"My organization prospers because we impose order on chaos. Humans have an insatiable appetite for their vices: sex, gambling, drugs. We serve that appetite while keeping the more destructive side under control. Ever wondered why you don't see street crime on the upper levels of the city? Because we don't allow it. It's not the police who keep the criminal element under control, Miriam: it's us."
—Malcolm ard'Valos, Making the Cut
Full Name: Malcolm ard'Valos
Species: Vampire (former Uncursed Human, Kitchlander)
Allegiance: Vampire Syndicate
Religion: Church of Eternal Brotherhood
Social Status: 5 (resources essentially unlimited)
Age: ~540 as of 1999 (apparent age early 40s)
Eyes: Faded green
Hair: Black, graying at the temples, short and distinguished
Height: 170 cm (5'7")
Physical Notes: Skin is either pale or tanned and healthy-looking1; strong jaw; sharp, distinguished features; fit, athletic body; superhuman personal charisma
Behavioral Notes: Obsessive-compulsive (though he tries his best to hide this); normally courteous and charming, but vicious and sadistic when slighted; has a paternal attitude toward those in his organization; prefers smoking jackets when at home and tailored suits when out on business.
Malcolm ard'Valos (ard-VAH-los) is the vampire prince in charge of the Syndicate's activities in Metamor City. He governs 300,000 vampires and countless mortal servants, both in the organization and in the many front companies where his influence holds sway. In spite of this, most people remain unaware of his power and the length of his reach — which is exactly how he likes it.
Appearance
"The door led to a lounge, smaller than the reception hall but still large enough to house two long couches and an enormous high-backed chair. She was surprised to see that the room was was not dark and shadowed, but white — white walls, white carpets, white light from the glow panels that covered the ceiling. Even the furniture was upholstered in white leather. In the midst of this blank canvas of a room, the eye was immediately and irresistibly drawn to him.
"He sat enthroned in the high-backed chair, dressed in a dark red smoking jacket of crushed velvet. He appeared to be in his early forties, with a strong jaw and sharp, distinguished features. His dark hair was graying at the temples, but with his commanding presence and regal bearing it only made him look more dignified. His eyes were a subtle, faded green, but they drew her gaze and held it with unbreakable strength."
—Making the Cut
Personality
Malcolm's demeanor disarms most people: he is generally courteous, charming, a model of what noblemen are supposed to be but rarely are. He speaks carefully and intelligently, using measured tones and a broad vocabulary. He has an astonishing degree of personal charisma and can make people feel joy, shame or terror through the subtlest of words and expressions. With members of his own organization he can be warmly paternalistic, displaying a clever wit and infectious good cheer.
When Malcolm believes that he has been wronged, however, he ruthlessly vindictive. He is extremely patient, and will wait months or years to put a revenge plot into motion — but when he does, the effects are devastating. Those who defy him will be broken down and reshaped according to his desires, until they beg to do his will. He considers this a more civilized approach to dealing with his enemies than simply killing them. He will kill if he judges that it is necessary, but he would rather make his enemies into converts than corpses.
Malcolm is a true believer in the ethos of Lilith, the original Queen of the Vampires, which states that vampires help to strengthen the human species by acting as the top predator in the food chain. Malcolm believes that he's not just making the world better, but that he's making humanity itself better through natural selection.
Like all vampires, Malcolm suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is reflected in his inner sanctum, which is all white and enchanted to repel any form of dirt or detritus. He does his best to hide his compulsions from the outside world, knowing that they could be used against him. Kate Kitaen, who is aware of his condition because of her friendship with Morgan Drauling, ruthlessly tweaks Malcolm by picking up and moving various knick-nacks whenever she has to visit the man on police business.
Malcolm is bisexual and his appetites are considerable. He enjoys taking strong-willed, dominant people and shaping their minds until they are submissive to his will. He has many pets but few lovers; he was capable of some emotional intimacy with his scion, Braddock, but he has yet to find a replacement since Braddock was destroyed by Janus Starson in 1997 CR.
Goals & Objectives
Malcolm's mission is to take care of the vampire community in "his" city and ensure that they and their servants are protected from anything that would threaten them. He views himself as a civilizing force in the urban jungle of Metamor City, imposing order on the less savory elements of society. He is also responsible for making a profit for the organization. Ultimately he answers to Talia, the Vampire Queen, but in most respects he has broad latitude in how he governs the Syndicate's affairs.
Malcolm ard'Valos and Talia
Malcolm serves as Talia's Syndicate Prince for Metamor City, and there are some… differences in philosophy between them.
While Malcolm believes that he's making humanity itself better through natural selection, Talia's view on the responsibilites of vampires and the structure of society differ. She wants everyone to be united in a clear hierarchy where each person is responsible to someone above them and responsible *for* the people below them. Masters should care for their servants well and servants should obey their masters faithfully.
His sire has given Malcolm a large amount of leeway. She can't afford to micromanage him because she has too many other concerns to worry about, being the head of a global corporate and religious empire. The feudal mindset she grew up in dictates that a monarch should not interfere in the internal affairs of their vassals unless they are engaged in gross misconduct, so Talia tries to live by that principle — or at least to keep up the appearance of it, for the court's sake.
If Talia does find out that Malcolm has gone against her wishes, she would pull strings from behind the scenes to bring him back into line — or remove him, if she finds his behavior particularly noxious. A personal appearance from her would only happen in the most dire of situations.
And Malcolm knows this, and knows that he has to play the game carefully as to not set Talia against him that much.
Thralls
Miriam was dimly aware of other people in the room: six women, all dressed in white, each of a different race or species. Five of them sat at his feet, arrayed around his throne like obedient pets. One of them, a blonde Northlander, was nestled in the chair beside him, one leg draped over his lap. The woman's face was alight with a kind of delirious ecstasy. Blood oozed from two wounds in the side of her neck, its scent filling Miriam's nostrils. Her stomach pleaded with her to take the girl, to taste that blood for herself, but she could do nothing but stare at the man, the man whose eyes held her fast and devoured her will.
—Making the Cut
It is unknown how many thralls Malcolm has, but the number must be substantial — the size and diversity of a vampire's "stable" is a major way that they measure themselves against each other socially. Malcolm prefers to collect strong-willed individuals who will prove an interesting challenge as he reshapes them into loyal servants.
Sire
Known Childer
Known Allies
Known Enemies
Story Appearances
Making the Cut, Whispers in the Wood3, Things Unseen
Sources
Making the Cut, comments from Raven/Etherius on TheCursed.org, original writeup by Raven
Author's Notes
Voice Actor
Malcolm ard’Valos is voiced by TD-0013