Battle Drums of the Rat King

There are 3 drums in this set, each tuned to a different note. While attuned to the drums, ordinary rats and giant rats are indifferent toward you and will not attack you unless you threaten or harm them. You must be proficient with drums to use any of this item’s other powers. Each drum holds 1 charge, and the drums regain 1d3 expended charges nightly at midnight.

 You can use an action and expend 1 charge to play a haunting, spellbinding rhythm. Each creature within 30 feet of you who hears it must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. If you wish, all creatures that aren’t hostile to you automatically succeed on the saving throw. A creature that fails the saving throw can repeat it at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Creatures that succeed on their saving throws are immune to the effect of these drums for 24 hours.

You can also use an action and expend 1 to 3 charges to play a rousing marching tattoo. You call forth one swarm of rats with each expended charge, provided that enough rats are within half a mile of you to be called in this fashion (as determined by the GM). If there aren't enough rats to form a swarm, the charge is wasted. Called swarms move toward the music by the shortest available route but aren't under your control otherwise.

Whenever a swarm of rats that isn’t under another creature’s control comes within 30 feet of you while you are playing the drums, you can make a Charisma check opposed by the swarm’s Wisdom check. If you lose the contest, the swarm behaves normally and can’t be swayed by the drums for the next 24 hours. If you win the contest, the swarm becomes friendly to you and your companions for as long as you continue to play the rhythm each round using an action. A friendly swarm obeys your commands. If you issue no commands to a friendly swarm, it defends itself if threatened but otherwise takes no actions. If a friendly swarm starts its turn and can’t hear the drumming, your control over that swarm ends, and the swarm behaves as it normally would and cannot be swayed by the magic of the drums for the next 24 hours.

Finally, you can use an action and expend 1 to 3 charges to tap a steady beat. While the beat lasts, you can cast animal messenger on a Tiny beast within 30 feet of you, using a slot level equal to 1 plus the number of charges you expend. The beast does not begin traveling to the specified destination until you stop playing the drum.

Notes: by a bard, Summoning, Control, Instrument