Alseta
Praise Alseta the opener! May she open the path to virtue and wisdom. Praise Alseta the closer! May she close the path of iniquity and strife. —The Sacred Keystones
The Welcomer
Alseta, the Welcomer, is the goddess of literal and metaphorical transitions. Doors, hidden passageways, and the flow of time all fall under her purview. She fills a unique role among Golarion’s gods, not only serving as the gods’ steward, but also acting as an intermediary both among the respective gods and between the gods and their followers. Alseta’s dominion over doorways and thresholds also makes her the goddess of teleportation and planar travel. In this aspect, many elves revere her as the patroness of the aiudara, or elf gates. This kindly guardian goddess treats all beings with respect and, in turn, enjoys reverence from members of nearly all faiths.
Alseta acts as a guardian of boundaries. She strengthens city gates, shields guards from invaders’ arrows, and turns away unwelcome visitors. Alseta is also a guardian of metaphorical boundaries, particularly those related to time and life. Those celebrating birthdays or marriages or embarking on new ventures often invoke Alseta’s name. Expectant mothers and mourners of the dead alike often pray to Alseta in the same breath as Pharasma, and indeed, some consider the Welcomer and the Lady of Graves’ faiths intrinsically linked.
Alseta appears as a kindly human woman dressed in simple gray clothing, and she wears a smiling mask on the back of her head. She is even-tempered and considers her words carefully; when she speaks, she does so with an authority and poise that soaks into the very bones of listeners. Alseta is, above all, courteous and treats all beings, from the humblest peasant to the mightiest of the gods, with respect and civility. In return, she expects the same from any who deal with her, and has little patience for those who do not practice such courtesies.
Those who earn Alseta’s favor find that physical blockades often open easily to them, or that metaphorical obstacles melt away more easily than expected. They uncover new opportunities in unexpected places, and receive flashes of insight that illuminate options that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred to them. Those who displease the goddess find themselves barred at every turn or feeling as if they were stuck in ruts. Doors jam when being opened, and swing loose to admit drafts when they should hold fast.
This attitude extends to the members of Alseta’s faith, who get along cordially with the followers of most other gods. In fact, the priests of other gods sometimes include prayers to Alseta at the beginning of important ceremonies to open the way between the mortal realm and the realm of the gods. Priests of Alseta do their best to maintain the same neutrality as their patron goddess.
Alseta has a particularly close relationship with Pharasma. This is likely due to the overlap between the two goddesses’ portfolios, as death is but the soul’s transition between the mortal world and the afterlife. The strong alliance between Alseta and Pharasma has led some scholars to suggest that Alseta was once a mortal servant or worshiper of Pharasma. Others suggest that Alseta was a powerful psychopomp who rose to godhood in much the same way that Sarenrae rose from the ranks of the angels to true divinity. These scholars point to the mask that Alseta wears on the back of her head, noting the similarity to the masks that psychopomps wear.
One might expect some tension between Alseta and Pharasma’s enemies, particularly Urgathoa and Zyphus, but this is rarely the case. Alseta’s track record of impartiality has earned her the trust of even these deities. Beyond that, Abadar likes and respects Alseta, as they are like-minded on many issues. Of the major gods, only Rovagug and Lamashtu regularly act with hostility against Alseta. These monstrous deities represent the violent, barbarous hordes battering at the doors of civilization; the servants of Alseta oppose the activities of these deities, and are not averse to combat when words fail to dissuade them.
Inzorth: This two-headed blink dog hunts those who abuse teleportation magic to bypass justly erected barriers. Legends say that it can track teleporting creatures by scent, and that its bark disrupts dimensional travel. Inzorth grows irritable with those who do not treat both its heads with equal deference, and any gift offered to Inzorth must be divided or doubled so that each head receives an equal portion. When addressed singularly, its left head is called “Inz” and its right is called “Orth.”
Lockmaster Pylaethus: Pylaethus is one of the finest locksmiths among the planes. Rumor has it that he once studied as an apprentice under Abadar himself, but parted ways with the Master of the First Vault for reasons unknown. He now serves Alseta, securing the Welcomer’s gates and doors with locks of unparalleled craftsmanship and complexity, particularly in the rare event when the goddess needs a door to remain closed. Pylaethus’s most treasured possession is his collection of strange and unusual keys, and he is often willing to perform favors for mortals in exchange for new specimens to add to his collection.
The Welcoming Faces: This enormous, construct-like outsider appears to be masks of copper and silver tied together, as if around an invisible head. Each face wears a small, enigmatic smile, even while the creature speaks, which is often. The Welcoming Faces frequently appears to powerful followers seeking guidance on whether to open a particular secured door or whether to embark on a life-changing transition—for the wisdom of passing such thresholds is often of deep concern to Alseta, and thus to the Welcoming Faces. On rare occasions, the Welcoming Faces also appear to defend temples of Alseta from particularly powerful or evil intruders. The Welcoming Faces also serve as an arbiter between powerful mortals who disagree over a fundamental issue, such as the boundaries of nations or conflicting laws governing access to pilgrimage or heritage sites.
Alseta acts as a guardian of boundaries. She strengthens city gates, shields guards from invaders’ arrows, and turns away unwelcome visitors. Alseta is also a guardian of metaphorical boundaries, particularly those related to time and life. Those celebrating birthdays or marriages or embarking on new ventures often invoke Alseta’s name. Expectant mothers and mourners of the dead alike often pray to Alseta in the same breath as Pharasma, and indeed, some consider the Welcomer and the Lady of Graves’ faiths intrinsically linked.
Alseta appears as a kindly human woman dressed in simple gray clothing, and she wears a smiling mask on the back of her head. She is even-tempered and considers her words carefully; when she speaks, she does so with an authority and poise that soaks into the very bones of listeners. Alseta is, above all, courteous and treats all beings, from the humblest peasant to the mightiest of the gods, with respect and civility. In return, she expects the same from any who deal with her, and has little patience for those who do not practice such courtesies.
Those who earn Alseta’s favor find that physical blockades often open easily to them, or that metaphorical obstacles melt away more easily than expected. They uncover new opportunities in unexpected places, and receive flashes of insight that illuminate options that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred to them. Those who displease the goddess find themselves barred at every turn or feeling as if they were stuck in ruts. Doors jam when being opened, and swing loose to admit drafts when they should hold fast.
Relations with Other Religions
Rather than pursuing her own goals, Alseta primarily acts as a servitor to the other gods. When the gods meet, Alseta often serves as the gathering’s host. When they argue, she serves as the arbiter of their disputes. When the gods need someone to act as a steward to their realms, they trust in Alseta to secure their holdings in their absence. For this reason, Alseta remains on polite, though not necessarily friendly, terms with most of the civilized gods.This attitude extends to the members of Alseta’s faith, who get along cordially with the followers of most other gods. In fact, the priests of other gods sometimes include prayers to Alseta at the beginning of important ceremonies to open the way between the mortal realm and the realm of the gods. Priests of Alseta do their best to maintain the same neutrality as their patron goddess.
Alseta has a particularly close relationship with Pharasma. This is likely due to the overlap between the two goddesses’ portfolios, as death is but the soul’s transition between the mortal world and the afterlife. The strong alliance between Alseta and Pharasma has led some scholars to suggest that Alseta was once a mortal servant or worshiper of Pharasma. Others suggest that Alseta was a powerful psychopomp who rose to godhood in much the same way that Sarenrae rose from the ranks of the angels to true divinity. These scholars point to the mask that Alseta wears on the back of her head, noting the similarity to the masks that psychopomps wear.
One might expect some tension between Alseta and Pharasma’s enemies, particularly Urgathoa and Zyphus, but this is rarely the case. Alseta’s track record of impartiality has earned her the trust of even these deities. Beyond that, Abadar likes and respects Alseta, as they are like-minded on many issues. Of the major gods, only Rovagug and Lamashtu regularly act with hostility against Alseta. These monstrous deities represent the violent, barbarous hordes battering at the doors of civilization; the servants of Alseta oppose the activities of these deities, and are not averse to combat when words fail to dissuade them.
Planar Allies
Alseta commands respect among the planes, and all but the most chaotic or wicked outsiders are willing to aid her followers, provided that they are properly compensated. The following are some of Alseta’s best-known servants and can be summoned using spells such as planar ally.Inzorth: This two-headed blink dog hunts those who abuse teleportation magic to bypass justly erected barriers. Legends say that it can track teleporting creatures by scent, and that its bark disrupts dimensional travel. Inzorth grows irritable with those who do not treat both its heads with equal deference, and any gift offered to Inzorth must be divided or doubled so that each head receives an equal portion. When addressed singularly, its left head is called “Inz” and its right is called “Orth.”
Lockmaster Pylaethus: Pylaethus is one of the finest locksmiths among the planes. Rumor has it that he once studied as an apprentice under Abadar himself, but parted ways with the Master of the First Vault for reasons unknown. He now serves Alseta, securing the Welcomer’s gates and doors with locks of unparalleled craftsmanship and complexity, particularly in the rare event when the goddess needs a door to remain closed. Pylaethus’s most treasured possession is his collection of strange and unusual keys, and he is often willing to perform favors for mortals in exchange for new specimens to add to his collection.
The Welcoming Faces: This enormous, construct-like outsider appears to be masks of copper and silver tied together, as if around an invisible head. Each face wears a small, enigmatic smile, even while the creature speaks, which is often. The Welcoming Faces frequently appears to powerful followers seeking guidance on whether to open a particular secured door or whether to embark on a life-changing transition—for the wisdom of passing such thresholds is often of deep concern to Alseta, and thus to the Welcoming Faces. On rare occasions, the Welcoming Faces also appear to defend temples of Alseta from particularly powerful or evil intruders. The Welcoming Faces also serve as an arbiter between powerful mortals who disagree over a fundamental issue, such as the boundaries of nations or conflicting laws governing access to pilgrimage or heritage sites.
Holy Books & Codes
Alseta’s holy text, The Sacred Keystones, is an allegorical document comparing personal virtues to the four traditional keystones used to support the arches of an Alsetan temple’s main entrances. The four major virtues emphasized in the text are courtesy, duty, honesty, and humility. Many other traditional virtues are derived from these four primary ones, and are represented by different stones in the arch. Although it is mainly a text on morality, The Sacred Keystones employs several extended architectural metaphors, and many passages provide genuine insights into the fields of architecture and engineering.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Alseta’s holy symbol is a woman’s face in profile, facing left, wearing a smiling mask on the back of her head.
Holidays
The church of Alseta helps organize many of the other civilized gods’ festivals, but adherents also celebrate one of their own. In addition, transitions between months are minor holy days.
Turning Day: This festival celebrates the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, taking place at midnight on 31 Kuthona. On Turning Day, celebrants forgive old debts and grudges and embrace new opportunities. Friends reaffirm their bonds, and longtime enemies exchange gifts in hopes of reconciliation. Turning Days marking the end of centuries or millennia are especially extravagant affairs, and may last much longer than their name implies.
Turning Day: This festival celebrates the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, taking place at midnight on 31 Kuthona. On Turning Day, celebrants forgive old debts and grudges and embrace new opportunities. Friends reaffirm their bonds, and longtime enemies exchange gifts in hopes of reconciliation. Turning Days marking the end of centuries or millennia are especially extravagant affairs, and may last much longer than their name implies.
Symbol
Edicts
offer to protect passageways and guide others through transitions, treat all other beings with courtesy and respect
Anathema
destroy a door or block a path for personal gain, stop a transition without good reason
Areas of Concern
doors, portals, thresholds, traditions
Favored Weapon
dagger
Domains
change, magic, protection, time
Divine Ability
Intelligence or Charisma
Divine Font
heal
Divine Skill
Diplomacy
Divine Classification
God
Religions
Realm
Church/Cult
Children
Ruled Locations
Aphorisms
The following aphorisms are drawn from Alseta’s holy book, The Sacred Keystones.A door must open: Short for “A door must open; otherwise, it is not a door,” this expression reminds Alseta’s faithful that a skill or tool left unused has no value. Some adventurous members of Alseta’s faith take this saying literally, and endeavor to carefully open the long-sealed doors of dungeons or ruins to give them purpose.
Turning the mask to it: Figuratively, this expression means leaving something—an attitude, feeling, grudge, or material possession—in the past, but carrying the memory, or mask, forward with you.
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