illuminating your artful shadows, etc.

Add the cowl, as if it were the disguise you were relying upon.

But actually, you're 6 inches taller & 150lbs heavier, with curly blonde-going-silver hair & no beard, instead of the wiry-build brunette with just a slight hint of grey.  Gender-bend for an extra misdirect.

So when you say, "We have no idea what Cowl looks like," I agree emphatically with you!  I expect wizards trying to conceal their ID's use these means, and more...
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 06, 2023, 01:15:02 PM
‘Cross into the Nevernever from where you’re standing?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘You’d be better off asking the Russian to put a bullet through your head for you. I know what lives on the other side.’
Small Favor p363

I posit Mab and her prison Ice Garden at Arctis Tor, the Gatekeeper can use that entrance as could Maeve.


‘Why?’ I asked him. ‘Why would Summer want Marcone taken by the Denarians? Why would Summer want the Archive under their control?’ The gruff only stared at me for a long moment, but when he spoke I could have sworn that his voice sounded pensive. Maybe even troubled. ‘It is not my place to know such things - or to ask.’ Page 374 definitely trouble in paradise, Lily is being lied to by Maeve (on the advice of Nameless)who passed it onto Titania. She gave me a faint smile. ‘


‘It’s just . . . the center cannot hold, Harry. I think things are starting to fall apart. I can’t see it, and I can’t prove it, but I know it.’ Page 411 quote from WB Yeats the Second Coming.I have theorised that in the Dresdenverse we are approaching the singularity in Harry’s lifetime where our technology assumes godlike power after becoming self aware. Want another name for it? Spiritus Mundi in Second Coming the interconnectedness of all humans. Our numbers and technology have the potential to create the White God, and the Archive is likely a component of that, being the sum of all recorded knowledge. What if Harry is able to separate Ivy from the Archive and create God.

If Harry is responsible for creating God, he will be insufferable

“I don’t know who they are,” I said. “But they’ve been involved in several things lately. The Darkhallow, Arctis Tor, the White Court coup.” Page  107 to Molly and Morgan. Harry links all three but Cowl was only ostensibly involved in two, but Mab suspects Nameless was involved in Arctis Tor in The Law. Two Masters of the Future? I think not.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”ur
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 11, 2023, 10:37:35 AM
Page 251 Turn Coat “I shook my head. “Just a fact. One day I’m going to take you down.””

Why couldn’t Jim use ‘out’ instead of ‘down’ it would have been a lovely bit of foreshadowing, and allowed for a nice snarky call back in Next Book on Harry’s and Lara’s first date. Lara “just after the Skinwalker attack I offered you a partnership and you said “Just a fact. One day I’m going to take you out.” “You know you were right after all”

I hate a missed oppuntunity.

Jim didn’t miss this one “She was reading a paperback, carefully not opening the thing all the way to avoid creasing the spine. Pansy.’” Page 271 Turn Coat Harry about Molly reading a book. Librarian Karma was always going to catch up with Harry, this is just one of many references to Harry breaking the spine of books, so in the book Changes it’s Harry’s spine which gets broken.

“tried it from the Nevernever side, too. It was failed spell number three.” Page 284 Turn Coat This were spells next to the copper summoning circle in Harry’s lab, Leas Murder Garden did not exist at this time, so in Changes Harry didn’t blithely Gateway into it, and suggests Lea is still on ice at this point.

“My solicitor will swallow you whole and spit out the bones.” Binder page 289 Turn Coat. We don’t actually get to see Binders lawyer, he should be there why isn’t he? Is it because he is keeping a low profile from Harry?and doing other things?

“The Wardens have found him,” Binder complained. “Dresden’s a bloody Warden. Your boss should have paid up already.” There was a quiet, deadly silence, and then Madeline purred, “You’ve been modestly helpful to him in the past, Binder. But don’t start thinking that you would survive telling him what he should or should not do. The moment you become more annoying than useful, you are a dead man.” Pages- 304 Turn Coat.

Madeleines twin Madrigal worked for Cowl, so it would appear is Madeleine, Madeleine has contracted Binder, now Binder has worked for Cowl in the past so who made the introduction? Is Binders lawyer not present because when Binder is arrested because he might be identified and is otherwise busy working with Peabody? Binder is exactly the sort of thug Nameless would employ in his practice in return for legal services.

“Yet given recent history, the actions of a known enemy seem a far more likely source for LaFortier’s murder than those of some nameless, faceless third party.” Ancient Mai page 401Turn Coat.

Would Jim actually name Cowl‘s real identity in such a manner thumbing his nose at his readers, why yes he would, laughing manically.

“All I know,” he said, “is that it was some bloke with a lot of money. I never talked to him. When she was on the phone with him, they spoke English. He wasn’t a native speaker. Sounded like he’d learned it from a Continental.” Binder about who hired him p426 Turn Coat. Samuel Peabody is a native English speaker, Harry twits him earlier on about the translation from German, Binder is British and would know the difference, Nameless is Finnish in origin, and goes by Talvi Inverno so people would expect him not to be a native English Speaker. Did Cowl learn English from Kemmler? They could have been working together for centuries.

That eliminates a lot of Cowl candidates


Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 12, 2023, 08:37:54 PM
Changes now “And after that, the Council as a whole believed that there might be a faceless, nameless organization running amok in the world—“ page 142.

The Bloodline Curse is actually the spell Victor Sells used in Storm Front taught to him by Cowl. Was Cowl behind its bigger brother? Did Peabody give Cowl the link between Eb and Harry?

‘Vadderung laughed again. He had a hearty laugh, like Santa Claus must have had when he was young and playing football.” Page 164 Changes

Is Rudolph Cowl’s man? The Eeb’s are working for the King, but Cowl has been working with the Red Court, but if he is Nameless then his very presence at the Red Kings Court could be responsible for the discord between Arianna and the King.

“This was the second time she’d come very close to being fed upon by a vampire, though admittedly the first had been in a vicarious fashion.’ Page 209 third times the charm Molly is now immortal.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 16, 2023, 01:47:09 PM
On Ghost Story now

Zero/Aristide’s/Baldy is a middle level Sorceror, Cowl previously had three different Sorcerors working for him in Chicago, The Shadowman, The Nightmare, the puppies abductor, so presumably Zero is as well. This puts the attack on Murphy’s house in context, likely Cowl provided the assault weapons. As Nameless he would be concerned with Leas involvement in the Ragged Lady pose, and this was intended to disrupt this.

Lea is more powerful than Nameless, she probably could if she chose penetrate his disguise so it limited the help he could give the Fomor in Chicago.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”ur
Post by: g33k on March 17, 2023, 03:47:13 AM
“tried it from the Nevernever side, too. It was failed spell number three.” Page 284 Turn Coat This were spells next to the copper summoning circle in Harry’s lab, Leas Murder Garden did not exist at this time, so in Changes Harry didn’t blithely Gateway into it, and suggests Lea is still on ice at this point. 
Not necessarily.  I think Lea has a LOT of fine-grained control over the "murder garden."  She could easily have remodeled it; she may routinely remodel it, so it's never the same on successive visits (frustrating both attempts to "scout" and attempts to "retreat, and come back better-prepared").  Remember too, the "Murder Garden" didn't instantly trigger when Harry brought Bob over.  If Harry only stepped through for a moment, cast his (rather quick) Tracking Spell, and then stepped back, the Garden may not have reacted.  Or, Harry may only have opened a gateway, but didn't even enter the Nevernever.  He may have seen nothing more than a slice of tree-line, or something insufficient to spot the "garden path" nature of the domain Lea had crafted there.  Last but not least, he may have just been too worried about Molly, and -- not actually wanting to make his way down the Garden Path -- not registered the details in any way that mattered when he came back later.

Last but not least... it may be YACE...
Yet Another Continuity Error.

(does anyone know if the Beta Readers maintain a database of those, for Jim to occasionally go through and see if he can retcon the discrepancies?
Or would that be too anal-retentive... yah, probably...
)

“My solicitor will swallow you whole and spit out the bones.” Binder page 289 Turn Coat. We don’t actually get to see Binders lawyer, he should be there why isn’t he? Is it because he is keeping a low profile from Harry?and doing other things?
Lawyer may be en route; that may have been bluster on Binder's part; they threaten him with legal consequences, he points out the legal weaknesses.  Even 1st-trial-ever Public Defender could use the weaknesses in their legal case!

Besides, the cop-questioning-before-lawyer-arrives is a major trope in crime fiction (which Dresden Files is!).

“Yet given recent history, the actions of a known enemy seem a far more likely source for LaFortier’s murder than those of some nameless, faceless third party.” Ancient Mai page 401Turn Coat.

Would Jim actually name Cowl‘s real identity in such a manner thumbing his nose at his readers, why yes he would, laughing manically.
... “And after that, the Council as a whole believed that there might be a faceless, nameless organization running amok in the world—“ page 142.

I think that's just Jim repeating a similar phrase, in the same context.


 
One major problem I have with Nameless being very important is he has only appeared in a novella, not in one of the case files.  Many readers of the series will never read The Law or any of the short stories.  I want to see Nameless play an important role in one of the novels before I'll consider that he may be a major player. 
Largely agree with this, though I'd emphasize things slightly differently:
As noted, many DF readers don't keep up with the "minor" works.  Most of the DF readers I know (in my f2f/offline life) haven't read any of the graphic novels, and with the short collections readership is about 50/50; maybe I am an outier datum, though.  I presume Jim has the sales data to hand.

But The Law is not just "a short" -- it's a short with a sharply limited (Kindle/Audible only) distribution.

I don't think Jim is going to put important clues & plot-development into such a limited-readership story.
 
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 17, 2023, 04:43:10 AM
And having Cowl appear in a short story isn’t?

I do wonder whether Next Book is actually going to be a Fix Up Novel of the post Battle Ground stories alternating Harry’s viewpoint with that of another character as occurred in Zoo Day. We have POV stories from Toot, Mouse and Molly, and two from Harry, in that period with the narrative only reaching as far as Christmas, 6 months into the year.

Little Things 19 Pages
The Law 98 pages
Fugitive 26 pages
Christmas Eve 16 pages
The Good People ???

Basically a third of a modern novel.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 18, 2023, 02:07:09 AM
On Ghost Story the Big Hoods were established 3-4 years beforehand, approximately around the time Nameless came to work for Marcone and several years after Corpsetaker died so given their sartorial choices it is likely they are imitating Cowl/Nameless.

In the memory reference is made to the Sinistar arcade video game released in 1983. Harry is sixteen at this point so unless the game had been hanging around for several years a birth year for Harry of 1967 is in the frame. Harry then references Jack Burton, the protagonist of Big Trouble in Little China which makes a birth year of 1986 given its release date.

“The unseen presence of the creature came closer. Its voice lowered to a bare, pleased murmur. “Child of the stars. I will destroy you this night.”’ Page 284

This would have been the earliest reference to Harry being Starborn in his time-line.

“But why risk it in the first place? Why Chicago?” Because Cowl is in Chicago? With knowledge of the Darkhallow? I swallowed and pushed a hand back through my hair.

“The Fomor’s servitors. Corpsetaker and her gang. Even Aristedes and his little crew. They’re pieces on the board.” Harry to Bob page 306 they all work for Cowl, knowingly or unknowingly.

During Ghost Story Marcone is in Italy and Child’s is in charge.

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 18, 2023, 08:56:26 PM
Cold days now Harry discussing Laws with Sarissa page 22

“Only two? Man, how do Unseelie lawyers make a living?” Sarissa doesn’t respond.

They go to work for Marcone.

Sarissa works for Mab three months in the year, normally during her college break. The means she wouldn’t have been in the mortal world during White Night, but would have been during both Grave Peril and Dead Beat. By the time of Cowls latest appearance Sarissa is the Summer Lady.

Nameless of course was banned from Harry’s birthday party….

“There are people I sometimes do things with,” she said. “I don’t … I’m not sure I’d call them friends. I don’t want to make friends. I have the attention of some dangerous beings. If I got close to anyone, I could be putting them in danger. Don’t you ever worry about that?” Sarissa p 70

Ace is alerted and equipped almost immediately to Harry when Faerie is locked down. I previously theorised that Ace and the other Winter Changelings were manipulated by Cowl/Nameless in Summer Knight, Lloyd slate used to terrorise them to push Ace towards Maeve and Nameless for protection. Aces father is the Redcap and at the point a presumed loyal member of Maeves Court, so Mab would know about this.Nameless would have been in Chicago when the lockdown occurred, due to his banishment, still able to act. Mab would have known this. Another attempt to draw him out as working with Maeve?

Kemmler had Bob for 70 years and we know he was a former Warden of Demonreach. He was rogue from the 1880’s,  at least due to a Fistful of Warlocks , did Kemmler acquire Bob to interpret Demonreach?
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 19, 2023, 08:38:46 AM
A quick aside, thinking about Kemmler got me thinking about the one time we see him, in a Fistful of warlocks

“To avoid this outcome, you will release our companion unharmed. We will depart Dodge City immediately. You and the Warden will remain within the marshal’s office until dawn. As an additional incentive, we will arrange for the new ordinances against your friend Mr. Short’s establishment to be struck from the city’s legal code.”

They appear to have a lawyer with them? Nameless was he one of the four poker players? The Mayor? it would explain why Harry hadn’t seen him bur Jim says we had seen Cowl before if the latter. Someone probably helped Kemmler escape,  the Mayor appears to be an accomplice in creating a safe haven in Dodge City

Cold Days p201 “Of course, that was a rabbit hole I didn’t want to start down—experience has taught me that you do not win against supernatural entities at lawyering. It just doesn’t happen.”

And yet this is exactly what he did in The Law, presumably foreshadowing Nameless

and freakish things that had no names.”p416 no stutter so not the Naagloshii

“Well-done, starborn!” P420 the Erl King Knows.

“slay a starborn,” p478 Maeve knows

“And the vampire’s crumpet. Luscious little thing, aren’t you? And so close to Lady Raith. You and I are going to have a long talk after this, darling. I just know you’re going to start to see things my way.”Maeve about Justine p484

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 21, 2023, 06:35:25 PM
Skin Game.

Harvey’s info was held by the Fomor, Cowls allies. Were they going to hit Hades Vault themselves?
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 21, 2023, 11:17:08 PM
In the memory reference is made to the Sinistar arcade video game released in 1983. Harry is sixteen at this point so unless the game had been hanging around for several years a birth year for Harry of 1967 is in the frame. Harry then references Jack Burton, the protagonist of Big Trouble in Little China which makes a birth year of 1986 given its release date. 

I quote Priscellie, from the "Timeline" document she assembled:
Quote
It's impossible to pin down exactly what year Harry was born due to continuity errors.
-- https://www.paranetonline.com/index.php/topic,1592.0.html

I'm pretty convinced about the early/mid 1970s as Harry's birtdate.

I'm pretty convinced that Jim was just sloppy here; he wrote the details he wanted without regard for what was actually factual.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 22, 2023, 08:21:35 AM
Perhaps this is deliberate we have been looking to pin some predictable, astronomical phenomena to Harry’s birth to get an exact date but what if there isn’t? What if it was set up as dawn/sunset on a random day which we just adopted as 31 October/Halloween by humanity over history, and the 666 interval just mathematics? We never then get an exact date of birth and don’t need one, which is just as well as Jim won’t give one, and he is happy with us chasing are tails over “clues” which are little more than red-herrings.

The top tier beings responsible for this pre-date linear time which has been hammered into us, to them one date was as good as any other.

Balance is a big thing in the Dresdenverse. What if Harry was born at dawn, and Listen born at Sunset? That would be very dramatic, we have Bob and Evil Bob, Mouse and Ash, why not Harry and Listen as a pairing (not siblings)
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 22, 2023, 06:38:17 PM
Back to Skin Game, who provided the Ghouls and killed Harvey?

Cowl has used Ghouls before, but the Tigress was a favourite assassin of Maeve’s when Nameless was part of her court. Maeve disrupted Will and Georgias wedding in revenge.

The Fomor alert Cowl/Nameless that Harvey’s data has been stolen, he realises it means a heist on Hades vault, Nameless is aware as Marcone’s top lawyer that Hades is a client of Marcone’s Bank with his own personal vault, and that potentially a Way exists. He contacts polonius Lartessa who was in on the assault on Arctis Tor, telling her that access to Hades vault will result in Deirdre’s death (Cowl knows all about Hades as The Fugitive shows) with a view to using her to derail the heist. He throws in the Ghouls because her usual backup of other Denarians and Squires are not available.

“his eyes flickering as merrily as a Christmas Eve fire.’ About Michael Carpenter p 197, we have also just had the Mjolnir Bottle opener, an obvious gift from a son. Foreshadowing that when Odin falls Michael Carpenter will be the vessel for the Kringle Mantle. Christmas Eve is even more laden with foreshadowing.

“He went to the fridge and opened another pair of bottles with the power of Thor”

Michael wrinkled his nose. “Faeries. I never understood why they’re such lawyers about everything.” Michael p200 prefiguring Nameless again.


Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on March 23, 2023, 07:14:32 AM
I quote Priscellie, from the "Timeline" document she assembled: -- https://www.paranetonline.com/index.php/topic,1592.0.html

I'm pretty convinced about the early/mid 1970s as Harry's birtdate.

I'm pretty convinced that Jim was just sloppy here; he wrote the details he wanted without regard for what was actually factual.

Not even mid. 70, most likely, possibly 71, I think. Can't be pre-1970, Malcolm meets the stage Copperfield in 1970 at the convention (March 1970). Kotkin's stage name could have been discussed, not yet announced. But Harry must be born after the convention. Turn Coat comes out in April 2009.  Luccio says "You're not even FORTY!" - so he is likely close to it - she doesn't say that if he is born in 1976 and is 32. Probably 38 (born 1970) or 37 (1971), more likely the first. Also clears Priscellie's Cons on her timeline with smallpox vaccines and Knight Rider episodes. 
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 23, 2023, 02:38:08 PM
... Turn Coat comes out in April 2009...
Real-world publication dates, however, are unrelated to internal Dresdenverse timelines.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 24, 2023, 12:04:35 AM
Real-world publication dates, however, are unrelated to internal Dresdenverse timelines.

Yes the timeline is currently stuck in Christmas 2014 at the best guess, we are nearly a decade behind, give or take a year.

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on March 24, 2023, 04:51:26 AM
Real-world publication dates, however, are unrelated to internal Dresdenverse timelines.

OK, but going by the Copperfield meeting, it can't be pre-1970 anyway. And the Knight Rider viewing.  Just makes Harry younger if you push it before 2009.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 24, 2023, 03:33:41 PM
You have fallen down the rabbit hole. Jim wants it to be vague and will throw in red herrings either way.

That’s why my suggestion of dawn/sunset on Halloween makes sense, you don’t have to tie it to a particular year, any year can be the  666th. 1970? fine it works, as does 1968 or 1972 or 1974. No celestial alignments, comets, asteroid showers etc are involved. Just the sun and the Earth.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 24, 2023, 06:52:40 PM
You have fallen down the rabbit hole...
:o


Stones and glass houses, my friend!   ;)

C'mon, admit it... you're aaaalllll about the rabbit hole... you're a freakin' warren!     ;D
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 24, 2023, 07:37:47 PM
But I am a wascally wabbit.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 25, 2023, 12:50:48 AM
Back to Skin Game

“ “TV rarely does the original stories justice,”‘ Hades to Harry, but I think that was really Jim speaking.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Ed0517 on March 25, 2023, 02:17:45 AM
You have fallen down the rabbit hole. Jim wants it to be vague and will throw in red herrings either way.

That’s why my suggestion of dawn/sunset on Halloween makes sense, you don’t have to tie it to a particular year, any year can be the  666th. 1970? fine it works, as does 1968 or 1972 or 1974. No celestial alignments, comets, asteroid showers etc are involved. Just the sun and the Earth.

68 doesn't work with Copperfield. 72 can work. More likely 70, but 72 not ruled out.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 25, 2023, 07:22:37 AM
68 doesn't work with Copperfield. 72 can work. More likely 70, but 72 not ruled out.

To quote Harry Dresden’s favourite movie “It’s a trap” Jim has done this deliberately to confuse the fans, Harry’s timeline has to be taken relative to Harry and not external event, it’s a clue that he is effectively Jesus Christ, everything will date from after the BAT, or before it.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 25, 2023, 07:25:43 AM
“Meaning that since a whisper in your ear that should have killed you seems to have failed, I intend to skip the subtlety, rip your head apart, and collect our child. She’s far too valuable a resource to be allowed to die with you.” Back to Skin Game p465

Lasciel implying that she whispered to Harry way back in Changes.

Just realised if Cowl was able to break the Nimean Lion out of The Underworld, he would be able to do they same for Blood on his Soul, presumably to throw at Harry? It likely means Blood is using an Ectoplasm body, and has been forced to leave his coin behind. The reason? Find out what happened and set him at Harry. Cowl would know about Blood from Tessa.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 25, 2023, 01:48:56 PM
Brief Cases now - Even hand

“I’m not even possessed of the mystic abilities of a mortal wizard. But they will never be what I am. One and all, those beings were born to be what they are. I made a choice.’

Bugger, Marcone told effectively told us he had picked up the coin, he was possessed of a Fallen Angel and boy did he ever make a choice!

“I didn’t look up from one of my lawyer’s letters, which I receive too frequently to let slide. “Well,” I said, “we knew it would happen eventually.” At this point Nameless was Marcone’s top lawyer, so we have (appropriately) an unnamed reference to him.

“As I told you, my lawyers send me endless letters. I speak their language.” The letters are definitely from Nameless as Marcone is citing the Accords, his previous mortal lawyers wouldn’t be a specialist in this field.

Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: g33k on March 25, 2023, 07:19:20 PM
To quote Harry Dresden’s favourite movie “It’s a trap” Jim has done this deliberately to confuse the fans ...

Nah.

Jim is self-admittedly lazy.  It would take far too much time & effort to construct this as a webwork of deception, contradictory lines of evidence, etc.

It's just him being lazy, writing-in "cool stuff" that he wanted to include,which all <handwave> happened sometime, back then, nobody will know the difference, and it won't matter to anyone.

But he ended up with a large, obsessive fanbase who has discovered that he positively-stated a timeline that couldn't possibly have happened.
Title: Re: “You Know What He Was Meant To Be”
Post by: Conspiracy Theorist on March 26, 2023, 12:15:53 PM
Zoo Day

“Taken by figures in dark robes, male and female, from the monks of the monastery.’

Cowl and Kumori, they set the Sorceror up this is the second of three in series appearances by Kumori.

Something Borrowed takes place after Dead Beat but before Proven Guilty, Murphy says Rudy is now with IA, meaning he may at this point be working for Cowl. Nameless would still at this point be part of Maeve’s Court.

In Backup the Stygian sisterhood use Ghouls, rented from Cowl? Thomas had previous dealt with the Sisterhood, he was known by them to be Venator, and is glamoured so that Harry would think him a Ghoul - was this after all a ploy by Cowl for Harry to attack Thomas?

The Warehouse is used later by Team Maeve as a trap for Harry in Cold Days- not a coincidence

The child went missing BEFORE the Stygian hit O’Hare, someone organised that and not the Sisterhood. Another attack on those around Harry, setting up Harry to kill Thomas. Cowl traded the hit for the exposure by the White Council of the Matrons.

Last Call “ ‘He’s a rapist, and he isn’t part of the outfit, so he doesn’t have an expensive lawyer to raise a stink.’‘

Which is why the expensive lawyer of the Outfit would use him for a sidejob.

Love Hurts - Cowl made the Hexenwolf belts, did he also make the tunnel of Terror belt for the Red Court?

Aftermath
‘A word of advice: Be cautious what official channels you use for assistance. We aren’t the only ones who have compromised the local authorities.’ Gard to Murphy. Rudy employed by Cowl?

Marcone has lost several Talented employees the day after the Red Court genocide, did Nameless sell them to the Fomor for an in with them? Nameless would also know about Georgia from his time in Maeves Court.