(The Water Lord, God-King of the Water Elementals)

Greater Power of the Elemental Plane of Water, N

PORTFOLIO: Elemental water, water elementalists, purification through cleansing, wetness
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Elemental Plane of Water/Sea of Timelessness
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Deep Sashelas, Trishina, Eadro, Persana, Shekinester, Surminare, Valkur the Mighty, Water Lion
FOES: Kossuth
SYMBOL: A cresting wave or a drop of water
WOR. ALIGNMENT: Any

Faerûn has many powers whose portfolios deal with water. Umberlee governs the oceans and ocean storms. Valkur strives to protect those who travel the waves, and Eldath has dominion over pools, springs, and waterfalls. Istishia (Is-TISH-ee-ah) is more abstract than all these deities. He represents water, but not any specific formation or body of water. He is a mutable yet dynamic deity who is dispassionate and difficult to pin down. He provides the atmosphere in which life is born, but not life itself. He furnishes a crucial resource, but apparently cares not how it is used. He is depicted as anything from an immense water elemental to a drop of rain to a water weird to a wave on the ocean. Istishia represents eternal transmutation that holds a fixed, essential nature at its core. He holds in his nature change accomplished over time, as water wears away stone, or sudden leaps from one state to another, as water changes to steam when heated. He is the guardian of all hidden treasures under water.

Like all the elemental lords, Istishia is relatively unfeeling toward his followers on Abeir-Toril. His reactions are utterly unpredictable and thus, in an odd way, predictable in their unpredictability. The reasoning behind Istishia's actions is incomprehensible to most of Faerûn's inhabitants, including his worshipers. The alien and uncaring stance of Istishia and the other elemental lords has led to the mistaken impression in the Realms that they are only lesser powers and their followers merely oddball cultists. During the Time of Troubles, Istishia was not spotted in the Realms.

Istishia always sends a representative to accept offerings (given to his devoute worshipers) of water-hued fine fabrics that ripple like waves, gemstones in shades from clear to deepest emerald or sapphire, fine inks or dyes, or books or papers on which are written unsolved or unsolvable riddles or mathematical problems. These representatives can be anything from his priests to fish to water elementals. His gifts to his followers are most often the ability to travel easily through water, the knowledge to find something hidden in water, or a change in themselves (often a polymorph spell that changes a being's corporeal form, but sometimes a sudden insight into a problem) that allows them to accomplish a previously unattainable goal. The worshipers he favors and those he ignores seem chosen on a whim.

Istishia's Avatar (30-HD Water Elemental, Cleric 30, Mage 30)

Istishia has been seen only three times in written record in avatar form on Abeir-Toril, one of which was at the time of the creation of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Istishia appears as a 20- to 30-foot-thick column of water that moves effortlessly over or through whatever obstacles are placed in his path. He has also been known to split his water form up into two or more parts to confuse his enemies. His movements sound like the surf pounding on the shore, and his voice is the sound of rushing waves, a bubbling brook, and a gentle rain all at once. He casts spells from the elemental water, healing, and weather spheres and the elemental water school.

AC -4; MV 12; HP 296; THAC0 -9; #AT 2
Dmg 15d6
MR 50%; SZ G (40 to 60 feet)
STR 20, DEX 24, CON 21, INT 19, WIS 19, CHA 13
Spells P: 12/11/11/10/9/9/8, W: 7/7/7/7/7/7/7/6/6
Saves PPDM 2, RSW 3, PP 4, BW 4, Sp 4

Special Att/Def: So long as there is water present somewhere for him to issue forth from when he first appears, Istishia is considered a native of the Prime Material Plane in any crystal sphere that he appears in. This makes him immune to the adverse effects of such spells as anti-magic shell, protection from evil/good, and holy word on creatures from other planes. He also has total immunity to any spell that adversely affects water, such as transmute water to dust.

Istishia can easily swamp or overturn boats and ships of any size in one round and stop or slow any water vessel in the same amount of time. Istishia may use the same abilities as any elemental water kin. Whenever Istishia successfully attacks in combat with his gigantic wave fists, the target creature must make a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon at a -2 penalty or die of drowning. Those who do not drown suffer 15d6 points of damage per successful attack. Magical items that grant a target a means to breathe underwater function normally and prevent this effect, but Istishia can instantly destroy any one such item by forfeiting one of his normal attacks. Items targeted for destruction do not gain a saving throw. Istishia cannot destroy artifacts in this manner.

Istishia may leave a field of battle or the Prime Material Plane at any time by spending two rounds merging with a large body of water.

Other Manifestations

Istishia has manifested many more times than he has sent an avatar to the Realms. Any significant source of water is viewed as a manifestation of the Water Lord by his faithful. Rivers, lakes, and streams are all viewed as sacred, as are the oceans and seas, fountains, rain, and even puddles. Istishia sometimes sends servant creatures from the Elemental Plane of Water such as water elementals, nereids, marids, and tritons to do his bidding or aid followers. He also sends water creatures such as fish, dolphins, whales, octopuses, or even the leviathan. The discovery of water when drilling for a well or when in a barren land is viewed as a sign of Istishia's favor.

The Church

CLERGY: Specialty priests, crusaders, mystics, shamans
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: NG, CG, N, CN, NE, CE
TURN UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, Mys: No, Sha: Yes, if good
CMND. UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, Mys: No, Sha: Yes, if neutral or evil

All specialty priests, crusaders, mystics, and shamans of Istishia receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. Istishian priests are strongly encouraged to learn seamanship or acquire weather sense in addition to their required proficiencies. All shamans of Istishia receive elemental water as one of their major spheres in addition to their normal spheres of magic. Special candles made by Istishian mystics burn even under water and are not extinguished by being exposed to liquids, though they may still be snuffed out with fingers or a snuffer.

Before the Time of Troubles, all of the elemental cults had clerics in their ranks. Now, only specialty priests remain. Why Istishia decided to convert his clerics to specialty priests over the years is unknown, though the church of Istishia teaches that the change was made to allow specialty priests to focus on their lord's element to the exclusion of other tasks. Since the Godswar, the Istishian church has added a small order of mystics and an order of crusaders to the church to fill niches in the priesthood that more generalized clerics used to fill. In primitive or nomadic societies, Istishia is often served by shamans.

The Water Lord's faith has four major sects: the Church of the Magnificent Storm, the Church of the Sacred Sea, the Church of Watery Paths, and the Church of the Eternal Transformation. These sects work together with each other, though disagreements have been known to occur. In general, the Istishian faith is constantly evolving and new sects are diverted from or absorbed by old ones as the decades pass. The church holds a unified ranking system throughout the faith, and the many sects dictate how the priests of a particular house of worship view and practice their religion.

The Church of the Magnificent Storm believes in the cleansing power of Istishia. In its eyes, Istishia washes away the impurities of both the land and sea and purifies the air. "Stormers," as they are known, always try to be present during thunderstorms and other severe weather.

The Church of the Sacred Sea believes that large expanses of water represent the body of Istishia. Its members pray for calm seas and to protect both ships and port from the Water Lord's power, but they also call upon the oceans to deliver Istishia's wrath against those who oppose the church. Many sages think that the difficulties that Thay, whose zulkirs have often courted the church of Kossuth, has had with its navy at various times are not the result of interference by Umberlee or even powerful wizardly rivals, but rather the work of this sect of the Istishian church.

The Church of Watery Paths believes that the rivers and streams of Toril represent the far reach of Istishia's power. Its members view rivers and streams as the veins and capillaries of Istishia and point out that no place on Toril is not shaped in some way by water, even if it is shaped by the absense of water.

Finally, the Church of the Eternal Transformation believes that just as water moves from one state to another yet remains eternally present, so life moves from one state to another yet continues. Life exists on terrestial bodies like Abeir-Toril on the Prime Material Plane and across the many planes of existence, and when life ends on one plane it is merely transformed to a form more suitable for its existence on another. All of the universe is therefore symbolized in the water cycle.

Priests of Istishia tend to establish shrines on the shores of bodies of water. Large temples exist primarily in port towns and cities. Other Istishian houses of worship are entirely under water and so inaccessible to most surface dwellers and uncommented on in their history or lore, though such Istishian holy sites have figured prominently in the oral and written histories of the aquatic races. The typical Istishian temple is of quarried sandstone or marble in clean, elegant lines and usually sits out on a pier or next to the water or incorporates a great many streams, ornamental pools, and fountains so as to make water a vital part of its landscaping.

Most Istishian priests minister to the needs of the faithful in one region or are attached to a particular shrine, temple, or holy site. However, the church believes that those who remain in one location and are immersed in the same company for too long become stagnant, so all Istishian priests move on to new postings on a rotating basis (so that all priests are not traveling to or learning new positions at the same time). In general, a priest serves in one locale for five years and rotates to a new posting at the anniversary of the closest major holiday (Midwinter, Greengrass, Midsummer, Higharvestide, or the Feast of the Moon) to the date at which she or he became a full priest. Postings may be extended by petition from a priest or his or her congregation for year-long periods until 10 yeras of service at one locale is reached. At that point, a priest must move on to a new post. Postings are overseen by the prestigious Elder Oversight Committee, and most of the church politics in the Istishian faith surround the actions of the Oversight Committee or attempts to influence its future actions. Needless to say, the life-long appointments to the committee are fiercely fought over—when such positions open up due to death or retirements.

The head of the Istishian faith—the Delphine Regent—is a hereditary position passed down to the firstborn (of either gender) of the line of Great Oracle Seldeetha Darinaalis, the first high priestess of the faith (and a half-elf of aquatic descent). Currently, the Delphine Regent is Aquaril Sethanilar, a 12-year-old male aquatic elf who lives in a hidden court city somewhere in the Trackless Sea. However, the position is more a titular than a functional one. The actual control of the church is in the hands of a council of the seven regional heads of the faith known as the Primatus.

Novice Istishian priests are called Searchers. After completing a series of at least three one-on-one courses of learning (a sort of apprenticeship in the faith) with Istishian senior priests, novice Istishians become full priests. In ascending order of rank, the titles in general use by the priesthood are Essential Servant (full priest), Spring of the God, Tidal Messenger, Cephalian, Full Flood (senior priest), Monsoon, Oracle (head of a temple or large shrine), Grand Oracle (senior or elder head of a temple), Stratus Primae (leader of a region's temples and shrines) and Delphine Regent (hereditary leader of the faith). A priest who has slain or soundly defeated an enemy of the church (usually a high-ranking priest of Kossuth or a fire-based creature of power) may add the honorific "True" to the beginning of his or her title. Specialty priests of Istishia are known as waterwalkers.

The Last March of the Giants

East of the Great Rift in the Eastern Shaar once stood a land of titans. This empire rose at the dawn of time in Faerûn, and its lords thought to challenge the gods in their arrogance. In punishment, the powers cursed the reigning monarch of the land with fascination and his brethren with devotion. The powers then dropped a star onto the land. The impact of the fallen star created a huge valley later known as the Sea of Fallen Stars. Slowly picking up speed, the ball rolled through the titan nation and onward to the south.

Unable to contain his curiosity, the titan king ran off after the bouncing sphere and his devoted followers dutifully followed his tracks. The meteorite rolled on and on until it reached the Great Sea and vanished into the depths. The monarch dove into the sea, and, lemminglike, the entire titan race dove in after him, never to be seen again.

Ashamed at the destruction they had wrought, the powers vowed to keep both curiosity and loyalty firmly in check to avoid such disasters in the future. They have done so to this day, preventing both new ideas from being pursued with any speed and the intelligent races of Toril from ever fully cooperating.

Dogma: At its heart, the Istishian faith believes that everything is interconnected and cyclical. Every one of the elements has its place, but water triumphs over all of them in the end, because though it may be transformed by its environment, it retains its essential nature and in the end in turn transforms the environment it is in. The Istishian faith teaches that: "Earth dissolves through water, fire is extinguished even by steam, and air becomes clouds and then rain, completing the eternal cycle." Istishia believes himself to be the great equalizer and leveler of the elements.

All sects of the Istishian faith tend to avoid personal combat and direct confrontation in their dealings with unbelievers. They believe that if allowed to go where they will, the essential truths embodied by the Water Lord eventually convince all as to his power. That is not to say that the faith ignores events going on around them, but rather that they work quietly along less-obvious paths to accomplish their goals. Members of the faith are to follow the path of least resistance to accomplish their goals, just like water takes the easiest course to the sea.

Novices in the Istishian faith are charged as follows: "The eternal Istishia acknowledges change but holds to his essential nature. Do not try to be what you are not; rather, excel at what you are and carry this message of personal excellence to the world. Be flexible but not unreasonable. As the rains flow down to the ocean in the folds of earth and not up mountains, so do the truths of Istishia spread throughout the land through their natural routes, not through rank force. The mysteries of life are to be enjoyed and puzzled over, but realize that some answers do not come in this form or this world, but rather in the next. Realize that the cycles of life are mirrored by the cycles of fate; be prepared to pay the price or reap the reward for the actions of your past or your future."

Day-to-Day Activities: Many visitors to a temple wonder why priests of Istishia would teach novices to throw pottery. Such as kill is useful both practically as a source of income for the church and as a teaching tool in the faith. Using water, Istishians priests mold clay to a desired form, dry the new pots in the air, finish them with fire, and (often) use they to carry water or other liquids. The interactions of the elements are demonstrated in making pottery, as is the mutability of water and its final triumph.

Keeping waterways pure and clean is one major goal of the church, nad this responsible long-term goal has made the Istishians one of the more easily accepted elemental "cults" to visit a town. (Wantonly polluting rivers, streams, seas, and oceans is considered an insult to Istishia, as well as likely offending a number of other nature and water deities.) Other ongoing goals of the church are better communication among the aquatic races and between the aquatic races and surface dwellers. Many Istishian priests dream of a day when all water dwellers can be united in their goals and efforts underneath the benevolent guidance of the church. That this goal is utterly unachievable and presupposes the extinction of numerous major faiths seems not to sway them from clinging to it nonetheless—nor does it mean that they hold any malice toward other primarily aquatic faiths.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Each morning for a follower of the Water Lord begins with a quiet prayer said in Istishia's name over a drink of water, and each night ends the same way. Spring tide and neap tide are celebrated with festivals by the church. During these festivals new members of the faith are dedicated to Istishia by being boisterously tossed into the sea or a lake or by diving into fountains or pools. Surface-dwelling communities of the faithful are often visited by water-dwelling emissaries from Istishia's aquatic churches during these fetes, and underwater churches in turn host surface-dwellers through magical accomodations.

Waveriding is the ritual that Istishian specialty priests celebrate upon reaching a level of skill great enough to summon a water elemental from the Elemental Plane of Water. This ceremony is preceded by an hour-long responsive reading and chant, after which the elemental is summoned. The elemental then carries the celebrant on a long ride on the waves of a large body of water. When it returns with the priest celebrating the ritual, the elemental is tossed garlands of flowers, gifted with drafts of fine wine, and given beautifully crafted pieces of jewelry, pottery, or sculpture to carry back to Istishia's realm as it leaves.

Major Centers of Worship: Any large coastal city is certain to have a temple to the Water Lord among its many buildings. Such temples are frequently as close to the docks as possible. Luskan, Waterdeep, Caer Callidyrr, Teshburl, and Calimport all have large temples dedicated to Istishia. Within the Inner Sea, the cities of Suzail, Starmantle, Alaghôn, Neldorild, Spandeliyon, Lyrabar, Procampur, and Selgaunt also boast temples to the Water Lord. The most holy site of the faith is the underwater fortress-temple in which the Delphine Regent lives in secrecy. It is sometimes referred to as the Castle of the Dancing Dolphin in reference to the dolphins featured in the coat-of-arms of the Delphine Regent, but its true name is unknown to those who walk above the waves. It is reputed to have fierce aquatic guardians both of the monstrous and the organized, intelligent variety.

Affiliated Orders: The ordesr of Istishian crusaders are known as the Cavaliers of the Seven Seas, whose members are natural water-breathers, and the Cavaliers of the Ever-Changing truth, whose members are natural air-breathers. Istishian crusaders guard holy sites, escort emissaries of the faith, and pursue the ongoing feud against the church of Kossuth on a personal level. Mystics of the faith belong to the Order of Cryptic Transformational Purity. The symbol of this order is a human shapechanging into a fish. Because this symbol looks somewhat like a merman and the name of the order itself is so lofty, mystics of this order are often referred to colloquially as "fishtishians" or "the Water Lord's fishmen"—much to their chagrin.

Priestly Vestments: Priests of Istishia dress in blue-and-green robes with coral decorations for ceremonial occasions. Exact decorations and garment construction are not mandated by the faith, but shaded or rippled dying, graceful embroidery or beadwork, or layered or dagged construction are often employed to convey a water theme. The wave of Istishia is usually carved into a gemstone incorporated into a medallion, a brooch, or a ring. Often the gemstone is jade, emerald, malachite, aquamarine, or water opal.

Adventuring Garb: Adventuring priests are free to wear whatever clothes they deem appropirate, though they are fond of wearing items in white, blue, green, and blue-purple hues. The use of armor heavier than chain mail is frowned upon by the church and forbidden to waterwalkers.

Specialty Priests (Waterwalkers)

REQUIREMENTS: Strength 12, Wisdom 12
WEAPONS: All bludgeoning weapons (wholly Type B) weapons plus nets, harpoons, and tridents
ALIGNMENT: CG, CN, N
ARMOR: All armor types up to and including chain mail and shield
MAJOR SPHERES: All, animal, creation, elemental water, healing, protection, weather
MINOR SPHERES: Combat, elemental air, elemental earth, necromantic, numbers, time
MAGICAL ITEMS: Same as clerics, except forbidden from using magical items with offensive fire-based effects (potion of fire breath, oil of fiery burning, wand of fire, etc.)
REQ. PROFS: Swimming
BONUS PROFS: Modern languages (pick one from: sea elvish, koalinth, kuo-toan, locathah, nereid, nixie, merman, morkoth, sahuagin, sirine, triton), navigation, pottery

• Aquatic elves, half-elves of aquatic elf descent, sirines, mermen, tritons, locathah, reef giants, and selkies may be waterwalkers, although elf society looks with disdain upon such a career for an elf or a half-elf.
• Waterwalkers may cast wizards spells from the elemental water school in addition to priest spells. These spells are cast as if the waterwalker wer a mage of the same level. For example, a 3rd-level waterwalker casts wizard spells as a 3rd-level mage. Waterwalkers pra for their wizard spells instead of studying to memorize them, and chosen wizard spells replace priest spells potentially available for use that day. (In other words, the wizard spell occupies a priest spell slot.) Waterwalkers gain access to 8th-level wizard spells at 16th level and 9th-level wizard spells at 18th level. A waterwalker must have a Wisdom of 18 or higher and an Intelligence of 16 or higher to gain access to the 8th-level spells, and a Wisdom of 18 or higher and an Intelligence of 18 or higher to gain access to the 9th-level spells. If a waterwalker is able to gain high-level wizard spells, every 8th-level spell prayed for occupies a 6th-level priest spell slot and every 9th-level spell prayed for occupies a 7th-level priest spell slot. Waterwalkers are always able to read elemental water spells on scrolls or in wizard spellbooks as if they knew read magic (but studying spells from a spellbook is useless to them). No more than three-quarters of a waterwalker's total number of spells available (round down) can be taken as wizard spells.
• All waterwalkers gain a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. the harmful effects of water- and cold-related spells or vaporous or acidlike breath weapons.
• While in the water, waterwalkers gain the effects of a ring of free movement. Their armor does not encumber them or drag them down in the water.
• At 3rd level, waterwalkers gain the abilities to breathe normally under water (as the 3rd-level priest spell water breathing) and to walk on water at will (similar to the 3rd-level priest spell water walk).
• At 5th level, waterwalkers can summon one 8-HD water elemental once a day. This elemental remains under the control of the waterwalker for one hour and cannot be taken control of by another creature. If the summoner is killed or struck unconscious, the summoned elemental goes on a rampage, attacking everyone in sight except its summoner until its one-hour time limit upon the Prime Material has elapsed. It is important to note that the elemental summoned is not a servant of the waterwalker, but rather is looked upon as an agent of Istishia that is to be respected. The ability to summon an elemental is granted once each day when waterwalkers receive their normal complement of spells.
• At 5th level, waterwalkers gain the ability to cast Melf's acid arrow (as the 2nd-level wizard spell) or watery double (as the 3rd-level wizard spell) once per day.
• At 7th level, waterwalkers gain the ability to cast ice storm or wall of ice (as the 4th-level wizard spells) once per day.
• At 9th level, waterwalkers gain the ability to cast Otiluke's freezing sphere (as the 6th-level wizard spell) or acid storm (as the 7th-level wizard spell) once per day.
• At 9th level, waterwalkers can summon one 12-HD water elemental once a tenday. All the same conditions apply as for summoning at 8-HD water elemental.
• At 13th level, waterwalkers can summon one 16-HD water elemental once a tenday. All the same conditions apply as for summoning an 8-hD water elemental.
• At 15th level, wateralkers can move through the Elemental Plane of Water without need for food, water, or air.
• Waterwalkers who work together can summon an elemental of greater Hit dice than they would otherwise be able to alone. For example, a 5th- and 9th-level priest could summon a 16-HD elemental. As long as both summoners remain alive, the elemental remains under their control for one full hour. If one of the summoners is killed or struck unconscious, the summoned elemental goes on a rampage, attacking everyone in sight until its one-hour time limit upon the Prime Material has elapsed. It then returns to the Elemental Plane of Water. The participants in such a combined summoning attempt must abide by time restrictions for further elemental summoning apportioned by their levels. In the above case, the 5th-level priest would have summoned his 8-HD elemental for the day and the 9th-level priest would have summoned her 12-HD elemental for the tenday.

Istishian Spells

1st Level

Precipitation (Alteration)

Sphere: Elemental Water
Range: 10 yards/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 30-foot-diameter cylinder up to 60 feet high
Saving Throw: None

This spell precipitates light rain out of the air, drizzling on everything in the area of effect. Small flames (candles) are extinguished. Small fires (torches and campfires) gutter and smoke for a round after the drizzling stops. Bonfires and most magical fires are unaffected. Large magical fire effects (fireball, wall of fire, flamestrike) cast into the area during the rain are reduced in the damage they inflict by 2 points per die and create a warm fog that obscures vision in an area 60 feet in diamter. This lasts 1d4+1 rounds, half that in a breeze, and but one round in a strong wind.

The precipitation spell has doubled effect in humid climates, causes only slight dampness in arid climates, produces light sleet at temperatures near freezing, and creates snow if the temperature is below freezing.

The material component for this spell is the priest's holy symbol.

3rd Level

Cloudburst (Invocation/Evocation)

Sphere: Elemental Water
Range: 10 yards/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 10-foot-diameter cylinder up to 60 feet high
Saving Throw: None

This spell precipitates a rush of water out of the air, instantly drenching everything in the area of effect. Normal fires are extinguished. Permanent magical fires go out, but relight in 1d2 rounds. (Weapons relight in one round.) Fire-based spells of 1st or 2nd level are negated immediately.

Fire-based spells of 3rd level or higher are also negated, but create a steam cloud with a 120-foot diameter. Those within the steam cloud are scalded for 1d3 points of damage per round. Cold-based creatures take double this damage. The steam cloud lasts 1d4+1 rouns, half that in a breeze, and but one round in a strong wind.

The cloudburst spell has doubled effect in humid climates, causes a heavy dampness in arid climates, produces slush and sleet at temperatures near freezing, and creates up to 10 inches of snow if the temperature is below freezing.

The material component for this spell is the priest's holy symbol.

Rites of Istishia (Conjuration/Summoning, Divination)

Sphere: Elemental Water
Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 3 rounds
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

This spell must be performed on the shore of a large body of water. Whenever Istishian priests disagree, a decision may be reached by the rites of Istishia. Each dissenting priest must first find a third party to argue his or her cast to a large body of water. The priests then cast a combine spell followed by the rites of Istishia. The rites of Istishia summons a number of lesser water elementals equal to the number of clerics involved in the disput to act as judges. At the end of the debate, the priests then step out onto the water's surface. The one who is found to be in favor with Istishia (in other words, whomever the DM feels was argued for more eloquently) is held upon the water's surface by one of the elementals. The others are dragged to the bottom of the body by the remaining elementals and then released. The elementals take no other action—they cannot be coerced into attacking or defending the priests or serving them in any other way.

The material components for this spell is the priest's holy symbol and a pinch of ground sea shell for each priest involved in the dispute.

4th Level

Waterwall (Evocation)

Sphere: Elemental Water
Range: 30 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 10 square feet/level
Saving Throw: Special

This spell causes a wall of blue-green water 10 square feet in size for every level of the spellcaster to bubble forth from the targeted area, rising through cracks in the floor, falling from the sky, or simply springing forth from the empty air. The waterwall is 20 feet high.

Creatures smaller than the height of the wall find themselves paralyzed if they attempt to move through the wall. They are unable to continue through the wall or retreat back out of the wall. Creatures larger than the height of the wall have their movement rates reduced to one-quarter of normal. Creatures who attempt to move through the wall receive no saving throws against the waterwall's paralyzing or slowing effects.

If waterwall is cast so as to initially incorporate a specific creature, the target is entitled to a saving throw vs. spell with a +4 bonus. A successful saving throw indicates that the target leaped from the area of effect before the wall fully came into being.

Creatures trying to fire missile weapons through the wall find their efforts wasted. All of their shots miss targets on the other side of the waterwall (though they may hit trapped creatures). The same is true for spells that have to travel through the waterwall to reach specific targets (including fireball, burning hands, meteor swarm, magic missile, Melf's acid arrow, and other spells which rely on line-of-sight), though area-of-effect spells that do not rely on traveling through intervening space to their target function normally through the waterwall. Cone of cold, Otiluke's freezing sphere, or similar spells instantly turn a waterwall into a wall of ice and inflict maximum normal damage for the initial spell (the cold of cold, etc.) to the creatures trapped within the waterwall/wall of ice. These creatures also lose any saving throw the damaging spell would normally carry. (For instance, cone of cold usually allows a saving throw for half damage. Creatures trapped in the waterwall would receive no saving throw vs. the damage of the cone of cold.)

A successful melee attack against a creature trapped in a waterwall reduces the target to 0 hit points, just as if the target were helpless, unaware, or incapacitated by a hold person spell. A ring of free action negates the effects of a waterwall for its wearer.

The material components for this spell are the priest's holy symbol and a vial of water.

6th Level

Conjure Water Elemental (Conjuration/Summoning) Reversible

Sphere: Elemental Water, Summoning
Range: 80 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time: 6 rounds
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

A caster who performs this spell opens a special gate to the Elemental Plane of Water and summons a water elemental to do his or her bidding. It is 65% likely that a 12-Hit Die elemental appears, 20% likely that a 16-Hit Die elemental appears, 9% likely that 1d3+3 varrdigs appear, 4% likely that a marid appears, and 2% likely that a huge water elemental of 12 to 24 Hit Dice (20+1d4) appears. The caster needs but to command the creature summoned, and it does as she or he desires, for the elemental regards the caster as a friend to be obeyed and will not turn on him or her. The elemental remains until destroyed, dispelled, sent away by a dismissal or holy word spell (see the 6th-level priest spell conjure fire elemental), or the spell duration expires.

The material component for this spell is the priest's holy symbol.

7th Level

Istishia's Port (Alteration)

Sphere: Elemental Water
Range: 0
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None

Many priests of Istishia have felt the need to leave the Prime Material Plane and travel the multiverse to discover how the Water Lord is viewed and respected on other planes. When Istishia is ready for them to leave the Prime Material, he grants his priests this spell.

The caster must be standing in a body of water. When Istishia's port is cast, the priest's body and all his or her belongings turn into water, merging with the surrounding water. The priest can then transport himself or herself to any plane of existence where another body of water exists.

The spell normally only affects the priest, but Istishia has on a few occasions altered the spell to allow an entire company of priests (or the companions of one priest) to travel to the planes to do work in his service.

Tsunami (Invocation/Evocation)

Sphere: Elemental Water
Range: 240 yards
Components: V, M
Duration: 1d4 rounds
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Variable
Saving Throw: Special

This spell creates a huge, racing wall of water that destroys structures of less than the sturdiest stone construction. The size and destructive power of the wave depends on the amount of water pressure, and it can be up to 10 feet high per level of the caster. An average river can wash away a farmstead, and an ocean can inundate an entire town. The tsunami washes away and scatters unprotected creatures with up to 3 Hit Dice, who must make a successful saving throw vs. death magic or be killed. Unprotected creatures with 4 or more Hit Dice take 3d6 points of damage per round of exposure. The tsunami has the same effect as an earthquake (see the 7th-level priest spell of that name) on all structures except those made of solidly constructed stone.