Who really killed ... BG spoilers!!!!

[Mira]

Denarian meddling is quite possible.

Yes, or Harry is so ashamed by what he did, he imagines he smells something from the burn.  Notice he doesn't dismiss it, he brings it up again and again, he knows it was a warning, he knows how close he was to going over the cliff.  If the order truly came from evil inside of him, I don't think he'd feel such remorse. 

[Dina]

I see no reason to think that Harry is imagining things. If there is a smell, there is a smell. Specially sulfur, you cannot really confuse it with anything (but rotten eggs, I guess).  I don't know what it means, but I do think Harry's loss of control was truly fueled by the mantle. I mean, of course he was angry and seeing red by himself, but I think that without the mantle he wouldn't have actually attacked the Knights (except for a pushing or something like that). His anger at them was the mantle furious because they were denying it its prey.
Back to the smell, of course it hints infernal. Denarian, Lucifer agent, whatever, but I think the simplest explanation is that the evil in Harry became so bad that the angel of the sword considered it demoniac. And it produced the smell.

Rereading PT, I've noticed than when Butters touches Fidelacchius blade he feels  "a little warm", while when Harry does the same he feels "unconmfortably warm but bearable". I guess that is because Harry is more in the darker path than Butters. When he is in full rage mode, the sword actually burned him hard. It is just interesting, like a detector of evilness.

[Mira]

I see no reason to think that Harry is imagining things. If there is a smell, there is a smell. Specially sulfur, you cannot really confuse it with anything (but rotten eggs, I guess).  I don't know what it means, but I do think Harry's loss of control was truly fueled by the mantle. I mean, of course he was angry and seeing red by himself, but I think that without the mantle he wouldn't have actually attacked the Knights (except for a pushing or something like that). His anger at them was the mantle furious because they were denying it its prey.
Back to the smell, of course it hints infernal. Denarian, Lucifer agent, whatever, but I think the simplest explanation is that the evil in Harry became so bad that the angel of the sword considered it demoniac. And it produced the smell.

Rereading PT, I've noticed than when Butters touches Fidelacchius blade he feels  "a little warm", while when Harry does the same he feels "unconmfortably warm but bearable". I guess that is because Harry is more in the darker path than Butters. When he is in full rage mode, the sword actually burned him hard. It is just interesting, like a detector of evilness.

Yes, Butters has lived a purer life than Harry has, but if the Sword really thought Harry was evil, it would have simply cut his hand off at the wrist, end of story.  It didn't, it burned him and it instantly stopped him in mid-rage, guess it took an angel to do that.  What is weird about what he smells or thinks he smells is the word, somehow, that says Harry isn't sure.  As you said, one should smell it or not, not think that it is "somehow laced" with sulfur and brimstone.  He was seeing himself through Rudolph's eyes, the sulfur and brimstone, would be something that Rudolph could easily imagine about Harry.  Not saying it is, just throwing it out there.  The burn also begins just above his shield bracelet..  I also agree the mantle magnified Harry's rage, that is why he beat up Sanya and Butters to try to get to Rudolph.  Butters put it in perspective, they need Harry, "the good man."  Not the killer of Rudolph.

[Dina]

I agree, and yes, the "somehow" is weird.

[morriswalters]

some·how  (sŭm′hou′)
adv.
In a way not specified, understood, or known.

Most people would parse it as saying "I smell it among other smells but don't understand how it got there.".  His imagination could be the source since it isn't specified, but it just moves the question downstream.  Why would he imagine it?

[whitelaughter]

Rudolph is the anti Butters.

This.

[Mira]

Most people would parse it as saying "I smell it among other smells but don't understand how it got there.".  His imagination could be the source since it isn't specified, but it just moves the question downstream.  Why would he imagine it?

Sense of guilt and shame, not just for trying to kill Rudolph, but for hurting his friends who were trying to stop him.  Harry knows how close he came to doing evil just then, he also has experience with one of the Fallen, he had her shadow dancing in his head for a couple of years or so.. His staff used to glow with Hell Fire, the odor would remind him of that, it would reinforce the very real warning the burn from the Sword gave him.  "Do you really want to go down this road again?" From Harry's reaction, the answer is, no, he does not.

[The_Sibelis]

What I mean is, Murphy was killed because of White Council interference.. like she was one of the Merlin's 3 plans or something.they are actively looking for a good reason to throw Harry out, violating the first law. the turtle necks was a lame excuse.. they wanted him to murder Rudolph so they could have an iron clad case against him..

[Mira]

What I mean is, Murphy was killed because of White Council interference.. like she was one of the Merlin's 3 plans or something.they are actively looking for a good reason to throw Harry out, violating the first law. the turtle necks was a lame excuse.. they wanted him to murder Rudolph so they could have an iron clad case against him..

I doubt that there is a conspiracy, there are lots of reasons to believe there has to be one. But in the end I think it comes down to a paranoid subpar detective with a loose trigger finger. 

[The_Sibelis]

I doubt that there is a conspiracy, there are lots of reasons to believe there has to be one. But in the end I think it comes down to a paranoid subpar detective with a loose trigger finger.

Nobody looks at their gun and says Wtf!? From a misfire, unless they didn't pull the trigger and they know it.

[TheCuriousFan]

Nobody looks at their gun and says Wtf!? From a misfire, unless they didn't pull the trigger and they know it.

You do when you weren't intending to fire and got caught out by a combo of shitty trigger discipline and panic.

[Arjan]

You do when you weren't intending to fire and got caught out by a combo of shitty trigger discipline and panic.

Theoretically it could an invisible Namshiel with host messing things up. Of course Ockham would say that was not necessary with Rudolph's trigger discipline but brimstone.

[TheCuriousFan]

Theoretically it could an invisible Namshiel with host messing things up. Of course Ockham would say that was not necessary with Rudolph's trigger discipline but brimstone.

Honestly I figure that Harry flipping to a completely destructive mindset and getting hellfire oozing out his staff instead of soulfire is more likely than Marcone ditching his force to track down Harry and subtly fuck him over via Rudolph.

[Arjan]

Honestly I figure that Harry flipping to a completely destructive mindset and getting hellfire oozing out his staff instead of soulfire is more likely than Marcone ditching his force to track down Harry and subtly fuck him over via Rudolph.

But that contradicts the Harry is the centre of the universe theory!

Ok Lasciel. She likes messing with Harry's instincts and she has not given up yet. If the genoskwa is running around she can have a new host as well.

[Mira]

Honestly I figure that Harry flipping to a completely destructive mindset and getting hellfire oozing out his staff instead of soulfire is more likely than Marcone ditching his force to track down Harry and subtly fuck him over via Rudolph.

Yeah, lets face it, everyone, EVERYONE, was busy repelling the Fomor attack and the Titan, including the Denarians, well, Namshiel..  It was a real "enemy of my enemy is my friend" shit fest.  So no, I don't see a conspiracy, unless, given what HWWBeside said, and the fact that Justine is mortal and got infested, possible Rudolph is also.  This could be why he has been such an asshole over the years towards Murphy and Harry.  Now he may have been an asshole to begin with, which was the opening they needed.  This would be a good reason why his paranoia/insanity towards them cranked up from 7 to 11 on an 8 point scale, just before the Peace Talks and the attack.. It also would explain why Bradley was at a loss as to why as A.I. was investigating civilians and not homicide if that was what they were looking into. That was distraction number one. Killing Murphy would be one more distraction to put Harry off his game so the Outsiders could gain access to Demonreach and it's inmates.

While we are at it and talking distractions, someone at Senior Council level is infested, revisiting kicking Harry off the Council was yet another distraction... Since that member succeeded, it says the distractions are going to keep on coming.

But that contradicts the Harry is the centre of the universe theory!

Harry isn't the center of the universe, however he is the Warden of Demonreach and his control has allowed Alfred to do his duties as the keeper of the inmates and defense of the island in a way that he couldn't before, without a custodian.  Nemesis wants access to that island very badly for obvious reasons, so for that reason, Harry has a huge bullseye on his skinny behind.