I'm not sure how you think that the Winter King (Kris Kringle aka Santa Claus) who WoJ has as "the opposite of the queen" is in any way a vassal of Mab.

source here for that tidbit, starting at 6:45ish.

Which would also mean that Titania can command Erkling, but he is confirmed as a Wyldfae isn't he? Also, apparently there is a whole wikipedia page on how Odin might be/have inspired Santa.

 

I think it's complicated. The Erlking is Wyldfae, yes, but he's also a Summer King. That means he's both under Titania and outside of her domain. So while the Erlking/Santa may not be vassals in the traditional sense, I reckon the Queens have at least something held over them to keep them in line.

 

He didn't bow. That's notable.

 

This. I'm under the impression, on both the Erlking and Kringle, that their status as members of the court is more honorary than anything else. Sure, Mab/Titania can ask them to do something, and they can choose to do it, but they are by no means ordered to do anything.

Or, it could be part of some bargain they have with their respective Queens. Agree to be called upon when she does, and when in dire need they'll let her tell them what she needs of them, and in return they are allowed to do whatever they want when she has no need of them.

 

Good points.

Still, Harry is getting closer in both a personal and political sense to Odin/Kringle, and given that he displayed some talent for time magic it's not unbelievable that Harry may have to learn some in the near future. That could later be used to set up the Demonreach wards.

Admittedly the biggest reason I want to see this happen is simply to see the look on Arthur Langtry's face when he finds out.

 

To be fair, she was considered hardly able to take care of herself mainly because some of the most dangerous people in Winter had developed a personal interest in literally raping her in a time when the sum total of all her powers was 'looking pretty.' To be honest, Lily by PG seemed to be doing pretty great for herself, all things considered, especially for something that she really, really didn't want.

As for resisting the Mantle, ehhh, kind of doubting her ability on that front. If there's anything we know about Molly, it's that her ability to resist temptation is pretty fucking horrible. Even knowing it would be a death sentence for both herself and Harry, she's fucked around with peoples minds more then once. And at least once was when there was a Warden of the White Council was nearby. I mean, that's pretty fucking horrible impulse control right there--is it really that hard not to snort coke while a cop is in the same room as you? Or at least speak to you teacher first?

 

She's been rebellious and has followed her own flawed judgement of right and wrong, regardless of the threat of death and a mentor who genuinely cares about her.

That's not really being weak-willed so much as making really bad decisions. As far as I'm concerned, it could go either way for her.

I'm still thinking that Rashid was the winter knight at some point. It does kind of make sense. He said he knew "Exactly what Harry was going through."
Maybe he made a deal with Mab to help her guard the gates in exchange for getting out of the knight business.

In which case, at least Harry has a chance of getting clear.

 

Yes, but she did that stuff because she was getting addicted to the Black Magic and couldn't resist it--and that's why she made bad decisions. I really don't see her holding up well now that she's gained a great deal of power and authority, as well as been placed beyond the reach of the White Council or their ability to enforce the Laws.

And this is even if how strong your will is matters. Harry's plenty strong willed and had changed in pretty noticeable ways by the very beginning of Cold Days and even further (or perhaps he was just making existing changes more obvious) by the end of it. As he's our main character, I fully expect him to make it through this eventually, if with a lot of trouble, but it's not like it hasn't been changing him majorly.

Also, Rashid was referring to Demonreach in that conversation, as I recall; and it seems likely he was speaking from the standpoint of having to watch over the Outer Gates.

 

I'm not convinced.

 

Did you ever consider Rashid knew exactly what Dresden was going through because he literally knew all possible outcomes of his choice? He didn't say he understood. He didn't say he empathized. He said he knew. If wording matters, like you've made clear it does to you, then this use of 'knew' without any personal or emotional inflection should also matter.

The reader is just beginning to understand a shred of Rashid's power. Don't assume his knowledge of something implies his personal dealings with it. Especially not when you're being picky with word use.

 

Not everything has a hidden meaning. Maybe, and this is crazy, Rashid knows what it is like to have the weight of the world on his shoulders and have little to no help. He knows what that is like, and so he told Dresden that. It doesn't have to be some deep hidden meaning.

 

Could also be that, but it's way more fun to overanalyze shit.

 

Sorry to bump this but, Ryuugi, the RPG doesn't say what you says it says. Spirit really does seam to mean 'just about anything from the Nevernever'. Fae are explicitly included. To quote Our World.

 

DOes anyone else think that at some point, Harry will unleash some of the contained at outsiders one day? I read the fact he could release them, and I thought someone will get stomped on by a monster. THEn I read the bit about the gates, I thought oh now I know he is going to release them all right at that invading army.

 

Well he's not gonna get it off Murphy any time soon.

 

This and a earlier post about locking up Nicodemus in Demonreach just reinforces a idea for a crack fic about the beings imprisoned on Demonreach.

 

@ syed I'm personally of the opinion that Harry will have the temptation to take mantle(s) from the prisoners in the Well, either for himself or for others.

It seems a bit of a coinkidenk that just after finding himself Warden to countless monsters, gods etc... he becomes one of the few who knows the way to take their powers.

What are the rules for Chekhov's gun when its such a loaded weapon and we know an apocolypse is coming?

Also how did the prisoners get there? Obviously Demonreach doesn't do it himself or otherwise the Nagloshi would have been taken care of as soon as it stepped on the Island. Even with a wizards long life span how did the original Merlin do all of it?

Last thought of the day... Is Merlin a mantle?

 

Well Merlin is associated with time travel in the myths (the whole ageing backwards bit) and the Dresden Files version has some time related shenanigans going on (building a prison at multiple times at the same time). He could be skipping about to where he's needed.

Setting aside that idea, Harry Dresden is now the Warden, but I didn't recall it being stated that he was the first since Merlin. The title and authority could have been passed down for a while before dying out. I remember some speculation that the Warden of Demonreach title is the origin of the White Council's Wardens.

I've had that idea myself but there's just no evidence to support it. Interesting idea but that's all it is. The impression I got from the books is that the Merlin is powerful because he's old and bad ass, not that he got a power up on taking the office.

 

I seem to remember that being strongly implied somewhere in Cold Days. I haven't read the book since launch though, so remembering where I read that is a touch difficult.