The Fangs of Sseth is a large tome, bound in snakeskin with pages of gilded vellum. Worked into the leather of the front cover are sheathes for a pair of daggers. The daggers (included) are a matched set, their golden hilts worked into the fangs-bared flying snake symbol of Sseth, god of the yuan-ti, with emeralds set into the eyes, wings, and tail. Each dagger is easily worth 10,000gp from materials and ornamentation alone, even ignoring their magical nature.

Each of the daggers counts as a magic weapon, gaining a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls. When one of the daggers is drawn from its book-cover sheath, it will be coated with a magical toxin that remains potent for 1 minute or until a successful attack is made. A creature stuck by one of the daggers while it is envenomed must succeed on a Constitution save (DC 15) or take 2d10 points of poison damage and gain the poisoned condition for 1 minute. After making such an attack, the dagger must be sheathed within the book for 1 full hour before it will be envenomed again.

The book details the depraved magic and religious rituals of the yuan-ti. Anyone other than a Yuan-ti or a priest of Sseth reading so much as a single glyph from the tome must make an Intelligence save (DC 15) and a Wisdom save (DC 15). If the Intelligence save is failed, the victim is overcome by hallucinations—snakes pouring from every available surface, deafening hissing sounds, any touch feels like a snake crawling across his skin, all creatures appear to be yuan-ti, etc.—the victim acts as if affected by a Confusion spell. This effect lasts until dawn of the next day, or until removed by a remove curse or similar spell. If the Wisdom save is failed, the victim is cursed, reducing his Wisdom score to 2. This effect is permanent until cured by a remove curse or similar magic.

If a creature succeeds both saves (or is a yuan-ti or priest of Sseth) then he can read the book normally. The book goes into great detail on the rites and sacraments of the Ssethan religion, the history and origins of the yuan-ti, and the long-term goals of both the snakemen and their god. In addition to this wealth of mundane lore, the book details the wizard spells of the Path of the Yuan-ti, as well as four clerical spells unique to Sseth’s faith: Snake Charm of Sseth, Venom of Varae, Snake Skin, and Histachii Brew (all detailed in the Priest’s Spell Compendium).