Malkorith (Mal-co-ryth)

Pride, Strength and Experience.

Malkorith's strength is comparable to Doppelt, only being affected by some other choice gods. Due to this, he has had the might to imbue fragments of his vast power in items of the mortal world. Of these items, mortals know of three of these items.
The first item is "The Belt of Malkorith". This belt imbues the wearer with a strength comparable to some lower demi-gods. This belt was last found in the possession of Millicent Olmhynger, who passed it along to one of his children, although their whereabouts are unknown. And how Millicent came into the belts possession is of equal mystery.
The second is "The Helm of Ego". This helm gave it's wearer a legendary charisma, and transformed them into the ultimate leader, capable of bringing warring nations together under a single banner. It's last known where abouts was under the three kings of Avalore, but after it's fall, the helm fell into obscurity, and was likely stolen.
The last artifact is "The Panoply of Pedagogy". This set of armor is complete, save for the helmet, which many scholars believe is to allow for The Helm of Ego to work with it. This armor gave it's wearer the incredible ability to learn most anything as long as they're actively practicing the skill, and not simply reading it, or being told. As well, once a foe has been beaten, the wearer could steal their mind, taking their memories, their skills, and their experiences for themselves.

Malkorith delivered upon his followers a book of discipline, and holy practices. The text offered little room for error in those who followed him. He told his first follower that the text would be referred to as "The Peculi". The text was bound upon hydra flesh, and some scholars speculate that this flesh is from Malkorith, and is what used to cover his heart.

A visceral heart.

Malkoriths tenets are akin to a strict warriors regiment. There is no room offered for error, and most error is punished harshly, maybe not in death, but usually in a permanent reminder. 1) Live every day with the perseverance of the gods. Every day may be your last, but you shall face it with the might of Malkorith in your heart.
2) No day shall be spent in idle. Those who give their hearts and souls to Malkorith also give their bodies as well. A day in idle with no reason for it is punishable by a loss of a finger, or a motivating lashing.
3) To learn a new skill is akin to offering Malkorith the highest offering. To better oneself in Malkorith's name brings no greater honor.
4) Humiliation is for the weak. To tolerate humiliation from others is akin to allowing a dagger to slide between thy ribs unhindered. To bring about humiliation upon oneself is akin to sliding a blade upon thy throat. If humiliation is brought by another, seek retribution in combat, be it hand to hand, or to the death. If humiliation is brought on by oneself, slice thy tongue, so that you may not speak such detestability for a time.

"Zedihna"- This holiday is celebrated on the first Ortu Solis of every month. It means "Day of Rest", and is the only time that Mânrican's are not only allowed to rest, but are encouraged. This is celebrated simply because Malkorith gave divine proclamation that it should be so in his scripture.
"Zitalei"- This holiday is celebrated on Luxanta(I) the 1st. It is a test for all Mânrican's in an area to test their strength against one another in a tournament fight which lasts an entire week. Whoever wins at the end of this week is crowned "The Child of Malkorith". And those who do not win are not stripped of their pride as long as they fought honorably. Any who hold their heads in shame after losing for their fellow Mânrican's brings shame upon themselves for not celebrating the strength of their brothers and sisters.

Malkorith seeks to take his forefathers place as the god of all gods. He doesn't know how to do this, however. He has beseeched the aid of Chromus on several occasions, but is always meet with enigmatic riddles and puzzles, which only make him angry with his seemingly all-knowing sibling.
As well, Malkorith has sought companionship since his battle with Vicnor and Ishmaar. And while he has found short lived relationships with his fellow gods, and even mortals, he has never been able to replicate that which he saw between Vicnor and Ishmaar.

Malkorith has traits very similar with Doppelt. He has a vaguely humanoid body, except where legs should be, is instead a single, long, mighty tail, which stretches to a dozen times the rest of his bodies size. His body is covered in small, thick scales, some black, and some gold. His arms are normal, almost like that of a man. The heart, that which was the healed remains of Doppelt's, is exposed inside of Malkorith's chest, always beating strongly. And his head is that of an amorphous snake head, with the general shape of a mans head, with hair made of starlight, gifted to him by Vicnor upon his creation. As well, his tongue is not forked. Some scholars believe that it's this way because of Malkorith's pride, as of Doppelt's two heads, Malevolence has a forked tongue, from which to spew two truths, making each an inherent lie, and Benevolence has a whole tongue, from which to speak the whole truth. Scholars believe that due to this, Malkorith inherited Benevolences whole tongue so he could never speak a dishonorable falsehood.

After he was formed, Malkorith looked upon it's father, and felt a sense of pride, having been birthed from such an incredible being. And when he looked upon his siblings who held strength close to his, Vicnor and Ishmaar, he felt a sense of competition. No spite was held for them, but he immediately wished to dual them in holy combat. The gods, now feeling a new sense of pride brought about by Malkorith's sheer existence, they accepted his challenge.
Malkorith battled against the duo for an entire year. After the final blow had rang out across the cosmos, Malkorith stood victorious over his siblings. But he did not destroy them, nor shame them. Instead, he embraced his siblings, holding a reinvigorated sense of pride, now knowing that his siblings were not only strong, but seeing them fight together inspired an envious feeling in his mighty soul. Their relationship was something he could not replicate, and he acknowledged the strength that it brought it. After this battle was done, Vicnor gifted Malkorith with a halo of sunlight, which the god took and fashioned into a sort of hair. As well, Ishmaar promised his allegiance to the god.
Years later, Cali'ebor was born. And as it spread out over the boundless cosmos, adding limits to the limitless, Malkorith was one of the two gods who did not flee from the encroaching imprisonment. Instead, he watching in awe as his new sibling displayed a strength he hadn't thought possible. It enveloped everything except Doppelt. And once he saw this happening, Malkorith finally began to become enraged. Cali'ebor was not wrong in Malkorith's eyes for using it's strength upon them, but it was wrong for taking his goal, his pride from him. Without Doppelt there to challenge, Malkorith felt a terrible sense of emptiness. He lashed out, materializing a wicked weapon, and tore a hole in the new found fabric of Cali'ebor. Satisfied to know that he could still escape and challenge Doppelt, Malkorith's rage subsided, and he decided to stay inside Cali'ebor. 
Malkorith felt a sense of disgust in his siblings for fleeing the encroaching usurper. He believed that any of them could challenge Cali'ebor and easily win. His attention turned to Salgoroth, who not only stayed within Cali'ebor, but filled it's otherwise dark voids with a beautiful tapestry of colors and lights. And while he had normally looked down upon the god of sound, he had a newfound respect for it's bravery.

Decades later, when the gods came together and formed Draekkigoth, Malkorith offered to bless mortals with a sense of self preservation, bodily strength, and dignity. He also created creatures entirely of his own. Of his creations, he made the lods, ogres, bears, tigers, and other powerful creatures that roam the planet.

So far in it's existence, Malkorith has only been defeated once. 
When he went to challenge Doppelt, shortly after his battle with Vicnor and Ishmaar, both heads responded differently. Benevolence denied the battle, saying that it did not wish to harm it's children, and would rather lay down it's life. This alone hurt Malkorith's pride, as Benevolence did not see his worthy of a fight, a lesser thing to be pities. Malevolence was harsh, stating that Malkorith was nothing more than a parasite, living off the heart they had cast away, nothing more than a failed attempt at leaving this realm. 
But even with it's harsh words, Malevolence battled Malkorith. The battle lasted less that a day, however. And some scholars speculate that the battle ended almost the moment it began. At the end of the battle Malevolence bit into Malkorith, and was intent on consuming the god, and taking his power for himself. The only reason Malkorith survived was because Benevolence intervened, biting into Malevolence's neck, freeing the peltas god.
Drifting away from the serpentine god, Malkorith's body healed after some days, but 8 scars stayed upon his torso, a constant reminder of his vicious defeat. After he had recovered, Malkorith hid from the other Peltas gods, too ashamed to show his face for a time.