Motif · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

The arena vote and the stand-ins

Kill a special creature and the audience may vote it to the eleventh-floor arena or send a stand-in from the resort on the eighteenth — Otto the slime, bankers and politicians in horrible masks; Ajib's mob went to the arena itself. The Corcunda quest's reward is two stand-ins of the party's choosing 'within my sphere of influence', chosen only inside the arena: Carl picks Scolopendra and Khepri.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 5 — Team Sparkles; the tow
• Chapter 14 — Hungry Eyes; the Hairpin and the Lollipop
• Chapter 23 — Plenty of Plenty; Zev reads the script; a note from C&W&U
• Chapter 24 — Akuma's note; half a prayer, half a song; the sock
• Chapter 67 — Half a prayer, half a song; one flower
• Chapter 92 — Chaco on Lamashtu; the AI's history in four parts; Vengeance

Progression

'I have to choose the fate of my kill' (ch. 4); Otto and Ajib's mob voted to the arena (ch. 5); two stand-ins for a quest (ch. 13); what a stand-in is, and who Carl could drag (ch. 14); 80% for the stand-in (ch. 23); 'anyone within my sphere of influence' (ch. 24); Penelope's card and the lightning show him a way out (ch. 45); the prize is two people to the eleventh (ch. 54); chosen inside the arena (ch. 67); Orren asks (ch. 88); bound elites at the judging stand (ch. 92); Scolopendra, then Khepri (ch. 93, ch. 95); the stand-ins are dead — 'A small mercy' (epilogue).