The White Council is kind of a Joke.

[vincentric]

Remember -- the WC was losing the Rampire War.

They had lost so many Wardens & other combat-wizards, they were training up kids as combatants.  That is a desperation move, right there.

Then the Ramp's pushed Harry Dresden too far, and it cost them everything.

All of the powerful wizards have a few "OMG" tricks up their sleeves... the Blackstaff showed up with a private army of Kenku, fer cryin' out loud!  Not to mention Mother Winter's Walking Stick...

But Dresden arrived with *ALL*THREE*SWORDS*OF*THE*CROSS* .  Remember, just *one* Knight with *one* Sword was able to take out a (capital-D) Dragon.

If the Ramp's had just kept up their same campaign, they very-likely would have won; or if not an outright victory, done sufficient damage that other predators would have moved-in and taken their own bites.

And now that the Reds are gone, what remaining faction has the power and the desire to take out the White Council?

The Formor would have the best shot but they are limited by being a mostly water-bound nation. Also, after BG, everyone is at war with them so the Council won't stand alone.

The White Court doesn't do open confrontation and don't really have a need. Nothing they do violates the Laws of Magic.

The Blacks don't really have the power. Drakul can take any one of the Senior Council but any two would be a real fight and three or more might take him. They lack the numbers and they are too vulnerable during the day.

Mab is alternately amused and annoyed by the Council but she sees them as useful tools for her real job. Ditto Titania.

Who else is there? The Denarians are too few plus the KotC will join that fight, the Ghouls lack the numbers and the power, Vadderung is an ally, the Svartalves aren't aggressive, the Jades have never made an appearance and Ferrovax isn't concerned about the world on that level.

The Council is fading fast but they're still a force to be reckoned with. Think of them as the equivalent of Great Britain in the real world. The US and China can take them, and maybe the USSR also but no other country wants to face them even though they're a far cry from the glory days of the British Empire.

[The_Sibelis]

Somewhat I think they are respected, of at least tolerated as a necessary function of reality by most of the supernatural "good guys"( really just the people in the know). Not because of whom they are but of the enormous power they potentially have. Active creation. A necessary component of reality given intentionally in my mind to the weakest denominator available. It's a power that can bring outsiders in, give existence to things that don't. It's sussed out in SK mortal magic would give winter a huge power advantage, an element they don't have, imagine what a Walker could do with that.

[Melriken]

Remember -- the WC was losing the Rampire War.

They had lost so many Wardens & other combat-wizards, they were training up kids as combatants.  That is a desperation move, right there.

Then the Ramp's pushed Harry Dresden too far, and it cost them everything.

All of the powerful wizards have a few "OMG" tricks up their sleeves... the Blackstaff showed up with a private army of Kenku, fer cryin' out loud!  Not to mention Mother Winter's Walking Stick...

But Dresden arrived with *ALL*THREE*SWORDS*OF*THE*CROSS* .  Remember, just *one* Knight with *one* Sword was able to take out a (capital-D) Dragon.

If the Ramp's had just kept up their same campaign, they very-likely would have won; or if not an outright victory, done sufficient damage that other predators would have moved-in and taken their own bites.

Yes exactly... the organization is trying to collapse and the absurd power level of some of it's individual members just says "No." so it doesn't... for now...

Harry with the Swords and Eb with the Kenku or a defunct Soviet satellite are three great examples.

[gog]

I'd also see the power level of some items in the Councils hands would keep others away from pushing them over the edge. At least with Eb holding the Blackstaff everyone (who needs to) knows where it is, same most likely with a few other item's in vaults in Edinburgh.

[g33k]

I'd also see the power level of some items in the Councils hands would keep others away from pushing them over the edge. At least with Eb holding the Blackstaff everyone (who needs to) knows where it is, same most likely with a few other item's in vaults in Edinburgh.

And now "items in Harry's hands."

Most of the supernaturals realize Harry has the Eye of Balor.  It makes many of them nervous... but preferring not to challenge Harry directly.  Not the least, I think, because of worry where else the Eye might wind up, in the general chaos & confusion of a big fight.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The Blackstaff is an item of power from Winter, I doubt it can be used on the Winter Knight, without Mother Winter taking it back.

As regards the most powerful items historically associated with the White Council, Excalibur and the Holy Grail, they are in Harry and Nicks hands. Indeed no-one seems ready to trust the White Council with any important artifact, preferring Hades to hold them.

[Melriken]

The Blackstaff is an item of power from Winter, I doubt it can be used on the Winter Knight, without Mother Winter taking it back.

I don't think she can just magically take it back... (she can't summon it like a Denarian can summon their coin)

Also the Black Staff isn't a weapon that you can 'use on the Winter Knight' it is more like a filter or shield that protects you from the taint (for lack of a better word) of the Black Magic you use, Eb can do all the same spells with or without the staff, it just corrupts him if he does it without the staff.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

My guess it was a bargain with Mother Winter before even Eb’s time and whilst Eb wouldn’t use the Blackstaff on Harry, some less clued in wielder of the Blackstaff will probably do so should the Merlin seek to appoint a new Blackstaff who would try to use it against the Winter Knight, in such circumstance the bargain would be broken and the Blackstaff would go to the nearest agent of Winter, Harry.

[Melriken]

My guess it was a bargain with Mother Winter before even Eb’s time

The problem with theories based on theories... is that they make for weak support, especially as they get farther out.

"It is her way," Mother Summer said, smiling. "She rarely leaves our cottage anymore. She lost her walking stick ... But it is terribly painful for her to travel, even briefly..."

Not a Bargain, possibly a bet. We are meant to believe a theft or it was misplaced.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Not really, Winter is in cahoots with elements of the White Council the Gatekeeper is proof of that.

We have been given clues that the Blackstaff is Mother Winters missing walking stick, most recently in Battle Ground Eb’s shadow in wielding it is that of a Crone.

Mother Winter is an Intellectus, she knows exactly where her walking stick is at all times. Therefore Eb holds it with at least her tacit consent, which she can withdraw at any time.

In The Law Mab steps in when there is an attack on the company car, she sees it as an embarrassment, an attack upon her Knight with the Blackstaff would be seen in the same vein by Mother Winter.

Harry as the Winter Knight is specifically  Mab’s agent in the mortal world, but he is also Mother Winters.

Eb in attacking Harry didn’t use the Blackstaff.
 

[The_Sibelis]

The thing is woj says it was stolen which I find to be a key word considering how fae like Jim will be with his answers. And that MW would really like it back.
🤔 Though I'm thinking the Black staff is actually more MW's agent than than the WK. It's a pretty big piece of whom she is on some levels and clearly has a will and form of its own. The biggest difference between mantle and staff here is the presumed placement of the mantle itself, but the effects and descriptions of function remain similar enough even as the precise abilities differ.

[Melriken]

Not really, Winter is in cahoots with elements of the White Council the Gatekeeper is proof of that.

We have been given clues that the Blackstaff is Mother Winters missing walking stick, most recently in Battle Ground Eb’s shadow in wielding it is that of a Crone.

Mother Winter is an Intellectus, she knows exactly where her walking stick is at all times. Therefore Eb holds it with at least her tacit consent, which she can withdraw at any time.

In The Law Mab steps in when there is an attack on the company car, she sees it as an embarrassment, an attack upon her Knight with the Blackstaff would be seen in the same vein by Mother Winter.

Harry as the Winter Knight is specifically  Mab’s agent in the mortal world, but he is also Mother Winters.

Eb in attacking Harry didn’t use the Blackstaff.

A: The Blackstaff isn't a weapon, it protects you from the taint of Black Magic you don't use it against someone.
2nd: it is as likely as anything else that Mother Winter lost the black staff in a bet with say Uriel, and he gave it to the Black Council and MW can't take it back without upsetting him and or going back on her given word... this might be an agreement with the original Merlin or someone else.
Finally my point was that Mother Summer said "LOST", she can't lie, so lost in a bet, misplaced, something like that, but she can't have loaned it to the WC for example.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I never said that it was a weapon, but Eb was trying to kill Harry, exactly what the Blackstaff protects against. It allows the user to kill using magic without the consequences such an act normally entails. Eb could have easily summoned the Blackstaff to show how serious he was.

[Tinfoil hat]

OG Merlin either stole it or won it in a bet the same way Harry in Cold Days won the Wild hunt in. Power cant be given, in freely. MW is among the most powerful beings in the universe. Noone steals from her with out her consent. Similar to how Harry and co stole from Hades

[Mira]

OG Merlin either stole it or won it in a bet the same way Harry in Cold Days won the Wild hunt in. Power cant be given, in freely. MW is among the most powerful beings in the universe. Noone steals from her with out her consent. Similar to how Harry and co stole from Hades

 Except Harry didn't steal from Hades, he passed the test that Hades had set up and gained the Artifacts as a result.  The test being if you weren't clever enough and strong enough to get into the vault to get them, you weren't either clever enough or strong enough to wield them.