Laneth
Grave Mistress, Frigid Matron, Lady of Undeath. The people know Laneth by many names. She is the Genasi goddess of undeath, a strict and domineering queen of the undead, and pinnacle member of the New Gods that the Aitso people fear. This was not always so however, for in Axelay myth Laneth was once a flame deity that resided with Scalan in his realm. She oversaw the small, fleeting flames that Sol would give to the mortal world to propagate life. Laneth enjoyed her work, but was always saddened when a mortal flame flickered away. When an old Axelay Resident felt themselves slipping into the hands of death, they prayed to Laneth to to send him another flame to prolong his life. Moved by his plea, Laneth granted him another flame. Again, he began to die, again he prayed, and again Laneth gave him fire to keep him alive. But each time she gave him fire and extended his life, he saw his body would deteriorate faster and faster with each flame she gave. He was in pain and she wished to find a way to help him. She found her answer in a taboo for a flame deity. Fire consumes, but cold preserves. In secret, she traveled to the icy realm of death, the home of the dark god Valdur, and took a shard of unmelting ice. She infused the ice with the her power over life and presented it to the Male. The ice extinguished his flame of life, but strangely, he was kept alive and his body no longer felt the pains of death. Soon, many others that feared death heard about Laneth's act and prayed to her for safety from death, and Laneth could not help but answer their prayers and grant them icy reprieves from the realms of Sol and Valdur. When Sol discovered the existence of the undying mortals touched by cold and learned that it was one of his own flame gods that dared to wield the cold to break the cycle of life and death, he was furious. Sol confronted Laneth, he demanded to know the truth. Laneth told him that what he had heard was true and defended her actions. Sol would hear none of it. In a blinding, chaotic rage, he took up his flame-wreathed hammer and and struck her down. However, she did not stay dead. He time spent dabbling with mixing cold death and warm life had tainted her. Like those she had "helped", she would know no death. Her flame was gone, but life returned to her limp form and she stood and faced Sol once more. Sol struck her down once again and once again she rose.
Though Laneth played no part in killing the old gods, she holds a vital place among the New Gods. She is known as the Second Cleric, and was the first to complete to Colossal Calamities.
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