He ate George! [Warning, Vile]

[Happy Monkey]

I watched a documentary and the researcher was floating theories.

Anyway, one theory was that canibalism was carried out under different circumstances. Dead loved ones were eaten so that they would forever be close to their family, remaining part of the community beyond death. Only those close to the deceased could partake.

Fallen enemies and slaves would be eaten by those of appropriate station. Only the chief and other leaders could eat enemy champions, dead slaves being fit only for those of lower status.

In game, canabalism doesn't have to be a free for all. Make up some social conventions, unless the canibals are really primitive.

 

[Henry]

What's even scarier, is to put in some game mechanics where ritualistic eating of your enemies hearts and brains gains you a boost to your strength, intelligence, and effective level for, oh, say, one week! Now just TRY to stop a power-craving society from doing it!

That's an idea worthy of the BoVD, it is!

 

[Olive]

Re: Keep some tums handy

I beleave that in some cultures that practice canabalism, that they see it as a way of obtaining power. You eat your enemies and gain their knowledge as well as thier power, there by becoming stronger in the process.

there's a spell in the BOVD which involves gaining knowledge by eating brains...

or maybe they're a mindflayer cult, emulating their overlords?

 

[Ravellion]

Perhpas just simply a direct edict by some demon might work, or a god of strife, demanding that all food eaten must be human meat, or he'll smite the nation.

Rav

 

[Turjan]

Just go for real world examples:

1) Caribian: Eat your foes, but only those who showed to be brave and worthy. This is supposed to add their skills to your own ones.

2) New Guinea: Eat your dead relatives. This is supposed to let them live for ever, and let their memories be alive in the family.

3) Christian Faith: Eat the body and drink the blood of your god, in order to be near to him. Of course in this case, the cannibalism is ritualised.

 

[BryonD]

In Stranger in a Strange Land, eating a dead person was the only way to really show them true respect. At least if you are a martian.

 

[Aaron L]

There is a problem with cannibalism: if you practice it too much you get mad cow disease. Well, mad (insert race here) disease.

 

[Sanackranib]

Re: Keep some tums handy

I beleave that in some cultures that practice canabalism, that they see it as a way of obtaining power. You eat your enemies and gain their knowledge as well as thier power, there by becoming stronger in the process.
Or you could argue that they eat thier foes as a way to maintain there demise, hard to res someone once they have been digested.

Ejja_1
(who suddenly is hungry and not quite sure why...)

Of course I must concur.

Eat them up . . . yum!

 

[LostSoul]

I heard on the Power of Myth series with Joseph Campbell that he believed that ritual cannabalism was an extreme view of "one must die to save the many".

That might be a possible defense; they ritualize the cannabalism by killing the Chief every year, and he feeds the whole tribe and they bury his remains in a sacred field, where fruit-giving trees grow.

 

[demiurge1138]

Try this...
A large city (probably with a Lawful Evil government base) is faced with the double problem of overpopulation and lack of a prevalent food source. The solution: eat the babies of poor people! I would suggest reading Jonathon Swift's A Modest Proposal for tips on how to run the baby-eating city.

Demiurge