Torach, the God of Retribution (TOR-ack)
Torach, the god of Retribution, Justice, Honor, and patron god of Vigilantes, has a complicated role within the pantheon. An enforcer of justice and the hand of retribution, Torach would likely be one of the most active deities in the Emergent Plane, were his priority not to keep his brother Malavach, the God of Destruction from causing untold ruin upon the world.
Torach occupies an interesting position in the pantheon of major gods, as who he is would be best described in relation to the other major gods. Who Torach is and what he represents is different for different mortals due to the many interpretations of what might gain his favor, but there are some similarities in how most perceive his place among the gods.
Were the roles of the gods to be thought of in terms of a judicial system, Alleniel would be a judge, while Daemaskorn would be a prison warden. Torach embodies a similar role to a bailiff, but one who might aid someone who feels the system has failed them in seeking out vigilante justice. Torach is similar to Daemaskorn in that he fully believes punishment should be enacted upon those who deserve it, but unlike Daemaskorn, Torach does not see a wrongdoing as something to be eternally punished, and once someone has received their punishment, Torach would see the issue as resolved. Additionally, moreso than Daemaskorn, Torach would generally prefer a punishment fit the crime, though scales by which he decides a fitting response to a wrongdoing are... nebulous at best. He also bears similarities to Alleniel, in that he sees rules and laws as something that serves a purpose and should be upheld, but unlike Alleniel he would likely be more concerned with the spirit of the law rather than the letter of it, and has no problem with his followers disregarding one law in order to enact retribution for another more grievous crime.
Most telling about Torach however is his relationship with his brother, the God of Destruction, Malavach. One would think Torach would have a very active influence in the world, this is not the case. When the gods first entered the Emergent Plane, it was shortly after the arrival of Malavach. Knowing Malavach would destroy everything he could unless he was kept in check, it's said that Torach immediately charged into battle with his brother, a fight that has continued throughout all of history, creating the sun in the sky. While the idea of breaking one's word is fairly universally accepted as being a great transgression, the concept of what should be done about it is far more complicated, as the influences of Torach, Malavach, Daemaskorn and Alleniel all hold sway to some degree in a mortal's mind when considering what should be done. The simplest explanation might be that an individual seeking "vengeance" out of rage would likely be channeling Malavach's will, whereas if the same individual were seeking "justice" or "retribution" for a wrongdoing that most might accept as deserving of punishment yet went unpunished they would likely feel the influence and support of Torach.
Torach's appearance, similar to Malavach, is a mystery to mortals, as he has been locked in battle with Malavach since the gods first entered the Emergent Plane. However, visualizations of Torach frequently depict him as strong, heroic, and noble. Most commonly he is depicted as wearing glorious heavy armor, wielding a shining blade and pristine shield.
Because he cannot defeat his brother, and cannot flee the battle with Malavach or risk the world's annihilation (not that he would anyway), Torach tends to have more Paladins that follow him than other gods, as he seeks to employ any mortals who share his desire to keep evil in check at all costs. A Paladin need not gain their strength from a god directly, rather the devotion to their code, if they chose to uphold the will of a god the most likely prospects would be Alleniel or Torach, depending on their personal leanings. As such, Oath of Vengeance Paladins are common among the followers of Torach.
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