Motif · Book 5, The Butcher's Masquerade

The Chee

A peaceful carpenter people the High Elves destroyed in a night when they took the land: what is left is six schoolboys transfigured into were-castors — were-beavers, brown and oily, buck-toothed, lisping — by Imogen's own spell before her cleansers were sent in, their teacher a caterpillar, and a life of running. Survivors were spared by Scolopendra. Two live on in ink.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 13 — Elites in the trees
• Chapter 14 — Were-castors
• Chapter 16 — Clint and Holger
• Chapter 17 — The security checkpoint
• Chapter 24 — The rock chucker
• Chapter 25 — Fort Freedom
• Chapter 28 — Premature Questjaculation
• Chapter 29 — Blood and ink
• Chapter 67 — Slate Butterflies
• Chapter 70 — Anaconda
• Chapter 75 — Sic 'em

Progression

Six survivors of the night the High Elves came (ch. 13); their teacher, the transfiguration and a life of running (ch. 14); survivors spared by Scolopendra (ch. 16); a were-castor is a were-beaver (ch. 21); the teacher dies (ch. 27) and Clint before her (ch. 28); ink (ch. 29); flesh (ch. 75).