Malk is a compact, hard-faced dwarf with the deliberate movements of a man carrying a full cup across a shaking floor. His beard is cropped close except for two narrow braids pinned behind his ears, each threaded with tiny brass ruler marks. His skin has the weathered texture of old saddle leather, but his hands are startlingly soft and ink-stained, with neatly filed nails. A pale scar runs from his left temple to the corner of his mouth, giving his resting expression the look of a private smirk. He leaves people with the impression of a locked cabinet that has somehow learned to judge them. The unexpected contradiction is his immaculate posture paired with a slight limp that becomes more pronounced whenever he is angry.