What are some of the best ways to stay within the realm of obeying the White Council's Laws of Magic, not alert the mortals to the presence of a wizard, and still make money hand over fist like some wizards are reputed to do?

The "Morningway" (DuMorne in novels) family of the TVverse was loaded for generations, and had an enormous estate. Where did it all come from?

Here's a few I thought of:

- Farming: Probably not the most glamorous of jobs listed here, but I figure Ol' Eb uses a bit of Earth Magic to make his corn grow up right, and maybe either oversized or just grow a bit more quickly, making time for an extra harvest or two a year. Which would be a significant advantage over mortal farms.

- Thievery: Simply brew up one of the "escape" potions that Harry and Bob made in Storm Front and pop over to the other side of a bank vault and out again once you take all the money. Pretty simple and unsolvable crime, if you're smart about not leaving fingerprints.

- Diet "Wonder Pill": Think this was mentioned in passing in Storm Front. A pill - or potion/smoothie regimen that actually works as a wonder-diet. Sell millions, I imagine.

- Love Potion + rich widow(s):...need I say more?

- Author: Who better to write historical accounts than those present? Of course, disguise them as historical fiction and presto! NY Times best seller!

So what are some of your ideas?

 

Farming can make you millions. You have to penny-pinch and invest smart, but it's possible to make money like that. Ebenezer has been in the game long enough to set it up that a certain percent goes to building wealth that makes sure he doesn't worry about financial problems.

 

Wizardry is hereditary, aye? A line of people with supernatural powers and ridiculous lifespans? They've probably been rich since humanity counted wealth in beads and shells. Old money writ huge.

That's even before you go into divination and the stock market, or finding natural resources with earth magic, or making a killing at poker with a little telepathy.

 

Mind-reading is a violation of the Fourth Law, Tehan. Though earth magic prospecting is good, as is divination/stock market - as long as there are no people's entrails read.

But yeah, I was kinda going with contemporary ways to make a buck as a Wizard, other than private investigating, which doesn't seem to be panning out all that lucratively.

Craps, however, could be controlled with a bit of fine work "Ventas Servitas", I bet. Quick trip to Vegas.

 

I'm not so sure of that. Remember in Small Favor when Molly examined Harry while he was asleep? She was poking around in his head, but she didn't actually change anything so I don't think that just seeing what someone else is thinking is a violation. I think the law only comes into affect when the person changes something in the other person's mind.

As for the money:

1. Old money like has already been said. Or simply the fact that these guys live a few centuries and just pick up all that stuff along the way. I mean seriously, 'genuine 16th century trinket for sale.' 100 gazillion dollars at auction.

2. Earth magic for the farming and finding natural resources would definitely be a good way.

3. Heh, how about a repo-man? They would be able to find all the stuff really easily and get pretty decent payouts from whoever hired them.

 

According to the Wikipedia entry, they are two separate laws. Law #3 is forcible entry of another's mind. Probably similar to what Molly did, but closer to what Corpsetaker attempted on Dresden in Dead Beat, I think. But I guess skimming the surface thoughts, like Molly did to Harry, would be similar to the poker thing and therefore technically alright. Probably get you executed if you were under the Doom, though, because even an "approach" of a violation is a no-no.

Law #4 is a totally separate issue of enthralling.

 

Actually, she did break the Third Law. But nobody who knows is going to say anything.

See: http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/news/archives/2007/06/the_laws_of_mag_2.php

 

I like the idea of making a nice trip to a casino (but be careful what kind of gambling you do, nothing with too much technique).

New idea: Go and become an reporter/author of 'gossip'.
Get a few faeries on your side and you can get many information, something like a professional stalker and than sell the facts or get paid for keeping them a secret. (Demons could work too, but I doubt the deals were worth that much without using anything too drastic...not everyone as huge reserves of people to sacrifice ready and I doubt the White Council would be alright with that)...Maybe a lawyer or an informant?

 

Related topic: Why does Harry have money problems? He has one required major expense (two if you count gas/repairs for the Beetle): His basement apartment.

Food isn't even a cost, since the brownies give him food - frozen pizzas.
He doesn't have electricity. No TV/Internet. He does have to pay a water and sewage bill every month, but he has to be making at least a few bucks from his business, at $500 a day, two day minimum, to spare some change. Plus his Warden money now, though that apparently goes into Little Chicago for a few years.

Besides an iron door that he must have splurged on, the occasional $50 he rips up for a love potion, and possibly other ingredients, what does he spend his money on?

Is this why other wizards don't have money problems - lack of expenses?

EDIT: Also, a bit deeper of a look into the farming thing (from USDA website) - a Wizard farmer who only uses magic to ward off bugs and some Earth Magic to enrich the soil instead of fertilizer (not even taking into account the possibility of automatic plowing or something) would be easily clearing $300,000 a year, over $200k more than his non-Wizard competitors. Not taking into account the possibility of making his crop grow faster!

 

He also pays lease on his work office.

 

The reason he has money problems is he gets jobs very rarely and even when he does he doesn't make much money.

 

Nah not really, because the people in the know would still know to come to him for help.

 

Oh I wasn't disagreeing with you, lol. I thought that you had kind of meant that he would get less of the supernatural type business as well and was disagreeing with that. Reading Comprehension FTW.

 

I figure Harry advertising as a wizard was just so he could ask for weird shit like hair samples and stuff without drawing attention. That and if he claimed anything else then when he went to murphy for a case he would lhave to make up some serious shit instead of telling her the basic truth of her crime scene.

As to why he's always strapped for cash...
In the begining it was mainly because the detective agency and murfy were his only sources of income. Neighter paid much and most of his money went to rent. He just never worked enough to save up enough.

But lately money isn't as tight. The warden money has mostly been going to that model city thing and he's been getting some jobs from his detective job. Though murphy hasn't been able to hire him as much. He has been able to set some money aside as proven guilty showed when he bailed out that kid. Earlier on he wouldn't have that kind of money in reserve. So he's slowly getting more financially stable.

As to how a wizard could become rich...

I don't see why a wizard couldn't pose as an illusionist. I mean with actual tallent he could approache a casino and get his own show easy peasy. Could become the next david blaine or copperfield. And by always claiming to be doing illusion then no one's goign to really believe its magic anyway.

Contemporary jobs that a wizard would be good at.

Construction. Imagine using earth magic to help excavate sites at record time. They could charge more for an earlier deadline. Or searching for oil and always beign right. Take out a loan, buy a plot of land you know to have good minerals make a killing and then repeat.

Politics, with some fairy help would be cake. a small legion making sure your opponent always looked bad or couldn't keep secrets would easily ruin them.

Corporate espionage with a large company would be profitable. The only tricky bit would be convincing them to hire you at first.

Then theres always muscle, for those inclined. Work for someone like marcone and erase evidence without any questions. A little magic around security cameras and burgler alarms...

A little unexplained arson. Some warding like what gard did...

Pretty much get rich of the rich people, if your willing to convince them your legit.

Thats how I assume old timey wizards did it. Don't see why it wouldn't work now adays...

 

Lol, if you wanted to sabotage a business, call a wizard.

Imagine if Harry walked into Microsoft, and cast one spell. Or Dell lol

Or even better! He gets a job as a secretary or something, and stuff just naturally breaks around him, and nobody can figure out why.

 

I imagine another reason Harry is normally strapped for cash is the Blue Beetle. I mean... come on. That thing is always broke down or beat up. How much do you think that costs to get fixed as often as it does?

 

true enough... and I don't know how much it costs to renew a buisness license or even to get certified as a detective in chicago, buts its possible he has debts to pay off as well.

That and paying for his magic supplies. Was it ever established why dresden had to brew up that love potion early in the series? I only ask because of the $50 he shredded...

 

Bob made him do it. He wouldn't tell him how to make the escape potion otherwise.