Malz

[Malz]

Name: Malz
AKA: Scholar, Puzzler, Moody Artist
Race: Konti
Born AV 480, 67th of Winter; 32 years old

A Portrait


Appearance
Malz pale skin is matched by her white shoulder-length hair that is often tucked into a messy bun. If you manage to see past her bangs, her deep green eyes will capture you. On the rare occasion they are pulled back, you can see the complex pattern of gold and silver scales across her forehead. Malz stands at about 5’2 and weighs around 98lbs, making her shorter and lighter than most. She often hides her gills with a scarf but keeps the scales and webbings on her hands exposed when she's working on her art. Otherwise she wears a simple pair of silk gloves that are stained slightly by various paints.

[Malz]

The Concept

A very analytical woman that fails to understand… well a lot of things the mysteries of life. This frustrates Malz, since the human mind seems to be able to grasp any puzzle yet there are just some things that aren’t known. Like most Konti, Malz almost breaks out in hives around conflict and such, so the glass wall between her and the world is very thick. She observes things so coldly it seems impossible for her to sense emotions. For the most part she tries to take steps back from situations and make proper choices, like her mother taught her.

Tries to resist temptations and actually coming down from the pedestal she puts herself on, lest her ego gets hurt. Yet in a strange way she loves it, loves how the world can hurt and sting, but be as sweet as honey the next second. There is some wonder to it, she feels. To Malz, the world is a never ending puzzle to be solved. No matter how hard a puzzle is though, Malz will not let anything stopping her from solving it. Sadly, she has much less patience for other problems and generally annoying things.

Of course the scholar Konti has weaknesses from being so separate from the real world. Like, even though she is a Konti, she fails to really understand emotions. They just confuse her and cause her to sit away till they pass. Emotions to her are a thing that only serve to cloud judgement and promote the drama she believes human's all secretly love.

Another thing Malz values, besides puzzles, is knowledge. She enjoys spending her days learning a variety of things and practicing her many skills. The downside of wanting to know so much is her inability to focus on one area. And, a painter/sculptor/mathematician not surprisingly does not get hired very often.

Pros & Cons

- A very determined problem solver, who will stop at nothing till the answer is unearthed, or until it is agreed upon that their is no answer.
- A chaotic nature that makes her quite testing of things and sometimes people. She often tries to uphold promises, but if the subject just doesn't interest her enough or she bores, then it's extremely unlikely she gets the task done.
- Her curiosity, frequently causing Malz to learn new and interesting facts and share them with others.
- Her curiosity, frequently causing Malz to annoy others.
- Generally helpful nature, interested in making new friends rather than enemies.
- Sometimes seems too friendly and almost fake. Sometimes is cruel when her actual cold nature slips.

[Malz]

The History

“Like most Konti woman, my mother, Angua hardly knew her mate. He was a scholar from Taldera that crossed the sea to the White Isle only for a brief study. He spent most of his time studying in the extensive medical library and rarely explored the island. While there he met Angua, the young Opal Order healer. They became lovers quickly, and he left even quicker. Soon I was born and brought up here, learning about the arts.”

This is how many Konti stories go, a mother wanting a child but not having much interest in a mate. The child never knows her father, and enjoys a peaceful childhood on the island. Malz is an exception to this, as her father returned when she was seven years old, with apparently her “Half-brother”.

The Northerner was in love with Angua, and though he did have a wife back home, was still taken by the Konti. He explained he was kicked out of the house after he finally confessed to the affair and spent his savings on returning to the island. Angua at first pitied the man for having no home, but wasn’t sure she wanted to accept him into her family. Maybe if Angua had been blessed by Avalis like her daughter, she would have been able to avoid the rage this put him in. The eventual argument was, sadly, inevitable.

Young Malz sat outside the small beach house. Curious turquoise eyes choosing rocks to uplift and fish to watch. The sun was beginning to drift lazily into the dusk, making the world glow amber as if it was preserved in resin. Soon, the voices from the house stopped yelling and went silent with a crash.

The door burst open and out came the figure of her father, a face like stone. The young Konti stared up at him along with his son, and he simply stared at nothing.

Malz was then taken off the island discretely with her father and half-brother. There wasn’t any questioning of what happened that day, and tried as she may her gift from the goddess didn’t allow her to see what had happened. It allowed her to see many other things though, and her gifts separated her from her new family. They didn’t understand her visions and easily grew frustrated with her.

This caused Malz to grow away from her father, and wasn’t fond of her half-brother as well. He wouldn’t acknowledge her as family, and even though Malz recognized they didn’t look or act anything alike, was still hurt by the affair. Malz drowned herself in a world of arts and learning, her father hired her tutors and spoiled her with books, not being particularly good at addressing her any way other. Malz became more in love with the complexity of the world as time grew, honing her gifts and talents even though she was outside Konti society.

Eventually, Malz was forced to completely break off contact with her father around the age of 15. Slowly and slowly, as he gift for divination grew more potent, she saw more things from her father’s past. This conflict and emotion frightened her, and was slowly worrying about the day her visions would allow her to discover what happened to her mother. The child’s interest for puzzles had already budded, but that was one thing she just didn’t want to know. Suddenly, she packed her bags and went to live with her brother.

Though at first it was rocky, her brother came to accept Malz. His blame shifted from her and her mother, to his father for ending the marriage. The two have slowly become much closer, bonding over a mutual hate for their father, and actually accepting each other as siblings.

Malz’s brother has moved away now to his home, working odd jobs and seeing the world. Malz has chosen to stay in Syliras. Though she does not plan to go back to the White Isle, she prefers staying close to it. The mystery of what happened to her mother still haunts her mind, but has managed to keep herself busy with the exciting city. Still, how long can she keep herself away from such a big puzzle?

The Gift - Blurred Beauty

Unlike other Konti's who are cursed to see the darkness in someone's life, Malz sees the beauty. Upon eye contact, Malz can experience short visions of what they consider beautiful. They are mostly just flashes of color and vague shapes, and sometimes solid images if the person is extremely enamored with certain subjects. This gift is Malz's main source of inspiration for her paintings, and is extremely useful when commissioned.

Gnosis Mark - lvl 1
Malz also has been blessed by Avalis, and possess a single lily on the back of her neck. Along with her scales it shimmers and glistens in the sun.

[Malz]

Knowledge

Skills
Mathematics (Specializing in Algebra) [13]

A tad of a nerd, math has always captured her interest. Also, it’s fun to show off to the less educated. The Konti developed her interest in math from her father.

Drawing [5]

Malz slowly focuses on drawing simple forms to further her art skills.

Sculpting [10]

Ever since she was young, she always liked working with clay, mostly because it is so squishy and fun. Malz has been commissioned for a few minor sculptures so far, but nothing “Ground-breaking” as she puts it.

Painting [22]

Paint is the Konti’s favorite medium, and so she carries her case of paint and easel with her almost everywhere, painting whatever her gift allows her to see.

Fortune Telling [10 {racial}]

Trust Malz, she’s a Konti, she knows what’s going to happen. Her favored method of reading someone’s future is through her cards.

Lore

Making Paint out of Natural Resources
Painting Technique; Glazing

Language
Fluent – Common

Malz has been with humans for so long she's much more use to common.

Basic – Kontinese

Moving from the White Isle has caused Malz's native tongue to grow rusty.

Poor - Vani

Her father, despite being human, and half-brother grew up in Taldera. Malz managed to learn a little of the language from being around them.

Possessions

Family Heirloom – The Painter’s Set
In the konti’s hand is a brief case, quite a heavy thing, she drags it around despite the leather wearing on the bottom. Paint splatters the sides of the thing, and on the inside are various different brushes. The kit contains a few jars of homemade paint, made from the formula of egg whites and crushed flower petals. Some other colors also come from the more complicated formula of water, skim milk, egg whites, and various other earthly elements. An example would be the deep red paints that are derived from rust. Besides the naturally made paint, it is essentially the standard Artist Toolkit.

Clothing
A loose pink and blue wool shirt, white blouse (Stained by paint, of course), light blue skirt that hangs below knees, leather shoes, stockings, brown scarf, heavy leather coat, silver headband, and full cape.

• 1 Waterskin
• 1 Backpack which contains:
• 1 Set of Toiletries (comb, brush, razor, soap)
• Food for a week or 1
• 1 eating knife
• Flint & Steel
• False Knife
• Fortune Teller’s Cards - 78 cards with various figures and spirits on them, mimicking the normal tarot deck.

Housing – “It’s not much, but no good artist gets to live in a castle.”

1 basic 20x20 single, windowless room in the castle of Syliras
- Containing hearth, bunk, chest, chair, poor bed, good desk, poor bookcase, average arm chair, and small table.

Ledger

Money Matters :

+ Base 100 gm
- Clothing (1 sm wool shirt, 4 gm silver headband, 2 gm full cape)
- False Knife 5 gm
- Cards 10 gm
- Furniture (4gm arm chair, 1gm poor bed, 5gm good desk, 1gm poor bookcase)

= 77 gm, 9 sm