Famous Richichi Adventurers
While adventurers are rare among the richichi, they are not unknown. Below are two of the more famous ones:
Babila Makika Thintail (Bard)
Even as a small child, Babila loved to travel. Her parents were a rare kind of richichi: traders who earned their living traveling from one market fair to another, trading in various rare and imported curios along the way. Home for her was small caravan wagon pulled by the family’s two ponies.
Babila has continued her parents’ footloose ways, only her stock-in-trade are songs and stories. She has a minor aptitude for magics, small spells to make everyday life on the road more comfortable. Her collection is also her profession: Bablia collects songs and stories from the lands she passes through, carefully recording them to preserve them for future generations. Her many friends say she has one other collection: languages. She learns languages quickly and easily and is always eager to practice what she knows.
She considers herself a pacifist and would rather talk her way out of situation, but if push comes to shove, she is quite capable of defending herself. She carries a short sword (small sized) and a short bow as well as her favorite instrument, a lap harp.
Kakio Shakka Blackfur (Knight)
Few richichi adventure. Even fewer of these become warriors. Still fewer achieve any renown for it. Only one has ever been knighted. Many legends talk of Kakio Shakka Blackfur, the man who saved the life of a prince.
The Blackfur family has traditionally served as valets, stewards, ladies-in-waiting, and companions of several families in House Kotish. While growing up, Kakio showed an early and unusual (for a richichi) interest in weapons and warfare. His mother, Shakka Malika Blackfur was steward of House Kotish at the time and thus in a position to indulge her only son. Kakio was allowed to train with the younger sons of House Kotish and soon showed great skill with a wide variety of weapons.
During that training, Kakio became friends with Katsir, the youngest son of the then Lord Kotish, Shatim, and baby brother of the Kotish heir, Klimia. As the youngest child with five brothers and one sister in-line for the throne well ahead of him, Katsir was left to do pretty much as he wished. As a teenager, he set his mind on exploring the world and seeing all the marvelous things in it. Despite extensive arms training, Katsir wasn’t as skilled a warrior as he thought, so Kakio went with him, acting as a bodyguard. Kakio was a reluctant explorer, but he swore to do all he could to protect Lady Klimia’s favorite brother.
One evening, in a tavern far from Kotish lands, Katsir found himself the target of a drunk’s insults. To save face, Katsir demanded satisfaction via a duel. Kakio, knowing that the drunk was a fighter of much greater skill than Katsir, offered to fight in his friend’s place (“He’s not worthy of your attentions, my lord. Let me take care of him for you…”). Katsir agreed. The actual duel was long and grueling and nearly killed Kakio. He survived and defeated his opponent, but lost his left eye in the process. He refused to have it restored, saying it was a reminder to himself not to be so rash in the future.
The story of the duel spread, eventually reaching Lady Klimia, who’d just succeeded her father to the Seat of Leadership. She was impressed by how Kakio had not only saved Katsir’s life, but his honor as well. She knighted the young richichi for his bravery and loyalty.
Kakio finally retired from his adventures in his late 40’s — well advanced in years for a richichi. By that point, in addition to his eye, he also lost half of one ear and gained many battle-scars, giving him the look of a grizzled warrior in his later years. He lived to the almost unheard of age of 51 (average lifespan of a richichi is 35-40 years). His only child, a son named Taktako, now serves as Lady Kotish’s personal assistant. Kakio was pleased at his son’s choice of profession and the honor it brought to the family, saying that he was happy his son had more sense than he did.
After Kakio’s death, his body was given a place of honor with the Kotish family crypt.
Other Richichi Posts
- Introducing the Richichi: A New player Race
- Richichi Adventure Seeds
- Richichi Town Life
- Richichi as Adventurers
- Of Squirrels and Men: Richichi and Other Races
Introducing the Richichi: A New Player Race
Best known for their beautiful gardens and abundant fruit and nut orchards, the Richichi have well earned the nickname “homebodies”. While other races,such as the satyrs and centaurs keep to themselves, the Richichi frequently build their towns near (or within!) human cities. Cheery and affable, Richichi make good neighbors.
Physical Description
Standing approximately 2-3 feet high, the Richichi resemble nothing more than giant bipedal ground squirrels with delicate and dexterous four-fingered hands (three digits, plus a thumb). Their fur ranges from dusty grey to nut brown in color with black stripes beginning behind their ears and running to the tip of their bushy tails. They wear few clothes, but love to adorn themselves with jewelry, hats, ribbons, belts and any number of other accessories.
Personality
Richichi are very organized and show meticulous attention to detail. They tend to be a very practical and “down to earth” people who care little for adventure or flights of fancy. While their legends and stories tend to be focused around clan histories, they are also very fond of jokes and displays of wit. They arealso very chatty and love to gossip.
Society
Though usually aloofly polite to outsiders, they are open and warm to members of their own clans. Even non-Richichi who have a close connection with one or more members of a clan will sometimes find themselves included as family. And once you’re family, you’re always family. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s best to remember that among clan members, the Richichi have very little concept of privacy.
Religion
Being home and family-focused, the Richichi care for all living things and have no patience for cruelty of any kind. While some city Richichi and those serving in the Great Houses do participate in the formal worship of Huang Ti, most tend more towards simple, home-based spiritual practices.
Adventurers
Very few Richichi take up the adventuring life, but some do have a restless wanderlust or are inspired by non-Richichi tales of daring-do. These are generally youths who eventually tire of the constant adversity and trials of the adventuring life and settle down in their middle age. The few Richichi adventurers tend towards professions or classes requiring wit and intelligence, such as bards.
Male Names: Rakki, Tikki, Shishi, Babaki, Kikio, Papillio, Mamano
Female Names: Babala, Tichia, Bebeta, Takia, Shakka, Pappaple, Bakka, Lakake, Papiya
[This article was featured in the Guang Keshar Development Newsletter, along with D&D 3.5/Pathfinder stats. For more advanced information and exclusive content, subscribe to the newsletter today].
Other Richichi Articles
- Richichi Adventure Seeds
- Richichi Town Life
- Richichi as Adventurers
- Of Squirrels and Men: Richichi and Other Races
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A Taste of Intrigue: Dramatis Personae
The free adventure is in the final editing stages. It should (barring unforeseen disasters) be available for download near the end of next week.
Seeing it’s a stand-alone adventure using pre-generated characters, I thought I’d include a brief summary of those characters here:
A Note on Names
The standard naming practice in Guang Keshar is [First Name] [Last Name] ( for example: Brian Kendari) except for the names of members of the Imperial and Great Houses. These are listed [Last Name] [First Name] (for example: Kukuri Kanalen), unless the person’s title proceeds their proper name. These are known and “Imperial Style” names. Thus, the current Lord Kukuri, Hashayan, could be listed as “Kukuri Hashayan, Lord Kukuri” or “Lord Hashayan Kukuri”.
The Characters
While each of the members of House Kukuri has their individual opinions of each other, here’s how each of them is viewed overall by their relatives:
Hashayan (HA-sha-yan): Known to his family and friends as “Shaya”, Hashayan was a major juvenile delinquent who gotten himself expelled from more courts and lands than anyone could count. The youngest child of Lord Shakim Kukuri, no one was more surprised than Hashayan himself when his father named him the heir to House Kukuri. Even though he didn’t want the job, since Lord Shakim’s assassination at the hands of House Hoten, Hashayan has tried hard to settle down and be the best ruler House Kukuri has ever known.
Bashya (BAASH-ya): Short for Bashami. Serious, imperturbable, “no dirt on my armor please”, Bashya is either stoic or pretentious, depending on who you ask. As Kukuri’s Mistress of the Hunt, she’s always been more comfortable in the wilds of Kukuri than in the Kukuri Court; consequently, she’s seldom seen there. She has a special bond with her sister, Lumel, who is the only one able to get Bashya to agree to anything. A fact Lumel uses to her own benefit, when her plans require it.
Galetsen (GAAL-tsen): Unquestioningly, the physically strongest member of House Kukuri … perhaps even of the Empire itself. Galetsen’s loyalty to the Emperor and to Kukuri is equally unquestioned and he seems to be one of the few people in Empire with no enemies. He generally stays out of politics and doesn’t take sides in family quarrels.
Kanalen (KAA-na-len): Though universally regarded as cold, arrogant bastard, Kanalen gave his all to protect Kukuri when Hoten invaded. Though not terribly liked by his relatives while alive, he will still be sorely missed, especially by Hashayan.
Kayan (KAA-yan): Charming and cavalier, Kayan’s as good with a bon mot as he is with his sword. The eldest of the Kukuri siblings, he’s said to be the second-best swordsman in the Empire. With his incredible skills and winning smile, he can sometimes charm even his siblings to go along with his schemes. While they don’t generally trust him, most of them can’t help but like him. Which makes him the perfect hand for Lumel’s mind.
Limani (LEE-ma-nee): Quiet and reserved, Limani leads Seafarers’ Guild, as her mother did before her. She prefers her ships to any court, making a her a rare presence at Kukuri Castle. Her loyalties and motives are unknown, but her general absence and lack of interest in either finances or politics has caused her family to disregard her as a player in the political games.
Lumel (LÜ-mel: Sorceress extraordinaire. That’s the one thing all about Lumel all her siblings can agree on. She is the undisputed expert in arcane matters among House Kukuri and her talents are said to rival even those of Ling Kenlo, the Harbinger of Sorcery. Personal opinions of her range from “manipulative, opportunistic witch” to “Kukuri’s rising star”.
Malik (ma-LEEK): Hashayan’s illegitimate son. Raised in Hoten because neither of his parents wanted him, Malik has the sympathies of much of Kukuri Island’s populous. His family, however, is more cautious. After the invasion attempt, Hashayan brought live in Kukuri Castle. From all reports, father and son were getting along well with Hashayan doing his best to become the father he should have been all along. Until a month ago, that is, when the two had a serious falling out, though no one seems to know over what. All that is known is that Malik stormed out of the castle and hasn’t been seen since.
Tsalim (TSA-leem): Kanalen’s illegitimate son from a brief affair with Lady Marlani Seleni, Lady Hoten. Since the assassination incident, Tsalim has cut his ties with House Hoten and sworn fealty to House Kukuri and to Lord Hashayan personally. Lord Kukuri seems to have a special fondness for the lad and he and Malik were raised almost as brothers. The rest of House Kukuri is more restrained, staying just short of calling him a Hoten spy. Though very close before the invasion, he and Malik seem to have had a cooling of relations since. The fact that Hashayan is very open regarding his affection for Tsalim doesn’t help the youths’ relationship any.
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