Shaundakul Shaundakul ( pronounced " SHAWN - da - kul " ) , the Rider of the Winds , is the Faerûn ian lesser deity of traveling and travelers , exploration , caravans , the wind as well as mining and miners . Recently , Lord Ao gifted him with the portfolio of portals and portal - walking . He manifests bodily as a bearded man who wears a traveler ' s cape and is armed with a greatsword called the Sword of Shadows . Relationships . The goddesses Beshaba and Shar are in opposition to Shaundakul . History . Shaundakul is an old deity , once an intermediate deity popular in the Moonsea , whose divine status predates the creation of Beshaba and Tymora from Tyche . Shaundakul ' s church collapsed and his followers dwindled in the aftermath of the fall of Myth Drannor , and he dwindled in status to the rank of demipower . Beshaba later used his name to promote discord among the nomads of Anauroch , who now curse him as the Treacherous Lurker in the Sands . Since the Time of Troubles , Shaundakul has risen back to the level of lesser power , due to Waukeen ' s absence during which some of her followers turned to Shaundakul . He has allied himself with deities such as Akadi , Mielikki and her allies , Selûne , Tymora , and the more daring members of the Seldarine . He opposes Shar because he dislikes secrets and enjoys spreading the word of hidden places . He battles with Beshaba for the suffering she has inflicted in his name . Clergy and Temples . Members of the clergy are expected to live off the land and work as guides and protectors of travelers , caravans , and mining expeditions . Many serve as guides for adventuring companies or as explorers . A very few are Harpers . All seek to visit the scattered shrines of Shaundakul ( particularly the great one in Myth Drannor ) as frequently as possible and to construct new ones when they acquire sufficient resources . Ever since Shaundakul added portals to his portfolio , his clerics have been tasked with locating and identifying portals that would be useful for trade and exploration . Shaundakul prefers to be venerated at shrines , most of which are uninhabited and in remote places . Typically , a shrine to Shaundakul is a stone dais built atop a high place , crowned with a stone seat or throne , and accompanied by one or more stone pillars pierced with holes through which the wind whistles . Many such shrines exist throughout the Moonsea and the Stonelands , some of them over a thousand years old . Shaundakul is not commonly worshiped within cities and he has few formal temples as a result . Because the clergy members love to wander , his few temples constantly have new clerics arrive as others leave . Shaundakul ' s clerics wear a dark swirling cloak over garb appropriate for the trail , and favor dark colors and silver in general . Many wear their holy symbol on the back of their gauntlet ( usually leather or chain mail ) . Shaundakul ' s church is loosely organized , and its branches are largely independent . There is little in the way of formal hierarchy , although those who served the Rider of the Winds prior to the Godswar hold positions of great respect in the church . Since the Time of Troubles , several military orders have been founded in the name of Shaundakul . The Fellowship of the Next Mountain is an order of rangers and clerics who typically work alone , blazing trails in the uncharted wilderness areas of the Sword Coast North and Moonsea North . The Knights of the Shadow Sword are an elite order of fighters and rangers based in Shaundakul ' s Throne and dedicated to cleansing Myth Drannor of the evil that haunts its streets and ruins . Initially , they are fortifying the ancient Myth Drannan temple as a base of operations and sending out scouts to reconnoiter the ruined city . The Riders of the West Wind are an order of clerics and a few rangers who hire themselves out as a mercenary company to guard caravans heading through uncharted wilderness to distant lands . Their holy day is the Windride , which is celebrated on the 15th day of Tarsakh . On this day , Shaundakul causes all his clerics to assume " gaseous form " at dawn , if they cannot " wind walk " on their own , so that they are carried with the wind . They return to normal ( and are lowered safely to the ground ) at dusk , usually in some place they have never been before . Dogma . " Spread the teachings of the Helping Hand by example . Work to promote him among traders , especially trailblazers who seek out new lands and new opportunities . Unearth and resanctify ancient shrines of Shaundakul . Ride the wind , and let it take you wherever it blows . Aid those in need , and trust in the Helping Hand . Seek out the riches of the earth and sea . Journey to distant horizons . Be the first to see the rising sun , the mountain peaks , the lush valleys . Let your footsteps fall where none have tread . "