The Hopping Prophet

Bigotry, Self Deception, Amphibians

• ARMOR CLASS: -3
• MOVE: 18", 3" hop
• HIT POINTS: 129
• NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
• DAMAGE/ATTACK: by weapon type +2(strength bonus) or 2-12/2-12 (open hand)
• SPECIAL ATTACKS: See Below
• SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better magical weapon to hit
• MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
• SIZE: M
• ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral (evil)
• WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral/lawful evil
• SYMBOL: Gray Toad
• PLANE: Prime Material
• CLERIC/DRUID: 15th level cleric
• FIGHTER: nil
• MAGIC USER/ILLUSIONIST: nil
• THIEF/ASSASSIN: 7th level assasssin
• MONK/BARD: 8th level monk
• PSIONIC ABILITY: VI attack/defense modes nil/nil
• S:18 I:10 W:20 D:22 C:19 CH:2 (20 to amphibians)

Wastri, the Hopping Prophet, Hammer of Demihumans, dwells on the Prime Material Plane (now in the region of the Vast Swamp). It is he who preaches the ultimate superiority of humankind. While humanoids can serve,, demihumans are fit only to be slain - especially dwarves. gnomes, and halflings. These, with the aid of his grey-clad "Servants", he hunts with his toad packs and exterminates whenever possible.
Wastri has somehow mutated to become both less and more than human. He is unmistakable due to his batrachian features and odd gait. Yet he can move quickly enough, and can hop for considerable distance with ease and accuracy. He wears no armor, relying on his speed and agility. Wastri dresses in parti-colored clothing of grey and dull yellow. Wastri is renowned for his great glaive-guisarme, a pole arm of +4 magical property with which he harries his prey, especially loving to catch small demihumans on it's long end spike. (Damage is 2-8 +4 +2 vs. S/M, 2-12 +4 +2 vs. L)
In addition to his normal attacks and clerical spells, Wastri can utter a croak which will confuse (as a confusion spell) all creatures within a 4" radius who hear the sound unless a save versus magic is made. Wastri can in 1 segment cast a warts enchantment which will cover the victim with huge knobby warts unless a save versus magic is made. The warts make it difficult to grasp any weapon (50%/round probability of dropping), and the charisma of an affected individual drops to 3. The affected individual must also save versus paralysis or fall into a dejected state similar to paralysis for 2-12 rounds. Finally Wastri can in one round cast a dampness spell over an area of a square mile. The dweomer reduces archery range by one half, limits visibility to 6", exstinguishes normal fires in 1 round, and reduces the effects of magical fires by one-half. The foggy dampness spell lasts for 5-60 rounds. Each spell like power - croak, warts, dampness can be used once per day. He otherwise has powers typical of a demi-god.
Wastri can speak with any amphibians, commanding them as he wishes. He is able to summon any or all of the following creatures, 1 group per turn, once each per week: 10-40 bullywugs, 5-20 giant toads, 2-8 poisonous toads, 1-4 ice toads.
These creatures will appear 1 round after summoning. Each individual will be of largest size, have +1 hit probability and +1 damage.
Under usual circumstances Wastri is always accompanied by his "Immaculate Image" (a cleric/monk of 12th/6th level who hops as he does), three "Greater Servants" (clerics of 9th to 12th level), and a pair of huge toads (AC 5;HD 5;HP 40;D 4-16).
At the Sacred Polystery, the Hopping Prophet has scores of "Hopefuls" - those attempting to become his clerics. There are also dozens of "Lesser Servants" - clerics of 1st through 4th level. Hopefuls are dunclad. Lesser Servants are robed in gray. All help to breed and maintain superior toads. It is rumoured that some of the monsters they breed appear remarkably human, just as some of Wastri's followers appear toad-like. Clerics of Wastri above 4th level are able to use a jump spell (cf. the magic-user spell) once per day, at a level of efficiacy equal to that of a magic-user of the same level. All these clerics can speak with amphibians as well.
Worship of Wastri is not common, although it has supposedly spread to the Hool Marshes and possibly elsewhere. Ceremonies honoring Wastri involve sacrifices, strange musical instruments and croaking chants. All places of worship are dim, dark, and chilly. The creedo of human superiority and exaction of rights and duties are always stressed.

Specialty Priesthood of Wastri the Hopping Prophet

The Cult of Wastri the Hopping Prophet (Demigod) Goal and purpose of the faith:

• Bigotry: Spreading racial hatred towards demihumans especially dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. It is the desire of the cult to slay all demi-humans and cleanse the Flanaess of their presence. Preaching human superiority above all other races. Also enslaving humanoids into the service of the cult.
• Self-Deception: Enslaving ones mind to the teaching of the cult. Conditioning the mind to be closed to all teachings not from Wastri. "A closed mind is a focused mind", a famous quote from cult members.
• Amphibians: Breeding and maintaining superior toads. The care of amphibians is paramount within the faith. The half-toad races are viewed with great respect having achieved a greater degree of perfection. These races include: Bullywugs, Grippli, Grung, and Ice Toads.

Requirements of priesthood:

• Alignment: Lawful Neutral - Lawful Evil
• Minimum Ability Scores: Wisdom 13, Dexterity 15. Wisdom or Dexterity 16 means +5% Experience; Wisdom and Dexterity means +10% Experience.
• Bonus EXP: 0%
• Races Allowed: Bullywugs (level limit: 10), Grippli (level limit: 14 for females, 10 for males), Grung (level limit: 7 for females, 3 for males), Humans (Unlimited), and Ice Toads (level limit: 6). Wastri's faith has priests, and monks**, but does not have shamans or witch doctors.
• Gender: Any
• Non-weapon Proficiencies Required: Animal lore (toads), Herbalism, Juggling, Jumping, Tumbling, and Veterinary Healing. Priests can choose from rogue proficiencies without penalty. Weapon Proficiencies Required: Glaive-guisarme, Martial arts, or any weapon useable by thieves (assassins*).
• Duties of the priest: Devotions: performed after a demi-human hunt for sacrifices, Guidance: followers are brain-washed into a rigid set of rules and a code of conduct, and Missions: hunting, and killing demi-humans at least once a month.
• Rights: Sacrifices of Demi-humans and well bread toads, playing of strange musical instruments, and croaking chants. Places of worship are dim, dark and chilly. Tithes are collected to support the more remote branches of the cult, but in the Vast Swamp the treasure gained from the demi-human hunts support the main branch of the cult, and no tithes are required.
• Weapon and Armor Restrictions: No weapon restrictions and no armor permitted.
• Other limitations: Must kill or persecute demi-humans at every opportunity. This causes a -5 reaction roll when cultists encounter demi-humans. This can be a bit troublesome for cult members discovered in a city. They are usually killed if caught in certain areas.
• Spheres of Influences: All, Animal (L), Charm (L), Divination, Elemental Water, Healing (L), Summoning, Thought (L), Weather, plus: Croak, Dampness, Warts.
• Granted Powers: Speak with amphibians at will (1), can pass without leaving a trail at normal movement rate when moving through swamp terrain (3), Jump once per day (4)
• Followers: Followers are received at 8th level, and consist of one 3rd level priest (lesser servant), one 2nd level Thief (Assassin*), one 2nd level priest (Fighting-Monk**), ten bullywugs, five giant toads (1 HD), and 20 zero-level humans (hopefuls)
• Symbol: Grey Toad, in some northern ice toad communities an amethyst toad idol is the symbol used.
• Rainments: Grey Robes for priests and monks** levels 1 thru 8, Grey and dull yellow robes for priests and monks** level 9 and up, and Dun-colored robes (hopefuls).

Notes: *If the Dungeon Master allows the assassin kit from "The Complete Thief's Handbook", weapons used by assassins can be used, and Assassin followers can be used instead of thieves. ** If the Dungeon Master allows the Fighting-Monk Kit from "The Complete Priest's Handbook", monks of Wastri can be used as well as priests. Role of the Faith:
The priesthood of the Hopping Prophet is the sworn enemy of ALL the Demi-human priesthoods. Wastri's Priests spotting demi-human priests will attack without hesitation, because demi-human (especially dwarven, gnomish, and halfling) priests are the highest and most valuable sacrifices to the Hopping-One.
This faith is not observed by any heads of state, and is almost exclusively practiced in swampy regions; thus it has little impact on the Aristocracy of the Flanaess. Most of the time, the cult of Wastri attempts to hide from the rest of society preferring solitude, and separatism. This isolationist philosophy has probably spared the cult from open large-scale extermination attempts by nearby countries.
Communities that venerate Wastri tend to be small, remote, and isolated from other populations. The worship of Wastri being exclusive to these individuals. In these communities, priests have a ruling caste, and have the power to make laws, and inflict punishment upon the congregation. These punishments include mutilation, and execution for the most serious offences.
Most countries (i.e. the Ulek States) that are ruled by Demi-Humans have laws banning the practice of this cult within their borders, with stiff penalties up to and including death.

Holy Days:

• Rainy days: Services are centered around the care and breeding of toads. Perfect toads without blemish are sacrificed on days of rain. At no other time is the cult allowed to kill toads. Followers of the cult must sacrifice a minimum of one toad per week if rainy weather permits.
• Foggy days: Services revolve around the hunt of demi-humans. Demi-humans are sacrificed in the dampness of fog. The sacrifice of demi-humans involves horrifying rituals whereby the sacrifices are devoured by giant toads, bullywugs or the like.
• Flocktime: With the coming of the monsoon season, this month signals the Great Hunt. Worshipers from all over the Flanaess attempt to make a pilgrimage to the Vast Swamp. Worshipers are required to attend at least one Great Hunt. Priests try to attend every year. The cult then joins forces with Wastri himself in a hunt for demi-humans. Wastri teaches cult leaders the many secrets of the faith, and trains and chooses new priests for the cult during this most holy of festivals. The Great hunt will run for about a month, but can run longer if it is the will of Wastri.

Hierarchy:
The order of priesthood is as follows:

• zero level priests in training are called "Hopefuls"
• Levels 1 thru 4 are called "Lesser Servants"
• Levels 5 thru 8 are called "Servants"
• Levels 9 and up are called "Greater Servants".

Requirements of the Followers:

• Alignment: Lawful Neutral - Lawful Evil
• Races Allowed: Bullywugs, Grippli, Grung, Humans, and Ice Toads.
• Restrictions: Followers are not permitted to associate with demi-humans, but can associate with humanoids as servants or slaves. Followers are not to marry or interbreed with demi-humans or humanoids.

New Spells:

EDIT: NOTE 6th level spell is above what a demi-god can grant. We can presume because of his mastery of toads that this is an allowed spell, and the only 6th level type spell he can grant at all.

Croak (Enchantment/Charm)

• Level: 6
• Priesthood: Wastri
• Sphere: Charm
• Range: 0
• Components: V, S, M
• Duration: 1 round/level
• Casting Time: 1 round
• Area of Effect: 40' radius
• Saving throw: Special

By means of this spell, the caster utters a loud bellowing croak. All creatures within 40' who hear this sound are effected as if a confusion spell were cast upon them. A saving throw applies (see the seventh level priest spell confusion for more info). All amphibians including: Bullywugs, Giant Frogs, Giant Toads, Grippli, Grung, Ice Toads, and Poisonous Toads are immune to this spell. The material component for this spell is a live toad which must be kissed by the caster. The live toad is not consumed by the casting of this spell. Dampness (Alteration)

• Level: 6
• Priesthood: Wastri
• Sphere: Weather
• Range: 0
• Components: V, S, M
• Duration: 5-60 rounds
• Casting Time: 1 round
• Area of Effect: 40-foot/level radius
• Saving throw: none

This spell creates a foggy dampness within the area of effect. The dweomer reduces archery range by one-half, limits visibility to 60 feet, extinguishes normal fires in one round, and reduces the effects of magic fires by one-half. Gust of Wind or similar magic reduces the duration of this spell to 2 rounds. The material component of this spell is a piece of swamp moss. Warts (Alteration)

• Level: 4
• Priesthood: Wastri
• Sphere: Necromantic
• Range: 10 yards/level
• Components: V, S, M
• Duration: 1 turn/level
• Casting Time: 1 (segment)
• Area of Effect: 1 creature
• Saving throw: neg

This spell causes 1 victim chosen by the caster to be covered with huge knobby warts unless a save vs. Spell is made. The warts make it difficult to grasp any weapon (50% chance per round to drop the weapon) and the victim's charisma drops to 3. The affected individual must also save vs. Poison or fall into a dejected state similar to paralysis for 2-12 rounds. BACK

This article by Gary Gygax, taken from Dragon Magazine Issue #71 is copywrite TSR. Picture of Wastri by Jeff Easley also copywrite TSR. Both are used without permission and with no ill intent towards the author, artist or owning company of the works. Priesthood of Wastri by Frank bonura, edited by Chuck Rothberg.