sacrificials

Sacrificials is a plural term used to describe entities, objects, or roles designated to be sacrificed for the benefit of a larger system, group, or process. The exact meaning varies by context, but the core idea is the preassignment of loss or harm to a substitute or component that serves a protective, ceremonial, or functional purpose.

In ritual studies and anthropology, sacrificials may refer to offerings or participants selected according to prescribed ritual rules. They can be animal or symbolic offerings, or designated persons or objects performing a role within a ceremony. The concept often intersects with themes of substitution, reciprocity, and communal cohesion.

In engineering and materials science, sacrificials commonly denote elements such as sacrificial anodes or protective coatings that are intended to corrode in place of more critical infrastructure. The principle is galvanic protection: the sacrificial component corrodes preferentially, preserving the underlying metal. Typical materials include zinc, magnesium, and aluminum alloys, used on ships, pipelines, and water systems.

In speculative fiction and gaming, sacrificials may be characters, artifacts, or energies designated to be given up to avert catastrophe, empower a mechanism, or unlock a narrative outcome. The term supports worldbuilding by providing a formalized way to frame costs and risks within a system or story.

The usage of sacrificials is not standardized and tends to be contextual. It is most common in discussions of ritual practice, corrosion protection, or fictional worldbuilding where a formal framework of sacrifice is implied.