The Puppetmaster

The Puppetmaster is the main antagonist of the Ravenloft product line novel Carnival of Fear. In universe, he (formerly) held power over the freaks and performers of L'Morai until their rebellion and escape at the end of the book. He is the seeming darklord of L'Morai (if that land is truly a Ravenloft domain).

Biography

Becoming the Lord

Properly named Maudit Sienne, Maudit Sienne was a puppeteer and the master of Carnival l'Morai. However, he is not the first carnival master (that being Juron Cygne), but rather merely the latest in a series to bear the title. Eleven others followed Juron, all of whom now exist as unaging councilmen in the Council of l'Morai, or so says the Puppetmaster. According to his account of his past to Marie the Blind Juggler, he was once a circus performer who led a rebellion against the cruel exploits of the previous Carnival Master. Ultimately, Maudit Sienne was given a choice, accept the ruby pendant and its accompanying power and curse or doom himself plus the rest of the carnival folk. He accepted and became Carnival l'Morai's new lord, though he was cursed by the pendant to side with the hateful cityfolk against his carnival folk subjects. However, the carnival folk dying by the dozens, they died one by one to please the depredations of the citizens of the City of l'Morai. The events occurred of this rebellion and corruption of the Puppetmaster occurred some 60 years prior to the events of Carnival of Fear, which the Carnival sourcebook places at 740 BC. Put together, the Puppetmaster's rebellion and transformation occurred in 680 BC.

Marie's Insurrection

Sixty years later, a series of murders of carnival performers motivated Marie the Blind Juggler, Morcastle the Magician, and Hermos the Man-Giant to investigate. The Puppetmaster successfully framed Dominick the Butcher's while pretending to be the helpful protector of the carnival folk. Hermos and Marie took Domiminick to the Council of l'Morai, where he was condemned by the whims of the cityfolk rather than any true evidence or justice. Dominick was transformed into Karrick the Man of a Thousand Knives and exiled to Carnival l'Morai through the punishment of the living death.

Marie, Morcastle, and Hermos discovered the truth only after Dominick's punishment had been effected. Morcastle's murder pushed Marie and Hermos to pick up the investigation again despite the Puppetmaster's assurances he would protect them and vague warnings not to pull back the veil further. Hermos and Marie's investigations pointed back not only to the Puppetmaster's involvement but the whole of the City of l'Morai's systematic exploitation and murder of the carnival folk over years and years.

In response to the above injustices and ignorant of Maudit Sienne's past, Marie led a rebellion of her own. The audience was ejected from the festival ground as the tent above the carnival arena was razed. The Puppetmaster retreated to his own wagon, which the carnival folk surrounded. He killed several impatient carnies who attempted to force their way in. Marie ordered the wagon to be burnt to the ground. Badly burnt by the fire, the Puppetmaster's now hideous and massive form emerged, and he forced his way out past the shocked carnie folk and into the black heath, where he lost his pursuers, even Arkoo the Leopard Boy.

The Puppetmaster's Return

Not too long after, the Puppetmaster returned with an army of soldiers from the City of l'Morai. The carnival folk ensconced themselves in the carnival arena, to where the city's army laid siege. When the living soldiers faltered, the Puppetmaster reanimated the corpses of the dead. The Puppetmaster gave the carnival folk an offer: turn over Marie and live. Marie resisted but eventually acquiesced.

On the eve of her execution, the Puppetmaster gave Marie the same ultimatum he received long before: become the next carnival master, or die and let her followers, now trapped in the arena, die of starvation. (Note that this would not pass the nickname of Puppetmaster to her, simple carnival master.) Facing imminent doom, Marie gave in, accepting the ruby pendant and all that came with it.

Marie's Death

Marie returned to Hermos and her followers, whom she forlornly told to rebuild the Carnival. Hermos recognized the dark change in her and, in embrace, broke her neck before telling the others her last order to flee to freedom. With that he led the former performers from l'Morai through the Mists where they emerged in Darkon.

Lingering Questions

Marie's death leaves a number of unresolved questions concerning the Puppetmaster's. It is unclear, beyond not aging, how much of the power bestowed by the ruby pendant he kept after giving it to Marie. Although no mention is made of the other Councilors of l'Morai having difficulty blending into society, the Puppetmaster was badly burned and unmasked as a freak before the entire city. Furthermore, it is unclear what happens to the Puppetmaster following Marie's death and the departure of the carnival folk from l'Morai. In the epilogue, an unnamed cat-faced man finds the pendant and becomes enraptured by it as some blonde children begin bullying a black-haired boy. This may be taken to imply that Carnival l'Morai might somehow restart itself. What this possible development might leave the extant Council, the Puppetmaster, and indeed the City of l'Morai is unknown.