Character from Curse of Strahd by Tracy & Laura Hickman, Chris Perkins / Wizards of the Coast
A clockwork jester crafted to replace the original court fool — it murdered its predecessor and now haunts Castle Ravenloft, alternating between eerie helpfulness and casual homicide.
Pidlwick II is a small clockwork automaton built in the likeness of the original Pidlwick, a court jester who once entertained Strahd's court. When the real Pidlwick grew jealous of his mechanical replacement, the automaton pushed him down a flight of stairs. No one punished the construct. Strahd found it amusing. Pidlwick II stands about three feet tall, carved and painted to look like a grinning fool in motley. Its movements are jerky but purposeful. It cannot speak, communicating only through gestures, pantomime, and the occasional unsettling tilt of its painted head. It seems to want companionship — it will follow people who show it kindness, offer them gifts, and perform little dances. But it is also capable of pushing people off ledges, tripping them on stairs, and committing acts of casual violence with no apparent malice. It simply doesn't understand the difference between a pratfall and a murder.
Also known as: Pidlwick, Pidlwick II, the clockwork jester, the little fool