Overview
The staff of the python is a magical item found in Moa’s tomb within the Tomb of the Nine Gods. It rests atop the serpentine bones of a jaculi (Moa’s animal form) inside a stone sarcophagus that requires a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to open.
Properties
The staff is bound to the Tomb of the Nine Gods—if removed from the tomb, it turns to dust and is destroyed (though see the adventure’s “Lost Treasures” rules for exceptions).
Moa’s Spirit
The staff serves as a vessel for Moa’s trickster god spirit. When any character touches the staff, Moa’s spirit attempts to inhabit them:
- Green smoke billows from the staff, coiling around the character like a serpent
- A sibilant voice whispers: “Let me help you! I promise to be good.”
If the possession succeeds, the player receives Moa’s card (appendix F) and the spirit inhabits them according to the “Spirits of the Nine Trickster Gods” rules. If the attempt fails, the spirit remains in the staff and waits for another character to touch it.