Gwaeron Windstrom, Master of Tracking
Alignment: NG
Domains: Animal, Badlands, Good, Knowledge, Plant, Travel [Exploration].
Favored Weapon: Greatsword
In the lands far from civilization, rangers speak of a little-known god named Gwaeron Windstrom. They speak of his mortal life as a ranger, his heroic deeds slaying an uprising of the savage followers of Malar, and his subsequent deification by the goddess Mielikki. To rangers and many tribes, Gwaeron is an understandable, approachable deity who can act as an intermediary between mortals and the wild gods or goddesses of nature. He is the quiet, reclusive patron of rangers of the North, and few words of homage reach his ears from beyond those climes, save for the occasional adventurer who wanders further into civilization.
Dogma: Intelligent beings can live in harmony with the wild without requiring the destruction of one in the name of the other. Embrace the wild and fear it not, because the wild ways are the good ways. Keep the Balance and learn the hidden ways of life, but stress the positive and outreaching nature of the wild. Do not allow trees to be needlessly felled or the forest needlessly burned. Live as one with the woods, teach others to do so, and punish and curtail those that hunt for sport or practice cruelties on wild creatures.
For Deific Obedience
Obedience: As part of your daily prayers, find a set of animal prints, and track the creature down. When you find the creature, do not kill it, but instead kneel down near it and thank it for being part of the forest. Gain a +2 sacred bonus on Handle Animal and wild empathy checks. You can also attempt Handle Animal checks untrained, even if the task would normally require that you be trained.
Boons
1: Naturewalker (Sp) feather step 3/day, chameleon stride 2/day, or burst of speed 1/day
2: Peerless Tracker (Sp) You are closer to the Master of Tracking than before, and he imparts a boon of his divine tracking ability. You can cast find the path once per day as a spell-like ability, using your Hit Dice as your caster level.
3: Forest’s Retribution (Sp) While standing in defense of the trees against wanton felling, you can call upon Gwaeron Windstrom to turn those very trees into your allies. You can cast Greater Seige of Trees once per day as a spell-like ability, treating your Hit Dice as your caster level.
For Followers of Gwaeron Windstrom
Archetypes: Wolfshead (Barbarian)
Specialty Priest: Gwaeron does not have actual clergy, and thus no specialty priests; however, he does sponsor rangers with unique, priest-like blessings as the Divine Tracker archetype.
Feats: Beacon of Hope, Bestow Hope, Hands of Valor, Intrepid Rescuer, Nimble Natural Summons, Protective Channel, Purity of Faith, Thicket Channel, Trailblazing Channel.
Magic Items: Red Hound Ring
Traits: A Shining Beacon, Bestial Wrath, Child of Nature, Eyes of the Wild, Frightening Speed, Know the Land, Light Sleeper, Natural Philosopher, Wise Teacher, Wolf Cub
Unique Summons
- Summon Monster/Nature’s Ally II: Pseudodragon – NG
Clergy and Temples
There is not an organized Gwaeronan church distinct from the church of Mielikki, there are no ordained clergy to speak of, and the existence of his faith is little known outside the ranks of northern rangers. Rather, most shrines of the Lady of the Forest in the North include a small shrine or side altar to the Master of Tracking within their confines. Gwaeron’s followers, known as Stalkers of the Silent Path, work to keep the numbers of trolls, orcs, and other humanoids in check across the North and oppose the followers of Malar at every turn.