I'd like to share some real-world polytheistic insight with the list regarding Malia, though I'll be the first to admit that Orlanthi style religion and Hinduism are about as different as can be.
In my native Bengal, there exists the Goddess Sitala, who presides over Disease and Snakebites. She's typically depicted as a rather lovely matronly woman, but with a face distorted with cowpox sores, and snakes instead of flowers as garlands.
She is worshipped as one of the many many incarnations of the Mother Goddess, but unlike the more popular aspects (Durga the Warrior Goddess, or Kali the Dark Mother), she typically only has one small yearly festival (on her High Holy Day), and for the most part ignored. Except when there's a plague in the community, or your child has been bitten by a snake. Then of course, many many devotions and sacrifices are made to the Goddess, and the very rare Priest of Sitala is sought out for intervention.
Is Sitala considered an "Evil" Goddess? No, not really, as she, being an aspect of the Mother Goddess, can easily provide mercy for her worshippers. Are those who devote themselves to Sitala necessary "Evil"? Again, no, not really - many of them pride themselves on being healers. But, if the person worshipping the Goddess chooses to do Evil with Her powers, and is sufficiently devoted to Her, she may grant them the ability to curse others with pox and snakebites. Such worship is sometimes refered to as "Tantra" - the Left Hand Path, and though the term now means a whole lot more, traditionally Tantra is associated with Black Magic. (Though this not always the case, especially in the Modern Day.)
All of this information is mostly gleaned from folk tales and tradition - nowadays in India most people will go see a doctor before going to shrine to Sitala. However, most people, if they are really ill, will do both.
I hope people find this information at least somewhat interesting, and perhaps relevant to Glorantha. ;)
-Santo Sengupta
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