Summoning/Controlling Nightshades?

[Death_Lord12]

In the campaign I am running, I would like the BBEG (a drow necropolitan dread necromancer, level 20) to be able to summon and preferably control Nightshades. The only way I have found so far is The Shadowstaff artifact, but I have three problems with that:
1. It is once a month, and I would like at least once every couple of days, preferably at least 1/day.
2. It only stays for 20 rounds, and while that may be good in direct combat with the PCs, if the BBEG releases it inside of a city.. well 2 minutes just does not seem long enough.
3. It is limited to summoning the Nightcrawler Nightshade, and while the Nightcrawler does have the most HD and CR, I would prefer more diversity and be able to summon any type.

So my question is, is there anyway, using core or 3rd party, to reliably summon any type of Nightshade at least 1/day and for longer than 20 rounds (preferably until killed or sent away somehow). Also, it would be good, though not at all necessary, to be able to control it.

I am not very worried about how this is possible, so if the method is expensive then I'd still like to listen to it. Also if it has to be a very creative or unorthodox way of doing it that is fine as well, I've had this guy trading artifacts with gods so any method is acceptable.

As a side note, is there anyway to negate the part of Summon Monster (assuming that is what is being used) that says "A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature"? I would like the Nightshade to be able to summon other creatures to assist in the chaos.

Thanks in advance.

[Crake]

well since nightshades are actually extraplanar beings, they're summonable via the gate spell, granting you full control over them for 1 round/CL, or longer if you take some time to bargain with them (as long as your CL is at least half their HD, otherwise they're free to do as they please). If your goal is to simply summon one and let it run amok, then gate is your spell, just summon it and let it run free. This also solves your last issue, as the creature is actually called, not summoned, and thus can use all it's abilities to their full extent.

Now obviously, this method is prohibitively expensive to be able to do on a daily basis, due to the 1000xp cost when summoning a creature with gate, but this can be alleviated by being able to generate enough ambrosia/liquid pain to cover the creation of a single gate scroll every day, using four (since each scroll takes 4 days to make, so you stagger them to recieve a scroll each day) of those auto scribes (I cant remember what they're called) to scribe the scroll in your absense. This would still cost you money as well, though considerably less so with the xp costs covered, a mere 1912.5gp in material costs per day, which at that level is pittance.

[Fizban]

Age of Mortals from the Dragonlance setting has a call undead spell that goes up to 9th and includes nightshades, though a glance at the table makes it obvious they just decided to drop those all on there because they wanted to rather than any semblance of balance. Gate calls any extraplanar creature. Add to either to spell list via method of choice. Or give him one more level and use Epic Spellcasting. Or make your own spell since being published is no guarantee of quality.

[ShurikVch]

Thrall of Orcus PrC at capstone can summon Nightwing 1/week for 15 turns

Also, Shrouds of the Unholy (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20021031x) are able to create any undead - including Nightshades

[d20familiar]

Also, Shrouds of the Unholy (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20021031x) are able to create any undead - including Nightshades

Caster Level: 20th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, animate dead, create undead, or create greater undead as appropriate; Market Price: 1,550 gp (animate dead), 12,250 gp (create undead), or 16,000 (create greater undead); Weight: 10 lbs.
Isn't it supposed to create only those kinds of undead which may normally be created with the spell used in the item creation itself?

[ShurikVch]

Isn't it supposed to create only those kinds of undead which may normally be created with the spell used in the item creation itself?RAI - (probably) yes; RAW - no

[Bronk]

I am not very worried about how this is possible, so if the method is expensive then I'd still like to listen to it. Also if it has to be a very creative or unorthodox way of doing it that is fine as well, I've had this guy trading artifacts with gods so any method is acceptable.

You could easily have any number of nightshades or other undead flock to the BBEG's banner due to sheer power and notoriety, and stay due to pay, magic items, reflected power and rank, or increased opportunities to cut loose with evil. All of the nightshades are of genius level intelligence, and can make deals if they want.

Summoning these guys could be as easy for the BBEG as snapping his fingers or giving an order and have them come running. Or you could contact them magically, and have them plane shift themselves over to you. There's also 'transport travellers' option of 'wish'. As the DM, you control the costs anyway. If this guy can't cast wish himself, he can certainly get a hold of a ring of three wishes or a scroll if he's trading artifacts around.

In fact, you could also just say that he has an artifact that does it. Heck, isn't there a trunamer ability to call people to you? That might work in this situation as well.

[Florian]

Probably Gate followed by some command spell or ability.

[Death_Lord12]

You could easily have any number of nightshades or other undead flock to the BBEG's banner due to sheer power and notoriety, and stay due to pay, magic items, reflected power and rank, or increased opportunities to cut loose with evil. All of the nightshades are of genius level intelligence, and can make deals if they want.

Summoning these guys could be as easy for the BBEG as snapping his fingers or giving an order and have them come running. Or you could contact them magically, and have them plane shift themselves over to you. There's also 'transport travellers' option of 'wish'. As the DM, you control the costs anyway. If this guy can't cast wish himself, he can certainly get a hold of a ring of three wishes or a scroll if he's trading artifacts around.

In fact, you could also just say that he has an artifact that does it. Heck, isn't there a trunamer ability to call people to you? That might work in this situation as well.

Sounds like this or a Gate spell would be good ways to do it, thanks for the help.