Motif · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

The tourists

Outworlders inside the dungeon: Linus the superfan under the table, and Minus the soldier who replaces him; the guests of Club Scolopendra who cannot die on the tenth; the Maestro in Grull. The AI counts them as rats on the first floor, and they cannot be killed on any floor left.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 15 — The Lollipop: the crawlers' table
• Chapter 52 — Interlude: Minus; the key, the upgrades, and Chachi
• Chapter 56 — Take on Me
• Chapter 61 — Suckira; the cactus; Li Na leaves the game
• Chapter 74 — Human shells; Ad Infinitum
• Chapter 95 — Inside Scolopendra; Club Scolopendra; 'I killed him'

Progression

Linus under the table (ch. 15); Minus's mission (ch. 52); the Maestro cannot die on the tenth (ch. 66); the poison that would not have worked (ch. 72); 'rats on the first floor' (ch. 86); Cerni Pinta in a web (ch. 95); the guests regenerate (epilogue).