You are Harry Dresden.

[Alyrium Denryle]

This is rather asking for a "Harry Dresden and the methods of rationality" type fanfiction

Dont tempt me. Though it would be sans the transhumanist technofascism.

[The Romulan Republic]

This is an excellent idea, though some details might have to be held back (their may be some corrupt cops in SI).

It is, however, likely to displease the White Council, and supernatural powers in general. As I recall, bringing mortal authorities into supernatural conflicts is frowned on in the supernatural world of The Dresden Files.

The White Council is already displeased. And I would not bring them in directly for firepower purposes. Investigation assistance, cutting red tape, victim extraction. That sort of thing.

Well, past a certain threshold, the White Council goes from "displeased" to "homicidally displeased". I'm not sure exactly where that line is, beyond the fact that treason and violating the laws of magic are likely death penalty offences. But Dresden was, as I recall, concerned for Murphy's safety if he told her too much.

Still, he did eventually fill her in without the Council offing either of them, so perhaps he was overestimating the risk. Or perhaps I'm misremembering.

But on the other hand, their's a world of difference between filling in one mortal on everything, even if they are a cop, and filling in all of SI and the leadership of a powerful criminal syndicate.

Book 1.

I go through largely as Harry did. Except I finally lay out the Truth for the mortals I need. Murphy and Marcone in particular. The reason I do this is because I would rather like to get out from under the Doom of Damocles (it means letting a certain hooker die, but cest la vie). What is different is that Murph does not search my office, does not run into the evil scorpion golum, and I have my full took kit when I run into Victor at the end. I kick his ass up around his ears, release his pet demon, and dont actually kill him. I let Morgan see me do all this. Out from under the Doom.

For it to play out the way it did in the book regarding Sells' murders, you'd actually have to let Sells off three people with brutal black magic. Could work, but that's a hell of a price to pay to score points with the Council.

Also, its dangerous to wait because once you start changing things, you can't rule out Sells deciding to kill you sooner than in canon, or doing a better job of it. Or Morgan deciding to move against you sooner. And so on.

Book 2.

Book 2 is where things really diverge. My ersatz apprentice gets told what she needs. Mainly that the greater circle she wants to do is way the fuck outside her abilities. I will explain why. In detail. Everything she wants to know. That will probably dissuade her. I get her to bring me in on the whole thing with the Loup Garou (or if she is not dissuaded, I follow her and bring myself in. It helps that Susan is of no romantic interest to me at all. Speaking of which I need to start cultivating a boyfriend. Sorry Harry, it might be your body, but it is my mind). I let Murph know that this is a thing that could happen, and that the OTHER thing she has me investigating with the animal attacks is not actually connected (oddly enough). I tell her about Hexenwulfen vs Loup Garou, and tell her she is looking for Hexenwulfen, and that she might want to query the FBI offices about the case history of the agents she is currently working with.

All of that seems reasonable.

Because I am competent, I successfully contain the Loup Garou, and enlist the help of Tara West, as well as Billy and the Werewolves to take down the FBI agents. Probably by tricking them into trying to pin their Marcone Murder on the Werewolves, but of course I have already informed Marcone and the hunters become the prey. But, I keep their leader alive. I wont be in the same desperate state when I go after them. And to tie up the loose ends, I remove the pack of lycanthropes from the board one evening. Go in wreathed in spells, subdue them with magic and run them the fuck out of town. Oh, and I dig a hole under a wall. That might be useful later.

Ditto. Helps that Marcone will owe you one too.

However, I am curious as to how you'd try to trick the agents.

[The Romulan Republic]

One thing I wonder is if it would be worth it to actively try to build a more positive relationship with Morgan. Might be a lost cause, but canon Dresden did get to the point where he could at least work semi-effectively with Morgan when he had to, and reaching that point sooner could be useful.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Well, past a certain threshold, the White Council goes from "displeased" to "homicidally displeased". I'm not sure exactly where that line is, beyond the fact that treason and violating the laws of magic are likely death penalty offences. But Dresden was, as I recall, concerned for Murphy's safety if he told her too much.

Still, he did eventually fill her in without the Council offing either of them, so perhaps he was overestimating the risk. Or perhaps I'm misremembering.

He brought in a LOT of people on the existence of magic and other supernatural baddies. He left people out on the org charts, but for all of SI, all you really need to tell them is "There are monsters, wizards and all that fun stuff. Wizards are usually good, barring the old Warlock who I take down. There are organizations, but the less I tell you about those the safer you are. I will teach you how to identify monsters and how to find and kill he ones you can deal with with the countermeasues I teach you. There is stuff beyond your cosmic paygrade. I will handle those."

I am going to read SI in on all the things (it is a small department, no more than a dozen guys really) so they have the context they need to steer clear of the Terrible Things and dont step on my toes.

Also, its dangerous to wait because once you start changing things, you can't rule out Sells deciding to kill you sooner than in canon, or doing a better job of it.

He is still limited by storms, and thus his time table is not flexible. He still has to kill that second hooker and send his pet demon after me the first time. What I dont need to do is waste time trying to rescue Murph from a giant scorpion. I still need to talk to the wife though, and can treat Morgan exactly the same way I did before. I figure he will still try to stop me when I go to Mac's earlier, but the countermeasure is the same. A chair.

I am doing this to avoid hilariously breaking the causality of later books. I COULD break their causality, but then I dont know what my enemies will do. When I know I am going to be at war with lovecraftian horrors in a few years, three people are small potatoes. It sucks, but there it goes.

One thing I wonder is if it would be worth it to actively try to build a more positive relationship with Morgan. Might be a lost cause, but canon Dresden did get to the point where he could at least work semi-effectively with Morgan when he had to, and reaching that point sooner could be useful.

Book 4. I start in Book 4.

[Simon_Jester]

This is rather asking for a "Harry Dresden and the methods of rationality" type fanfiction

Dont tempt me. Though it would be sans the transhumanist technofascism.

I would enjoy reading it.

[The Romulan Republic]

Me too, actually. Not enough Dresden Files fan fic on this site.

[Ralin]

But Dresden was, as I recall, concerned for Murphy's safety if he told her too much.

Still, he did eventually fill her in without the Council offing either of them, so perhaps he was overestimating the risk. Or perhaps I'm misremembering.

A lot of Harry's behavior in not cluing people in about the supernatural (by telekinetically pinning someone like Rudolph to the ceiling if need be) makes a great deal more sense once you realize that he believes he is Spider-man.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Book 3

I have operational goals. I need to kick off the war with the Red Court, because they need to be cleared from the table when the Cosmic Shit happens (and I dont want to break causality). So I start dealing with spirits. That goes as normal, Agatha gets banished, Michael and I get arrested. Yadayada. I know the spirit ambush is coming when I sleep, so I am ready for him. I also know who he is. I kick his bitch ass. This neatly avoids Murph being damaged, and it avoids the whole issue with the Sword. It would be nice to have that sort of reason to start the war, but I dont actually think I will need that, because Bianca clearly wants to get me killed at that party, and she will find a way to break my neutrality. The poisoning attempt is probably her first try, but she will likely have another way. Or, she wont bother with the pretext.

Suspecting this, Michael comes to the party with me, but I have Ebenezer just outside in his truck as backup. I find Mavra, use the mushroom toxin trick with my godmother if she pushes things, confirm what I already know about the ghost-agitation and the pain spell. File that away for later. Make contact with Thomas.

When hostilities inevitably break out under whatever pretext (I dont know what that pretext will be, so I will probably show up to the party dressed as Van Helsing), I send a magical message to Ebenezer calling for extraction. Thomas, Michael and I get Extracted.

Then, once rested, Ebenezer and I redact Bianca from existence, kicking off the war. Ebenezer being there gives me bureaucratic cover against censure in book 4, because obviously Bianca will try to have me killed during the party and Ebenezer does not take kindly to that. I am reasonably confident he will back me in retaliation for that crime. Especially because because, as I will explain to him, if they are willing to try to take me out like this, they are willing to start a war. If they are willing to start a war, they are able to fight it, and if they are able to fight said war, they probably are already planning to start it and we should thus strike first.

...........

If the party goes off swimmingly with no assassination attempt, then the war does not start, and things get strange down the line. However, there are alternative solutions that may kick off the war I require.

The black court. The vampire courts are allied, so given that Mavra helped stir up spirits in the city and assisted an angry ghost in trying to kill me, I can take personal revenge and this could kick off the war. Alternatively, Bianca is probably nutty enough that, given the gravestone gift, she will try to get me killed in some other way. Thus kicking off a war.

[Ralin]

Seems like it could go pretty wrong. Bianca is going to try and kill you somehow, no question. But there's no guarantee she'll go about it in a way that could potentially kick off the war. The official cause of the war wasn't just a wizard killing Bianca, it was pretty specifically Harry killing Bianca while a guest in her home and acting as a representative of the Council when she hadn't done anything to justify it under the Accords. Defending yourself from an outright murderous host is another story.

Plus Duke Ortega will presumably be there as well. He very explicitly doesn't want to start a war, and he's a potential high-ranking Red Court witness who could take your side afterward (in the sense of saying that no, you totally didn't violate the Accords and yeah Bianca did try to kill you).

I mean, I suppose she could accomplish something similar just by blatantly murdering uninvolved mortals in front of Harry and Michael.

Especially because because, as I will explain to him, if they are willing to try to take me out like this, they are willing to start a war. If they are willing to start a war, they are able to fight it, and if they are able to fight said war, they probably are already planning to start it and we should thus strike first.

I wonder. If you start talking that much sense around McCoy, and seem to have all that knowledge about the Reds to boot, how long is it going to take for him to start suspecting you're not Harry? McCoy has a buttload of experience with cloak and dagger shit and he probably has fairly good intuitions on things that could impersonate, twist or control a wizard. Maybe even things that a failed soulgaze attempt wouldn't be enough rule out.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Seems like it could go pretty wrong. Bianca is going to try and kill you somehow, no question. But there's no guarantee she'll go about it in a way that could potentially kick off the war.

Any way she could try to kill me I could survive and then ruthlessly retaliate against is something that could kick off the war. She wants to do this in a controlled time and place, so the party makes the most sense. I dont know the particulars (because the circumstances under which she makes the attempt have changed. I am not weakened because half my soul got eaten, for example), so I have Ebenezer on ready stand by and a Knight of the Cross there to bring before the council if I must and shame them into accepting the moral justification.

"If we dont protect mortals, who will?" etc. The exact situation will determine the case I make, but Ebenezer will likely back any moral case I can make.

Plus Duke Ortega will presumably be there as well. He very explicitly doesn't want to start a war

He does not want to go to war yet, but he is still willing to go to war. Keep in mind that the terms of the Accords are only usable if someone brings challenge, and if Ortega really felt he had to he could say "Jesus Christ Bianca, what did you think would happen?" and wash his hands of it.

I wonder. If you start talking that much sense around McCoy, and seem to have all that knowledge about the Reds to boot, how long is it going to take for him to start suspecting you're not Harry?

"Hoss, when did you read Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, and Kissinger?"

"Last year"

"Oh"

[Ralin]

Any way she could try to kill me I could survive and then ruthlessly retaliate against is some Ebenezer on ready stand by and a Knight of the Cross there to bring before the council if I must and shame them into accepting the moral justification.

"If we dont protect mortals, who will?" etc. The exact situation will determine the case I make, but Ebenezer will likely back any moral case I can make.

Meh. He might agree. And he backed Harry's call in Grave Peril after the fact. That doesn't mean he'd knowingly go along with starting a war with the Red Court.

He does not want to go to war yet, but he is still willing to go to war. Keep in mind that the terms of the Accords are only usable if someone brings challenge, and if Ortega really felt he had to he could say "Jesus Christ Bianca, what did you think would happen?" and wash his hands of it.

Well, the Accords do lay down things like the rights of guests and host and things like that. Harry calls them the Geneva Convention of the supernatural world and the fact that he made an unprovoked attack (from a legal perspective) on a Red Court noble while representing the Council was the political justification. Change that to "Bianca tried to kill me and I survived, so a little later I came back with my mentor and took care of bidness" and the anti-war faction of the Red Court will have a way easier time winning out.

And it's pretty clear Bianca and Ortega were both working on the assumption that Harry wouldn't dare break the rules when he knew it would set off a war.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Meh. He might agree. And he backed Harry's call in Grave Peril after the fact. That doesn't mean he'd knowingly go along with starting a war with the Red Court.

Which is why a great deal of what I do depends on the exact context. She could not possibly have been counting on the Sword falling into her hands at the time, so she had to have had something else. I dont know what her backup plan is though. I just need to be ready for it. Then, I do something Harry did not do. Leverage the poisoning attempt when I go before the council. She broke the accords first. It is enough of a mitigation to avoid counsel censure, even if she could argue against it (if still alive). She had already given up her protection under the Accords, and I have several witnesses including a Knight of the Cross.

[The Romulan Republic]

Bringing the Blackstaff for the opening salvo against the Red Court? Especially a relative lightweight like Bianca? That's just mean. And so deserved. Like a local bully suddenly finding out they've just tried to mug a Navy SEAL.

However, a few points to consider:

1. Bianca's personal animosity toward Harry, as I recall, stemmed from an altercation the two had in Storm Front which got one of Bianca's slaves killed and wounded Bianca. Without recreating those circumstances (and getting another person killed), Bianca's motivations are different.

2. If Bianca wants to draw you into a fight anyway, I suspect that she can do it very easily, at least if you bring Michael along. I'm pretty sure Michael's boss is not a signatory to the Accords, and Michael will not really hesitate to break them and start a fight if he feels his duty demands it. At that point, you either fight with Michael, the Accords be damned, or leave him to face all of the vampires alone.

But its been a while since I read book three, so I may be off.

[Ralin]

1. Bianca's personal animosity toward Harry, as I recall, stemmed from an altercation the two had in Storm Front which got one of Bianca's slaves killed and wounded Bianca. Without recreating those circumstances (and getting another person killed), Bianca's motivations are different.

...Doh.

Yeah. That's really obvious in retrospect.

As I recall it was always a little ambiguous how much of the grudge was just Bianca being evil and vengeful and how much of it came because she genuinely cared about the girl she ended up killing after Harry's visit.

[Alyrium Denryle]

1. Bianca's personal animosity toward Harry, as I recall, stemmed from an altercation the two had in Storm Front which got one of Bianca's slaves killed and wounded Bianca. Without recreating those circumstances (and getting another person killed), Bianca's motivations are different.

Thing is, I do recreate that. I am operating on a pseudo-conservation of history rule. I am playing a larger game. Eggs. Omelettes need making, and ultimately it was her choice to kill one of her favorite slaves and not mine.

2. If Bianca wants to draw you into a fight anyway, I suspect that she can do it very easily, at least if you bring Michael along. I'm pretty sure Michael's boss is not a signatory to the Accords, and Michael will not really hesitate to break them and start a fight if he feels his duty demands it. At that point, you either fight with Michael, the Accords be damned, or leave him to face all of the vampires alone.

Which is another tack I can take, yes. The Knights of the Cross are NOT signatories, but precisely no one on the council will think "letting one of them die and the sword fall into the hands of the red court or its minions" is a good idea. At which point, I am already leveraging that poisoning attempt.

"Well, you know, she had already broken the accords when she tried to poison me. I was not bound by them when all that happened". The Red Court will contest that just like Harry said they would, but it is an argument I can make with more grounding than the one Harry actually did make.

Point is, whatever she tries to do, I can make a case. Even if the council does censure me and put me on my little investigation quest in book 4, I was going to take the case anyway. I would have done so in my office if it were not for the promise she {mab] made to the council to MAKE me do it.

...Doh.

Yeah. That's really obvious in retrospect.

As I recall it was always a little ambiguous how much of the grudge was just Bianca being evil and vengeful and how much of it came because she genuinely cared about the girl she ended up killing after Harry's visit.

I suspect she is infected

[The Romulan Republic]

Nemesis? Yeah, that's possible.

Though as I recall, she was being tormented by the girls' spirit or something like that. But like I said, long time since I read Grave Peril.

Edit: Your strategy sure is piling up a lot of dead bystanders though. And I wonder if you'll really be able to keep the timeline more or less intact anyway. Butterfly effect.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Nemesis? Yeah, that's possible.

Though as I recall, she was being tormented by the girls' spirit or something like that. But like I said, long time since I read

Grave Peril[/i].

Not for that. Her initial balls-to-the-walls freakout upon arrival.

[The Romulan Republic]

Might as well post my own book by book plan, though it'll probably overlap with your's a bit. I'm less concerned with changing the timeline though, partly because I doubt its possible to keep things very similar once the changes I inevitably do make start having larger effects.

Book One: Screw it, I hat up and kill Sells fast. And yeah, I'd kill him. I mean, if he somehow survived my attack I'd probably bring him in alive, but realistically, he's going to die. I'm anti-Death Penalty in real life, but Sells is likely not going to be redeemed, I don't trust my skills in a fight enough to try to finesse it with less than maximum force, and the only authority I know of who I could realistically hand him over to (the White Council) would execute him about a dozen times over anyway, so I might as well make it quick and do it myself. I talk to his wife when she brings me the case, stake out his house, wait until he starts his ritual so I have proof of his guilt, then put a bullet in his head. If I can arrange to have Morgan watch, so much the better, but its not essential.

I then tell Murphy everything. Except future knowledge type stuff, at least. Don't want to seem too nuts or get accused of violating the Laws of Magic.

As to Marcone, I go with the option you outlined above, more or less: Stay out of my way, I stay out of your's, but I'll help save your skin if some supernatural nastiness comes for you. I will not be tricked into a soul gaze if I can help it.

Susan's advances are rejected. I might try giving her enough information that she doesn't keep taking stupid risks though.

More to come...

Edit: Although, if I could take Sells alive, it might be worth it to question the asshole. Someone was supposedly backing him up, after all...

[Alyrium Denryle]

Susan's advances are rejected.

Hehehehehe, for me it is "Susan, sweety. Wrong team." and yeah, I will give her all kinds of information.

I have to be really careful to not be too willing to break eggs for my outsider killing breakfast, otherwise... Lasciel. But I will get to that later.

Book 4.

Assuming war kicks off.

So I have spent some time in preparation. Not, you know, being a complete nervous wreck. So I tool up. The leather duster is nice, but I know damned well I am going to be going up against Sidhe claws and teeth. I prefer iron, thanks. Iron also renders me resistant to faerie magic, so that's nice. If my shield fails, extra protection.

So I get a nice kettle helm. Anchor a glamour spell on it so I can wear it in public (looks like a bowler), and anchor spells of defense that should cover my head. Throat protection will be hard, but a coat of plates will be nice over my chest, and those can be made so they look like a stiff vest. Ok. That is done.

I cultivate my relationship with Thomas, because i know that he knows he is my brother. I take a more active role in the council. The first logical place for the red court to attack is going to be Archangel (duh). I will tell them so. Repeatedly. I will also make the case that the red court has neutralized many of our advantages in travel and communications thanks to planes and cell phones, and thus we must swell the ranks with young wardens who understand that technology and listen to their advice, as well as recruiting lesser talents to act as communications relays. My latin is better than Harry's so that will go off a bit easier.

The Council will still be arrogant as fuck and dismiss me. Until archangel gets hit.

That is me being a politician. Ebenezer still gets appointed to the council because there is an opening. The conservative elements of the council will then bring up the cause of the war. Namely me. The same issues come into play, but I have been courting the younger wizards actively now and maybe getting some grudging respect from the Wardens that I will really really like having later. The council still wants to end the war, and giving me up is their way to do it. The conservative faction will still try to take the deal, reformist/sane faction will fight it.

Then Queen Mab makes her offer, and Rasheed forms his compromise test. I was planing on that mission, so cool. However, I have negotiated somewhat better terms with Mab (in addition to Harry's). No matter what else happens, she may not use coercion. She may not freeze my eyes or modify my memories. If a mission has parameters that might warrant it (like removing my ability to use fire magic), she need not tell me the reason without my express permission, but cautioning me and let me decide if I want to accept an action block is permissible. I will also insert a no treason provision. I am willing, knowing the consequences, to be bargained down from some of these, but ideally she will accept them.

I go home, meet up with Elaine, Hi Elaine, turns out I am gay. Yeah I know, weird, huh? Oh look Morgan is at the door.

Now, with Morgan at the door, I dont play the antagonism game. I let him in, extending to him my hospitality. He has less he can go after me for personally here except to insinuate treason, which is ridiculous given my prior attempts to convince the council to refortify archangel. I will politely remind him that he is behaving rather badly for a guest. He will hear Elaine/Mister moving around etc, get suspicious, see the cat. Look sheepish.

Thing is, it is really really hard to continue hating someone who is decent to you. I will explain to him that I totally get it. He thinks I am a monster waiting to happen, just another Warlock who thinks he has reformed but could revert at any moment. But for right now, I have not reverted or succumbed to any sort of dark temptation, and I will ask him what he would have done at 16 in my place. Not expecting an answer, just to let him stew on it as he leaves. I will offer him tea.


The Merlin's ace in the hole dealt with, but in a much better way than Harry managed it.

At which point, I get down to business.

I need to actually go through the investigative rigmarole. I want to recruit the changelings (keeping Marryl alive. Note: I read Dresden by way of audiobooks, so my spelling is going to likely be off), I need to get Rasheed properly on-side, and I need to make contact with Mothers Summer and Winter and properly witness both Maeve and Loyd Slate, so all that has to go as per normal, except for the fact that I will be aware of and prepared for ambushes (though I do need to end up covered in mud up that tree). The big difference comes near the end. Why?

Well, I am issuing machetes to my changeling allies (as good as a falchion against fairy armor) and brigandine armor to Marryl because I would like to keep her alive. If I can swing a ballistic vest for her to protect against gunshot I will do that too. Why her? Because she is my bodyguard. That is why. I am taking my sword with me too (you know, the earth magic focus Harry rarely uses? Yeah. Totally bringing that) not only for close in defense (because I will also be bringing a big knife), but I will also be bringing a pouch (as in, 3 4 liter sacks) full of of iron fucking filings.

Have fun with my magical magnetism, assholes. Ah, a cavalry charge. Breathe these motherfuckers. Oh, I see you have a wall of thorns. Fuck you!

And for dealing with Lloyd, I shall use an arrowstorm of nails. I will let Mab have him alive though. He did betray her afterall and I need to make sure there is a job position opened later. And I will make sure Elaine switches sides all proper like. I cannot use the wall of thorns to force a decision in the same way, but I can get her to stand down at the wall of thorns. She is the only one who could stop me at that point, and I just let her walk.

Dont worry Mab, I will clean up after myself by inducing a fuck-off powerful magnetic field when i am done and just carry all the iron out with me when I leave.

The summer lady still gets taken out by pixies though, because that is funny and I want to make sure I properly groom my pixie army.

Unraveling gets used to free Lilly, her and Fix take their respective jobs

It is not until Book 5 that I suspect matters will start to seriously diverge, if only because Susan is not going to be there.

[Ralin]

So, just a thought. Are we sure that proceeding with the war with the Red Court is a good idea? Yeah they are clearly influenced by Nemesis and yeah they are dangerous, but from the evidence we have Nemesis is sharply limited in who it can infect even with exposure. Wouldn't it make more sense to, I dunno, start making allies in vamps like Bianca and Ortega with an eye toward coming down against their pro-Outsiders elements?

A potential Red Court civil war would probably kill way fewer wizards than a war with the Council.

[Jub]

So, just a thought. Are we sure that proceeding with the war with the Red Court is a good idea? Yeah they are clearly influenced by Nemesis and yeah they are dangerous, but from the evidence we have Nemesis is sharply limited in who it can infect even with exposure. Wouldn't it make more sense to, I dunno, start making allies in vamps like Bianca and Ortega with an eye toward coming down against their pro-Outsiders elements?

A potential Red Court civil war would probably kill way fewer wizards than a war with the Council.

Well, in this case, you know what it takes to wipe out the Red Court. That might end the war sooner with fewer losses for the white council, that in itself is incentive enough to wipe out a parasite that doesn't have any redeeming features. Really the blacks and the whites should probably go too, but they're both less threatening than the reds.

[Ralin]

Well, in this case, you know what it takes to wipe out the Red Court.

A huge ass ritual death spell cast by dozens or hundreds of powerful Red Court vampires with hundreds of human sacrifices and a newbie vampire that probably won't exist in this continuity? Over a major confluence of ley lines?

Red Court vampires are of this world, which means they are at least potentially on the home team when it comes to fighting Outsiders.

Really the blacks and the whites should probably go too, but they're both less threatening than the reds.

That's what they want you to think.

Seriously. The White Court is almost certainly vastly more dangerous than anyone realizes. The Black Court is only less threatening because most of them are gone, and given their reproduction method a resurgence is always was a possibility.

[Jub]

A huge ass ritual death spell cast by dozens or hundreds of powerful Red Court vampires with hundreds of human sacrifices and a newbie vampire that probably won't exist in this continuity? Over a major confluence of ley lines?

At least you know it's possible.

Red Court vampires are of this world, which means they are at least potentially on the home team when it comes to fighting Outsiders.

That's sort of like allying with the Nazi's to fight aliens. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

That's what they want you to think.

Seriously. The White Court is almost certainly vastly more dangerous than anyone realizes. The Black Court is only less threatening because most of them are gone, and given their reproduction method a resurgence is always was a possibility.

The whites have a lot of behind the scenes power, and that's certainly dangerous, but they're also the most likely to negotiate rather than outright starting a costly war. They have a cost-benefit model that I find the easiest to work with, but don't mistake my thinking they're the lesser of 3 evils for me wanting to keep them around.

[Alyrium Denryle]

So, just a thought. Are we sure that proceeding with the war with the Red Court is a good idea? Yeah they are clearly influenced by Nemesis and yeah they are dangerous, but from the evidence we have Nemesis is sharply limited in who it can infect even with exposure. Wouldn't it make more sense to, I dunno, start making allies in vamps like Bianca and Ortega with an eye toward coming down against their pro-Outsiders elements?

A potential Red Court civil war would probably kill way fewer wizards than a war with the Council.

Thing is, I know what it takes to eliminate them. Either the Ritual goes off and I wipe them out completely (unlikely, given my lack of children for them to abduct, or if i want to leak my relation to Thomas), or I go with the White/Grey Council's plan of exterminating them as a fighting force. Either way will work.

Even the anti-war faction of the reds is not anti-war so much as "too soon", and I know that. The blacks have been all but exterminated, and after a certain incident in the Wraith Deeps, I will have eliminated the Wraith's competition and secured a powerful ally. No worries there.

What I want to do with the war is ensure it goes better, without altering the overall trajectory of events too terribly much. When that big shitstorm happens in book 7, I want fewer casualties. I want to warn Rasheed that He Who Walks Behind has been summoned into the mortal world in Book 6. And I want to bring my suspicions about The Black Council to Ebenezer much sooner. That is half the reason I want to keep an FBI agent alive. So he can be interrogated.

[Ralin]

The whites have a lot of behind the scenes power, and that's certainly dangerous, but they're also the most likely to negotiate rather than outright starting a costly war. They have a cost-benefit model that I find the easiest to work with, but don't mistake my thinking they're the lesser of 3 evils for me wanting to keep them around.

Yeah, all that stuff about how the Reds were planning to start the war later when they were better prepared? Can't imagine it doesn't go double for the White Court. The reason why they come off as more pragmatic and reasonable and possible to deal with diplomatically is because Lara wants people think she's the lesser evil right up until she's in a perfect position to decapitate or enslave her enemies.

Remember, we're hearing most of this through Harry's perspective and Harry is a vampire bigot. The Whites get leniency from him because they look nice and aren't horrible bat monsters and because his brother is one, and because Lara probably consciously avoids doing anything evil enough to provoke him where he can see it.