Malayari Haliya San Balete

### Aliases

"Guro Haliya" (Mistress Haliya), " Halas Busalian " (Mistress of Serpents), "Lady Haliya"

### Likes

Travelling and collecting souvenirs (stolen magical items), Amusing distractions, Advancement of the Balete as a whole

### Dislikes

Boring people, her experiments being unnecessarily interrupted

## Magic

### Magic Type

Necromancy, Restoration, Various Magical Schools

### Principle

Decay and Growth

**Malayari Haliya San Balete** is a Balete mage, and the leader of Clan Haliyahan and the Magus that rules over the city of Bakunawa. A long lived and prominent figure within the intricate world of the Balete, she is renowned for her rather progressive position compared to other Balete magi and mage-lords as well as an impressive mastery of many magics thanks to her drive to explore the world outside of Balete territory and learn from different sources. With her magical aptitude and individualistic nature, Malayari embodies the essence of a Balete mage. She commands respect from her clan and the residents of her city, while other clan leaders either dislike her for being too fond of outlanders and their culture, or completely dismissive of her due to their attention focused entirely on research. She is the eccentric mother-figure and mentor to many, including Laonsina, the Heart of Stone.

## Background

Malayari was born to be the expected heir to the Haliyahan Clan, and quickly proved that she deserved such a status as she, grasped and mastered the fundamentals of Balete Magic before the age of ten, and rising to the rank of Daitan at age 16. For her own research, she willingly left her home city of Bakunawa and explored the Physical Realm, away from Balete territory. It was very uncommon for the traditionally isolationist magi to explore the world outside of the Border, but Malayari had a drive for adventure and a curiousity that could only be quenched by leaving her home. For decades she wandered across Asia, learning about other cultures, their magic, and of course, procuring any magical artifact or treasure that caught her eye. While she was odd for a Balete, she still had the same mindset of "If I can get away with the theft, I clearly deserve it". She tangled with Akashics, Chakrajan, and even magi from the Crimson Courts. Overtime, she went further west to Europe and also got into all sorts of escapades involving the Grand Order and the Martyrdom, that by age 35, she returned to Bakunawa experienced in the ways of battle and magic thanks to different encounters with different peoples.

Across her adventures in her youth, she developed a specialization in two fields that are opposite of each other in the spectrum, Decay and Growth Necromancy and Restoration. The dynamic between the two and the countless effects she could do with the intermingling of the two fascinated her to no end, and many outsiders had the misfortune to be the ones treated as her test subjects. By the time she was 50, she retained the youthful vigor she had as a young woman thanks to her research. She boldly declared that the gradual decay of the human body and soul could no longer challenge her and she would become a long-lived magus of the Balete, eventually assuming the position of clan leader with the Haliyahan and becoming the new Lady of Bakunawa City. Her experience in dealing with and negotiating with magi from the outside gave her a more pragmatic outlook in life, disregarding the usual xenophobic tendencies of Balete magi, turning Bakunawa City into a rather more open place for outlanders when Malayari took power.

Like many Balete mage-lords, governing her clan and city did little to stop her from her research and later forays into the Earth's Physical plane. She was the first Balete to strike a deal with one Fenghuang as she made the Snake Tong into a prominent power in the Philippines, keeping her Clan and City neutral with the organization as long as they stayed away from each other's businesses.

She always had a keen eye for individuals who had great potential, especially those who she deems very useful to have under her wing. During a stroll to the Bakunawa trade district, she saw a slave girl who had the Essence of Stone itself etched to her soul and her curiosity and excitement for the potential magical study and experiments she could do got the better of her, turning Laonsina from a slave girl to a Retainer of Clan Haliyahan and a dangerous agent and assassin. Malayari trained her in both magic and martial arts, and has been impressed by the results. Laonsina has become one of her most loyal and trusted retainers and agents because of it.

Presently, Malayari resides in Bakunawa City and the lofty Pana San Halas that towers over the rest of the city. While she is more active in the affairs of those she governs over than most Balete-mage lords, she is usually preoccupied by personal projects and has her personally selected subordinates to take care of the more mundane affairs for her,

## Personality

Physically, Malayari possesses a dignified presence. She carries himself with an air of confidence and intellectual prowess. Her piercing eyes seem to be forever analyzing the world around her, constantly seeking knowledge and understanding. Her personality is multifaceted, showcasing a blend of intellectual curiosity and pragmatism. She is known to be fiercely independent and deeply committed to the principles of the Balete. Though she is an influential figure, she remains approachable, possessing a genuine interest in the growth and development of her fellow mages, her apprentices, and those who see her as a leader and mentor-figure. As a mentor, she is patient and understanding, fostering an environment of growth and learning within her clan and the people she taught. She encourages her apprentices to explore their own magical inclinations and to push the boundaries of their abilities. Malayari values innovation and encourages new ideas, even if they challenge established norms. When she freed Laonsina from slavery and turned her into the deadly magical agent she is today, she encouraged her to learn from different places when it came to fighting and magic, and encouraged her to constantly improve herself.

One of her defining characteristics is her unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She views magic as a means to explore and unravel the mysteries of the universe, rather than simply a tool for power. She has spent countless hours studying ancient texts, conducting experiments, and seeking arcane artifacts. Her vast knowledge encompasses a wide range of magical disciplines, from elemental Conjuration to many forms of Materia and Alteration, but her true specialty lies in applying Decay and the Growth as concepts, she boasts that she is the best Necromancer and Healer that the Balete currently have. She has determined that the key to surviving and fully overcoming the trials of Kalibutan is to master the principles of growth and decay, conquering what has defeated many magi in pursuit of powers larger than themselves is the natural decay of their body and soul. Overtime, she specialized in the two principles as a way to practice Pagsuki, but also as a way to continue sating the curiosity that remains within her even after centuries of living.

Unlike most high-ranking Balete, she possesses a progressive and pragmatic mindset. Malayari recognizes the need for collaboration and cooperation, often fostering alliances or deals with other organizations or even non-Balete individuals to achieve her goals. This sets her apart from the more isolationist and dogmatic members of the Balete. Centuries of interacting with people from around the world and studying theire own beliefs and cultures has left her more open to exploring accords with those most Balete would simply ignore.

Despite her open-mindedness, Malayari remains fiercely loyal to the Baletehan and the principles it upholds. She firmly believes in the preservation of the Balete culture, power, and influence, often placing the needs of the Clan and the Balete above her personal desires. This does not make her blind to the faults of her people, however, and she is willing to challenge its more oppressive or corrupt members when necessary.

Her beliefs extend beyond Balete and into the political landscape outside of the Border Realm territories. She is an advocate for independence and self-determination, firmly standing against the encroachment of imperial powers, such as the Spanish, American, and Japanese. Even if she was technically of a different culture, she saw the Philippines as a land with its own unique identity, history, and culture, and was there during many key events of the colonial era. All three foreign powers have seen the extent of what her magic could do, unseen, yet equally terrifying, to the point where she became a horror legend as a necromantic demon-witch.

Like many Balete magi, she is an avid collector of magical artifacts, treasures, and even fashion from different places she visited. She explained that when a mage gets to her age, they will need a hobby to pass the time. If you steal something from her and survive the consequences, you deserve what you stole. But keep in mind, she will also invoke this logic against you, and will be quite the troublesome thief that could just waltz into your house, destroy anything that gets in her way, and steal whatever it was you stole back.

Her pragmatism has also made her one of the best tacticians in the Balete. While her magic technically isn't the strongest in terms of raw power, the variety and the versatility of her arsenal, coupled with strategic usage and tactical thinking, has made sure no rival or enemy faction would ever overthrow or kill her, and she intends to keep it that way. She is a loyal friend and trusted ally to those she deems worthy, and she has a great respect for those who have proven themselves in battle or in the pursuit of knowledge.

## Abilities

### Physical Capabilities

Centuries of adventures across the Physical World and the Border Realm has left Malayari a lot of experiences in not just magic but also her physical capabilities. While in terms of raw strength and speed, she would just be average for your typical Balete magus, she has picked up different fighting styles across the years and has complimented it with different spells in her arsenal. While she presents herself as your typical mage who specializes more in casting than physical prowess, it is actually a trap to lure enemies into underestimating her and lowering their guard. With enough Reinforcement, she can decapitate a man with a single slash of her arm. She is a jack of all trades in terms of martial arts, but has not really mastered a specific one, relying on versatility instead of perfecting one specific style.

### Magic

Her raw magical capabilities are extremely high thanks to her lineage dating millennia, making it easy for her to pick up different types of magic Balete use without much strain to her mana reserves. Like many high-ranking Balete, she is well-versed in different types of Magic, from simple Destruction to complex Binding magic. But her two main weapons in her magical arsenal are the magic that draw upon the principles of Decay and Growth. With Decay, she has control over death, which extends to all sorts of Necromantic magic, from re-animating the skeletons of long-dead to do her bidding or boasting that she can re-animate the very serpent that her city is built upon if given enough of a mana source, to directly causing the entropic decay of one's body and soul with a prolonged touch. Her spells following the principle of "Growth" on the other hand range from growing the regeneration factor of someone and thus healing them of wounds, to increasing their body's immunity to disease and poison to cure those that are afflicted. But it is with the combination of both Decay and Growth that her experiments have resulted in many fantastical effects, from breaking and restoring the bones of an enemy as if telekinetically rearranging their skeletal system with just a touch, to drastically changing the biological make-up of someone, such as Laonsina when she experimented with her Essence of Stone.

**Soul-serpent**

Clan Haliyahan has a tradition, followed by those who lived after they allegedly slew the great Bakunawa serpent and turned its body into a city. In the heart of Pana San Halas tower lies a magical core said to have been the remains of the monster's soul. This magical core was fragmented into smaller pieces and given to prominent members of the Clan, either as a powerful Mana Source for their projects, as fuel for their signature Snake Familiars, or as a weapon.

Malayari chose to combine the latter two and created her own Soul-Serpent familiar that she calls "Niyebe" or "Snow". A Cobra Familiar that can shift from a mini form to a giant serpent form large enough that its mistress can ride it, the Soul Serpent of Malayari has the ability to quickly enforce Decay or Growth upon the targets it strangles or bites, and could either heal or kill, and serves as an extension to Malayari's spells as well. It acts as a living catalyst for her magic, and also as a "Cute companion", as she chose to design it to look rather cartoonishly harmless, again as a way to lure foes into a false sense of security.

### Equipment

While Malayari has countless of magical artifacts and items stored in her personal collection, she has a few she prefers to use over the others, some she even carries with her at most times.

**Huohuan Bu (火浣布) Dress**

A gift from Fenghuang celebrating their long-standing neutrality. A black dress made of pure Huohuan Bu Silk, a material produced by a Spider Yaoguai known as Yùchú or "The Brood". Also known as Fire-Washed Cloth, the dress' material is spun from the Yùchú's silk, The Silk has made the dress durable (enough to withstand modern gunfire and magical projectiles), easily enchantable with magic, and has innate fire resistance. If the dress was stained, one simply needs to burn the area with the stain and the mess will soon disappear without damaging the cloth. Huohuan Bu is used for the Shiai-shi suits along with other materials, and a dress made primarily of the silk alone is worth a lot, and acts as a status symbol, something that Malayari likes to strut around with. She has enchanted her dress to shift into different appearances whenever she is in the mood to spice up her fashion.

**Taftâni Soul Lamp**

An ornate lamp that Malayari acquired during her travels to Persia and the Middle East. The Soul Lamp is a rare artifact from a hidden order of magi called the Taftâni who specialize in summoning and controlling Djinn. The Soul Lamp is a modification of the ones used to bind Djinn to, and instead can be used as a very large storage for human and non-human souls, and the bearer can automatically convert said souls into mana. The Lamp serves as a battery for mana that Malayari carries around for convenience, and not to mention economical casting. Why waste your own mana when the souls of your enemies can substitute for you? The Lamp is usually seen attached to her waist, and is the last place one would want to end up in while visiting the city of Bakunawa.