A Fistful of Warlocks (SPOILERS: FISTFUL OF WARLOCKS)

[Anubissama]

Isn't that mostly due to Stuart Lake's heavily fictionalised "biography" of Earp?

In reality, he was an occasional law enforcer and gambler who was accused of murder after the O.K. Corral shootout and got off because he hired a famous defence attorney. Doesn't really scream "zombie killer" material to me.

[jonas]

What you're missing is that this is Wyatt Earp. Wyatt Earp.  He's a literal legend. Documentaries are made about him. He's taught about in American schools. Having him be anything other than strictly epic would ruin the cameo and feel off to anyone with enough knowledge of both American History and Alt-history genre savvy. So no, it doesn't give necromancers a bad name. It holds true to the legends of the source material in the same way making Odin terrifyingly powerful does.

Yep, missing that. He's the inspiration for pretty much any badass gunslinger to come after.

[Rasins]

Yep, missing that. He's the inspiration for pretty much any badass gunslinger to come after.

Well, except for the man with no name, that is. 

[jonas]

Well, except for the man with no name, that is. 

He is the man with no name, he just stopped using one so he wouldn't grow a huge mantle around it see Marty Robins, Big Iron.

[wyltok]

The idea of using something as a horse that's, mythologically speaking, a close cousin to Jenny Greenteeth was just ... disturbing...

Not just Jenny Greenteeth, but Lily as well, who's half-nixie, per Summer Knight.

The only thing I'm sad about regarding this story was that I was hoping to find out why sheriff badges are five-pointed stars inside a circle.

[peregrine]

The only thing I'm sad about regarding this story was that I was hoping to find out why sheriff badges are five-pointed stars inside a circle.

Often they're not.  Sometimes they're 6 or 7 pointed stars, and often extend past the circle, rather than are confined within it.

Though apparently the older ones were kept within the circle mostly.

[Dina]

Ok, I've just read this story. I liked it more than expected (because I don't care too much for westerns or for Luccio). A few comments (SPOILERS!!!)

I think Luccio considered that setting the place on fire wouldn't be "killing by magic". That doesn't mean there is not a law against that.

About what you were discussing before about McCoy, perhaps he was the Blackstaff and the Captain at the same time, but Luccio didn't know he was the Blackstaff

I agree about how suspicious it it that Kemmler left her skin behind. It smells trap.

I wanted to see Karl set free, his work done. Also I believe he could have been used better.

No dying curses from the bad guys? It seems too convenient. Also I clearly remember Harry several times thinking that a bullet is very efficient against dying curses but that is a modern concept that most old wizards in the Council didn't gatther. Still, Luccio had it very clear in this story

I was angry "someone" saved her in the end. She had done a lot, she deserved to save herself.

[Zaphodess]

No dying curses from the bad guys? It seems too convenient. Also I clearly remember Harry several times thinking that a bullet is very efficient against dying curses but that is a modern concept that most old wizards in the Council didn't gatther. Still, Luccio had it very clear in this story.

Luccio isn't the usual crusty old wizard in the books either. She's very open-minded about modern technology. Her hobby is reading about computers, after all.

I think that might actually be the reason she made Captain in the first place. She wasn't particular about how the job got done, she did it.

[Anubissama]

Any thought on Luccio's sword? There are two quotes regarding it:

(click to show/hide)

The sword at my side was tingling with power I’d invested in it over the course of the evening, ready to slice apart the threads binding enemy spells together, and I held ready a shield in my mind to prevent attacks upon my thoughts and emotions.

And later during the fight:

(click to show/hide)

Grevane parried the blow on a shield of his own, and countered with more lightning. I caught part of it on the sword, but what got through was enough to drive me down to one knee and send agony racing back and forth through my nerve endings.

None of this quotes make it explicit if this is already the Enchantment Cutting Sword she will be making for all the Wardens later. The way it is used here, it could be a simple focus she uses to fight.

Anyway, it would suggest that either Luccio was an outliner as a Warden using a sword, which later gave here the idea to make the enchanted swords which all Wardens would carry.

Or there is a tradition of Warden using sword regardless if they are enchanted or not, which begs the question why didn't the new Baby Wardens and Harry got normal swords.

[jonas]

heh

(click to show/hide)

Shes's totally using her 'lightsaber' to parry force lightning!

[Zaphodess]

Any thought on Luccio's sword? There are two quotes regarding it:

(click to show/hide)

The sword at my side was tingling with power I’d invested in it over the course of the evening, ready to slice apart the threads binding enemy spells together, and I held ready a shield in my mind to prevent attacks upon my thoughts and emotions.

And later during the fight:

(click to show/hide)

Grevane parried the blow on a shield of his own, and countered with more lightning. I caught part of it on the sword, but what got through was enough to drive me down to one knee and send agony racing back and forth through my nerve endings.

None of this quotes make it explicit if this is already the Enchantment Cutting Sword she will be making for all the Wardens later. The way it is used here, it could be a simple focus she uses to fight.

Anyway, it would suggest that either Luccio was an outliner as a Warden using a sword, which later gave here the idea to make the enchanted swords which all Wardens would carry.

Or there is a tradition of Warden using sword regardless if they are enchanted or not, which begs the question why didn't the new Baby Wardens and Harry got normal swords.

My guess would be that she had the idea to use a sword not just as a sword but also as a focus. Maybe other Wardens did so too, but we don't know if it was a tradition. Would make sense, because swords used to be common weapons that everyone carried, so why not use something you carry around anyway as an additional focus.

She just developed the technique so far that she was able to create the Warden swords later for all her colleagues. What we see in the story is an early version of those though, imo.

[Dina]

Luccio isn't the usual crusty old wizard in the books either. She's very open-minded about modern technology. Her hobby is reading about computers, after all.

I think that might actually be the reason she made Captain in the first place. She wasn't particular about how the job got done, she did it.

Absolutely, In fact, I was very happy to see such a modern girl, wearing special glasses, and guns (like Harry himself) and knowing about scientific ideas like nature of light.It's very consistent with the Luccio who reads about computers. I am hoping new young wizard Luccio can find a way to actually use a computer (I've been saying for years than wizards need to do a protective circle around a computer another person (not wizard) is using and then the wizard could read above his/her shoulcer, suggest things to do, things like that. Luccio may be able to find something better. For instance, use a desktop PC. Put a circle around the CPU amd another around the monitor. Lastly try to wear the oldest keyboard you can find. Another option is using a voice activated software. Your voice can cross the circle but your magic can´t)

I agree with your post about her sword.

[Aminar]

Isn't that mostly due to Stuart Lake's heavily fictionalised "biography" of Earp?

In reality, he was an occasional law enforcer and gambler who was accused of murder after the O.K. Corral shootout and got off because he hired a famous defence attorney. Doesn't really scream "zombie killer" material to me.

I said Legend for a reason. In Dresden legends are truth. Even more recent ones.

[Snark Knight]

Or there is a tradition of Warden using sword regardless if they are enchanted or not, which begs the question why didn't the new Baby Wardens and Harry got normal swords.

Harry already had several swords (his magnetism focus, and I believe a few  ordinary ones) before he got drafted.

Carlos and most of the younger cohort probably just don't think mundane swords would be worth carrying next to staffs and guns and grenades. When everybody else still carrying swords would have decades to centuries of experience over them anyway, it's hardly worth the trouble to carry around and conceal swords if they can't sever spells or be charged to cut through tree trunks and stuff.

[Quantus]

Harry already had several swords (his magnetism focus, and I believe a few  ordinary ones) before he got drafted.

He only had the earth-magic Cane sword of his own, unless you count the Swords in his keeping.  Murphy had a katana, and the Carpenters obviously are well-armed but those are the swordsfolk on the good-guy side. 

Oh, Hendricks has a Magic Sword these days, though no Idea what it does.