![[Verified by Luminescence]](./images/checkmark.png "[Verified by Luminescence]")
Malachi Tiderunner
Name: Malachi Tiderunner
Race: Svefra
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Date of Birth: 1, Summer of 483 AV
Birthplace: Suvan Sea
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200 lbs
Eyecolor: Ocean Blue
Haircolor: Raven Black
Skintone: Sunkissed Tan
Appearance
Malachi's muscles are lean and toned due to the rigorous conditions the life of a sailor leads. His light tanned skin is typically sunburnt on his cheekbones, forehead, chest, shoulders, and upper back. His long raven black hair cascades down to the center of his back, often tied half up with a thin piece of hemp rope. The occasional braid falls here and there, some with glass beads, others with shells adorned within. His roguishly handsome features are sharp; framed with a close kept beard. A pair of piercing ocean blue eyes glisten beneath dark brooding brows with a deep gash running horizontally within the right side. His body is riddled with beautifully inked tattoos of blue waves that seem to be flowing and alive. On his ribs, he bares impressive stylized Sharks (his personal Tavan and the symbol of his pod) which run from his sides up the front of his chest.
Character Concept
Upon the first impression, Malachi is a carefree soul who always seems to have a snarky smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His boisterous laugh can seem to carry over the most crowded of rooms. This complements his bawdy sense of humor and quick wit quite well. But, beneath those sparkling ocean blue eyes harbor an intensity, weighing and measuring everyone he comes into contact with. When business is to be "taken care of," this Svefra can grow quite imposing. He is slow to trust outsiders, but once you gain his respect he is fiercely loyal.
History
The Beginning...
Malachi was conceived of two proud Svefra lovers: Malak and Qarina Tiderunner. He was born during the first day of the summer in the year 483 AV aboard a beautiful Palivar vessel within the center of the Suvan Sea. Qarina was proud of the birth of her firstborn son, praying to Laviku for him to be as strong and loving as his father. Upon cutting the umbilical cord of the young child he did not open his eyes nor give a single cry. This greatly concerned the new parents as they were fully expecting to hear their child's cry out to the new world. The Tiderunner Pod's Lia Vestra looked upon the newly conceived baby, judgingly examining its tiny frame. He was slightly larger than average size and seemed to be breathing, but would not show any further sign of "life." Lia Vestra proclaimed that only Laviku's embrace could declare this child worthy and tossed it overboard for judgment.
As the newborn sunk deeper and deeper within the water's depths he opened his arms from the fetal position for the first time. The cold waters enveloped his small frame with a sense of love and relaxation. Next, his legs pulled open from his chest allowing full circulation through his body. The baby began paddling its hands and feet gently, the force of its motion propelling him through the depths. Regardless of how dark it was, Malachi's eyes allowed him to make out all of the glory of the ocean depths. The baby's lips curled into a smile for the first time. Large schools of multi-colored fish swam around past him, wreathes of coral scraped against his naked flesh - he was in a state of absolute bliss.
The Tiderunner pod was always followed by a family of Sand Tiger Sharks who had now sniffed out where the newborn had swum off to. One, in particular, with a slight gash over its right eye lunged itself beneath the child allowing its silky flesh to run across the child's belly. Instinctively, the baby wrapped its tiny fingers around the dorsal fin and was quickly rushed up to the surface of the waters with a loud burst and splash of water. The sudden jolt away from the comfort of the waters caused the young baby to bellow out in sorrow, longing for the sweet embrace of the waters below. Overhead, the Tiderunner Pod had been awaiting the potential rise of the child and was not disappointed. As Lia Vestra looked down upon the blue-eyed infant upon the back of a Sand Tiger Shark wailing to be back into the sea she gained a deepened sense of admiration for the boy. He was clearly a fighter, which is a good omen for a promising future not only for the boy but for the pod as a whole. With his survival of the trial of the depths she looked up him with a smile. "Malachi..." she stated for the first time "Your baby's name is Malachi."
Growing Up...
Malachi's childhood years were that of the average Svefra child. He would spend countless hours running along shorelines, diving off of rock faces and docks, or seeing who could hold their breath longest. Even so, he always managed to separate himself past the chores his family would put forth onto him, or the ignorant ramblings of other children his age, and find alone time to swim the ocean's depths. His soul was always in search of something grander, something larger than the Nal'lyeo, or the next hustle. Qarina would read or quote to him the religious teachings of Laviku and he would soak it in like a sea sponge. He knew that if he were able to swim a little deeper, a little longer, a little further, that Laviku might show favor unto him.
When he was not admiring Laviku's splendor he was following toe-and-toe with his father. Malachi had a fierce admiration for his father. If Malak went out fishing, Malachi was on his hip. He would examine carefully how hooks were made, lines were tied, and a catch was brought in. He took his father's teachings as gospel. Malak would take him out on their Casinor and explain knot tying, basic ship maintenance, and how to sail Laviku's open arms. But, it was Malak's way with the sword that Malachi found the most awe-inspiring. Malak had been of another pod prior to his nuptials with Qarina and was brought into the pod not only for his admiration of a Tiderunner woman but for his fighting capabilities. The way he glided over even the most questionable of terrain or the way his body flowed between strikes was like an intricate dance that Malachi had to learn.
Spending as much time alone as he did, or the way that the Lia had always favored Malachi had some of the other children grow resentful of him. Malachi found himself in a countless amount of brawls. When he was younger he would be on the receiving end of many beatings by some of the older children. He would find himself wading, cleaning off his wounds within the Salt Water painfully. He took every beating as a lesson. Maybe this was why he admired his father's strength. This may have possibly been why Malak allowed his son to be so close. They never spoke of the "whys" they just acted upon them. Malak taught his son to be a man of action - not of words. As Malachi grew more resilient it would be he fending off his bullies and being known for having great martial prowess. Malachi took all of those beatings and his overcoming of them as a lesson about his own will. He vowed never to let another person attempt to assert their will on to him; He refused to give them such power. This did mold his personality to be slightly colder, and more calculating - but he promised himself never to be made the fool ever again. He did not care if this intimidated others. If it were Laviku's will for him to be stronger and them beneath him then so be it.
Currently
Three decades had passed since he last was made a victim. Now nearing close to his fortieth year of existence he has become quite the man. His deep voice is often heard bellowing out in laughter amongst his peers as they jabber away about the recent tavern brawl or Nal'lyeo in Fratava tongue. Since the passing of his father some 10 years ago he is left providing for his mother, which he holds no quarrels with. He is often hired as muscle for some of the Svefra traders as they dock on foreign shores to trade wares. He finds the art of haggling, let alone in common speak, quite entertaining and surmises his own approaches but tries not to intervene being that his "talents" are more useful when negotiations go sideways.
He still finds immense joy in swimming, often obtaining trinkets of the sea or his travels to tie into his hair or have made into jewelry. He is riddled with beautiful tattoos symbolizing past exploits, and a Mark of Laviku which flows slowly around his body. He trains daily with his father's cutlass, never wishing to lose the values that were bestowed upon him during their sessions. On the surface, it may have seemed as footwork, tempo, range, and angles. Yet, as he finds himself climbing in years he realizes all that his father was trying to translate through the blade. With the training of footwork came trying to traverse over even the rockiest of times. As long as one can find their footing they are never flat-footed. Attempting to control the tempo of a situation allows you to always maintain the upper hand. This calculating way of observing life also allows you to tactically press or retreat all on your will and purpose. If you are not in range of your adversary, you may never be able to strike them. Though the biggest lesson about life and the blade is that you do not fight at your range but at your opponent's. Always respect the other's viewpoint and you will find yourself naturally closing off those openings. And lastly angles -not everything is a straight line. In a fight, you find the best openings when taking yourself off of the centerline. In life, we should strive to do the same. Take yourself out of situations that you know will lead down one path and adversely find your own openings toward your trajectory.
Malachi is open to this new world, eager to find a foothold and carve out his own path.
Language
Fluent Language: Fratava
Basic Language: Common
Poor Language: N/A
Skills
| Skill | EXP | Total | Proficiency |
| Fishing | 5 SP | 5 | Novice |
| Intimidation | 9 SP | 9 | Novice |
| Sailing | 5 SP | 5 | Novice |
| Swimming | 10 RB | 10 | Novice |
| Unarmed Combat | 5 SP | 5 | Novice |
| Weapon Skills: Cutlass | 26 SP | 26 | Competent |
Lore
Lore of Svefra Culture
Lore of Religion: Laviku, God of the oceans and seas
Possessions
1 Set of Clothing
-Simple Shirt, Slate Black (Linen)
-Simple Pants, Dark Brown (Leather)
-Simple Undergarments, Slate Black (Linen)
-Simple Coat, Brown (Leather)
-Simple Boots, Black (Leather)
1 Waterskin
1 Backpack which contains:
-Comb (Wood)
-Brush (Wood)
-Soap
-Razor
-Balanced Rations (1 Week's worth)
-1 eating knife
-Flint & Steel
100 Gold Mizas
Heirloom
Father's Cutlass (Steel) - Malachi, while extremely jovial is slow to allow people close to him. His father was an admirable man. Lithe in stature compared to himself, but fiery in spirit. He was the one who first threw Malachi to the Sharks to teach him how to swim. He showed him how to fish, taught him how to love, and how to laugh. One of Malachi's fondest memories was his father teaching him how to swing the cutlass. It was quite rare for a Svefra to own anything steel as it would quickly tarnish and damage due to the saltwater and harsh living conditions. Though Malak taught his son the importance of maintaining his tools; this carried over the mind, body, and soul. They would practice footwork, range, tempo, and shot trajectory. Over time Malachi grew quite good with his weapon. When his father died during a Nal'lyeo in Zelt he took ownership over the blade as a constant reminder of all of his father's teachings as well as his presence. While the sword itself is not really high in value or even quality for that matter, the sentiment behind it is priceless.
Tavan named Dante : Malachi's Pod, the Tiderunner, have been followed by a Sand Shark Pod for as long as he can recollect. Within that particular Sand Shark Pod, one in particular had bonded with him to the points of Tavan partnership. Dante is ten and a half feet long, and 351 pounds. The head is pointy, as opposed to round, while the snout is flattened with a conical shape. Its body is stout and bulky and its mouth extends beyond the eyes. The eyes of the sand tiger shark are small, lacking eyelids. This one in particular bares a closed gash that runs over its right eye. He has grey claspers with white tips located on the underside of their body. The caudal fin is elongated with a long upper lobe. He hosts two large, broad-based grey dorsal fins set back beyond the pectoral fins. Dante is grey-brown back and pale underside with red speckled spots on the hind part of his body.
Housing
The Casinor: A small, personal ship no longer than 30 feet with a single cabin. More than twice the size of the average rowboat, this ship is capable of traversing inland seas and coastal areas though it is unequipped to travel on the open ocean. The most common personal ship found among the Svefra. These ships are often found employing heavy harpoons for defense. Much of the free space on the ship has been converted into living quarters thus cargo is limited to 500 lbs. While it may carry a number of passengers, these boats are designed for a single person spending extended periods at sea. Crew: 1, Passengers: 5
Currently Malachi's Casinor is Docked at Dead Man's Swagger Pier in Sunberth.
Gnosis
Oceanus is the Laviku’ given art form of being able to tap into the powers of the Sea Father and not only become more united with the Sea but understand and somewhat command it's denizens. Prominent among the Svefra, Oceanus is an integral part of this culture's success both within the Suvan Sea and on the oceans surrounding Mizahar. It does not matter within what ocean the user has his or her mark active. All saltwater is treated equally in the eyes of Laviku. This includes some brackish water intertidal zones as well such as the mouth of the Gyvaka Swamp where fresh and saltwater mix. Oceanus has the ability to take a perfectly normal land creature and transform it into a creature that can indeed survive within the sea.
Ledger
| Purchase | Cost | Total |
| Starting | +100 GM | 100 GM |
Thread List
Early Morn' Crab Catch | Morning of Summer, 519 AV
Just Another Night... | 6th of Autumn, 519 AV
Drunken With the Fishes | 6th Night of Autumn, 519 AV
