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View Full Version : Staff of Serpentes[Minor Artifact]



TheOOB
2006-09-22, 04:03 AM
It is rumored that thousands of years ago, the snake people, yuan-ti, controlled a great empire that reached half-way across the world. It is said that at the height of their power that they Yuan-Ti created six great staves of power, each infused with the souls of a thousand humans, to help spread their dominion across the entire world.

It is not known if these stories are true or not, but the occasionally resurfacing of one of the Staves of Serpentes definatly makes the rumors sound more plausible.

The staves are each constructed from a large bone pole about six feat in length. Coiled around the pole are two large stylized snake of obsidian. At each end, within a snakes mouth, lies a small crystal sphere that seems to filled with a haunting green glow

Power of the Staff

Normally, a staff of Serpentes is a +3 Spell Storing/+3 Spell Storing Quarterstaff that also functions just like any other magic staff. It can hold up to 50 charges, and can use any of the following spells for one charge each at 20th caster level.

-Deeper Darkness
-Insect Plague(summons a swarm of snakes instead of locusts)
-Poison
-Slay Living
-Summon Monster IV(Huge Fiendish Viper Only)
-Symbol of Pain

In the hands of a Yuan-Ti capable of casting 5th levels cleric spells the enhancement bonus of both ends of the staff increases to +6. In addition the yuan-ti can make use of the three following rituals.

Ritual of Recharging

By ritually sacrificing an intellegant humanoid the staff can be recharged. The staff gains 1 charge for each of the sacrificed humanoids hit dice. This ritual requires 5 minutes.

Ritual of Changing

By means of this ritual the staff can change an intellegant humanoid(willing or not), into a Pureblooded Yuan-Ti loyal to the wielder of the staff and possessing the same alingment as the staff's wielder. Humanoids with more then one class level changed in this way retain all class levels and the associated abilities. This ritual requires 1 charge and 1 hour per HD of the humanoid to be changed.

Ritual of Enhancement

This ritual can permenatly increase the power of an Yuan-Ti, turning a pureblood Yuan-Ti into a Halfblood, and a Halfblooded Yuan-Ti into an abomination. Turning a Pureblood into a Halfblood requires 5 charges and 4 hours. Turning a Halfblood into an abomination requires 20 charges and 24 hours.

martyboy74
2006-09-22, 05:09 PM
So by spending 25 charges, and 28 hours and 10 minutes, can you convert a humanoid into a Yuan-Ti abomination?

TheOOB
2006-09-22, 07:01 PM
So by spending 25 charges, and 28 hours and 10 minutes, can you convert a humanoid into a Yuan-Ti abomination?

Well, 26 charges, it takes one charge to turn them into a Pureblood in the first place.

But yes, the idea is with enough sacrifices and time, a Yuan-Ti priest with this artifact could get a very powerful little army going, one more reason it's usually not a good idea to let a minor artifact fall into their hands.

EDIT: Just changed it so it takes more charges and more time based on how powerful the humanoid your changing into a Yuan-Ti is. It should take more then one charge to convert a 20th level wizard then a 1st level commoner