Skin Game Predict-a-thon. [All the latest Spoilers permitted and encouraged]

[Serack]

The first would be the blurb for the book which can be found on the main website, the second would be the interview that confirmed who Harry will be taking with him on the trip.

Keep in mind that blerbs and such should be taken with salt.  Remember the Dead Beat blerb discussing 6 necromancers Harry had to beat or some such.

[TheCuriousFan]

Keep in mind that blerbs and such should be taken with salt.  Remember the Dead Beat blerb discussing 6 necromancers Harry had to beat or some such.

And the Cold Days blurb talking about how Harry will be trying to escape the WK mantle.

[Mira]

1. We have been told that Nicodemus has a very specific target in mind, ostensibly kept in the Labyrinth of Daedalus.  What is Nic trying to get his hands on and why?
Nick is trying extinguish hope, because when all hope is lost mankind will turn to his side.  Remember from the myth that when the box was opened all matter of trouble was let loose on the world.  However the last thing in the box, Hope stayed behind, and as long as she was there, the world would never fall totally to ruin.
If it is Pandora's Box that they are after, Lash will leave Harry's head and take the place of Elpis who has been killed in the great battle that has taken place at the vault.  Thus though not completely redeemed herself, she becomes a symbol of redemption.


2. Nicodemus apparently called in a marker from Mab to get Harry on the team.  Does he have a specific plan for using Harry or did Mab twist his request?  Which of Harry's capabilities will he admit to needing, and (given that this is Nicodemus after all), which abilities is he scheming for Harry to use?
 What Nick is after isn't so important as is what Mab is after.  It is all part of Mab's long term three dimensional chess match she has been playing with the adversary. It was all part of masterful preplanning on her part.  She made the bargain a thousand years or so ago knowing this day would come.  She had no access to the vault or not alone at any rate... Eventually she knew that the adversary would though one of it's allies to call in the mark.. Which it did, so from her point of view this is a huge set up, she though Harry is setting up Nick and thus the adversary.  What she gains is knowledge of just how the adversary thinks and what he goals are..

 4. Harry's general method of operation is to call on his friends for help.  In this book, Harry is (initially) allowed one extra backup member on the crew.  Who will it be?  Which of Harry's other allies will "interfere" before the plot is over?
Murphy for sure is going down into Hell with Harry, that one is foreshadowed by what she told him in Cold Days.  Since Harry's health is at issue, the thing in his head, Butters along with Bob for brains and if he needs a doctor.  Harry convinces Murphy that his might be a Sword Mission, Sanya is also recruited.  Murphy has been having issues, namely her fear that Harry could go bad at any moment.  She is afraid that Harry is going to do something that will endanger the Swords and if he does she won't be able to stop him.  Nick exploits these fears, and at the critical time just after the heist is completed and everyone begins to relax he unleashes his plan..  Murphy thinking she is really helping Harry turns on him, Harry is in danger, what is more the Swords are in danger.  Molly gets wind of it and pleas with Michael to take up the Sword one more time to rescue Harry and company and of course the rest of the Swords. 

Michael agrees, and once more into the breech he goes..  There is a huge fight, the Sword stops working for Murphy and Harry gets it away from her, and for the duration of the rest of the battle he becomes a Holy Knight..  WAG?  There is going to be a death here of a beloved character and Harry will be devastated by it, it will affect him more than his sacrifice of Susan, it will stick with him until the end of the series..   It could be Murphy, she either dies or switches teams completely both would grieve Harry just about forever... Or it could be Michael, one last battle, this too would be devastating for Harry, he was one of his best friends and Molly's father and he died to save him.  The Swords will go back into Harry's keeping Alfred will keep watch over them until needed again.. Daniel could be the next Knight of the Cross, Butters could be the second, Sanya survives.



9.  (Extra Credit) There are many WAG ("Wild A$$ Guess") theories on the boards, some crazier than others.  Write up to three WAG theories (or make up your own) you believe are correct that will be confirmed (or at least have evidence in favor of) in Skin Games..
  The "skin" Harry has got in the game is his life, getting the parasite out of it without killing him and his loved ones. 
  The "skin" Nick has got is what's in the vault, revenge on Harry, and possible access to one or more of the Holy Swords. 
  The "skin" Mab has in the game is one more successful blow against the adversary.
HUGE WAG!  Okay this came to me early this morning just before waking... I said there'd be a significant death, also said Murphy could go bad.... Here's how it happens, in the big battle Murphy goes down, not dead but out, the Sword is in danger,  Harry takes it up and goes after Nick, succeeds in cutting the noose from his neck, he dies, Deidre witnesses it, screams grabs the coin now rolling from Nick's dead hand, and places it in the hand of the woozy Murphy, she orders Shaggy to pick up Murphy's body and manically laughs as she retreats..  Of course Harry blames himself, he knows in the future he will have to face and fight Murphy over and over again, until one of them dies or she is redeemed.. He is grieved beyond consoling..

Edit:  Serack wants to point out that Mira shoulda included these comments in her prediction.  (don't clickie until you've read the ENTIRE SG book.)
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,40796.0.html  ^-Serack

[Serack]

 There is a huge double cross, Harry is in huge danger.  Molly pleas with Murphy, who is still reluctant to use the Sword, especially to take it down into the pit of Hell.  Molly, makes a plea to her Dad to talk some sense into her.  With Sanya at his side Michael tells Murphy he will take up the Sword one more time for Harry's sake, and the three Swords together are strong enough to withstand anything that Hell or Denarians can throw at them... She agrees, so they decend into Hell to rescue Harry.. There is a battle, either Michael dies or Murphy dies in the battle and briefly to salvage the mission and save his remaining friends, Harry takes up the either the Sword of Faith or Love, and is a Holy Knight for a day.  I think one way or another there will be a great sacrifice of a main character in this book, with even more lasting effects on Harry than even the sacrifice of Susan. 

Alternative prediction, is our fears that something has happened to Murphy since Changes, bares fruit, just when Harry thinks the mission is a success, everyone is okay, the parasite is going to be removed from his head.. Nick or Deidre gives the "high sign" and Murphy changes and is about to hand over her Sword to Nick.  Harry must intervene, he gains back the Sword, but in the process Murphy is either killed or leaves with Nick and Deidre.  Michael is on hand to console Harry, who is inconsolable.  Michael promises to train up a new Knight to fill the ranks since Harry cannot be both Winter Knight and Holy Knight at the same time.. Possible candidates?  Butters and Daniel..

If it is Pandora's Box that they are after, Lash will leave Harry's head and take the place of Elpis who has been killed in the great battle that has taken place at the vault.  Thus though not completely redeemed herself, she becomes a symbol of redemption.

Mira, for "grading" sake, it is preferable that you copy the questions from knnn’s OP and fill in your “answers” to each question.

[Mira]

Mira, for "grading" sake, it is preferable that you copy the questions from knnn’s OP and fill in your “answers” to each question.

Sorry, never did this before..  Modified my first post to reflect some of the questions.

[Serack]

Sorry, never did this before..  Modified my first post to reflect some of the questions.

Thanks for participating

It's fun to read everyone's theories, however, comparing them after the book has released for "awards" is quite a task

[peregrine]

Apparently spoilers are afoot online now, from the early copies sold at a con in Australia.  Including the goal of the theft (some people got it right, some did not)

[knnn]

ok, locking topic.

Thanks for participating everyone!  See you after May 17th.

[dspringer1]

I'll vouch that this guy isn't cheating, and thus could be considered for a late entry in the predict-a-thon ^-Serack

1. We have been told that Nicodemus has a very specific target in mind, ostensibly kept in the Labyrinth of Daedalus.  What is Nic trying to get his hands on and why?  The blurb for SG had some info on this, and all answers that hit on what the blurb indicates as the target have been recorded before anyone could edit their answer to reflect its contents. -Serack

• I thought I saw something that said it would be the holy grail.  i will go with that.   

2. Nicodemus apparently called in a marker from Mab to get Harry on the team.  Does he have a specific plan for using Harry or did Mab twist his request?  Which of Harry's capabilities will he admit to needing, and (given that this is Nicodemus after all), which abilities is he scheming for Harry to use?

• he needs a wizard, he wants to kill Harry, he wants to corrupt Harry.  I also think he is using this to find out who among the denarians is tainted by the outsiders -- and he believes Dresden is not. 

3. Jim has mentioned that the book will be "Ocean's Eleven".  Who else did Nicodemus recruit?  How will they interact with Harry?

• I will go with what some others said.  A mix of familiar and not.   Familiar will be a few denarioans including his evil wife.  This will also include the Ferovox, the most powerful dragon (from book 3), Marvra (black court queen), and Fix the summer knight (to balance winter)

4. Harry's general method of operation is to call on his friends for help.  In this book, Harry is (initially) allowed one extra backup member on the crew.  Who will it be?  Which of Harry's other allies will "interfere" before the plot is over? 

• Guess as to who he invovles initially would be Kincaide, because Kincaide has knowledge of the others involved and harry feels less bad about putting him at risk.  I think however that Sonya will arrive as will Murphy. 

5. This is a Denarian book, so (unlike the last "end of the world" showdown), the Swords will almost certainly be present.  In fact, there have been various hints...  Which Sword wielders will appear in the next book and how will their interference/help affect the plot?

Sonya, Murphy. 

6. Mab is apparently against Nicodemus succeeding in this heist.  In the Cold Days, we found that Mab had complex reasons for wanting Harry to kill Maeve.  What are Mab's reasons in this book?  Is it simple thwarting or is there something deeper?

Always multiple levels.    see twists for possibilities.   


7. At the end of Cold Days, Harry needs to stay on the island to keep his growing headaches at bay.  The start of Skin Games implies that those headaches will need to be resolved by the end of the book.  Who or what is causing those headaches, and how will the whole thing get resolved by the end of the book?

• I thiist]nk the holy grail is what will cure Harry of the parasite.   he will be forced to drink from it.

   

8.  One of the key components of the "Ocean's Eleven" movie is that there is a final twist/reveal.  Given that we've got Nicodemus, Harry, Mab, and potentially Hades (and who knows who else) all trying to get the better of each other, if there's one thing you can count on it's some sort of last minute quintuple-cross.  What will be the nature of the twist and how will it all fall out?

9.  (Extra Credit) There are many WAG ("Wild A$$ Guess") theories on the boards, some crazier than others.  Write up to three WAG theories (or make up your own) you believe are correct that will be confirmed (or at least have evidence in favor of) in Skin Games.

• first guess, that drinking from the cup will cure Harry's paralysis, giving him the option of NOT being the winter night again.   
• second, Kincade will become a wilder of one of the three holy swords - along with Murphy. 

3rd - Murphy will also drink from the cup and cure her taint from the Adversary.   Which came from Kravos.