Ruahta had been a soldier all her life. She trained tirelessly for every possible situation she could ever encounter. Her body was a well honed tool, designed by the talented mind at her military academy for peak combat efficiency. She was melded at a fundamental level with numerous sea creatures in an attempt to create the ultimate aquatic soldier. Every one of her team had had similar modifications, though each was a unique tool designed to handle a different set of situations. Ruahta's purpose was to lead. She used her trumpet to wield the might of her squad, commanding them when to strike at the enemy's exposed heart, and when to retreat and regroup. In the rare moments of inactivity she kept her squad's spirits up with tales of valor.

The Hybrid Marines were deployed into situations that even the king's elite task forces couldn't handle, doing battle with enemies in the dark of the deep. Her squad never failed a mission, they were trained to succeed at any cost, even if it meant sacrificing their lives to get results. None of them ever questioned this purpose, even as Ruahta's squad shrank little by little with every mission, nameless, faceless soldiers dying to protect a populace that would never even know they existed.

That was the plan, and everything was going according to it until someone brought word to the king.

His Majesty was horrified when he recieved a full report of the experiments that had been enacted on these loyal soldiers, and despite their willingness to act as unseen pawns to take their enemies' kings, he could not allow it to continue. All of the surviving members of the Hybrid Marine Project were honorably discharged and given a medal for honorable service and a sum of money to start a life none of them knew how to live.

Ruahta had no idea what to do with her life. Her attempts to blend in with the casualry all ended in failure. She couldn't stand sitting enduring aimless chatter, so she took to the road. Perhaps she could find a purpose like those grand heroes in the tales bards sang at the tavern.

Ruahta's travels eventually carried her to Saltmarsh. Stepping into the briney old tavern she caught wind of a tale being told of a vampire haunting an old alchemist's house in the woods surrounding the city, and a motley crew of misfits eagerly listening to his tale, their ears pricking up at the possibilities that lay within that old abandoned structure. She set off with the Goblin, Gnome, Lizardfolk, Aven and Sea Elf that evening.

After only a few weeks together, her new squad has toppled a smuggling empire, retrieved priceless documents from the clutches of a giant octopus, and brokered an alliance with the sea-dwelling races against the encroaching forces of the Sahuagin. Despite their differences, there is no doubt in Ruahta's mind that this is where she belongs, and if she lives through her daring adventures with her surrogate squad, she'll learn to play the lute so she can sing songs of their grand adventures at taverns all across the sword coast.

Commissioned and colored by  anachronicrodent

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