If it's not a combat encounter, a nothic is creepy and horrifying and certainly something that would normally be kept covered. You could always just homebrew a nothic that was originally an archmage or something. For example, take a standard nothic and make the following changes
CR 9 (approx; I didn't go into lot of effort on CR math)
Multiattack: add Rotting Gaze to its multiattack.
Claw: attack bonus now +6
Rotting Gaze: save DC now 17, damage now 12d6(42)
Not really a dangerous encounter for a 10th level party unless other stuff is going on, but creepy and weird. If you want slightly nastier, here's a cute one:
Trait: Forgotten Magic: the Nothic has the spell slots of an 18th level wizard but no spells known.
Copy Magic: the Nothic casts a spell it saw cast since its last turn, using its own spell slots and casting ability (spell attack +9, save DC 17)
Stolen Spellcasting: the Nothic targets a spellcaster within 30', who must make a charisma save (DC 17). On a failure, the Nothic immediately casts a spell known to that spellcaster, using its own spell slots and casting ability.
I would probably go for the nothic as their strange insight power and goblin like appearance I think suited to a non combat encounter. They also have a compelling story being a cursed wizard but you could easily transplant or change that story if you want.
Immortal witch
Another compelling choice is a warlock, hag or witch. There are lots of ways to customize them but I think it could be interesting to have a hag or witch the town tried to execute but has been unable to do so. Horrifically scarred and mutilated the town may have tried a number of ways to execute them but still the survived. You can decide what stat block they are, it could be a loup garou or vampire that's managed to keep that secret enough to avoid being killed with the correct means. Or they could just have some kind of dark pact with an evil entity that keeps them alive.
Shape shifter
You can also chose a shapeshifter that doesn't show their true form but makes it clear they are a shapeshifter For that you can choose any stat block you want. The party could be talking to a cat or maybe they take the appearance of some one they know is dead. I personally really like the idea that chain devil takes the form of souls trapped in hell to torment people.
Possession
Maybe there is some one who is possessed and they haven't killed him because if they do the devil/ demon will claim their soul and move on to some one else. For that you can choose any humanoid stat block you think is interesting.
Golem and the persecuted
Another option is a Golem. The original Golem story is about a persecuted community making it as defender, you could have one which was captured by the persecutors after they've driven out or killed all of those people for witch craft. You could also do something similar with other magical creature likes a fey or other innocent spell caster.
Whats in the box
You can also just have a box or coffin or other object that talks. The mystery can be fun.
@VanZoeren that was my first thought but the party is level 10
Just kinda bump up the stats a bit if you need to! Plus, there are other ways to make a villain scary besides straight stats; make it ridiculously intelligent to the point that it's predicting the party's moves in combat before they happen.
As the DM, you know exactly what the party is capable of and what does and doesn't work against them. Have the villain figure out all of those things very quickly in a couple of conversations, and suddenly a simple nothic is the most terrifying foe for a party to face. Afterall, a nothic can learn someone's deepest secrets by looking at them. Have it learn everything it can use to pit the party against each other and you have yourself a rather difficult encounter where the nothic itself isn't even doing anything!
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Being gender-fluid and pansexual makes roleplay a lot easier!
@VanZoeren that was my first thought but the party is level 10
Just kinda bump up the stats a bit if you need to! Plus, there are other ways to make a villain scary besides straight stats; make it ridiculously intelligent to the point that it's predicting the party's moves in combat before they happen.
As the DM, you know exactly what the party is capable of and what does and doesn't work against them. Have the villain figure out all of those things very quickly in a couple of conversations, and suddenly a simple nothic is the most terrifying foe for a party to face. Afterall, a nothic can learn someone's deepest secrets by looking at them. Have it learn everything it can use to pit the party against each other and you have yourself a rather difficult encounter where the nothic itself isn't even doing anything!
Yeah, bump up the stats if you want. There is the table in the dmg and you can add some extra flare a few ways
Copy paste the regen from the loup garou make him a semi immortal nothic.
Bump the rotting gaze up to 11 and make him damage items like a black pudding that always horrifies players as their items turn to dust or even age players like a ghost just copy paste the abilities and adjust the stats with the dmg guide.
Have her sitting hugging her knees and sitting in the cage. Then in any ways you think would be disturbing, show that she is possessed by a demon/ has a demon trapped in her body. Joints unhinge and fold backward as she spiderclimbs to the roof of the cage, barfing black ichor and maggots etc.
What ever it is you have to think about what it wants, and why it would actually help the party.
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THE BLUE NOTHIC
Damien Steinrich
Nothic
I would probably go for the nothic as their strange insight power and goblin like appearance I think suited to a non combat encounter. They also have a compelling story being a cursed wizard but you could easily transplant or change that story if you want.
Immortal witch
Another compelling choice is a warlock, hag or witch. There are lots of ways to customize them but I think it could be interesting to have a hag or witch the town tried to execute but has been unable to do so. Horrifically scarred and mutilated the town may have tried a number of ways to execute them but still the survived. You can decide what stat block they are, it could be a loup garou or vampire that's managed to keep that secret enough to avoid being killed with the correct means. Or they could just have some kind of dark pact with an evil entity that keeps them alive.
Shape shifter
You can also chose a shapeshifter that doesn't show their true form but makes it clear they are a shapeshifter For that you can choose any stat block you want. The party could be talking to a cat or maybe they take the appearance of some one they know is dead. I personally really like the idea that chain devil takes the form of souls trapped in hell to torment people.
Possession
Maybe there is some one who is possessed and they haven't killed him because if they do the devil/ demon will claim their soul and move on to some one else. For that you can choose any humanoid stat block you think is interesting.
Golem and the persecuted
Another option is a Golem. The original Golem story is about a persecuted community making it as defender, you could have one which was captured by the persecutors after they've driven out or killed all of those people for witch craft. You could also do something similar with other magical creature likes a fey or other innocent spell caster.
Whats in the box
You can also just have a box or coffin or other object that talks. The mystery can be fun.
Just kinda bump up the stats a bit if you need to! Plus, there are other ways to make a villain scary besides straight stats; make it ridiculously intelligent to the point that it's predicting the party's moves in combat before they happen.
As the DM, you know exactly what the party is capable of and what does and doesn't work against them. Have the villain figure out all of those things very quickly in a couple of conversations, and suddenly a simple nothic is the most terrifying foe for a party to face. Afterall, a nothic can learn someone's deepest secrets by looking at them. Have it learn everything it can use to pit the party against each other and you have yourself a rather difficult encounter where the nothic itself isn't even doing anything!
Being gender-fluid and pansexual makes roleplay a lot easier!
Yeah, bump up the stats if you want. There is the table in the dmg and you can add some extra flare a few ways
the options are endless
Just have it be a disheveled little girl.
Have her sitting hugging her knees and sitting in the cage. Then in any ways you think would be disturbing, show that she is possessed by a demon/ has a demon trapped in her body.
Joints unhinge and fold backward as she spiderclimbs to the roof of the cage, barfing black ichor and maggots etc.
What ever it is you have to think about what it wants, and why it would actually help the party.