Motif · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

Warnings

The system's » Warning: lines, from 'level timers are still active' in the first tutorial guild to 'The cages will permanently close in thirty seconds' in Ralph's boss room on the second floor: the rules read out as they bite, and the AI's temper in them.

Segment appearances

• Chapter 1 — Chandra; the garage
• Chapter 7 — The Moon Reaper
• Chapter 8 — Hats; the Danforth; the godslayer box
• Chapter 19 — One Fine Pig; Penelope
• Chapter 21 — The joey skin; into the pouch
• Chapter 32 — The skull of Tem; three vehicles over the line
• Chapter 37 — Chicken and Waffles and Upgrades; Elle and the war mage
• Chapter 43 — The cannibals; Great Rusty; Pasty Inferno
• Chapter 59 — Negative ROI; the GTO leaves early
• Chapter 64 — The hole; the dolls; Corky aboard
• Chapter 65 — Upside down: Corcunda
• Chapter 66 — Grull; Dong tilts a giant
• Chapter 81 — Scolopendra's first attack: the Beast of Burden Sin
• Chapter 85 — The Wheel of Fortune; 'Nothing' in quotes
• Chapter 88 — Interlude: Quasar; the eleventh floor — twenty-three crawlers; Chaco's parade
• Chapter 93 — The arena: 'I choose Scolopendra'
• Epilogue — Epilogue: Sydnee Iglacia, Prime Minister Victory, Louis Santiago 2

Progression

Thirty-three, the race's: 'The next heat starts in two minutes, and you don't even have a vehicle or mount. You're not allowed to walk, dumbasses' (ch. 1); a Blood Bar with ten hours in the safe room (ch. 7); a costume that negates boxers and pedicure — 'You want to be a kangaroo so bad? Then I guess you gotta act like one' (ch. 21); mercenaries dying — 'I hope you offer workman's comp' — and 'You may not message deceased NPCs' (ch. 32); a mandatory quest to kill the Maurice on your track (ch. 43); a mercenary charged for while off the floor (ch. 59); infused elementals and a regenerator, and 'Race ends in 20 minutes' down to two (ch. 64, ch. 65, ch. 66); the tenth floor's vehicle rules ended (ch. 88); 'Time to Level Collapse: 45 minutes' (ch. 93); and the last, for leaving the playing field without a pass (epilogue).