Cowl as an alternate dimension Harry could probably be made to check off every box needed though now that I think about it.

I don't particularly like the theory but it could be possible I guess.

Me too; that's also where I stand on Petrovich as Cowl.  Mostly I think Cowl is just Cowl - his identity won't matter as much as how he got the way he is, and how much of his road Harry will eventually have to walk.

For mythological beings in the places we've already been to, it would be nice to see Selkies.

I'm always keen on the Simurgh, but she's a mentor-figure, and it might be a bit late for Harry to have one of those.

And Naga, if India ever plays a part.

Djinn would be interesting, since their mythological background stresses their free will as well as ours.  Maybe they have a benign strain of the Nemesis infection.

Any chance of this thread being stickied?  Its function seems  to deserve it.

Up to you.

Possible, but quite unlikely. Jim himself has said he does his best to foreshadow things, and having Cowl is TAN DAN TAAA *insert name* moment is one of those things that seem likely to happen.

Having "Cowl removed his hood and he was... generic WC member number 199 i'd seen once in a meeting but had never even mentioned on page" just doesn't cut it.

Neither does Petrovich, in that sense.  To reiterate something I've said before:  It tells us the Council was heavily infiltrated, but we knew that; it tells us there's sinisterness in Harry's line of mentorship, but we knew that too, twice over; it implies that whatever agenda is going on with Harry is a bit bigger than just DuMorne's plans, but we knew that too, the only thing Petrovich would add is to potenitally push the time frame back a little.

If the revelation of Cowl's identity is to be a big deal, then I can't see it just filling in the blanks of the past, not being something with implications for the future.

My own theory inasmuch as I have one, is that Cowl is a previous user/victim/ally of a force with which Harry will have to contend, or of which he will have to make use.  A former holder of the Blackstaff, for example, illustrating the risk that comes from it; or another Starborn, illustrating the price of failure or success for Harry.  Or has made a deal with some being Harry will have to make a deal with.

I prefer arguments that can be made in setting, though, and the big one of those for me is that unless Cowl is close to a solo operator, which does not seem to be the case, a place on the Senior Council is too valuable an asset for his faction to give up.

A fomor?

How did he summon an Outsider? (no proof but probable)
How did he know about Bob?
Why is a fan of Goethe?
Why does he uses 'Dorosh' as keyword for his magic?
Who was the traitor in Archangel?
Why Harry says he's human?
Why Lea accepted a gift from an enemy?

Is "Dorosh" a Russian word?  If so, it argues against Petrovch, not for, because wizards have to use words not from their own language.  (Googling it, I've found Russian and Hebrew connections for it).

The others, in order:

Fomor are like fae, yes? In which case, they can produce scions who would presumably face a Choice like changelings do.  Cowl is infected, which we know allows action against a being's nature - by extension, a changeling ought to be able to choose "both" or "both, but one at a time."  That would allow him to do human-only stuff, or seem human.

Can't answer about Bob, but Petrovich would only know if Justin told him - and that is only likely if Petrovich was running Justin, in which case how likely is it that Petrovich would not have taken Bob years ago?

Why not a fan of Goethe?  Do we know Petrovich was a fan of Goethe?

Could still be Petrovich.  Petrovich=Cowl and Petrovich=bad guy on the Black Council or whatever it really is are not synomymous assertions.  Otherwise, could be anyone.

If Cowl had chosen human, Lea might not be able to peg him as a Fomor-scion.


I will say, though, that your OP is the only post I've seen arguing for Petrovich=Cowl that makes it sound even halfway plausible to me.

What if Harry (who knows why) had this skill, took super duper care of his apartment, without the help of brownies, but was otherwise the same bachelor with few emotional ties? What will keep a player from using this to make a Threshold where the setting really wouldn't support a Threshold being valid?

If he did do that, and mean it, his flat's Threshold probably would be stronger than it is now (well, was then, but you know what I mean).  The way I see it, the skill trapping suggests a baseline, but other things - including GM fiat and the number of other people there to appreciate what the homemaker does - would still move it up and down, the latter in Harry's case and the former in Charity's.

Alternatively, you could remove the trapping as a strict mechanical effect and just take it into account as part of the fiat.  Or you could require regular visitors or other residents for that trapping to apply (after all, the OP description is about making the place welcoming).

Lots of important things shouldn't have skills. For example, there's no skill for sworn oaths or for True Love.

Well, no, but those things aren't skills (in the real-world sense) - they don't even imply skills - homemaking is and does.

Generic:
1.  How's the driving divvied up?
2.  How much luggage are you taking?
3.  To which of the other characters do you feel the most resentment.  Why?  (Perhaps best answered in secret).

Andy:
1.  How much does your sports career mean to you as opposed to your parents?
2.  Does physical skill still seem as meaningful now you've seen the supernatural?  Or even more so?

Chris:
[Added to Richard's question 2] OR a way to escape having to make the choice at all by never returning to either of your families?

Dani:
1.  Are you looking forward to interacting with people who don't know your reputation, or do you view it with trepidation.
2.  Does material wealth still seem as meaningful now you've seen the supernatural?

Jamie:
1.  What vision of the vehicle's past have you seen?  (Even if it's new, it has a past).
2.  Which of the rest of the group do you really wish didn't (if they do) or did (if they don't) know about your ability?

Mike:
1.  Are you enthusiastic about this trip, or just going along with it?

Nicky:
1.  Has your previous adventure cemented or challenged your tendency to be a follower?
2.  In what way has your best friend used your feelings unfairly?

Terry:
1.  Has your previous adventure - and the growth of your own power - cemented or challenged your trust in the Sheperd?
2.  Are you half- (or completely-) hoping to run into more supernatural trouble to test your faith against?

It might not have anything to do with the plot, but having an idea of where you're eventually going to end up could help drive the story.  -  admiralducksauce

Or spark a third installment.

But if I give Alfred no combat skills, he isn't going to fight anyway. So why should I get rewarded for making him unable to do what he didn't have the skills to do in the first place?  -  Sanctaphrax

Ok, that makes sense.