"Wretches the lowest of the low. A dead end of potential and destiny. Yet each holds the talents of multiple races. Tell me class why is this?" An young elven priest looks down at his mixed class expectantly, hopefully really. Though these kids family's are …poor… this much should be common knowledge and it should prepare them for the …less ordinary students.
"Because they belong to no god. There body's are forsaken by all that is divine, there minds are beastly, and they possess no soul for which to ascend or be reborn." Every young young child in attendance recites what they've heard their whole short lives. From humans to goblins, dwarves to orcs, each knows of the sad existence of Wretches.
"Well no soul is a slight exaggeration. But not completely inaccurate…now can you youngsters guess why I'm talk about a Wreches?"
"How a're we suppose t'a know?" A particularly grumpy kid says.
"Remember to raise your hand before speaking Nok. But the answer I'd is we have two Wretches here row join our class." The elven priest hold his head high as the children's mouths gape open in surprise and a slightly amount of fear. Fear which isn't unwarranted, the average Wretch is significantly stronger than a normal nascent cultivator of just about any race. A fact that's usually balanced ou by there In ability to Cultivate.
"Do not worry children Rem and Lug are harmless…REM!LUG! Please get in here and greet your fellows." At the priests words two creatures enter into the room. The first is a hulking creature that vaguely resembles a Troll, a lizard folk and yet still looks vaguely Dwarvish despite standing 2.5 meters tall while being hunch over. His face is beastly, enlightened with a massive bearded maw, scaled skin yet with no visible eyes. His arms are massive with clawed hands and seam more for digging through stone and mud than being in school. As Lug sqeezes into the classroom room a much smaller figure trails behind.
Rem stands barely 1 meter high if you include his crooked horn. Gray skin, black hair, three large green eyes eyes one of which is seamingly replaceing his right eyebrow, sit on an oddly delicate looking child's face. His body what is visible beneath his rags at least is thin and angular. Trapped just on the edge of malnuished and sickly. Behind him a 3 meter long rat like tail anxiously sways.
"Now as you can see class Wretch's can very dramatically in shape size and appearance, this largly depends on their ancestry. Lug for instance is a first generation Wretch. His mother was a half Troll/Beast kin, while his father was a Half Dwarf/Troll kin. Lug is functionally equal to a 3 star Cultivator in war strength due to his combined Talents…any questions?"
"Ware are his eyes " asks a little girl.
"He looks kind my pet lizard!" " Whys his name Lug?" "How he so tall, if Dwarf?""No way I'm related to that thing!""Dose it eat people?" With one question asked the classroom almost explodes with curiosity.
"Calm down class. Calm down." Subtle magic emintes from the priest mouth as he speaks and settles down the class."now why don't you answer them Lug?"
…" I Lug. Lug named Lug cause , is hood at luggen stuff….Never had eyes, but I've got a good sniffer….Lug is part lizard, I'ze think? ….OH, and i'ze never eat nobody's not never." The voice that leaves the wretches mouth is soft and young, like that of a preteen.
"Good job Lug. Now Rem please step forward and introduce yourself." Says the Priest.
Rem reluctantly steps forward, shifting nervously from foot to foot. The floor creaks oddly as Rem moves, as if the slim creature weighs more than it should?
"I…Rem is Rem. Is Wretch. Parents were Wretch. There Parents were Wretch. Parents of parents were probably Wretch. I…Rem is no danger to anyone. Rem will answer Question now." The voice that leave the Wretches mouth is young and slightly feminine, belonging to a boy that couldn't be older than ten, but its gargled. As when Rem opens his mouth multiple rows of mismatched yet very sharp teeth are revealed.
Some kids flinch backwards others lean forward curious about Rems mismatched nature.
"Did you steal someone's voice? That's not very nice!" "How do you eat with so many teeth?" "Why you're tail so long?" " can I touch the horn it looks shiny!""are you a boy or a girl?"
Once more the priest calms dow his class and waits for Rem to answer questions…"Rem answer them pleases." The priest say after a minute of waiting.
"Rem has stolen nothing. Rem doesn't like being touched. Rem finds eating very hard. Rem is male. Rem is a Wretch so my body is very weird." He grimace having slight broken character at the end.
"Good, good. Now class , now class as you can see Rem and Lug are very different Wretches. But they are both quite similar as well. More importantly they are both clearly people. Now this might surprise you class but I must repeat my self. Both Rem and Lug are joining our class, now isn't that wonderful!" No one not the priest, Wretches, or seated students look enthused by this news.
"Why?" Asks a goblin boy.
"For the same reason you're all here today class, every registered citizen of Havensrise under the age of 15 without a basic education is now to be taught to a basic level in mathematics, common tunge, and provided a basic understanding of Cultivation. As the Council has declared." Most of the class including Rem perks up at the mention of Cultivation knowledge, but some such as Lug seem completely disinterested." Now class will be scheduled for 8 hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you will all be expected to be here before 5 Am. Remember that! If you aren't here by 5 Am your parents and or guardians will be fined in as if they performed a minor infraction. Now Rem, Lug, please take a seat at the back of the class while i begin the lesson."