Richmond

Richmond (リッチモンド, Ricchimondo) is a character in Suikoden II. Richmond is a detective who aided the New State Army with his investigative skills.

History
"That Richmond is something all right. I guess he really does 'know everything' after all."

- Man

Richmond is a self-styled "hard-boiled detective", though others rarely called him as such, and the self-professed best private eye in Radat Town. Though he appeared and acted odd, his ability and commitment to the job was genuine. He had a pet cat, Bianca, who he took in because no one else would due to her perceived ugliness.

In the past, he had solved the mystery of who had attempted to take Milan Fiori's life during the noble's visit to Radat. During the Dunan Unification War, Richmond helped the New State Army recruit Shu by gathering info on his habits. But knowing that wasn't enough to complete the job to his client's satisfaction, he would help behind the scenes, planting the coin that Apple would find to recruit the strategist.

Later on in the war, Richmond agreed to join the New State Army provided its leader won a heads/tails coin flip. After losing several times, due to a trick coin, the leader eventually figured out the trick. Richmond then agreed to join the New State Army, as the hero had shown his ability to see through such cheap tricks.

At the New State Army Headquarters, Richmond provided investigations on future recruits, as well as information gathered from its inhabitants. For more bestial comrades, he would have the assistance of his cat, Bianca, and Badeaux's help in interpreting her words.

Following the war, Richmond continued his private eye career in Radat.

Music
Richmond's main theme is the song "Dandy Richmond". It plays during the player's initial interactions with Richmond in Radat Town. It is song 14 on disc 2 of box 1 of the Genso Suikoden II Original Game Soundtrack.

After recruiting Richmond, the song will play whenever the player speaks to him at New State Army Headquarters for investigative purposes. The song has a vocal rendition, with lyrics, on the album Genso Suikoden Vocal Collection ~Distant Star: Echoes Of Love~.

Trivia

 * One of Richmond's Suggestion Box letters uses the phrase "Loose lips sink ships"; this is a reference to a famous phrase from World War II, which meant Americans should avoid talking about ship movements, lest German submarines use the information against them.