Scourged Demikith

in Demikith

Created via the exposure to the odd magical energies of The Scourge during a kith's gestation,   When a kith is exposed to inordinate amounts of the strange magical energies stemming from The Scourge during the early to mid stages of their gestation, one of the many beings collectively known as Scourged Demikith has the possibility of being formed. This creation process differs from that of The Scourged, as those more malformed and unfortunate creatures were mutated after their biological properties had been set in stone.   It is unknown what allows scourged demikith to form into beastlike humanoid shapes capable of proper motor functions whereas their Scourged cousins become horrid amalgamations of flesh and ligaments, though it is assumed that their early stages of physical development may allow the creative magical properties to make sense of their formative properties, allowing them to be born as functioning new breeds of animal-like demikith.   While the formation of new scourged demikith is seemingly random, the creatures usually bear heavy similarities to existing beasts in some form or fashion. In addition to this, their genes seem to pass onto any offspring they have with their original race, leading to certain sub-species of scourged demikith becoming somewhat common and well known rather than unique bestial specimens. Centaurs, Faunae, Gnolls, and Minotaurs were all such examples of this phenomenon occurring in the past, and many believe that the two recent species of fishlike demikith, referred to in South Karda as the Rongama and Tangaroa, may be the next emergent sub-species.  

Culture

In most areas of the civilized world, Scourged Demikith are regarded in the same notions as other brands of demikith, though this varies with location. In some areas these creatures are treated with the same respect which one might give to any member of the proper kith races whereas others view them as horrible mutants worthy of being put to the sword. Many mothers kill their children upon birth when discovering that they have unexpectedly given birth to a scourged child, while many others take the arguably more cruel route of leaving their newly-born offspring out in the wilds in the hopes that they will either fend for themselves or be eaten by feral beasts. There are, of course, the rare occasions in which a child born scourged will be kept by their human parents, though this is rare indeed, and the more common choice among the kinder-hearted is to sell the creature off into mercenary work or servitude.   Mercenary work is exceptionally common among scourged demikith whether they were sold into the vocation as a child, saw the unsavory profession as their only option for survival, or simply had a knack for violence stemming from their mutations. Some of the more 'professional' bands may turn away the scourged from their ranks, though they nearly always find themselves welcome among marauding warbands and the like.