How can witches be prevented from cannibalizing each other to gain power?

[pmmg]

I dont quite follow the jist of that either. If the use of hearts caused deformity, such as a crows leg in one of the sinbad movies, that might clue one in to who is a witch.

if enough ppl dont like it, well something might happen to remove the witch. Thats seems like it could follow.

my sense is the answer to this is nothing could prevent it but enough ppl might put a stop to it. Course maybe they cant as the witch becomes to powerful. I guess thats why we write it out

however, bad side effects might make one not want to do it.

maybe there is a mana type, like a blood type. Take the wrong one and it makes you sick instead.

 

[RiserBurn]

Same thing that gets rid of evil anywhere…a bunch of good ppl getting together and getting rid of the evil SOB.

The issue I could see with this is stopping the antagonist before the power exceeds the ability of a posse of good people to actual restrain it. If I'm playing the opposite side of the chessboard (as the antagonist) I'm going to try to go all Highlander There-Can-Be-Only-One and simultaneously amass an incredible amount of power while removing the most powerful among my opponents. And I'm going to try to do so rapidly, ideally before anyone figures out the plan. Whoever is playing the protagonist end of this doesn't have the luxury of time unless the antagonist is somehow constrained.

Two thoughts at this point:
1) That sounds like an interesting story arc on its own with some good tension as to whether a protagonist can stop it and how.
2) One possible route is if others who are magically attuned can sense such events, giving enough warning to create a group reaction to stop it

 

[pmmg]

For some reason this does not show on my recent activity page.

Well, every choice has a million ways it can go. The challenge is certainly to get wise and stop the baddie before they grow beyond ones ability. It might be the baddies attempt to hide their growth in power until they are already beyond the ability of others (Kind of Palpatine style). If they become too powerful, it may be the problem expands to a larger universe, where more and more characters have to unite or gain power to combat it....and of course, maybe they lose. Guess that part is up to the author. But the idea of heroes banding together to stop a powerful overlord is kind of a staple of fantasy fiction.

I would quote Princess Leia here, when she says the more you tighten your grip, the more that will slip through your fingers. Every action has a reaction, and the reaction will grow until it is a force capable on its own. The baddie may have lots of power, but they should also get lots of problems to go with it.

 

[Righmath]

Honestly I fear that if I elaborate it'd be written off out of hand as just PC bullshit and since the thread got whacked for politics once already that seems like a conversation best to avoid.

No! Your thoughts/opinions are totally valid, you have a unique and personal perspective so don't feel reserved. However, it's fantasy so people will naturally come up with these types of thoughts and ideas. It's just another thought process, just like, getting a hand chopped off for thieving etc. Try not to look to much into it, but I see your point

 

[Solusandra]

With all the benefits in place, what would prevent evil witches from taking this route?

Does eating another persons mana merely increase the amount of mana they have availible? Or as their life-force, is it also a representation of their spirit? Could they perhaps be overwhelmed by the lives of others, whom they've eaten? Think Highlander, maybe, if a bit more precarious.

 

[Alexandrea]

maybe a hybrid-witch, one that gets their magic from the same general source but because of their hybrid biology can't function the same way that other witches do

 

[Invernin]

I'm new here. Please pardon my input. I must agree with a previous response. Everything must have a cost and also hard and soft limits. A period of time between feedings perhaps. Much like having too much caffeine at once and the problems that will come with it, constant feeding would overdose so to speak. Inflating a balloon past its bursting point or max revving a vehicles engine while shifted in neutral. Physical ailments could be a possible side effect of taking in more power than one is accustomed to. Constant muscle spasms or seizures and strokes and possible death. Even something as simple as agonizing pain for days or weeks as the body finds places to shove the newly gained power with in ones own body. a hibernation period of months or years to acclimate to newly gained power... ok I'll stop.