Aranna, the Judge of the Damned

Inquisitor of the Cleansing Flame

Aranna is known as the Goddess of Burning Justice and serves as the fifth pillar of the Therion Pantheon.
She is considered the goddess of judgment, wrath, and truth.
An unusual soul amongst her fellow deities of the Nether, Aranna serves as a keeper of truth and order across the world tree. Her fury's said to keep the Nether in balance, striking down those who'd seek to stand against their masters. It's believed that all souls will eventually stand before her in death, her judgment deciding their fate in reaching the heavenly realms of the afterlife, or the unending terrors of the dark abyss.

Appearance

Aranna's believed to hail from the devilish races, depictions often varying between a hideous amalgamation of fiendish features to a graceful and elegant, but fierce, warrior. Regardless of her form, her tail is thought to be a fiery whip and much of her body is wreathed in the flames of judgment. Another feature that remains across all her depictions is her eyes, scorching with the fury of the Nether.
She's most often wearing her armor, ever a warrior at heart, but has been depicted in flaming robes akin to certain officials of the law. Rarely is she seen without her mace, or at the very least a cudgel used to enforce order from those around her. It's rare to find any depictions in which she takes on a mortal form, most people choosing to respect and fear her visage as to appease her judgment in days to come.

Personality

Aranna's oath to her charge makes her well respected by many as she will never tell a lie in her service towards law and order. Hailing from realms known for its lying and deceitful creatures, Aranna stands out as one devoid of trickery, knowing only honesty in her actions. So much in fact that she'll rarely coat her words with kindness, letting her true feelings known no matter the circumstances.
Her heart burns with a fiery passion, showing no mercy to those who use deceit throughout their years to get ahead in life. Similarly, she holds a strong hatred towards criminals and the people who'd use the law to further their own schemes. It's widely believed that any lie spoken in her presence is met with a swift and painful sentence, marking their bodies for the rest of their days at best or being cast into darkness at worst.
Despite her strong emotions in most situations, she's often forced to control herself to maintain her duties as a being of judgment. While certainly not one to look kindly towards lies and crimes, she'll always judge the souls of the damned fairly, weighing their sins against the intentions of their hearts. Anyone sworn by oath within her gaze remain protected by her flames until their trial comes to an end, any disrupting her justice meeting the same fate as one who'd break their oath to speak only the truth.

Abilities

Aranna's believed to have the ability to see through any and all deceptions before her. Illusions and enchantments have no effect on her and any such use will only sear the flesh and mind of the user, much like lies will set their tongue ablaze. Those who fail to remain truthful in her presence are said to be branded forevermore by her mark, revealing to the world that they chose to defy the will of a goddess.
She's well known for being an excellent warrior, commonly clad in armor with her mace at her side. Similarly, she wields a powerful mastery over fire and flames, using it to scorch her enemies or trap them within searing cages, forcing them into submission or suffer an agonizing death. Her flames can similarly be used to aid her allies, protecting them or cleansing their wounds albeit with the swift pain of a flame washing over them.

Worship

Despite her terrifying ways, Aranna is surprisingly well received by cultures otherwise intimidated by the beings of the Nether. Her demand for truth is one that many greatly appreciate when dealing with criminals and others who use deception to achieve their goals. While certain practices are often forbidden, outside extreme circumstances, keepers of the law still maintain deep respect for her guidance and insight into dealing with those who disregard law and order. But despite the prohibited methods, others can still find these people incredibly intimidating and would rather avoid them, often by avoiding any criminal intent.
Anyone devoted to Aranna is bound to an oath of truth. Never are they allowed to speak a single lie and thus makes them some of the most brutally honest people in the world. Those who do break their oath are said to suffer agonizing pain as punishment, which is often a theme with Aranna's devotees. If the opportunity presents itself, they have no qualms using violent and torturous methods to wring the truth from those before them. Many have come to live within the cities to serve as enforcers of law and order while others would rather travel the world and judge any miscreants they might come across.

Commandments

• Speak only the truth. Lies and deceit bring naught but misery and pain to the soul.
• Bring judgment down upon those who would defile the sanctity of your oath.
• The hand of death is final. May the soul find peace in the flames of liberty.

Notable Relations

Allegiances

• Nergal - Legend has it that Aranna wields but a flicker of Nergal's destructive flame, having once served as his champion in days of old and continues to uphold her oath.
• Dohanna - Although Aranna cares little for secrets, she holds great respect for Dohanna's aid in the passage of death and her honesty in most matters.
• Ylora - Despite her fiendish origins, Aranna does well to abstain from sin, respecting the guidance of Ylora in addition to the purifying flames she wields.

Oppositions

• Jayle - Aranna has little patience for mischievous souls, known well to unleash her fury upon Jayle and those who walk his shadows to avoid their judgment.
• Ossara - Death is sacred in the eyes of Aranna and Ossara bears the eternal mark of blasphemy for the armies of undead she has wrought since the dawn of time.
• Laressa - Even a simple white lie may invoke the ire of Aranna, her wrath easily stoked by souls such as Laressa, a hatred once fueled by her ascension to the light.

Divinity

Goddess of Burning Justice

Title(s)

Hammer of Damnation
Devil's Enforcer
Oathkeeper

Moral Compass

Oath & Goal

Symbol

Scorched gavel

Phrase

Truth & justice to the faithful

Reputation

Dreaded

Presence

Exclusive

Plane

Oculus

Realm

Halls of the Damned