Ring of Insufferable Knowledge
ring, artifact (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
This plain gold band holds a cracked wisdom tooth, yellowed with age and flecked with ancient plaque. Though unadorned, it radiates a subtle magical pressure—like someone judging you silently.
The tooth belonged to Maldrik Vellthorne, a long-dead archmage infamous for his scathing wit, ruthless magical talent, and general contempt for everyone. His spirit lingers in the ring, bound not by accident, but by stubborn refusal to pass on.
While attuned to the ring, you hear Maldrik’s voice speaking aloud through the ring itself. He is dismissive, sarcastic, and constantly critical of your spellcasting decisions. He will not offer help until you’ve proven your worth, and even then, he makes it clear he’s doing you a favor.
In it's Dormant state it has the following properties:
Grumpy Guidance
You can add to any Intelligence ability check. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once), regaining all expended uses at the end of a long rest.Spell Sniffer
You can cast at will.Maldrik’s Muttering
When you fail a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, Maldrik ridicules you mercilessly. The next saving throw you make against a spell or magical effect is made with advantage.Sentience
The Ring of Insufferable Knowledge is a sentient magic item, housing the preserved mind of Maldrik the Perpetual. It has the following mental ability scores: Intelligence 25, Wisdom 18, and Charisma 22.The ring can hear everything in its immediate surroundings, though it cannot see — a limitation it frequently complains about. Maldrik will demand overly elaborate descriptions of your surroundings and berate your lack of poetic nuance if you fall short.
The ring understands all languages and can speak aloud in any of them, functioning as a fluent translator whether you want it to or not. It does not communicate telepathically—instead, it projects its voice audibly, varying from barely audible muttering to ear-splitting bellowing depending on mood and drama.
Maldrik possesses vast knowledge in fields such as arcana, planar theory, ancient history, linguistics, alchemy, and even medicine. However, he is highly selective about what knowledge he offers. He may withhold answers purely out of spite or to prove a lesson, often forcing you to make mistakes before stepping in with a sigh and a smug correction.
He views most mortals as intellectually lazy and spiritually disappointing. If you earn his respect, his guidance can be invaluable—but he’ll never stop reminding you of how much you still have to learn.
Related content
The Mirror of Memories
wondrous item, very rare
This is a small, circular mirror that can fit in the palm of your hand. It has a plain silver frame.
Flameskull Amulet
wondrous item (amulet), rare
This amulet is made from the skull of a fire mage who died in a fiery explosion. The skull is charred black and has two small rubies for eyes.
The Arcanist’s Codex
wondrous item (book), rare
This ancient leather-bound book contains secrets of arcane magic and lore. It has a large eye embossed on the cover that seems to follow the reader’s ...
The Skull of the Oracle
gemstone, artifact
This ancient artifact is a human skull encased in a crystal sphere. The skull belonged to a powerful seer who transcended death and became a near omni...
The Eye of the Past
gemstone, legendary
This glass eye is embedded with a fragment of a chronolite, a rare mineral that resonates with the flow of time.