Mouse & the Castle

[RobReece]

If I remember correctly, while Mouse cheats, a Foo Dogs powers are usually tied to a location, somewhat similar to a threshold.  How do you think living in the Castle will affect him and his "power rating"?

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Two fold, Harry will be living there as his home owned outright with his two children, so Mouse would more powerful than he was when he lived in the basement flat. At the Carpenters he had an immensely strong family home making him much more powerful than when lived in the basement flat.

He might be able to draw upon the power of the wards at the Castle as well, but remember Harry is also going to get Gargoyles for the Castle, additional physical defenders. Mouse may martial them, especially if any are stone Foo Dogs like Ancient Mai had.It was never clear whether Mouse could draw upon the power of the watching Angels at the Carpenters.

Basically it’s up to Jim, Mouse has to be powerful enough to defend Maggie wherever she is, we saw better than ever how his powers operate in Zoo Day

[RobReece]

Well, it's always "up to Jim"

[g33k]

If I remember correctly, while Mouse cheats, a Foo Dogs powers are usually tied to a location, somewhat similar to a threshold.  How do you think living in the Castle will affect him and his "power rating"?

I'm pretty sure WoJ is that most of Mouse's power revolves around residents' Thresholds.
And while Harry's basement had enough of a threshold to build wards that impressed many other wizards, he's likely to have even more Threshold in a residence he owns.

None of which is even a tiny fraction of the Carpenter threshold; Mouse was (in a WoJ) kind of like the Incredible Hulk while living there.

[Ed0517]

Sometimes I wonder what Mouse's power level IS. Korb sent a squad to the Carpenters'.... but from the sound of it.. could they stop Mouse? I mean, Mouse does not seem to brag... but he told LEA if she kept screwing around he was going to administer a beatdown... and she told him he was far from his sources of power... as if, if he COULD tap those sources, he could beat her... and she's WAY over Harry. Anyone think that hit squad runs into Lea, they get swatted?

[hiddendotgif]

The way I see/imagine it, Thresholds are more than the magical aspect. Mouse had people to protect, and in the house of these people, every memory and life event from many many lives (The Carpenters Kids growing up) all power the Threshold, which in turn supercharge Mouse. I would also imagine that, with enough juice, Mouse could probably bend the rules a little about what should and shouldn't work - like with Lea, I bet if Mouse bit her, it would act like a dog biting a regular human, no fast healing, no fae magic to help.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I'm pretty sure WoJ is that most of Mouse's power revolves around residents' Thresholds.
And while Harry's basement had enough of a threshold to build wards that impressed many other wizards, he's likely to have even more Threshold in a residence he owns.

None of which is even a tiny fraction of the Carpenter threshold; Mouse was (in a WoJ) kind of like the Incredible Hulk while living there.

Harry will have his daughters living with him so it will be a family behind the threshold, increasing its powers significantly, the different between house, home and family home. Admittedly the Carpenters is a FAMILY HOME

However if Harry were to turn the Castle into a place of contemplation and learning, doubtless Mouse could draw upon that instead of the threshold. ”Castle Dresden, home to the University of Chicago’s Vadderung School of Magic” Forget the Hulk, Mouse would be Galactus. But much nicer.

Harry is so proud of his GED (and that Peter Parker his spirit animal is going down that route) but to be the first honorary Doctor of Magic might actually top this (Strange, Fate there are precedents).

There are quite a few things about the current training regime Harry disagrees with, and the next time he comes across a young wizard I doubt he is going to pack them off to the White Council. If only he had access to wizard on the outs with the White Council (say by inconveniently coming back to life) who was for example a doctoral candidate and owed him his life.

[g33k]

However if Harry were to turn the Castle into a place of contemplation and learning, doubtless Mouse could draw upon that instead of the threshold. ”Castle Dresden, home to the University of Chicago’s Vadderung School of Magic” Forget the Hulk, Mouse would be Galactus. But much nicer.

I suspect that -- in the Dresdenverse -- "family" makes more/better threshold than "a bunch of magic-geeks" do.  But I haven't seen a WoJ speaking to that point, so it's pure speculation.

There are quite a few things about the current training regime Harry disagrees with, and the next time he comes across a young wizard I doubt he is going to pack them off to the White Council. If only he had access to wizard on the outs with the White Council (say by inconveniently coming back to life) who was for example a doctoral candidate and owed him his life.

Yeah; in another thread, the issue of young-talents-going-warlock, and the auto-execute policy, and why-not-catch-em-and-train-em-younger has come up.

I think the meta-reason is, it lets JB write the stories in the setting a certain way.  But in-universe, it seems like it's really really hard to just FIND the little darlin' proto-wizards, before they go sithmode; and even a little o' sithmode seems to be highly corruptive & hard to return from.  "If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.  Consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."

But I don't think Jim wants to write the novel Harry Dresden and the Pigdimples Academy.  And while Harry himself might have wishful thoughts in that direction, he's too aware of the efforts of the Black Council, the Outsiders, the Vampire Courts, and all the rest, for him to EVER be willing to be associated with a peaceful school of largely-helpless young proto-wizards; proximity to Dresden isn't safe for them.

Still... I could definitely see Harry putting in some time (and some of those diamonds!) if he knew of other people who could (more-safely) undertake such a project; maybe Elaine &c, as an outgrowth of the Paranet... (though (given some of the fan speculations swirling around Elaine), I'm not sure "Headmistress Elaine" would actually be a good thing!).

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It would be turning the Castle into a Temple, a place of education and contemplation  I am sure Harry can get it sanctified if Michael is going to work on it. A Temple is a Foo Dogs traditional power source, Mouse lived with a Wizard and learnt to cheat. Besides even Harry has mused about Mouse going to University, foreshadowing?

The Paranet would allow for early identification of Wizards, especially if Harry is going more public. Most arise from a mother with a minor talent, like Molly.

Jim isn’t going to write his own Hogwarts saga, it’s like his warden duties, it’s what is going on in the background whilst his case happens. You might see a short story or two, but that is likely to be it, this is Harry’s post BAT project, effectively becoming the new Merlin. Funnily enough exactly what is projected to happen to Nightingale in the Rivers of London, Amongst Our Weapons which I read about 8 hours after making that post, although I have posited this since Harry got the Castle.

[Mira]

  Let's see, a single father with two children living under one roof?  I'd say that qualifies as a family home as much as the Carpenter home does.  Who knows, a step mother may be added as well.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

  Let's see, a single father with two children living under one roof?  I'd say that qualifies as a family home as much as the Carpenter home does.  Who knows, a step mother may be added as well.

If it’s Lara you are referring to its “Wicked Stepmother”

[g33k]

... I'd say that qualifies as a family home as much as the Carpenter home does ...

I don't think threshold is a Y/N binary, "qualifies / doesn't".
I think it's much more of a spectrum, a sliding-scale.

I suspect churches have a very "threshold-like" effect going on, too...

A single person in a rental has very minimal threshold, but I think it does seem gather over time.  A family in a rental has more threshold, and/or it gathers faster.  A longtime rental works up more.  An owned residence (in which the resident invests their identity, I think?) has MUCH more, and yet more again if a family lives there.  A longtime/multi-generational household incredibly-much (Murphy's house, inherited from her Grandma, had a huge threshold despite being a single-person residence).

But there's something extra about the Carpenters' threshold; they're like the archetypal "family," with love and Faith working together.  I'm pretty sure its one of the most-potent Thresholds in the entire Dresdenverse.

[vincentric]

If it’s Lara you are referring to its “Wicked Stepmother”

Jim has a habit of introducing his female characters as antagonistic and making them friendlier as time goes on. As they get to know Harry, better they transition from enemies to friends to allies. Even Susan, Charity and Murphy started this way.

If this marriage goes through, Maggie will be part of Lara's family. And she is loyal and protective of any family that isn't trying to kill her. She might be distant and strange but I doubt she'll ever be wicked to Maggie.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I meant  “wicked” in it’s use as “playfully mischievous”, or its modern British slang parlance as “brilliant” or “excellent” or “fabulous”

I think that neatly sums up dear Lara. She will be a “wicked” stepmother indeed.

[BrainFireBob]

Yes, Maggie's getting an absolutely scandalous prom dress of only the finest materials. Complete "Stacy's Mom" situation for the poor girl, though.

We've never quite gathered how Mouse cheats. Does he absorb ambient magic from Dresden? Does he draw on Dresden's sense of ownership of Chicago? Does he leech and store power from the Nevernever everytime Dresden opens a Way?