Staff of Pigeons (Patreon)

Staff, uncommon (requires attunement)

This roughly hewn wooden staff cradles a wooden birdhouse at its top. A soft cooing noise can be heard from within the birdhouse. The staff has 10 charges for the following properties.

Animal Messenger. You can use an action to expend 2 charges from the staff to cast the animal messenger spell. When cast in this way, instead of targeting a creature within range, you can cause a spectral courier pigeon to step from the staff's birdhouse to carry out the message. The pigeon disappears in a small cloud of feathers once the message has been delivered or if the magic is lost.

Manifest Greater Pigeon. You can choose to expend 1 or more additional charges from the staff as part of the action to cast animal messenger on the spectral courier pigeon. When you do, the spectral pigeon physically manifests, becoming material and visibly stronger.

• For 1 extra charge, the pigeon becomes a Small creature. It covers twice as many miles within 24 hours, and it can deliver a small scrap of parchment or similarly sized item of negligible weight.
• For 2 extra charges, the pigeon becomes a Medium creature. It covers three times as many miles within 24 hours, and it can deliver a small parcel weighing no more than 10 pounds.
• For 3 extra charges, the pigeon becomes a Large creature. It covers four times as many miles within 24 hours, and it can deliver a larger parcel weighing no more than 25 pounds.

Regardless of the manifested pigeon's size, its statistics remain the same, and it refuses to move while another creature is sitting or otherwise mounted on it.

The staff regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge from the staff, roll a d20. On a 1, the birdhouse cracks apart and the staff's magic is lost.

"I will NOT subject my people to senseless fear-mongering tactics! We have no evidence of your claim's validity, and I will take my chances by—"

It was then, in the middle of the King's rousing argument against the council, that a sharp rapping rattled from the room's great window's glass.

The members at the table all turned to look at the window. A looming shadow blocked out the light filtering in from the evening sun: a massive bird's head. Was it a griffon, sent by the Scouts, bearing news?"

Without a word, the King left the table to open the window's hinged side. The bird, a massive pigeon, twisted its feathered head through the opening. It delivering from its beak a hastily written scroll.

With a raspy voice, the pigeon then let loose a scream. A human's. From the shout could be heard a single, blood-curdling word.

"Run."

With that, the pigeon vanished in a burst of downy feathers, its mission now complete.

The King stood before the window. The orange light of the sun, now unobscured, silhouetted his figure. Hands trembling, he put down the scroll and turned to face the rest of the chamber.

"Councilman Hendrok, I believe I owe you an apology. Alert the generals and sound the alarm. The...circus troupe...is indeed on its way."