Wow! That was life like wasn't it? The comic only cost $100 million to make, so that means you all owe me about $15. If I turn a profit, there will sure to be a sequel! The idea to use real life actors for Greyhawk gods first came from a Greychat I was involved in a month or so ago. We all had a good time trying to cast the various gods (and I didn't take notes) but then I thought to myself, it would be just as much of a challenge to find established movie characters that already look like Greyhawk deities. After several weeks, this was my best attempt. If anyone has some better live-action doubles or ones I haven't covered yet, let me know. Now on to other puns, idioms and annotations... 1. In case it wasn't blatantly obvious, Nerull is talking about the famous Greyhawk artifact, the Crook of Rao. 2. Rule of Thumb. 3. Wouldn't touch that with a 10-foot pole: "This expression may have been suggested by the 10-foot poles that river boatmen used to pole their boats along in shallow water. In the sense of not wanting to get involved or having strong distaste for something." Speaking of 10-foot poles, whatever happened to them in 3rd edition? In 1st edition they cost 3 c.p. and weighed 100 g.p. Poles used to be the essential trap-tripping tool that every party needed at least one of. Now, as far as I can tell these poles were omitted from 3e onward, unless of course one buys a 3000g.p. barge then I suppose the 10-foot bargepole is included for free.... 4. Short end of the stick: "The inferior part, the worse side of an unequal deal. The precise analogy in this term, first recorded in the 1930s, has been lost. Some believe it comes from worse end of the staff, used since the early 1500s, which in the mid-1800s became, in some instances, short or shitty end of the stick, allegedly from a stick poked up one's rectum by another in command of the situation. Others believe it alludes to fighting with sticks, where having a shorter stick is a disadvantage." 5. By hook or by crook. 6. The Crook of Rao might actually be a Crozier. 7. Butt out: "to not get involved in something." 8. As for the 'staff meeting', it is rather incredible how many Greyhawk gods use or are associated with staves: Rao, the Crook of Rao. (Already explained) Nerull, Lifecutter. (A sablewood staff that turns into a soul reaping scythe) Boccob, Staff of the Archmage. (It combines the powers of a staff of the magi and a wand of conjuration.) Pholtus, Staff of the Silvery Sun. (Numerous light based powers) Obad-Hai, the Shalmstaff. (Various nature based powers) Fharlanghn, a plain iron-shod staff. (But it never misses) Ralishaz, sometimes uses a staff. (Always is a +3 weapon, doing 1-20 damage.) Incabulos, Staff of Wounding and Withering. I'm sure there are many more, but those are among the more popular deities with a staff. My only point to the list is to illustrate the disparity of staffs used by D&D gods versus D&D characters. Because I'm fairly sure, unless you are playing a rare monk or druid or a wizard with a magic staff, not many people intentionally choose staff as a primary weapon for their character. Even clerics who may worship some of these well-known deities! That's my experience at any rate. -mortellan

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