Puppetmasters are accompanied by an Automaton, which, according to the story, is a recent invention of a prominent engineer of the Eastern Empire, a Galka named Ghatsad. Traditionally, the entertainers of the past had used marionettes to entertain crowds. These new creations are built and maintained by their puppetmaster owners and function without the use of any strings or other attachment. Instead, a puppetmaster uses a remote device known as an animator which can be use to control the pet.