Marionette

Marionettes were a variety of puppet that could be found in both the Realms and Barovia, that differed from others in that they were controlled by strings. "Who is this maestro, this puppet master, pulling the strings of so many marionettes?"

- Drizzt Do'Urden

History
On Toril, marionettes could be found as far back as the Empire of Netheril, where those skilled in using them could be found in the League of Noted Singers and Performers. A notable puppeteer of marionettes during this time was the archwizard Halavar, who created a magical item with engravings of marionettes that allowed him to effortlessly reproduce the ones he owned.

In the mid–14 century DR, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold a wide variety of marionettes, which they marketed as a tool for bards. The marionettes that they sold resembled variously bards, crones, cutpurses, farmers, herdsmen, kings and queens, mages, maidens, merchants, mothers, noblemen, orcs, peasants, priests, princes and princesses, skeletons, slaves, and soldiers. They also sold dragon marionettes, made of silk from Shou Lung, that required three hands to operate. One such place that produced these dragon marionettes was the feudal state of Nathlan.

Around this same century, one could make special orders for marionettes from the Stringpullers guild of Saerloon.

When the warmage Aoth Fezim was affected by the Spellplague, he saw an illusory image of Bareris Anskuld dangling a marionette that resembled himself, twitching its strings to make it dance.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle • Curse of Strahd
 * Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
 * Novels
 * The Council of Blades • Undead • The Reaver • Timeless
 * Azure Bonds • The Wyvern's Spur • Red Magic • The Night Parade • The Coral Kingdom • War in Tethyr • Murder in Halruaa • The Shadow Stone • The Halls of Stormweather • Shadow's Witness • The Shattered Mask • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor • Sands of the Soul • The Yellow Silk • Dawn of Night • Realms of the Dragons • Mistress of the Night • The Rite • Queen of the Depths • Depths of Madness • Stardeep • Realms of War • The Edge of Chaos • City of Torment • Avenger • Key of Stars • Maestro
 * Azure Bonds • The Wyvern's Spur • Red Magic • The Night Parade • The Coral Kingdom • War in Tethyr • Murder in Halruaa • The Shadow Stone • The Halls of Stormweather • Shadow's Witness • The Shattered Mask • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor • Sands of the Soul • The Yellow Silk • Dawn of Night • Realms of the Dragons • Mistress of the Night • The Rite • Queen of the Depths • Depths of Madness • Stardeep • Realms of War • The Edge of Chaos • City of Torment • Avenger • Key of Stars • Maestro
 * Azure Bonds • The Wyvern's Spur • Red Magic • The Night Parade • The Coral Kingdom • War in Tethyr • Murder in Halruaa • The Shadow Stone • The Halls of Stormweather • Shadow's Witness • The Shattered Mask • Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor • Sands of the Soul • The Yellow Silk • Dawn of Night • Realms of the Dragons • Mistress of the Night • The Rite • Queen of the Depths • Depths of Madness • Stardeep • Realms of War • The Edge of Chaos • City of Torment • Avenger • Key of Stars • Maestro