Their entire M.O. is degrading all the status quo power nations to create a vacuum.
SK - But that doesn't answer why the need to do it slowly. Why not do it quickly and efficiently? Just because they wish to destabilize the current world order does not mean they want to do it slowly. Where is the link? If you want to create a power vacuum remove a power suddenly with no easy replacement overnight and watch the fireworks. E.g. Harry's annihilation of the Red Court and the after effects in South America.
Kindler - the minutes to midnight schedule has been hinted at a lot. I understand that the Red Court wanted more time to build there forces, but the fact remains that they needed to wipe out the White Council in order to further their grand strategy - they could have waited 100 years if they wanted to, or done it some time in the past when the Council was weaker. Why now? What happens in the next few years that meant they felt compelled to attack the White Council (even if they were being manipulated by other forces)?
Are we going to see more of Nicodemus or Mavra?
Nicodemus will show up on schedule, which you can figure out if you stop to look at things, I think. Mavra’s not done yet either, but she eventually probably will be, and I’ll leave it at that.
stilleto929: There have been 3 times that Nicodemus has told Dresden that time is running out. In Death Masks, after capturing Harry, Nicodemus says, “Your history indicates that you are too dangerous to leave alive, I’m afraid – and I am on a schedule.” Then in Small Favor, in the aquarium, Nicodemus says, “…tempus fugit. For all of us.” Then again in Small Favor, in the boat, Nicodemus says, “Dresden, I truly regret this necessity, but time is growing short. I must act…” WHY would an effectively-immortal person be so worried about time?!? The first instance can be explained by having a plane to catch, but the others seem…unusual. Is Nicodemus’s concern about time significant? I.e. showing to the reader that he believes something BIG will happen soon, and he has to be ready? Or is this just a conversational ploy to move the plot along? Would appreciate any info you could give us about this issue. Thanks in advance! – Stiletto (Celia)
Jim: The clock is ticking, and the clued people know it. /Especially/ to someone a couple of thousand years old, it really feels like we’ve already hit the two minute warning.
I think there is another one about Mab as well. Basically even though Dresden doesn't know, something long in the making is about to kick off and I think it is quite plausible that many of the supernatural powers such as the Red Court and the Denarians have ideas about what they want to do about that moment when it comes.
I agree that Ortega was scary to many supernaturals in the same way the Hellhound is or Marcone - ruthless, committed and efficient individuals who just do what needs to be done without ego. But if Ortega didn't know Raith was weakened (which I doubt he or most others did) then he surely would have been at least wary and perhaps even afraid of Raith - surely he too would have known the stories Thomas had heard. Otherwise the fear of Ortega must also come from somewhere else, either Arianna or whoever she represented.
Yes I do wonder if Maggie + Co where the founding members of the Black Council...perhaps even current leaders of it (excluding Maggie). And perhaps Lea too...although she is a wild card.
I get what you're saying about Nemesis, but I do think the connection in words is at least somewhat interesting. Hmm. Nemesis may likely be limited, but I do wonder about its origins in the game.
So yes, the Black Court in that scene where Harry takes on Mavra with Murphy and Kincaid is somewhat what I am talking about. But that is more their effect on the environment, not so much about what makes BCV stronger. There is a WOJ about how BCV level up by farming XP during wars and plagues. This seems very similar to how Denarians are stronger in dark times, even if the methods and type of strength is different.
Interesting you mention the Spanish Flu...I think there was a relatively recent WOJ answering a question about whether the Spanish Flu was either a cover story or a side-effect of the Necromancy used by Kemmler, to which he didn't exactly answer but he did think the questioner was very clever and liked them but was tight lipped about it beyond that.
I think there is some link between the Spanish Flu and Kemmler, and considering he was both involved with both the Vampires and Demons and quite possibly Fallen, I would guess the main link is between him and the Vampires myself. Whether it was intended as a power boost or was a side-effect or something else entirely (like a cover up in the history books) remains to be seen.
It's strange but I am not so sure that Hell and the Outsiders are completely at odds, they almost seem to work in different spheres. But it is more than likely some Denarians are working with Outsiders (possibly directly) and some might be aiding them indirectly.
Morris - are you saying that the series has only occurred over 12 years (in-universe) and that it won't get to 20 years by the end of the case files? You could well be correct, although you haven't factored in any Time-shift shenanigans at the very least from Mirror-Mirror I think. Still though, something quite likely will happen at the end of the case files that catapults everything into the Capstone Trilogy surely. Maybe that's when the first apocalypse happens. Jim has mentioned there will be a few at least.
Selling Starborn children? Are we sure they are so common? I think she knew how to create one, and it was her job perhaps to sire one, but she panicked at the last second for some reason. We know very little of her life, but one thing we do know is she was cunning and passionate and vengeful and planned ahead. She laid that curse on Raith as revenge, she laid that spell on Thomas and Harry just for when they met, and I don't doubt for a second that she planned very specifically that Harry would be a Starborn. Perhaps that was why Raith was so desperate to kill her. He certainly didn't use the most efficient method to murder her.
Also tip of the hat for clarifying the modern use of decimate. Seems hardly anyone uses it correctly to the point where it has come to mean something far harsher than the original word.
