Bosmer: The Green Pact?

[Hildolfr]

I think I can relate it to real life, maybe... For example, in the Bible, Deuteronomy 22:20-21, it says, "But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die". Now, Christians obviously don't stone non-virgin wives anymore, because as civilization advances, many practices that were believed to be just in a more lawless society, are simply no longer acceptable.

I think this could be the same for the Meat Mandate of the Green Pact. In Valenwood, you find a much more barbaric and simple society than across Tamriel, which is why most Bosmer will only find their cannibalism accepted in Valenwood. Also, I would like to point out that even if cannibalism was not illegal in Tamriel, most Wood Elves probably would not practice it still, because of the way the others races would judge and berate them.

Hmm, I don't think there's any concrete source that says when the Green Pact was drafted, right?

The first Pocket Guide that refers to it was written in the 2nd Era, but relatively towards the end. I think the only way to truly know if this practice is still going strong in Valenwood would to have the next TES game set in the nation.

For in-game RP purposes, you could always make a Wood Elf that's not very religious, lol.

 

[Neveraine]

See, that's why I originally posed the question. It's such a...critical thing for a Bosmer, yet there isn't much spoken about it. Based on what Generally Crappy quoted, cannibalism would seem relatively widespread and accepted. Though it really does seem like it would conflict with government laws outside of Valenwood.

Not only that, but how do the High Elves feel about their subjects eating their enemies?

I can buy into the idea that only Valenwood is considered to be like, a "holy land". So, imported wood products and what-not sounds fine. But this enemy eating sounds like a difficult thing to just gloss over.

I don't know how the Altmer feel about the Bosmer eating their enemies, but I do know that like with everyone the Altmer feel racially superior to the Bosmer and apparently the thalmor will do "regular purges" (Bosmer - The Elder Scrolls Wiki). Also the Bosmer apparently will plan family fasts before fighting their enemies and then plan on having a feast afterwards.
It should also be noted that although as an adventurer you are killing people left and right in Skyrim, I very much doubt that all the Bosmer are killling people like crazy. The Bosmer live in harmony with the plant life in Valenwood, so they probably live in harmony with each other. Really the only times this "Meat Mandate" will come up is if the Bosmer have to go to war at which point this can be a bonus if you don't have enough food or a good supply line.

 

[Dagmar]

The first Pocket Guide that refers to it was written in the 2nd Era, but relatively towards the end. I think the only way to truly know if this practice is still going strong in Valenwood would to have the next TES game set in the nation..

The Green Pact and the Meat Mandate were still well established in the late Third Era. We know this because it's a subject covered in A Dance with Fire which takes place in the latter half of the Third Era and much of which takes place in Valenwood. In that book the only detail about the Meat Mandate implied is that the Bosmer are not to eat vegetation, i.e they are strict carnivores. The only time cannabalism is covered is during the Wild Hunt where the transformed Bosmer ultimately consume one another at the end of the hunt and at the end of the book in the practice of preparing a dish called Unthrappa. Neither have anything to do with eating fallen enemies from combat

 

[Dagmar]

...the thalmor will do "regular purges" (Bosmer - The Elder Scrolls Wiki).....

This is not lore. It's more speculation and possibly a complete fabrication by contributors at the Elder Scrolls Wikia site. As I mentioned before this is general problem with that site and I recently noticed it's not just a problem with outside contributors, it's a problem with contributions from the staff of the site as well. They don't adhere to basic wiki standards that any credible wiki site should so you should take anything you read there with a large grain of salt. Note that the section to which you're referring is bereft of any citation. Note that it's also been marked for cleanup for months if not longer. If you rely on that site (or any other site for that matter) you should always check to see if the information is sourced and you should check the source of the information as well to see if it actually supports what the article claims (on Elder Scrolls Wikia it often does not).