Sonoric's Superior 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 a major etherling from the ethereal plane, to do the wizard's bidding. Major etherlings are fairly intelligent, although they still suffer from summoner-awe. The wizard summons one etherling per five levels, for example two at sixth, three at eleventh, etc. The summoned etherlings are eager to serve the wizard, and they are capable of more complicated tasks than their lesser brethren.
A major etherling (AC 0, MV 60, HD 4, #AT 2, damage 1d3/1d3, Int 12) is a man-sized, transparent, humanoid-appearing creature, formed of the stuff of the plane ethereal. It has some control over its appearance on the prime material plane, although, regardless of form, they have blurry outlines, and are partially transparent. It also moves by flight, although it is sophisticated enough to give the illusion of walking. Being mostly on the ethereal plane, it is able to pass through solid objects, save lead, the touch of which, if it fails a saving throw versus paralysation, returns it to the ethereal plane, cancelling the spell. Major etherlings are fairly intelligent, and have a 20% chance of knowing any specific minor lore, although it will answer such a question only once. A major etherling will be stricken with extreme respect for the summoner, and will attempt to follow the spirit of its commands to the best of its ability. It has the ability to turn small items, of less than ten pounds in weight, ethereal, allowing it to transport the item. It may only carry one such item at a time, however. It also has a photographic memory.
Major etherlings are capable of performing complicated tasks, and can grasp abstract concepts. Once given a task, it will remain on the prime material plane until the task is complete, or its time runs out. One advantage the major etherling possess over its lesser brethren, however, is its ability to move into the ethereal plane, and return to the prime material plane, essentially teleporting. It is also capable of completing tasks on the ethereal plane, as well as the prime material. Again, an Intelligence check is required for particularly baffling problems encountered in its task, and if the task is rendered somehow impossible to complete, and the etherling makes it Int check, it will return to the wizard, and inform him of the problem, before returning to the ethereal plane, for good.
Being dual-plane beings, they are only hit by magic weapons, and spells. The material components of this spell are jade figurines, one for each etherling to be summoned.

