The commentary on the halflings and elves was interesting but also more than a little jarring. Most were aware of the ongoing, perpetual war but they had been unaware of the true face of the enemies for the most part. Only perhaps Jien and the other nobles had a better idea but not nearly as much as even these small excerpts. Jien had been aware of elves more than halflings or the others because of his creation of the Serpent Guard that had been connected to his training weapon so that he could maintain it, ensuring it wouldn't wither.
He had been told about the elves prowess in manipulating plant life. Though he was unlikely to understand it given that he would never be able to study under their tutelage he hoped to gain some insight when the time came for them to fight. He was also curious around the concept of communal casting, pondering if he could find a way to use it within his unit. Though it would be difficult to do given that everyone had different styles, gods and talents he felt that if they chose something simple and standard they may be able to pull it off.
The halfling's use of traps and poisons also interested him but not nearly as much. Jien had never been shy about using what some would consider dirty tactics even as far back as his first matches back when he met his friends from neighboring noble families. While many considered these tactics lacking in chivalry and honor he knew that those concepts were only worth anything if you live to uphold them. He hoped to find some of the halfling traps without falling into them to better understand their tactics. Perhaps there would be something he could use in his own strategies.
With these thoughts swirling about in his mind Jien refocused on their professor who was approaching a drawing of a man that seemed to tower over the other drawings. One of the defining features of the man were two rounded animal-like ears that protruded from the top of his head, the fact that he was lacking human or elf-like ears at all. This however was not the strangest thing about the massive man as his nose was that of a bear in design and his body was drawn to show that he was covered in furn beyond his pals, chest and face.
The look of the man was more like a bear standing on two legs than that of a man, and yet it still had a very 'human' face and body structure. The professor pointed at the picture of the large man and simply stated "Beastkin" in a neutral tone. "This is just one type of a multitude taking after the attributes of a bear, more specifically a polar bear from the north."
The professor took a deep breath and let it out before continuing on in a neutral tone, as if he were just reading the text from a book. "Beastkin come in a variety of sizes and shapes depending on the animal they most look like. Their skills and strengths vary similarly."
One of the girls in Rebecca's unit muttered "It's kind of cute…" under her breath, not realizing that everyone present could hear her within the temporary silence the professor had created. It was only when she noticed everyone looking at her that she covered her mouth and stammered out an apology. Their professor could only sigh in response. "It may be charming in a picture but I assure you that if you ever face one down they will not seem as such in person."
"Beastkin are known to fight in packs much like our own military units. The difference is in their bestial nature. They will tear you apart with their bare hands rather than use weapons and while they have arcane arts of their own they are of a very different style, mainly focusing on the physical rather than conversion of mana into other forms of energy such as fire."
"I will advise you here and now, if you ever encounter a full pack of any type of beastkin do not attempt to fight them. While our military tactics are able to offer an advantage in a battle of equal numbers the beastkin will win eight out of ten times due to their physical advantages." His eyes seemed dark in making this statement. It almost seemed that it left a sour taste in his mouth. "Your best option if facing an entire pack is to regroup with a larger group and then attack from a range to avoid close combat."
With that final point he walked over to the final drawing on the chalk board. It was a man that who was mid-way between the elf and halfling in height. While he was not tall his shoulders were broad and his frame packed with dense muscle. His head was shaven but a thick beard covered the lower half of his face, braided with a number of pieces of jewelry intertwined. The picture of the man had him bare chested, wearing simple pants and boots. In his hand was a harpoon that was actually taller than the man himself by about half.
"This is an example of a dwarf. They control the seas to the south along with the Ithis Isles. Many would say that they actually control all the seas. They are the strongest naval force among all the races and are known for robbing any other ships that enter the waters." The professor didn't seem to have much of a reaction during this explanation, clearly not as impacted by the dwarves during his time serving the military.
"Things to keep in mind are that dwarves may seem like brutes similar to that of the beastkin, but make no mistake, they are closer to that of the halflings. They may be pirates that steal from the other races but they are some of the best smiths and artisans among the races. Any blade they wield, any ship they steer, any armor they wear, you can expect it to be of a quality that will make your own seem like that of a child."
"Their stalwart nature and use of finely crafted technologies makes them perhaps the deadliest of the four."