Batponies, anyone?

[Tankenstein_PhD]

hi hi

In the event that anyone is interested in a Post-war explanation for blood drinking, I offer this slice of background as a semi-plausible explanation based on the phenomenon of Wendigo Psychosis.

In real life, there are several cultures that have a historic mythology surrounding wendigos. In each of these cultures, cannibalism is a serious taboo, even in the face of starvation. (Much like how eating meat could be considered taboo for pony cultures.) In those real life cultures, death from starvation was a legitimate concern that people might face, and the socially correct response was to resign yourself to accept your fate. If you did resort to cannibalism, you would turn into a Wendigo, and be cursed to hunger for human flesh forever.

As far as I can tell, there is a psychosomatic component to Wendigo Psychosis, where someone who has that taboo and mythology ingrained in their upbringing could compulsively believe that they are afflicted. (It doesn't happen so much anymore, as the culture and mythology is shifting, and people are more food secure.)

In Equestria though, it is conceivable that after the war, there was a group of ponies somewhere, many of whom may have had bat-like wings. Even though they lived out of the way and weren't directly targeted by megaspells that ruined the soil, hatred brought the Windigos down on them and they were starving. What followed was an unspeakably terrible time as some of the ponies preyed on others.

Eventually they migrated to places where it was possible to find food - like Equestria proper, with its vast storehouses of canned food - but the ingrained belief that they were irredeemably cursed by the "Windigo Madness," perpetuated itself through the self-hatred of some, and the horror of others who discovered their actions. (Much like how in the Hearth's Warming Carol, the ponies arrived in paradise, but brought their old hatreds with them.)

This might eventually lead to a number of philosophical splits among bat ponies in general, between those who feel resigned to their dark fate, those who believe there is a way to free themselves from their curse, and those (like Vance from FO3) who propose that their eating habits should be embraced.

Now that is interesting. Maybe then a system could be implemented where the disadvantage of playing a bat pony is that because of the psychosis they have to feed every so often or they start to go feral, like a ghoul?

[TyrannisUmbra]

I'm hesitant to add anything in that would restrict somepony from playing a certain way. But that's a decent idea for a trait, or something.

[Tankenstein_PhD]

I'm hesitant to add anything in that would restrict somepony from playing a certain way. But that's a decent idea for a trait, or something.

Good point. I wouldn't want to handcuff players/GMs either.

[Viewing_Glass]

Well, to be fair, it could be a trait for it. Say, you have to feed so often, but every time you do feed, you gain some bonuses. Nothing too good, but nothing terrible either. A +1 bonus to strength seems about right.

[Lost_Art]

Could an explanation to fanged/canined batponies simply be a propensity to feed on liquids and juices? IE piercing into fruits or critters to drain them of their pulp and juice, cant handle solids