Who summoned the Cornerhounds?

[Kindler]

I reread (well, re-listened, actually) Peace Talks and Battle Ground recently, and I don't think it's ever explained where they came from. A mortal had to summon them, right?
Except they're the Dresden Files iteration of the Hounds of Tindalos, which are creatures that find and hunt you when you mess with the fabric of time.
So, questions:
1. If they were summoned, who summoned them? Again, it needs to be a mortal practitioner. Could it have been Justine? My understanding is that magic was necessary to summon an Outsider, and Justine isn't magically talented. Justine is the obvious answer, particularly because they were attacked right as Harry left. But Justine needs Harry to take her to the Island, so why risk that he'd be torn to pieces?
2. Was there time travel during the events of Peace Talks and Battle Ground? I find it intriguing that it was specifically Cornerhounds who were summoned. Why those particular types of Outsiders rather than any of the others we've seen? They weren't especially effective at attacking Eb and Harry. Were they intended to fail, or were they following their instincts to attack time travelers?

Like I said, it's entirely possible the answer is simple "Justine, duh," but I think there's some room for debate here. Anyone have any thoughts?

[The_Sibelis]

I'm a firm believer it was EB himself. In the 'events in history with energy behind them' category of repetition I think what happened in Harry vs Ebs fight was unavoidable. The primary thing the corner hounds appearance did was interrupt their growing tension, this literally pushed the fight back farther to when Harry had prepped for it. I think Eb killed him and turned around and sent the corner hounds back to interrupt the event. He's the blackstaff, he can break any of the laws on a whim.

[Second Aristh]

I think the cornerhounds are a clue that future!Harry is doing something in the background of PT.    Future!Harry can catch a breather in the time travel book by confusing the cornerhounds into going after his younger self.  Since it already happened, it's a relatively safe option.  Basically the time travel equivalent of the classic heat seeking missile ploy. 

[groinkick]

Have to add Marcone to the list.  As a mortal wizard, he could do it, and the previous host launched an attack on Winter.

[Mira]

  I think we have to look at motive here.  What was the timing of it and the reason behind it?  I don't think it was a coincidence that the attack came very close to Harry's visit to Justine.  Nemesis knows if anyone can figure it out, it would be Harry, the Cornerhound attack was pure diversion.  I am not sure that the Cornerhounds had to be summoned in the conventional way since there were already an Outsider present in Justine.

[groinkick]

  I think we have to look at motive here.  What was the timing of it and the reason behind it?  I don't think it was a coincidence that the attack came very close to Harry's visit to Justine.  Nemesis knows if anyone can figure it out, it would be Harry, the Cornerhound attack was pure diversion.  I am not sure that the Cornerhounds had to be summoned in the conventional way since there were already an Outsider present in Justine.

Well if it was Justine I think it's because she wanted Harry out of the way, and saw him as a problem.  Didn't want him at the talks, and didn't want him blowing her cover.  The Corner Hounds were a way of removing Dresden without exposing herself.

It may have been Marcone, who wanted Harry eliminated.

Carlos who was also in town could be another Nemfected individual.  The way he acts does make me think someone is turning him against Dresden.  Nemesis, Merlin, or someone else.

I don't think it was Eb because he came damn close to dying himself.

I think the most obvious choice is Justine, and it would become obvious once it was shown she was possessed by a Walker.  That being said it could have been someone else, and that would be a pretty interesting mystery.

What we need is someone to ask Jim.  He either says Justine, or "I'm not gonna tell you".

[Mira]

Well if it was Justine I think it's because she wanted Harry out of the way, and saw him as a problem.  Didn't want him at the talks, and didn't want him blowing her cover.  The Corner Hounds were a way of removing Dresden without exposing herself.

Bingo

It may have been Marcone, who wanted Harry eliminated.

Motive? The attack happens right after Harry's visit to Justine.  Some things about his interview with her seemed off, but before he can absorb any of that he is attacked by Cornerhounds.  Yeah, most of the time Marcone would like to eliminate Harry, but at the same time he is a member in good standing in the Accords, and I doubt he would risk if word got back to her about the attack of offending Mab.  No, I doubt it was Marcone.

Carlos who was also in town could be another Nemfected individual.  The way he acts does make me think someone is turning him against Dresden.  Nemesis, Merlin, or someone else.

Again possible, and he could be infected but at the same time, since he and his Wardens were
putting Harry under the microscope, he could have easily come up with a "justified Warden" killing of Harry and except for his small circle of allies on the Senior Council, it wouldn't be questioned.  Also timing, Carlos had no clue about Justine.

What we need is someone to ask Jim.  He either says Justine, or "I'm not gonna tell you".

He may not say just so he can keep his options open..   

[Second Aristh]

Surely there is some kind of limitation for Nemfected mortals from summoning Outsiders.  Otherwise, Nemesis's strategy doesn't make sense. It could hole up somewhere and summon an army right around the Outer Gates.  I don't think Justine is a likely candidate for summoning the cornerhounds to our reality.

[Mira]

Surely there is some kind of limitation for Nemfected mortals from summoning Outsiders.  Otherwise, Nemesis's strategy doesn't make sense. It could hole up somewhere and summon an army right around the Outer Gates.  I don't think Justine is a likely candidate for summoning the cornerhounds to our reality.

Why does there have to be?  Nemesis infects with a strategy in mind, who it sends knows this.  HWWB is a good soldier, I doubt he'd go rouge and allow his mortal host to summon up Cornerhounds "just because.."  Also note that their mission appeared to be specific, get Harry and along with him Eb if they could.. When they failed they went back to where ever.  Justine called them up for a purpose, to distract and stop Harry..  Harry even says it would take a mortal in the area to call them up if I remember correctly.  If I did remember that correctly, that was a neon sign, screaming, "CLUE!"  It's Justine.  Unless it was the doorman, that is still possible.

[The_Sibelis]

The limitation is freedom, mortals have to intentionally make a choice, even if it's a subconscious one. When she subverts them, they don't have much agency to do so. Pertshe could con one into it, but make someone do it? I doubt. It'd lack the mortal flavor.

[morriswalters]

I think the cornerhounds are a clue that future!Harry is doing something in the background of PT.    Future!Harry can catch a breather in the time travel book by confusing the cornerhounds into going after his younger self.  Since it already happened, it's a relatively safe option.  Basically the time travel equivalent of the classic heat seeking missile ploy.

Given the what they are and what they do I would back this with odds. Possible bonus points if this foreshadows Mirror Mirror Harry doing what we've been told he does.  Which might mean that he led the Corner Hounds to this location in an attempt to feed Harry Prime to them as a substitute for himself.

[Second Aristh]

Why does there have to be?  Nemesis infects with a strategy in mind, who it sends knows this.  HWWB is a good soldier, I doubt he'd go rouge and allow his mortal host to summon up Cornerhounds "just because.."  Also note that their mission appeared to be specific, get Harry and along with him Eb if they could.. When they failed they went back to where ever.  Justine called them up for a purpose, to distract and stop Harry..  Harry even says it would take a mortal in the area to call them up if I remember correctly.  If I did remember that correctly, that was a neon sign, screaming, "CLUE!"  It's Justine.  Unless it was the doorman, that is still possible.

The goal of the Outsiders is to end reality, and the Outer Gates defend reality.  Only mortals can summon Outsiders (so they get a free pass to skip the Gates).  In the situation where Nemesis can use a mortal host to summon outsiders, why not use that and go around reality's defenses to further the goal of destroying reality? 

I mean, it would make sense from the narrow perspective of PT for Justine to have summoned cornerhounds (sweeping any questions of magical ability for that under the rug for now), but in the wider world of Dresden, it doesn't fit what we're told about the nature of the Outer Gates.

[Mira]

The goal of the Outsiders is to end reality, and the Outer Gates defend reality.  Only mortals can summon Outsiders (so they get a free pass to skip the Gates).  In the situation where Nemesis can use a mortal host to summon outsiders, why not use that and go around reality's defenses to further the goal of destroying reality? 

I mean, it would make sense from the narrow perspective of PT for Justine to have summoned cornerhounds (sweeping any questions of magical ability for that under the rug for now), but in the wider world of Dresden, it doesn't fit what we're told about the nature of the Outer Gates.

Consider this may be one of the main reasons why no one even Mab speaks it's name very much, they don't want to give anyone any ideas..  And the question was who summoned the Cornerhounds in the story, Justine makes the most sense, though as I said there was also a doorman mentioned as the other mortal in the area.  We are also told that Nemesis can only be in thirteen bodies at once, there might also be a limit as to how many Outsiders can be called up at once as well.  At the end of Cold Days, when they attacked the island, if an army of Outsiders could have been called up, that would have been the time to do it.

[Second Aristh]

Consider this may be one of the main reasons why no one even Mab speaks it's name very much, they don't want to give anyone any ideas..  And the question was who summoned the Cornerhounds in the story, Justine makes the most sense, though as I said there was also a doorman mentioned as the other mortal in the area.  We are also told that Nemesis can only be in thirteen bodies at once, there might also be a limit as to how many Outsiders can be called up at once as well.  At the end of Cold Days, when they attacked the island, if an army of Outsiders could have been called up, that would have been the time to do it.

Justine makes the most sense if you ignore the other books in the series.  It just doesn't fit with wider context of the capabilities of Nemesis how we understand them.  That points to more we aren't aware of happening in the background of the story.

The 13 bodies for Nemesis is just my speculation, but we know that Nemesis does have limits to its capabilities.

Looking back at CD, they did kinda call up an army of outsiders.  It took the Wild Hunt to stop them from getting to the island proper even without Maeve stepping in directly.  I just don't think Nemesis can hijack the free will of a mortal in order to call outsiders in itself.  It needs to be more subtle and trick mortals into doing it instead of strong-arming them.

[Mira]

Looking back at CD, they did kinda call up an army of outsiders.  It took the Wild Hunt to stop them from getting to the island proper even without Maeve stepping in directly.  I just don't think Nemesis can hijack the free will of a mortal in order to call outsiders in itself.  It needs to be more subtle and trick mortals into doing it instead of strong-arming them.

No, I don't think Nemesis can hijack free will of a mortal.  However a mortal can be manipulated into calling up an Outsider by someone with an agenda like Lord Raith or Maeve.