1. Ridiculous that he would write an entry before going to see Harry saying that he is going to see Harry. What if someone finds it before he is caught? If it is a friend it puts them in a moral quandary, and if it is an enemy than it gives his location away. Either way it sets up Harry for all kinds of crap.
Morgan's not immune to the kinds of wizard arrogance that lead to "
I can totally hide this journal, such that nobody can find it... except for Anastasia!" Particularly if he feels he has a crucial perspective / information to share. Or, as he says: a final (presumably posthumous) confessional.
2. He promised to protect Margaret’s son? Why?
This is, I think, an excellent question; possibly even THE question. That, together with the subsequent / associated questions.
What was their relationship? Was this willingly-offered by Morgan (as others have noted, protecting kids is just a "good guy" thing, and Morgan was a "good guy"), or a hard-fought bargain by Maggie (and if so, on what terms; what did Morgan get out of it?) ? Etc.
I'm inclined, slightly, to think something other than an old-school faerie-style "bargain" -- he calls it a
promise.
Also let's notice this as Maggie arranging YET ANOTHER protector for Harry -- one of the most-dangerous Wardens (2nd only to Luccio, I presume), in addition to one of the most-dangerous Winterfae (2nd only to Mab). This is an OMG level of protection, and it's combat-centric not "care-taking" protection; she clearly expected he'd be (as this journal entry says) "marked with an Adversary." And this even begs the question...
did she arrange any others? Maybe following a Rule of Three ... ?
...
...omg...
...
Uriel??? 3. He couldn’t find Dresden? Had he not taken any samples before he disappeared to be able to find him? If he hadn’t it seems like he was remarkably stupid in his attempts to protect Harry. If so, and they didn’t work, it indicates there are even more things Harry doesn’t know, since he seems to feel blood is a unpreventable connection method.
Blood is the very best... but it's
very transitory. Hair could last a while longer... but that duration will probably get cut short <
heh> by regular haircuts in the orphanage. There's nothing that will last, not reliably; and as a working Warden, Morgan simply wouldn't have the time & freedom to keep going back and renewing his link. Such frequent visits would, if anything, draw more attention to Harry (thus placing him more at-risk (and Morgan too, for that matter: any place you visit repeatedly could easily be made a trap!)).
4. “That bastard Justin DuMorne got to him before I could. From then on, we could not be sure that the child was not molded to be a creature of Nemesis.” I’m assuming he only assumes Justin got him then, but I find it interesting that, assuming that, he then assumes that Justin was making a tool for Nemesis. It really makes it sound like:
A. He/They knows what Nemesis is and are opposing it.
B. It seems obvious that they should oppose it if they know what it is, but if they knew/believed that Justin was a tool of it, why didn’t they take him out earlier? They wouldn’t have learned it after his death, so they must have known it before. Why leave a known tool of nemesis running around?
You raise some interesting points here; particularly the notion that at the time Malcom Dresden dies, Morgan & cohorts knew of Nemesis and knew/suspected DuMorne as an agent of Nemesis.
Just KNOWING of Nemesis --
that long ago! -- is kind of a bombshell fact; before this, we had understood (from conversations with Eb) that knowledge of such a hidden enemy or Adversary -- using wizards & other Supernaturals as mere catspaws -- was just percolating up into the WC... and at that, only to a few open-minded of them.
Why
not act?
I presume one (or more) of a few reasons --
- Trivially obvious: maybe DuMorne had hidden himself such that they couldn't find him. DuMorne seems to have done so with Harry, too; so it seems likely.
- Maybe the political situation was such that they couldn't act (such as if the WC political situation had a lot of "the Wardens are out of control!" sentiment); DuMorne had some of that "was part of the Kemmler take-down" heroic vibe, and if they had no proof of wrong-doing, he may have been politically immune.
- Maybe at that time, they didn't understand the scope of the threat Nemesis represented; felt it was "another hoary old gribbly from the Nevernever, who they'd eventually unmask and defeat," or similar complacent-making understanding.
Maybe something else?
5. ... But it also indicates it is not a well kept secret, so we should assume that at the very least the entire senior council knows.
I assume Morgan knowing means that Luccio knows, and the Merlin. I don't assume it has spread any further, not when wizards collect secret knowledge and hoard it like treasure.
6. Morgan says the enemy has invaded the Senior Council itself. I first took this to mean that he knew his set up was Nemesis inspired. I’m not sure if he is assuming that person who was framing him is on the senior council (which is wrong, just very near by) or if he has another reason to believe the someone else on the Senior council is infected
We shouldn't conflate the "Black Council" with Nemesis; they aren't necessarily the same! I think Peabody was BC, but not necessarily Nemesis. I could be wrong -- maybe he was Nemesis, and not BC; or both BC + Nemesis.
I presume the BC is trying to use the Outsiders, within limits & under control. I presume Nemesis is acting to bring in the outsiders
without limits or control.
I don't think Nemesis has gained control of the BC or its agenda, but I do presume it has infiltrated more BC-members than the BC generally knows; I think "taking control of the BC and its agenda" is one of the projects Nemesis is working on, much like the project to make Aurora destabilize the Summer/Winter balance, or the project to corrupt Maeve into unleashing Demonreach's prisoners.
7. “A Destroyer” obviously has actual meaning. Not enough info to guess though, other than it obviously ties into him being starborn
I don't think it's
necessarily linked to being Starborn, though I agree it's
probable. Gonna launch another thread.
8... Was shagnasty in debt to a mere mortal wizard such that he had to be a servant in that book, or was shagnasty infected and being driven by Nemesis?
WoJ says that there are beings operating to whom shagnasty is no more than a cheap hired thug; "dumb muscle" and no more. I don't recall Jim actually specifying that that's what was going on. But from what we know of Shagnasty, he was operating very true to his nature and his wants, not doing something oddly and Nemesis-driven against his nature.
9. Nemesis – Everyone seems scared that if you talk about it, it will learn that you know about it and come to get you ... Sure, one of them could be infected, but does telling them hurt somehow?
As a Starborn, Harry probably possesses some unique resistances to Nemesis... maybe even a immunity, or nearly such?
Harry isn't the only one who acts oddly around naming Nemesis, or discussing it; I think blaming on general "wizard assholery" is mistaken. EVERYONE (even Vadderung) is being careful. I think the books support the idea that just knowing, and/or speaking out loud, is a risk; and that telling someone puts them at risk.
Having proven able to infect both a Summerlady and a Winterlady, and other senior Fae like Cat Sith, it certainly places any lesser beings at a
severe risk.
