Riko

"Riko"

- I want to become a white whistle soon so I can catch up to my mother...and explore the places she went.

About
Riko is an orphan from the town of Ooth at the edge of the Abyss. She's the only child of the legendary white whistle delver "Lyza the Annihilator". When she was two, her mother went missing during an expedition to the bottom of the Abyss, and since her father had died before she was even born, she was left under the care of her mother's disciple Jiruo in the Belchero Orphanage. Growing up, she diligently studied to become a Delver like her mother was, enchanted by the mysteries and secrets of the pit, and by the age of twelve became a "red whistle", an apprentice delver with the right to explore the shallowest levels of the Abyss.

Her dream is to become a white whistle, a legendary type of cave raider, and explore the depths of the abyss in order to unfoil its many secrets.

Appearance
Riko is a short girl with a plain face, green eyes, and a long blonde hair styled with two ponytails.

Personality
Riko is a good-natured and energetic child. She has a quick and inquisitive mind and tries to gather and properly organize all the information available on the subjects that interest her. Riko is resilient and stubborn and although, due to the slight build, she's not much of a brawler, her ability to keep a cool head under pressure and make rational decisions in the heat of battle allows her to successfully tackle most dangers the Abyss has to offer. She's also very good at cooking.

History
When her mother had just become pregnant with her, she was ordered to lead an an exploration squad to retrieve a Greater Relic from the fourth layer, the "Unheard Bell". The expedition was long and bloody, with many confrontations with delvers from other nations which resulted in the deaths of many members of the platoon, including Lyza's husband Torka. Eventually, Riko was born in the depths of the abyss near the end of the mission after the decimated group had obtained the relic. It all took a turn for the worst when Riko was born without signs of life, throwing Lyza into a strong depression. In order to carry her safely to the surface, one of Lyza's most trusted companions Ozen had carried the Curse-Warding Box, an artifact believed to keep those inside unaffected by the curse of the abyss. However, having died on birth Ozen was determined to return with Lyza and the Unheard Bell before shoving the stillborn in the Box on a whim and, much to her surprise, the previously dead fetus started moving. Having confirmed her newborn's rebirth, the two carried the extremely heavy Curse-Warding Box from the 4th layer.