(Arcane-Touched)
The word Vecura brings a mix of feelings and emotion to the people of Rues. This is because at any moment a child could be brought into this world as one touched by pure arcane energy. The flux of magic alters the child prior to birth into something different. It is recognizable at birth through by bonelike protrusions upon the face of human and elven children. Some of the growths are particularly gruesome and resemble demon-horns of myth yet some are nothing more than tiny spurs which barely break the surface of the skin. Regardless of the appearance, their existence confirms only one thing; that the unfortunate child is thereafter anathema to the average citizen. Shunted into orphanages and protected by the church they are allowed to live in society but are intentionally kept at its fringes.
No one knows the nature of Vecura for certain as there was no record of their existence prior to the Great Tragedy. It is theorized that magic cannot be destroyed, only dispersed and that the collected energy of the Great Tragedy forcibly redistributed itself through the fabric of the world. Fonts of wild magic are thought to be a direct result of this redistribution as well. Many believe it is no coincidence that the largest number of Vecura births come from the locations of the two largest arcane fonts upon Rues, the Shiara regency and the Isle of Erekon within the Federation. There are two orphanages for Vecura children, one in the city of Abbendown on the Isle of Erekon, and one within the Shiaran capital. These orphanages are where the vast majority of the Vecura reside until they are adults as most parents who birth a Vecura are quick to disavow their child.
The churches of the Genesori have deemed the Vecura to be innocent and deserving to live like any of the other Purposed Races. Due to this decision, two orphanages were instituted by the combined churches to raise any Vecura who were abandoned by their parents. It is against the laws within the empire as well as the Federation to abandon any Vecura child. While authorities have taken great strides into the care of the Vecura, altruism is not their only motive. As with anything arcane in nature they wish to keep their eye upon it and the orphanages seemed to be the best answer for all parties involved.
The orphanages are not bad places to live despite the stigma attached to them. The orphans get fed daily; at least twice per day to be accurate. They are taught to read and write as well as other vocational skills. All in all it could be considered a decent but strict life. There is at least one ecclesiastical representative from every faith in residence at the orphanages and they, in concert, run the institutions. Often Vecura from the orphanages join or serve the church in some fashion upon becoming an adult. There are a growing number who have struck out on their own and turned their backs upon the church. This has caused no small amount of distress amongst the churches of the Genesori.
No two Vecura look exactly alike but all Vecura have two to three things in common. Firstly they all have some sort of bone growth protruding from the skin of their face. It could be as simple as a series of small spurs to as gruesome as two long and twisted horns erupting from their forehead. The second common trait among Vecura is darkly colored lips. It has been speculated that this is from when the child takes its first breath and pulls some of their inherent arcane nature to the surface. Regardless of the reasons why, it stands as another sure sign that the child has been touched by arcane energy. Lastly they might share a common ancestry as thus far only humans and elves have birthed Vecura. All Vecura have the “Arcane” and “Vecura” Trait.