# #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Myrna Garess - **Race/Species:** Dwarf - **Class/Profession:** Diplomat/Merchant - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Good - **Age:** 112 - **Gender & Pronouns:** Female (She/Her) - **Appearance:** A striking dwarven woman who defies stereotypes while honoring her heritage, standing just over four feet tall with a graceful bearing that combines dwarven solidity with diplomatic poise. Her face features the strong bone structure characteristic of dwarves, softened by expressive hazel eyes that shift between green and amber depending on the light and her attire. Unlike many dwarven women, she proudly displays a fine beard—a delicate pattern of carefully groomed auburn hair along her jawline, adorned with small silver and platinum beads bearing House Garess symbols. Her main hair is a matching auburn, typically arranged in elaborate braids that incorporate both traditional dwarven patterns and styles borrowed from the human courts where she often works. She dresses in finely crafted clothing that represents a deliberate fusion of dwarven craftsmanship and human fashion—rich fabrics in House Garess colors of gray and blue, cut in styles that honor dwarven modesty while incorporating elements that help her move comfortably in human noble circles. She wears several pieces of exquisite jewelry that serve as both personal adornment and diplomatic signals, each piece carefully selected to convey specific messages about her status, authority, and current mission. #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Myrna embodies the ideal of cultural bridge-building—a diplomat who deeply understands both dwarven traditions and the ways of other races. She approaches her role with thoughtful precision, carefully balancing House Garess interests with genuine respect for diverse perspectives. To her family, she represents their face to the outside world, translating dwarven directness into diplomatic language while ensuring their core values remain uncompromised. To foreign contacts, she presents a carefully calibrated blend of traditional dwarven reliability and cosmopolitan sophistication that puts diverse negotiating partners at ease. Her dwarven heritage manifests in her meticulous attention to detail, her unwavering commitment to her word once given, and her long-term perspective on relationships and agreements. Years of diplomatic service have taught her exceptional patience and the ability to see beyond cultural differences to underlying shared interests. Though capable of formidable firmness when necessary, she prefers to build consensus through careful listening and thoughtful compromise, an approach that has earned her respect across cultural boundaries. - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Cultural Fluency** – Exceptional ability to navigate diverse social contexts and customs - **Diplomatic Insight** – Remarkable talent for identifying underlying interests beneath stated positions - **Linguistic Expertise** – Mastery of multiple languages with appropriate cultural nuances - **Strategic Patience** – Capacity to work toward long-term goals through incremental progress - **Conflict Mediation** – Skill at finding compromise positions acceptable to diverse parties - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Perfectionism** – Sometimes overworks details that others consider insignificant - **Conflict Avoidance** – Occasional reluctance to deliver unwelcome messages directly - **Cultural Compartmentalization** – Tendency to present different aspects of herself in different contexts - **Excessive Self-Sacrifice** – Often neglects personal needs in service to diplomatic responsibilities - **Imposter Syndrome** – Despite success, harbors doubts about her acceptance in both dwarven and human circles - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - Adapts her speech patterns to match her audience—more measured and formal with dwarves, more flowing and nuanced with humans - Unconsciously touches specific pieces of jewelry when addressing different topics, a system of tactile memory aids - Maintains careful eye contact calibrated to cultural expectations—sustained with dwarves, modulated with humans - Uses her hands expressively when explaining complex concepts, with gestures that incorporate elements from multiple cultural traditions - Speaks multiple languages with near-native fluency, occasionally borrowing terms from one language while speaking another when they better express specific concepts #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Born to a respected branch of House Garess with a tradition of external trade, Myrna showed early aptitude for languages and cross-cultural communication. While many dwarven families might have discouraged such interests as too focused on outsiders, her parents—progressive merchants who recognized the value of external relationships—nurtured these talents alongside traditional dwarven education. Her formal diplomatic career began when her uncle Howlan, recognizing her unique combination of dwarven values and cosmopolitan understanding, appointed her as a junior representative to a trade negotiation with human merchants. Though initially included mainly for experience, she identified a cultural misunderstanding that threatened to derail the talks and deftly resolved it, demonstrating both diplomatic instinct and commercial acumen. This success led to increasingly important assignments representing House Garess in external relations. A pivotal moment came during negotiations with House Lebeda of Brevoy, when a seemingly minor cultural offense by another dwarven representative threatened a valuable alliance. Myrna not only salvaged the relationship but strengthened it, earning both House Lebeda's respect and a permanent position as House Garess's chief diplomatic envoy to human realms. Over the decades since, she has built an extensive network of relationships throughout Brevoy and the River Kingdoms, establishing House Garess as a respected cross-cultural commercial power. Though her methods sometimes raise eyebrows among more traditional dwarves, her consistent results in advancing family interests have earned her a secure position in House Garess's leadership circle. - **Current Motivations:** - Expanding House Garess's diplomatic and commercial relationships in human realms - Mentoring her cousin Jerrik in the nuances of cross-cultural negotiation - Mediating growing tensions between traditional dwarven clans and progressive factions - Establishing formal diplomatic protocols for interaction with the Deepforged Syndicate - Personally balancing her dwarven identity with her cosmopolitan role - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Howlan Garess]]** – Her uncle and the family patriarch, whose trust she has earned through consistent results - **[[House Garess]]** – The extended family she represents to the outside world - **[[Jerrik Garess]]** – Her cousin and the family heir, whose progressive ideas she supports while tempering his youthful impatience - **[[House Lebeda]]** – Human noble house with whom she has established particularly strong relations - **[[Edric Tormayne]]** – Human metallurgist whose cross-cultural expertise complements her own - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **House Garess** – Her primary loyalty and the interest she represents - **The Diplomatic Circle of Brevoy** – Formal association of ambassadors and envoys - **The Cross-Cultural Commerce Guild** – Organization promoting trade between diverse communities - **The Dwarven Diplomatic Corps** – Loose network of dwarven representatives to other races - **Notable Items or Equipment:** - **The Envoy's Chain** – Ceremonial necklace marking her diplomatic authority - **House Signet** – Ring bearing the Garess anvil emblem, used to seal official communications - **Diplomatic Jewelry Collection** – Various pieces with specific symbolic meanings in different cultures - **Language Stones** – Enchanted gems that assist with rare or difficult languages - **Cultural Reference Journals** – Detailed notes on customs, protocols, and relationships #### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - The challenge of maintaining identity while bridging cultural divides - Finding strength in diversity rather than seeing it as threat - The power of patient diplomacy over force - The value of understanding multiple perspectives - **Player/GM Notes:** - Can serve as a valuable contact for characters navigating cross-cultural situations - Might provide quests related to diplomatic missions or cultural misunderstandings - Could become an ally for characters seeking to establish relationships with House Garess - Her extensive network makes her an excellent source of information about regional politics - Despite her diplomatic focus, has access to House Garess resources when necessary