Summer Knight Mantle
A stolen mantle of power that shifts the balance between Summer and Winter.
The Summer Knight Mantle is a metaphysical office and source of power within the Summer Court of the Sidhe. In the novel Summer Knight, the mantle is stolen from the murdered Summer Knight Ronald Reuel, and later transferred to the changeling Lily, who becomes the new Summer Knight. The mantle represents the champion of the Summer Court, and its theft shifts the balance of power toward Winter, driving the Summer Court to attack at Midsummer.
Quick Facts
- First appears
- Summer Knight (Novel)
Lore & Background
The Summer Knight Mantle is not a physical object but a transferable source of authority and power. When Ronald Reuel, the Summer Knight, is murdered by Maeve, the Winter Lady, she steals his mantle and gives it to the changeling Lily. Lily is later turned to stone by Aurora, who commands the power of the Stone Table. The theft disrupts the balance between the Faerie Courts, forcing Summer to prepare an attack on Winter at Midsummer before their power fades. Dresden later releases Lily using a Cloth of Unraveling given by the Mothers, and after Aurora's death, Lily becomes the new Summer Lady. She then chooses her changeling friend Fix to become the new Summer Knight.
Reader's Guide
The Summer Knight Mantle is a source of power and authority tied to the Summer Court. It can be transferred from one bearer to another, as seen when Aurora gives it to Lily. The mantle's theft or loss shifts the balance of power between Summer and Winter, as the death of the Summer Knight and the theft of his mantle drove the Summer Court to attack Winter at Midsummer. The mantle is not inherently tied to a specific individual; it can be held by a changeling like Lily or Fix. The Stone Table in ethereal Chicago represents the balance of power, and any blood spilled upon it permanently changes that balance. The mantle's power is significant enough that its theft can trigger war between the Courts.
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