Looking for a WOJ?

[Con]

Looking for a woj on how many people Nemesis can infect?

[g33k]

Looking for a woj on how many people Nemesis can infect?

I do not think Jim has ever given us a precise number (nor any precise mechanisms or parameters).

[Yuillegan]

Quite some time ago, he indicated there was indeed a limit to how many individuals Nemesis could infect at any one time. But he didn't say how many. He may have alluded to the fact that someone could guess.

At the time, my guess was 13. But that's no more or less likely.

I believe it was during a Q&A session around the time of Battle Ground. 

[g33k]

...
At the time, my guess was 13. But that's no more or less likely ...

No, I think "13" a highly-likely number, one of the "mystical" numbers, and usually an "unlucky" one in many Western traditions.

OTOH, it's a very _predictable_ number (for the above reasons).

From the Doylist POV, it suffers from being both too many (that many same-y foes is narratively pointless, messy, and confusing) and too few (a reasonable number to actually track them all down, but having "another Nemfected" to produce at-need is very useful for an author (q.v. Justine) which isn't possible if you've already ID'ed all 13).

By this analysis, I like 666 simultaneous Nemfections as the limit:  same advantages as 13, without the downsides.

[KurtinStGeorge]

And I think 13 is too high a number.  Simply because too many major support characters could be Nemesis agents at any one time to allow Harry to have any realistic chance of opposing them.

I think three is a much better number for Nemesis to be able to control at one point in time.  Three is not only a magic number and a prime number, but it also equals the number of queens in either Summer or Winter and it is also equal to the triple headed goddess.  But what really makes me think three is the right number is there are only three walkers.  Each can control one individual.

Three is also a good number from a practical level.  For example, we know both Cat Sith and Justine are nemfected.  My guess is Nemesis is holding Cat Sith in reserve for a future operation.  In any case, if Nemesis can only control three individuals at one time, it could have a third agent that is close to Harry or isn’t usually close to Harry but can gain access to him, like Elaine or is someone within the White Council.

To put it another way, Nemesis has already had agents in Summer and Winter and Justine was their plant in the White Court, so my guess is the White Council is the most likely organization for Nemesis to want to plant an agent within, unless they already control of Elaine or one of the Alphas.

[Mira]

  I think it is more complicated, Nemesis itself might be limited in who or what it can personally control, but it has many soldiers in the form of Outsiders.  I think that is why the benefit of being a star born is so important.  Outsiders have no control over Harry, and consequently neither does Nemesis, that makes him a danger to it.

[LordDresden2]

No, I think "13" a highly-likely number, one of the "mystical" numbers, and usually an "unlucky" one in many Western traditions.

OTOH, it's a very _predictable_ number (for the above reasons).

From the Doylist POV, it suffers from being both too many (that many same-y foes is narratively pointless, messy, and confusing) and too few (a reasonable number to actually track them all down, but having "another Nemfected" to produce at-need is very useful for an author (q.v. Justine) which isn't possible if you've already ID'ed all 13).

By this analysis, I like 666 simultaneous Nemfections as the limit:  same advantages as 13, without the downsides.

It might also depend on who is infected.  Some people might need more 'juice' to influence or control than others.  So while there's probably a limit, it might not be a single number.

[Mira]

It might also depend on who is infected.  Some people might need more 'juice' to influence or control than others.  So while there's probably a limit, it might not be a single number.

  I also don't think it is all that clear yet whether or not Nemesis is something separate from Outsiders.. Or is it different if it is a mortal verses another type of being?  As in it was Nemesis influencing Cat Sith, but it was an Outsider influencing Justine, but with the same goal in mind.