“You Know What He Was Meant To Be”

[Ed0517]

But their power may be recoverable -didn't Harry say Mort's power had faded away, when he was doing fake seances and medium stuff, yet he regained it.

[Mira]

But their power may be recoverable -didn't Harry say Mort's power had faded away, when he was doing fake seances and medium stuff, yet he regained it.

I don't think so, what I remember Harry saying is that Mort hid his power from the White Council because he didn't want to be a part of it.  Elaine did the same thing, so it is possible to appear to be a lot weaker than one really is.  So apparently short of a soul gaze there really isn't a way to gauge just how strong a talent a person has except by the magic one can do, which can be hidden.  In the case of Mort, I believe Harry also said he had also thought Mort was a minor power until Ghost Story and he really saw him in action.  That's when he made the remark that Mort had hidden his talent to stay out of White Council hands.  I believe earlier Elaine remarked to him that she thought the Wardens were pretty easy to fool, she had done it for years.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

‘Another player,’ I said. ‘Someone we haven’t seen yet.’ Harry to Murphy page 177,  Proven Guilty about someone chaining up Pell’s Theatre. We have seen Molly, Darby Crane, Lucius Glau

The Theatre creates a route to the Phobophages lair just outside Arctis Tor, and was likely used by the Black Council in the attack organised by a weakened Cowl, who we haven’t seen other than taking a swipe at Harry’s car. Fair enough Harry hit him with a car first. The attack by Hammerhands was directed by Cowl at Pell, he isn’t their usual young hormonal victim as Murphy points out to Harry, and Pell isn’t one of Molly victims. They needed the Theatre shut during the horror convention when it would be swarming. Would Cowl/Nameless be mortal enough to summon Hammerhands or would he have to get Peabody or some other mortal stooge to do it? ‘


‘Crane,’ I said. ‘What do you want?’ He smiled a nasty smile. ‘To build the future,’ he replied. ‘Networking is very important in my business.’ Page 202 Proven Guilty. Was Crane getting into bed with Cowl? Nameless and Glau may have been professionally associated, why take your lawyer with you unless you are hammering out a bargain with another lawyer?

Page 204 Lasciel confirms the Thorn Manacles are Faerie make - provided by Nameless who would have access to them, when it was realised Harry was once again involved. The Whamps are just about to start their campaign against the talented, with Cowl’s help, a demonstration for the fearmongers of their efficacy?

Page 224 ‘I believe you,’ I said. ‘But I don’t think it was a coincidence, either. I think you were there for a reason. Maybe one you didn’t know.’ Harry to Madrigal, Madrigal was being used to firm up the link to the Phobophages lair near Arctis Tor, he had been booked for a year previously, so this and the attack on Arctis Tor was planned before Dead Beat

[g33k]

‘Another player,’ I said. ‘Someone we haven’t seen yet.’ Harry to Murphy page 177,  Proven Guilty about someone chaining up Pell’s Theatre. We have seen Molly, Darby Crane, Lucius Glau

The Theatre creates a route to the Phobophages lair just outside Arctis Tor, and was likely used by the Black Council in the attack organised by a weakened Cowl, who we haven’t seen other than taking a swipe at Harry’s car. Fair enough Harry hit him with a car first. The attack by Hammerhands was directed by Cowl at Pell, he isn’t their usual young hormonal victim as Murphy points out to Harry, and Pell isn’t one of Molly victims. They needed the Theatre shut during the horror convention when it would be swarming. Would Cowl/Nameless be mortal enough to summon Hammerhands or would he have to get Peabody or some other mortal stooge to do it?

Except they weren't generic "phobophages," they were fetches, so that "other party" was Mab.   Fetches are directly Mab's (not generic Winter).  Scarecrow, you will note, took Molly straight to Mab.  Scarecrow was Eldest Fetch; he certainly knew Mab was there atop the tower, watching the climactic scene of the melodrama he had enacted at her bidding.

The Scarecrow's Way from the theater debouched right near Arctis Tor and the Winter Wellspring.  I doubt anyone -- not Maeve, not Nameless, not Denarians -- can work Ways that close to Arctis Tor, without Mab noticing (if the earlier assault on Arctis Tor (whose signs they saw) came by way of the theater, it's certain that Mab was completely aware of it.

Mab -- or maybe Lea -- had made certain that Molly's early magical efforts led her down dark-magic paths, so she'd be a semi-warlock in need of Harry saving her by assuming the Doom of Damocles (Harry is really predictable in this regard).

... Was Crane getting into bed with Cowl? Nameless and Glau may have been professionally associated, why take your lawyer with you unless you are hammering out a bargain with another lawyer?

I go with Harry's gutcheck here:  "Crane" didn't know who he was getting involved with.  Glau was the cut-out.  But remember -- Glau was more than just "Darby Crane's lawyer," he was Madrigal Raith's "right-hand-man," so of course he was nearby.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It has always been presumed a Denarian led the attack on Arctis Tor, because of Hellfire but the sheer scale of the attack is far greater than any Denarian, what if it was Lucifer himself? It would explain Uriel being able to ally with Mab and approach Dresden.

Proven Guilty page 320 “I thought I could overcome what stalks us all.” Lea to Harry in the ice Prison. Fate?
The Fae’s time will end as did the gods, was she trying to avoid this?

Page 234 Harry hears The Erl King’s horn. At this point he is definitely Winterfae.

Page 235 ‘This entire field trip isn’t what we were meant to think it was,’ I told him. ‘We’ve been used.’ Harry to Thomas .By Mab. Auditioning Molly, breaking the stalemate with Summer, and exposing Nameless (the latter we learn from the Law) as being complicit in the attack, and Maeve as lying

‘And one day last week, Sandra Marling and I had a talk. And during it, she told me how they were discovering that the presence of a very strong source of fear could bypass all kinds of psychological barriers. Page 340 Proven Guilty. Marling set up Molly with Madrigal to be the fall guy - two potential Marlings -Kumori/Sarissa or Laplander?

I shrugged. ‘Coincidences happen,’ I said. ‘And I don’t think God’s got me warming up in the bullpen to be one of his champions.’ Harry page 357 by Peace Talks Harry has changed his mind

Peabody is at Molly’s hearing in Chicago ergo he was around at the execution a couple of days earlier. Paperwork. He would therefore have been around to meet up with Cowl driving his Chrysler.

Page 371 - 233 Harry invokes God once publicly and another four time internally.

‘That’s Michael. Knight of the Cross.’ ‘Which Sword?’ the Merlin asked idly. ‘Amoracchius,’ I said. The Merlin lifted a brow and nodded, never looking at me.

We later find out the sword has been called Excalibur and the OG’s Merlin’s to dispose of - later Harry’s. That just gripes the Merlin

The Training camp was attacked by Outsiders, a mortal had to whistle them in - Peabody? Another reason for the meeting with Cowl days before? Second point the Swords are very effective against Outsiders when even Ebenezzers magic isn’t. Cowl organised both attacks at the same time, Peabody summoned the Outsiders and Cowl left the door open for Fallen at Arctis Tor, ostensibly to rescue Nemesis/Lea. The dual attack tactic in Battle Ground and what allowed Michael to come to the White Council’s aid, and eventually Molly’s, the future Winter Lady.

‘Spare me,’ I said. ‘Hell, Michael, I had one of those bastard Denarians here last year. Quintus Cassius. You remember him? While I was lying there watching him slice his way into my guts, I thought maybe it would be a good time for someone like you to show up. You know. One of those Denarian Knights. I thought to myself, hey, it would be a great time for one of the Knights of the Cross to show up, eh?’ I shook my head. ‘It didn’t work out that way.’ Foreshadowing not a Denarian anymore, Harry saved by a Knight to be. Sometimes Jim Hugs himself with glee to know what is coming.

The Gatekeeper fixed Little Chicago, he came in via the Never Never and Leas’ Murder Garden under permission of Mab, he stopped Harry using it the first time with as he had foresight of Molly’s Call. He fixed it when Bob was with Harry at Splattercon so Bob didn’t see him, and it was fixed in time for Harry to track Molly’s entrance to the NeverNever in Pell’s so he could get to Arctis Tor to rescue her, and turn up for the denouement with the White Council. It was the Gatekeeper all along with nudges from Mab and an unannounced Uriel.

[g33k]

It has always been presumed a Denarian led the attack on Arctis Tor, because of Hellfire but the sheer scale of the attack is far greater than any Denarian, what if it was Lucifer himself? It would explain Uriel being able to ally with Mab and approach Dresden.

The presence of a large number of fallen cannon-fodder doesn't really speak to "sheer scale."  Ebenezer showed up to Chichén Itzá with a small army in his pocket!  I presume many senior wizards (let alone someoe such as a Denarian) could do as much.

I've always considered that "hellfire" just means a wizard using that method, which doesn't have to be a Denarian.  I presume there are other means to learn it.  But later in the series, Mab seems to confirm that it was one of the Denarians.

Lucifer, if freed to act, would overwhelm even Mab -- more power, more planning, more cunning.  Mab wouldn't stand (if you'll pardon the phrase) a snowball's chance in hell.

Page 234 Harry hears The Erl King’s horn. At this point he is definitely Winterfae.

Not necessarily.  Erl just loves a hunt, and he has some "unfinished business" with Harry.
I think there may be some sort of "Winter Consort" Mantle that the Erlking sometimes wears, so he may indeed have been Winter (at that moment in time).

[Mira]

I've always considered that "hellfire" just means a wizard using that method, which doesn't have to be a Denarian.  I presume there are other means to learn it.  But later in the series, Mab seems to confirm that it was one of the Denarians.

  I don't think "hellfire" can be learned, it is the opposite of "soulfire" which also cannot be learned. Harry had hellfire when the Shadow of Laciel possessed him, later when he rejected her he was gifted soulfire by Uriel. 

[g33k]

I don't think "hellfire" can be learned, it is the opposite of "soulfire" which also cannot be learned. Harry had hellfire when the Shadow of Laciel possessed him, later when he rejected her he was gifted soulfire by Uriel.

Harry experienced getting Soulfire as just a minor "jostle" or "bump" in his normal casting, a minor adjustment of his way of working.  It was, perhaps, a highly obscure adjustment, one that's overwhelmingly-unlikely to be stumbled-upon.  I don't know that Harry could (or couldn't) teach it, for example to Molly, or write down a method that would be in any way meaningful to the uninitiated.  Even if he could, I doubt that he would:  I'm pretty sure he's wise enough to realize that he isn't wise enough to know who should or shouldn't have that tool.

Hellfire is "the flip side of the coin" of Soulfire, so I presume a similarly-minor adjustment there.  Rather tellingly, I think, Harry couldn't refrain from using Hellfire, for quite a long time.  I presume Lasciel's Shadow was messing with his sense of it, preventing him from noticing her "bumping his elbow" (the abilities of a shadow to mess with the senses of their Host seems quite comprehensive).  Later on, he had better control of it; but not perfect control (during Lasciel/Lash's tenure, I don't recall him ever calling light from his staff when it didn't smolder with the odor of brimstone).

But Hellfire is a tool of Hell.  I doubt they exactly give it out like candy at Hallowe'en, but I suspect Down There is delighted to give ambitious & power-hungry wizards access to "great power and (entirely optional) responsibility."

I presume -- if Harry had cared to do so -- he could have bargained with Chauncy or another demon of Hell, to get access to Hellfire.

[Mira]

Harry experienced getting Soulfire as just a minor "jostle" or "bump" in his normal casting, a minor adjustment of his way of working.  It was, perhaps, a highly obscure adjustment, one that's overwhelmingly-unlikely to be stumbled-upon.  I don't know that Harry could (or couldn't) teach it, for example to Molly, or write down a method that would be in any way meaningful to the uninitiated.  Even if he could, I doubt that he would:  I'm pretty sure he's wise enough to realize that he isn't wise enough to know who should or shouldn't have that tool.

No, we are told pretty much when he was gifted with it in Small Favor.  It is for lack of a better word, "an angelic power" he was gifted with.  How to use it and when to use it is another matter, and Harry is still a lot to learn. Uriel also pretty much told him he has to figure it out for himself. He has mostly used it like adding a "dash of salt" to spells, it made all the difference in the world between failure and success when he did his thing with the island creature we now know as Alfred. 

Hellfire is "the flip side of the coin" of Soulfire, so I presume a similarly-minor adjustment there.  Rather tellingly, I think, Harry couldn't refrain from using Hellfire, for quite a long time.

I don't think he wanted to refrain from using it, simply because it gave kaboom fire magic such a boost.  That was the trap, it was addictive, it wasn't until Murphy called him on it and he almost burned Molly's face off trying to make a point that he really tried to get a handle on it. Mainly because it wasn't just how hell fire came out of his staff, but how it affected his anger levels.

I presume -- if Harry had cared to do so -- he could have bargained with Chauncy or another demon of Hell, to get access to Hellfire.

Possible if he knew about it before hand, but then again demons are not on the same level as fallen angels, so possibly not.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

White Night “of a man in his mid-thirties, tall and lean and wolfish.” Description of Cowl page 128

The Law ‘A tall, lean man sat behind a desk facing the door of the office. He wore a black suit that matched his coal-black hair, swept straight back from his face, and an emerald-green tie that matched his emerald-green eyes.”description of  The Nameless Son, page 37.

[Ed0517]

I don't think so, what I remember Harry saying is that Mort hid his power from the White Council because he didn't want to be a part of it.  Elaine did the same thing, so it is possible to appear to be a lot weaker than one really is.  So apparently short of a soul gaze there really isn't a way to gauge just how strong a talent a person has except by the magic one can do, which can be hidden.  In the case of Mort, I believe Harry also said he had also thought Mort was a minor power until Ghost Story and he really saw him in action.  That's when he made the remark that Mort had hidden his talent to stay out of White Council hands.  I believe earlier Elaine remarked to him that she thought the Wardens were pretty easy to fool, she had done it for years.

Harry had thought him stronger at one time...in Grave Peril (p. 84, pb)
Harry says "I've read your books, Morty. Ghosts of Chicago.The Sppok Factor. Two or three others. You did good work there." and later "your powers wouldn't have faded like they have".

On the next page Mort says "I've lost my powers, remember?"

on p. 87 Harry says "If you give yourself a chance, the power will come back."

If Mort has put out at least 4 books, I am sure the WC is aware of him.  Harry seems to think, from what he has read, and the WC should have read, that he knows what he is about. He may no longer have that kind of power, but he has had it, and might again.

[Mira]

If Mort has put out at least 4 books, I am sure the WC is aware of him.  Harry seems to think, from what he has read, and the WC should have read, that he knows what he is about. He may no longer have that kind of power, but he has had it, and might again.

  Aware, but what does that mean?  All that means is WC knows he exists, however because Mort is a master of hiding the strength of his talent, they ignore him.

On the next page Mort says "I've lost my powers, remember?"

But in truth, he hadn't, but at that point in time, why would he reveal it to Harry?

[Conspiracy Theorist]

In White Night Helen Beckitt is working for Marcone, the are previous associates of Victor Sells, a Sorceror trained by Cowl to push Three Eye. Did Cowl push Helen to work for Marcone (Nameless himself will shortly be starting to work for Marcone) does Cowl know Marcone’s secret? It’s the one reason Marcone took her on. Harry himself only found out in Death Masks. Plot twist, what if Cowl/Nameless was ultimately responsible not only for the accidental creation of Harry by his abduction as an orphan/murder of Malcolm, but also the accidental creation of Marcone and the injury/near death to Amanda? What if Cowl is responsible for Amanda’s current condition? Something a Necromancer would be capable of.

“‘It is relevant,’ Lasciel said, ‘because of the circumstances of your birth – because of why you were born, Harry. Your mother found the strength to escape Lord Raith for a reason.’ Page 373 White Night Vitorrio is possessed by an Outsider, according to Lash,proof of whom Cowl is working with.

We know Helen will later try to betray Marcone.

What is Gard doing “on assignment” at this time? Recovering from making a hero bullet?

Helen anticipates and refuses a soul gaze page 240, would it reveal a connection with Cowl? She seems stuck in the moment of Amanda ‘death’


Vittorio was possessed by an Outsider demonstrating Cowl is definitely working with them.

‘It is relevant,’ Lasciel said, ‘because of the circumstances of your birth – because of why you were born, Harry. Your mother found the strength to escape Lord Raith for a reason’

‘There was a complex confluence of events, of energies, of circumstances that would have given a child born under them the potential to wield power over Outsiders.’ Page 373

After which, we were going to have a long talk about my mother and these Outsiders and their relation to the Black Court and exactly what the hell was going on. Page 374 how unHarry like.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Small Favor - what has Marcone done to warrant Titania wanting him dead? Building Sunset Hills?And why have the Denarians ‘rescued’ him from her?

But the Gruffs attack Harry BEFORE he is appointed Emissary. Did the attack force Mab to appoint Harry?

This would be about the time that Marcone hires on Nameless (according to The Law) subject of Winter, Nameless exiled from Court due to suspected involvement in the attack on Arctis Tor. It would create an imbalance between Summer and Winter and Nameless would know this. Was that the reason? Nameless/Cowl uses his connections with the Denarians to rescue/recruit Marcone? Having had Marcone previously thwart his scheme in White Night it’s to either kill of neutralise Marcone by having him subject to a Fallen Angel and because it is Baron Marcone by this point this draws the Archive in, Cowls true target because of the Oblivion War.

[KurtinStGeorge]

White Night “of a man in his mid-thirties, tall and lean and wolfish.” Description of Cowl page 128

The Law ‘A tall, lean man sat behind a desk facing the door of the office. He wore a black suit that matched his coal-black hair, swept straight back from his face, and an emerald-green tie that matched his emerald-green eyes.”description of  The Nameless Son, page 37.

No, reread that page again.  It's a description of Vitto Malvora.  We have no idea what Cowl looks like.
 
One major problem I have with Nameless being very important is he has only appeared in a novella, not in one of the case files.  Many readers of the series will never read The Law or any of the short stories.  I want to see Nameless play an important role in one of the novels before I'll consider that he may be a major player.