Church of Gwaeron Windstrom

The church of Gwaeron Windstrom, officially known as the Fellowship of the Stalkers of the Silent Path, was the collective of individuals that venerated Gwaeron Windstrom, the North Faerûnian demigod of tracking. This was not an organized faith distinct from the Church of Mielikki, but rather an order or rangers drawn from the Mielikkian ranks.

Dogma
The teachings of Gwaeron's church mirrored those of Mielikki. His doctrine taught that sapient and wild creatures could live in coexistent harmony, and his followers were instructed to live in and as part of the forest rather than in conflict with it while teaching others to do the same. The wild ways were the good ways, not to be feared or shunned but understood and embraced. To needlessly bring down or burn parts of the forest was unacceptable, and those who hunted for sport or tortured wild creatures were to be curtailed at best and punished at worst.

Attitudes
Many members of the fellowship got tattoos of blue or brown, five-pointed stars in honor of their devotion.

Activities
Gwaeronans took their roles as protectors very seriously, striving to keep the balance that others threatened to undo. This meant keeping in check the numbers and activities of the malicious, careless, indiscriminate and ignorant, whether civilized or wild. They spent their day-to-day lives walking both the beaten paths and wild places of the North, ceaselessly honing their tracking and wilderness skills and becoming attuned to their environment while monitoring the activities of "monstrous" races.

Sometimes Stalkers joined militias, mercenaries, and adventurers, typically as scouts. At other times they were called upon by the church of Mielikki or hired by local rulers to track down elusive predators (both figurative and literal) or those seeking to escape justice. Their role in keeping the balance also meant they might play a more beneficient role, such as finding lost travelers, protecting forest life or, in areas experiencing famines, using their skills to provide food.

Dress
The vestments of Gwaeron's Stalkers were practical for their environment, with a clear preference for supple and sturdy leathers. The primary difference between formal and informal dress was the vibrance of the colors. All Stalkers had Gwaeron's symbol as a patch or embroidered on their formal clothes while respecting Mielikki's clergy's seasonal colors through the use of dye, keeping it limited to the trim or accessories when in the field so as not to stand out in the terrain. Comfortable boots were formal wear while soft moccasins or just working barefoot was preferred when practical. Hair grew freely but was neatly and practically managed.

Weather permitting, male Stalkers were known to enjoy working bare-chested. Male Stalkers rarely went bald and could always grow beards while female Stalkers wore their hair in long, loose braids down their backs.

Spells
Notable Gwaeronan spells included: Most of these spells were shared with the wider church of Mielikki.
 * Banish blight
 * Create treant
 * Natural attunement
 * Stalk
 * Tree healing
 * Wood sword

Symbol
Gwaeron's original symbol was a dark red "S" overlaid with a small, white, five-pointed star on its top half and a large, brown, four-clawed animal print on its bottom half. The S represented several things, including a winding trail as well as streams and the winds, streams to signify Gwaeron's ability to track those hiding their scent and the winds his ability to catch scents on the breeze. The symbol fell from use since the latter abilities were things most mortals couldn't do, and so it was traded out for the much simpler symbol of a pawprint with a star on the palm, the colors matching the original.

Relationships
Humanoids like orcs and trolls were common targets of Gwaeronan campaigns, but it was the followers of Malar that they opposed and the Great Beast's works they relentlessly fought agiainst.

Notable Gwaeronans

 * Drizzt Do'Urden, the legendary drow hero of the North who forsook the ways of his people and returned to life on the surface.