Motif · from book 1
The bestiary
The system's » This is a… cards — a Kua-Tin, a Safe Zone, a Non-Combatant NPC, a Dungeon Admin, a pet-class mob — and the Crawler # dossiers it prints for people: the dungeon naming what a thing is, in the AI's voice.
First appears: Book 1
Series arc
Through book 6
Thirty: mob roles by card — aquatic, melee, tank, undead, ranged, healer, affliction-dealing, non-corporeal (B6 ch. 6, B6 ch. 10, B6 ch. 14, B6 ch. 22, B6 ch. 39); a compulsory quest, 'you ain't getting out until it's done' (B6 ch. 10); 'a locked deity. She will not be sponsored this season' (B6 ch. 17); 'a high-ranking cleric of Hellik. You will receive a boon from Emberus if you kill this NPC' (B6 ch. 18); 'This is a demi-god' (B6 ch. 26); 'This is a turkey. You know, gobble gobble. Roast at 325 for about 13-15 minutes per pound' (B6 ch. 41); a regional quest for Cuba, a sapient, incremental-damage weapon, and a hybrid world quest for 'crawlers who are dumb enough to still be stuck on the eighth floor' (B6 ch. 62, B6 ch. 64, B6 ch. 66). Dossiers: Paz Lo, Anton Lopez and Sister Ines Quiteria in one chapter (B6 ch. 5).
Through book 1
Ten cards: the first 'a rendition of a Kua-Tin, the dominant species of the Borant System and principal owners of the Borant Corporation' (B1 ch. 2); 'This is a Safe Zone' and the first 'Non-Combatant NPC' (B1 ch. 3); a Fleeting item and a 'Unique* item' (B1 ch. 7); a shaping tool (B1 ch. 30); 'This is a Dungeon Admin' (B1 ch. 36); 'This is a pet-class mob' (B1 ch. 46). Five crawler dossiers: #4,119 'Princess Donut' (B1 ch. 2); #324,119 'Frank Q.' and #324,116 'Maggie My' (B1 ch. 20); #12,330,671 'Brandon An' and #7,450 'Agatha' (B1 ch. 22).
Through book 2
'This is a Monk subclass' (B2 ch. 2); 'This is an Elite', twice (B2 ch. 6, B2 ch. 10); a comp chip that 'must be played at the High Roller's Roulette Table' (B2 ch. 13); 'a Bereft Minion of Miss Quill' (B2 ch. 24). Dossiers: #9,077,265 'Katia Grim' (B2 ch. 21); #2,165,570 'Daniel Bautista 2' (B2 ch. 23).
Through book 3
Non-combatants and unique items; 'This is a trap monster' (B3 ch. 5); 'a pass or fail quest. Failure has consequences' (B3 ch. 12); 'a Phased item. It is invisible' (B3 ch. 22); a repeating, ranged weapon with the buffet enchantment (B3 ch. 24); 'a minion of the Mimic Rex' (B3 ch. 33). Dossiers: #12,329,440 'Imani C.' (B3 ch. 8); Carl's own, #4,122 (B3 ch. 18); Frank Q. again (B3 ch. 19); #9,077,240 'Eva Sigrid' (B3 ch. 21).
Through book 4
Minions — 'a bereft Minion of Shamus Chaindrive', 'a minion of Psamathe', 'a minion of Lusca', 'a bereft pet of Geyrun' (B4 ch. 9, B4 ch. 22, B4 ch. 27, B4 ch. 29); 'This is a world quest! All living crawlers on the fifth floor will receive this message!' (B4 ch. 30); 'a locked god. There will be no sponsors of this deity this season' (B4 ch. 31). Dossiers: #4,778,551 'Low Thi' (B4 ch. 6); #324,116 'Chris Andrews 2' (B4 ch. 14); #1,293,776 'Gwendolyn Duet' (B4 ch. 20).
Through book 5
Twenty-three, the AI's temper in them: 'a pet of Hunter Zabit' (B5 ch. 2); 'an Unaffiliated Hunter' (B5 ch. 5, B5 ch. 58); an arrow tipped for 'Enthusiastic Double Gonorrhea' (B5 ch. 15, B5 ch. 35); 'This is a feather. It's pink. It's garbage. Fuck off with making me describe this shit' (B5 ch. 28); minions of Big Tina and of Princess Donut (B5 ch. 44, B5 ch. 45, B5 ch. 49); a high elf — 'A DNA test would tell you that they're identical to bush elves' (B5 ch. 51); a small hammer that 'just doesn't do anything magical' and a stick that 'can do something truly magical' (B5 ch. 63); 'a depiction of Scolopendra. She's dreaming. It's said when she finally awakens, she will destroy everything and free us all' (B5 ch. 66). No dossiers.
Where they appear
| Book | Chapters they are in (of the book's) | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Dungeon Crawler Carl | 10/48 | 2–3, 7, 9, 20, 22, 30, 35–36, 46 · the book's own page |
| 2 — Carl's Doomsday Scenario | 9/26 | 1–2, 6, 10, 13, 15, 21, 23–24 · the book's own page |
| 3 — The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook | 14/35 | 2, 5, 7–8, 12, 14–15, 17–19, 21–22, 24, 33 · the book's own page |
| 4 — The Gate of the Feral Gods | 11/35 | 2, 6, 9, 14, 20, 22, 27, 29–31, 34 · the book's own page |
| 5 — The Butcher's Masquerade | 18/78 | 1–2, 5–6, 15, 19, 28, 35, 42, 44–46, 48–49, 51, 58, 63, 66 · the book's own page |
| 6 — The Eye of the Bedlam Bride | 19/74 | 2–3, 5–6, 10–11, 14, 17–18, 22–23, 26, 39, 41, 48, 52, 62, 64, 66 · the book's own page |
By book
The bestiary in book 1 — Dungeon Crawler Carl
Ten cards: the first 'a rendition of a Kua-Tin, the dominant species of the Borant System and principal owners of the Borant Corporation' (ch. 2); 'This is a Safe Zone' and the first 'Non-Combatant NPC' (ch. 3); a Fleeting item and a 'Unique* item' (ch. 7); a shaping tool (ch. 30); 'This is a Dungeon Admin' (ch. 36); 'This is a pet-class mob' (ch. 46). Five crawler dossiers: #4,119 'Princess Donut' (ch. 2); #324,119 'Frank Q.' and #324,116 'Maggie My' (ch. 20); #12,330,671 'Brandon An' and #7,450 'Agatha' (ch. 22).
The bestiary in book 2 — Carl's Doomsday Scenario
The bestiary in book 3 — The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
Non-combatants and unique items; 'This is a trap monster' (ch. 5); 'a pass or fail quest. Failure has consequences' (ch. 12); 'a Phased item. It is invisible' (ch. 22); a repeating, ranged weapon with the buffet enchantment (ch. 24); 'a minion of the Mimic Rex' (ch. 33). Dossiers: #12,329,440 'Imani C.' (ch. 8); Carl's own, #4,122 (ch. 18); Frank Q. again (ch. 19); #9,077,240 'Eva Sigrid' (ch. 21).
The bestiary in book 4 — The Gate of the Feral Gods
Minions — 'a bereft Minion of Shamus Chaindrive', 'a minion of Psamathe', 'a minion of Lusca', 'a bereft pet of Geyrun' (ch. 9, ch. 22, ch. 27, ch. 29); 'This is a world quest! All living crawlers on the fifth floor will receive this message!' (ch. 30); 'a locked god. There will be no sponsors of this deity this season' (ch. 31). Dossiers: #4,778,551 'Low Thi' (ch. 6); #324,116 'Chris Andrews 2' (ch. 14); #1,293,776 'Gwendolyn Duet' (ch. 20).
The bestiary in book 5 — The Butcher's Masquerade
Twenty-three, the AI's temper in them: 'a pet of Hunter Zabit' (ch. 2); 'an Unaffiliated Hunter' (ch. 5, ch. 58); an arrow tipped for 'Enthusiastic Double Gonorrhea' (ch. 15, ch. 35); 'This is a feather. It's pink. It's garbage. Fuck off with making me describe this shit' (ch. 28); minions of Big Tina and of Princess Donut (ch. 44, ch. 45, ch. 49); a high elf — 'A DNA test would tell you that they're identical to bush elves' (ch. 51); a small hammer that 'just doesn't do anything magical' and a stick that 'can do something truly magical' (ch. 63); 'a depiction of Scolopendra. She's dreaming. It's said when she finally awakens, she will destroy everything and free us all' (ch. 66). No dossiers.
The bestiary in book 6 — The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
Thirty: mob roles by card — aquatic, melee, tank, undead, ranged, healer, affliction-dealing, non-corporeal (ch. 6, ch. 10, ch. 14, ch. 22, ch. 39); a compulsory quest, 'you ain't getting out until it's done' (ch. 10); 'a locked deity. She will not be sponsored this season' (ch. 17); 'a high-ranking cleric of Hellik. You will receive a boon from Emberus if you kill this NPC' (ch. 18); 'This is a demi-god' (ch. 26); 'This is a turkey. You know, gobble gobble. Roast at 325 for about 13-15 minutes per pound' (ch. 41); a regional quest for Cuba, a sapient, incremental-damage weapon, and a hybrid world quest for 'crawlers who are dumb enough to still be stuck on the eighth floor' (ch. 62, ch. 64, ch. 66). Dossiers: Paz Lo, Anton Lopez and Sister Ines Quiteria in one chapter (ch. 5).