The White Council is Inside-Out

[g33k]

What if the White Council is operating in reverse of the way it's "supposed to be"?

What if someone, somehow, erased WC's the "institutional knowledge" and reconstituted it in its modern form?
(Maybe some "temporary measure" was put in place to handle some "temporary" situation, but then those who *like* the power they gained "arranged" for the change to continue, and eventually be made permanent... I dunno)

How "should" it be, under this theory?

Basically -- serving the Warden of Demonreach.

That's right, the Warden.  Don't you think it's odd that the same title applies to the WC's enforcement-arm as to the guy in charge of the island?  I'm going to allege that -- at this moment -- Harry Dresden is the legitimate head of the WC's "Wardens," exactly the same way a Sheriff is in charge of all the deputies.  It's just that the White Council (and the Wardens themselves) have forgotten.

I posit that the ENTIRE White Council exists primarily as support-services for the Wardens.  The Wardens are, essentially, the "military branch" of the WC, but (as any military historian can tell you) it takes about 10:1 logistics & support personnel to maintain each soldier in the field.

As I eyeball this, it looks to me like the entire White Council is, roughly, sized to be the non-frontline portion -- the support staff -- for the Wardens.

###

Let's take a step back, and look at Merlin -- O.G. Merlin, not the current (or any) holder of the title.

We know Merlin founded the White Council.  And we know Merlin created the Prison on the island (now called Demonreach).  Ponder those two a moment.  And consider importance of what happens on/under Demonreach.

If (as I suggest above) the Warden isn't a coincidental title with regard to "the Wardens" (or vice versa, if you prefer the other order) it follows that "the Wardens" are an accessory organizion of the Warden, and of Demonreach.  And then the various non-combatant wizards attached to "the Wardens" are... well... support staff.
 
But somehow, somewhere, somewhen, things got reversed.

The White Council got turned inside-out.


(OK, I admit that I myself don't find this WAG wholly convincing.  I'm dubious Jim Butcher would write the setting such that the ONLY wizards' org was "supposed to be" a vast military magico-industrial complex supporting a doomsday prison... and those are the good guys!...  But I find the string of coincidences (outlined above) a bit too coincidental.)
 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I posited something similar several years ago, that The Warden is actually an automatic Senior Council post.

However to do that Kemmler would have had to be a Member of the Senior Council gone rogue as the WOJ of him being the Warden before the last came after I posited this.

[Ed0517]

I will point out though that the head jailor is called a warden, keeping the criminals in.

Also - the Whamps call humans sheep - game wardens control hunting.... protect some wild animals (people)... keep an eye out for new strays (warlocks)?

Both warden for Demonreach and the WC can apply

[Ed0517]

I posited something similar several years ago, that The Warden is actually an automatic Senior Council post.

I dont know if any jobs are AUTOMATIC Senior Council, other than Merlin, though I can't imagine a non-SC being up to Gatekeeper - that's a full time job. We note Eb was Blackstaff well before he was SC - but that is a sometimes role, not a full job. Likewise, how often would Harry HAVE to go to the island. Honestly, not how often he tells his new fiancee he has to go to work....

[Basil]

I'm not sure that I buy a loss of institutional knowledge in the White Council -- at least in terms of the way it operates.  After all, Langtry, Listens to Wind and McCoy were kids during the French and Indian War / Seven Years War (1756) and have had birthdays in four separate centuries.  Ancient Mai is even older still.  Rashid might be the oldest human, given that he lives in a time dilated parallel dimension near the Outer Gates.  I'm pretty sure I read a WoJ that he ran around with Muhammad. 

In Wizard terms, the Fall of Constantinople is only two Wizard generations ago; Charlemagne four generations; Julius Caesar is only seven. 

Given Wizard secrecy, it's easy to see them losing "tech" that was held as individual trade secrets, but not losing public customs. 

That being said, I do suspect that the Warden was once the head of the White Council's police force, aka "The Wardens." 

[BrainFireBob]

I posited something similar several years ago, that The Warden is actually an automatic Senior Council post.

However to do that Kemmler would have had to be a Member of the Senior Council gone rogue as the WOJ of him being the Warden before the last came after I posited this.

I did as well- my take is that 7 Laws and 7 Council members aren't coincidental. We know

The Merlin
The Warden
The Gatekeeper
The Blackstaff

Means there are three we don't know. Guessing that LtW is something like The Shapeshifter

EDIT:

Furthering this. The Senior Council selects its own members. Say they're supposed to secretly keep these roles filled. The gerontocracy is either the best candidates, or placeholders.

This would mean the value of the Council, in supernatural terms, is preparing and incubating baby Blackstaffs, Wardens, etc. I've also considered that the Wardens may have originated as backups- example, the Captain doesn't know this, but when The Warden dies, they're expected to present themselves to Demonreach. If they fail, their top lieutenant, etc.

I'd considered that the Round Table was intended to do the same for KotC.

I also would be interested in Harry undies OG Merlin's work and recollects all 7 mantles.

[BrainFireBob]

New post.

Law: You shall not kill
Responsible enforcer: Blackstaff
Powerup: Can do whatever he wants to you as easily as the most corrupt warlock without backlash
Held by: Eb

Law: Don't shapeshift people
Responsible party: "The Shifter"
Power: Boosted, effortless shapeshifting- see Merlin's wizard duel in Sword in the Stone. Can also shapeshift you with your permission.
Held by: LtW

Law: Don't invade minds
Power: Telepathy, letting you predict others
Held by: The Merlin
Can you imagine? Dresden's intuitive flashes would drive him nuts. He's glaring at Dresden, trying to read his mind. He reaches out, and hears "Diiiiiiiiiiiiccccccckkkk...." Does Dresden know?

Fourth Law: Don't enthrall
Held by: No idea
Power: No idea

Fifth Law: No necromancy
Held by: Martha Liberty
Powerup: Soulfire, which allows true resurrection
Allows Angelic support

Sixth Law: Don't muck with time
Held by: The Warden via total mastery of Demonreach (can leave the island at its different connection points in time)
Allows access to denizens

It's why everyone was a bit iffy with it veing Dresen. He's a bit linear for timey-wimey shenanigans

Seventh Law: Don't open the Outer Gates
Held by: Rashid
Power: Can bring the power of the Outer Gstes to you.
Commands Fae allegiance

[BrainFireBob]

Last one for now.

The WC let some roles "gap" to expand beyond Europe, swallowing up other organizations. It let them offer rival leaderships a Council seat.

It is possible the Warden is instead enthrallment- backlash accruing to the island nod not the warden.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Aha someone has adopted my conspiracy theory that Martha Liberty has Soulfire! And that only true resurrection requires it!

It kind of makes sense from the little that we know that she communicates with the Loa and hints of being a voodoo priestess, with its links to Catholicism. LTW was able to recognise it so it makes sense he had seen someone else use it, most likely senior Council with that degree of power up, most likely Martha. The only other person is Odin.

Neither

[Ed0517]

Given Wizard secrecy, it's easy to see them losing "tech" that was held as individual trade secrets, but not losing public customs. 

Like them still unable to truly recreate Damascus steel? Loss of tarce elements in the raw material? techniques? We are not quite there even now

[Basil]

Yes, exactly like that -- and Roman Concrete and Stradavarian Violins. 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Yes you only need a couple of people to closely hold a secret, so imagine something like the Black Death killing everyone except the Gatekeeper who knew where Demonreach really was, and the Gatekeeper doesn’t trust the replacements.

[BrainFireBob]

Yes, exactly like that -- and Roman Concrete and Stradavarian Violins.

IIRC, the violins was solved- he was making excellent violins from dense grained wood as a result of the Little Ice Age.

Martha Liberty I think is a Marie LeVeau figure- makes sense due to voodoo practice regarding zombies. "Wild" necromancy should be found in those areas, Soulfire may be needed to fix the damage and "heal" victims

[Conspiracy Theorist]

IIRC, the violins was solved- he was making excellent violins from dense grained wood as a result of the Little Ice Age.

Hmmm, the Fae do love human music…..and Musicians.

Mab created the Little Ice Age to make better violins.

[g33k]

Hmmm, the Fae do love human music…..and Musicians.

Mab created the Little Ice Age to make better violins.

So it is written.

So mote it be.