Ulaam

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Ulaam
by Marie Seeberger
Abilities	Worldhopper
Species	Kandra
Homeworld	Scadrial
Universe	Cosmere
First Appeared	Tress of the Emerald Sea

Ulaam is a kandra on Scadrial and later Lumar.

Appearance and Personality

by ohnoesaxel

Being a kandra, Ulaam has the ability to dramatically alter his physical form. While aboard the Crow's Song, he maintains inhumanly sharp features, ashen grey skin, jet-black hair, and blood red eyes; this is similar to a Dzhamarian from Sel. He dresses in a sharp suit (previously belonging to Hoid) of a style Tress is unfamiliar with. She finds the pure-black, pressed, buttonless suit more elegant than the uniforms her island's nobility wore.

Referred to as Dr. Ulaam, he is highly knowledgeable in medicine as he assumes the role of the ship’s surgeon. Hoid even claims that Ulaam is the best doctor he’s ever met. Ulaam speaks with a refined but excitable voice often adding "hmmm?" to his questions. Similar to how VenDell goes around making deals with people for their bones once they die, Ulaam attempts to make offers for organs and limbs such as Tress’s eyes, kidney, tongue, brain, hands, and toes. He does not often attempt to mimic humans or other animals, resulting in a completely unique personality, even among others of his kind. Ulaam claims to be the least dangerous thing on the ship; after being accused of eating people by Ann, he clarifies that he only eats dead ones and compares himself to an earthworm or bacteria.

“I always say, when trouble troubles you, keep a stiff’s upper lip! Or several.”

—Ulaam

Ulaam has a sarcastic, morbid sense of humor (offering literal hands when giving assistance). His jokes are often perceived as quite gruesome and, though extremely friendly, he lacks empathy and insight. Ulaam is heavily cosmere-aware and has an extensive knowledge of the aethers both on this planet and others. He explains to Tress the use, mechanics, and history of various spores including Midnight Essence. Ulaam is well liked and respected by his crewmates. He is always willing and enthused to give medical attention, assist with experiments, or engage in friendly bargaining. Whether he is physically unable or simply morally opposed, he tells Tress that it would be improper to interfere and assist with the crew’s mutiny and that he can only offer medical attention if required. He mentions that he must remain neutral when it comes to certain people like the Sorceress. There are supposed rules that he follows but Hoid does not.

Attributes and Abilities

Like the kandra seen on Scadrial, Ulaam is functionally immortal and able to manipulate his physical form. He mentions that he has eaten and mimicked several two-headed snakes. He grows and cuts off an ear on his forearm without displaying a hint of any pain. He is nearly impossible to kill and is confident in his abilities to survive being thrown into an ocean of spores. Captain Crow shoots him several times when he first arrives on the Crow's Song, which experience he describes as being invigorating.

Ann calls him a zombie, but Ulaam claims that that is a crude and inaccurate term. She defends the word by stating that he has no heartbeat and his skin is cold. In response, Ulaam notes that both of those adaptations reduce his caloric intake. Potential ways to kill kandra include acid and fire. Acting as the ship's surgeon, Ulaam administers salves to injured crew members healing their wounds supernaturally quickly. He requests no payments for his services besides occasional corpses.

History

“Oh, right. I nearly forgot Ulaam. But seeing as he was dead, he barely counted.”

—Hoid

Ulaam is a kandra from the planet Scadrial. He, alongside TenSoon, warned Melaan about her relationship with Wayne. Prior to his time on Lumar, his people were "released" by Sazed. It is noted by Hoid that the kandra have become stranger and more themselves over the decades since they stopped being required to imitate humans. At some point, Hoid sent Ulaam a letter requesting he come to Lumar. After arriving on the planet and finding his friend in his current, cursed state; he joined the Crow's Song and had accompanied Hoid for a year before Tress's arrival on the ship. The crew hadn't known what to make of Ulaam, and Crow shot him several times before he was left to his own devices as the resident surgeon on the ship.

Ulaam met Tress after she experienced a mishap with the spores while refilling the pouches for the cannon. Ulaam would be unsuccessful in trading Tress for her eyes and other body parts, but would make deals with Fort for gull bones. He helped Tress learn the basics of her station as the new Sprouter, and tries to warn her away from midnight spores to no avail. After finding out Hoid gave the midnight spores to Weev, he helps Tress work out that Hoid is suggesting Huck may have information that will help them break his curse.

On hearing Crow laugh, and being disappointed that this wasn't due to someone's crotch being impaled, Ulaam finds out that Tress "tricked" Crow into going into the Crimson Sea. He has to explain to her that this is not a good thing as the dragon Xisis doesn't offer boons, but trades. Ulaam helps test out Tress's new flares to capture Crow, but insists he cannot do much more to help other than offer medical attention as to do more would be improper. After the failed mutiny, Ulaam did as he said he would, and gave medical assistance to Fort and Salay.

Ulaam is the first to realize that Hoid's actions, throwing food and water overboard, were not of his own doing due to his current mental state. He causes Tress further anxiety when he fails to take her concerns of facing the Sorceress seriously at first, however he is able to calm her down and lets on about how powerful Hoid is after she notices how much he mentions him. He stays happily on the ship when Tress goes to face against the Sorceress.

Relationships

Hoid

“Hoid has too many issues to count. I wouldn’t trouble yourself with his situation. He’s nearly as deft at untying knots as he is at creating them.”

—Ulaam

Ulaam has a previous friendship with Hoid. Ulaam seems to enjoy witnessing the effects of the Sorceress's curse on his friend, going so far as to write embarrassing accounts of his actions and sending them to mutual good friends of theirs. Ulaam takes advantage of Hoid's misfortunes and excites in the opportunity to explore. Though lacking empathy for the man and giving numerous insults, Ulaam states on multiple occasions that Hoid is far more powerful than himself and is the only person on the planet capable of defeating the Sorceress.

Riina

Ulaam also appears to have some history with the Sorceress, as she asks after him when meeting Tress. Their relationship is not an amiable one; the Sorceress states that she keeps a vat of acid just for him.

Notes

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