Animal Companion Mobile Home

[Frownigami]

In an upcoming campaign I was hoping to play a character focused on crafting magical items. One of the biggest obstacles for this seems to be the inability to craft while on the move (not during down time). To overcome this I would like to eventually create some kind of mobile home.

My DM has agreed to let me play as a Tiny custom race. So I'd like to play a Druid and live in a (slightly larger than usual) doll house and have it mounted atop a Large animal companion. I'd really like to expand upon this idea since it seems fun and (surprisingly) I haven't heard of anyone else trying something like this. So here's a few questions I have:

- How much would it cost to have this miniature house (and all the required harnesses and stuff) constructed and fitted?

- What are some ways in which I could protect the house? Make it out of ironwood? Cast an illusion spell to make it seem as if it weren't there?

- What would be the best animal companion for this? Heavily armoured, unable to rear up on its hind legs, stable etc.

- Could I mount a large light ballista atop the animal companion? Once assembled and loaded would I be able to fire it as a tiny creature? Wouldn't the companion technically be the one aiming it by facing in the right direction?

- How do you think the companion might feel about its role if it were to be awakened? Could it possibly be seen as a symbiotic relationship of sorts?

I'd love to hear some advice as to how to make this work. Any other fun suggestions would also be appreciated!

[Java Man]

Anklyasoaur seems like the critter for this. What I would start with is a howdah, and see how your gm rules on scaling it down in size.

A while back there was a thread about outfitting a wagon as a mobile base, try searching for that.

[Tyrant Lizard King]

I think the Ankylosaurus or Tortoise would work well. As far as cost, maybe consider your mini house as a super advanced saddle that has your house there... ultimately, price would be up to your GM.

If your animal is awakened, it will remain loyal to you and serve you to the best of its abilities... as long as it is treated as a friend. If you awaken something else after that it will lose that super loyalty, still be friendly, but will look at its own self interests first.

The ballista would need a firing platform. No room for that due to your house being there unless it is on top of your house. Also, a Large siege engine (Light Ballistae) would not fit for one... two, being tiny, you would not be able to operate it. Try a Medium light ballistae (one size smaller) but you would still take a -6 penalty. You would be the one aiming it because; 1) the animal cannot "Aim" a siege engine 2) it is not fixed, meaning it swivels, so the orientation of the animal would not determine what you could shoot and 3) light ballistae to not require an Aiming round before firing. I would think that mounted ranged attack penalties would apply, stacking with your -6 size penalty along with 2 full-round actions to reload... I don't think this will work well for you. Stable Gallop animal feat would help reduce movement penalties to ranged attacks.

[RaizielDragon]

Since this sounds like a very custom home game, there is Craft Anywhere; it's 3rd party but now you can get a full days crafting in without needing downtime.

[Tyinyk]

As stated, you're not going to be able to put a large siege engine on a large animal companion. They're the same size, roughly, plus you also live there.

I know that if I was made to carry around someone's house on my back at all times because I wasn't intelligent enough to know any better, then I suddenly was, I wouldn't be happy. That said, the spell will mitigate that for the most part, I'd try to keep it that way.