Apologies for my lack of vocal performance. I was sick all week but I really wanted to get a video out for you peeps - so here it is! If you enjoyed this video, check out the rest of the Let's Build an Encounter here: ua-cam.com/play/PLN3EWMJpTElMPfoxgFTAMuY3qdC7sGz_7.html
I've run a one shot where I used nothics to confuse my players. They were tasked to rid the library of an arcane university of an apparent undead infestation that appeared overnight. Turns out the head necromancer was tired of not being respected and attempted to unseal a dangerous necromantic grimoir. The curses protecting it ricocheted around and hit one of his apprentices. He split into three which then all turned into nothics. The party met the first one as he was trying to gobble up a crystal ball in the divination section, he kept asking them "Have you seen me?" and not explaining anything proceeded to babble about magic and some random secrets he learned by looking at them. The second one was "reading" in the resting area but instead of turning pages he tore them out and then grunted as if something profound has happened. He wore the tattered robes impaled on his back, and the first one scuttled up to him immediately and pulled some over himself as well. They then proceeded to ask the party if they have seen them anywhere. The third we didn't get to since one of our friend had to go early but the trio of nothics wearing one tattered robe is a element I yet intend to use. I think they are a great "mad genius" kind of character. Maybe instead of being hostile and murderous one could develop an interest in the spellcaster of the group and turn on his allies hoping to get a look at the spellbook, or focus of the caster. I just love them. :D
I have always loved Nothics since running the lost mine of phandelver, though I didn’t do your encounter (I will in the future.) I used them as slaves of a mind flayers (with some Grell snd a few intellect devours) while this isn’t exactly how the Nothic work I enjoyed messing with my players minds and used it for a group elusion which kept them interested in the main plot and linking a couple of them together through memories. Although the players made it through the encounter the Mind flayer did escape but not before it ate one of the NPCs brains right in front of the players while the Nothics were holding them back. While I know they are better than just as minion this was a great build up to the mind Flayer. The group ended up freeing the last few Nothics from the Mindflayer’s control and I will be using them again. Thanks again for the great videos
This encounter is AMAZING!! Great way to stir the pot as a DM and even develop some more character depth prior to the session by asking the PCs for past secrets! Please keep up the great work!
Would have a Nothic act as a Gollum like character that stalks the party, holding information on them and the BBEG, and interacting with them would cause them to either lure them into a trap or to double cross their dark master
Ohh. I've only ever thought of nothics as solitary creatures for the purpose of encounter building -- maybe influenced by LMoP -- but combining several together is an awesome idea!
One question you may want to have an answer for is what exactly causes someone become a nothic as opposed to an allip since they both have the origin of being a person who learned too much and was destroyed by it. I guess maybe it might depend on what specific secret was responsible for turning them into the creature.
That is absolutely something which could add a lot more depth to the nothic character you portray in your games! Whenever I make these videos, I go over the basics and give people enough information to drop these encounters into the majority of homebrew worlds. That way, the DMs can have a framework to build from, get inspired, and answer those more specific questions themselves if needed :) Whats makes a nothic or allip in one world could be totally different in another, and the monster lore and descriptions I see primarily as a guideline - never a rule. And the personal touch everyone puts into their own portrayals is what makes D&D so incredible! Thanks for sharing!
Loved, loved, loved the Volari scenario!! I would make the curse affect the PCs as well, slowly transforming them into nothics. Breaking the curse will only work for those who have not transformed completely, so body horror with a timer. If you gain claws and a claw attack, you might also rip your magical gloves when your hands transform. Same with feet and boots, and back and cloaks. If you gain a nothic eye, you could gain the necrotic attack, or be able to see a secret that Volari does not wish the PCs to know. However, the eye is the last part of the transformation before losing awareness of your former self. It is useful, yes, but now you really need to hurry breaking the curse before it becomes permanent...
This is a really cool idea! I already needed a reason to reveal some of my players backstory and the room of secrets is a cool way of doing it. Thanks :)
I'd love to use a nothic to expose a dark secret that one of the party members has been hiding, to create drama. As a DM, I request all my players to give me their characters' backstory, so I can work off that. Perhaps the rogue was misled into killing an innocent man. Perhaps the cleric chose not to help someone in need for some reason. Perhaps the paladin is thinking about forsaking her oath. Perhaps the wizard had dabbled in the forbidden in his quest for knowledge. Perhaps the ranger was the one who killed the barbarian's tribe. And perhaps that was because the barbarian partook in the raid that resulted in the death of the ranger's mentor, and it's possible that the barbarian is the one who dealt the killing blow, and as much as he doesn't fear death, he fears the ranger's wrath. If the secret is something that will create drama, I wouldn't have a hard fight, the nothic will live just long enough to reveal the skeletons in a party member's closet, and let the fallout happen. Sure, the nothic will end up dying, but the rest of the session, and some more after that, will be shaped by the aftermath of the nothic's revelation. Of course, a DM cannot choose, but they can guide. It will be up to the players if this revelation shatters the party, or makes their bonds grow stronger than ever.
2:05 With no knowledge of self, yet a vague sense that their condition is reversible... but this is false and is part of the curse!!! Wow, that is brutal. LOLOL. Forever on a fool's quest to "find one's self."
8:08 if you have one of those bards having the bard have to explain why he was very happily licking a drow ladies toes, after having previously having fought drow slavers is funny though some partys may find this one a little crude.
As stated in the video, the mage wanted to lure people to the tower and test their strength because he needed a strong group to defend him during the ritual. Therefore, he did not believe the nothics would be strong enough to do so.
Apologies for my lack of vocal performance. I was sick all week but I really wanted to get a video out for you peeps - so here it is!
If you enjoyed this video, check out the rest of the Let's Build an Encounter here: ua-cam.com/play/PLN3EWMJpTElMPfoxgFTAMuY3qdC7sGz_7.html
You sounded great man. Couldn’t even tell you were sick. Hope you’re feeling better! Keep up the great work!
I've run a one shot where I used nothics to confuse my players. They were tasked to rid the library of an arcane university of an apparent undead infestation that appeared overnight. Turns out the head necromancer was tired of not being respected and attempted to unseal a dangerous necromantic grimoir. The curses protecting it ricocheted around and hit one of his apprentices. He split into three which then all turned into nothics. The party met the first one as he was trying to gobble up a crystal ball in the divination section, he kept asking them "Have you seen me?" and not explaining anything proceeded to babble about magic and some random secrets he learned by looking at them. The second one was "reading" in the resting area but instead of turning pages he tore them out and then grunted as if something profound has happened. He wore the tattered robes impaled on his back, and the first one scuttled up to him immediately and pulled some over himself as well. They then proceeded to ask the party if they have seen them anywhere. The third we didn't get to since one of our friend had to go early but the trio of nothics wearing one tattered robe is a element I yet intend to use.
I think they are a great "mad genius" kind of character. Maybe instead of being hostile and murderous one could develop an interest in the spellcaster of the group and turn on his allies hoping to get a look at the spellbook, or focus of the caster. I just love them. :D
I think nothics would be the type of monsters to use magic items
I have always loved Nothics since running the lost mine of phandelver, though I didn’t do your encounter (I will in the future.)
I used them as slaves of a mind flayers (with some Grell snd a few intellect devours) while this isn’t exactly how the Nothic work I enjoyed messing with my players minds and used it for a group elusion which kept them interested in the main plot and linking a couple of them together through memories.
Although the players made it through the encounter the Mind flayer did escape but not before it ate one of the NPCs brains right in front of the players while the Nothics were holding them back.
While I know they are better than just as minion this was a great build up to the mind Flayer.
The group ended up freeing the last few Nothics from the Mindflayer’s control and I will be using them again.
Thanks again for the great videos
This encounter is AMAZING!! Great way to stir the pot as a DM and even develop some more character depth prior to the session by asking the PCs for past secrets! Please keep up the great work!
Thank you, lords J and J!
I would use the nothics themselves as the source of the secrets that Volari is keeping.
Interesting. I like it!
I'm surprised this channel isn't more popular. I love your content, and how simple, yet impactful your encounters are!
Thank you for the support! I'm just having a blast talking shop and enjoying the ride :)
Would have a Nothic act as a Gollum like character that stalks the party, holding information on them and the BBEG, and interacting with them would cause them to either lure them into a trap or to double cross their dark master
Ohh. I've only ever thought of nothics as solitary creatures for the purpose of encounter building -- maybe influenced by LMoP -- but combining several together is an awesome idea!
So excited to use this idea in our upcoming session! Evil BBEG side kick being released by the team? Yes please 😈
I love the Nothic! Glad to see them being featured. Great video man!
Anytime, good sir!
One question you may want to have an answer for is what exactly causes someone become a nothic as opposed to an allip since they both have the origin of being a person who learned too much and was destroyed by it. I guess maybe it might depend on what specific secret was responsible for turning them into the creature.
That is absolutely something which could add a lot more depth to the nothic character you portray in your games!
Whenever I make these videos, I go over the basics and give people enough information to drop these encounters into the majority of homebrew worlds. That way, the DMs can have a framework to build from, get inspired, and answer those more specific questions themselves if needed :)
Whats makes a nothic or allip in one world could be totally different in another, and the monster lore and descriptions I see primarily as a guideline - never a rule. And the personal touch everyone puts into their own portrayals is what makes D&D so incredible!
Thanks for sharing!
This is my first video from you and I LOVED it. Subscribed and about to binge the rest of your encounters. ❤️
Welcome to the party!
As a new DM your ideas are incredible and very informative, subscribed! I wouldn't be surprised if you have 100k within a year.
Loved, loved, loved the Volari scenario!!
I would make the curse affect the PCs as well, slowly transforming them into nothics. Breaking the curse will only work for those who have not transformed completely, so body horror with a timer.
If you gain claws and a claw attack, you might also rip your magical gloves when your hands transform. Same with feet and boots, and back and cloaks.
If you gain a nothic eye, you could gain the necrotic attack, or be able to see a secret that Volari does not wish the PCs to know. However, the eye is the last part of the transformation before losing awareness of your former self. It is useful, yes, but now you really need to hurry breaking the curse before it becomes permanent...
Nothing like a slow transformation to make players sweat. HNS approved!
Looking forward to using this in the new campaign I am running. Love your stuff!
Dude, I'm spooped.
On another note, this thing has killed a couple of my Lost Mines of Phandelver early PC's hehe.
I consider this to be the highest of compliments.
Hehe. Yeah they can be some deadly lil buggers.
@@HiddenNerdySide
This is a really cool idea! I already needed a reason to reveal some of my players backstory and the room of secrets is a cool way of doing it. Thanks :)
Glad I could help!
I'd love to use a nothic to expose a dark secret that one of the party members has been hiding, to create drama. As a DM, I request all my players to give me their characters' backstory, so I can work off that. Perhaps the rogue was misled into killing an innocent man. Perhaps the cleric chose not to help someone in need for some reason. Perhaps the paladin is thinking about forsaking her oath. Perhaps the wizard had dabbled in the forbidden in his quest for knowledge. Perhaps the ranger was the one who killed the barbarian's tribe. And perhaps that was because the barbarian partook in the raid that resulted in the death of the ranger's mentor, and it's possible that the barbarian is the one who dealt the killing blow, and as much as he doesn't fear death, he fears the ranger's wrath.
If the secret is something that will create drama, I wouldn't have a hard fight, the nothic will live just long enough to reveal the skeletons in a party member's closet, and let the fallout happen. Sure, the nothic will end up dying, but the rest of the session, and some more after that, will be shaped by the aftermath of the nothic's revelation. Of course, a DM cannot choose, but they can guide. It will be up to the players if this revelation shatters the party, or makes their bonds grow stronger than ever.
I wonder what the stats for Volari would look like, loved the video you deserve to be more well known :))
Thanks for the kind words!
2:05 With no knowledge of self, yet a vague sense that their condition is reversible... but this is false and is part of the curse!!! Wow, that is brutal. LOLOL. Forever on a fool's quest to "find one's self."
Subscribed- your videos are fantastic!
liked your video and thanks for sharing.
Anytime, my friend!
8:08 if you have one of those bards having the bard have to explain why he was very happily licking a drow ladies toes, after having previously having fought drow slavers is funny though some partys may find this one a little crude.
I let Nothics "steal" spells from Wizard's memories...
Is there a recommended map for this encounter for the wizard tower?
Why couldn't the nothics have protected Volari as he conducted the ritual?
As stated in the video, the mage wanted to lure people to the tower and test their strength because he needed a strong group to defend him during the ritual.
Therefore, he did not believe the nothics would be strong enough to do so.