If you’ve spent any time in Redtower, home city of the Scarlet Citadel megadungeon, you might have met Konrad of Runklestad. The aged battlemage prefers to keep his privacy, but that doesn’t mean he’s unfriendly. He’s just more of a homebody than a go-getter.

Though he keeps out of the public eye, Konrad has the capability, resources, and academic interest to remotely observe the PCs with divination spells or a summoned agent. If the PCs struggle to gain footing in or around the Scarlet Citadel, that can be an ideal time for Konrad to invite them into his home to talk—namely about his experimental magic item hobby.

New Magic Items

Konrad is willing to bargain with the PCs to have them purchase and use his magic items. In addition to the standard array of common and uncommon magic items you might source from the core ruleset or Vault of Magic, this article contains five uncommon magic items of Konrad’s own design.

BRICK OF THROWING

Wondrous Item, Uncommon

This heavy brick is surprisingly aerodynamic. It has the Thrown weapon property but is not considered magical. If you have proficiency in martial weapons or mason’s tools, you can apply your PB to checks made to use this brick as an improvised weapon. After you throw the brick, it immediately returns to your hand.

SCARLET BASTION BROACH

Wondrous Item, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)

This shield-shaped lapel pin is crafted from the same red stone as Redtower’s titular and enigmatic fortification. While you are attuned to the broach and are hurt by bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, you can spend your reaction to gain resistance to that type of damage until the beginning of your next turn. Once you use this feature you can’t do so again until the next dawn.

UNQUIET UMBRELLA

Wondrous Item, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)

This paper parasol has been magically reinforced. Depictions of cranes and dragons illustrate the panels as well as audibly cry and growl when the umbrella is used. This parasol has 5 charges and regains 1d4 charges every day at dawn.

You can expend a number of charges to cast the following spells provided that you have the umbrella in hand: 1 charge to cast shield, 3 charges to cast protection from energy.

While you are attuned to this weapon, you are deafened and have disadvantage on DEX (Stealth) checks to move silently and remain unnoticed.

TINKERER’S TOY

Wondrous Item, Uncommon

You can activate this colorful, handheld puzzle box as an action. When you do so, roll a d4 and then roll initiative (if you haven’t already). The d4 result is a countdown that determines how many rounds before the enchantment on the tinkerer’s toy triggers on the rolled initiative count.

When the countdown reaches zero and the initiative count comes up (if applicable), the box triggers a wild magic surge centered on itself, affecting whoever is holding it or occupying the same space as the tinkerer’s toy.

WAND OF ARCANE BOLTS

Wondrous Item (Wand), Uncommon

This white birch wand continuously sheds bits of bark with every use. A long crack runs down its length, fused back together with wood glue. This wand has 5 charges and regains 1d4 charges every day at dawn.

You can expend a charge to cast magic missile. If you have the spellcasting feature, you can expend additional charges to magic missile at higher circles equal to your PB. If you expend the last charge, roll a d12 and consult the Faulty Effects table.

Faulty Effects Table

Somewhere between a critical failure and a curse, the effects in the table below can be used to illustrate the unstable nature of the magic items Konrad tinkers with.

In the adventure as written, a faulty magic item as written simply fails after 1d4 uses. If your PCs rely on Konrad’s magic items, it might be a letdown to revert to mundane items after they are used up.

Instead, have a player roll on this table after the magic item is used those 1d4 times. Thereafter the magic item continues to work as normal but the result on the Faulty Effects table happens with every use.

FAULTY EFFECTS

d12	Effect
1	Temporal Displacement. You must make an initiative check. If it is lower than your current initiative, that number becomes your new initiative. You are surprised for the rest of the round.
2	Unintended Transformation. The magic item turns into a hostile giant centipede for 1 minute or until it drops to 0 HP. The giant centipede has advantage on attacks, skill checks, and saving throws for the duration.
3	Armor Expulsion. If you are wearing armor, it immediately doffs from your body and appears safely at your feet. If you are under the effect of mage armor, shield or a similar effect, that spell is dispelled.
4	Weapon Ejection. Whatever you are holding immediately teleports up to 30 feet away and safely appears on the ground.
5	Whiz, Bang! The magic item explodes with a loud retort, audible up to 300 feet away. All creatures within a 10-foot radius centered on the magic item (including you), must make a DC 13 CON save, taking 2d4 thunder damage on a failure or half as much damage on a success.
6	Incompetence Curse. You are under the effects of the bane spell until the end of your next turn.
7	Arcane Feedback. If you are concentrating on a spell, you must immediately make a concentration check with disadvantage. If you are not concentrating on a spell, you take 1d6 psychic damage.
8	Unexpected Springing. You are launched up to 30 feet in the air before falling.
9	Extradimensional Leakage. You cast the grease spell centered on yourself.
10	Sudden Quake. All creatures within 30 feet (including you) must make a DC 13 STR save or be knocked prone. You have disadvantage on this save.
11	Color Shift. Roll a d6. You and everything you are wearing and carrying changes color: 1, scarlet; 2, teal; 3, viridian; 4, violet; 5, mustard; 6, chartreuse.
12	Immediate Reduction. Make a DC 13 CON save. On a success you are affected by the reduce effect of enlarge/reduce until the end of your next turn. On a failure, the effect lasts for 1 minute.