Can a Wizard's Powers be Stolen or Taken permanently?

[~Shadow~]

2014 Reddit AMA:

is there any way a wizard could absorb the magic of another wizard to become more powerful?

Yes. And it is /horrible/.

[peregrine]

Though horrible does not necessarily mean illegal.

[groinkick]

Though horrible does not necessarily mean illegal.

I'd wager the only way to take the power is in an illegal fashion.  If that wasn't the case, bad wizards would just take other wizards power without fear of punishment.  It would happen all the time.

[jonas]

I'd wager the only way to take the power is in an illegal fashion.  If that wasn't the case, bad wizards would just take other wizards power without fear of punishment.  It would happen all the time.

I could see a technicality if it didn't kill them. But whom would bother to work out such a thing when its probably far easier to do otherwise? I mean, the council d-bags maybe, but not as a punishment. Then again if cowl is correct about the council being corrupted, perhaps so.

[groinkick]

I could see a technicality if it didn't kill them. But whom would bother to work out such a thing when its probably far easier to do otherwise? I mean, the council d-bags maybe, but not as a punishment. Then again if cowl is correct about the council being corrupted, perhaps so.

Another thing to consider.  If you could take someone's powers permanently without harming them, wouldn't the Council do that instead of cutting off a warlock's head?  Just doesn't jive

[LordDresden2]

I could see a technicality if it didn't kill them.

Something can be OK under the Seven Laws and still forbidden by the Council as a specific matter.  Seven Laws or not, I suspect that if a dark Wizard started stealing power from Council Wizards, the Wardens would soon be after him.

[jonas]

Another thing to consider.  If you could take someone's powers permanently without harming them, wouldn't the Council do that instead of cutting off a warlock's head?  Just doesn't jive

I figure if it's been done, it's been done for personal gain and kept secret. Plus, if you are what you eat, who'd wanna eat crazy?(pretty sure scarecrow ate some crazy from Molly lol)

Erk, I just had a horrible thought about all those untrained practitioners who've been disappearing and what might be happening to them all. You know, besides mental enslavement.

[Rasins]

Something can be OK under the Seven Laws and still forbidden by the Council as a specific matter.  Seven Laws or not, I suspect that if a dark Wizard started stealing power from Council Wizards, the Wardens would soon be after him.

Evidence of this is the LaFortier case.  He wasn't killed with magic, yet the Council held a trial and claimed jurisdiction over the murder.

Why not other things?

[jonas]

Evidence of this is the LaFortier case.  He wasn't killed with magic, yet the Council held a trial and claimed jurisdiction over the murder.

Why not other things?

He was killed at HQ in Edinburg. Their jurisdiction.

[LordDresden2]

He was killed at HQ in Edinburg. Their jurisdiction.

I don't think they'd have cared if they thought Morgan (or any other Council member) murdered LFortier in Grand Central Station, the Kremlin, or FBI Headquarters.  I'm pretty darned sure that the Council would insist on taking over the case. :lol:

[Rasins]

He was killed at HQ in Edinburg. Their jurisdiction.

I don't think they'd have cared if they thought Morgan (or any other Council member) murdered LFortier in Grand Central Station, the Kremlin, or FBI Headquarters.  I'm pretty darned sure that the Council would insist on taking over the case. :lol:

I agree with LD2.  I've had this discussion before without a satisfactory conclusion, other than, it's their's because they can.  If the murder had occurred in Grand Central Station, I could see them trying to take it, but don't know how successful they'd have been.

I'm thinking that none of the Laws of Magic were broken so why was it handled internally.

Now, this does not mean that there aren't other wizard laws that we haven't heard of, but this would have been a great time to mention it.

[Mr. Death]

I agree with LD2.  I've had this discussion before without a satisfactory conclusion, other than, it's their's because they can.  If the murder had occurred in Grand Central Station, I could see them trying to take it, but don't know how successful they'd have been.

I'm thinking that none of the Laws of Magic were broken so why was it handled internally.

Now, this does not mean that there aren't other wizard laws that we haven't heard of, but this would have been a great time to mention it.

I'd like to see a mundane police force handle it.

"OK, victim, aged ... 237? Is this a typo? ... OK, suspect, born in ... 1865? Come on, is this some kind of joke?"

The White Council handled it because it wouldn't have made sense for mundane police to do so. Same reason that Harry doesn't go to the CPD for stuff that's outside their purview.

[Rasins]

And yet we haven't seen Wardens going after thieves (come on, there have to be some clepto wizards), or frauds, or many other laws in the mundane world.

[Mr. Death]

And yet we haven't seen Wardens going after thieves (come on, there have to be some clepto wizards), or frauds, or many other laws in the mundane world.

I think there's a pretty solid qualitative difference between a theft and assassinating one of the leaders of the whole wizarding world.

The White Council is as self-centered as any other nation -- they're not going to care if some muggles get swindled, but if one of their own ends up dead, they're going to step in.

[jonas]

I don't think they'd have cared if they thought Morgan (or any other Council member) murdered LFortier in Grand Central Station, the Kremlin, or FBI Headquarters.  I'm pretty darned sure that the Council would insist on taking over the case. :lol:

That's my point though, their man, their HQ, their jurisdiction. It was covered pretty directly in WN with the difference between a member and an under leveled practitioner. White Council protects White council interests. members, senior council, ect.