Brain Spider

This spell allows the caster to eavesdrop on the thoughts of up to eight other beings at once, hearing as desired:

The ceaseless chaos of surface thoughts and images, or

Individual trains of thought in the order the caster desires, or

Information from all minds about one particular topic, thing, or being, one nugget of information per level of the caster.

A study of the thought and memories of one creature of the group in detail.

Once per round, in any round in which no such detailed studying occurs, the caster can attempt to implant a suggestion (similar to the 3rd-level wizard spell) in the mind of any one of the eight creatures.

This spell can affect all intelligent beings of the caster's choice within range (up to the limit of eight), beginning with known or named beings. The beings need not be personally known to the caster, who can choose, for instance, “the nearest eight guards who must be in that chamber there.” Those who make a successful saving throw vs. spell cannot be reached by the spell.

Creatures who are psionically gifted or who are in the process of casting or using any enchantment/charm spell when contacted by a brain spider probe are instantly aware of it. They learn its source's identity and general location, though the caster is not warned of this. Such creatures automatically escape all spell effects and do not count as any of the eight beings affected. Creatures that are insane or feebleminded cannot be affected by a brain spider, and contact with their minds inflicts upon the caster 1d4+1 points of damage per deranged mind touched.

The material component of this spell is a spider of any size or type. It may be dead, but must retain all of its legs.

Notes: Very rare in the Forgotten Realms setting; virtually unknown elsewhere.