Deep within the jungle of Chult, Rissa grew up in an Amazon tribe, learning the ways of the jungle, and of Rua. When she was 16, a band of merchant seamen were brought to the tribe to be used in the fertility ritual. Rissa was taken by the flamboyance and obvious intelligence of the crew's captain and so when the crew was released, she joined them on their ship. She and the captain were soon married.

Years later, the ship was attacked by pirates. The crew barely escaped; some lives were lost. Rissa's husband Ian and their daughter Amber were killed.

The ship managed to make it to port in Leilon, and that is where Rissa stayed. For the next couple of years, her heart and body were hardened as she recalled the teachings of her youth: the protection of life above all else. She prayed long and hard to find guidance for what her role in life must now be. She became a protector of Leilon, helping to keep evil away from the small town. She healed those who needed it and aided the prayers of others.

One day Rissa was out hunting and camping to get away from the constant presence of other people. In a flash of light she found herself in a landscape of snow, surrouned by 10 goblins. With her was an old woman who commanded her to fight the goblins. Though Rissa despised such authoratative commands from someone she had just met, there was logic in the order; not to mention the fact that her body felt compelled to fight, no matter what.

After dispatching the monsters, the old woman apologized for summoning Rissa. "I've never summoned a human before. I don't really know how that happened," said the woman. Feeling bad, she gave Rissa two gems for her trouble, but sadly imparted the news that she had no way of sending Rissa home.

Rissa pondered her new predicament for the next couple of days. There must have been a reason for the spell malfunction. Could Rua have deemed it time for Rissa to move on, to find destiny elsewhere? Or perhaps this was a test, to see well she would fight to regain her responsibility in Leilon.

In the marketplace, she met some adventurers. Thinking that it must be Rua's will, Rissa joined with the adventurers to lend a hand and possibly see things she'd never seen before. Perhaps she would gain insight along the way.

Mother: Duree Adriphe (meaning she-who-weaves-dreams) was a high priestess of Rua who tried to teach her daughter well the ways of her world. When Rissa left the tribe to follow a _man_ of all things, Duree decreed that Rissa would never again be welcome within the tribe. Rissa had brought shame upon herself, her mother, and her goddess.

Father: A wandering male who was captured and used in the quarterly fertility ritual. His name was unimportant. After relinquishing some semen and some blood he was released to find his way through the jungle back to wherever he came from. (It is likely some men intentionally get lost just to experience the ritual.)

Religion: Rua is the southern goddess of life and nature. To Rua, the protection of life is paramount, though this is tied to a respect for nature in all its aspects. Rua celebrates the dual nature of humans, being part beast and part spirit. And so followers of Rua are taught to allow the beast within them to thrive, yet they are also taught the methods of taming the beast, to use reason and logic over instinct when applicable. Intense hunting rituals tempered with meditation and philosophical discussion make up a great part of the religion of Rua.