Notion
by Jamie BatyWotI 112
Medium Aberration (Exalted, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 5d8 (22 hp)
Initiative: +13 (+9 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: Encounter Speed: fly 130 ft. (perfect); Travel Speed: fly 24 miles (perfect)
Armour Class: 31 (+9 Dex, +12 Deflection), touch 31, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Emotional touch +12 melee touch (Special)
Full Attack: 2 Emotional touch +12 melee touch (Special)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Mind power, emotional touch
Special Qualities: Adjust size, darkvision 60ft., nothingness, potent magic, spell immunity
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +10, Will +9
Abilities: Str -, Dex 28, Con 10, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 34
Skills: Gather Information +20, Knowledge (the planes) +13, Listen +15, Search +13, Sense Motive +13, Spot +15, Survival +13
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative
Environment: Thought-Dominant Outer Planes
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, or String (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 6-8 HD (Medium); 9-16 HD (Large); 17-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33-50 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: -
Notions are creatures of nearly pure thought, often completely undetectable. At rest, a notion appears as a lacy network of strands of air, similar to a small and loosely woven net. Its surface area is about 1 square foot per Hit Die. It may flutter about in this form, or may curl up into a tiny ball of airy fluff of extremely small size.
Each notion has a specialty, a concept or emotion that makes up its essence. Notions and Immortals refer to this specialty as the notion's flavour. Though many are similar, each individual notion is a blend of specific thoughts. Notions with relatively low Hit Dice have weak flavour (minor effect); those of high Hit Dice contain very strong flavour (intense effect). In play, the greater the Hit Dice, the stronger the effect. Typical flavours (effects) of notions are listed below.
A powerful Immortal of Thought grew bored with his work, and chose to disperse his essence and return to mortal life. His well-meaning aide granted his new personality a minor gift to aid his survival, but the gift had a side effect. During a dream one fateful night, his mind was able to enter the Dimension of Nightmares, and his thoughts took on real forms which kept their existence after he awoke. The notions are the descendants of one of his more pleasant thoughts during that brief visit.
With the rise of human and demi-human powers, notions have become very common on the Prime Plane. They are perhaps the most widespread life form in the Outer Planes of Thought, serving many Immortals of that Sphere.
Notions are a friendly, inquisitive race, and mean no harm to anyone. Their personal habits are unknown. They sometimes reproduce simply by swooping at each other. Occasionally this interaction of two notions creates a new one, apparently instantaneously. Depending on its exact scope, the new notion may have any number of Hit Dice, up to a maximum of the total of the parent notions. Thus when two notions come together, nothing may result, or a small inspired notion may result, or they may form a major new nation, more complex than before. Notions of a single type are rarely found together. The creatures seem to prefer to congregate with others of widely different flavours.
Notions can be persuaded to perform services in exchange for payment in high emotional states. Individual notions have their own preference for payment, usually from an emotion corresponding to their own makeup. A creature willing to pay the price will be unable to experience the emotion for 1-20 days per HD of the notion.
Combat
Notions rarely attack with evil intent, but may attack simply for entertainment or at the request of some other creature. A notion simply swoops near a victim or floats down on them. If attacked by an Immortal power attack spell, they will immediately flee. Otherwise, they will move to avoid mortal attacks, fleeing only if badly hurt.
Mind Power (Sp): As a swift round action, a notion may create some spell-like effects at the expenditure of Power Points (please see Immortals rules for the nature of this power). Notions possess 250 PP. They are affiliated with the Sphere of Thought. Power Points regenerate at the rate of 1 per minute. The following are typical uses for Power Points:
• A notion may cast the immortal spells probe (5 PP) and probe-shield (5 PP);
Emotional Touch (Su): Each round, a notion may make swoop touch attacks against two targets. These are melee touch attacks. If the target is hit it must make a Will save vs DC 24 (Cha based) if immortal, if mortal no save is allowed. If failed, the victim is affected by the flavour of the notion. The intensity of the flavour increases with the HD of the notion. Mortals are allowed a Will save vs DC 24 (Cha based) each hour to shake the emotion, Immortals can make a save every minute.
Additionally, as a full round action, the notion may float down over an area equal to its size and affect every creature in the area. It must start the round no more than 10ft above the area to be affected in order to attack in this manner.
Typical notion flavours are as follows:
01-03 absurdity
04-06 alertness
07-10 anxiety
11-12 boredom
13-14 certainty
15-16 comprehension
17-18 courage
19-22 curiosity
23-26 dislike
27-29 doubt
30-31 evasiveness
32-34 excitement
35-38 fear
39-40 fondness
41-44 hate
45-46 honesty
47-49 indifference
50-53 insanity
54-56 judgment (bad)
57-58 judgment (good)
59-61 love
62-64 misinterpretation
65-66 optimism
67-69 paranoia
70-73 passion
74-75 peace
76-78 pessimism
79-80 pleasure
81-82 pragmatism
83-85 procrastination
86-89 rage
90-91 sanity
92-94 serenity
95-97 sorrow
98-00 unconcern
With each successful Emotional Touch attack, the notion recovers 1d6 power points, up to its normal total.
Adjust Size (Ex): As a standard action, a notion may change its size, becoming any size from its normal size (1 sq ft per HD) down to 6" square.
Nothingness (Ex): A notion is invisible at all times. In an environment of earth, fire, water, or vacuum it can only be detected by either a detect magic or truesight spell (either cast by an Immortal) or a probe spell. In air, ether, or the Astral Plane a notion simply cannot be detected by any normal or magical means except for a probe spell. A probe spell must be renewed each round in either case to maintain an accurate location of the notion.
Potent Magic (Ex): Unlike mortal creatures, a notion can affect an immortal with its magical attacks.
Spell Immunity (Ex): A notion is immune to all spells and spell-like effects, whether cast by mortal, exalted or immortal creatures. However, they are not immune to spells and spell-like abilities from Immortals belonging to the Sphere of Thought.
Incorporeal Subtype: Can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and own attacks pass through armour. Always moves silently. Melee attacks use Dexterity modifier since they do not possess a Strength score. Please see the 3.5E Monster Manual for additional information on incorporeal traits.