On 22/02/2012, at 12:54 PM, Andrew Larsen wrote:
> I think it's also important to consider that the Cannibal Cult almost has to engage in predatory behavior against others. All the other tribes of Prax are theoretically self-contained. They herd animals that eat the plants and they eat the animals. The Basmoli and Agimori focus on hunting animals. But the Cannibal Cultists, unless they engage in a lot of hunting of animals, pretty much have to survive by hunting humans to eat. Even if they don't focus exclusively on cannibalism, sentient protein has to form a major element in their diet. That means that Praxians are going to be on their guard around them at all times, because you have to assume that the Cannibals are seriously considering jumping you. How else can they survive?
I don't think there is anything suggest the Cannibal cult have to survive by cannibalism alone. The cannibal cult is a spiritual practice, not a diet. And the primary purpose of the spiritual practice is dealing with hostile ghosts, personal power via cannibalism being secondary. They need to eat people once a year as a minimum, perhaps a few times a year normally. Cannibalism isn't their day to day life - for most cultists, cannibalism is simply the price they pay for a measure of safety the rest of the time.
I think a typical pattern for a semi-permanent cannibal cult group is to settle in an area that is known to be haunted by hostile ghosts, appease the ghosts with their cannibal rituals so they can settle and live there, protected from harassment by the other natives of Prax by the surrounding ghosts. A ghost haunted oasis or similar is likely to have reasonable food supplies with minimal competition for them, as everyone else will be avoiding the place.
Cheers
David
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