The White Council is kind of a Joke.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

My guess is the true origin of the Blackstaff is passed down from Blackstaff to Blackstaff, the current Merlin may not know what it actually is, and its true origin. Ordering Eb to pass it to his lackey means that Eb is unlikely to tell him squat.

[Melriken]

My guess is the true origin of the Blackstaff is passed down from Blackstaff to Blackstaff, the current Merlin may not know what it actually is, and its true origin. Ordering Eb to pass it to his lackey means that Eb is unlikely to tell him squat.

WoJ is that the Blackstaff chooses his own successor...

I don't think the Gatekeeper, Warden, or Blackstaff are offices of the Council, I think they are offices that when held are usually held by members of the Council.  The Merlin and the Sr Council are the only offices of the Council. (well Peabody's and other administrative offices exist... as does the Commander of the wardens (little w))

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The Merlin is unlikely to respect precedent in his hatred of Eb (and Harry) if Eb won’t deal with Harry then he will seek to strip Eb of his position on the Council and the Blackstaff. That too may break the deal for the use of the Blackstaff.

[g33k]

WoJ is that the Blackstaff chooses his own successor... 

Can you find the cite for that, please?  I've seen it before, several times, so I believe you.
Thing is, the citation that I know about says something else:

Would you tell us how a person gets choosen to be The Blackstaff of the White Council?
Heh. He picks up the Blackstaff with full knowledge of what he’s in for if he does. If you can find someone crazy enough to do that, and reliable enough to be trusted with it, he gets the job.

_{-- https://wordof.jim-butcher.com/index.php/word-of-jim-woj-compilation/woj-on-harrys-mortal-allies/}

I don't think the Gatekeeper, Warden, or Blackstaff are offices of the Council, I think they are offices that when held are usually held by members of the Council.  The Merlin and the Sr Council are the only offices of the Council. (well Peabody's and other administrative offices exist... as does the Commander of the wardens (little w))

I don't think we have WoJ on this, but I agree with you.
"Blackstaff" is an unofficial title, an acknowledgement of how-things-are.  Ditto "Gatekeeper."

I'm not even sure they're aware of "whoever is linked to Demonreach" actually being a "Warden," to be honest.  I think it would Freak Them the F'k Out to learn that there is a Warden (with a cap-W), and that Harry Dresden is it:  there being a Warden rather implies that such a person is in charge of their (small-w) wardens (since both the Well/prison and the White Council itself are the OG Merlin's work...) .

[The_Sibelis]

The snippet from Eb's diary implies he knows the "original purpose" of the island. Tho what he'd actually say that is is debatable. Could be he knows more than us the reader, or less. Although we know it's function, do we really know why it was built/necessary to begin with?

[g33k]

The snippet from Eb's diary implies he knows the "original purpose" of the island. Tho what he'd actually say that is is debatable. Could be he knows more than us the reader, or less. Although we know it's function, do we really know why it was built/necessary to begin with?

I suspect -- since those books apparently go all the way back to the writings of the OG Merlin himself -- that Eb (if any mortal wizard) has the best notion of what the OG Merlin's plans and intentions were.

[g33k]

The Merlin is unlikely to respect precedent in his hatred of Eb (and Harry) if Eb won’t deal with Harry then he will seek to strip Eb of his position on the Council and the Blackstaff. That too may break the deal for the use of the Blackstaff.

I'm not sure there is a "deal" as-such.  WoJ says:

Q:  Can you tell us a little more about the black staff?
A:   The staff keeps Eb from going crazy, mostly.  Also, the White Council stole it from someone.  And they really want it back.

I doubt even Eb could hold the staff by main force (nor obscure trickery) if Mother Winter herself came to take it from him.  So if (per WoJ) she "really wants it back," there's some reason she hasn't got it.

The WC's possession of the Blackstaff may be due to them fulfilling a certain suite of conditions such that the Fae (who are very rules-bound) aren't allowed to reclaim it.

Maybe they somehow "tricked" the fae into a bargain (got granted some relatively-unlimited boon & expected it to be "make me immortal" or "restore my family to its rightful role & properties" or what-have-you; but claimed the Blackstaff instead, "stealing" it that way... and now the Fae are bound by that bargain).

But given WoJ that they "stole" it, there can't be a "deal" for the Blackstaff.

Unless of course Jim changed his mind!

[Melriken]

Can you find the cite for that, please?  I've seen it before, several times, so I believe you.
Thing is, the citation that I know about says something else:_{-- https://wordof.jim-butcher.com/index.php/word-of-jim-woj-compilation/woj-on-harrys-mortal-allies/}

"Eb took up the Blackstaff in 1884-1885 somewhere in there.” And “The Blackstaff chooses his successor." - Jim 2016 DF Reddit podcast Q&A

https://youtu.be/4Gmu76ritoQ?t=2959

It is also the last Eb blurb on the link you provided.

[Melriken]

I don't think we have WoJ on this, but I agree with you.
"Blackstaff" is an unofficial title, an acknowledgement of how-things-are.  Ditto "Gatekeeper."

I'm not even sure they're aware of "whoever is linked to Demonreach" actually being a "Warden," to be honest.  I think it would Freak Them the F'k Out to learn that there is a Warden (with a cap-W), and that Harry Dresden is it.

No, no WoJ on that, hence all the ‘I think’s, speaking of… I think they know, and I think they are freaked out… why else kick Harry out of the club?

Kemmler was Warden, then another, then Harry… the post hasn’t been empty for that long… I think they know and I think it scares them… I would guess that part of what made Kemmler was demonreach… I think he probably listened to too many of the inmates… and took some advice and knowledge… I think they are afraid that Harry is on the same path.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

My theory was that Aleron Fortier was the Warden before Harry, and that his murder by Peabody was a premeditated move to sever the connection with Demonreach so that Peabody could assume the link and control of Demonreach.

He was obviously working to a particular end and may have been feeling out who was the secret Warden on the Senior Council, only making his move when he was sure. Unfortunately before he could get to the island, Harry had assumed the link blocking any attempt by Peabody to assume it himself. When he arrived with Maeve (via a Never Never link in Winter) he may have hurriedly tried the ritual only to almost immediately be blocked. That is a motive for Peabody both arranging the death of Fortier and in going to the island.

This why Jim won’t reveal the identity of the previous Warden, it is someone we have met and is therefore significant to the narrative,  but is dead by the events of Turn Coat. Of the Wizards we have met who have died that is just DuMorne and Fortier, and the timing is much better for Fortier.

[The_Sibelis]

🤔 I thought the island has sat dormant since kemmler was the warden? I remember woj they were trying to kill him the last time before he could make it back to the island, presumably to do a darkhallow I think. I'd think Justin would be the obvious choice if there'd been one in-between tho. Then they'd have pretty good reason to fear the 3rd in line warden.

[g33k]

My theory was that Aleron Fortier was the Warden before Harry, and that his murder by Peabody was a premeditated move to sever the connection with Demonreach so that Peabody could assume the link and control of Demonreach.

He was obviously working to a particular end and may have been feeling out who was the secret Warden on the Senior Council, only making his move when he was sure. Unfortunately before he could get to the island, Harry had assumed the link blocking any attempt by Peabody to assume it himself. When he arrived with Maeve (via a Never Never link in Winter) he may have hurriedly tried the ritual only to almost immediately be blocked. That is a motive for Peabody both arranging the death of Fortier and in going to the island.

This why Jim won’t reveal the identity of the previous Warden, it is someone we have met and is therefore significant to the narrative,  but is dead by the events of Turn Coat. Of the Wizards we have met who have died that is just DuMorne and Fortier, and the timing is much better for Fortier. 

That's an intriguing theory.  At a guess, all of the SC wizards would be capable of performing the ritual.  We know nothing at all, that I recall, about LaFortier's magical talents or strengths (other than "strong enough to get a SC seat"); nor his personality or preferences.  Would he want to be The Warden?  Would he even be willing?  We dunno.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The Senior Council wanted someone strong enough to master Demonreach in the ritual, but with no real interest in being Warden, not after Kemmler Fortier would have been a perfect absentee warden.

[Melriken]

My theory was that Aleron Fortier was the Warden before Harry, and that his murder by Peabody was a premeditated move to sever the connection with Demonreach so that Peabody could assume the link and control of Demonreach.

Interesting, it would mean it is possible for Christos to NOT be black council… the default assumption being that Fortier was killed to free his spot for the black…

Obviously it could be two birds and they wanted both. But interesting theory… I like it.

[g33k]

The Senior Council wanted someone strong enough to master Demonreach in the ritual, but with no real interest in being Warden, not after Kemmler Fortier would have been a perfect absentee warden.

AFAIK, we have almost no info about him.
Nothing to judge "no real interest in being Warden," yea or nay.