Rizer Shipping / RIZER

Rizer Shipping has been the industry leader in transport for thousands of years. From hauling pig iron across the Caribbean to Port Royal in the 16th century, to discretely moving a metric shit ton of alien artifacts out in the green shit of the outer rim in the 30th century, we are dedicated to moving it wherever it needs to go. With a reputation for no nonsense effectiveness, Rizer has built a client base of one person to several hundred in a short millenia.

The beginning of Rizer

Rizer has its roots in the dark age of sail, when a young Venetian slave oarsman aboard a Turkish galley found himself free of his chains. It was during one of the many Ottoman raids on Venetian Cyprus in the year 1559. The volley of cannon fire that freed him had also killed the Janissary in charge of the galleys oar deck. Taking full advantage of this situation, the daring young man took it upon himself to free his fellow oarsmen and prepare to take charge of the ship from below. The slaves now freed looked to their young blonde haired rescuer, having picked up what ever they could to arm themselves, waiting for him to tell them what to do next. Lifting the dead Janissaries scimitar above his head, raising his voice for all the ship to hear, he screamed “RISE”, launching himself at the stair up to the deck above. After an astoundingly brief yet bloody victory, the ship was theirs.

Known from then on as simply ‘The Rizer’, the new captain of the rebel slave galley decided on a course of high piracy against any and all ships of the Turkish empire at the time. The emboldened crew then set to work boarding galleys flying the Ottoman standard and stealing whole ships and crews, freeing the slaves and smuggling the stolen goods back to Venice. A promising career of piracy and smuggling soon followed, with the Doge of Venice, Girolamo Priuli himself, enthralled with tales of the Rizer and his turk hating band of seamen, bestowing a Privateer writ, cementing the Rizers place in Venetian society. And so Rizer was formed and many fast ships were sent to loot raid and pillage in the name of the Rizer.

The legacy of the Rizer

While technically bearers of a shipping charter, with its roots set knee deep in the bloody conflicts of the 16th and 17th centuries, succession of the Rizer title was passed down via honorable combat amongst the surviving captains of the Rizer fleet. This led to problems when it became easy to see that Rizer needed to be predominately concerned with trade, as the rise and fall of nations led to certain legal calamities. Expanding beyond the Mediterranean and out into the oceans of the world, Rizer found itself at times both hunter and hunted, which all too often culled down at the number of ships in the Rizer fleet, and so a better way had to be found. It was decided that the Rizer would be the most capable captain both in combat and commerce. Not only did a potential Rizer need to be able to hold his own in personal combat, they also needed to make a profit. This led to the cold mercenary attitudes that have led Rizer to guarded prominence throughout the ages since.

Rizers had to, in combat, literally rise above their peers. In commerce, they needed to fiscally be able to navigate the more subtle treacheries of the world powers.

The warning of the Rizer

During the gene hacker wars of the early 23rd century, where human DNA itself became a commodity and the concept of identity became hazy, Rizer came near to complete ruin. Fleet captains were cloning personnel and in some cases even themselves, thinking to man blockade runners and decoy ships for the perilous ‘gene paste’ runs from the underwater labs of Tokyo bay to the occupied territory of disputed Los Angeles. More than one occasion occured when cloned crews would duke it out with the originals when they realised what was happening, leading to failed deliveries, broken contracts and worst of all, a tarnishing of the Rizer name.

This led to the great purge of Rizer Jennings.

On Gunkanjima Island, RIzer Jennings organised a conclave of the Rizer fleet captains, some 50 LOAS strong (Low orbit amphibious ships). Rizer Jennings gave them all a choice. Cease their blind greed, abandon the petty trade of the syndicate slavers and work together as a unified fleet. Join him in space and work towards settling a permanent Rizer haven offworld. Not a small ask at the time. If not, he would have no choice but to end them all and clean the name of Rizer orbital shipping. (23rd to 24th century company name)

Only three captains accepted Rizer Jennings terms. Captains Pratt, Captain Tamai and Captain Ivers. The remaining 47 gave insult and attempted to depart, claiming they would find a new Rizer in their ranks and end Rizer Jennings instead. In the intervening fracas, Rizer Jennings and the others were able to make their escape while the orbital bombardment satellites under Rizer Jennings control, targetted and executed the remaining ships.

Since then, the warning has remained clear. Obey the Rizers wishes and all shall profit. Refuse and face judgement. A warning to all.