Rieklings

Rieklings, the tiny, blue goblin-like beings that inhabit the island of Solstheim are grievously misunderstood and ignored for being “Stupid” or “a nuisance”. I, Crassus Lanius, (author of “The Thousand-and-One uses for Horkers: A Primer”) set out to investigate these mysterious beings on their home island. What follows are my findings.

Architecture

Rieklings have a simplistic architecture, consisting of rounded huts and tents. These structures are primarily made from the bones and hides of animals that they’ve raised or hunted. This includes (but is not limited to) Boars, Foxes, Deer, Skeevers, and more. The huts, generally rounded with an entrance protruding from one side have loose fitting roofs and are only attached to the ground with bone or wood stakes, giving the impression that they can be easily disassembled and moved, should the need arise. Which would insinuate a mostly nomadic culture, however other habits of Riekling society tell otherwise.

Religion

Riekling religion is a complicated thing and not much is known to us, what we do know however, is the Riekling have a “godspeak song” that they preform ritually. The godspeak song involves burning considerable amounts of Scathecraw, native to Morrowind and Solstheim. Scathecraw is dreadfully toxic, so much of the ritual, including how the Rieklings survive it, remains a mystery to us. Popular theory has it that the Rieklings are simply immune to the airborne variants of the Scathecraw toxins, while another theory argues that part of the Riekling godspeak ritual involves a potion which keeps them safe from the toxin. Regardless, more study is required.

Rieklings have no known religious figures, such as the shamans, priests, witches, or medicine men that can be found in other savage cultures like Orcs, and Goblins. When Rieklings wish to preform the godspeak ritual, they simply gather round a fire, burn the Scathecraw and chant in unison, there is no leader.

Who the Rieklings speak to and worship in the godspeak ritual is another topic of much debate, there are two likely contenders for who the Rieklings worship, the first being Hircine, Daedric god of the Hunt, given his history on Solstheim and the Rieklings’ hunter-gatherer culture. The other choice would be the All-Maker of the Skaal religion, seeing as the two share an island heavily influenced with shrines of this “All-Maker” and the Rieklings have a habit of adopting the cultures and items of those they live close to (see culture). Another theory has presented itself that Rieklings may worship the Orcish Daedra-God, Malaclath. I find these theories to be highly preposterous, as Rieklings live so isolated from his other followers, and so deep in the influence of many other gods and Daedra.

Culture

Rieklings live in tribal villages or groups of 10-50 Rieklings, each filling a specific role in society (Warrior, Hunter, Worker, Boar Breeder) and one leading Chief of the tribe. The chief chooses the days on which godspeak rituals will occur, and leads the Rieklings in whatever endeavors they may be preforming (a hunt, a raid, construction). Rieklings are highly social creatures, who communicate often and quite loudly in their guttural language consisting of clicks of grunts. There are recorded instances of intelligent Rieklings using Tamrielic to communicate with travelers and locals who encounter them.

Riekling leaders are chosen in a way that can be called similar to the way that Orcs choose their chieftains. If and when a Riekling wants to become chieftain, he challenges the current chief to single combat, and, if victorious, becomes the new chief, this way only the strongest rule. There have been extreme and highly unusual and rare scenarios where a non-Riekling can become a chieftain of a Riekling tribe, recorded incidents of this are often ridiculously overexagerrated, but truth can still be found in some.

Rieklings raise and domesticate Bristleback Boar, which are native to the island of Solstheim. These boar are used in everything from warfare, acting as riding beasts for Riekling warriors, to agriculture, where they are used for meat, to architecture and clothing, where they are used in Riekling huts and armors.

Riekling clothes and armors are primarily made of bones and furs from the creatures they raise and hunt, most notably Bristleback Boars. However it isn’t unusual to see a Riekling wearing a Skeever skull or a feathered headdress. Rieklings have also been known to fashion leather armors, but not regularly enough to be considered commonplace, as the practice of creating such armor has fallen out of, well practice, sometime after the late Third Era. Despite the cold climate of Riekling dwellings in northern Solstheim, Rieklings often only cover about half their bodies in furs and bones, leaving much of their chest, stomach, and arms exposed.

Rieklings have a very simple, yet effective weapon. Tried-and-true, the Riekling spear is a versatile projectile or hand-to-hand weapon fashioned from a sharpened rock attached to a sturdy and straight stick. This weapon proves equally effective being thrown from range, jabbed from up close, or used like a lance while mounted on a Bristleback Boar. Rieklings have also been known to use arrows fashioned by more intelligent races as spears, much to the same effect.

Most notably in Riekling society, is their apparent kleptomania. Rieklings will randomly hoard objects made by others in large amounts in their tribes, sometimes building bizarre shrines from the items they prospected. Rieklings of late have been known to steal ancient weapons and tools from nord crypts, random, generally useless items from the newer Dunmer settlements on Solstheim, tools and animal skins from the northern Skaal, and even scraps of metal from Dwemer ruins. The purpose of this hoarding is as of yet unknown, yet the use of these stolen items in shrines insinuates a religious connotation.

Biology

Reikling Biology is indeed fascinating, but without the ability to properly sit down and dissect a Riekling myself, there is much I don’t know, and other scholars don’t care to know. However, a lot can be inferred from just observing Rieklings from a bush outside one of their camps.

The heart of a Riekling is a powerful thing, working very hard to keep a Riekling warm in the frigid climate of northern Solstheim. It beats much more quickly than the heart of a man or mer, resulting in a very short lifespan for a Riekling. The amount of energy the heart produces results in a great need for energy input. The average Riekling eats as much as a man would in day, despite their small size.

Most interestingly is the sickening crunching noise a Riekling makes between minutes and hours after dying. This writer’s best guess is that it has something to do with the cold of the snow, ice, outdoors, or a combination of the three flash-freezing the Riekling’s previously hot bones (no doubt so hot from the Rieklings hot blood, being pumped from their immensely powerful hearts). Now, if you’ve ever dropped a scorching hot rock into water, you’ve no doubt seen as the rock cracks and sometimes even explodes. I believe that Riekling bones may behave somewhat in the same way; when a Riekling dies, their bones chill very quickly and crack, shatter, or break, creating the noise.

I hope that this was both an enlightening view into the uniqueness of Rieklings, and an excellent (if I do say so myself) dissertation on the lives and culture of these remarkable little creatures. I would however like to remind you all that Rieklings are dangerous and unpredictable, so if you should see one, approach with caution, or run away.

Yours Unequivocally,

Crassus Lanius