Zyrath Vell'Kor is short even for a deep gnome, but he moves like a man who has measured every corridor twice. His ash grey skin is etched with faint crystalline seams that catch light when he angles his shoulders, making him look half carved from slate and half grown from geode. His hands are narrow, scarred, and constantly busy, with fingertips stained by alchemical resin and chalk dust. When he studies a wall, his muted violet eyes seem to glow from within like lanterns submerged in water. He wears reinforced shadow silk work gear layered over flexible bracers, with hidden pockets sewn into every seam for chisels, wire, seals, and folded plans. A strange contradiction marks him: his hood is patched with elegant gold thread, almost ceremonial, though the garment itself is battered and practical. He smells faintly of wet stone, lamp oil, and cold iron.