Haaram (Hah-rawm)

The practice of removing and either sealing or consuming the flesh and organs of a loved one may turn your stomach.  The people of the Southern Wastes do so with joy.  The dead are not entirely wasted since resources in the desert can be very scarce.  Ritualistic cannibalism is a crime in many "civilized" areas of the world and is only reserved for those who have died so that others may go on living.  Mothers, soldiers, great clan elders; as long as you were someone important enough and had been responsible for keeping someone else alive there is a chance you would be consumed by your family or tribesmen.
Truth be told, not every part of you would be eaten.  At least, not immediately.  Different pieces of anatomy represented different traits and were believed to offer special powers or boons if eaten or placed into a reliquary and kept as a keepsake.

History

Practiced by the desert peoples for centuries, Haaram is one of the traditions from a pre-cataclysmic world that has survived into this modern era.  The roots of the practice can be traced back to the time of Morakordred.  The denizens of the desert realm still prayed to heathen gods and carried out the ritual as it was told to them by one who spoke for the gods.  Today there are no longer those who speak, and only few who would listen; but the ritual has remained the same ever since the ancient ones perfected it.

Execution

On the day of mourning, the day you had died, members of your family were going to work quickly.  There's no fussing about "respect for the dead" here.  Your body would be stripped, washed, and you would be bled.  You would be decapitated and left to hang upside down until your blood had been drained.  Your blood would be collected in as many vessels as it took to contain all of it.  Then it would be disposed of, or if you were a brave man it would be consumed by other warriors of the tribe with some powerful spirits.

if you were known to have incredible vision your eyes might be taken, or your brain if you were wise or intellectual.  The rest of your head would be discared.

Your body's skin would be carefully removed, again any important parts would be stored or consumed.  Then your body would be portioned, giving an approximately equal piece to every member of the tribe to cook.  You would be served for dinner either on the Day of Mourning or the Day of Resting.

The Day of Resting can occur once all of your bones are collected and cleaned.  The village elder and a procession of your loved ones will carry you into a cave or some catacombs to lay your physical remains to rest.  The belief is that you are at peace having served them in both life and death.  The thought of that is supposed to be comforting to you.

Primary Related Location

Aeronys