# #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Thia Rattigan - **Race/Species:** Ysoki (Ratfolk) - **Class/Profession:** Aristocrat/Merchant/Diplomat - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Neutral - **Age:** 32 - **Gender & Pronouns:** Female (She/Her) - **Appearance:** A poised and elegant Ysoki standing just over three feet tall, with a slender build that carries itself with aristocratic grace. Her fur is a lustrous silver-gray that she maintains with meticulous grooming, complemented by striking blue-black markings around her eyes that give her a naturally sophisticated appearance. Unlike many Ysoki who favor practical attire, Thia dresses in finely tailored clothing that blends Ysoki practicality with human and elven fashion influences—rich fabrics in House Rattigan's colors of deep purple and silver, cut to flatter her form while maintaining the multiple pockets Ysoki find essential. Her jewelry is both beautiful and purposeful, with each piece serving as a symbol of family connections, business alliances, or diplomatic achievements. She moves with deliberate precision, her gestures economical yet expressive, conveying authority without unnecessary flourish. Her voice is surprisingly melodious for a Ysoki, cultivated through years of diplomatic training to be pleasant to a wide range of species' ears. Her whiskers are adorned with tiny silver beads that catch the light when she moves, drawing attention to her expressive face and keen, intelligent dark eyes that miss little. #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Thia embodies the sophisticated face of House Rattigan—a diplomat who navigates the complex social waters of multiple cultures with calculated grace. She approaches both business and politics with strategic precision, carefully weighing each word and action for its potential impact on family interests. To her family, she represents their public face, translating Ysoki directness into diplomatic language that other races find palatable while ensuring their core interests remain protected. To outsiders, she presents a carefully calibrated blend of Ysoki practicality and cosmopolitan sophistication that puts diverse negotiating partners at ease. Her Ysoki heritage manifests in her meticulous attention to detail, her talent for identifying valuable opportunities others miss, and her unwavering loyalty to family and close allies. Though she moves comfortably in human noble circles, she never forgets her Ysoki identity or the responsibility she bears as a representative of her house. Beneath her polished exterior lies a shrewd mind constantly calculating advantages and a fierce protectiveness toward House Rattigan's interests and reputation. - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Diplomatic Finesse** – Exceptional ability to navigate complex social and political situations - **Cultural Fluency** – Remarkable talent for adapting to diverse cultural contexts and expectations - **Commercial Acumen** – Sharp business sense inherited from generations of Rattigan merchants - **Network Management** – Skill at cultivating and maintaining valuable connections across communities - **Information Analysis** – Talent for gathering, evaluating, and strategically deploying knowledge - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Family Pride** – Sometimes places House Rattigan's interests above broader ethical considerations - **Calculated Relationships** – Tendency to evaluate people primarily for their usefulness to family goals - **Cultural Compartmentalization** – Presents different aspects of herself in different contexts, creating trust issues - **Perfectionism** – Holds herself to exhausting standards as a representative of her house - **Conflict Avoidance** – Prefers indirect solutions to confrontation, sometimes allowing problems to fester - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - Adapts her speech patterns to match her audience—more direct with Ysoki, more formal with humans and elves - 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 humans, modulated with elves - Uses her hands expressively when explaining 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 the main branch of House Rattigan during a period of significant expansion, Thia was raised with both the privileges of Ysoki aristocracy and the practical education of a merchant family. From an early age, she showed unusual aptitude for languages and cross-cultural communication, skills her parents—progressive merchants who recognized the value of external relationships—encouraged alongside traditional Ysoki business training. Her formal diplomatic career began when her uncle, recognizing her unique combination of Ysoki values and cosmopolitan understanding, appointed her as a junior representative to trade negotiations 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 Rattigan in external relations. A pivotal moment came during negotiations with a human noble house, when a seemingly minor cultural offense by another Ysoki representative threatened a valuable alliance. Thia not only salvaged the relationship but strengthened it, earning both human respect and a permanent position as House Rattigan's chief diplomatic envoy to human realms. Over the years since, she has built an extensive network of relationships throughout the River Kingdoms and beyond, establishing House Rattigan as a respected cross-cultural commercial power. Though her methods sometimes raise eyebrows among more traditional Ysoki, her consistent results in advancing family interests have earned her a secure position in House Rattigan's leadership circle. - **Current Motivations:** - Expanding House Rattigan's diplomatic and commercial relationships in human realms - Elevating the status of Ysoki in broader society through strategic alliances - Mediating growing tensions between traditional Ysoki communities and progressive factions - Securing advantageous marriages or partnerships for younger family members - Personally balancing her Ysoki identity with her cosmopolitan role - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[House Rattigan]]** – The extended family she represents to the outside world - **[[Marius Rattigan]]** – Her cousin and the family patriarch, whose traditional approach sometimes conflicts with her methods - **[[Whiskerwick “Whiskey” Thistlefoot]]** – Halfling information broker whose network complements her official channels - **[[Rennik Quickpaw (Deceased)]]** – Ysoki scout who occasionally serves as her eyes and ears in places she cannot go - **Various Noble Houses** – Network of human and elven contacts cultivated over years of diplomatic service - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **House Rattigan** – Her primary loyalty and the interest she represents - **The Diplomatic Circle of Rivermarch** – Formal association of ambassadors and envoys - **The Cross-Cultural Commerce Guild** – Organization promoting trade between diverse communities - **The Ysoki Advancement Society** – Group dedicated to improving the status of Ysoki in human lands - **Notable Items or Equipment:** - **The Rattigan Signet** – Family ring marking her authority to speak for the house - **Diplomatic Jewelry Collection** – Various pieces with specific symbolic meanings in different cultures - **Language Amulet** – Enchanted pendant that assists with rare or difficult languages - **Correspondence Case** – Secure container for sensitive documents and messages - **Family Ledger** – Record of debts, favors, and obligations relevant to her diplomatic work #### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - The balance between family loyalty and broader ethical considerations - Cultural identity in a multicultural world - The power of diplomacy over force - The responsibility of representing one's people to outsiders - **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 Rattigan - Her extensive network makes her an excellent source of information about regional politics - Despite her diplomatic focus, has access to House Rattigan resources when necessary