Hriq

The hriq, or "wooden fighting staff" is the most common weapon found across all of Alam Er. The six-foot hriq often doubles as a walking stick, especially among the common classes. Some wealthy nobles think of the hriq as a peasant weapon because of its ubiquity; however, it is still the weapon of choice of the most elite fighters in world - the Knights Constable.
Hriqijano is the fighting style built around the hriq, and is practiced to some degree by most of the population at some point in their lives. Hriqijano also has the notoriety of being the number one cause of childhood injuries. Overzealous Hriqijano students "training" with their peers break bones, bruise one another, and even occasionally cause lasting damage such as taking out an eye. The most renowned Hriqijano ustod "master" was Ustod Surmasin. Her speed and precision with the hriq has never been duplicated.
The best hriq are made from the Zhariq tree from which the hriq gets its name. The Zhariq is a hardwood noted for its strength and durability, and also for its tight grain, which allows the wood to compress instead of splinter when striking. The finest Zhariq hriq are impregnated with nut oils that bring out the natural rich reddish ebony color of the wood. Growing only at high elevations, the Zhariq was never a very pervasive species. Unfortunately, the number of Zhariq growing in the world is now much lower than it once was. As the population of Alam Er grew, the trees were over-harvested almost to the point of extinction. Now, conservation efforts have stabilized the remaining copses, and unpermitted harvesting of the wood is a punishable offense.
The most prevalent hriq are made from skorwood. Skorwood forests are plentiful across Alam Er, and their wood is still rather strong and durable. Skorwood is a blondewood, and it absorbs colors easily. Because of this, unscrupulous sellers of skorwood hriq will stain them to resemble Zhariq and attempt to fetch a much higher price. Knowledgeable patrons can identify true Zhariq by the uniqe swirls in the grain, which is most easily seen by examining the ends of the hriq.

Significance

Generic

Item type

Weapon, Melee

Rarity

Common

Weight

Average between 2lb/0.9kg to 4lb/1.81kg

Dimensions

6' long x 1.25" diameter (1.83m x 3.175cm)

Raw materials & Components

Solid wood from a hardwood tree

Tools

Woodworker's tools - Though a basic one may be fashioned from a sturdy branch or sapling with nothing more than a dagger or hand ax.