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 THE PRINCESS PREDICAMENT
Adventure Background
This is a tale about a dysfunctional royal family whose
troubles may decide the fate of the world.
King Emerich and Queen Chrysalia were happily
married for several years before they had their daughter
Avelona. When the princess was eight years old, it came
to light that Queen Chrysalia was a practitioner of
dark magic and witchcraft. She was banished from the
kingdom. However, before she left she swore that on the
night of the princess’s tenth birthday, she would come
back to take her.
This, at least, is the story that most people know.
In truth, Queen Chrysalia discovered that she was
descended from the bloodline of an ancient fey being
called the Lambent Prince, who had once held the
very power of creation. Long ago, the Lambent Prince
battled an entity of entropy called the Unmaker and
managed prevent it from consuming the world. But that
battle did not put an end to the conflict. A prophecy
foretold that the Unamker would return someday and
only a particularly gifted heir of the Lambent Prince—
one who had truly mastered the powers of creation—
would be able to stop him.
Queen Chrysalia was obsessed with this prophecy.
Convinced that her daughter would be the one to fulfil
it, she sought to train and prepare Avelona to be the
saviour the world needed.
When King Emerich learned about this, he was
furious. He wanted his daughter to be safe and
happy, and not get involved in dark prophecies of epic
proportions. For this reason, he exiled the queen and
kept the truth about the prophecy a secret.
Despite his efforts, however, the princess’s latent
powers are about to awaken soon and she will need
someone to guide her. The exiled queen was correct
about one thing: her daughter has inherited the full
potential of the Lambent Prince and soon she will be
able to bend reality to her will. If she is left without
proper guidance, disaster will surely follow.

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Adventure Synopsis
The adventure begins with the heroes returning
triumphant from their latest adventure. They meet up
with their old friend King Emerich and he informs
them of his concerns that the former queen might try to
kidnap Avelona tonight. He asks them to watch over the
princess.
The characters then meet Avelona in her tower. There,
they can discover a number of clues about the nature of
her estranged relationship with her parents, the secret
letters she has been receiving, her lingering fears, and
the odd doll castle she has. They might also notice some
strange occurrences through the night, as the princess’s
reality-bending powers begin to awaken. The worst of
these happens when the princess’s fears manifest as a
gruesome monster under her bed.
Once the creature has been defeated, Queen Chrisalia
makes her entrance and tries to convince the characters
to let Avelona go with her. King Emerich also arrives
on the scene and tries to start a fight with the queen.
Upset to see her parents arguing, Princess Avelona
loses control over her powers and unwittingly transports
everyone into her doll castle.
The characters find themselves shrunken, trapped
and separated from the royal family. They must locate
Emerich, Chrysalia and Avelona, save them from
various dangers born of the princess’s subconscious,
and make a choice who to trust: the king, the queen,
both or neither.
In the end, the princess’s fears threaten to manifest
once more, conjuring an imagined version of the
Unmaker. The characters must help the princess
understand both her powers and her emotions, or they
must face the fight of their lives.
Character Creation
This is an adventure for 20th-level characters. Each
character can choose one legendary item and two very
rare items as their starting equipment.
Part 1: The Lonely King
The most renowned heroes of the realm are returning
from their latest adventure with a trophy. Ask the
players to describe what creature they’ve just defeated,
as they carry its head (or other appropriate part)
through the royal palace, attracting awed glances from
servants, guards and nobles alike.
As they enter the king’s throne room, read the
following:
The throne room is teeming with activity. Messengers
and advisors hurry in and out. Opulently dressed
nobles engage in intense conversations. Armored
knights watch over the assembly.
A harried-looking King Emerich sits slumped on
his throne. As soon as he sees you enter, his face
brightens, making him look at least ten years younger.
“My friends! Welcome back! Come, come, I’ll
postpone my meetings. I must hear about your latest
adventure.”
As the court is dismissed, you are left alone with
your old friend King Emerich.
King Emerich was an adventurer in his youth, a brave
paladin who went on many heroic quests. Nowadays,
he spends his days running a kingdom, dealing with
politics and bureaucracy. Reminiscing about his glory
days is one of the few things that bring him joy.
The king asks the characters to tell him of their
adventure, requesting all the details. He cheers at their
victories and bemoans not being there. Perhaps next
time, he says, if only his many duties would allow him.
Then he tells them of his concerns:
“You may recall the troubles we had two years ago. My
former wife, Queen Chrysalia, was accused of dabbling
in the dark arts, and I had to exile her from the
kingdom. What you might not know is that before she
left, she swore to me that on the night our daughter’s
tenth birthday she would come back and take her.”
“My dear Avelona turns ten tonight. I have been
preparing for this. The princess’s tower is protected
against dimensional travel and other such magics.
But I still can’t help but worry. Chrysalia is a powerful
arcanist with many abilities at her disposal. Because of
this, I ask a favour of you. If you could watch over my
Avelona through the night and make sure she is safe,
I would be forever grateful to you.”
A DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that the
king’s concern for his daughter’s safety is genuine, but
while he has told no lies, there is some element of the
narrative that he’s holding back.
If the characters inquire more, the king tells them
that Queen Chrysalia was obsessed with some dark
prophecy that involved their daughter. He ordered all
of her belongings to be burned, so all he remembers is
the name of it - the Lambent Prophecy. If a character
succeeds on a DC 30 Intelligence (History or Religion)
check, or if they use the legend lore spell or a similar
magic, they can recall or learn details about the
prophecy (see the Adventure Background section).
As they prepare for the night, the characters could
engage in some of the following activities:
• mount their new trophy in their trophy room
alongside other monsters they’ve slain
• request equipment from the king’s quartermaster
• research Queen Chrysalia or the Lambent Prophecy
• meet up with their many admirers
Part 2: The Troubled Princess
The princess’s chambers are located at the top of one of
the castle’s many towers. Being friends of the king, the
characters should be familiar with the princess, perhaps
even taking the role of favourite uncles and aunts. When
they enter the tower, read the following:
You enter a spacious multi-tiered chamber decorated
with pink wallpapers, drapes and upholstery. To your
right stands a large doll castle. To your left is a wall
of shelves holding hundreds of colourful toys. Beside
it, someone has built a pillow fort. At the far end of
the room is a pink four-poster bed, next to set of glass
doors leading out to a balcony. The high ceiling above
you is painted to look like a star-speckled night sky.
Princess Avelona is in the middle of playing a tune
on her piano. When she sees you enter, she stops,
smiles and runs over to hug you.
Avelona is a bright and curious child. She rarely gets
to spend time with the realm’s heroes, so she uses this
opportunity to ask them many questions about their
adventures. In this, she very much resembles her father.
With several hours left until midnight, the characters
may engage Avelona in conversation, examine the room,
or prepare for various troubles. In the process, they may
uncover important clues about Avelona’s relationship
with her parents and her awakening powers.
The details of these interactions are listed below. The
characters may tackle them in any order.
The Wall of Toys
Hundreds of colourful toys fill the shelves along this
wall. There are fluffy stuffed animals, carved wooden
figurines, curious mechanical contraptions, pop-up
story books and more. All of these bear the same
inscription: “For my dear Avelona. From Daddy.”
Avelona rarely plays with any of these toys. A DC 20
Widom (Insight) check reveals that what she really
wants is to spend more time with her father. This
abundance of toys is a poor substitute.
The Princess’s Tower
Armoire
Pillow Fort
Wall of Toys Doll Castle

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 The Doll Castle
Princess Avelona is excited to show off her doll castle.
She tells the characters that she decorated much of
it herself and she painted many of the dolls living in it
(with the help of her governess Priscilla).
This four-foot tall doll castle is a replica of the royal
palace. Parts of it are designed to unfold, and walls
can be removed to reveal the interior. It is populated
by various dolls depicting guards, servants and nobles.
A Game. The princess invites the characters to play a
little game. She tells them she crafted dolls representing
each of them, hid them somewhere in the doll castle,
and now she invites the characters to look for them.
With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation)
check they can find their dolls inside a replica of the
castle’s trophy room, surrounded by various tiny monster
heads mounted on the walls. If multiple characters wish
to participate in this game, their dolls could be located
in different parts of the castle.
The King’s Doll. Avelona also shows them the
doll representing her inside her tower, as well as her
father’s doll inside his throne room. King Emerich
is surrounded by other dolls dressed like royal
messengers. They look like they are swarming him from
all sides. This is an expression of the princess being
neglected by her ever-busy father.
The Queen’s Doll. Characters who spend more time
studying the doll castle can make a DC 16 Wisdom
(Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a
success, they find a hidden library area which contains
a doll depicting Queen Chrysalia. She is surrounded by
books and scrolls and seems to be studying something.
This is how Avelona remembers her mother: buried in
her studies, always working. The princess keeps this
part of her castle secret because she knows her father
would disapprove.
If the characters inquire about the real-life counterpart
of Queen Chrysalia’s library, they find out that King
Emerich turned the space into a storeroom after
burning all of the queen’s books and scrolls.

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The Pillow Fort
Dozens of pink pillows and blankets are stacked here,
forming the walls and roof of a pillow fort.
If the characters ask Avelona about her pillow fort, she
cryptically tells them that it’s not meant for keeping
people out, but rather for keeping things in.
A character who searches the pillow fort, finds a
small chest inside. The chest is locked (DC 20) and the
key is in one of Avelona’s dress pockets. Her passive
Perception is 11. If the characters open the chest, read
the following:
Lying at the bottom of the chest are a dozen dolls
depicting noble ladies and knights. They are of
different sizes and designs but share one thing in
common: they have unusually long arms. Next to them
is a stuffed toy octopus.
Several nights ago, Avelona saw long limbs reaching out
from under her bed, an effect of her awakening powers
manifesting her own fears. Some of her toys remind her
of the disturbing experience, so she locked them in a
chest and hid it inside of her pillow fort.
If the characters ask her to elaborate, they must make
a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a success,
the princess reluctantly tells them what happened. This
can trigger the encounter with the monster under the
bed, as described at the beginning of Part 3.
The Armoire
This ornate wardrobe has two full-sized mirrors
mounted on its doors and a number of drawers
underneath. One of the doors is slightly ajar, revealing
some of the princess’s colourful outfits inside.
A character who searches the armoire can make a DC
15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a success, they
discover a hidden compartment containing dozens of
letters from Queen Chrysalia to her daughter. All of
them were written during the two years of the queen’s
exile.
Looking through the letters reveals the following
information:
• The queen was instructing Avelona how to train her
mind, strengthen her will and hone her creativity.
• While the letters start with “my dearest daughter”,
they offer little in the way of motherly affection.
• The queen was preparing Avelona for something
called the Lambent Prophecy. Queen Chrysalia
considers it of utmost importance for the fate of the
world.
• The queen promised Avelona that she would come
and take her on the night of her tenth birthday.
• One of the letters contains a riddle without an
answer (see “the Unsolved Riddle” below).
If asked about the letters, Avelona says that she’s glad
she could keep in touch with her mother. She asks the
characters not to tell King Emerich.
The Unsolved Riddle
Princess Avelona loves riddle games. At some point
during the night, she asks the characters to help her
with a riddle that she hasn’t been able to solve. This can
serve as a way of earning the princess’s trust.
First I was small, and round like a pearl;
Then long and slender, as brave as an earl;
Since, like an hermit, I lived in a cell,
And now, like a rogue, in the wide world I dwell.
A character can make a DC 15 Intelligence check,
receiving one of the following hints on a success:
• The riddle refers to certain stages in a creature’s life.
• The riddle is about physical transformation.
• Children’s riddles are often about common animals.
The answer is butterfly. It refers to the queen’s belief
that her daughter will soon transform into the promised
saviour and grow into great power.
If the characters solve the riddle, Avelona confesses
that her mother sent it to her in a letter, and she tells
them about the secret letters hidden in her armoire.
Telling Avelona about the mission
If the characters tell Avelona that they’re here to protect
her from her mother (or if she guesses their intentions),
the princess becomes guarded and withdrawn. A DC 14
Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that she is disappointed
and anxious about something.
Earning her trust requires a DC 20 Charisma
(Persuasion) check and appropriate arguments or
assurances. If the characters are successful in that,
the princess confesses that she really wants to see her
mother again and has been looking forward to tonight.
She is ready to leave with her mother at a moment’s
notice. If the characters haven’t found out about the
stash of secret letters in her armoire, Avelona tells them
about it now.
The Tower’s Defenses
As King Emerich told the characters earlier, the tower
is protected against certain spells. Long distance
teleportation spells like dimension door, teleport, plane
shift and gate don’t work. Creatures within the tower
cannot be observed via magical sensors created by
divination magic. Finally, the area is warded against
fiends, fey and undead. Those creature are subjected to
the effect of the forbiddance spell.
Preparations and High-level Magic
The characters might take it upon themselves to add
to the tower’s defences. While this adventure isn’t
technically about defending the tower, such defences
can reframe future scenes. You can also use the
following examples to hint at the princess’s awakening
powers, as they interfere with magic around her.
Affected Spells
Mind-reading. If the characters create any kind of telepathic
link with Avelona, they hear a strange static in addition to her
thoughts. A DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) check confirms that
this has to do with some strange magic awakening inside the
princess.
Magnificent Mansion. The interior of the mansion is
not entirely under the spellcaster’s control. Avelona’s
subconscious alters it to look like a mish-mash of different
palace chambers. The princess is not aware of how she’s
doing this and grows frightened. This can trigger the
encounter with the monster under the bed, as detailed at the
beginning of Part 3.
Wish. If the characters utilize a wish spell to keep Avelona
safe, they are struck with visions that reveal to them how to
get the best possible ending. They learn all about the Lambent
Prophecy. In order for Avelona to fulfil it and lead a happy life,
the characters must repair her relationship with her parents.
Only then will she be able to defeat the Unmaker.
Etherealness. If Avelona is sent to the Ethereal Plane, she and
anyone nearby can see how reality visibly bends and twists
around her. This can trigger the encounter with the monster
under the bed, as detailed at the beginning of Part 3.
Simulacrum. If the characters attempt to create any kind of
illusory copy of Avelona, it takes a life of its own. The other
Avelona is disturbingly evil. This can be an opportunity to
introduce her nemesis, the Unmaker.
Gate. The characters might have the idea of using the gate
spell to pull Queen Chrysalia to a different location and
deal with her there. Being a powerful spellcaster, the queen
might be protected by a private sanctum spell. Alternatively,
the gate spell might pull everyone from the bloodline of
the Lambent Prince, including Avelona and the spirit of the
original Lambent Prince, who explains the prophecy before
vanishing.
Divinations. Queen Chrysalia is shielded against divination
spells. Any attempt to observe her or predict her actions fails.

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 Part 3: Awakening Powers
At some point before midnight, the princess’s reality-
warping powers begin to manifest. This can happen
if the characters ask her about her fears or odd
experiences, in which case she tells them about seeing
and hearing things move under her bed. Avelona knows
these fears are usually irrational, but she swears she
saw something real a few nights ago.
Alternatively, this scene can trigger if Avelona is
upset with the characters, if they start investigating her
awakening powers, or if they ask her about the Lambent
Prophecy (which Avelona doesn’t understand fully but
knows it’s something big and frightening).
Once the princess’s fears have been brought to light,
read the following:
You hear something shuffling under Avelona’s bed.
Black smoke like liquid shadows begins to spill out.
Emerging from it are long black tentacles and multi-
jointed arms. They lift up the bed and reveal the large
dark mass attached to its underside.
Unable to control her reality-altering powers, Avelona
has accidentally manifested a creature born of her fears.
The monster under the bed attacks.
Once the monster has been defeated, Avelona is
apologetic—realizing that she caused this—and even
more afraid.
Queen Chrysalia Arrives
“And this is exactly why she must come with me…”
says a deep, soft voice. Standing on the balcony
outside the princess’s chambers is a cloaked female
figure. When she lifts her head you recognize the
ghostly pale face of Queen Chrysalia.
The queen is not trying to start a fight but instead
attempts to convince the characters to trust her. She
explains the Lambent Prophecy and stresses that it’s
vital that Avelona prepares to fulfil it. Meanwhile, the
princess tries to get to her mother and embrace her.
King Emerich Arrives
Having heard the commotion from the earlier fight, the
king enters with five of his king’s guard. He doesn’t
want to hear Chrysalia’s reasoning. He doesn’t want his
daughter to be a weapon or the pawn of a prophecy.
The Argument
The characters can choose which side they support.
However, Chrysalia and Emerich continue arguing and it
looks like things are about to come to blows. Seeing her
parents in this light causes great distress to Avelona. At
a dramatically appropriate moment, read the following:
“Why do you have to be like this!” cries the princess,
tears running down her face. “Stop it!”
Following her words is a bright flash that fills the
entire room, makes everyone float up in the air for a
moment, and then the world around you vanishes…

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Part 4: The Doll Castle
You’re standing in the middle of the palace courtyard,
but soon you realize the towers and walls around you
look different, more angular and blocky than you’re
used to seeing them. The guards who usually stand
watch here look like painted wooden versions of
themselves. Far above you the night sky appears to be
painted on an impossibly tall ceiling.
The characters have been shrunk and transported into
Avelona’s doll castle. The magic of her imagination has
also imbued its doll inhabitants with life.
The king, the queen and the princess are not with
the characters. They have been transported to three
different locations in the castle, which coincide with the
locations of their dolls (if the characters paid attention
to that earlier).
Escaping the doll castle is impossible as the tower’s
wards prevent teleportation magic. Anyone attempting
to fly beyond the boundaries of the doll castle
encounters an invisible dome of force surrounding it.
Finding Avelona and her parents is the only way out.
Exploring the Doll Castle
If the characters know where the king, the queen and
the princess are, they can reach those destinations
without issue. If they don’t have a clear idea where
they’re going, you can have them stumble upon a
random encounter before they reach one of the desired
locations.
Doll Castle Encounters
d4 Encounter
1. A Familiar Foe. The characters stumble upon the
trophy room, which holds the heads of the creatures
they have vanquished in the past. However, at the
centre of it is a living-doll version of the last monster
they hunted. Use whatever creature the characters
described at the beginning of Part 1.
2. Priscilla the Governess. The characters stumble
upon a doll that depicts a middle-aged woman with
a stern expression painted on her wooden face. She
resembles the princess’s governess, who is a very
strict and intense woman. She attempts to stop the
characters, using the statistics of an empyrean.
3. Horse Doll Stampede. A dozen life-sized wooden
horses are galloping down one of the palace’s wide
hallways, headed for the characters. The horses count
as a single gargantuan creature, using the statistics of
a goristro. They start 40 feet away from the characters.
4. Ballroom Battle. Five doll couples are twirling around
this spacious ballroom. If the characters attempt to
move through, the five couples begin to dance more
violently and attack with deadly spins and pirouettes.
Each couple has the statistics of a bulette, using their
Deadly Leap feature to attack.
The Throne Room (King Emerich)
The Guards
Four doll-like knights guard the large double doors
leading into the throne room.
“Halt! The King is very busy dealing with kingdom
matters. He has no time for visitors. He doesn’t even
have time for his own daughter.”
The characters can simply state they are the renowned
heroes of the realm and good friends of the king, and
they are allowed inside. If they are attacked, the four
guards use the statistics of a champion.
Swarmed by Duties
The spacious throne room is filled with identical-
looking doll-like figures. They are dressed in the
green traveling attire of royal messengers, each of
them carrying a rolled up missive. They’re all yelling,
competing for the king’s attention:
“My king, urgent news from the East!”
“My king, urgent news from the West!”
“My king, your attention is needed at once!”
King Emerich is at the opposite end of the room
near his throne. He is struggling against the tide of
messengers, as they threaten to suffocate him.
“I must get to my daughter!” he cries. When his
eyes meet yours across the chamber, he calls out: “My
friends, get me out of here!”
Throne Room
The room contains fifty doll messengers, blocking
nearly every square of it. They use the statistics of
a commoner but have 10 hit points each. If a doll
messenger is reduced to 0 hit points, it explodes in a
burst of psychic energy. All creatures within 20 feet of it
(excluding the other messengers), must make a DC 22
Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, they take 14d6
psychic damage and are stunned until the end of their
next turn. On a success, they take half as much damage
and aren’t stunned. A character can be subjected to
a maximum of four of these effects simultaneously.
Anyone who takes the psychic damage is overwhelmed
with news, requests, appeals, demands and numerous
other concerns that go with running a kingdom.
Once the characters have entered the throne room
they have three rounds to get King Emerich out. At
the beginning of the fourth round, all the messengers
explode.
Aftermath
Once King Emerich is rescued, he thanks the characters
and stresses that they should find Avelona as soon as
possible. He suspects that Queen Chrysalia might be
in similar trouble like him, and he is not eager to go
rescue her, unless the characters provide him with some
good arguments and succeed on a DC 22 Charisma
(Persuasion) check.
Avelona’s Tower
Labyrinthine
Library

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 TheLabyrinthineLibrary(QueenChrysalia)
The Reception Desk
A lonely scholar doll is sitting at a reception desk,
scribbling something on a piece of parchment. When
you approach, she looks up at you with lifeless eyes
and says:
“The queen is busy with her studies. She has no
time for visitors. She must devise more tests for her
daughter. So many tests…”
If the characters tell the scholar doll that they have
information about the Lambent Prophecy, she opens the
doors and lets them inside. Otherwise, the doors to the
library are magically locked and can be opened with a
successful DC 30 Intelligence (Theives’ Tool or Arcana)
check.
The Mind Maze
The doors open before you to reveal a maze of
bookshelves. The paths between them wind in
confusing ways. You hear the constant grinding of
wood on stone as elements of the maze keep shifting.
If the characters examine any of the books here, they
discover they are all the same book detailing the
Lambent Prophecy, which was the queen’s obsession. In
addition to the history of the Lambent Prince and his
bloodline, the book describes various omens that hint
towards the upcoming confrontation with the Unmaker.
In order to navigate the maze, a character must make
on a DC 20 Intelligence check. On a failure, they hear
Queen Chrysalia’s obsessive thoughts—endless plans
about Avelona and the prophecy—and take 10d10
psychic damage.
On a success, they find Chrysalia. She has been
unable to escape the maze so far. Angry, frustrated and
short on time, she has resorted to blasting the shelves
with magic and tossing books to the ground. “I must get
to my daughter,” she mutters to herself.
Once they have met up with the queen, a character
must succeed on another DC 20 Intelligence check to
lead everyone out of the labyrinth.
Aftermath
Queen Chrysalia tries to convince the characters to
help her rescue Avelona. She believes that just like her,
the king might be in trouble, but she has no interest
in rescuing him, unless the characters provide her
with some good arguments and succeed on a DC 22
Charisma (Persuasion) check.
The Princess’s Tower (Avelona)
Princess Avelona is trapped here by her own
uncontrolled magic. This tower has no windows and
its walls block teleportation. The only way to get to the
princess is climbing the tower on the inside. As they do,
the characters encounter the following challenges:
Ground Floor: Prismatic Wall of Toys
Bright light fills this level of the tower. The way up
is blocked by a wall of radiant toys—fluffy stuffed
animals, carved wooden figurines, curious mechanical
contraptions, pop-up story books and more—glowing
in all the colours of the rainbow.
The wall of toys resembles the many gifts Avelona
received from her father. They function like the

8
prismatic wall spell (DC 22). A character who succeeds
on a DC 19 Intelligence (Arcana) check is familiar with
the spell and knows how to bypass it.
The layers must be destroyed in order, meeting the
following requirements:
Prismatic Wall Layers
1. Red. The layer can be destroyed by dealing at least 25
cold damage to it.
2. Orange. The layer is destroyed by a strong wind.
3. Yellow. This layer can be destroyed by dealing at least
60 force damage to it.
4. Green. A passwall spell, or another spell of equal or
greater level that can open a portal on a solid surface,
destroys this layer.
5. Blue. This layer can be destroyed by dealing at least 25
fire damage to it.
6. Indigo. The layer is destroyed by bright light shed by a
daylight spell or a similar spell of equal or higher level.
7. Violet. This layer is destroyed by a dispel magic spell
or a similar spell of equal or higher level that can end
spells and magical effects.
If Queen Chrysalia is with the party, she can give them
this information and help with some of the layers. She
also criticizes King Emerich: he is clearly trying to
compensate for his absence by burying Avelona in toys.
Once the wall of toys is destroyed, the way up the
tower is open.
Second Floor: Whirlwind of Letters
As you ascend the stairs leading up the tower, you hear
the howling of powerful winds. Peeking into the level
above you, you see a whirlwind carrying hundreds of
pieces of paper.
The papers are Queen Chrysalia’s letters to her daughter,
their contents cold and loveless like the howling wind
on this level. A creature who enters the whirlwind or
starts its turn inside it must make a DC 22 Strength
saving throw. On a failure, it takes 10d6 bludgeoning
damage, is restrained within the whirlwind and pulled
to the centre of it. On a success, the creature takes half
as much damage and isn’t pulled or restrained. The
creature repeats the save at the start of each of its turns.
If King Emerich is with the party, his paladin aura
grants them a +5 to all saving throws. He also gets
a good look at some of the letters and criticizes the
cold and distant tone Queen Chrysalia uses with their
daughter.
Third Floor: The Princess’s Chamber
This level resembles the princess’s chamber in the real
world. Avelona is lying on her large pink four-poster
bed, twisting and turning as if having a nightmare.
Black multi-jointed arms are holding her down.
“Mom? Dad?” Avelona mutters in her sleep.
Avelona is upset that her parents don’t get along. The
monstrous arms are a manifestation of her helplessness
in the matter. Dealing damage to the arms destroys
them but new ones emerge from the bed immediately. It
is not possible to safely remove the princess from their
grasp.
If King Emerich and Queen Chrysalia are with the
party, they call out to Avelona. She awakens at once and
the black arms disappear.
 Alternatively, the characters can use deception,
mimicry or illusion magic to convince the princess that
her parents are here (DC 22). A wish spell also destroys
the arms permanently.
Aftermath
If the king and queen are not with the party when
Avelona is rescued, she asks the characters to help
her find her parents and hopefully get them to have a
conversation instead of fighting.
Part 5: Confrontation
Once the characters are done with rescuing the royal
family, they can all return to the central courtyard to
discuss their next move and seek a way out of the doll
castle.
If both Emerich and Chrysalia are present, they
resume their old argument about Avelona’s future. Each
of them tries to sway the characters to their side once
more.
The characters must make a choice here. Do they
trust the king, the queen, both or neither?
Choosing King Emerich
If the characters choose to leave Avelona with the king,
Queen Chrysalia attempts to take the princess by force.
The queen shakes her head and speaks in an even,
emotionless voice:
“The fate of the world is at stake. I will do what must
be done.”
Pillars of fire erupt from the ground behind her. The
flames coalesce into the forms of three huge fiendish
minotaurs which prepare to charge.
Queen Chrysalia summons three goristros as soon
as initiative is rolled. If King Emerich is with the party,
assume he deals 100 points of damage to one of the
goristros each round, as well as keeping Avelona safe
from harm. Additionally, all creatures within 10 feet of
King Emerich gain a +5 bonus to saving throws.
Choosing Queen Chrysalia
If the characters choose to let Avelona go with her
mother, they must face King Emerich in battle.
The king’s fist tightens around the handle of his
warhammer. He stares at you with sadness and anger.
“I was a fool to call you friends. Lord, grant me
strength one last time. You will not take my daughter
from me!”
Columns of divine light shine down from the sky
above the king and three angelic warriors fly down to
stand by his side.
King Emerich summons three planetars as soon as
initiative is rolled. If Queen Chrysalia is with the party,
assume she deals 70 points of damage to one of the
planetars each turn, and she dispels one of the spells
cast by them. She also keeps Avelona safe from harm.
Choosing Both
If the characters want to convince the king and queen
to work together, they can attempt a DC 25 Charisma
(Persuasion) check and provide appropriate arguments.
On a success, the parents agree to set their differences
aside and work together to help Avelona deal with her
newfound powers.
However, there is one final fear that the princess
must deal with—the prophecy and the upcoming
confrontation with the nemesis of all life.
As this dark future has been mentioned a number
of times through the night, Avelona’s thoughts begin
to spiral out of control and she begins to unwittingly
manifest the Unmaker.
Extraordinary measures are required to keep
Avelona’s mind calm. If the characters have caused her
little to no distress over the course of the adventure,
and one of them succeeds on a DC 30 Charisma
(Persuasion) check, the princess manages to get her
emotions under control and prevent a fight.
Otherwise, an imagined version of the Unmaker
manifests:
Shadows begin to gather behind the princess, forming
into a stormy-black orb twenty feet across. Growing
out of it are the tormented faces of people, beasts,
monsters and fiends. They scream in a hundred
different voices, as this manifestation of the Unmaker
prepares to strike.
The Unmaker summons three nightwalkers as soon
as initiative is rolled. Alternatively, you can use the
statistics of a balor for these creatures, except their
attacks and features deal necrotic damage instead of
fire.
If Queen Chrysalia and King Emerich are with
the party, assume each of them deals 100 points of
damage to one of the creatures each turn. In addition,
all creatures within 10 feet of King Emerich gain a +5
bonus to saving throws. Queen Chrysalia dispels one
detrimental magical effect each turn. The parents also
keep Avelona safe from harm.
Choosing Neither
The characters might judge both parents to be incapable
of helping Avelona. If they decide to take the princess
under their own wing, she misses her parents and is
even more afraid of the future.
If the king and queen are present, they may attack
the characters either separately or together (see the
encounters above).
If Avelona’s parents are still trapped in the doll castle,
the princess’s fears begin to spiral out of control and she
begins to unwittingly manifest the Unmaker (see the
encounter above).
Conclusion
Once all enemies have been defeated, Avelona gains
enough control over her powers to transport everyone
out of the doll castle and back into her tower.
If the characters fought the Unmaker, they are told
(either by Chrysalia or Avelona) that this form of his was
merely fear given shape by the princess’s burgeoning
powers. The real battle for the fate of the world is yet to
be fought. Whether or not Avelona will succeed depends
not only on how much work she puts into honing her
abilities, but also on her mastering her emotions, and
growing up in a healthy environment.
If the characters can ensure that, both the princess
and the world are guaranteed a happy ending.

9
 Appendix: Bestiary
The Monster under the Bed Entropic Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Huge aberration, chaotic evil one target. Hit: 22 (5d8) necrotic damage and the target is
afflicted with an entropic wound. The target cannot regain
Armor Class 21 (natural armor) hit points and takes 22 (5d8) necrotic damage at the end
Hit Points 325 (31d8 + 186) of each of its turns. Immediately after, it can make a DC 22
Speed 40 ft. Constitution saving throw. On a success, the effect ends
and the target is immune to entropic wounds for the next 24
hours.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
24 (+7) 21 (+5) 22 (+6) 20 (+5) 23 (+6) 24 (+7)
Legendary Actions
Saving Throws Dex +12, Con +13, Wis +13, Cha +14 The monster can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
Skills Perception +13, Intimidation +14 the options below. Only one legendary action can be used
Damage Resistances acid, poison at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The
Damage Vulnerabilities psychic monster regains spent legendary actions at the start of its
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened turn.
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23 Attack. The monster makes one attack.
Languages Deep Speech
Challenge 22 (41,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7 Manifest Aberrations. The monster conjures three nothics
or three intellect devourers in an unoccupied space within 5
feet of it. The creatures gain a +4 bonus to their attack rolls,
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the monster fails a saving
ability checks and save DCs.
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Winds of Terror (Costs 2 Actions). The monster unleashes
Actions psychic winds in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area
must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or take
Multiattack. The monster makes two shadow tentacle attacks 36 (8d8) psychic damage and be frightened for 1 minute.
and two entropic claw attacks. While frightened in this way, the creature is also stunned. It
Shadow Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 20 can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ft., one target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage. If the ending the effect on itself on a success.
target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape
DC 22) and pulled into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of
the monster.


10
King Emerich Radiant Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 120 ft.,
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic good one target. Hit: 24 (7d6) radiant damage.
Fiery Leap (Recharge 5-6). King Emerich jumps to a space
Armor Class 23 (plate, +3 shield) within 40 feet of him. All creatures within 15 feet of that
Hit Points 577 (55d10 + 275) space must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be
Speed 30 ft. knocked prone and take 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage and
35 (10d6) fire damage. On a successful save, the creature
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA takes only half the damage and isn’t knocked prone.
20 (+5) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 20 (+5)
Reactions
Saving Throws Str +12, Con +12, Wis +11, Cha +12 Radiant Shield. King Emerich adds 7 to his AC against one
Skills Athletics +12, History +9, Insight +11, Perception +11, melee attack that would hit him. The attacker can choose to
Persuasion +12 ignore this bonus and take 28 (8d6) radiant damage instead.
Damage Immunities radiant
Damage Resistances fire
Damage Vulnerabilities necrotic
Legendary Actions
Condition Immunities frightened King Emerich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 21 the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at
Languages Common, understands Celestial but doesn’t speak it a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. King
Challenge 24 (62,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7 Emerich regains spent legendary actions at the start of his
turn.
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If King Emerich fails a saving Attack. King Emerich makes one attack.
throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Escape. King Emerich attempts to escape an effect causing
Aura of Retribution. A magical aura of holy weapons him to be grappled or restrained. Then he moves up to his
surrounds King Emerich in a 10 foot radius. At the start of speed.
each of his turns, any creature of his choice in the aura takes King’s Command. King Emerich speaks a three-word
14 (4d6) radiant damage. command to a creature he can see within 60 feet of him. The
target must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or
Actions follow the command on its next turn.
Multiattack. King Emerich makes three attacks. Righteous Imprisonment. King Emerich conjures holy chains
+3 Holy Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach around one creature within 60 feet of him. The target must
5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (1d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage. The succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be restrained.
target also suffers one of the following effects of the King It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns.
Emerich’s choice:
• Holy Smite. The target takes an additional 22 (5d8)
radiant damage.
• Divine Dread. The target must succeed on a DC 23
Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of King Emerich
until the end of its next turn.
• Mighty Shove. The target must succeed on a DC 23
Strength saving throw or be pushed 20 feet away.


11
 Queen Chrysalia Spellcasting. Queen Chrysalia casts one of the following
spells, using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell
Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral save DC 22):
Armor Class 21 At will: dispel magic, lightning bolt, mirror image, shield
Hit Points 412 (55d8 + 165) 2/day: cone of cold, finger of death, mislead, passwall,
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. scatter
1/day: invulnerability, prismatic wall, maze, power word pain,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA wall of force
17 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 24 (+7) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) Reactions
Shield. Queen Chrysalia casts the shield spell.
Saving Throws Dex +11, Int +14, Wis +10, Cha +9
Skills Arcana +14, Deception +9, History +14, Perception +17 Spell Reflection. If Queen Chrysalia makes a successful
Damage Immunities force saving throw against a spell, or a spell attack misses her, she
Damage Resistances cold can choose another creature (including the spellcaster) she
Damage Vulnerabilities psychic can see within 30 feet of her. The spell targets the chosen
Condition Immunities charmed creature instead of Queen Chrysalia. If the spell forced a
Senses passive Perception 27 saving throw, the chosen creature makes its own save. If the
Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish, Primordial, Sylvan spell was an attack, the attack roll is rerolled against it.
Challenge 24 (62,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7
Legendary Actions
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If Queen Chrysalia fails a Queen Chrysalia can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead. the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at
a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Queen
Magic Resistance. Queen Chrysalia has advantage on saving
Chrysalia regains spent legendary actions at the start of her
throws against spells and other magical effects.
turn.
Master of Magic. Queen Chrysalia has advantage on
Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Queen Chrysalia uses
Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration.
Spellcasting.

Actions Curse of Weakness. Queen Chrysalia targets one creature she

Multiattack. Queen Chrysalia makes three Arcane Burst
attacks.
Arcane Burst. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +14 to hit, reach
5 ft. or range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) force
damage.
can see within 20 feet of her. The target must make a DC 22
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target deals
only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength for
1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Teleport. Queen Chrysalia teleports up to 60 feet to an
unoccupied space she can see.


12
The Unmaker Void Bubble. The Unmaker creates a magical explosion of
cold centered on a point it can see within 120 feet of it. Each
Gargantuan aberration, chaotic evil
creature in a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on that point
Armor Class 24 (natural armor) must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a
Hit Points 1017 (55d20 + 440) target takes 35 (10d6) cold damage, its speed is reduced by
Speed fly 40 ft. (hover) half and attacks against it have advantage until the start of
the Unmaker’s next turn.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Spellcasting. The Unmaker casts one of the following spells,
25 (+7) 16 (+3) 27 (+8) 21 (+5) 19 (+4) 26 (+8) using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 25):
At will: dispel magic
Saving Throws Str +16, Dex +12, Con +17, Wis +13 3/day: disintegrate, hypnotic pattern
Skills Perception +22 1/day: psychic scream, power word stun, feeblemind
Damage Immunities acid, fire, poison
Breath of the Void (Recharge 5-6). The Unmaker unleashes
Damage Resistances cold, lightning
entropic energies in a 120-foot cone. Each creature in that
Damage Vulnerabilities force, psychic
area must make a DC 25 Constitution saving throw, taking
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
88 (16d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much
poisoned, prone, stunned
damage on a successful one.
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 32
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft. Legendary Actions
Challenge 30 (155,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +9
The Unmaker can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
the options below. Only one legendary action can be used
Legendary Resistance (5/day). If the Unmaker fails a saving at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The
throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Unmaker regains spent legendary actions at the start of its
turn.
Actions Attack. The Unmaker makes one attack.
Multiattack. The Unmaker makes two shadow tentacle
Unravel Magic. The Unmaker casts dispel magic.
attacks and uses Void Bubble.
Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The Unmaker uses
Shadow Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20
Spellcasting.
ft., one target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage and
the target is grappled (escape DC 24). Until this grapple ends, Baleful Teleport. The Unmaker chooses one creature it is has
the target is restrained. seen previously. If the target is within 1 mile, it must succeed
on a DC 25 Charisma saving throw or be teleported within 5
feet of the Unmaker.


13
 Author’s Notes
The maps in this adventure were created using the Dungeondraft application by Tailwind
Games, LLC [Megasploot].

Images Used:
Cover: “Alcazar, Segovia, Spain” by David Roberts (1836)
“Vintage Floral Frame” by GDJ from Pixabay.com
Page 2: “Palace Building Architecture” by GDJ from Pixabay.com
Page 4: “Art Deco Bavaria” by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.com
“Divider” by GDJ from Pixabay.com
Page 5: “The Changing Year” by A. Barraud (1882)
Page 6: “Divider Woman” by GDJ from Pixabay.com
Page 9: “Flowers” by Darkmoon_Art from Pixabay.com
Page 10: “Blue and White” by Yaselyn Perez from Unsplash.com
Page 11: “Flame Light Sun” by Geralt from Pixabay.com
Page 12: “Woman” by Merlinlightpainting from Pixabay.com
Page 13: “Abstract” by Tommyvideo from Pixabay.com
Page 14: “Background Frame” by Darkmoon_Art from Pixabay.com

Disclaimer: This adventure is not inspired by the author’s family.

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