"Medieval Europe" encompasses multiple centuries over a very wide geographic era. For a small number of places and times In real world medieval history, orphans were sometimes sponsored for apprenticeships, often as blacksmith apprentices though this was not especially common.
In Scarterra it's very common, and they are commonly nicknamed "lunar apprenticeships"
History
Zarthus is the god of the moon and the protector of orphans, bastards, and outcasts, and Zarthus is also commonly associated with skilled crafts. Since Zarthus' Lanterns originated the practice of sponsoring orphans into apprenticeship, nicknamed "lunar apprenticeships" because of Zarthus' association with the moon. The term "lunar apprenticeship" is commonly applies to any orphan turned tradesman whether they are associated with Zarthus or not.
The institution of lunar apprenticeships helped public relations for the Lanterns and helped them get a foot in the door for playing politics in trade guilds. This prompted many other priesthoods to opt to sponsor orphans into trade apprenticeships, especially the Guardians and the Tenders who normally have good working relationships with the Lanterns and each other.
Zarthus, named by Zeta Gard
Execution
Compassion for orphans is a pretty universal sentiment among mortalkind though not everyone puts their money where their mouth is on this subject.
The old Earth adage "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you will feed him for a lifetime" certainly applies to Scarterra. Scarterrans don't want orphans to be helpless little victims forever and helping them learn a trade lets them eventually stand on their own two feet.
Masters of lunar apprentices might be offered payment by a temple, or they might take on apprentice solely for brownie points with the Nine and their priestly representatives.
Assuming the system works and a lunar apprentice grows up to be a competant and financialy successful master of his or her craft, their previous orphanage is almost assuredly going to "ask" that they take on one or more lunar apprenticeships themselves and they probably won't offer much payment.
by Me with Midjourney
Apprentices end up doing a lot of menial drudge chores for their masters, but masters are legally and morally obligated to feed, clothe and house their apprentices and this lessens the burden for actual orphanages.
Most apprentices who are not orphans are family members of the masters who take them or are children of family friends of the masters who take them. Often masters are offered payment up front for taking in an apprenticeship who they do not have a familial bond with.
Participants
Lunar apprenticeships are normally only seen in human lands, or gnomish lands that are connected to human lands. That is not to say other races don't have compassion for orphans, they just don't have semi-formal cultural institutions to help orphans learn useful trades.
Scarterra is a bit more egalitarian than medieval Europe, but the core fundamentals are the same. In the medieval era of Earth, guild trades was mostly a boys' club but not entirely a boys' club. Girls got trade apprenticeships, sometimes even in traditionally masculine trades like blacksmiths but there was usually extenuating circumstances.
Being an orphan certainly qualifies as an extenuating circumstance, and about half of all orphans are girls. Many of Scarterra's most celebrated female journeymen and masters had lunar apprenticeships.
In theory, any skilled tradesman can take on a lunar apprenticeships. Some industries are more prone to do so than others. Because blacksmithing has pretty universal demand and both the Lanterns and Guardians have a lot of influence over blacksmithing, blacksmiths are more likely to see lunar apprenticeships. Other trades especially likely to see lunar apprentices are carpentry, music, and brewing/wine making.
Wizards very seldom take on lunar apprenticeships though they will do so if they find an orphan they believe has exceptional potential. Sages, merchants, and alchemists are very unlikely to take on lunar apprenticeships unless they are by chance surprisingly literate orphans.
Observance
A lot of temples will informally adopt an orphan occasionally, and these orphans will often be trained as priests and priestesses if they pass the screening process. That's not a "lunar apprentice", that's a "basket acolyte" refering to the tendency of leaving "basket babies" on temple doorsteps.
Lunar apprenticeships refers to secular tradesmen taking on apprentices recommended by a priesthood, not trained directly by a temple. Lunar apprenticeships usually come straight from informal orphanages and a priest or priestess working at the orphanage will probably try to find apprenticeships for several orphans in one go, though most masters won't take more than lunar apprentice at one time, it is normal for orphanages to try to keep their orphans working for masters in the same geographic area, so the apprentices can occasionally meet with their "brothers" and "sisters" from the orphanage that they grew up with.
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