Worm Flesh

The desert dwelling cults that worship the worm god Ilusha and its progeny sometimes believe that these creatures' strength can be inherited through consumption. Being worshipers, they do not slay the beasts outright, but rather eat any dead worms they find, considering themselves to be to the worm what an ordinary worm is to them: a scavenger, and a natural part of the circle of life.

When an Ilushan cult, being a nomadic group, stumbles upon the enormous corpse of a dead desert worm, they first conduct rituals to venerate the creature and mourn its death. These rituals can last several days, and are unique to each cult. Afterwards, large chunks of the worm's flesh are torn off and roasted, using the inedible parts of the worm's body as fuel for the fire. Alternatively, magical methods of cooking the meat may be used. The cultists eat the meat with a ravenous hunger built up by fasting during the rituals and bolstered by their faith. It is considered sacrilege to leave any part of a meal unfinished, and so the cultists will continue eating until every edible piece has been consumed, often pushing themselves to the point of vomiting.

Not all of the cults conduct this ritual, however. Some make an exception to their edicts of self-indulgence for the worms, which they leave untouched. It is unusual, however, for them to attempt to prevent other cults from eating them. Those that do will make it their duty to guard the worm's body until it decomposes or is eaten by another beast (usually another worm). In these cases, violent clashes between cults with differing beliefs may occur. These usually leave only one group remaining, as neither side is willing to give up their beliefs, even in the face of death.