User:Mlivio/Cannibal Types

Work in progress to try to organize the giant mess of cannibal pages.

Cannibals are the dominant inhabitants of the peninsula at the time of the player's crash. They seem to be the only humanoids left aside from the player, the player's son, Dr. Matthew Cross, and Megan Cross.

They are generally hostile to the player, and can be hostile to each other as well (see below). However, as of v0.66 they still do not interact with the animals at all.

= Types = Overall, the humanoid inhabitants of the peninsula seem to be split into 4 classes: we'll call them "Outcasts", "Cave-Dwellers", "Tribals", and "Raiders". The different classes appear to live separately: they display different behaviors, frequent different locations, interact differently with the player, and occasionally come into conflict with each other.

Furthermore, almost all cannibals appear to belong to one of 5 distinct groups, which will be referred to as Starving, Pale, Normal, Painted, and Masked.

Starving (Outcasts)
The starving cannibals are filthy, emaciated from hunger, and do not appear to have any clothes or possessions beyond a simple stick. They do not participate in group activities like patrols, raids, or rituals: from this it can be inferred that they are outcasts from the main tribes. However, it is unknown why they have been ostracized from their groups.

They are typically very aggressive and often attack the player on sight. However, they are weak and easily dispatched. If other cannibals are killed, they will often stop to eat the corpses: this ends in a burst of gibs.

There are males and females. The males can sometimes be seen wielding sticks.

Pale (Cave-Dwellers)
The pale cannibals have shiny, bluish-gray skin and milky white eyes. As their appearance suggests, they are primarily found in the caves. In fact, with the exception of the endgame, they are the only humanoids in the caves: this suggests they have become adapted to life in the dark. Together with the similarly subterranean mutants, they may occasionally be found on the surface as part of raids.

There are two types: a larger, robust male and a smaller, hunched-over one. The larger ones are significantly stronger, and appear to be more intelligent. Both types can be found wielding crude weapons. There are apparently no females.

Tribals
The tribal cannibals are the most advanced current inhabitants of the peninsula. They wear clothes, decorate their bodies with paint and accessories, maintain equipment (such as shoulder-mounted flashlights), and use a variety of tools. Furthermore, tribals appear to be the only ones with a functioning social and religious life: they participate in group activities such as patrols and morning prayers, and they recognize the red paint used by Dr. Cross and the player.

Masked (Raiders)
These cannibals wear the skins of dead humans as masks. They seem to be almost rabid, exhibiting extreme aggression as well as superhuman strength and durability. Their behavior is typically limited to hunting down and attacking the player, to the point that they will often neglect to defend themselves when attacked by cannibals from other groups. They do not even seem to react to red paint.

Just as with the pale cannibals, there are 2 types: a larger and smaller male. The larger one is the strongest humanoid enemy in the game. They are primarily encountered in the form of large raiding parties consisting of at least 6 (and often 10 or more) of both types. These can often be heard before they are seen, as the large males will hiss and snarl energetically. They may also occasionally form smaller raiding parties of 1 large male leading 3-5 smaller ones: if the "leader" is killed, the smaller ones will flee. Scattered large "hunters" can also be seen searching for the player: they will move silently until they find him, upon which they will call for reinforcements.

= Trivia = Female cannibals are much rarer than males (1:4 or less) and several types seem to have no females at all: since the Virginias only create mutated offspring, this leaves it a mystery as to how they reproduce.

Only the strongest cannibals, the largest painted and masked males, can be seen wielding Tennis Rackets. This suggests they may be prized trophies.