I was reading on the UESP today about the Bosmer and their "Green Pact" and a brief part of it stated that they were strictly carnivores and practiced cannibalism. I'm wondering, is it just religious in nature, do they only eat their own as part of a religious ceremony or is it a daily occurence? And how do they decide who gets eaten? Are there Bosmer war parties that raid other Bosmer villages for food? Or do they have "volunteers"?

I doubt they hunt others for food (though perhaps they would not have any serious ethical issues with the idea), but I believe they are allowed/obliged(?) to eat fellow Bosmer after they have been killed in combat or other situations.

The Lore to date indicates that they are obliged to eat the bodies of the enemies they kill and I have read that this is a religious requirement. However I began to wonder if there is a lot more to it. You might want top read A Dance in the Fire by Waurgan Jarth. There is something of that in practice in that book.

I have thought that question sort of pushed development away from Valenwood because it would be hard to reconcile with the idea that elves are 'good' creatures and mummies and daddies might not be too pleased to discover that was a large part of the content. If ever a TES Valenwood comes out I would be disappointed if that was it on the subject though - I was able to come up with various ways of presenting the question according to various factions that might be in a Valenwood release after thinking about it for a bit.

^
This wouldn't be a problem if the next TES happens to be M rated

Muthsera,

I would point you to the following quote from http://www.imperial-library.info/pge/aldmeridominion.shtml section:

"The Wood Elves ... are exclusively and religiously carnivorous. They cannot, or will not, eat anything that is plant-based. They eat game, beastfolk, each other, or meats imported from other regions. This part of the Green Pact is known as the Meat Mandate, and, among its other rules, it requires that a fallen enemy must be eaten completely before three days pass. The family members of the warrior that slew the enemy may help him with his meal. Needless to say, the Wood Elves do not like to engage in large battles if they have not undergone a suitable starvation period. ... Though they are excellent archers, the Green Pact forces their bowyers and fletchers to use bone or similar materials, or to buy bows and arrows from other cultures. The use of woodcrafts created by another race is not forbidden, nor is the sale of their own Valenwood timber as long as it is collected by a non-Bosmeri. The Wood Elves, of course, cannot smoke anything of a vegetable nature. Bone pipes are common, however, and are filled with caterpillars or tree grubs. "

Also, I would point you to Waughin Jarth's "http://www.imperial-library.info/obbooks/dance_fire.shtml", which is an excellent story set in Valenwood and details life there among the Bosmer.

I hope this helps, for I remain...


Yours in the Scrolls,


___The Word Merchant of Julianos


EDIT: Kudos to 1999, who posted much of what I am saying already. :goodjob: