Sonoric's Spying Minions
(Conjuration/Summoning, Divination)

Range:  Special
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  1 hour + 1 turn per level
Casting Time:  1 turn
Area of Effect:  Special
Saving Throw:  None

This spell summons minor etherlings from the ethereal plane, to serve the wizard's wishes. Etherlings, being rather stupid and weak, are only suited for simple tasks, such as spying. Upon summoning the creatures, the wizard must detail, in simple language, what service he wishes the etherlings to perform. The etherlings, in their stupidity, will be honoured by the request for service, and will perform the task to the best of their abilities and comprehension.
A minor etherling (AC 2, MV 60, 2 HD, #AT 1, damage 1d3), is a small, vaguely humanoid appearing creature, formed of the stuff of the plane ethereal. On the prime material plane, it appears as a hazy, humanoid-shaped ghostly apparition, about 3 feet tall. It moves by flying, and is unobstructed by walls and solid objects, save lead, the touch of which sends it back to the ethereal plane. It is fairly stupid (Intelligence 5), although extremely talkative, and puppyish in its affection towards the wizard. The etherling will do its best to please the wizard, to the point of becoming annoying. It does have some special abilities, making it particularly useful, however. It has a photographic memory, and will never forget what it saw and heard during its period of service. It also has the ability to turn small objects (one at a time), weighing less than five pounds, ethereal, allowing it to transport the item. It can also turn itself invisible at will, although those able to see onto the ethereal plane will be able to see it clearly. It can push its movement rate up to 120, for up to a turn at a time. It can only attack things on the ethereal plane, and even there not very effectively. Finally, the fact that it only partially exists on the prime material plane during the spell means that it is only hit by magic weapons, and spells.
The spell summons one etherling per three levels of the wizard, one at first, two at fourth, three at seventh, etc. The wizard can detail separate tasks for each individual etherling summoned, and may cast the spell more than once during its duration (allowing him to summon a virtual horde), as the spell requires no concentration after the initial casting. An etherling's instructions can be facilitated by pictures (as in "Follow this (point) man... The one in the painting" or "Follow her (point)... The one in this Phantasmal Force"). It is up to the DM to decide the chance of the etherling getting confused, and screwing up the task. I suggest that it has a 100% chance of getting the task right, -3% for each word in the description (i.e., 10 words, 70% chance), giving a bonus for things such as pictures, and other helpful examples. If the etherling should encounter any mentally straining problems, such as if its "mark" (he whom it is tailing or spying upon) teleports away, or disguises its features, casts illusions, etc., make an Intelligence check for the etherling, modified by the situation. If the etherling fails, it is hopelessly confused, and returns to the ethereal plane. The wizard must take care to give the etherling tasks which it can complete within the duration of the spell, as the etherling returns to the ethereal plane at the end of the spells duration.
Some examples of tasks given to etherlings would be "go to the chamber at the end of the hall, stay there, and return to me in 20 minutes, to tell me what you heard and saw", "go to this room in the tower of the castle, and bring me back a book that looks like this...", "find this man, follow him for half an hour, and return to me, telling me what you witnessed", "find this man and tell him Va banque. The game is thick", or similar things. Etherlings are intelligent enough to follow the spirit of the commands, provided they are simple enough. Etherlings have an innate sense of direction, and will not get lost on the prime material plane. They have the mental abilities of young children. They will only perform service on the material plane.
The material components of the spell are small figurines, one for each etherling to be summoned. They must be fairly detailed, and are consumed in the casting of the spell.

