Transfer Offense

This spell takes the wrong-doings of a community and ritually “transfers” them to an animal (a “scapegoat”). Any spirits that are displeased (a “scapegoat”). Any spirits that are displeased with a community will recognize the efforts by the shaman, and will accept that the burden of guilt has been shifted to the scapegoat, and thus the

community's standing is restored in their eyes. This is handy if someone has misbehaved so badly that mere sacrifice is insufficient to appease the spirits, if the crimes cannot be precisely determined, or if the perpetrator is unable or unwilling to beg forgiveness.

An animal such as a goat or an ox is selected, and symbolically dressed in the village's wrongs: representative ribbons, thongs, or ropes are tied to its horns, or the clothing of wrongdoers (if they are identified) are strapped to its back. A short speech or ceremony is then given, and the beast is driven or led away from the village, to be destroyed by wild animals.

It is considered unlucky if the beast returns to the village, if a hunter should slay it and – particularly – if any human, demihuman, or humanoid should eat its meat (see sidebar).

The animal and the items attached to it are the focus for the spell.