So new, but vague idea involving Ramirez occurred to me a few minutes ago.

Near the end of White Night, when Ramirez is in the hospital, he calls Harry out on lying to him and lying to the White Council--and Dresden lets him reach a couple of conclusions about why. But then we don't see anything involving this again to this point.

My idea is a post-White Night AU in which Dresden and Ramirez start working together much more closely to find the traitor/traitors. It leads them into troubles, obviously, and it'd be up to the author to decide what sort of shit to get them into.

Upsides to this are that while Dresden is possibly the most powerful wizard of his generation, Ramirez is much more subtle. With Dresden already having to relearn the basics and reincorporate his new and deeper understanding of them into his magic, Ramirez could also rub off on him a bit. Think about the nice display of water/entropy magic in the Deeps, and the precision Ramirez shows when he starts putting lasers of energy through multiple super-ghouls. There is much potential to make Dresden a bigger threat to, well, whoever.

Downsides are the complete lack of a true plot (besides them working together to find traitors, or whoever), and the lack of several awesome things that happened in later books.

That's it, in a nutshell. Dresden gets hispanic sidekick and they get into shit together.

 

Just finished re-reading Blood Rites and I got the idea in my head that an AU with Thomas as the White King would be a very interesting read. After all, we know (or at least suspect, haven't read WN in a while) that Lord Raith's anti-magic protection is Outsider-based and that Harry has power over Outsiders (kinda like cold iron to the Fae). So I figured during the final climactic battle between Harry and Raith, he could unleash a bit of desperation magic and shock-of-shocks, it actually works. Raith dies and, possibly due to a change of earlier scenes or due to Thomas doing some shit and taking the position over Lara, we end up with Harry's newly discovered half-brother in charge of the White Court.

Cue awesomeness in Dead Beat and a Harry in a somewhat-alliance with the new White King, who needs Harry's support to keep himself on the throne (since he ain't exactly Lord Raith in the power department) and all the political ramifications of that situation.

Seriously, major shit would go down with the White Council, the Black Council, the Red Court and the other houses in the White Court. Lots of potential for political backstabbing, especially with Lara still alive and working to her own ends and Arianna being aware of the connection between Margaret and Lord Raith. Shit. Will. Go. Down.

 

The problem is that Thomas has neither the power nor the clout to hold such a position. He's a pretty strong WC vamp as these things go, but we've seen a number of vamps with both more power and more support. Not to mention the fact that pretty much no one likes Thomas, whereas everyone else has followers numbering from the dozens to hundreds.

Note: This is even ignoring how Thomas basically starves himself.

And while Harry could help, to the other vamps that would just mean Thomas was both weak and a pawn. No one's gonna respect him, much less follow orders.

And Harry's not exactly in a position to fight the entire White Court. He has trouble with single vamps, most of the time.

All in all, if they survive a whole week, I'd be really impressed.

This is all ignoring the fact that it was proven that Harry can't hurt Lord Raith.

 

It'd actually be quite easy to have Thomas take the top mantle, assuming Harry can knock Lord Raith off - just play the Just As Planned card. "What, you really thought I was just a playboy dilettante? The sole surviving son of Lord Raith didn't reach adulthood by being an idiot, you know." That'll give him enough time to win over Lara (who has a soft spot for her brother). If Harry introduces Thomas to Marcone, I'm sure a mutually beneficial alliance would cement Thomas' leadership of the White Court.

Harry and by extension the reader sees Thomas at his weakest. Everyone else only sees him at time when he does shit like joining the Wild Hunt or surviving a prolonged encounter with a Skinwalker or throwing down with the Red Court.

 

That's the thing; you can't do that. That's why Lara has to hide behind her father. She could have easily come up with some elaborate lie about beating him at his own game.

It just wouldn't matter.

Because neither Thomas nor Lara have the raw power needed to be on top.

Second of all, Thomas may have a place in Lara's heart, but you'll notice that has never once gotten in the way when Lara's plans involved going through Thomas.

Third of all, Marcone is a really bad idea, for two reasons. A) It'll just prove to everyone that Thomas is too weak to hold power on his own and is just a pawn. B) The difference between Marcone standing by Thomas and emptying a gun into Thomas is how good it is for business; and Thomas has, oh, shit to offer.

And finally, this happens in Blood Rites, before any of that happens. At this point, Thomas has one thing to his name as far as the rest of the world knows: Idiocy.

 

That's her style, though, to be the éminence grise instead of the one on the throne.

The White King didn't have the raw power to be on top for like thirty fucking years. That sure as shit didn't stop him.

But it means she'd be bang alongside any plan that involves propping him up as a figurehead and mirroring her canonical position as the power behind the throne. If the White King got killed by Dresden, then Lara would be willing, nay, eager to put the oldest son of Lord Raith onto the throne before and Skavis or Malvoras started eyeballing the vacuum.

Uh... a stranglehold on the American porn industry, for starters, which is a good billion-a-year business. It's not what Thomas himself has to offer, it's what the Raiths and the White Court have to offer, in the real and supernatural worlds. And that's a lot.

In Grave Peril, he was a guest of a party for the biggest names in the Chicago supernatural world. In Death Masks, he was Ortega's second in a duel between the Red Court and White Council. In Blood Rites, he was taking an active role in the family business, trying to bring a new, independent filmmaker into the Raith fold, whereas Lord Raith's clumsy methods got several innocent bystanders killed and drew the attention of the local White Council representative.

It's all about spin.

 

It's her style because, as she flat out stated, she'd be killed if anyone knew or if she tried to sit on the throne.

No, but he needed that power to get to that position,and he lived in a constant state of fear because he knew that if anyone learnt he was no longer a badass, they'd kill him. Thomas was never a badass (well, not compared to Lord Raith).

No, because she'd know that both of those groups had enough power to crush Thomas and kill all who support him, and she's not stupid. And, anyway, if she could get on the throne without dying, she'd get on it. It's just that neither she nor Thomas can.

Yeah, but Thomas would need Marcone's help just to get on and secure the throne. He won't get to piss away huge amounts of money until he gets the throne. And as far as we know? Thomas doesn't even have a job. He's gonna have a hell of a time giving Marcone a reason to side with him against superior forces rather then with the rich guys that would want to take down Thomas. Including all the other Raith's. Remember, Marcone only does charity for the taxes.

He was sent as an insult, and Bianca made sure everyone knew it. He was sent as an insult and Ortega made sure everyone knew it. Thomas had nothing close to an active role, was supporting a company that was specifically challanging the Raith fold, and Harry only got involved because of Thomas.

 

Look at it this way: Thomas as the White King has Harry Dresden as a known associate, has his sister as a supporting figure and got a front row seat to watching his own usurpation. Lara herself said that was a rare thing indeed, and amongst the White Court that could be spun for all kinds of fun.

Add on to that the fact that the White Court doesn't care about raw power as much as, say, the White Council. They operate through cats paws and complicated schemes, not contests of strength where they can help it.

Thomas doesn't need Marcone's help to get put on the throne, he's got Harry for that. He may be interested in setting up a 'business deal' between the White Court and Chicago's leading gangster afterwards though, in order to help secure his power amongst the vampires and to promote the interests of the Court in general.

Besides, Lord Raith's tendency to have his sons die tragically is almost certainly common knowledge, so it makes Thomas' ascension even more unbelievable since he's done what so many others have failed at before (merely surviving) and then surpassed even that.

And yet he still gains the throne of the White Court? Doesn't that make his coup de grace even more monumental, since he used a wizard known for his antipathy towards vampires to kill the invincible Lord Raith and got to watch it happen. If you look at it from an outside perspective, that's the sort of plan the White Court absolutely fucking loves and would certainly lay the foundations for building his own power base. At least enough to get him started anyway.

 

I can see Thomas as the White King. More so, in earlier books, when we (and Harry) didn't know him too much, I suspected that he was faking his personality to be under everyones radar and so his father wouldn't actively trying to kill him when Thomas himself was waiting for a good moment to strike White King and take his place. This kind of plan is something that White Court would definitely approve.

 

Everyone has pushed the White Council to one side. Lara doesn't need to kill Thomas, all she needs to do is leak his lineage to the White Council. Then shit starts to go bad. I wouldn't be surprised if someone claims that Harry deliberately started the war at the behest of Thomas and tries to bring him up for treason. Thomas would be forced to bring Harry under his protection, in plain view, where he can be planned or countered or turned.

Not to mention the Red Court whom Lord Raith paid at least one insult that we know of and that excludes the refusal to fight. And considering that according to White Night, the vampires share the world among them, with the WC getting the more civilised real-estate it may be in the Red Court's interest to try to wipe them out and take everything.

Also Justine would also be in big fucking trouble, considering how much Thomas cares about her, a fact well known to Lara.

And while Thomas is smart, he isn't Lara-smart. From what I can see his plan seemed to rely on him convincing people to help him gang up on Raith, not particularly sophisticated. Contrast it to the plan Lara used in WN, which relied on manipulating Thomas himself and Lord Skavis. Hell Thomas wasn't even that popular or held in high esteem. Madrigal's word was enough to get him kicked out of the Court. Thanks to both Raith, and Thomas himself everyone thinks he's just a bumbling airhead.

And this is all ignoring the fact that given how irrational both brothers are about certain shit he could easily be goaded into fighting someone far above his pay grade like Harry had to do and get killed. Hell it only takes one, I think in Even Hand it's stated that Justine is Lara's property and she's responsible for her actions, apply that to Harry and the damage he causes and what do you get?

Thomas is perhaps too human and bogged down by relationships I think, he has too many people to worry about, not to mention all the snakes at his back. He just isn't cold enough.

 

The thing is, Harry's impressive, but as of BR, not that impressive. And WN proved that a single powerful WC vamp could potentally take him out; two are almost certain to do it. Also, if anyone so much as mentions the relationship between Thomas and Harry, both of them are dead.

Second of all, Lara sure as hell doesn't support anyone who isn't named Lara.

Third, being there to see his own usurpation means jack and shit since he was only there because he was kidnapped, beaten, and put on an alter. He couldn't even walk. He only survuved because of Harry and Murphy; not really a statement of competence.

They don't use it by beating people up with their bare hands, no, but contests of power were stated to be the traditional method of settling White Court disputes.

Harry really isn't going to be enough here, because while Harry has a lot of power, it's nothing compared to the White Court, and even if it was, it's not the type of power the WC values anyway.

The thing is, Thomas had nothing to do with his father's death; he was the weak and pathetic son that daddy smacked around and beat the shit out of.

No, since while Harry was there because of Thomas, it was because he was his brother, which isn't something Thomas can say. Leaving Thomas unable to prove his claims, i.e. hanging out to dry.

The White Court is also not completely retarded, and would ask for proof of Thomas' claims, which he doesn't have, cause it doesn't exist.

In addition, he has exactly three witnesses; Harry, who was there for reasons he can't talk about (and can't be called on as a witness anyway, since if he knew he was being manipulated (which he wasn't) Thomas plan would look really bad to the WC), Murphy, who was only there because of Harry (and can't be called on, for the same reasons), and Lara, who has no reason to support Thomas, especially in this suicidal plan.

 

And then we have Dead Beat.

True, but it's pretty much exactly her style to be the power behind the throne rather than the one with a target constantly on her back.

It's all about spin, and that's easy enough to change in the story itself; simply have Harry free Thomas immediately upon starting the battle and then send out a desperate Forzare! in order to save Thomas when Lord Raith decides to take him out of the fight due to his weakened condition.

True, but to have it come to that in itself is a failure on the part of the vamps who have the fight, because they have to resort to getting their hands dirty in order to do it.

That's why it's an alliance. Thomas makes up for Harry's weaknesses and Harry makes up for Thomas'. Consider especially that the next book in the series is Dead Beat, where Harry animates a fucking T-Rex and you've the potential for a very interesting story. Seriously, Harry even describes his joining the Wardens as Vader Syndrome (the best ally in the world is one that just recently scared the shit out of you, paraphrased), so he knows he's got a bit of a name about him already, and with the events of Dead Beat under his belt he'd catapult that name onto the world wide stage (especially since he'd already killed the Summer Lady).

For a good idea of why Harry looks so damn badass to everyone else, look at this thread on the JB forums.

Whereas all his other sons are dead, and it just highlights the underdog effect of him becoming the White King.

For all the rest of the Court knows, Harry could be under the effect of Thomas' incubus routine, which makes it seem as though Thomas has his own pet wizard to help enforce his authority. Adds a bit of conflict with the White Council, sure, but for the White Court it's perfectly fine. Cats paws are the weapon of choice for them.

1) Harry would do pretty much anything for his brother, so pretending to be under his sway would probably be okay with him. Of course this is made more difficult when you have Madeline throwing her succubus effect around all over the place and Harry being immune to her touch. Also, you gotta love that conflict and the potential for fucking with the Dead Beat storyline (considering how reluctant Luccio/Morgan would be to give Harry the Warden job if they suspect he's being influenced by the White Court).

2) Murphy is somewhat inconsequential in this, since she plays only a minor role and could be easily convinced to support Harry and Thomas' story.

3) Lara wouldn't want the target put on her back, and she's got a fuck ton of blackmail material to work with in Harry and Thomas' familial relationship and the knowledge of what really happened in the Deeps. That said, she's just seen her invincible father be killed by a wizard, whose magic he was supposedly immune to. That's got to leave an impression.

 

What about it?

Maybe you were reading different books, but no it sure as hell is not. Lara's style is to do what ever the hell is best for Lara. This is not what's best for Lara.

That just makes it worse; not only was Thomas weak enough to get get the shit kicked out of him and kidnapped, he was so pathetic that once released, he was so pitiful that he had to be saved by the enemy.

It's also a failure to be forced use Nukes. Not having Nukes also makes you weak. So what?

Also, you're wrong. They dn't like using their power for straight up beat downs, but the Lust, Fear, whatever parts are extremely important, and the traditional manner of settling things in the White Court.

Only, no, they don't.

He also stated that he could not have done that on any other night, without the special situation.

Not really; see below.

And for why he's not, see the Word of God:

Living because you're such a pathetic bitch that the enemy took pity on you, which is how it'll look to everyone else, isn't much better. Hell, it's worse.

Only, you know, the signs of that shit are pretty damn obvious, and Harry won't show them. Also, the White Council would fucking murder Thomas if they thought he had a pet wizard, and probably Harry, too.

Which would take, you know, one phone call from any of the hundreds of White Court vamps that would know.

Stupid, suicidal plan is both stupid and suicidal.

Sure, he'd be willing to do it.

It would fall to pieces in, like, second, when they realizes he's not showing the signs, and he's in love, and they'd both die even if no one figured that out, since the Hundreds of WC vamps could easily tell the Council.

And, you know, a vamp controlled wizard was specifically stated to be extremely high on the WC's list of things they don't want.

But yeah, for the five seconds until it blew up in their faces because of it's mind-numbing idiocy, Harry might play along, sure.

She's also been shown as weak against the power of the White Court, so everything would fall a part the moment a vamp laid out the mojo.

No, you don't get it, Lara just realizes she'd die in moments, just like Thomas will. Lara does what's best for Lara.

She probably also realizes that she could easily be killed off. Harry and Thomas might not do that, but Lara would know they could.

Yeah, it would. So Lara would react the way the White Court was canonically to do when shown threas with greater power, and kill them anyway. White Court style. It's be easy, too; one call to the White Council and Thomas is a dead man. And maybe Harry, too. She could probably even work out a deal to benefit from giving the WC information, like protection just in case they don't kill Harry.

 

Fun idea I had today.

By some weird circumstance (government experimentation with the supernatural, perhaps) a nuclear bomb ends up being taken into the Nevernever.

Once out of the physical realm and into the realm of ideas things go a bit wacky. The bomb is no longer a bomb, but rather what a nuclear bomb represents: pure destructive power on a massive scale. This destructive entity gains a form of sentience and starts rampaging through the Nevernever, threatening everything that resides there. With the balance of power in the Nevernever in turmoil, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance.

Don't know how I'd get Dresden involved though. Mab would have to recruit him, perhaps. Nor do I know how it would be stopped.

 

Sounds like a disgustingly heavy-handed political metaphor.

 

All hail the might Demon Sultan Azathoth?

As we know in Dresdenverse Lovecraft was on to something and according to Butcher it got him killed. Instead of making the bomb gain sentience make it a gateway/back door for some kind of Outsider, which can be Demon Sultan Azathoth.

 

The Daemon Sultan is the 'nuclear chaos,' but 'nuclear' doesn't mean Nuclear as in 'fission/fusion' it means that it is the 'nucleus' of reality.

Also, Azathoth is not something that should ever go into a Dresdenverse story. Or a lovecraft story. Azathoth is God. Not a god, but God. The fucking creator. All of reality exists only because it is dreaming, and when it wakes everything ends.

 

Tehan: that had not ocurred to me. Possibly because I'm rather pro-nuclear. The motivation was much geekier - I just thought it'd be cool if nuclear weapons were sentient in some way. Kinda like Furies in Alera.

 

I don't think it would be easy to capture the true horror of a large sentient destructive energy being effectively - firstly it being sentient feels somewhat gimmicky and flat (not to mention difficult to establish - you can hardly have characters talking to it), and secondly thematically speaking those sort of things don't tend to work well. Any of the books I've read that have followed along the same vein of giant destroyer as one of the main threats just didn't cut it. Why? Because that aspect of them never allowed the protagonists to experience a proper challenge. The force was so overwhelming that their options were whittled down to purely either 'run' or 'find a way to stop it using some sort of ritual' - for something more intangible, such as pure energy, you won't ever have a proper fight on your hands.

Your best bet IMO is to keep it purely as a plot device, or remove the sentience aspect from it. Perhaps, as I'd personally love to see this, the power of the device could be harnessed by a being of the nevernever - and suddenly the whole balance of this realm and consequently our own world is overturned. And Dresden once again is caught neck-deep in it.

 

Two fairly basic plot bunnies, both crossovers with Buffy.

1. In the aftermath of season 6, the Wardens come looking for Willow, wanting to execute her as a warlock. This could be turned into either a short pre-season 7 fic that's just about Willow's attempts to escape, or an alternate season 7. I can't see the White Council being all that pleased by the First (although Dresden magic would devestate even the Ubervamps.

2. We know Giles has a dark past. What we don't know (much of) is why. The answer? Denarian!Ripper.