Motif · Book 5, The Butcher's Masquerade

Faction Wars

The ninth floor's war, named by Prince Maestro on his own show: nine factions, the Skull Clan victorious six times in the last ten, the Blood Sultanate almost always the first eliminated, and a War Leader's seat the prince intends to take.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 1 — The vice principal's office
• Chapter 3 — Quasar
• Chapter 15 — The kids' menu
• Chapter 22 — Samantha, open wide
• Chapter 38 — Edict
• Chapter 41 — The Society for the Eradication of Cocker Spaniels
• Chapter 42 — Warrants
• Chapter 53 — Iota
• Chapter 54 — The blood bar
• Chapter 56 — Zerzura
• Chapter 58 — The last stall in the women's bathroom
• Chapter 59 — The sheriffs of the wild west
• Chapter 62 — A squirrel with antlers
• Chapter 74 — All Eyes on Me
• Chapter 77 — The mask

Progression

The Dreadnoughts abandon their stake and nobody can fill the seat (ch. 1); the Gate is promised back on the ninth floor, to sow chaos in the faction wars (ch. 3); hunters here won places in faction armies at camp (ch. 22); the Burrowers, usually out second after the nagas (ch. 38); a franchised prince and a naga's brother (ch. 42). By the end the Burrowers have dropped out at the last minute and the Princess Posse has fielded troops in spot three, Carl and Donut are co-warlords, fifteen action items await votes, one of them contractual — Remove Safety Protections For Faction Sponsors — and the vote is two to seven (ch. 77). Leverage, Carl says, to get as many people to the tenth floor as possible.