Motif · Book 5, The Butcher's Masquerade

The high elves

Racial purists in a bleached castle who send cleansers into other people's land, execute pets and their whole species when kings tire of them, stole soul gems from a sleeping worm and something that shields the royal court, and tithe their subjects for a palace of dukes. White-clad soldiers, gold castle guards, black-and-gold queen's guards; bush elves with money and moisturiser in the Liana district. Two hundred ride out of the castle to die to mantises and brambles.

Segment appearances

Chapter 1 — The vice principal's office
Chapter 2 — Night weasels
Chapter 5 — Zockau
Chapter 9 — Just Wait Until Your Daddy Gets Home
Chapter 10 — No dinosaurs of any kind
Chapter 13 — Elites in the trees
Chapter 14 — Were-castors
Chapter 15 — The kids' menu
Chapter 16 — Clint and Holger
Chapter 20 — Viva la revolución
Chapter 24 — The rock chucker
Chapter 25 — Fort Freedom
Chapter 26 — Wonderwall
Chapter 27 — Claude Sludgington the Fourth
Chapter 28 — Premature Questjaculation
Chapter 44 — The Recital
Chapter 51 — The howdah
Chapter 52 — Gehenna Bramble
Chapter 54 — The blood bar
Chapter 56 — Zerzura
Chapter 58 — The last stall in the women's bathroom
Chapter 64 — The attendant entrance
Chapter 65 — The Oak Mother's sacrament
Chapter 66 — The Sugar Cube
Chapter 69 — The prize counter
Chapter 72 — Cat-nac the Magnificent
Chapter 73 — Wonderwall, again
Chapter 76 — Cage Fight Extreme

Progression

Imogen's cleansers and the Chee's land taken (ch. 14); soul gems from a sleeping worm and a stolen shield (ch. 16); bush elves with money and moisturiser in the Liana district (ch. 51); a footman's contempt and a stablemancer's kindness (ch. 64, ch. 66); two hundred riding out to die (ch. 72); a queen's guard dead in the pit (ch. 76).