Malachai Laz

Malachai Laz is a Player Character in the game One Small Favour within the arc The Sixth Archdemon within the setting The Wolfsbane Chronicles.

### **The Ignoble and Accursed house of Laz**

The Laz bloodline is an ancient and much maligned one.  Relatively unknown for much of its existence the name Laz came to prominence around 500 years prior to Malachai’s birth, rising suddenly from anonymity to become major players in high society of Gaikamo. Along with this rise to prominence there was a significant rise in the attractiveness of the children born to the house leading to rumours of some dark dealings.

There was more truth to these rumours than anyone could have known for it was around this time that Tainia Laz, the then matriarch of the Laz family, grew tired of being unknown, her family was great and deserved to be known. She began to search for a way to attain power for her family. Her research began rather simply exploring anatomy, medicine and surgery. However, she soon found her research hindered by her limited intelligence and the limits of the flesh she sought to manipulate. So, she began to investigate ways of expanding her control over flesh, and to eliminate her own weakness. She began to theology, the gods and demons of the land and all the powers they have to offer. But she had to choose the right one. Quickly she ruled out the gods, they were fickle, and the Laz family had never been religious. The ones she tried rejected her or did not answer. No, it would have to be something more willing to strike a deal. The cardinal demons presented the best option, but which one. After much reading she settled for Saranor, cardinal demon of light, yes, he would be the shining beacon of light to lead her great family to glory and fame.

And so, it was that a deal was struck between Tainia Laz and the Cardinal Demon Saranor. In exchange for the souls and servitude of her and all her descendants her family would be granted wealth, fame and the power to manipulate flesh. On that day and everyday there after the Laz family was cursed to have there every thought twisted to the service of “A greater purpose”. This deal that would influence the course of the Laz family for centuries to come and that would become the impetus for Malachai to abandon his family in search of a way to break this curse.

### **Early life**

Malachai was born to Azaelea and Hieronymus Laz at their ancestral manor straddling an entrance to the underdark, a weird and haunted place filled with doors that don’t lead to where you expect, walls that aren’t really there and portals that end up… elsewhere. It was nigh on unnavigable to anyone who didn’t know the house and its idiosyncrasies. He was raised with his elder sister Vara Laz who was 3 years his senior. He realised at an early age that he and his sister where different, she was the pride of the family taking to the ancient powers granted to her by the old deal immediately. She believed she was to be looked at, admired and even worshipped, a born narcissist and she learnt quickly how to use the powers to ensure she got what she wanted. If people would not look at her then she would make them look, its hard to close your eyes with no eyelids. Malachai however was unsure of his powers, though his parents tried to teach him the ways of his family he was made uncomfortable by it. His fathers “Nursery rhymes” meant to teach him he was better than others, that he could make others bend to his will made him sick. The trips to his father’s flesh forge meant to show him how life can be improved upon, perfected and why it is imperative that this is done with or without the consent of the creature only showed him the barbarism of it all. Though a small voice in the back of his mind couldn’t help but admire the artistry of what was being done. The way his father knit together the sinuous curves of the musculature of one creature to the skeletal structure of another, connecting the wiring to ensure the creature had full control of its new appendages. A pervading thought that cut through even the most tortured scream or whimper no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.

The final straw for Malachai came at the age of 15 with the disappearance of his mother. The efforts to induct him into his fathers “Great work” had redoubled since his sister had disappeared 3 years prior and he had become the sole heir to the Laz name. His father was growing impatient with his work, spending days, even weeks at a time in the flesh forge. Perfection was alluding him, no matter what he tried he considered his creatures base, unpleasant and imperfect. After one particularly long session in the forge his father returned to the house furious and bitterly disappointed in his work. The next morning Malachai woke to find the house empty. His father returned in the early evening covered in blood and called Malachai down to the main hall. There was something odd in his demeanour, different. He had always been a calm man taking to his work with no more emotion than a man chopping vegetables, fastidious and precise. However, that night Malachai found him grinning broadly and quivering with excitement.

“What is it Father?” Malachai asked as he reached the corridor. “And where’s mother?”

“Don’t you worry m’boy, she’s become part of something greater, something so beautiful and perfect, I’ve no idea why I didn’t think of this sooner.” Hieronymus answered, his voice giddy and unnerving. “Please, come with me son.”

Every nerve fibre in Malachai’s body told him not to, to turn and run. However, he knew deep down there was no point resisting his father. He would always win, Malachai told himself, the very house answers to him there is no way out. Besides, though he would never admit it, there was a twinge of curiosity in the depth of his mind. Reluctantly he followed his father to the flesh portal. Stepping through the nauseating smell of iron he knew from previous visits washed over him and so did the strange clarity of mind that he had learnt came from being in the underdark. Still, he was nervous and afraid. His father led him through the many antechambers to the main lab. Finally, they reached the heavy iron door to the main lab. Malachai had only been allowed into the antechambers previously through fear he would disrupt the great work. He had never had any real desire to see what was beyond the door and yet still that curiosity niggled at him, gnawing at the edge of sanity and driving him on.

His father unlocked the door throwing it wide. The ferrous smell of blood was immediately replaced by a sweet perfume reminiscent of spring flowers. The smell was so at odds with the environment that Malachai could scarce believe he was smelling it. His father breathed in deeply before leading the way into the chamber. Malachai remained rooted to the spot trying to overcome the sheer absurdity of the smell.

“Come on, boy” Hieronymus encouraged, finally gripping him by the shoulders and dragging him in to the room. The sight that met Malachai was worse than anything he could have prepared himself for.

In the middle of the room in an immense puddle of blood there sat what at first seemed to be an immense pulsating amorphous mass of veiny flesh. Malachai was confused at first, this wasn’t what he was used to seeing, his fathers work usually had more art and flare to it. However, as he watched the thing began to move as it became aware of the presence in the room. The hulking mass raised itself up off the ground on eight spindly legs similar to that of a spider but covered in thick chitinous armour. As it did it lifted its great torso erect above its central mass like a snake raising its head to attack. The great monstrous torso was that of a mind flayer queen however the musculature fused seamlessly at the sternum with that of a flayed star elf woman. Malachai’s eyes continued up the torso of the creature driven on by sick fascination before finally settling on the creature’s head. The squid like features of the mind flyer sinuously merged into the recognisable features of his mother. The spell broke as recognition dawned on Malachai, he staggered backwards towards the door letting out a strangled cry as he did so. The creature startled by the sudden noise unfurled what looked like a fleshy net like hyphal network which began probing and searching the ground delving into the cracks seeking nutrients from things decaying as any saprophyte would. Vines also unfurled from its torso writhing like great tentacles reaching for the walls and sealing seeking out light, fresh waves of the fresh floral small washing over Malachai with every movement. Finally, the creature began to make a humming, singing, cooing sound that under any other circumstances would pleasant but here was a horrifying mockery of the horror that lay before him. Malachai could take no more, he ran for the door barely containing the bile rising in his throat as he passed through the ante chambers. His father bellowed behind him  as he gave chase but Malachai could not hear him over the sound of blood pumping in his ears.

**To be continued….**