Line #102 Literature/RieselTalesTwoHunters


1	->''A world paved with cityscape and crime. A playground full of bounties to be collected.''
2	-->--'''Tagline'''
3
4	''Riesel Tales: Two Hunters'' is a series of short science fiction works by Roystonn Pruitt, with the first four stories comprising ''Riesel Tales: Two Hunters (Volume 1)''.
5
6	In the year 8202, two [[BountyHunter bounty hunters]] by the names of [[{{Jerkass}} Runge Margavo]] and [[{{Foil}} Ramy Dusotes]] try to make a living doing what they do best on the infamous [[CrapsackWorld dystopian]] [[CityPlanet urban planet]] of Riesel. Surviving on such a world is hard enough, and their clashing personalities don't make things any easier. Runge is a [[EmbodimentOfVice carefree, wisecracking thug]] who wants all the pleasures of the galaxy, and Ramy is a [[StraightMan straight-minded]] gunslinger who just wants to earn her living with as little trouble as possible.
7
8	The series centers predominantly around alien characters, most of whom fall into the category of [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism anthropomorphism]] in one way or another. Gritty and cynical [[{{Cyberpunk}} cyberpunk]] themes abound, along with plenty of [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] and a fair dose of comedy.
9
10	The second edition of Volume 1 was released on April 14, 2021, nearly eight years after the original. It corrected several lore errors and includes rewrites of a few scenes, mostly for the sake of playing into Runge and Ramy's intended personalities.
11	----
12	!! Volume 1
13	* ''First''
14	* ''Club Gig''
15	* ''Reprisal''
16	* ''Lonely Tenant''
17	----
18
19	!! The series contains examples of:
20
21	* ActionGirl: Ramy and Sookaiya "Soo" Venatosh. Ramy, being one half of the titular duo, has shown herself to be quite competent in combat. Sookaiya takes it a step further by being a [[StoutStrength walking tank]] and using a [[{{BFG}} gun to match]].
22	* AdvertOverloadedFuture: Riesel has quite a lot of annoying holographic ads floating about (even in ''orbit''), including some that are...[[{{Squick}} difficult to forget.]]
23	* TheAlcoholic: Runge, but not usually to absurd levels. Usually. He gets absolutely smashed in ''Club Gig'', though he is described as not doing this very often.
24	* AliensSpeakingEnglish: [[AllThereInTheManual According to supplementary material]], a distant-future variant of English exists with several dialects, and there are non-Humans who speak them alongside Humans.
25	* AllPlanetsAreEarthlike: Most of the mentioned planets are actually quite unique [[AvertedTrope as opposed to being Earth-like]], and the supplementary material indicates that such worlds are exceptionally rare. Riesel itself is not much like Earth, with its never-ending cityscape and pale, polluted skies.%%This is an acceptable aversion example as per the trope page: "Since this trope is so ubiquitous, only lampshade-hangings, subversions, and aversions ought to be listed." Sci-fi works normally have suspiciously Earth-like planets all over the place, but this sci-fi work averts that trope. Do not remove!
26	* AllThereInTheManual: The [[http://rieseluniverse.wikia.com wiki]] has a huge amount of backstory and information not mentioned in the stories.
27	* AnArmAndALeg: One character gets a leg shot off in ''Reprisal''.
28	* AntiHero: Most of the characters, including Runge and Ramy, though more so for Runge. They're either bounty hunters, mercenaries, or someone who runs a company involving such people.
29	* ArmsDealer: Sig is a pretty big dealer of weapons and mercenaries.
30	* ArtifactTitle: The Prakuul system, within which Riesel orbits, was named such by the now-defunct Prakuul Corporation, a [[MegaCorp megacorp]] that once ruled Riesel as a corporatocracy.
31	* ArtificialGravity: A common technology in the Riesel universe. Ships use "emulators" for the sake of internal gravity and maneuvering in space, "repellers" for the opposite effect, and a "momentum counterbalance" (or "mo-co") to prevent damage of crew and cargo due to the effects of rapid acceleration/deceleration.
32	* ArtificialLimbs: Both of Sookaiya's legs are robotic.
33	* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: Riesel is ruled by whoever has the most firepower. In this case, the [[TheMafia Bright Ebony Organization]]. The wiki has a nifty little backstory [[http://rieseluniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Riesel#Rise_of_Bright_Ebony here.]]
34	* BadassArmy: The Bright Ebony Organization is implied to possess this, as well as the briefly-discussed [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Aaltice]] civilization. Sgakahav "Sig" Wilobst is technically in control of one of these, being the owner of the Wilobst Pioneers Ltd. mercenary firm.
35	* BadBoss: [[{{Jerkass}} Mr. Fyowhe]], owner of Iledd's Grocery Emporium. He works his employees hard, pays very little, and is an all-around sarcastic jerk. Good employees are typically rewarded with boxes of cereal.
36	* BeastMan: Quite a lot of them on Riesel, including most of the main characters.
37	* BigBeautifulWoman: Ramy is described as well-padded and muscular. Runge, being shallow, isn't very supportive of this, and he frequently complains (in his mind, with comical exaggeration) about her weight. However, he does on one occasion of absent-mindedness allow his gaze to caress her curves while she's not looking and is "taken in by her beauty" according to the narrative, though he quickly snaps himself out of it after reminding himself of who he's looking at.
38	* BigFun: Sig is a huge and boisterous individual, known for his jovial behavior and sly remarks. Sookaiya is also this to a lesser extent, with her considerable size and penchant for playfully teasing those around her.
39	* BizarreAlienBiology: A favorite of Mr. Pruitt, along with [[MixAndMatchCritters mix-and-match critters]].
40	** One creature shown in Club Gig is like a glassy woven vase that speaks in chime and bell noises.
41	** Btabo shapeshifters can convincingly mimic other species (including their clothing) and shift their features to change direction without the need for turning.
42	** Qinmoirs are eighteen-foot-tall bear/crab people who breathe air with much higher oxygen levels than standard beings can handle, and can see in standard and ultraviolet wavelengths.
43	** Fruburwhas are four-armed axolotl/shark beings who can regenerate lost limbs, breathe above and below water (their gills look like feathery ears on their heads), and see only in ultraviolet wavelengths with their pearly, pupilless eyes.
44	** Even the Sirukti (alien dingo) and Lonkapi (alien wolf) species have clearly non-human organs.
45	* BlackAndGrayMorality: [[PunchClockVillain Runge and Ramy are not really "evil" per se]], they're just [[HiredGuns hired guns]] who often do morally questionable things for money. Ramy is less so than Runge, being notably uncomfortable with assassination jobs while he enjoys them.
46	* BloodKnight: Runge is more than happy to snatch up an assassination job and repaint the floor with someone's gray matter, and he's been described as someone who participates in bar fights with apparent regularity.
47	* BookEnds: ''Club Gig'' begins and ends in the titular club.
48	* BountyHunter: The basic premise of the series.
49	* BrandNameTakeover: Androids are usually referred to as "Rets," short for [=RetiNew=]. This was originally the name of a special line of social androids made to accompany their owners wherever they went, but has since become a generic term for all androids.
50	* BrawnHilda: Sookaiya is big, burly, tall, and brutish, and speaks in a deep (but still feminine) voice. Runge is utterly repulsed by her, [[spoiler: which makes her infatuation with him at the end of ''Reprisal'' all the more hilarious.]]
51	* BurgerFool: Pizza Chairman, Burger Entropy, Cheerful Fish Thug...
52	* CallBack: The plot of ''Reprisal'' (the third story) deals largely with the consequences of what occurred in ''First'' (the first story), making it a [[SequelEpisode sequel episode]] as well.
53	* TheCasanova: Runge is quite the womanizer.
54	* CasualInterstellarTravel: Very common in galactic society.
55	* CatchPhrase: Ramy often says "Sounds good" and "Noted."
56	* [[CelibateHero Celibate Antihero]]: Ramy actively avoids romance due to the disturbingly high number of perverts and sexual predators on Riesel (which includes her business partner Runge). Discounting her [[{{Tomboy}} tomboyishness]], she deliberately avoids wearing makeup or feminine clothes and retains a pudgy figure in order to strengthen her barrier against Riesel's shallow lechers.
57	* CityPlanet: The titular planet Riesel, which is covered with a miles-high skyline and mountain-sized masses of detached cityscape that float within the polluted skies. While it has a population of twelve trillion, this is considered ''anemic'' by comparison to other urban worlds in the galaxy, which tend to have at least ten times as many people. The wiki [[http://rieseluniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Ecumenopolis indicates]] that ecumenopolises are rather common in the galaxy.
58	* [[CityOfAdventure Cityworld of Adventure]]: Riesel is one continuous city stuffed to obesity with crime and danger.
59	* ChubbyChaser: Sookaiya is very much this, though this isn't apparent until [[spoiler: the end of ''Reprisal'', and it's directed at... Runge. While he is by no means chubby, Sookaiya expresses her intent to ''change'' this, telling Ramy that Runge is "Gorgeous, though a bit scrawny... but I can fix that."]]
60	* CollapsibleHelmet: Ramy's helmet is not able to be put on in the conventional sense: it emits from the collar of the suit as a series of ribbons that weave around her head and solidify.
61	* CommonTongue: While there is a great diversity of languages on most planets in the galaxy, some of them are used to the extent of being considered common. Anczica (Runge and Ramy's native language) is one of Riesel's common languages, and most of the main characters can speak it. However, translators are still a necessary accessory for daily activities, as made evident in ''Lonely Tenant''.
62	* ConLang: Most of the characters are described as speaking in Anczica, which is actually under development by Mr. Pruitt. You can find it [[http://rieseluniverse.wikia.com/wiki/Anczica here.]]
63	* ContainmentField: Commonly used to keep a ship's atmosphere within an otherwise open hangar bay, or to surround a section of a high-altitude building or aerial platform to keep an agreeable pressure and oxygen concentration.
64	* CoolHelmet: Ramy gets one in ''Reprisal'' with a matching set of armor. It has no obvious visor, being composed of a one-way substance that can only be seen through from the inside. It also has a music player, Internet browsing, and... silly holographic expressions that can be projected on the outer surface.
65	* CoolStarship: The ''Salona'' and the ''Carnivorous Summer Flower'', as well as the Aaltice starship mentioned in ''First''. That last one in particular is speculated to have metamorphic properties and other features that barely exist even in the science fiction works of most species.
66	* CorruptPolitician: Riesel has a long history of hosting these, and is currently being led by a mafia dictatorship.
67	* CrapsackWorld: Riesel is rusting and falling apart, run by a powerful mafia, crawling with crime, and has air that would make Los Angeles look like an eco-paradise.
68	* CurbStompBattle: Runge and Ramy's treatment of the [[{{Mook}} mook]] in ''First''. [[spoiler: The protagonists' invasion of the Zaxadin base in ''Reprisal'' begins like this.]]
69	* CyberneticsEatYourSoul: Nhauh believes this and refuses to get a prosthetic replacement for her bad eye as a result.
70	* {{Cyberpunk}}: The series is set over 6000 years in the future on a rusty and crime-ridden dystopia world that's covered in towering cityscape, and there's plenty of cynicism to go around.
71	* {{Cyborg}}: Sookaiya, with her prosthetic legs, and Mr. Fyowhe, with his prosthetic ''everything'' (see ManInTheMachine further down).
72	* TheCynic: Runge and Ramy are both more or less convinced that Riesel is composed of nothing but scum, though the latter is aware that there are at least a few good people.
73	* DeadpanSnarker: Many of the characters, especially Runge and Ramy toward one another. Sig does this to everyone around him, being [[TheGadfly the gadfly]] and all.
74	* DeathGlare: Ramy often does this in response to Runge's shenanigans.
75	* DeathWorld: The particular context varies from species to species, but most of the inhabited worlds in the galaxy are quite different from one another, and non-native species must take varying precautions when visiting them. From a Human standpoint, ''very few'' planets are Earth-like, at least naturally. There are plenty that were terraformed over the past 6200 years.
76	** Riesel itself technically counts as one of these due to its pollution and thin air at skyline height, and especially the sunless ground level.
77	** Taloluht, the homeworld of one of the bar patrons Ramy sees in ''Club Gig'', is described as being filled with meat-thirsty predators.
78	** Heverlamid, Sig's homeworld, has a much higher atmospheric oxygen content than Earth or Ahjri. Ramy began to hyperventilate when standing in Sig's office without a respirator for a few seconds.
79	* DescriptionPorn: Lots of things get salient detail, expecially Riesel and the structures upon it.
80	* DistractedByTheSexy: One of Runge's trademarks, even to the point of distracting from a mission. When this happens to him just before the mission in ''Club Gig,'' Ramy gives both Runge and his target a verbal carpet-bombing.
81	* DrugsAreBad: Runge is a known drug user, though this typically earns him some unpleasant ramifications, not the least being Ramy's scorn.
82	* {{Dystopia}}: There is very little room for idealism on Riesel. This is expounded in the introductory paragraphs of ''Club Gig''.
83	* EccentricMentor: Sig is described as having elements of this, as he uses his sharp wit to refine his employees.
84	* EffortlessAmazonianLift: Owing to her [[StoutStrength stout strength]], Ramy can lift the heavier Runge over her head and ''throw him'' if necessary.
85	* {{Egopolis}}: Riesel's discoverer, Jayscen Riesel, had originally named the world Riesel's Refuge.
86	* EliteMooks: The protagonists encounter one of these in ''Reprisal''.
87	* EmbodimentOfVice: Runge is pretty well addicted to Riesel's seedy clubs and the many services they offer, including alcohol, drugs, and prostitutes.
88	* EmptyFridgeEmptyLife: Nhauh's fridge and pantry reflect her wallet.
89	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even though Ramy is a [[HiredGuns hired gun]] working on a planet full of corruption, she looks down on Runge's casual approach to the sometimes-cruel jobs they're assigned, as well as his general outlook on life.
90	* EveryoneIsArmed: Self-defense is an unspoken requirement for living on Riesel.
91	* EvilVersusEvil: On Riesel, you're well-suited to be a mafia leader, a weapons dealer, a mercenary, a total jerk, or a complete psychopath. The people who are genuinely good are usually on Riesel only due to technical malfunction, which is a major plot point in ''Lonely Tenant''.
92	* EyeScream: Nhauh Fonbiac's left eye is non-functional, featuring a constricted and discolored pupil with a strange shimmer behind the lens.
93	* FaceNodAction: Runge and Ramy do this at the end of ''Club Gig''.
94	* FatAndProud: Sookaiya. She even corrects Ramy after the latter makes a low guess of her weight. Ramy is also this according to supplementary material, being confident at her relatively high weight and deliberately keeping herself that way for the sake of intimidation and physical leverage.
95	* FatAndSkinny: Runge is tall and athletic, and Ramy is shorter and quite stout. In a more extreme contrast, Sookaiya is over a foot taller than Cutolla and several hundred pounds heavier.
96	* FinishingStomp: Sookaiya's way of defeating [[spoiler: the Zaxadin guard in ''Reprisal.'' ]]
97	* FlatWhat: Ramy's reaction to Cutolla asking her to "give us a little twirl" after she dons a new combat suit.
98	* FlippingTheBird: Sort of. Sookaiya makes an odd, but rude, hand gesture before she destroys someone who ''really'' ticked her off.
99	* FloatingContinent: Riesel's affluent and overpopulated past required the construction of aerial cities the size of mountain ranges, called sky continents or skycons. They're still aloft, but badly neglected and falling apart.
100	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Sookaiya's horn-stab against the guard in ''Reprisal'' is repeated when she [[spoiler: defeats the Dijnvol mercenary]].
101	* FullyDressedCartoonAnimal: Some of the aliens, including the main characters, classify more or less as [[BeastMan beast folk]] and wear full outfits appropriate for their anatomy.
102	* FunWithAcronyms: Brebor is derived from BrEbOr, which means Bright Ebony Organization.
103	* FuturisticSuperhighway: Rather common in Riesel's skies, but since air traffic control has been defunct for centuries, there are frequent collisions.
104	* TheGadfly: Sig is this with his signature teasing, to the point where Ramy has an ''advisory label'' next to his name on her phone. He's described as the kind of guy who cannot resist the opportunity to exploit and obliterate every hint of weakness and arrogance in his subjects in order to let them know he's real business, or to groom his underlings into being sharper tools in his arsenal.
105	* GargleBlaster: In the form of a candy bar. The one Runge eats in ''First'' lives up to its name: Omnicidal Flavor Bowshock.
106	* GenreSavvy: Just about everyone except the [[GoldfishPoopGang Zaxadin Cartel]]. The latter is regarded as a complete joke in the criminal world.
107	* GlobalCurrency: The jucal is the most common currency on Riesel and the surrounding areas, although it isn't the only currency used.
108	* GoldfishPoopGang: The incompetent Zaxadin Cartel acts as a minor obstacle ''at best'' for most people, rarely becoming credible and then losing that credibility just as quickly. The fact that they still exist is a mystery.
109	* {{Gonk}}: From Runge's perspective, the [[BrawnHilda massive]] Sookaiya counts as this.
110	* GreatOffscreenWar: The War of Ninth Sanctuary, which Runge participated in back when he was in the military.
111	* GunNut: Sookaiya owns quite a lot of guns and is not afraid to use them.
112	* GunPorn: This pops up here and there. Runge and Ramy's sniper rifles are given quite a bit of detail in ''Club Gig'', and the effects of their use and those of various other weapons are also described in detail.
113	* HandsomeLech: Runge.
114	* HarmlessVillain: Subverted by [[spoiler: the Zaxadin Cartel]], who ''can'' win through sheer numbers and [[spoiler: upgraded their power with a huge combat robot in ''Reprisal''.]]
115	* [[HatedHometown Hated Homeplanet]]: Although not her world of birth, Ramy harbors a massive amount of disdain for Riesel and yearns for greater notoriety so she and Runge can move their bounty hunter business to more important worlds.
116	* HeavyVoice: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]]. During a phonecall, Sig claims Ramy's voice "sounds heavier," though he's just being a jerk.
117	* HehHehYouSaidX: Ramy points out a sniper target to Runge by saying "There he is, dead ahead." Runge responds, "Heh, you said 'dead.' "
118	* HitmanWithAHeart: Ramy is notably uncomfortable with assassination jobs. She only does them under the reasonable assumption that the people she's killing are mafia dirtbags or other criminals. Runge has less of a moral compass, happily carrying out assassinations unless the targets are explicitly innocent.
119	* HoistHeroOverHead: In an instance of Runge being a drunken loaf, Ramy lifts him over her head and tosses him into their ship.
120	* HornedHumanoid: Sookaiya has horns like a steer and isn't afraid to use them.
121	* {{Hunk}}: Runge likes to keep his physique up to the standards of a male model. Sookaiya even describes him as "[[PrettyBoy gorgeous]]," and she's not even the same ''species''.
122	* HurricaneOfPuns: Runge indulges in this in ''Club Gig'', dishing out burn-themed puns for a group of thugs who were killed by the ''Salona's'' security system.
123	* HyperspaceLanes: According to the [[http://rieseluniverse.wikia.com/wiki/The_galaxy#Travel wiki,]] there are many crisscrossing the galaxy.
124	* ICallItVera: Sig's [[{{BFG}} mobile artillery rifle]] is called "Tank Scrubber."
125	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: Sookaiya has natural bull horns and a thirst for combat. It comes to its logical conclusion.
126	* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: The Zaxadin Cartel's starfighter pilots. [[SubvertedTrope Somewhat subverted]] with their ground troops, who tend to be better shots.
127	* ImpossiblePickleJar: One of these resides in Nhauh's fridge.
128	* IndustrialGhetto: Massive swaths of Riesel's cityscape are composed of this.
129	* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Ted from ''First''. He's beaten to the floor with such ridiculous ease that Runge and Ramy [[spoiler: actually help him back up, give him some food, first aid, and life advice, then send him on his way.]]
130	* InterspeciesFriendship: Runge and Ramy are this, as are Sookaiya and Cutolla. It's quite common on a planet as diverse as Riesel.
131	* {{Jerkass}}: Runge and Ramy, who dish out derisive comments to each other all the time; Sig, who has his employees pick on Ramy (albeit non-maliciously); and Mr. Fyowhe, who ''thrives'' on pissing people off.
132	* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Although fully-functional energy weapons exist on Riesel, the main characters are more often seen using kinetic weaponry.
133	* {{Ladette}}: Sookaiya isn't very feminine and can be quite animated. Her method of greeting consists of forcefully dropping her hand on a person's shoulder, which gives the much smaller Ramy an unpleasant surprise. She uses an anti-tank cannon as her gun of choice and her bull-like horns as stabbing implements.
134	* LamePunReaction: Ramy is unamused by Runge's [[HurricaneOfPuns hurricane of puns]] in ''Club Gig''.
135	* LanguageDrift: 21st century English gave way to many daughter languages, which further spawned more languages, especially after Humans began traveling the stars. Supplementary material mentions Ninth Millennium English, which is actually a group of languages that are quite different from present-day English.
136	* LargeAndInCharge: Sig is eighteen feet tall and runs a mercenary firm/weapons dealership.
137	* LayeredMetropolis: Riesel's long-gone glory days necessitated the creation of flying masses of more buildings, which ended up taking the appearance of mountain ranges in the sky (called "sky continents").
138	* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: Sookaiya makes this remark when hearing one of Runge and Ramy's fits of bickering.
139	* LionsAndTigersAndHumansOhMy: The series features quite a few alien species that appear to be [[BeastMan beast folk]] (canine Sirukti and Lonkapi, feline Kalasi and Aaltice, lapine Subbecjus, etc), but there are also Humans.
140	* MacGuffinEscortMission: The plot of ''First'' involves returning a stolen package to a Kalasi client.
141	* TheMafia: Plenty to be found on Riesel, most notably the Bright Ebony Organization.
142	* ManInTheMachine: Mr. Fyowhe. He's an alien clam who travels around in an imposing mechanical suit.
143	* MileLongShip: These visit Riesel periodically for the sake of food shipments.
144	* MixAndMatchCritters: Sig is a cross between a generic furry mammal and a ''crustacean'', Sookaiya is a longhorn and a collie dog, and Cutolla Ceybeck is something like a mudpuppy and a spider. Nhauh is an aardwolf and a beaver.
145	* MomentKiller: Ramy has a flashback in ''First'' of an event that had happened a few years prior: Runge had caught her when she was about to fall off a ledge, which led to them locking eyes and kindling some special feelings...until Runge quickly pulled her back up so he could glance at a passing prostitute.
146	* MoreDakka: The Zaxadin Cartel is notorious for spamming bullets in the hopes of hitting their target.
147	* MultiArmedAndDangerous: Cutolla has four of them.
148	* MulticulturalAlienPlanet: Explicitly stated to be true for nearly every inhabited planet in the galaxy. Aliens are described as being just as chock-full of cultural diversity (including popular culture) as Human society is.
149	** Runge and Ramy have access to ''millions'' of TV channels, and they occasionally mention different types of food and restaurants.
150	** The vending machine in ''First'' has all kinds of flashy and calorie-laden snacks within, and with varying biological compatibility.
151	** An alien club is featured as a prominent setting in ''Club Gig''.
152	* MusclesAreMeaningful: The strongest characters have the muscles to show for it.
153	* MyEyesAreUpHere: Being the lech that he is, Runge is bound to instigate this. Happens in ''Reprisal''.
154	* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: The translation device that Runge and Ramy use when talking to Nhauh is humorously inaccurate. Nhauh points out that it's using the wrong dialect.
155	* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Runge is utterly repulsed by Sookaiya's imposing build.
156	* NoHuggingNoKissing: Runge and Ramy's relationship is completely business-oriented, as is Sookaiya and Cutolla's.
157	* OddCouple: Runge and Ramy, being a case of RedOniBlueOni. They haven't killed each other due to the value of their combined abilities.
158	* OneLiner: Runge is prone to dishing these out.
159	* OneManArmy: Sookaiya manages to blast through quite a lot of [[spoiler: Zaxadin mooks]] with her anti-everything cannon.
160	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Runge and Ramy wouldn't be on Riesel otherwise, as the planet plays host to all kinds of bounty-hunting opportunities. They plan to leave the planet for [[StealthPun greener]] pastures once they get popular enough to be recognized as worthy of hiring by larger entities.
161	* OurMinotaursAreDifferent: Binnikods are powerfully-built dog/bull aliens that largely resemble minotaurs.
162	* PollutedWasteland: As Riesel developed into an ecumenopolis over thousands of years, its population and focus moved up with the skyline, while its ground level was neglected and eventually treated as a planetwide dumping ground.
163	* PlanetOfHats: [[PlayedForLaughs Played for laughs]] when a ''literal'' version is mentioned in a tabloid that Ramy finds on the ground in ''Club Gig''. Played straight in that Riesel is a crime-infested planet of cityscape and decay.
164	* PlatonicLifePartners: Mentioned by Ramy in response to someone accusing her and Runge of being a couple, although she cringes when she realizes what she said.
165	* PreAssKickingOneLiner: Quoth Sookaiya, "And my heart takes the shape of a bullet."
166	* {{Precursors}}: There was a collection of ancient species called the Anterior Base who existed over 100,000 years ago. The [[CatFolk Aaltice]] are one of a small handful left and still have the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien technology]] to show for it, [[NeglectfulPrecursors although they're very stingy with it]].
167	* ProfessionalKiller: Runge and Ramy are occasionally hired as assassins. Ramy isn't particularly fond of it, but Runge has no issue doing such things.
168	* RedOniBlueOni: Runge and Ramy, being a team of opposites who nonetheless work together for mutual betterment.
169	* SceneryGorn: The landscape is frequently described in gritty detail, especially the decaying sky continents.
170	* ShapeshiftingSeducer: [[spoiler: Sa is one of these.]]
171	* ShowWithinAShow: The hyper-violent and nonsensical ''Insanity! Arbitrary Killfest''.
172	* SignatureTeamTransport: The ''Salona'', which is described as a small freighter built for use in dangerous regions of space.
173	* SingleBiomePlanet: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]]. Sig [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this when Ramy jokingly asks how his homeworld feels at "this time of the year".
174	* ShrinkingViolet: Nhauh isn't a very outgoing or confident individual.
175	* SkyscraperCity: Riesel is covered with miles-high skyscrapers.
176	* SlasherSmile: Sookaiya is prone to doing this occasionally.
177	* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Pretty far on the cynical end. The first few paragraphs of ''Club Gig'' explain this in detail.
178	* SlidingScaleOfShinyVersusGritty: Gritty end by far.
179	* StarfishAliens: Here and there, notably the Gatheephs (sapient clams in robotic suits), Btabos (semi-humanoid shapeshifters), and Lxlikelks (glass vase creatures).[[note]]The last one appeared in ''Club Gig'' as the odd creature Runge bumped into at the restaurant. It is nameless in the story but has a fair explanation on the wiki.[[/note]]
180	* StarfishRobots: Mr. Fyowhe's robotic suit. The official Riesel Artstation account shows it [[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4WaO2 here.]]
181	* StarScraper: The average skyscraper height on Riesel is five miles. The tallest towers stretch to nearly ''fifty.''
182	* TheStoic: Vano doesn't show much emotion at all.
183	* StoutStrength: Ramy is this, being visibly buff and rotund, and has exhibited her strength by lifting Runge over her head and throwing him (albeit while he was drunk). Sookaiya is this to a greater extent, being nearly ''eight feet tall'' and hulked out with muscle and sporting a pot belly.
184	* [[StraightMan Straight Woman]]: Although Ramy does have her own funny moments, she still serves as the foil to Runge's comical mischief and usually attempts to see things from a more logical perspective.
185	* [[StraightManAndWiseGuy Straight Woman And Wise Guy]]: Being the wise guy, Runge typically responds to Ramy's seriousness with jovial and sarcastic remarks.
186	* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: The [[CatFolk Kalasi]] client from ''First'' speaks in a peculiar manner:
187	--> "Yes yes yes! These are these! All in beneficial condition, as fact!"
188	* SubspaceAnsible: The subspace relays used for communicating instantly across immense interstellar distances.
189	* SuperGullible: Ted from ''First''. The poor guy falls for the first trick Runge throws at him.
190	* SymbolSwearing: A form of it. Profanity is replaced by expletive tags rather than symbols.
191	* ThemeNaming: Several names in the series are lifted and modified (more or less) from towns around the world, but most often from UsefulNotes/{{Texas}}, Mr. Pruitt's homeland.
192	* TinyGuyHugeGirl: Ramy sees Runge and Sookaiya like this in an [[ImagineSpot imagine spot]] and is thoroughly amused.
193	* TitleDrop: This happens in ''First'' and ''Reprisal''.
194	* TranslationConvention: All dialogue is translated into English for us Earthlings, since most of the characters speak Anczica in-character. However, non-Anczica speech usually gets <angle quotes>.
195	* UngovernableGalaxy: Shown to be quite true in the supplementary material.
196	* TheUnpronounceable: There are quite a few very obviously alien words, such as ''Laylndlabye''.[[note]]Which, according to the wiki, is pronounced ''LAY-uln-D'LAAB-yeh''. It's Nhauh's native language. To add to the confusion, there is Jedyajons, a planet mentioned by Nhauh, which is stated by the wiki as being pronounced ''JETH-uh-junz''. The name "Nhauh" itself is pronounced ''now''.[[/note]] Runge even lampshades this in ''Lonely Tenant'':
197	--> Runge: "How the [expletive] am I supposed to pronounce THAT?"\
198	Ramy: "I'm not even gonna try."
199	* UnusualEuphemism: Prakuul and other stars are used as a replacement for purgatory, only in a more physical sense. It's basically the same as [[KillItWithFire telling someone to die in a fire]].
200	-->'''Ramy''': "The deepest depths of the hottest blue suns are reserved for people like you."
201	* UnusualUserInterface: The holographic consoles of the ''Salona'', the [[CoolHelmet thought-controlled]] [[CollapsibleHelmet helmet]] interface of Ramy's elite armor, and the holographic virtual reality bubble for controlling a turret on the ''Carnivorous Summer Flower''. Then there's the optical camo suits Runge and Ramy use in the story ''Club Gig'' that also double as hover suits, all controlled by simple movements.
202	* UsedFuture: Very few things glitter on Riesel.
203	* VitriolicBestBuds: Runge and Ramy have elements of this, though they tolerate one another mostly because their combined skills lead to greater profits. Sookaiya and Cutolla are this as well.
204	* VocalDissonance: The Kalasi client from ''First'' has a very deep voice for someone who is around four feet tall.
205	* VoluntaryShapeshifting: [[spoiler: Sa can do this with great effect.]]
206	* WarriorPoet: Runge's inner monologues can be rather [[PurpleProse purple]], in contrast to his outer lack of refinement.
207	* WeaponizedExhaust: The ''Salona'' makes this quite apparent in the first story.
208	* WeirdWeather: Riesel doesn't experience rain. Since the planet is covered with skyscrapers whose average height is five miles, meteorological processes are hindered.
209	* WhyWeCantHaveNiceThings: Runge tends to treat his surroundings like a teenager's bedroom. Ramy lampshades this when she almost trips over an ale flask in their base's opulent living room:
210	--> Ramy (thinking): "Now if only Runge would just treat it like a palace instead of a common pub."
211	* WithFriendsLikeThese: Runge and Ramy's clashing personalities can make them seem like enemies at times.
212	* WorldOfBadass: Most of the characters are rough-and-tumble people, a necessity for surviving in most areas on Riesel.
213	* WretchedHive: The ''entire planet'' of Riesel is overflowing with crime.
214	* YouAreFat: Runge often refers to Ramy as this, though not usually to her face. While she is rather heavy, he exaggerates it like she's morbidly obese.
215	** He does take a rather open jab at her in ''Club Gig''.
216	--> Ramy: "My level of bitterness would make this skycon lose altitude fast enough to break the sound barrier."\
217	Runge: "The fact that your weight hasn't done that already is a scientific mystery."
218	* YouAreNumberSix: Fifteen, the Dijnvol mercenary.
219	----
220	-->'''Statler''': I wonder why Runge is so upset about Ramy's weight.\
221	'''Waldorf''': It's competition!\
222	'''Statler''': How is it competition?\
223	'''Waldorf''': Runge has a fat head while Ramy has a fat everything!\
224	'''[[JustForFun/StatlerAndWaldorf Both]]''': DOHOHOHOHO!

Context Literature / RieselTalesTwoHunters