« Reply #19 on: November 28, 2012, 12:27:22 AM » A huge theme in this book was that the Sidhe are titanically powerful, and we're all here wondering if some wizard stole something from a being more wise and experienced than /Mab/, who, lets remember, was running the long con this whole book. I find it far more likely that (assuming it's Mother Winter's) the staff was taken through some trickery orchestrated by a full Queen or Mother Summer, most likely the latter because of Summer's role in limiting the power of Winter upon mortals. Probably had more to do with a fae, and probably involved a bumbling wizard who didn't really know much about what was going on. Probably he/she got one of those lovely "rock and a hard place" choice

I think I agree with The Rat Mage here, and I find it very hard to think that the walking staff is the blackstaff, and if it was how on earth has it stayed in the hands of mortals for a thousand years? Kept from the Winter Mother. If Mab is scary manipulative, her mother must even more so.

Personally the first thing I thought about was the eldest Gruff. (I'm not sure if I'm remembering it right. I bought the audiobook, which makes it very hard to go back and find references, also makes it hard to get spellings right, so sorry if I'm making mistakes with that). I mean, I have no clue why or how or anything like that, and it's pure speculation. But he does have a walking staff at the party in the beginning of the book. From our encounters with the Gruffs, they had no need for walking sticks when running around trying to kill Harry a few books back. And I don't see what a few years will do to a fae. So then why have a walking stick? I suppose it could be for show or something. But he was also portrayed with stoles that he had won of the white council, and the rest of his garb was very simple. Though I do wonder if not someone amongst all those fae would recognize it, and that proves that it isn't.
Anyway, just throwing my two cents in.

Maybe this exists somewhere, and I've just been unable to find it. (Newbie that I am to these forums)

I would really like to see a thread dedicated to the physical appearances of the different characters. I've been trying to map out the general features, height and reference photos (based on interviews of Jim Butcher) and having some help fine tooth combing the novels would be great.