Transfer Offense (Priest Spell)

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.
Notes: Restricted to shamans, uncommon.
==Eating a Scapegoat Animal==
Eating die meat of a scapegoat violates tribal taboos and visits trouble on the perpetrators, in addi­tion to the effects on the tribe. These ills are perma­nent until countered either by the tribal shaman or by a priest of at least 12th level. Typical ills include:
* They become sickly (-3 Constitution, and always suffering from some petty ailment).
* Poor hunting luck (-2 to all rolls involving hunting, fishing, archery, and the like.)
* Ancestors curse (as 4th level bestow curse spell)
* A spirit animal of roughly the perpetrator power attacks. If slain it reappears the next month.
* Any game they kill or meat they butcher will be rancid
* Any plants they tend will die within the month.
Category:Priest Spells
Category:Spells from Priest's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells