Zayladichen
The Zayladichen is a ritual sacrifice to Zayladi, practiced by Norveen sailors to try to curry mercy or favor with the goddess for the duration of their ocean voyages.
History
The Zayladichen is a ritual old enough that its origins are lost to history. Aethelbrand's Histories make mention of the ritual being practiced during an account of the Beautiful War, making the ritual at least as old as the 470s AS, however the text implies that the ritual was considered old even then, implying that the practice might have pre-Sundering origins.
Execution
The ritual starts with the acquisition of a yearling goat, recently dressed and skinned, usually simply purchased from a local butcher. In most cases the bosun is considered responsible for acquiring the goat, but any Norveen sailor serving aboard a boat with a foreign crew may take it upon themselves to initiate the ritual.
Once all hands are aboard for departure, the coat's chest cavity is stuffed with copper coins, ideally one coin given by each crew member. The goat's ankles are tied together, and once the ship has left port and reached open waters, a dedication to Zayladi is shouted, and the goat is heaved into the ocean.
The use of a goat is a matter of habit and convenience, owing to the wide availability of goats and sheep in Normaer. A ship departing from another place may find it necessary to substitute another animal, at which point any animal of equivalent or larger size is usually considered acceptable, as long as it's fit for eating.
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