Headband of the Phrontisery

A magic item inspired by Josh's version of Phlox's version of the Periapt of Wisdom.

The idea is to take a traditional passive stat-boost item and turn it into something active. I'm game. 

Here's my take on the classic Headband of Intellect. 

The Headband of Intellect is a band of rich cloth embroidered with a swirling pattern of violet, green, and blue. The inner lining has a pair curious golden eyes stitched into the fabric. 

Wearing the headband provides no benefit, but pull it over your eyes and you find yourself in a cavernous hall filled with books. Thick volumes brim from lofty shelves, piles of manuscripts cramp the corridors, boxes of scrolls and vellums litter the floor. You are greeted by a crow with golden eyes who introduces himself as Meero. 

Within the library you can find the answer to virtually any question on an academic subject (such as history, theology, biology, and whatever else is in the sage specialization list from the AD&D DMG). But it takes time to sort through all the clutter. 

General questions take 2d6 minutes to answer, specific questions 2d6 turns, and exacting questions 2d6 hours. The DM determines whether a question is general, specific, or exacting before you roll. Rolling doubles increases the time increment—general questions take turns, specific questions take hours, and exacting questions cannot be answered. 

Meero offers to aid your research. He'll remove any dice of your choosing to shorten research time and undo the effect of doubles. He can take more than one dice, and if he takes them all he just tells you the answer outright. 

His help comes at a cost: for every six dice Meero removes, the library gets more disordered. Shelves collapse, piles grow, and the text themselves get more circuitous and nonsensical. Add an additional d6 to research time rolls. 

Rolling triples exposes you to a cognitohazard; regardless of whether Meero takes a dice, you loose 3% of the experience earned since leveling up as your understanding of reality slips away. But your brush with forbidden knowledge gives you +1 Intelligence while wearing the band, max +3. 

Other details:

• While your mind occupies the library demiplane, your body remains in the material world in deep meditation. In the library you can hear others vaguely if they're shouting but otherwise are oblivious to your real-world surroundings.  
• Removing the headband or having it pulled off negates any progress you made so far. 
• You don't bring anything with you into the library; even though it feels like you're physically there, it's all just in your mind.

Once the research roll would raise above 6d6, the library becomes too disheveled to use. Meero loses any interest in speaking with you and instead attempts to pick out your eyes should you visit again. 

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If anyone wishes to join in on this, the Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Gloves of Dexterity, Cloak of Charisma, and Amulet of Health are up for grabs. Claim one if you dare!