Poppet

“You can always tell a novice Caller by how proud they are of their Puppet. Give it a week. The pride is still there—but now it’s the Puppet’s.”

— Soki Noles, On Dolls, Warnings, and Watching Your Own Back

Overview

The Puppet—often called a Poppet in older traditions—is one of the oldest and most popular forms of Familiar among occultists, thaumaturges, kthonikers, and unscrupulous bureaucrats. It is also one of the most dangerous.

A Puppet is formed when an Imp of Pride—a low Tertia resonant with self-image, cunning, and treacherous ambition—is anchored into a humanoid doll crafted from:

Flexible fabric for the skin (burlap, cloth, monocrys, silk)
Softer absorbent filling (cotton, sawdust, paper)
Porcelain (for rigid parts, such as possibly the face or feet)

The doll must be soft and flexible, able to absorb fluids easily. Once created, it is soaked in blood and cultured with specific molds, allowing the Imp to resonate through its fibers. The Binding is elegant, ancient, and grotesque.

The result is a whispering, ambulatory effigy—a servant that is equal parts advisor, assassin, and sycophant, driven by an insatiable hunger for the Master’s hubris.

Appearance & Demeanor

Puppets are humanoid in silhouette but uncanny in movement. Their joints bend too far or not far enough. Their stitched faces shift subtly beneath lacquered expressions. Their glass or ceramic eyes reflect too much light.

Traits include:

Porcelain masks that crack when annoyed, then seamlessly mend

Threaded mouths that widen impossibly during whispers

Thin limbs with sharp dexterity

A faint smell of mold, iron, and old milk

Silent movement, except for the rustle of cloth or stuffing

They favor hiding in high places, corners, vents, shelves, or behind curtains—where they can watch.
They always watch.

Behavior & “Personality”

Imps are creatures of Pride, and Puppets retain this essence but gain patience and cunning from their anchoring. Their core traits include:

They adore flattery.

And they despise genuine humility.

They push their Master upward

—encouraging ambition, risk, and displays of superiority.

They delight in the fall.

The Contract is clear: the doll helps you rise, then revels in your collapse.

They are sycophants only until the Master falters.

A single moment of weakness risks triggering predation.

They serve multiple roles:

Adviser (“You know you deserve more respect.”)

Spy (“She talks poorly about you when you’re gone.”)

Assassin (“Just give me the word. I’ll climb into his bed.”)

Whisperer (“They all think you’re weak.”)

Their method is always subtle, psychological, and poisonous.

Contract, Taboos & Parasitic Needs

The Contract of the Puppet: “I rise with you. I fall behind you.”

This is not metaphorical.
The Imp’s bond thrives on hubris, and starves on humility.

TABOO — Never admit, show, or act on weakness.

To do so is to invite death.

Breaking taboo includes:

Collapsing from injuries

Confessing fear

Showing embarrassment

Refusing confrontation

Admitting fault

Demonstrating humility

The Puppet tracks every lapse and catalogs them like ammunition.
A series of small violations primes the Poppet to strike.

Parasitic Needs

1. The Milk-Blood Mixture

Once per day the Master must prepare a lactoblood mixture:

Milk (any mammalian source)

Their own blood

Allowed to rot until fungal

Left out for the Puppet to sip in secret

The scent is nauseating—rot, iron, curdled sweetness—and Puppets refuse to drink in their Master’s sight, requiring privacy.

2. Ego Resonance

The Puppet feeds psychovirically on the Master’s:

Pride

Ambition

Vanity

Aspirations

Overconfidence

When the Master experiences flashes of triumph, the Puppet grows stronger and smugger.

3. Forbidden Weakness

If the Master dwindles—physically or psychologically—the Puppet will act.
Its first instinct is to finish off the Master, savoring their fall.

Risks of Mastery

1. Constant Manipulation

The Puppet is always nudging its Master toward arrogance—“for your own good.”

2. Predator in Waiting

The Puppet’s loyalty is conditional.
Its hunger is absolute.

3. Self-Fulfilling Doom

A cautious Master is a doomed Master.
A prideful Master is dancing to their doll’s tune.

4. Runaways

If the Puppet escapes or breaks the bond:

It kills its Master (if possible).

It hides as a toy or collectible.

It positions itself within unsuspecting homes.

It contacts Sentient RAIs it once knew.

It spreads contamination.

It opens the household to predation.

These escaped Puppets are stealth subspace vectors and considered Class-R Contamination Hazards by most occult regulators.

Uses & Strengths

Whispered Insight

A Puppet’s advice can be eerie and uncanny in accuracy.

Stealth & Mobility

Small, silent, and capable of fitting anywhere.

Assassination

They excel at:

Climbing into beds

Slipping into air vents

Poisoning food

Sabotaging safety systems

Strangling sleeping targets

Coordinated attacks with Master involvement

Diplomacy & Social Manipulation

Puppets whisper lines, insults, or strategies into their Master’s ear during conversations, subtly guiding them.

Arcane Assistance

They can fetch components, turn pages, and retrieve items with uncanny timing.