Church of Alseta
The church of Alseta is best known for the abjuration services it provides. For a fee, Alsetan priests will enchant locks to resist picking, ward a building against teleportation, and set magical traps to deter or slay unwelcome guests. While these spellcasting services provide the church with most of its income, they make up but a small part of the church’s regular activities.
As Alseta serves the gods, so does her church serve its community. Temples of Alseta open their doors to visiting dignitaries and provide neutral meeting grounds for enemies to resolve disputes. Alsetan priests officiate weddings and other civic ceremonies, mediate negotiations, and witness the signing of important documents. The church of Alseta also inspects and maintains city walls and gates, ensuring they remain strong enough to repel both humanoid enemies and rampaging monsters. Alsetan temples and priests work closely with local constabularies, offering discounted healing and spellcasting services to any individual harmed in the course of defending the city’s gates. At the neighborhood level, Alsetan priests bless the thresholds of houses and other personal residences to keep them safe from hostile forces.
Most followers of Alseta are courteous and civic-minded; they are often hosts, negotiators, diplomats, seneschals, or otherwise involved in formal and informal administration. The most popular professions among her faithful tend to be barrister, diplomat, magistrate, and city guard. People join the church looking for ways to support and strengthen their community, and members must commit to community service as part of their initiation into the faith. This usually takes the form of acting as a concierge for the temple or as a door greeter before services. For petitioners more talented in manual endeavors, repairing public doorways is a popular project.
The church of Alseta is not as rigid or hierarchical as that of most lawful gods. This is in part because her local flock is rarely large enough to sustain such a hierarchy; additionally, her worship is mostly informal, with prayers whispered during times of transition and over the dedication of doorways rather than in formal services. Where temples exist, the top-ranking priest is called the high chamberlain; this priest directs the church’s activities and organizes lower-ranking priests into whatever order she deems necessary. Priests operating outside of a temple’s influence are called chamberlains, and are technically subordinate to the nearest high chamberlain. In practice, though, they tend to operate at their own discretion.
Services to Alseta are usually processional in nature. At larger houses of worship, these begin with a group prayer on the church’s front steps, after which the gathered worshipers proceed, single-file, into the temple. As worshipers pass through the temple’s chambers, they reaffirm their faith in the goddess. The devotees linger in the main sanctuary and listen to a sermon before exiting on the temple’s opposite side. They end the service with a second group prayer.
Where they do exist, temples of Alseta are elaborate buildings designed in honor of the goddess, celebrating her through architecture with numerous rooms, trapdoors, and hidden passages. The temples have an almost labyrinthine aspect; rooms in the temple always have multiple exits, and hallways connect back to themselves to form endless loops. Each temple includes a main hallway that follows the building’s perimeter. Priests carry icons of the goddess and symbols of the changing months and seasons around this hallway in grand processions to celebrate the equinoxes, solstices, and the turning of months and years.
The masks Alsetan priests wear on the backs of their heads are their most identifiable feature. Each mask is unique, carved by its owner at the time of her initiation into the church, and represents some aspect of the priest’s past gladly left behind by joining the priesthood.
Alseta’s priesthood is primarily made up of clerics, though a surprising number of fighters also venerate the Welcomer. The latter are usually former members of the city watch who are no longer fit to fight, but who still wish to serve their community. Good-aligned and neutral rogues interested in locks and traps also make up a large portion of Alseta’s priesthood.
Good-aligned priests see themselves as guardians of their community. They serve without expectation of reward, although donations are always welcome. Evilaligned priests tend to be cunning trap-masters who enjoy watching their cruel implements mangle and torture would-be intruders. They are equally committed to their community, but may express this devotion as xenophobia or paranoia directed at neighboring communities. Neutral clerics tend to apply themselves to civic improvement or governance for the sake of pure order.
Beyond the abjuration spells an Alsetan priest performs for hire, the blessing of thresholds is an important part of his duties. This usually involves placing a small statue of the goddess above the doorway, or otherwise inscribing images of Alseta and prayers to the goddess on the doorway’s lintel. Many priests of Alseta thus have some skill in stonework or sculpture, and a good number have ranks in either Knowledge (engineering) or Craft (sculptures). Anyone can petition the church to bless the doorway of a home or business, and priests typically perform these services for free or at the cost for any statuary used.
A typical day for an Alseta priest begins with prayers, which coincide with the rising sun. Most clerics prepare their spells at this time. The day is further divided with prayers at noon and at dusk. The timing of these prayers is of prime importance to the faith, and all priests must set aside other activities to perform these rituals. By the faith’s tenets, even adventuring priests must perform these prayers unless doing so places them in mortal danger. Particularly devout priests may mark the passing of each hour with its own small ritual.
While Alseta blesses many of her followers with the ability to open locked doors with ease, she also expects her faithful to exercise this power with restraint. This makes her faith a poor fit for those interested in breaking and entering or committing other illegal acts. Alseta’s church is often popular with members of the city watch, and many of the adventurers who worship her also come from the ranks of the constabulary.
As Alseta serves the gods, so does her church serve its community. Temples of Alseta open their doors to visiting dignitaries and provide neutral meeting grounds for enemies to resolve disputes. Alsetan priests officiate weddings and other civic ceremonies, mediate negotiations, and witness the signing of important documents. The church of Alseta also inspects and maintains city walls and gates, ensuring they remain strong enough to repel both humanoid enemies and rampaging monsters. Alsetan temples and priests work closely with local constabularies, offering discounted healing and spellcasting services to any individual harmed in the course of defending the city’s gates. At the neighborhood level, Alsetan priests bless the thresholds of houses and other personal residences to keep them safe from hostile forces.
Most followers of Alseta are courteous and civic-minded; they are often hosts, negotiators, diplomats, seneschals, or otherwise involved in formal and informal administration. The most popular professions among her faithful tend to be barrister, diplomat, magistrate, and city guard. People join the church looking for ways to support and strengthen their community, and members must commit to community service as part of their initiation into the faith. This usually takes the form of acting as a concierge for the temple or as a door greeter before services. For petitioners more talented in manual endeavors, repairing public doorways is a popular project.
The church of Alseta is not as rigid or hierarchical as that of most lawful gods. This is in part because her local flock is rarely large enough to sustain such a hierarchy; additionally, her worship is mostly informal, with prayers whispered during times of transition and over the dedication of doorways rather than in formal services. Where temples exist, the top-ranking priest is called the high chamberlain; this priest directs the church’s activities and organizes lower-ranking priests into whatever order she deems necessary. Priests operating outside of a temple’s influence are called chamberlains, and are technically subordinate to the nearest high chamberlain. In practice, though, they tend to operate at their own discretion.
Services to Alseta are usually processional in nature. At larger houses of worship, these begin with a group prayer on the church’s front steps, after which the gathered worshipers proceed, single-file, into the temple. As worshipers pass through the temple’s chambers, they reaffirm their faith in the goddess. The devotees linger in the main sanctuary and listen to a sermon before exiting on the temple’s opposite side. They end the service with a second group prayer.
Temples & Shrines
Few temples are dedicated solely to Alseta, but small shrines to the Welcomer are ubiquitous in many places. They can adorn city gates and bridges, entryways and arches, and the major streets’ cobblestones, invoking the goddess to guard these edifices from invasion or disaster. Many also keep small shrines to Alseta in their homes, hoping the goddess will safeguard them from intruders and thieves. Freestanding shrines to Alseta are less common. These serve a functional purpose as well as a religious one and take the form of sundials or stone calendars.Where they do exist, temples of Alseta are elaborate buildings designed in honor of the goddess, celebrating her through architecture with numerous rooms, trapdoors, and hidden passages. The temples have an almost labyrinthine aspect; rooms in the temple always have multiple exits, and hallways connect back to themselves to form endless loops. Each temple includes a main hallway that follows the building’s perimeter. Priests carry icons of the goddess and symbols of the changing months and seasons around this hallway in grand processions to celebrate the equinoxes, solstices, and the turning of months and years.
Clothing
Priests of Alseta garb themselves in brown and gray clothing, preferring simple or old-fashioned styles to more modern or flamboyant designs. The highestranking or wealthiest members of the clergy may wear vestments tastefully embroidered with shimmering copper or silver thread. Arch and key motifs are common, and priests favor subtly symmetrical patterns.The masks Alsetan priests wear on the backs of their heads are their most identifiable feature. Each mask is unique, carved by its owner at the time of her initiation into the church, and represents some aspect of the priest’s past gladly left behind by joining the priesthood.
A Priest’s Role
Priests of Alseta are generally outgoing paragons of courtesy and fair-mindedness. This makes them excellent hosts, negotiators, and diplomats, and many are also members of local governing bodies. Alsetan priests are famous for their equitable dealings with members of other faiths, and many call upon the Welcomer’s priests for aid or succor when members of their own church can’t be found or trusted. Churches of other faiths sometimes hire priests of Alseta to bless the entrances of their temples, resolve interfaith squabbles, and bear witness to important ceremonies. The Welcomer’s clergy members have a particularly sterling reputation among the clergies of Pharasma and Abadar—given a choice, many of these would rather employ Alseta as an arbiter than Asmodeus, who always has his own wicked interests in mind.Alseta’s priesthood is primarily made up of clerics, though a surprising number of fighters also venerate the Welcomer. The latter are usually former members of the city watch who are no longer fit to fight, but who still wish to serve their community. Good-aligned and neutral rogues interested in locks and traps also make up a large portion of Alseta’s priesthood.
Good-aligned priests see themselves as guardians of their community. They serve without expectation of reward, although donations are always welcome. Evilaligned priests tend to be cunning trap-masters who enjoy watching their cruel implements mangle and torture would-be intruders. They are equally committed to their community, but may express this devotion as xenophobia or paranoia directed at neighboring communities. Neutral clerics tend to apply themselves to civic improvement or governance for the sake of pure order.
Beyond the abjuration spells an Alsetan priest performs for hire, the blessing of thresholds is an important part of his duties. This usually involves placing a small statue of the goddess above the doorway, or otherwise inscribing images of Alseta and prayers to the goddess on the doorway’s lintel. Many priests of Alseta thus have some skill in stonework or sculpture, and a good number have ranks in either Knowledge (engineering) or Craft (sculptures). Anyone can petition the church to bless the doorway of a home or business, and priests typically perform these services for free or at the cost for any statuary used.
A typical day for an Alseta priest begins with prayers, which coincide with the rising sun. Most clerics prepare their spells at this time. The day is further divided with prayers at noon and at dusk. The timing of these prayers is of prime importance to the faith, and all priests must set aside other activities to perform these rituals. By the faith’s tenets, even adventuring priests must perform these prayers unless doing so places them in mortal danger. Particularly devout priests may mark the passing of each hour with its own small ritual.
Adventurers
Most of those drawn to worship the Welcomer are interested in peaceful pursuits, such as law, architecture, or diplomacy. However, some faithful possess the courage and drive to pursue the adventuring life. Curiosity prompts these brave souls to explore dungeons locked behind long-sealed doors, or to cross the unfathomable thresholds between the planes. Others seek to seal doors that never should have been opened, closing rifts to the chaotic planes or ensuring that terrible monsters do not escape to threaten the civilized realms. Some take this philosophy a step further and view undeath as a metaphorical door that should never be open to creatures, and these followers of Alseta make it their mission to destroy undead, thus closing that door many times over.While Alseta blesses many of her followers with the ability to open locked doors with ease, she also expects her faithful to exercise this power with restraint. This makes her faith a poor fit for those interested in breaking and entering or committing other illegal acts. Alseta’s church is often popular with members of the city watch, and many of the adventurers who worship her also come from the ranks of the constabulary.
Champions of Alseta
As the intermediary between and servitor to the other civilized gods, Alseta prefers to remain neutral in conflicts among the gods. This impartiality naturally extends to her faithful, and thus followers of Alseta rarely become champions.The elves of Kyonin are a noteworthy exception to this trend. Elves who revere Alseta as the patron goddess of the aiudara (or “elf gates”) swear oaths in her name to defend these sacred elven relics from those who would visit destruction upon them, including the fiendish Treerazer and his demonic forces. In addition to the normal champion code, the tenets of these elven champions of Alseta include the following affirmations.
- Doorways are sacred boundaries and should be respected. I will not transgress across the threshold of an occupied structure uninvited unless doing so serves the glory of Alseta or is necessary to prevent a great evil from taking place.
- The Sovyrian Stone is a blessing from the goddess and is the beating heart of the elven people. I will defend it with my life.
- The aiudara are sacred relics and should never be used lightly. It is my responsibility to preserve the knowledge of the keys to these gates, and ensure they do not fall into the wrong hands.
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