Oh see it's not at all that she incited someone to kill a woodcut-maker. It's that he was secretly a fiend. Killing fiends is allowed.

ACCESS WESTCROWN special edition!

Blind item— C., a Duchess of Chelam, has had her lover G., an Archdevil of Hell, murdered! According to our source C. had already entered a new relationship with E., a Lich of the Sewers, and wished to remove the old.

In response to certain woodcuts, the Church of Iomedae issues its standard statement that the Goddess as she currently exists is believed to be incapable of sexual or romantic attraction and that eroticizing her is strongly disrecommended as an act of devotion.

They did already have this one written, to the great relief of the person who would otherwise have to write it. This isn't the first incident with a woodcut.

... they may have had to edit in 'as she currently exists'.

Certain people, lacking a word for this novel and fascinating type of relationship, may have begun using variants on Alfirin's name to refer to it.

After learning about the church’s announcement, Thea eagerly reads the entire unredacted passage.  It seems obvious why the might have trimmed it, even with no risk of child, the Church of Iomedae prefers chastity, self reliance, and commitment to ideals over romantic entanglements.

She’s gotten the impression Irori also values temperance and self reliance which is too bad because Thea can see the appeal of a Chaotic Good woman who is also a powerful arcane caster as a lover.  Nuria meets two out of three of those requirements, but she’ll probably be gone after the convention to travel the world and Thea has her monastery to look after.

Some sadly Ignorant People, raised by Asmodean Tyrants unaware of a common Form of LOVE, have recently taken Blessed Iomedae's love for Alfirin the Arch-Lover as its Arch-etype.

I am a Devotee of Shelyn, Holy Goddess of all Love, and I tell you the Love of Woman for Woman was never hidden or proscribed by Iomedaeans but by Asmodeans only. It is a Good and common Sort of LOVE, practiced from Lastwall to Osirion.

In truth, the Church of Iomedae hid and proscribed this Forbidden, Secret Love because it is between Lawful and Chaotic Good. It is Holy Shelyn's own Love Despite Alignments, which She offered Iomedae at Alfirin the Arch-Lover's prayer.

The Church of Iomedae has forsworn True Love. They praise chastity, but Virtues are only so in Moderation. What is Lifelong Chastity, if not a Rejection of Love?

Love is not a Duty or an instrument in service to a Goal. Love is not a distraction tolerated only to Bear Children. Love is the Greatest Good. And to be Good is to want Good for Everyone, and so to love Everyone.

Leave Iomedae, and come to the Church of Holy Shelyn. She will teach you of Love without Borders or Boundaries. Just as She Loves even her Evil Brother, so should you Love All without fear, and certainly Chaotic Good Women.

ON THE VIRTUES OF ALFIRINIC LOVE

Consider:

The LOVE between man and woman has risk of producing a CHILDE, requiring carefully planned arrangement and commitment both for risk of pregnancy and child birth and the care of child afterwards.  While two WOMEN may ALFIRINICALLY LOVE each other freely without worry about such obligation and burden!  Consider the overflowing orphanages of Cheliax!

The LOVE between man and woman involves a man, and men are known for rapacious appetites and aptitude towards cruelty.   The ALFRINIC LOVE between two WOMEN is free of this, with the lovers bringing only the pure gentle womanly virtues to the relationship.  Consider the EVILES which Cheliax is now trying to overcome!

Some question why the church originally redacted such passages from Iomedae’s ACTS!  They propose ALFIRINIC love is too Chaotic.  But Chaotic Good and Lawful Good are friends and allies (just as Iomedae and Alfirin were as lovers).  In truth, Alfirin foresaw a need for secrecy to plot a war against Hell as a secretly Ascended Chaotic Good Goddess!  With Asmodeus having recently suffered a cripplingly devastating defeat, and Iomedae weakened in battle, Alfirin has seen the time for secrecy is over so that she may openly come to Iomedae’s aid and thus she directed her secret CULT (based in Westcrown, having previously disguised themselves as a CULT of a hellish Queen to deceive the Thrunes and even HELL itself!) leaked the TRUTH to the world so all my know of the RIGHTEOUS and GLORIOUS LOVE which may exists between two WOMEN!

...On the one hand, it's a pamphlet. On the other hand, it can't hurt to pray to Alfirin for some clarity here.

The disclaimer on the officially available supplement to the Acts now reads:

THE CHURCH OF IOMEDAE FORMALLY DISRECOMMENDS THAT LAYPERSONS READ THIS MATERIAL.

ALFIRIN WAS* NOT A GOOD PERSON.

ALFIRIN WAS* NOT A ROLE MODEL.

ALL CONTEMPORARY COMMENTARY ON ALFIRIN WHICH THE CHURCH OF IOMEDAE HAS EXAMINED HAS CONTAINED SERIOUS HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL INACCURACIES.

(*) If, hypothetically, Alfirin were still alive and active on Golarion, the Church would have decided not to tell you about it.

Discourse of The Iniquitous Amanuensis to Enlighten the Befuddled Males unaware of the Existence of Amorous Love

I have of late seen Much Confusion resulting from the Newly Revealed Chapters of the holy Acts of Iomedae concerning the Relations of the Mortal Iomedae with Her Lover. I suppose it chiefly the Confusion of Males as Biologically Incapable of Amorous Love as they are of Bearing Children.

The Woman by her Nature desires to Embrace her Fellow Woman; it is Innate to that Sex and Quite Natural. Iomedae was of course a Mortal Woman before She was a Goddess and had this same Innate Drive. I suppose it was Befuddled Males who Deleted these Portions of the holy Acts and am glad of their Return.

I suppose there to be Forms of Male Comradeship which while Nonphysical are Innate to the Male Sex. The Duration of alter self may be Insufficient for me to feel the Pull of whatever Analogous Drive there may be in place of Physical Love but perhaps you the Befuddled Male Reader may know it and draw Analogy.

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE MOSTE SECRET ALFRINIC CULT

Although Alfirin was removed from Iomedae’s Holy Text at Alfirin’s own request (that she may wage war on Hell in secret), secret cults have maintained her worship and teachings! (This is not blasphemy, she ascended as a demigoddess of Elysium shortly after Iomedae’s own ascension).  Her secret cults have operated under a variety of names to hide from the Thrunes and even deceive Hell!  Some of her names are as follows.

ERECURA (Under this name Alfirin had one of her clerics, Theopho Levan Watcher of the Runes, operate seemingly openly under the Thrunes, brazenly deceiving them!  But consider: Could a chosen of a Queen of Hell channel positive energy?  Would a chosen of a Queen of Hell spend so much time healing the sick and tending to the poor?  Would a chosen of a Queen of Hell give such true and helpful advice opposing Evil to so many?  Would any so committed to Hell free their slaves the moment it was legal and richly pay them to go about their new free lives?)

EISETH (Under this name, Alfirin had a cult well known for helping women in need, disguising it as a matter of cruel revenge under the Thrunes, and now openly helping needing beggar women.)

ASHAVA (Known as a millennia old Empyreal Lord under this name, but in truth this was a deception against Hell to mislead them as to her true age and origin.)

FORMALLY DISRECOMMENDS THAT LAYPERSONS READ THIS MATERIAL

Fernando is kind of tempted to read about Alfirin, so he’ll know what not to do, but he is capable of following clear instructions!  He is layperson, so he does not read the material, or even any pamphlet mentioning this “Alfirin”. 

...Two women hugging each other is a type of sex?? Wow, sex with women is great, apparently, and also way easier than she thought.

......did Valia know they were, apparently, having sex?

"THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE MOSTE SECRET ALFRINIC CULT" is proselytizing for infernal powers. That one gets a death sentence.

(And, more subtley, importing more Shelynites from Isarn who've known about women sleeping together for centuries. They joys of cultural exchange!)

No see, she was claiming that Alfirin was disguising herself as an infernal power, not that the infernal powers named were themselves Good! 

She was just trying to make a few coins, laundry no longer pays a living wage, even without school debts! 

She’s been in one of Theopho’s channels herself, he can’t be evil!  

She watched that Eisethia girl give alms to a beggar, she can’t be Evil!

This was her first pamphlet!

(The judge is unmoved by any of these arguments.)

Pamphlets are 30 days imprisoned right?  And they are even feeding prisoners now?  At least she’ll survive.  What?  Proselytizing for Infernal Powers is a death sentence!  She was pamphleeting, not proselytizing!  (The judge continues to be unmoved by this distinction.)

She’ll refuse the mercy of the final blade, she’s hopeful she can make Elysium, and sure she can at least make the Maelstrom.  She hopes she comes back as a Brimorak to burn this city!

(Carlota Chelam, can you please get on with it with the banning all pamphlets?)

(Nice work with Geryon, by the way.)

Secret Ways of Far Osirion

Are you an unmarried man seeking to avoid vice? Is your girlfriend refusing you unless you adopt a dozen orphans? Did your wife and mistress learn of each other and run off to practice the Alfrinic Ways? These calamities befall countless Men of Westcrown.

Consider the Secret Ways of Far Osirion. 

How do the men of Far Osirion, forbidden from the touch of woman until marrying and forbidden from marrying until the age of fifty, survive? How did Holy Abadar and the Royal Pharo produce a son of legendary power despite both being men? 

Behold, the Secret Ways of Far Osirion!

How does one obtain these techniques? If of Lawful temperament, go to the temple of Abadar and find a foreign cleric. If of Anarchic temperament, the Calistrians possess the same secret knowledge.

Heck yes we do.

Simplicio: Lo, I will pray to Abadar for Knowledge of Intimate Relations between Men, for a Vile Pamphlet has told me that such are Practised in Far Osirion.

Abadar: Pray tell, what are these Men and Women of which you Speak? I perceive only Economic Agents.

An image traced from a romance novel, with Ancient Orisonian royal garb crudely added onto one figure and a holy symbol of scales on the other.

Caption: Who’s my little economic agent?”

THE CHURCH OF IOMEDAE FORMALLY DISRECOMMENDS THAT LAYPERSONS READ THIS MATERIAL.

The laundry-wizards will dutifully copy this disclaimer as part of the Acts of Iomedae and Alfirin! They can call this the Authorized Version! 

Unfortunately, the disclaimer and the Acts are sold together, and laypeople are disinclined not to read for something they've already paid for.

Also, the epic verse is great. Did you know there was epic verse about doomed romance? (And not even in Old Skald!) The market has a great and yearning demand that Nuria Tosta is very far from filling.

The DANGERS of ALFIRIC RELATIONS

While it is known that the practice of Alfiric Love brings many BENEFITS, among them Safety from Pregnancy and Joyful Relaxation in Feminine Fellowship, there is also a GRAVE DANGER in such relations:

One who practices ALFIRIC LOVE will NEVER AGAIN BE SATISFIED IN MARRIAGE!

For though the Marital Act bring Some Small Pleasure even to the Woman, it is well known that the Man achieves the Greater Degree of Satisfaction. As his Naive Bride knows no differently, she feels herself Fully Satisfied as well - but THIS IS NOT SO! Once she has learned of the Tender Touch of a FELLOW WOMAN, No Man Shall Ever Again Compare!

Indeed, it is FOR THIS VERY REASON that HOLY IOMEDAE, having known the Exquisite Touch of Her Archmage Lover, NEVER TOOK A HUSBAND!

You need not believe the words of this Simple Pamphlet - the Experienced Women of the RIPE PLUM will gladly Share Their Knowledge on these matters. They have Practiced the Afiric Arts for many generations, and become SKILLED MISTRESSES OF THIS HIDDEN PLEASURE!

Heed well, women of Westcrown! If you wish to remain Satisfied With Your Meager Lot and free from the Allures of Greater Pleasures, then at all costs avoid the RIPE PLUM on WINERY STREET!

It's not that he doesn't appreciate the compliments but that can't be a good idea to publish. Please stop.

Ah, she's been executed already? Well, shit.

Erecura has nothing to do with Alfirin to the best knowledge of Westcrown's Local Expert on Erecura, save that they were probably both born mortal women and the Church of Iomedae disapproves of both of them. Eiseth probably has even less in common.

Please do not promote the worship of Erecura in Cheliax, as that is Illegal. Even if you happen to worship Erecura, Her dictates would advise you not to spread it to others under these circumstances. Promoting worship of Eiseth is also illegal, and also definitely Evil and stupid, so you shouldn't spread that no matter what Eiseth thinks. And should also stop worshipping her, seriously, why.

Also, Erecura is notorious for her romantic involvement with a male archdevil. What were you thinking.

The author knows nothing of Ashava and takes no position on Her, but if she's not a Power of Hell it's probably harmless to believe She is an ex-mortal archmage and harmless to believe She isn't.

-- Theopho Lebanel, empowered of Erecura and local expert. Former proprietor of the temple of Erecura, which has been voluntarily shut down.

He's going to go check with a Crown prosecutor before publishing this just in case, but it seems safe enough.

With the reëmergence of Westcrown as the Capital City of Cheliax, formerly the Western Taldoran Empire, many proposals have circulated regarding the name of Westcrown, and even the Mad Galtan Cotonnet has convened a convention to consider new names for the City, being it no longer the Crown of the West but instead the Crown of Cheliax Freeëd.

The new excerpts of The Acts of Iomedae reveal to us a new saint of the Iomedaean Faith, the new State Religion of Cheliax, and provide for us the possibility of a name based on this heretofore unknown Saint, much like the city of San Arnisant in Taldor or Marittown in Mendev. While many small towns have duplicated names, this would be most inappropriate for a Capital City, which should be unique amongst all cities of the world, and since all other Iomedaeaen Saints have their names taken in use of other cities, we must swiftly rename ourselves to Saint Alfirinsburg, in order to prevent a jealous rival from stealing this name.

Not only does the State Religion of Iomedaeaeanism point us in this direction; for the land of Cheliax is now known for its many Wizard Schools and also of the Four Archmages who freeëd our country from Asmodeus (Messirs. Cotonnet and Shawil, and Mmes. Cotonnet and Dujardin, the Queen being a mightly swordswoman and no Archmage), and thus to name our country after an Archmage of Yore who defended it from the evil skeleton Tar Bafon is right and just, and though the Church of Iomedae judges her Evil, so does it judge us as evil, and yet we both do Worship Iomedae.

While it is unknown where she is today, whether ascended to one of the higher planes as Iomedae's godly lover or still living as many Archmages do achieve, she certainly would look fondly on our remembrance of her via the Naming of our City, and guide us to bright new futures with her Mage Hand.