Sonoric's Spying Minions  (Divination/Conjuration/Summoning)
Level: Fourth                 Range: Special
Components: V, S, M           Duration: 1 hour + 1 turn/lvl
Casting Time: 1 turn          Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

This spell summons minor etherlings from the Ethereal Plane to
serve the caster's wishes. Etherlings, being rather stupid and
weak, are only suited for simple tasks, such as spying. Upon
summoning the creatures, the caster must detail, in simple
language, what service he wishes the etherlings to perform. The
etherlings, in their stupidity, will be honored 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 HD:2 #AT:1 D:1-3), is a small,
vaguely humanoid appearing creature, formed of the stuff of the
ethereal plane. On the prime material plane, it appears as a
hazy, humanoid-shaped, ghostly apparition, about 3' tall. It
moves by flying, and is unobstructed by walls and solid objects,
save lead, living matter, and mortar infused with Gorgon's blood.
The etherling is fairly stupid (INT: 5), although extremely
talkative, and puppyish in its affection for the caster. The
etherling will do its best to please the caster, 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 caster,
one at first, two at fourth, three at seventh, etc. The caster
can detail a separate task 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 to) man... the one in the painting... etc. It
is up to the DM to decide the chance of the etherling getting
confused, and screwing up the task. I suggest that it have a 100%
chance of getting the task right, -1% for each word in the
description (i.e. 10 words, 90% 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 caster 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 spell's 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 mins, to tell me what you heard and saw," or "Go to this room
in the tower of the castle, and bring me back a book that looks
like this," or "Find this man, follow him for half an hour, and
return to me, telling me what you witnessed," or "Find this man,
and tell him `Banquo. The game is thick.'" and similar such
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 mentalities 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.

