Wastri the Hopping Prophet (WAH-stree)

(The Hopping Prophet, Hammer of false Humans), LN (LE) demigod of Amphihians, Bigotry, and Self-Deception

Wastri, the Hopping Prophet, Hammer of Demihumans, dwells on the Prime Material Plane (now in the region of the Vast Swamp). He it is who preaches the ultimate superiority of humankind. While humanoids can serve, demi-humans are fit only to be slain — especially dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. These, with his gray-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 hop for considerable distance with ease and accuracy. He wears no armor, relying on his speed and evasive agility. Wastri dresses in parti-colored clothing of gray and dull yellow.

Wastri is renowned for his great glaive-guisarme, a pole arm with which he harries his prey, especially loving to catch small demi-humans on its long end spike. In addition to his normal attacks and spells, Wastri can utter a confusing croak, or cast an enchantment that causes huge, knobby warts to cover the victim. Finally, Wastri can cast a dampness spell over an area of one square mile. The dweomer reduces the effective range of archery, limits visibility to 60 yards, extinguishes normal fires, and reduces in effect even magical fires.

Wastri can speak with any amphibian, commanding them as he wishes. He is able to summon any or all of the following creatures:

bullywugs (up to 40)

giant toads (up to 20)

poisonous toads (up to 8)

ice toads (up to 4)

These creatures always are the largest of their kind, and fearsome in combat.

Under usual circumstances Wastri is always accompanied by his "Immaculate Image" (a High Priest/- Master), three "Greater Servants" (High Priests of various levels) and a pair of huge toads. At the Sacred Polystery, the Hopping Prophet has scores of "Hopefuls" — those attempting to become his clerics. There are also dozens of "Lesser Servants" — Acolytes, Adepts, Priests and Curates.

Hopefuls are dun clad. Lesser Servants are robed in gray. All help to breed and maintain superior toads. It is rumored that some of these monsters appear remarkably human, just as some of Wastri's followers appear toad-like. All of 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 credo of human superiority and exaction of rights and duties are always stressed.

Wastri (WAH-stree) is a violent proponent of human supremacy, causing many to believe he has ties to the Scarlet Brotherhood. Wearing clothes of gray and yellow, Wastri uses his great glaive-guis arme, Skewer of the Impure, to impale his favorite tar gets: dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. He looks like a human with toad features, and is accompanied by gray-clad followers and giant toads. Living in the Vast Swamp, he is amiable to any human god save Zagyg, whose mortal self once trapped him in a magical prison. His symbol is a gray toad. The fact that he dis likes nonhuman races, yet is only barely human him self, is an irony lost on the godling.

Humans are superior to all other races. Orcs, goblins, bullywugs, and such are sufficient to serve humans, but creatures such as elves, dwarves, gnomes, and Halflings deserve only death. Those who disagree with you are wrong and must be convinced of their error, with a weapon if need be. Those who live in the water and on land deserve respect, for having a refuge when one of your realms becomes too dangerous is clever and resourceful.

Wastri's clerics preach the superiority of humankind, seek out enclaves of inferiors to slay, and search for new species of amphibians to collect and study. Their bodies are gradually altered by Wastri's presence, and the most powerful clerics become less human and more toadlike with time. They raise, tame, and train amphibians, favoring toads; some sell poisonous toads to wizards, alchemists, and assassins. His clerics serve as inter mediaries to the many bullywug tribes that revere him.

Domains Animal, Law, War, Weapons glaive(m), guisarme(m)