BA7 - The Judge

"It is a ghost story/adventure game. You play as a young girl, trapped in a dream like world. You discover, along with your best friend a toy rabbit, who you were and what happened to you in order to escape.  The story is abstract and is episodic; each chapter of her life being a story book. At the end, you are confronted by the 'Judge' and discover the meaning of this 'dream world'."

The Judge is the Guardian of Judgement in the Underworld.  He sets the trials of the souls that enter the Underworld and also weighs the good and bad the soul has done and determines their fate - to send them to the "Eternal Fields" (Heaven) or to the "Grave Plain" (Hell).  He is a neutral character with impartial ideas, views and beliefs.  He treats everyone equally and is not bias to anyone for what ever they've done.  He is rational, emotionless and has a job to do - he makes no exceptions to anyone; his word is final.

When the player sees The Judge, i want them to be un nerved by him.  The Judge looks intimidating and rather scary looking, even though he is a very neutral character - he is deciving.  I want it to play on the players mind that even though The Judge is big, powerful, intimidating, super natural and scary looking, he is not a threat.  The only threat that has presented itself to Rose was a human being - The Man.  There is only one scene of Rose and the Judge meeting, which is at the end to see if Rose has completed her trial and can go on to the afterlife.  Because of this, the player seeing the Judge in this new environment should be a relief, a sign that the end is near.  The player should also be aware that when they first see The Judge, that they are the presence of a God/Deity or some one/thing thats very important and supernatural.

I am basing his look on Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Dead.  I really like the black and gold looks of Anubis and will most likely use that colour scheme in my designs of the Judge.  I have not any concept work on the Judge just yet, but for now this description and some reference images should hopefully give you some idea of what im going for!