Worship of The Toad is believed to have started when refugees fleeing a period of
civil war in Quitak settled in Mermist Swamp for many years. There they began to
worship the Toad the Lawful Evil god of the Swamp. When they eventually returned
to the city, a temple was built to him to placate
him and to keep him from interfering with the city itself.
Inhabitants of the Swamp still worship him but this temple in Quitak is the largest
of his religion which has not spread much beyond this corner of the Wilderlands.
The temple is decorated with symbols, many toad statues,
totems, and tapestries and contains a
broad altar supported by squat statues of
toads.
Rhythmic croaking and wet
slapping sounds echo through the temple, but living
toads are nowhere to be seen in the vast stone building.
Even the pool of water in its center appears free of
any toads, frogs, or creatures of any sort.
Although the temple has a smaller regular congregation than others
it is visited by many who wish to make an offering because they
are travelling through or near Mermist Swamp. Others visit because
they wish to see the ornate and unusual decoration and such sight-seeing
is encouraged by the clergy provided a small donation is made.
Virtually all sailors
and harbor-using merchants stop in to give small
tribute to the god as he is believed to protect the city harbour.
The Toad's domains are Animal, Evil and
Protection. His symbol is a dire toad.
The temple is run by Kudrun the Peaceful, a
thin, hunch-backed, man with drooping jowls that
is beginning to look akin to the god he serves.
Kudrun is served by Curate Raperner, a small,
sturdy gentleman with piercing black eyes and maybe
20 other clergy many of whom were originally swamp-dwellers.