这个是Major Relic级的神器，是思索之神Rao用来对主物质位面间接施加影响主要Relic之一；　　先大概讲一下它有关的历史吧，传说它在奥斯世界刚创世的时候就已经存在了，最早的时候是Rao的一名叫作Incarum的星天使(Deva)操着它领导信徒们对Tharizdun的爪牙们作战；　　在567CY左右，Tenser、Robilar、Terik和准神Merlynd的冒险队伍在灰鹰堡的废墟底下发现了这个神器，不过很不幸，他们在这次冒险中被传送到了幽默半神——疯狂大法师Zagyg的巨猿半位面去了，他们从那里匆忙地飞逃回来时，把这条杖子丢在了那个半位面；　　许多年之后，为了能够对付强大的女巫Iggwilv以及她的尤哥罗斯魔和塔那瑞魔，八杰议会派出了一支由六个人组成的冒险队伍，到那个巨猿半位面去企图找回把那根杖子；当时这支队伍中了Iggwilv的圈套，在对付高阶尤哥罗斯魔的时候险些就挂掉了，不过据说他们那时通过杖子意外地召出了一位强大的名叫Pelrao的曦天使，于是勉强地保住了性命；后来八杰议会借助杖子的力量，终于代价惨重地击败了Iggwilv；　　这根杖子随后又在历史中消声匿迹了一段时期，据说是八杰议会的一名Agent在执行一个救援任务的时候，把它给弄丢了；　　灰鹰战争过后，它重新出现，落在Rel Astra的领主Drax手里；Drax声称愿意用这柄杖子来和维鲁那的领主Hazen交换一对魔法剑，外加一些魔杖和法杖。于是Hazen就雇了一队冒险者，护送他的副手Lemuel带着那些魔法物品到Rel Astra去把那根杖子换回来，一路上历尽千辛万苦，终于完成交易拿到杖子以后，那Lemuel却忽然一道“回归真言”，当场消失得无影无踪，从此就再也没有回到密崔克城去，结果那根杖子又丢了。　　 在586CY，Hazen在一次清理地穴恶魔的仪式中重新发现了这根杖子。从此就靠着这柄东西对我们下层界的弟兄们，为非作歹呀......　　大概和Crook of Rao有关的零碎历史就是这样。　　这根东西，从形态上，全长大概有四英尺多，也就是一米二左右，青铜木质地，两头箍套着密银质的外壳，通体镶嵌着雕琢精美的贵重宝石，据说是由思索之神Rao在魔法神博卡布的帮助下，亲手制造的；杖子本身在阵营方面是强烈的守序善良，是不愿直接干涉世界的Rao神赖以间接影响主物质位面的主力工具，所以，我建议把它叫做“拉奥圣杖”。冰川那边把Rao翻译成“拉约”，实在是太没有气势了呀，人家可是个强大神力啊......，还有“王锡”......这个词首先是偏了点，肯定很多人对“王锡”的样子没有个直观的意象；此外从功能上，它是Rao用来弘扬自己正义信念的宗教工具，和“王”道不沾边，因此，个人认为还是“圣杖”更贴切一些；　　具体的能力方面，它的力量相当强，但是用它的代价也很大：　　在战斗中，拉奥圣杖视为
+3
的木棍，所有附带的类法术能力都视为18级的施法者，它可以产生持续生效的“反制邪恶”效果；可以轻易地对尤哥罗斯魔族进行驱散，无豁免无法术抗力，而且无视对方的任何一种魔法防护手段；可以提升持有者的感知属性并因此获得更多的每日施法数量；牧师只要把它带在身边，无论去到哪一个晶壁系，都可以向灰鹰世界的拉奥企求神力，就好像拉奥本身是那个晶壁系的主神一样；　　如果持有者是拉奥神自己的牧师，那么随着牧师等级的提升，拉奥圣杖还能随之带来更多的额外能力，比如持有该圣杖的拉奥牧师，只要和它保持物理性接触，身体就不会受到岁月的影响，也免疫任何会导致衰老的效果；如果牧师等级达到9级，那么拉奥圣杖的效果还可以相当于“巫术戒指”；如果牧师等级达到15级，还可以通过该它来召唤一名持续时间长达24小时的星天使（就是上面提到的那个叫Incarum的Deva，它在品种上属于三大类星天使中最差的一类：莫瓦尼克星天使；但是有百分之一的几率，这柄杖子可以召唤出强大到不可思议的曦天使Pelrao）......　　不过，使用它的代价也很大：在这柄圣杖周围100码以内，视为拉奥神的独裁区，因此在这个区域内，其他神的信徒无法从自己的主神那里得到法术；而且由于拉奥是思索神，长期使用他的这把杖子会使持有者逐渐地喜欢沉迷于思索，而不是直接地去采取行动，从而导致持有者在先攻权上会受到-1～-5的惩罚；此外持有者会特别受到拉奥神的重点关注，神会以难以想像的标准要求持有者达到不可思议的尽善尽美......

In the hands of a priest of Rao of ninth level or higher, the Crook acts somewhat like a 'ring of wizardry,' doubling the number of bonus spells received for high wisdom. (Combined with the increased wisdom detailed above, this can grant a large increase in the number of spells a priest of Rao can receive.) In the hands of priest of Rao of fifteenth level or higher, the Crook can summon an aasimon once per twenty-four hour period. There is a 99% chance this will be a movanic deva of maximum hit points named Incarum. (Incarum may have additional powers as well, as the DM wishes.) The remaining 1% of the time it will be the solar Pelrao who appeared in the final battle on the Isle of the Ape. (Pelrao may have additional powers as well, as the DM wishes.) [The name "Incarum" is taken from the lore of [3]. The name "Pelrao" is fabricated from the name of the two gods he serves - Pelor and Rao.] The Crook of Rao has several penalties associated with using it or owning it as well. Any priest, ranger, or paladin cannot receive spells from other deities while within 100 yards of the Crook of Rao. Serving as a focus for the god of reason, the Crook overwhelms other deities influence in its area of effect. Many evil artifacts, such as the 'Hand' and 'Eye of Vecna,' automatically shift a bearer's alignment to evil. The Crook of Rao has no direct effect on its bearer's alignment. However, in any situation, the course of action most true to the lawful good alignment and the belief's of Rao will occur to the bearer. Over time, this is likely to shift its bearer's alignment to lawful good, unless they are a divine minion of some other creed, as adjudicated by the DM. This may be why the animus Drax was so willing to rid himself of the Crook. As Rao is a god of reason, a bearer of the Crook of Rao will find himself more and more prone to contemplation and slower and slower to take direct action. This will manifest itself in a variety of ways. In particular, for every year the Crook of Rao is borne by a character (in frequent physical contact with the Crook), the character will suffer a -1 penalty to initiative, to a maximum penalty of -5, except when battling fiends and the avatars of evil deities. After the first such year, 'haste' spells will no longer have any effect on the character, even if he later gives up the Crook. Finally, as Rao influences the Prime Material Plane primarily through numerous relics he has placed there, his attention is particularly focused on any bearer of such a relic, particularly the Crook of Rao. As a result, anyone bearing the Crook of Rao will find himself held to a near-divine standard of purity and perfection. This standard is nearly impossible to meet by a mortal, and as a result frequent quests of atonement are likely to be required by Rao. The strain of meeting such a standard will eventually force a wielder of the Crook to pass it on to another being they feel is more worthy, as instructed by the deity. The timing will, of course, be affected by need and circumstance. For example, the bearer of the Crook will not give it up while combating a horde of yugoloths summoned by Iggwilv, unless there is a more appropriate follower of Rao available to wield the stave in their stead. Suggested Means of Destruction============================== * The Crook must be buried in the Cauldron of Night. The Cauldron of Night is located on Asperd Isle in the domain of the Sea Barons, beneath Tar Hill. It was from this mass that the great chunk of crystal from which the Malachite Throne was crafted was taken. * The Crook must be fed to Kezef the Chaos Hound. Kezef was recently loosed by the god Cyric of the Realms during the events detailed in the novel Prince of Lies. The ravening beast now roams the Grey Wastes hunting Mask, Patron of Thieves. References========== [1] WG6, "Isle of the Ape" module[2] "From the Ashes" boxed set, "Atlas of the Flanaess"[3] Dungeon #41, "Hopeful Dawn"[4] S4, "Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth" module[5] "Ivid the Undying" supplement (published on AOL by TSR)