Riid

The Riid is a musical instrument almost exclusively manufactured and played by the Kajan.  Making use of many traditional swamp materials in its construction, it is as unique to these people as anything can be.  Played by plucking, the poolreed strings amplify the sound into an otherworldly ripple.

Manufacturing process

First, the base is prepared.  Taking multiple pieces of swampwood, the manufacturer begins to bend and plane them into the correct shape.  Most of the time, swampwood is not large enough to make the instrument from only one piece, so the first step is to acquire a large enough piece by gluing the swampwood samples together (often using the juices that can be attained by squeezing poolreeds).  After carving the characteristic bowl-shape, the maker attaches the first and second bridges, which are always made from only one sample of swampwood.  Depending on the maker, the bridges can be carved into a particular shape, often resembling an animal or plant.
The next stage is the construction of the neck of the riid.  Similarly to the body, a suitable size of swampwood must be prepared in order to carve the neck properly.  This process is much less involved than the construction of the body, however, and requires less carving.  In some riids, the neck is no more than an upright stick, having no detailing or refining of any sort.  The tertiary bridge is attached halfway up the neck in a process similar to that of attaching the primary and secondary bridges.
Finally, the poolreed is woven into the seven strings of a riid.  This is done using a loom and is the most time-consuming but least skill-intensive phase of the creation.  Once this is complete, the instrument is strung and tuned, and is ready to be played.

Significance

The riid is an incredibly important cultural element for the Kajan.  It is used in their major ceremony of The Unsung Hymn, as well as in many components of everyday life.  It's one way that an outsider can tell the location of a Kajan settlement - the sound of the riids being played there.

Item type

Musical Instrument

Related ethnicities

• Kajan

Rarity

Every Kajan family posesses at least one riid, often as many as one per member.  Outside the swamps, they are a rare sight indeed, often kept in private collections and taken out only on occasions of great importance.

Dimensions

1 metre tall, base radius 0.25 metres.

Base Price

Free to Kajan. Very rarely sold to outsiders at very high prices or given as recognition of an exceptional favour.

Raw materials & Components

A riid is made of two materials.  The solid components of the instrument are made of Swampwood, a mix of native swamp tree woods and peat, and the strings are woven from poolreed.  The swampwood gives the notes of the instrument their peculiar tone, and poolreed is the only substance that allows the playing method of a riid to produce the corresponding sound.

Tools

In order to construct a riid, the maker must have a loom and basic carpentry tools, as well as ample space to dry the poolreed needed for the strings.  In order to manufacture the base and stem of the instrument, the manufacturer must chisel and plane the wood into the characteristic bowl-shape, while to ensure the correct thickness and strength of the poolreed a loom must be used.