Something Occured to Me as to Why the Senior Council is so Afraid of Harry

[vincentric]

Eb called in an army in Changes.

Eb called in a favor in Changes. He mentioned that the Tenghu owed him and that they had a grudge against the Red Court.

[Bad Alias]

  In Battle Ground Harry was able to do something the most powerful wizards on the planet cannot  do. Raise a loyal army.

@vincentric: The favor he called in was an army. So Eb literally raised a loyal army. They fought and died for him. As far as we know, they had no interest in Chichen Itza.

I wouldn't call that an army.

They showed up by the hundreds. Don't call it an army if you like, but many wouldn't call a bunch of pixies an army either.

they didn't show out of loyalty to Eb.

Neither did the pixies. They showed up to protect pizza. Toot seemed a little nonplussed about Harry being in danger. The Kenku were just as loyal to Eb as the fairies are to Harry. It's all about debt and obligation. As soon as Harry owes them more than they owe him, the loyalty will be gone.

[KurtinStGeorge]

@vincentric: The favor he called in was an army. So Eb literally raised a loyal army. They fought and died for him. As far as we know, they had no interest in Chichen Itza.
They showed up by the hundreds. Don't call it an army if you like, but many wouldn't call a bunch of pixies an army either.
Neither did the pixies. They showed up to protect pizza. Toot seemed a little nonplussed about Harry being in danger. The Kenku were just as loyal to Eb as the fairies are to Harry. It's all about debt and obligation. As soon as Harry owes them more than they owe him, the loyalty will be gone.

As I see it, the primary difference is that Eb had to call in a favor.  That means it was a one and done affair.  Harry can call in the his personal guard any time he needs them and all of the little folk with the proper motivation.  Ebenezer, or any of the other members of the Senior Council can only gather a supernatural army from outside the White Council by cashing in a large favor they may be owed.  My guess is, collecting that level of obligation from a major power is probably a pretty rare event. 

[vincentric]

That's my take as well.

[Arjan]

The little folk could also be used as assassins. Maybe not that easily and Harry would not really think about it under normal circumstances but evil monster and destroyer Harry could use them with devastating results.

The council might be a bit afraid of Harry but they are more concerned with what Harry can become than what he already is.

I would say that Harry as winter knight will be less dangerous because Mab will control him a bit but most of the council have no idea so it will make them more afraid.

[Mira]

Neither did the pixies. They showed up to protect pizza. Toot seemed a little nonplussed about Harry being in danger. The Kenku were just as loyal to Eb as the fairies are to Harry. It's all about debt and obligation. As soon as Harry owes them more than they owe him, the loyalty will be gone.

It is more than just the pizza, Toot made that clear, when Harry freed his brothers and sisters from the White Court captivity, he gained their loyalty for all time.  Not sure what will happen though if he does marry Lara, there might not be enough pizza to make up for that.

They showed up by the hundreds. Don't call it an army if you like, but many wouldn't call a bunch of pixies an army either.

Nope, there were twelve of them, the Grey Council, yeah maybe as powerful as hundreds, but still only twelve.

[ClintACK]

The little folk could also be used as assassins. Maybe not that easily and Harry would not really think about it under normal circumstances but evil monster and destroyer Harry could use them with devastating results.

And Harry *has* used them as assassins -- while the Senior Council was watching and judging his actions -- way back in Summer Knight. Harry used maybe a few dozen little folk to kill a demigod-level fairy queen. And now he's got hundreds of thousands of them swarming and neutralizing a powerful fomor weapon.

Yep. Genuinely terrifying.

@Mira -- the "army" was the Kenku.

[morriswalters]

It makes no difference how many armies he had or didn't have. Someone has been using the WC to try and kill him since Storm Front. They try in Summer Knight. In Dead Beat Luccio uses this threat to coerce his acceptance of the Cloak.  Proven Guilty is all about using the WC  to kill him. Rashid spells it out in Turn Coat.  And Jim has pushed the idea, hard. Assuming I actually live long enough to see the reveal it wouldn't surprise me if Cowl was the Merlin.

[K.L.O.E.]

It is more than just the pizza, Toot made that clear, when Harry freed his brothers and sisters from the White Court captivity, he gained their loyalty for all time.  Not sure what will happen though if he does marry Lara, there might not be enough pizza to make up for that.
Nope, there were twelve of them, the Grey Council, yeah maybe as powerful as hundreds, but still only twelve.

We also see Molly refer to them as Dresden's "Royal Guard" in the new microfiction. Add in how Toot-Toot grows every time he answers Harry's call and we can be pretty certain that a large number of the Little People are now Harry's vassals. This does raise the question if Harry can ascend to being the God of Pizza and be made a God that way? (If we consider the Erlking the current God of the Hunting Fae, I'm assuming there was a Herne or something before him).

[Bad Alias]

As I see it, the primary difference is that Eb had to call in a favor.

I think another big difference is what the armies are capable of.

It is more than just the pizza, Toot made that clear, when Harry freed his brothers and sisters from the White Court captivity, he gained their loyalty for all time.

Emphasis added. Where are you getting that?

@Mira -- the "army" was the Kenku.

Yep.

[Paviel]

The only other wizard I can think of that had/has disciples/followers on that level, was Kemmler.

I'm pretty sure that the White Christ (as Mab called him in Changes) had disciples/followers on that level too.

[Mira]

Where are you getting that?

Turn Coat pages287-288

I waved a hand.  "The Guard's pay won't change.  I'll order extra to pay for the new guy's service.  Call them the Za-Lord's Militia.  We only need them sometimes.  How many do you think would agree to that?
Toot buzzed in an excited circle.  "For you? Every sprite and pixie and dewdrop faerie within a hundred miles knows that you saved our kind from being imprisoned by the Cold Eyes!  There's not one who didn't have comrade or kin languishing in durance vile!" 

Then Harry made Toot his major recruiter for the Militia and gave him his rank of Major-General Minimus, commander of the Za-Lord's Elite.

[TheCuriousFan]

Turn Coat pages287-288

Then Harry made Toot his major recruiter for the Militia and gave him his rank of Major-General Minimus, commander of the Za-Lord's Elite.

That's Harry doing them a favour, not Harry earning eternal loyalty.

[Dina]

I'm pretty sure that the White Christ (as Mab called him in Changes) had disciples/followers on that level too.

Not a wizard though.

[Arjan]

Not a wizard though.

Only dead for three days. Harry.....