The Puppeteer is an entity of pure psychic energy similar in appearance to a distorted jellyfish. Most never glimpse this sanity-rending shape for the Puppeteer rarely manifests. Instead, the ancient being prefers to remain unseen as it foments chaos and tragedy for its amusement. It can inhabit those that are 'Primed' thanks to an eldritch mixture, turning them into the Transfigured for the duration. Measuring nearly two meters in length the Puppeteer is topped by a dome of translucent, oscillating petals. Amid the red ruffles, free-floating eyes swell up like cysts, and eventually burst in the same way. The ooze produced rapidly evaporates into the ether. Thick cilia, reminiscent of human fingers, twitch under this disgusting crown. From the center of the mass dangles an ever-changing number of tentacles with the consistency of dispersing smoke. These ethereal pseudopods and entangle objects and creatures the Puppeteer uses its powers on.
The Serum. The Puppeteer takes a perverse delight in tormenting the physical world, but finds doing so directly too difficult and dangerous. To that end, it discovered an addictive, alchemical concoction based on aberration secretions that prime an imbiber’s body for possession. At first, the Puppeteer used seeded myths around this serum under many names. Ancient texts proclaim it is vital in prolonging life, increasing physical prowess, and/or increasing one’s awareness of the cosmos. In truth, the serum robs its users, called Primed, of their inhibitions, increases adrenaline output, and fills them with frantic energy.
With its gateway into the physical world complete the eldritch horror could link to any addict’s senses and even sink into their bodies, the bonding producing a brutish Transfigured with the Puppeteer firmly in control. While riding a Transfigured the Puppeteer debauches itself with every taboo available and can leave the Primed host at any time. In the aftermath, the host suffers hazy recollections of its abhorrent actions and is often wracked with guilt and insanity. Yet, the addition to the serum remains. The Puppeteer will possess the same Primed again and again until the addict destroys themselves or is slain. Then the mental anathema merely moves onto the next host, usually in a faraway city.
Egotist. Occasionally the Puppeteer encounters a lone investigator or group of heroes worthy of matching wits with. While it still considers the mortal creatures beneath it the abomination finds satisfaction in this temporary rivalry. Instead of just moving on, the Puppeteer will continue tormenting the area, taunting its nemesis with horrific crimes perpetrated by one Transfigured at first, waiting until the hero feels comfortable after defeating that Primed, and then picking right back up with one or more addicts. The Puppeteer eventually makes it clear that its foes are dealing with a single criminal mastermind, goading them in each subsequent encounter with tidbits and phrases from previous meetings. After the Puppeteer has grown tired of this back-and-forth it will try and trick the hero into drinking the serum; usually under the pretense that doing so will allow them to perceive the true threat behind their torment. Then the Puppeteer possesses the doomed soul, ruining their reputation and lives, before leaving them a broken, gibbering husk.
The Puppeteer
Large Aberrration, neutral evil
Fly 20ft (hover)
Str 3 Dex 16 Con 16 Int 16 Wis 12 Cha 18
Skills
Arcana +6, History +6, Intimidation +9
Condition Immunities
charmed, paralyzed, petrified, restrained
Damage Resistances
Acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, lightning, piercing, poison, slashing, and thunder
Damage Vulnerabilities
psychic
Senses
blindsight 60ft, passive Perception 11
Incorporeal Movement:
The Puppeteer can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Inhabit:
When the Puppeteer enters the same square as one of the Primed, the Puppeteer can bond with the creature and disappear. The Prime becomes a Transfigured under the Puppeteer's control. The Puppeteer uses the Transfigured statics below. The Puppeteer can leave the Transfigured as an action.
Legendary Resistance (3/day):
If The Puppeteer fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Psychic Tethers:
While the Puppeteer is on the same plane as any number of the Primed, it can, as an action, through the Primed's eyes and hear what they hear until the start of its next turn. During this time, the Puppeteer is deaf and blind with regard to its own senses.
Actions
Multiattack
The Puppeteer can make two Tentacle attacks as one action.
Tentacle
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) psychic damage. In addition, if the target is a creature it must make an Intelligence Save DC 16 or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
Superior Invisiblity
The Puppeteer magically turns invisible until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell).Legendary Actions
The Puppeteer can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Puppeteer regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.Move (1 point): The Puppeteer or the Transfigured makes a move action that does not provoke an opprtunity attack.
Attack (1 point): The Puppeteer makes a Tentacle attack, or the Transfigured makes a Slam Attack.
Vanish (2 points): The Puppeteer becomes invisible or the Transfigured may Hide as a bonus action.
The Transfigured resembled the humanoid they were before but bloated by explosive bone and muscle growth. Red, arcane power crackles in bulged veins and within their manic gaze. The creature’s head is too small compared to the bulk, while their hands still seem oversized. Occasional wisps of visible magic drifts from their bodies but dissolve quickly into the ether. Every Transfigured suffers from the extremities of emotion, and display them in primal ways such as howling, wailing, or toothy smiles. On that subject, no matter the species their teeth become wide, flat, and barely contained by their lips.
Before and after this state, the ‘Primed’ looks like a normal member of their species. Their eyes are a bit sunken, often ringed with black circles. They tend to be a bit twitchy and have issues keeping up on their hygiene without aid. Despite this bereft appearance, the Primed have spurts of supernatural ability such as spasms of inhuman strength, quick calculation ability, acute senses and the like. They chalk up these ‘gifts’ to the Serum. They also do not realize they are being possessed by the Puppeteer, and blame themselves for the crimes committed by the Transfigured.
The Transfigured
Large humanoid (as victim's race), neutral evil
Climb 30ft
Str 18 Dex 13 Con 18 Int 16 Wis 12 Cha 18
Skills
Athletics +9, Arcana +6, History +6, Intimidation +9
Condition Immunities
charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Damage Resistances
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks.
Damage Vulnerabilities
psychic
Senses
Darkvision 120 ft, passive Perception 11
Malignant Strength:
The Transfigured adds an additional damage die to all Strength-based attacks. This is already factored into its attacks below. In addition, whenever the Transfigured scores a critical hit it may use its reaction to make another melee attack against the same target.
Feral Instinct:
The Transfigured has advantage on initiative rolls.
Legendary Resistance (3/day):
If The Transfigured fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Reckless Attack:
The Transfigured may choose to gain advantage on its melee attacks until the end of turn. If it does so attacks against it gain advantage until the start of its next turn.
Actions
Multiattack
The Transfigured can make two Slam attacks and one Bite attack as one action.
Slam
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
Bite:
Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 11 (3d4+4) piercing damage.
Jaunt 1/day:
Cascading as pure, mental energy the Transfigured teleports unoccupied space it can see within 60ft. Immediately after it disappears, a psychic shockwave erupts, and each creature within 10 feet of the space it left must make an Intelligence saving throw DC 16, taking 3d10 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The Transfigured can also teleport one creature of large or smaller who is carrying gear up to its carrying capacity. The creature must be within 5 feet of the Transfigured when it casts this spell, and there must be an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the Transfigured's destination space for the creature to appear in; otherwise, the creature is left behind.Legendary Actions
As The Puppeteer, above.
Using The Puppeteer–
First and foremost the Puppeteer is a voyeur and hedonist with a strong sadistic streak. It seems humanoids as toys and the whole world its playground. On top of that, the aberration does not quite understand human nature and emotions and finds anger and pain amusing more than anything else. It also thinks it is smarter than it actually is. Usually the first time the heroes encounter the Puppeteer will be while tracking down the crimes it commits as a Transfigured. The player characters might interact with the addict Primed host first, who is falling apart due to the continued possession and seeks to be freed of their affliction. Or they may face off a Transfigured in mortal combat, left with a withered corpse afterward. After another scenario or two, the heroes can run across similar crimes in a different area. In dealing with it they are taunted by the current Transfigured with tidbits of their previous heroics. In the aftermath, they run across a serum of similar properties this host was using. From there the game is afoot as the Puppeteer throws new threats at the player characters and angling them into drinking the serum as well.
As a one and done monster the Puppeteer could be the end boss of a dungeon/wizard tower packed with mad alchemists and their creations who worship the eldritch horror as some sort of headmaster. Then at the tip of the tower is the Puppeteer’s favored Transfigured, and once that goes down the heroes have to face the psychic terror directly.
Appropriate Minions
Any NPC, either Primed by the Serum or bought off.
Chull
Chokers
Homunculus
Intellect Devourer
Star Spawn Grues
Various Beasts (alchemically controlled)
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