This spell is cast in two parts, the first to enchant a single inanimate item, the second to trigger the item to strike as detailed below. The caster first selects an item, no larger than a medium shield or its equivalent. The first part of the spell is cast on the item, this gives the item to be able to transform into a extremely poisonous serpent when the second part of the spell is cast. The second part of the spell is a single command word (Note that the spell need not be memorized twice to be used, a single casting enables both the enchantment and the command word) and has an intiative modifier of zero. When the command word is spoken within 50 yards of the enchanted item, the item transforms instantly into a poisonous serpent with 1 hp/caster level, AC 5, and THACO equal to the caster. The serpent immediatly strikes the nearest living creature and is considered to have an intiative modifier of zero. The first strike has a +4 bonus to hit due to the speed and surprising nature of the attack. Anyone struck by the serpent takes 1-3 point of damage and must save vs poison at -1/5 levels of the caster or die the following round. Once triggered the serpent will stay for 1 rnd/level, then revert back to it's original form. If this spell is cast on a magical item, the item is allowed a saving throw vs disentergration +4, plus any bonuses the item might have (for weapons and armor). In any case the serpent form will only last for one round if the spell is cast on a magical item.
The material component of the spell is the scale of a naga that has been specially engraved for the spell with silver runes (costing ~50 gp and requiring 1 hour of a skilled engravers time).