What to do about this flying cauldron?

[mistermysterio]

One of my group members has a flying cauldron. "This iron pot is large enough for two medium humanoids to stand in comfortably. Upon command, the cauldron and up to 500 pounds of additional weight can fly as if using overland flight. The cauldron moves under the direction of the person who spoke the activating command word. It can carry up to double its capacity, but doing so reduces its speed to 30 feet. It can hover in place without the need for a fly skill check. The cauldron provides partial cover for anyone standing in it. It has a hardness of 10 and 60 hit points."

He bought it over a flying carpet for flavor reasons... except he's now realizing that it is kinda hard to carry and/or put away when he isn't using it. Any suggestions on how to make it more portable for times when it is not in use? He thought of shrink item + permanency... except you can't shrink magical items.

Thanks!

[EisenKreutzer]

Bag of Holding?

[SimonMoon6]

Why would he ever not be using it?

He shouldn't try to carry it. (In Soviet Russia), cauldron carries you.

[EisenKreutzer]

Yeah, he could just be floating around in the cauldron at all times.

[mistermysterio]

it's too large to fit into the opening of a bag of holding.

While it makes sense that he would mostly just use it... there are times when it doesn't work/is inconvenient.

-speaking with royalty
-going into a shop
-fitting through a small opening/crevice in a dungeon
etc.

Leaving outside for anyone to come along and take doesn't seem like a fun option T.T

[Coidzor]

Leaving outside for anyone to come along and take doesn't seem like a fun option T.T

That's what henchmen are for.

[DrMotives]

It says command word activated. Could he reasonably keep the word secret and park it in the air? Or just stable it like a mundane mount. If people in your campaign use mounts or carriages to get around, the cauldron is just a much more exotic carriage, but not one more difficult to park while conducting business in the city. If you think a flying carpet would have solved all these problems, imagine walking around with a rolled up area rug over your shoulder while doing errands. Sure, you could do it, but it'd be awkward & weird.

[mistermysterio]

We figured out a solution that the DM agreed with (the character is running a homebrew version of a Bard - he's a cook... changed the bard spells just for fluff.). Basically, he stores it in the kitchen that he summons. lol.


The rug COULD fit in a bag of holding... it will fit through the opening once it's rolled up!

Thanks everyone, for the suggestions :)

[SimonMoon6]

Leaving outside for anyone to come along and take doesn't seem like a fun option T.T

If you didn't already have a solution, I would say: what does the party do about horses and things like that? The cauldron's just a more expensive horse that can fly. Or, in real world terms, it's just a car... that can fly. Whatever works to keep those items safe should work for the cauldron. Or, you know, get a chain like people do with a bike (assuming the cauldron has either a handle or little legs that you can wrap a chain around) and chain to a tree or something. And maybe get a car alarm (the Alarm spell).