Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You beseech an otherworldly entity for aid. The being must be known
to you: a god, a primordial, a demon prince, or some other being of
cosmic power. That entity sends a celestial, an elemental, or a fiend
loyal to it to aid you, making the creature appear in an unoccupied
space within range. If you know a specific creature's name, you can
speak that name when you cast this spell to request that creature,
though you might get a different creature anyway (GM's choice).
When the creature appears, it is under no compulsion to behave in any
particular way. You can ask the creature to perform a service in
exchange for payment, but it isn't obliged to do so. The requested task
could range from simple (fly us across the chasm, or help us fight a
battle) to complex (spy on our enemies, or protect us during our foray
into the dungeon). You must be able to communicate with the creature to
bargain for its services.
Payment can take a variety of forms. A celestial might require a sizable
donation of gold or magic items to an allied temple, while a fiend
might demand a living sacrifice or a gift of treasure. Some creatures
might exchange their service for a quest undertaken by you.
As a rule of thumb, a task that can be measured in minutes requires a
payment worth 100 gp per minute. A task measured in hours requires 1,000
gp per hour. And a task measured in days (up to 10 days) requires
10,000 gp per day. The GM can adjust these payments based on the
circumstances under which you cast the spell. If the task is aligned
with the creature's ethos, the payment might be halved or even waived.
Nonhazardous tasks typically require only half the suggested payment,
while especially dangerous tasks might require a greater gift. Creatures
rarely accept tasks that seem suicidal.
After the creature completes the task, or when the agreed-upon duration
of service expires, the creature returns to its home plane after
reporting back to you, if appropriate to the task and if possible. If
you are unable to agree on a price for the creature's service, the
creature immediately returns to its home plane.
A creature enlisted to join your group counts as a member of it, receiving a full share of experience points awarded.