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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Thanriyon" data-source="post: 2798772" data-attributes="member: 34663">The Crook of Rao is the principle artifact of the God of Peace, Reason, and Serenity, Rao. Appearance : The crook appears as a small mace, fashioned of iron and silver, and encrusted with carven gemstones. Creation & History : The crook has been known on Oerth for as long as anyone can remember, or has recorded. It is believed to have been created by Rao himself, and given to his followers to aid them in their struggle against Evil Planar creatures - since by ancient agreement, Greyhawk Dieties not native to the Material Plane cannot send Avatars, or intervene directly in the affairs of Mortals. As legend goes ( As once quoted by Tenser ) - " Devils and Demons shudder at the mere mention of the artifact, whilst Daemonkind flee in terror at the sight of it ". Needless to say it's a powerful tool of good, it's main purpose being to banish evil planar creatures from the Prime. Records of it's use prior to recent years, are sketchy at best.In recent times, the Mace was discovered about CY 560 in the depths of Greyhawk Castle, by Tenser, Robilar, Terrik, and Murlynd. Greyhawk Castle, however, is a mysterious place, and in their explorations the four found themselves transported to a strange Demi-Plane known as the Isle of the Ape, one of the less amusing creations of Zagyg.In their desperation to escape that fell place, they used an artifact of Zagyg himself, and were returned to Greyhawk - minus all their equipment, and the crook.Some years later, Tenser, having ascertained that the item discovered had indeed been the Crook of Rao, dispatched a group of adventurers to the Isle of the Ape to recover it, since he feared the growing power of Iggwilv, who was known to ally with fiends. Members of the group sent to retrieve it included such luminaries as Rakehell Chert, and Warnes Starcoat. Recover it from the island they did, but the crook was somehow lost in the journey back to Tenser.Little is known about what happened to the Crook between this event, and the Greyhawk Wars ( CY 585 ), but shortly afterwards it appeared that the Animus, Drax, ruler of the 'Free' City of Rel Astra had acquired it. The High Canon of Veluna, Hazen ( Also the head of the Church of Rao in the Flanaess ) managed to persuade Drax to part with the artifact ( The cost has never been revealed ), and despite attempts by the Scarlet Brotherhood and Iuz to prevent its delivery, it made it's way into Hazen's hands. With the aid of Bigby and the College of Bishops, Hazen used the artifact to trigger the 'Flight of Fiends' which banished nearly all lower Plane denizens from the Flanaess in a great purge ( some rare exceptions, such as the Molydeus Fiend Sage of Rel Astra remained remarkably unaffected ). The ceremony is said to have enfeebled Hazen, and caused seven of the Bishops to go insane ( Side effects of the Crook's use it is believed ).  The Crook is said to have 'disappeared' after the ceremony, and none know where it has gone, although rumors place the item in various places around the Flanaess.I can confirm, however, that the item in question, is not in Thanriyon's sock drawer..</blockquote>

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