This may be too esoteric for this list, but I disagree. The Orlanthi head hunting and the Thanic headhunting are very different actions. The Orlanthi remove the heads of dead foes as trophies, not even necessarily to disgrace the foe but to honor the victor. The Thanatari steal the heads of living people to take their knowledge, magics, and souls. The Orlanthi action is about pride in one's accomplishments, while the Thanatari action is about envy.
The physical action is really similar, which led, in part (I think) to the decline in the practice among the Orlanthi -- even if the actions were mythically and magically different, the appearance was close enough that Thanatari could pretend to be regular Orlanthi. Which raises the question -- how common are the Thanatari in Orlanthi lands? Their big cult center is in the Wastes, and their elaborate cult structure wouldn't lend itself to hiding among the clan-based Heortlings....
Peter Larsen
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