Riko

"Riko"

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

Riko is an orphan from the town at the edge of the Abyss, Orth. She's the only child of the 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 the Belchero Orphanage.

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 long blonde hair styled in two ponytails. She usually wears the equipment typical to delvers.

Personality
Riko is a good-natured, joyful 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 she's small and not much of a brawler, her ability to keep a cool head under pressure and make rational decisions in the heat of trouble allows her to successfully tackle most dangers the Abyss has to offer. She's also very good at cooking.

The abyss excites her to no end. Growing up, she diligently studied to become a Delver like her mother was, enchanted by its mysteries and secrets. By the age of twelve she had become an apprentice delver with the right to explore the shallowest level of the Abyss on her own.

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 stillborn, throwing Lyza into a strong depression. Lyza's mentor Ozen was so annoyed at the dead child for having sent Lyza into such a state and delaying their mission to retrieve the Unheard Bell that she shoved Riko's corpse in the Curse-Warding Box, so Ozen wouldn't have to deal with it. However, much to everybody's surprise, sounds starting coming from within the box, and when it was opened Riko was revealed to be alive. Having confirmed her newborn's resurrection, Lyza helped Ozen carry the extremely heavy Curse-Warding Box from the 4th layer up to the Seeker Camp. Riko was brought to the surface, where she lived a healthy childhood in Lyza's care and in the care of Jiruo when Lyza was not around.

Riko's identity as the daughter of Lyza the Annihilator was kept secret due to her mother having many potential enemies that could threaten her. When she was 2 years old, her mother descended on her "Final Dive" towards the 6th Layer, and Riko was taken by the Belchero Orphanage under the care of Lyza's apprentice Jiruo.

Orth Arc
While exploring the first layer, Riko is being chased by a Scarlet Maw, when a beam of energy hits it and chases it away. Wondering who saved her, Riko followed the wreckage from the beam to its source, where she found an unconscious Reg. Upon further inspection, Riko realized he was not human, and with the help of Natt she brought Reg back to Belchero Orphanage. There she studied and took notes on Reg's body, and was able to wake him up using a jolt of electricity. She gives Reg a name, helps him settle in at the orphanage, and tells him about Orth and The Abyss.

During the Resurrection Festival, a celebration to returning delvers, Habolg returns from the abyss with the white whistle that belonged to Riko's mother, Lyza, along with some of Lyza's notes from her experiences delving. While Riko and Reg look through them, they notice one of them contains a sketch of a figure that looks eerily similar to Reg, along with a note reading "I'll be waiting at the bottom of the abyss." After discussing it with Nat and Shiggy, Riko and Reg decide to leave Orth and go to the bottom of the abyss on their own. The two take a few days to prepare, then leave the orphanage in the dead of night. When they reach the Wharf, a part of Orth that dips into the abyss, Riko and Reg say their final goodbyes to Natt and Shiggy, and begin their descent towards the bottom.

Descent to the Abyss Arc
===Forest of Temptation Arc

Abilities
Riko's obsession with the Abyss lead her to read about it extensively. She has a lot of general knowledge about each layer and its creatures and plants. She has memorized almost all known artifacts and their functions. She is a quick learner and experienced delver who knows lots of survival tips. She can cook food with a great taste, even with unfamiliar ingredients from deep in the abyss.

Trivia

 * Riko is the only known person to be in possession of two White Whistles.
 * She is the only known White Whistle who is not officially recognized by Orth or the delver's headquarters, due to the fact that she was only a Red Whistle when she started her journey. As she can never return to Orth, her White Whistle will never be officially catalogued.