Rigwalkers
Origins:
Rigwalkers sprang from the jungle-isles of the Free Keys Confederacy, where ships and rope-bridges became their true forests. Small, agile, and endlessly mischievous, they turned rigging and sailcloth into hunting grounds, their tails as much a tool as any cutlass.
Legends say Rigwalkers first appeared when sailors made offerings to shipboard spirits for luck — and the sea answered with these monkeyfolk, clever enough to outwit storms, greedy enough to chase treasure, and loyal enough to never abandon a crew.
Philosophy:
To a Rigwalker, life is a swing and a leap. They believe in freedom above all, with loyalty flowing to their “crew” — be it blood family or chosen companions. Greed and generosity are not opposites to them; both are part of sharing spoils and keeping the story alive.
Their core belief: “If the rope holds, swing it. If it doesn’t, laugh on the way down.”
Training:
Rigwalker youth learn to:
Rig Leap: Swing and climb ropes, masts, and vines with ease.
Tailgrip: Use their prehensile tails for climbing, holding tools, or even swiping trinkets.
Deck Mischief: Turn pranks and tricks into survival lessons.
Crew Loyalty: A Rigwalker without a crew is adrift — they measure worth by who sails with them.
Coming of age is marked by the Rope Trial: swinging from ship to ship, or from cliff to cliff, carrying a prize back to their people.
Role in Aethertide:
Rigwalkers thrive as:
Deck Rats & Saboteurs – Slipping into tight spaces and wreaking havoc.
Scouts & Lookouts – Perched in the rigging, spotting sails before anyone else.
Tricksters & Merchants – Turning charm and quick hands into profit.
Stormriders – Rare, but iconic, Rigwalker Stormriders ride raptors, skybeasts, or even oversized parrots into battle, striking like cannonballs from above.
Signature Traits:
Size: Small, standing about 3–4 feet tall.
Appearance: Fur-covered humanoids with expressive faces, sharp eyes, and long prehensile tails. Their fur comes in shades of brown, grey, black, or gold, often decorated with beads, charms, or painted streaks.
Agility: Naturally quick, climbers by birth, with uncanny balance.
Trickster Nature: Known for pranks and clever wordplay, often underestimated until battle reveals their feral edge.
Notable Rigwalkers in History:
Nikko Redtail – Famous smuggler who swung aboard an imperial flagship, stole its admiral’s coat, and escaped without spilling blood.
Sasska Two-Tails – A pirate captain who wore twin false tails, each hiding a dagger, becoming legend in tavern tales.
Griplo the Bold – A Rigwalker Stormrider who rode a giant parrot into the Battle of Coin’s End, rallying crews with skyborne charges.
Cultural Perception:
To the Free Keys, Rigwalkers are kin — chaotic, but useful in smuggling and sabotage.
To the Veythane Empire, they are pests and thieves, tolerated only when pressed into service.
To the Stormcallers, they are storm’s children, blessed with agility.
To most sailors, they are both good-luck charms and troublemakers.
Sayings of the Rigwalkers:
“If there’s a rope, there’s a way.”
“Crew first, loot second. But don’t forget the loot.”
“Fall laughing, land fighting.”
“The sea loves a trickster.”
Rigwalkers are not just thieves or jokers. They are crew-born, rope-dancing, chaos-loving survivors — living proof that agility and wit can outmatch any storm.