Conjure Nightmare

The caster of this spell summons a mount, a nightmare (see the Monstrous Manual tome) from the Plane of Dreams, as it carries a dreamer on its terrible ride. Thus, the summoned nightmare is always frustrated at losing its dreaming subject, and it requires an immediate offering from its summoner (see the material components).

The nightmare serves its summoner willingly, as long as the tasks it is given are evil. It can understand the summoner's commands even if he is not evil, but it may feel that something is wrong if its caster is good. If ordered to perform tasks without an obvious wicked purpose, the nightmare rebels at the first opportunity.

Because the nightmare is summoned from dream rather than from a lower plane, it remains only until the dreamer it haunted awakes. The spell grants no control over the source of the summoned nightmare, so the caster cannot, for instance, cast eternal slumber on a subject, cast true nightmare; and then cast summon nightmare with the expectation of a permanent servitor.

The material components include a pinch of ground sulphur, crushed bark of the dreamwillow, and a handful of flaked platinum worth no less than 200 gp.

Notes: Uncommon for shadow mages and Dream mages; otherwise very rare. (Updated from Dragon Magazine.)

Nightmare: AL NE; AC - 4; MV 15, Fl 36 (C); HD 6+6;THAC0 13; #AT 3; Dmg 1d6+4/1d6+4/2d4; SA burning hooves; SD noxious cloud, 10' r., save vs. paralysis or - 2 to attack and damage for 2d4 rounds; SZ L; ML Elite (13 - 14).