Paranet

The Paranet  is an organization of human practitioners with low-level magical talent.

Description
It was founded to provide an infrastructure, help, and protection for such practitioners, due to not being eligible for the White Council. Its members are called Paranetters (Netters for short).

Concept: Expand the Ordo Lebes, build a network of contacts, run a hotline for practitioners. Then contact groups in cities across the country putting word out that if people are in a supernatural fix, they can get word into the Network. Set up self-defense classes. Get people to coordinate, cooperate and support each other.

The Paranet has tens of thousands of members, implying they can follow what happens in every city by people who are getting more experienced everyday. Members of the Paranet are all, by necessity, low-grade talents who can use computers without hexing them. Harry Dresden kept a map on the wall underneath Bob's shelf in his lab, with green and red push pins in it documenting information provided by the Paranet; green for a real threat experienced, red for a false alarm. Dresden tore the map down when the FBI raided his apartment, as he didn't want them to think that he was a terrorist.

After members of the Ordo Lebes in Chicago and other practitioners around the country were targeted for demise by some factions of the White Court in an effort to cull women with talent who could give birth to future wizards, Elaine Mallory and Harry Dresden get the idea to start a network of support, education and self-protection.

Dresden negotiated a wereguild from Lara Raith, the de facto leader of the White Court, in reparation to the victims' dependents. The funds remaining from those victims without dependents, such as Anna Ash, was used to start it up.

By Small Favor, the network had gotten its name, the Paranet, and in Bombshells Waldo Butters calls it the Hivemind.

Known members are: Abby, members of the Ordo Lebes, and the deceased Nathan Simpson and Sunbeam Monroe. Known supporters are Elaine Mallory, Harry Dresden, Karrin Murphy, Carlos Ramirez, and Anastasia Luccio.

Night of Bad Dreams
"Dead children. The world in flames. Terror and death spreading across the globe in an unstoppable wave, destroying anything resembling order or civilization."

- Common nightmare themes on the Night of Bad Dreams

The day the vampires of the Red Court all perished, the Paranet buzzed; Anyone with even the smallest amount of talent was having vivid dreams of horror. Pregnant women and just-delivered were hit the hardest; many had to be hospitalized.

Small Favor
In Small Favor, Harry Dresden had taken a trip to Dallas, where someone was being stalked by a big black dog. He showed them how to get rid of it. Bob thinks it a good idea.

Changes
In Changes, Harry Dresden suggests using the Paranet for identifying and educating emerging |talents early to prevent them going warlock and thusly getting executed by the White Council Wardens. Luccio thinks it is a good idea and its time will come eventually. Older wizards on the Council view it as a security risk.

Ghost Story
In Ghost Story, Abby reports at a Chicago Alliance meeting that there are missing Netters in Oregon. They fear that the Fomor got them. In Chicago, there are two Netters lost: Nathan Simpson and Sunbeam Monroe. William Borden reports that a ghoul got Simpson and the Alphas got the ghoul. Sunbeam was lost on the El Train. Murphy and Borden devise a plan to encourage people to travel in pairs.

The destruction of the Red Court has left a power vacuum. Every two-bit supernatural group or organization is attempting to take advantage of it and found an empire. Chicago has managed to repel the Fomor. The Paranet has been a huge help by saving hundreds of lives Chicago and beyond. Abby glows with pride and confidence unlike before.

Cold Days
In Cold Days, Harry Dresden tasks Butters with asking the Netters if anyone's seen anything unusual, any odd activity in the last week around Lake Michigan—to report, not investigate. Dresden is looking for whoever might be setting up a big spell. Lara Raith's people have done a lot against the Fomor with the help of their vast communication network. He is pleased and surprised.