SERPENT STAFF

Pyballis Rode

This transformation Manc turns the Manc item staff into a serpent for different purposes. The staff with this Manc is able to transform into the predetermined serpent when a specific vocal, gesture, or other trigger signal is used. The serpent then is formed, usually from the staff, or in one instance from it and then either follows its purpose, or else is directed by the Mancer as wished. The Mancer can even summon their staff from afar, where it transforms and makes its way to the Mancer as best it can.

The serpent formed, dependent upon the form of this Manc used, shares an empathic bond with the Mancer, and although no communication is needed between Mancer and serpent, it is almost an extension of the Mancer. Unless otherwise specified the serpent behaves like any other normal serpent of its kind, except that it sees the Mancer as part of it. It moves, sounds, to the most part looks, and generally behaves, like a normal serpent. Where it differs, of course, is in its use, or how it is directed by the Mancer. To others it will react as a normal serpent would.

By default the serpent formed from the staff has the look of the staff in its colouration, texture, and weight. This can all be modified as wished at creation by the Mancer.

There are four main forms of Serpent Staff: Normal, Constricting, Venomous, and Flying.

Normal

This transforms the staff into a normal snake of the creator's choosing. The creator can choose any snake form that they know of, or create a basic form which has no real resemblence to any real serpent but still retains a serpent-like shape and form. The size of the snake is equal to that of the staff. This form has no ability other than the linked empathy with the Mancer and its natural abilities as a snake. This form has no venom, constricting ability, and must slither along the floor or climb using its body etc. The base ABV of the form is 5, and base DBV of the form is 0. This form is usually taken by those who do not wish their staff to enter into any form of conflict, but act as a remote sensor for the Mancer.

Constricting

This form transforms the staff into a much larger snake, usually double that in size of the staff. The creator can choose any constricting snake form that they know of, or create a basic form which has no real resemblence to any real serpent but still retains a serpent-like shape and form. This form has the linked empathy with the Mancer and the ability to wrap itself around a victim and begin to constrict, crushing and suffocating the victim. This is under the control of the Mancer, who may direct its constrictions precisely, or else give free range to the serpent staff after a basic set of empathic instructions (e.g. don't let it escape, hold it here for 1 Turn and then return, kill it and return, maim it and then release it, hold it but do not hurt it, etc,) This form has no venom, but does have a constricting ability, it must slither along the floor or climb using its body etc. The base ABV of the form is 20, and base DBV of the form is 2, however it should be remebered that this type of serpent rerely engages in an open combat,but instead ambushes its prey, either with a sudden grabbing and immediate coiling about its victim, or else dropping upon its prey from above and catching it unawares, using its bulk to bring the prey down and allow the coiling to begin.Once constriction has begun, the serpent may cause 1-4 Wound Levels of crushing damage per Round (as indicated by the Mancer) and any Wound Levels of Level 3 or more also cause suffocation to begin. The snake form will have the STR of the snake form it is based upon, or else a STR of 40. This form is usually taken by those who wish to utilise its many talents as holder of things or others.

Venomous

This transforms the staff into a venomous snake of the creator's choosing. The creator can choose any snake form that they know of, or create a basic form which has no real resemblence to any real serpent but still retains a serpent-like shape and form. The size of the snake is equal to that of the staff. This form has the linked empathy with the Mancer and the ability to bite and inject venom. This form has no constricting ability, and must slither along the floor or climb using its body etc. The base ABV of the form is 15, and base DBV of the form is 0, however, this snake does not normaly engage into Rounds of combat, but instead waits for a chance to strike out at great speed and bite the victim. For that reason assume this form has a DEX equal to that of the snake it is based upon, or else a DEX of 60. The venom of the snake is either normal for the type it is based upon, or the Mancer may include any poison they wish into the creation process and that is the effect the venom has. (i.e. having the Serpent Satff form that of a yellow springer, means the venom can either be typical to yellow springers, or if Dwarf Axe, or Techna's Curse, is used in the creation process then that is the effect the venom will have, over-riding the normal yellow springer venom. Note that only one form of poison may be used during creation, if multiple poisons are used then which one takes effect is random.) This form is usually chosen by those who wish to prevent their staff being taken, or as a form of weapon.

Flying

This transforms the staff into a flying snake of the creator's choosing. The creator can choose any snake form that they know of, or create a basic form which has no real resemblence to any real serpent but still retains a serpent-like shape and form. The size of the snake is equal to that of the staff. This form has the linked empathy with the Mancer and two wings that sprout from its back giving it flight. The wings are either feathered or of the creator's choice. (e.g. bat wings, eagle wings, dragon wings, crow wings, butterfly wings etc.) This form has no venom, constricting ability, and usually hovers or flies about, but can, if needs be, slither along the floor or climb using its body etc. The base ABV of the form is 10, and base DBV of the form is 15. It damages with with either bites (no venom), tail whips, or by lifting the victim up and dropping them. Usually this form is chosen as a means of protecting the staff, or as a means of freeing up the Mancer's hand. The serpent is not strong enough to carry anything heavier than the staff's weight it transformed from, except for 1 Round while it lifts it straight up before dropping it.

Modifying the Serpent Staff

There are a number of ways the Serpent Staff can be modified: Random Serpent Type, Aura Serpent Type, Multiple Serpent Forms, Dragon Form, Cast Offensive Manc, Cast Defensive Manc, Speak Through Serpent, and Sense Through Serpent.

Random Serpent Type

Creating a Serpent Staff and having a random serpent type lowers the Power Level by 1, but no influence can be made as to the end resulting serpent type the staff transforms into. This is determined during the end of the creation process and the snake type taken is completely random. Once the attempt to create a Serpent Staff is successful roll on the Random Snake Type Table to determine which snake type you get, and again for the type of wings gained if creating a Flying Serpent Staff.

Aura Serpent Form

Creating a Serpent Staff and allowing the aura of the Mancer to influence the outcome of the snake type lowers the Power Level by 2. This is added to the start of the creation process where as the Mancer goes through the process, ritual, and ceremony to create the Serpent Staff, the Manc is influenced by the alignment, overall general mood (the general current mood of the Mancer, not just when creating Manc), and general current health (Endurance) of the Mancer and the serpent type is reflective of these qualities. Check on the Aura Serpent Tables to determine the description of the serpent. If creating a Serpent Staff using this method at character creation (or between adventures) then use the character's Alignment, but randomly roll for the Mood and Health. If creating this Serpent Staff as a lone item, perhaps as treausre or for an NPC then Alignment, Mood, and Health should all be rolled for randomly.

The Colour,Type, Size, and Wing (if needed) results from each table are correlated and any majority results become the end result. If there are no clear winners then the result may be chosen from those that are in the majority or a combination of them. Type and Size may not be combined, but one must be chosen. Once the end result from each table has been determined, then those results are then correlated and the final result determined from them.

HEALTH

Each Wound Level the character currently has is mulitplied by 2 and this is a penalty against the END of the character. Then an END roll must be made and the difference of roll to END result is compared to on the Aura Serpent Table 3 - Health.

Multiple Serpent Forms

Creating a multiple Serpent Staff increases the Power Level by 2 for each form added. This increase in Power Level is cumulative with all other modifications. The creator decides on which forms of Serpent Staff they would like and adds 2 Power Levels to each default level of the Manc. The creator must then succeed in all attempts of the individual forms. Failing any single form means that form is not added to the end result. Once successful the staff transforms into all of the forms at once, dividng equally at the middle of the staff, and being melded together form that point down, all sharing a mixed look of shape and colouration from that point onward. For an extra Power Level again, the creator can instigate indiviual forms to take preference upon command and transformation.(I.e. if a Mancer created a Serpent Staff with both Venomous and Flying, they could, by means of a command (vocal, gesture etc.) decide upon transformation whether it would be the venomous or flying serpent form that appeared that time.)

Dragon Form

This creates a Serpent Staff that takes the form of a dragon, albeit wingless, unless Flying Form is made. The head is horned, with forward-facing dragon-like eyes, large scales cover its body and its back and tail is ridged or finned as desired, and it sports four legs. This form can not climb up surfaces like a snake, but instead can climb like a lizard. It has the ability to bite, tail-whip. It does have the normal abilites that the serpent staff would have for the base form chosen (Normal, Venomous, Constricting, Flying) but gains an ABV bonus of +2 to the base form's, and a DBV bonus of +5 to the base form's. However, to create a dragon Form requires an additional +6 Power Levels to the base form's, cumulative with all other modifications.

Cast Offence Manc

This requires an additonal +4 Power Levels to the base form (cumulative), but allows the transformed serpent to cast offensive Manc as if the Mancer themselves were there casting it. Most of the offensive Manc issues from the serpent's mouth, like a spit. The Mancer still needs to be in control of the staff and to be focused and any charges cast are used. The serpent can use any offensive Manc imbued on the staff, regardless of when it was imbued, it does not have to be imbued upon the staff at creation of the Serpent Staff. This form can not cast defensive Manc, or Manc such as healing or alteration Manc unless it is offensive in nature. (I.e. it can not cast Healing, Neutralise Poison, or Silence, but could cast Stone Form, Quicken, or Levitate.)

Cast Defensive Manc

This requires an additonal +4 Power Levels to the base form (cumulative), but allows the transformed serpent to cast defensive Manc as if the Mancer themselves were there casting it. Most of the defensive Manc issues from the serpent's mouth, like a spit. The Mancer still needs to be in control of the staff and to be focused and any charges cast are used. The serpent can use any defensive Manc imbued on the staff, regardless of when it was imbued, it does not have to be imbued upon the staff at creation of the Serpent Staff. This form can not cast offensive Manc, or Manc such as healing or alteration Manc unless it is defensive in nature. (I.e. it can not cast Healing, Neutralise Poison, or Silence, but could cast Stone Form, Quicken, or Levitate.)

Speak Through Serpent

This requires an additonal +2 Power Levels to the base form (cumulative), but allows the transformed serpent to speak as if the Mancer themselves were there speaking, albeit with a slight lisp. The Mancer still needs to be in control of the serpent and to be focused. The serpent seems to speak but it is actually the Mancer speaking through it. The Mancer can only hear through the serpent, so if it is anyway Silenced or such, the Mancer can hear nothing to comunicate with. Only hearing and speach is possible by the Mancer through the serpent, and they can not cast Manc this way. This modification does not alter the serpent in any way.

Sense Through Serpent

This requires an additonal +3 Power Levels to the base form (cumulative), but allows the Mancer to sense all senses through the transformed serpent if the Mancer themselves was the serpent. The Mancer still needs to be in control of the serpent and to be focused. The Mancer can feel, taste, see, smell, and hear through the serpent, but if it is anyway blinded, or Silenced, or such, the Mancer can not use that sense from the serpent. This modification does not alter the serpent in any way.

Spell Casting:-

Vocals:

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Item Creation:-

The Maiden time is if the staff is somehow removed of the Serpant Staff Manc.

Item Vocals:

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old tongue words here

1 Round = 30 seconds