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Messages - Bridger

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1
DF Spoilers / Re: RNT: What is The Enemy's Plan in Storm Front?
« on: May 30, 2025, 05:58:27 PM »
And because it's considered routine, the real threat is lost in the shuffle.

I like this idea.  We know that Ebeneezer came to the same conclusion about the Black Council as Harry did.  What evidence did he see that convinced him of their existence?  Were there other 'unusual but dismissed as routine' events happening in other cities that he was able to connect together?

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DF Spoilers / RNT: How Does Air Magic Interact With Physics?
« on: May 30, 2025, 05:56:37 PM »
We see Harry throw around Wind spells a lot (any other examples of Air Magic?). What is happening on a scientific level when this occurs? Is Harry forcing air from one place to another? Is he creating areas of Low Pressure so that air rushes into the void? Is he pulling air from the NeverNever to create areas of high pressure to force air somewhere else?


This question will be discussed on the next episode of Recorded Neutral Territory, with the most insightful answers being featured on the show.

RNT is a chapter-by-chapter re-read podcast for the Dresden Files. Storm Front: Episode 9 just released today. In that episode Harry reminisces about his father before finally cracking the case with the help of a film canister. After that, he confronts Monica Sells and she finally tells him the truth about her husband. At the end of the episode we also discuss what Nemesis' plan might have been in Storm Front.

Subscribe to the podcast here.

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DF Spoilers / RNT: What is The Enemy's Plan in Storm Front?
« on: May 24, 2025, 03:36:48 PM »
Specifically: What is Nemesis' Plan in Storm Front?

While reading SF, there's no real indication that anything deeper is happening.  It just seems like the Shadowman found some old books and learned some intro black magic and used it to make Three-Eye.

Yet in later books we find out that there's a bigger force moving behind all of this.  Assume for the moment that Harry doesn't stop Victor.  What does this accomplish for Nemesis'  What's their end goal in "helping" the Shadowman here?



This question will be discussed on the next episode of Recorded Neutral Territory, with the most insightful answers being featured on the show.

RNT is a chapter-by-chapter re-read podcast for the Dresden Files. Episode 8 just released yesterday.  In that episode we finally get to see Harry gear up and put on a show when he confronts Marcone at the Varsity.  At the end of the episode we also discuss using Thaumaturgy as a Weapon.

Subscribe to the podcast here.

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DF Spoilers / RNT Episode 7: Where's all the Thaumaturgy?
« on: May 09, 2025, 09:34:22 PM »
Dresden uses thaumaturgy in many of the books, usually to generate a tracking spell, though he did use it a few times to bind an enemy (Loup Garou, the Titan).

However, he always describes how dangerous it would be for someone to gain possession of a wizards blood, hair, or fingernail clippings.  In the very first book, Marcone's thug chops off a bit of Harry's hair and runs off, and Harry absolutely *panics*.  It appears that there is no magical defense possible if someone has a thaumaturgical link to you.

**So why isn't it used as a weapon more often?**  We do see characters taking care to clean up their blood and burn bloody rags, but it seems like it should be fairly easy to bleed a wizard or cut their hair and then use that against them.  In fact, we see the Redcap do this in Cold Days (though he only uses it to track Harry instead of murder Him because he's a double agent).


This question will be discussed on the next episode of Recorded Neutral Territory, with the most insightful answers being featured on the show.

RNT is a chapter-by-chapter re-read podcast for the Dresden Files. Episode 7 (released today) discusses chapters 13, and 14 of Storm Front along with a question: What makes for a great fight scene?

Youtube Link to Episode 6

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Since morality is subjective based upon one's beliefs and experiences it is hard to paint with a wide brush when it comes to culpability.

That's what makes this such an interesting question!  I expect we'll have more interesting moral quandries to ponder as we continue our progress through the books on the podcast.

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DF Spoilers / RNT: What Makes A Good Fight Scene?
« on: May 01, 2025, 04:24:34 PM »
The Dresden Files series is filled with fight scenes, and many of them are quite enjoyable, even when you know what's going to happen (I.E. on a re-read). Rather than asking what your favorite fight scenes are (this has been covered a lot), I want to know: What makes a good fight scene?

Answers can be generally applicable to all media, written fiction, the urban fantasy sub-genre, or to DF specifically.


This question will be discussed on the next episode of Recorded Neutral Territory, with the most insightful answers being featured on the show. More information at the bottom of this post.

Recorded Neutral Territory is a chapter-by-chapter re-read podcast for the Dresden Files. Episode 6 (released today) discusses chapters 10, 11, and 12 of Storm Front along with a question: What Happens when Rampires Turn?

Youtube Link to Episode 6

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You are assuming they would still have contact with their friends and close family, there is no evidence of that.. Even if they did,that doesn't biologically change what they have become, which is not human!  My dog behaves very human at times, but he isn't human.

I thought it was heavily implied that the Reds capture people of importance and 'turn' them, then allow that person to return to their former position, now fully influenced and controlled by the reds.  It is mentioned in Changes that a ton of politicians and business leaders all died/disappeared at the same time the red court died.

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DF Spoilers / Re: Harry's force rings
« on: April 25, 2025, 08:38:31 PM »
Attach them to the wheels of the Blue Beetle.

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DF Spoilers / Re: And another thing...Justine
« on: April 17, 2025, 03:05:04 PM »
I don't think a N'fection is necessary to explain Justine's recovery.  Thomas stole a lot of her life energy, but he didn't kill her.  There's no reason to think she shouldn't recover in the same way as all his other feedings.  However, what little life energy there is left is going to take a very long time to recover.  Instead of hours or days from a lighter feeding, it takes months or years.

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DF Spoilers / Re: Choices
« on: April 17, 2025, 03:01:49 PM »
Mirror!Harry is not a decent person any longer, no; he has gone full-on villain.  Not sure if he's just gone overboard on the "fighting the good fight" theme, embracing "acceptable losses" in collateral damage

This has been my pet hypothesis.  Nicodemus argues in these terms.  His rationalization for all the murder and mayhem he causes is that it is in pursuit of a much greater good.  Harry could, one death at a time, rationalize his way down that road.  Maybe not as far as Nic, but to the point where he's a lot less careful about how he uses his magic to achieve his goals, and shuts down the part of himself that would normally feel immense guilt over collateral damage.

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The person is changed from a human into something that eats humans. It does bring up a difficult question about whether we can call a different species "evil" for going along with its nature but humans aren't going to like it.

If it was a completely different person/personality then it would be pretty cut and dried. However, it's clear that there is some part of the old human left inside the Red Court vamp.  The human's memories merge with the new monster/demon that takes over the body.  So I guess what I'm wondering is: how much is left?  Is it only knowledge/information?  Or is there some semblance of actual personality left, even if the compassion/empathy is gone?

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She can't be held accountable for what she didn't know.

I don't think we can be completely clear on what she did/didn't know about magic, though.  How long was Victor a practitioner?  How much did she see?[/q]

That's a fair point.  It's possible I'm speculating that she knew more.

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Abuse is complicated and spouses often react in questionable ways, or what defies logic to someone not living under that kind of condition.  Remember this woman still loved or thought she still loved her husband in spite of what he was doing to her and her family.  That sounds twisted, but often the case, often the law is no help either, this is why so many abused spouses end up dead.  After the soul gaze getting the full picture, or a fuller picture of what was going on, and remember at this point Monica was still making a plea for her husband that he was once a good man.. While Harry did bring it to her attention that she should have told him everything when she first saw him, he understood and didn't hold it against her.

To be clear: Her actions are completely understandable, and I think they are justifiable from her perspective.  I still think that if Harry had died as a result of her withholding information, I would still hold her somewhat accountable.

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DF Spoilers / Re: Does anyone think Harry isn’t the original Merlin?
« on: April 16, 2025, 12:52:55 PM »
I don't think Harry is Merlin.  That's not where he ends up IMHO.  My prediction is that he ends up as some kind of immortal power that people can call on for aid.

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This question will be discussed on the next episode of Recorded Neutral Territory, with the most insightful answers being featured on the show. More information at the bottom of this post.



So we know that fully turning into a Red Court Vampire comes with clear and obvious physical changes (you're not a leathery bat-thing that can pretend to be human), but what, exactly, are the mental changes?

Butcher's world seems to imply that RC Vampires are automatically evil when they fully change. What changes cause this? Is it possible that a small number of them managed to hang on to their humanity somehow? Like "Angel" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?



Recorded Neutral Territory is a chapter-by-chapter re-read podcast for the Dresden Files. Episode 5 (released today), discusses chapters 8 and 9 of Storm Front along with a question: Is the Doom of Damocles the best option available?

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