Time to Use: Minimum 1 action ( 12 word limit ), Max 30 seconds ( as much speech as can be fit in the span ).

Time of Effect: 10 rounds, until the message is delivered, until the wielder recalls the messenger spirit, or the messenger spirit is dissipated - whichever comes first.

Spirit Travel Speed: 180'/round, for up to 10 rounds

Spirit Combat Stats: AC 16, 8 HP, Immune to non-magical damage, winds of Hurricane force or higher reduce it to 0 HP. When reduced to 0 HP or less, spirit is banished to ring ( until following dawn ).

 The Ring of the Messenger is fashioned from a dark iron alloy, with a complex inlaid pattern of extremely fine lines and arcane glyphs wrought in gold. It is beautifully made, but not particularly flashy or reflective.

The ring contains a bound minor messenger spirit - semi-intelligent, but not self-aware or sapient ( about the intelligence of domesticated dog ) - bound emphatically to the ring wielder. It has a consistent semi-corporal form of a thick viscous black translucent smokey material, capable of flowing through openings as small as a keyhole (re-assuming its chosen form as soon as it can), but it cannot passing through solid material. It can move freely in any direction at a rate of 180'/round, for up to 10 rounds. It has 8 HP, and is immune to normal attacks, but is affected by enchanted weapons or spells. Winds of hurricane strength or greater reduce it to 0 HP, but winds of lesser strength do not affect it. If reduced to 0 HP it is dissipated, returns instantly to the ring, and cannot be summoned forth again until the next dawn. The wielder is immediately aware whenever the spirit is dispelled back to its ring vessel. The spirit is incapable of offensive actions.

To summon the spirit, the wielder must speak a command word aloud, and the spirit will materially flow out of the glyphs on the ring. The spirit will remain for 1 minute before returning into the ring, if not otherwise commanded. If the wielder speaks a second command word, the spirit will observe and memorize any speech spoken aloud by the wielder which is no longer than 30 seconds in length, while the wielder holds an an image of the recipient in their mind.

The spirit identifies its target by physical appearance, although it does not need line of sight to detect them. Invisibility will defeat detection of its target, as will magical disguises which the ring wielder does not envision. Physical disguises not envisioned by the wielder and which are of sufficient quality to overcome the spirit's Passive Perception of 15 will also cause it to fail. If the spirit cannot detect its intended target, it will linger near the wielder for 1 minute before returning to the ring.

The spirit will do its best to find the most direct path to the intended message recipient. If the spirit can detect its target, but cannot find a path, it will move as close to its target as it can and wait - exploiting any paths which opens up when it can. 

If the spirit moves within 5' of target of its message it will recreate the spoken message exactly - recreating the voice, inflection, volume, and cadence of the spoken message precisely. The spirit will not carry a return message.

The spirit will dissipate and instantly return to the ring after the completion of its mission, or after 10 rounds elapse since it was dispatched on its mission, regardless of its success or failure. The ring wielder may also use a third command word to dissipate the spirit and return it instantly to the ring, regardless of where it may be. If returned to the ring via command word, the spirit is available to be called forth again immediately, and does not need to rest until the following dawn, as it would if forcibly dissipated.

Separating the messenger spirit and the ring on different planes of existence will sever their link and destroy the ring's capabilities, as will magic powerful enough to destroy or banish a minor spirit.

Attuning to the ring requires the wielder to craft a form for the messenger spirit of approximately 1 cubic foot in volume, having no dimension less than 6" & no dimension more than 2' in any  direction, and to select the command words for the spirit to obey.

Notes: Jewelry