Trap Sweeper (Patreon)

Wondrous item, uncommon

You can use an action to speak this broom's command word and sweep the ground with it. When you do, dirt and dust is kicked up by the broom in a 30-foot cone originating from it. The dirt and dust magically glows and clings to the edges of any trap, clearly outlining it for all to see. The trap remains outlined in this way for 1 minute.

Once the broom has been used to sweep for the third time in this way, it can't do so again until 1d4 − 1 days have passed. If you roll a 1 on the d4, the broom regains all uses of this property and can be used again immediately.

A trap, for the purpose of this item, includes anything that would inflict a sudden or unexpected effect you consider harmful or undesirable, which was specifically intended as such by its creator. Thus, the item would sense an area affected by the alarm spell, a glyph of warding, or a mechanical pit trap, but it would not reveal a natural weakness in the floor, an unstable ceiling, or a hidden sinkhole.

It was the young rogue's second quest, and again, his grandmother tagged along. But she'd saved his party before, so when she stopped them at the dungeon's mouth he knew to listen.

"As our rogue, dear, tell me what you see."

He stared into the dark, unfocused, stress rising. He'd fail, and when he did, she'd…

He shook himself. He couldn't rely on her forever. He could do this.

"Er… thin tripwire at chest height. Offset stones, pressure-sensitive. Runes on the tiles."

She smiled proudly. Then her broom struck the dust from the floor, pushing it to settle on the traps he'd seen, but also on the hall's cobwebs—too regular to be natural—and arrow-thin holes in the cracks of the walls.

He couldn't rely on her forever… but he could for now.