Marionette
In bygone times, marionettes were extraordinarily rare, but in recent centuries their presence has become increasingly common in the Kingdom’s cities, theaters, and companies, along with that of marottes and other artifact creatures made of triflewood, aka “turquoise wood”. Once grown exclusively in the most remote recesses of the town of Cuccaigne and impossible to find, this material is now being cultivated in various places around the Kingdom – with the turquoises’ authorization – and more freely exploited.

Due to the rarity of this wood, marionettes are usually of “classic” child-like size, and of humanoid features, but assorted experiments and variations are occasionally tried.

Marionettes look like entirely artificial creatures of burnished wood, with joints, painted parts, and mechanical elements, and would be totally inert without the powerful Extravaganza that animates them. Their features can be those of a child, adult or elderly, male or female person, of different ethnicities and shapes. In any case, their true nature soon emerges and – by varying degrees and more or less spontaneously – they reach their ideal inner form.

The triflewood nucleus generally corresponds to the heart and head of the marionette, and its removal or destruction is as lethal as similar maiming in a human being.

In the past, as a reward for jobs and tasks or to end the suffering and humiliations of a lifetime, famous marionettes asked and obtained leave from the turquoises to become real human beings. These days, in a world that has learned to accept them for what they are, marionettes are often happy to be themselves.

How Other Races See Them
Among the Kingdom’s common inhabitants, marionettes compete with the nonexistents for the “Funniest Being” distinction, even surpassing the malebranche and talking animals.

In the old days, people viewed marionettes as feys and miraculous beings, but for some decades now they have grown accustomed to their still-exceptional but no longer inconceivable presence. The fact that they are generally employed as entertainers, actors, and musicians has brought marionettes widespread acceptance in towns and villages, while also rendering them a bad service: most commoners see them as buffoons and jesters, and find it hard to recognize them as real people. In the course of their lives, regardless of their mood or the type of performance they happen to be engaged in, marionettes will be heckled with “Make us laugh, puppet,” and similar humiliations over and over again.

Marionette Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity and Constitution scores increase by 1.

Age. The marionettes "are born" at the time of manufacture, and their age is represented by the features that the carpenter gives them, usually adolescent or adult. Their nature is both resistant and fragile, and they age and deteriorate along with the wood they are made of. The triflewood begins to deteriorate after a few decades and rarely exceeds half a century.

Size. Marionettes average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small. Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Triflewood Construct. You are an animated construct and you have the following benefits: • You are immune to poison and have immunity to the poisoned condition. • You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe. • You are immune to disease (except for wood diseases).

Magical but Still Made of Wood. You have vulnerability to fire damage.

Self Mending. As long as your triflewood core is not destroyed, you are able to repair yourself with ease, adding 2d8 to the maximum number of Hit Dice you can spend at the end of a short rest. You regain this trait’s spent Hit Dice upon finishing a long rest.

Removable Limb. As a bonus action during a brawl, you can detach a limb and use it as a common prop. Unlike normal common props, your limb is not lost after use.

Different Shapes (Subrace). Although the most common marionette is the pinocchio, there are other shapes of marionettes. Choose one of these subraces.

Cabin Doll
Also known as "marinette", this is a variant whose construction secrets are known only to some special Vortigan shipwrights, who use a triflewood core together with some other timber recovered from ship wrecks and seasoned in seawater. For this reason, cabin dolls possess an innate and profound understanding of the sea and its secrets, and they are often used as "ship's boys" aboard Vortigan ships, or in Vortiga's shipyards as workers, helpers, carpenters, and engineers.

Nautical. You have proficiency in vehicles (water) and navigator's tools. Furthermore, through gestures and sounds, you can communicate simple concepts to any beast that has an innate base swimming speed.

Wind and Water. You know the druidcraft cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the fog cloud spell once with this trait, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level you can cast the gust of wind spell once with this trait, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Charisma.

Pinocchio
One of the oldest and certainly the most widespread shapes, conceived mainly as a performer and actor in traveling theater troupes.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Gullible. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks.

Pupo
The most typical zagarian puppets have been created by mimicking the ancient paladins' distinctive appearance and attitudes, and they are generally quite belligerent. This shape is made with parts of brass armor grafted directly into its wood, which therefore become part of its very nature.

Integrated Armor. You get no benefit from wearing armor but you can still benefit from the bonus offered by a shield. Your AC is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum 2) + your proficiency bonus.

Saintlet
Sacred marionettes used as effigies in Creed and Paradox Faith rituals, neither animated nor sentient, have existed in Vortigana and the Kingdom of the Two Scyllas long before they passed to the world of traveling theaters. When the first animated marionettes began to spread all over the "Left Boot", the artisans of the Severissima and some Paradox monks thought to try and see what would happen by recreating those religious figurines with triflewood. Thus were born the so-called saintlets.

These marionettes are generally more haughty and inspired than the impetuous and rowdy Pinocchios built in Torrigiana, and often manifest innate powers of divine origin.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom scores increase by 1.

In Saint’s Image and Likeness. You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the bless spell once with this trait, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level you can cast the prayer of healing spell once with this trait, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Wisdom.