Alaister

Title Old Deadeye, Stag God
Portfolio Family Farming Hunting Trade
Worshipers Farmers, hunters, tradesmen
Alignment Lawful Good
Worshiper Alignment LG,NG,LN
Domains Animal, Community, Good, Law, Plant
Subdomains Archon, Family, Feather, Fur , Growth
Favored Weapon Longbow
Symbol Bow and arrow
Allows creation or rising of undead: No
Favored Animal(s) Stag
Sacred Colors Brown,Green

Alaister is the god of of family, farmining, hunting, and trade

Alaister is one of the oldest human gods still worshiped. His religion dates back thousands of years, when small farming communities and hunter-gatherers prayed to him for bountiful harvests and successful hunts. He leads his followers by example and good deeds rather than flowery rhetoric.

Dogma

Also known as Old Deadeye, is an ancient deity who first became known on Xilrin when early humanoids began to domesticate and dominate their natural surroundings. Pastoral legends claim that Old Deadeye crafted the first bow as a gift to mortals so that they might learn to hunt and survive in the dangerous world. Though civilization has continued to advance beyond simple villages, Alaister remains popular in tradition and in the frontiers of the world, a transitional figure between the worship of the Green Faith and the religions of cities. Alaister is primarily a nature deity focusing on the plants and animals that farmers, hunters, and ranchers deal with in their challenging lives. He is also a god of close-knit communities and families, and has a protector aspect that only surfaces when such things are threatened. Alaister eschews crusades and brazen heroism, and he has no grand plans to eradicate chaos and evil from the world; he simply wants people to be able to live their lives in peace without the threat of being devoured by monsters, conscripted into an army, or destroyed by world-ending magic.

He is a stern patriarch whose spirit is as hard as wood. He isn't afraid to face down a bully, nor is he too proud to calm a frightened child. He teaches how to read the turning of the seasons, how to know when to sow and reap, how to tell when livestock are sick or gravid, how to poultice a wound and set a broken leg, how to spot a straggling sheep or the signs that a dog has gone rabid. He believes that cooperation leads to friendship and safety, and that if mortals respect the gifts of nature, it will sustain them. He loves customs that encourage strong family bonds-no matter how quaint they are by modern standards-and enjoys hunting for sustenance, but not for sport. Happy weddings and new babies make him smile. He is not one to spout philosophy, and instead gives practical advice and hands-on teaching.

Old Deadeye believes that leadership is a virtue of strong souls and that groups function best when led by a benevolent leader-whether that group is his church, a community, or a family. Many communities strong in Alaister's faith follow the leadership of a village patron or matron, another elder, or the scions of a family renowned for their clear headedness and past members' leadership roles. In Alaisterian families, one family elder is likewise viewed as the leader of the clan or head of the household. The members of such groups typically defer to that leader's plan for peace and prosperity, contributing their own talents, skills, and labor for the betterment of the whole community. Alaister believes that children should honor their parents and know when it is time to work or time to play. He dislikes the chaos and trouble that adventurers bring, and while they may have their uses when monsters come sniffing about, it is best if adventurers take care of the problem quickly, receive a meal and a place to sleep, then move on before their wanderlust catches on in otherwise quiet communities.

Alaister's avatar is an upright hunter with the head of an elk, clad in well-used leathers and carrying a simple bow. Old legends say that races see him as a member of their own race, even when members of other races are looking at him at the same time. Some representations show him as fully human-usually of Vilkur or Alerian heritage-depicting how he sometimes appears to children, lost travelers, or those he simply doesn't wish to reveal his divine nature to. In most stories, Old Deadeye's arrows never miss, and a few communities still own a spent arrow supposedly once fired by Alaister, passed down through the generations and treasured for its connection to the god.

Depictions of Alaisterin artwork are uncommon, as his followers prefer focusing their energy on more practical matters. Those physical representations that do exist are often carved wooden placards bearing his likeness these aren't worshiped as icons, but serve as constant reminders of his presence. In other communities, a stuffed elk's head or just its horns serve this purpose. In more elaborate representations, Alaister is shown fighting off wild animals or teaching people how to hunt. On the walls of a few ancient caves are painted primitive silhouettes of an elk-headed man performing similar acts.

Old Deadeye shows his approval through bountiful hunts, bumper harvests, mild weather, the appearance of straight paths, and the like, but he prefers to limit his direct intervention to helping needy people in lean times, as he does not want to encourage laziness. A hungry family might find their tiny garden provides bushels of vegetables, an old cow might start giving milk again, a weary hunter's prey might stumble or become entangled, and so on. Hoofed animals are considered channels for Alaister's power, with elk-horns being favored by his worshipers for making simple tools and weapons.

Forked lighting is considered a sign of his presence, and creatures or structures struck by lightning are said to have been felled by Alaister's arrows. His anger is reserved for followers who betray his principles; he usually punishes them by changing them into something more useful to their community, such as a pig or a fruit tree. Mothers often warn misbehaving children that Alaister will transform them, and most communities have at least one small, gnarled tree that local legend claims was once an especially unruly child. Alaister's favored weapon is the longbow, but his clerics and druids are proficient with the shortbow as well. Most of his priests are clerics, but a small minority are druids, rangers, and (most rare) paladins, while a few remote communities are served by adepts. Druids usually serve communities in places where natural hazards and the weather are their greatest threats, while paladins tend to be leaders in lands where monsters lurk. Often called Old Deadeye by his faithful, Alaister is also known as Elk Father and the Old Hunter. His holy symbol is a bow made of elk antlers with a nocked arrow.

The Church

A typical worshiper of Alaister is a common farmer, rancher, village artisan, or subsistence hunter who wants to live her life, take care ofher family, and not worry about kings, wars, or monsters.Alasterians are not pretentious, and while they might be proud of their accomplishments, they're simple folk and their desires are modest-a good crop, a fine piece of land, fat livestock, and a healthy family. They look after their neighbors' farms in emergencies and expect the same in return, but are otherwise content to be left to their own business. Among the faithful, elk iconography is common, but they have no taboos about hunting the animals as long as no part of the body goes to waste. Because elk shed their antlers at the start of winter, tools made from them are fairly common, and even children may own simple knives made from antlers.

At birth, a firstborn child is given an elk tooth, supposedly to ensure fertility and a long life. In the extreme north, reindeer iconography is more common than that of elk, though the traditions and rituals among Alaister's worshipers are otherwise essentially the same. Hymns constitute most of the church's music, often with a strong rhythm so they can be sung to keep time during repetitive work. Flutes, drums, horns, and other easy-to-make, easy-to-play instruments are also common. Alaister is very pro-marriage, seeing it as the proper way to create families and frowning on those who would bend or break the sacred bonds with adultery or divorce. The church sees marriage as a way to "tame" unruly men and women, and most villages have at least one married couple who tied the knot after being caught in an indiscretion. Widowers and widows usually remarry, especially if there are still children in the house. Most of Alaister's priests are married, though they are not required to be.

Temples and shrines

A temple to Old Deadeye is almost always a simple wooden building, longhouse, or even town hall that serves a rural community as a gathering place, with religion being only one of its many uses. Sparsely decorated, such structures often contain highly functional furnishings, as the faithful prefer not to waste their holy area with rows of awkward, heavy pews and statues when sturdy tables and stools would make the area well suited for mending tools and clothes, food preparation, and other helpful crafts. In some cases, temples of Alaister have no seating, leaving the congregation to stand.

In such temples, sitting during the faith's short services while not taboo, is looked down on for all but the elderly or infirm-and even they bring their own chairs or mats. A shrine to Alaister is usually little more than an antler- or bow-mark carved on a tree or rock.

Taboos

The most important truth in Alaister’s philosophy is that people should be useful to their communities, in whatever fashion they can. Worshipers who claim Alaister's faith but spurn his simple teachings earn his wrath, and stories tell of false worshipers who have been turned into trees or pigs so that they’ll eventually give back to their towns. Even those who lose his favor can regain it by undertaking ambitious projects that help a small rural community, preferably one that enjoys broad community support and requires the aid of others, such as building a watchtower, new irrigation channels for the fields, or a new palisade to keep out the wild creatures of the wood. You might also consider teaching the local youth valuable skills that enable them to contribute to their families.

A Priest's Role

Alaister's priests usually have a conventional role in a community-such as being farmers or artisans-in addition to their explicitly religious duties, and consider attending to the needs of their own land and families a form of devotion as well. Most of a priest's day is spent performing mundane tasks just like any other member of the village, with the priest pausing only to speak a blessing at the dawn's breaking, but always ready to drop what he's doing and pitch in when he's needed. They are often called upon to help build homes, deliver children, oversee trade, and bless crops. Alaister's priests are careful to put the needs of the community first, because Old Deadeye's gifts may give them an advantage in aiding their fellow townsfolk. For example, a cleric of Alaister who is a shepherd might use his skill and magic to take care of all the village's animals rather than just his own, Even if that means he makes less money selling his own sheep at market-the prosperity of the community and the health ofits flock being more important than his own wealth. Priests usually have ranks in Diplomacy (though Intimidate may work just as well), Heal, Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), and Sense Motive.

Priests bless farmland and herd animals, plan the planting and harvest, and look after injured folk and families in need. Priests often serve as community counselors and mediators, and are generally the first to step in with a firm hand to deal with a rebellious or disruptive member of the community, whether that person is a frequent drunk, an abusive spouse, or a child prone to screaming tantrums. Adult troublemakers who repeatedly break the community's trust and prove unwilling to change are usually branded on the hand and exiled from the community. To prevent more problems, they're usually pointed in the direction of the nearest city. If something comes along that's too much for the priest to handle, such as bandits, an ore band, or a hungry monster, it is the priest's responsibility as a community leader to find those who can deal with the problem, such as experts from other communities who share the faith, or traveling adventurers.

Every few years the church encourages young priests to set out from the community in search of news, seeds for new crops, alternate techniques for animal husbandry, and other useful new skills that can aid their home villages. Though these wanderers appear to be fish out of water, their stubborn dedication to helping those back home has guaranteed the survival of many poor villages, whether they acquired desperately needed money to send back or by eradicated foul beasts that lurked nearby.

Young adventuring priests often end up settling in remote villages saved by their heroic efforts, especially if there is no local priest. This gives the faith an opportunity to grow and establishes the bonds of a greater community outside the immediate interests of a single village,though the church prefers to focus on life in small settlements, it sees the surrounding communities as a kind of extended family and recognizes the importance of maintaining ties with them. Because a priest usually has a leadership role in a community, the priests of Alaister prefer to take charge when they are part of an adventuring party, and sometimes run into conflict with equally headstrong members of the group as a result.

Though druids are a minority among the clergy, all priests respect them for maintaining the natural world they and their people depend upon. They also give a nod to the rare paladins of the faith who are willing to take up swords and shields so the common folk can keep on with their lives. Rangers rarely become leaders in the church, as their skills and magic cater less to healing and growth compared to other priests.

Alaister's church is simple and practical. Most communities have only one or two priests, so complicated hierarchies are unnecessary, and priests defer to the wisdom of elder clergy. Visiting priests are shown hospitality as is appropriate for any guest, but unless these visitors are particularly important (such as the eldest priest in the country), they typically defer to the judgment of the local leaders. Priests who are part of a community are usually called elders, regardless of their rank within the community or the church. Traveling priests not associated with a community are called brothers or sisters.

Holy Text

The Parables of Alaister is the common text of the Alaisterian faith. It gives homilies on strengthening family bonds, almanac-like advice on planting, and lore about game animals and tracking. The number of chapters varies from place to place, as communities omit things irrelevant to their way of life or add fables emphasizing local events or traditions.

Holidays

Alaister believes extensive and complicated ceremonies take time away from necessary things like tending to crops and putting food on the table, so most religious events are short and to the point. The solstices and equinoxes are holy days for the church (the week of the vernal equinox is called Planting Week by the faithful, and week of the autumn equinox is called the Harvest Feast, even though the associated rituals only take about an hour). The summer month of Alastus is named for Alaister.

Archerfeast: This holiday on 3 Alastus is a day of feasting, fun, and relaxation. Villages hold archery and stone-throwing contests, ranchers rope and trade calves and lambs, and young people ask permission to wed. Cider is served cold during the day and hot at night. At sundown, an animal is offered to the god, and everyone in the community eats a piece to share in his blessing.

Relation With other gods

Alaistercan be gruff and reserved, but he is still on good terms with most nonevil deities of Xilrin. However, he is very set in his ways and frequently criticizes the particulars of his fellow deities' faiths and practices. Although Alaister's stodgy demeanor means that few deities go out of their way to fraternize with him, his skills at archery and tracking are among the greatest in the Outer Planes. More than once other deities have sought out the god of hunters for his aid and insight into slaying marauding beasts or finding someone lost in the multiplanar wilds-begrudgingly enduring Alaister's instructions for and opinions on making sure such a thing never happens again.

Despite being ill-suited to planar politics, Alaister does have several allies among the deities of Xilrin. Although Alastrian views Avasir as a good fellow who's perhaps forgotten where he came from, both want peaceful, orderly homes for their followers. Alaister frowns on Avasir's pomp and occasional heartlessness, but the god of cities sees the value of Alaister's work in setting people and villages on the path to the grand communities they could eventually be-even as he smirks over opinions he usually views as outmoded.

Alaister also appreciates the work of Kamus, especially his dedication to craftsmanship and clan, but neither stubborn deities can find much more of a common ground with the other besides the mutual respect of two old men nodding across a taproom. Alaister's paternal affection for Cerie is real, but distant and tinged with a slight sadness. Her independence and providence over the reliable cycles of the moon and stars could make her a trusted friend, but her distance, whimsy, and encouragement of self-indulgence makes her too untrustworthy in all but times of direst need.

He is more patient in his interactions with Callie, for her support of marriage and families strengthens communities. The goddess of art has, on numerous occasions, sought out the god of hunters, asking him to guide her to the most amazing vistas and unique settings in the multi verse. Alaister regularly indulges her, enjoying her company even as he argues with her over the value of art and life. They disagree on most topics, but Callie's congeniality and honest appreciation of Alaister's time have preserved their friendship.

Evil deities are largely of a kind to Alaister, and he has little time or interest in doing much more than contributing arrow fire to drive them away. While he views Pennsilia and Zalrick as a frontier scout might wild monsters, he reserves an especial hatred for Zephyra. That goddess's gluttony and fostering of diseases regularly blight his people, whether in the form of deadly plagues, the tainting of game and fields, or in cultivating the sick-hearted desire for more than one's neighbors. Zephyra is aware of the god's loathing, and goes out of her way to needle Alaister, setting her minions upon fragile frontier communities whenever the opportunity arises. Alaister's followers are generally friendly toward members of other good-aligned religions, but they also harbor a sense of superiority that can vary from private conviction to outright paternalism. The faith tends to be an all-or nothing affair, and thus attracts people with somewhat black-and-white worldviews. Most of Alaister's faithful, however, have good hearts, and though they may grumble and mutter disapprovingly at those with different beliefs, they'll also help people in true need without hesitation.

Many see themselves as having a parental role toward those around them. If they don't engage in outright evangelism for their faith and worldviews, they still consider it important to attempt to instill proper values in their neighbors while aiding them: they may teach local youth valuable skills while emphasizing the importance of using those skills to contribute to their families and communities, or help a newcomer fix up a house while encouraging him to use it to start a family. They are unlikely to take action against cults of evil deities unless those worshipers directly threaten their community, although any adherent of a malevolent deity who strikes up a conversation with one of Alaister's followers can expect a stern lecture on her misguided beliefs.

Alaister's Paladin Code

The paladins of alaister are gruff, strict traditionalists. They seek to preserve the integrity of rural life and communities. Their tenets include the following affirmations.

• My community comes first, and i will contribute to it all that i can. If i don't give something back, who will?
• I must offer the poor in my community assistance, but i may not do the work for them instead, i must teach them to contribute to the settlement. It is only through cooperation that a community grows strong.
• When danger threatens, I am not a fool. I seek first to make sure the weak and innocent are safe, then i quell the danger.
• I keep the old ways, the true ways. I am not seduced by the lore of money and power. I remember that true honor comes from within, not from the accolades of others.

• I remember that reputation is everything. Mine is pure and upstanding, and i will repair it if is broken or tarnished. I stand by my decisions, and libe so that none shall have cause to blame me.
• I show respect to my elders, for they have done much.

• i show respect to the young, for they have much left to do. I show respect to my peers, for they carry the load and i shall carry it with them.

• I am honest, trustworhy, and stable. If i must leave my lands and community, before i go, i ensure that they will be tended in my absence. Even when duty calls, my duties to my home come first, letting them lapse makes me a burden to my people.

The following content has been adopted from the god, Erastil, created by Pazio. Due to the game's individual setting, races, names and locations may be altered or removed entirely. Please recognize that these gods are not canon to the world of Golarion, so any comments, complaints, or concerns can be directed to the game's admin staff for further inquiry and answers. Thank you in advance.

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