William Tauzin (order #3164905)

Aztec empIre
by Jeffrey Witthauer

Cover Art: Pat Laboyko

Editor: Eric Wiener

Art Director: Jimmy Beck

Interior Illustrations:
Nate Furman, Mark Jackson,
Pat Loboyko, Jan Pospisil, John Snyder

Layout: Ruben Smith-Zempel

Team Paradigm:
Pedro Barrenchea, Jimmy Beck, Matt Blank, Henry Lopez,
Nelson Rodriguez, Eric Wiener, and James Zwiers

Except as otherwise identified, all portions of this book are 2011 Paradigm Concepts, all rights
reserved. Witch Hunter, Witch Hunter: the Invisible World, the Witch Hunter logo, and all
related marks and images are ©2006-2011 Paradigm Concepts all rights reserved. Te mention of,
use of, or reference to any company, trademark or product in this book is not a challenge to the
trademark or copyright in question.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)


Introduction
My favorite part of writing for Witch Hunter is always
the research. When I wrote the “Indian Tribes of the
Eastern New World” section of “Blessed and the
Damned,” I became immersed in the wonder that was
Native America. And yet those tribes were distinctly
North American, with few cultural similarities to
the Indians of Mesoamerica. The research was fun,
and fascinating, but there was one group I was just
itching to write about: the Aztecs.
When I was a teenager I visited Mexico City.
It was a wonderful trip as a whole, but the part that
remains most vivid in my mind is the day trip I
took to Teotihuacán. Even in the ‘90s the site was
becoming highly commercialized, sadly like so many
historical sites. But the pyramids seemed to stand
above it all; as if they were something out of this
world. As I climbed the Pyramid of the Sun I felt the
weight of history. And as I stood atop the pyramid
Introduction
Of course no work such as this exists in a vacuum.
I’d like to thank everyone at Paradigm Concepts
for giving me a chance to write RPGs in the first
place, and the opportunity to write about one of the
most fascinating cultures in history. I’d especially
like to thank Henry Lopez, who is a veritable font
of information about the Aztecs and storytelling in
general, who has been a true friend. Thanks, guys.
How to Use This Book
This book roughly consists of two parts. The first is a
study of the history and culture of the Aztec Empire
in the world of Witch Hunter, reflecting the fullest
understanding of European Witch Hunters of the
time. The second contains new rules for using Aztecs
in your Witch Hunter game.
Chapter 1: Blood and Myth contains the writings

and gazed out at the ancient city I felt like I, too, of Diego de Landa Calderón. In our world he was
had been removed from my own time and given a a Catholic bishop who wrote one of the foremost
glimpse of what had been before: a world of blood scholarly works on the then-recently-conquered
sacrifices, powerful gods, and ancient mysteries that Maya. In the Witch Hunter universe his classic
had all but perished long before Columbus ever set work focused on the much graver threat of the
foot in the Caribbean. Aztecs. Diego, who is not a Witch Hunter, wrote in
1566. His work is commented upon by three Witch
The Aztecs felt themselves the spiritual
Hunters who better understand the Invisible World,
successors to the builders of Teotihuacán, and in a
and update his work to the current game year of
very real way Mexican culture is still tied to them.
1690.
Mexico City, despite being the most populous city in
the Americas, remains dotted with features that have
existed since the days when it was Tenochtitlán on Chapter 2: Tending the Sun continues the writings
the waters of Lake Texcoco. Now I have the exciting of Diego de Landa Calderón; this time departing
opportunity to retell the story of the Aztecs in a new from Aztec history and focusing on Aztec culture.
light: a grand “what-if ” tale of things that might have Once again his work is updated and expanded upon
been. Sadly the telling of any tale about the Aztecs is by the helpful trio of Witch Hunters, who cover
hampered by the paucity of information about them, topics ranging from the Aztec caste system to their
often destroyed by the conquering Spanish or by complicated religion and magical rituals.
the Aztecs themselves. Inevitably some inaccuracies
will sneak through, or new information learned
about the Aztecs will contradict the old. Further, in Chapter 3: The Aztec World of 1690 is a supplement
order to weave the tale of the Aztecs with the greater to “The World of 1689” chapter of the Witch Hunter
supernatural story of Witch Hunter I have had to rulebook, with greater detail on the Aztec Empire.
make a few adjustments here and there. I beg the Like its sister-chapter in the Witch Hunter core rules,
indulgence of any scholar that finds me out, and hope this chapter is broken up into articles written by a
that this remains an entertaining work regardless. Witch Hunter about various regions within and near
the Aztec Empire. This chapter ends the in-character
portion of the book.

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Chapter 4: The Aztec Campaign begins the second
part of the book. It contains advice for the Grand
Master on running a campaign set in the Aztec
Empire, or with Aztec characters. It includes three
new Witch Hunter orders found in the Aztec Empire,
as well as new Aztec-specific backgrounds and talents.
Chapter 5: Aztec Equipment contains information
on the Aztec economy and barter system; as well as
a selection of weapons, armor, and equipment found
primarily within the Aztec empire.
Chapter 6: Aztec Sorcery introduces Nahuallotl, a
powerful new magical tradition focusing on rituals
and powered by blood sacrifice.
Chapter 7: Fighting Traditions introduces the
Eagle Warriors and Jaguar Warriors; two fighting
styles found exclusively within the Aztec Empire. The
Eagle Warriors are elite forces trained to lead men
and to use a variety of weapons. The Jaguar Warriors
are terrifying shock troops on the Aztec front lines.
Chapter 8: Relics details many of the sacred, and
often quite evil relics used by Aztecs in their ongoing
wars, and by the Witch Hunters who operate in
Aztec territory.
Chapter 9: Bestiary introduces creatures that roam
the Aztec Empire, from the bloodthirsty Chupacabra
to the horrifying Children of Motecuhzoma. This
chapter details their strengths, weaknesses, and
habits, including all the grisly ways they can slaughter
a Witch Hunter.
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A Note on Nahuatl
The Aztec language, known as Nahuatl,
is remarkably complex, especially compared
with European languages. It was both
polysynthetic and agglutinative, which means
that not only did it have a wide variety of word
bases, suffixes, and prefixes, but words could be
combined to create new words with aggregate
meanings. Indeed, entire sentences and
complex ideas could often be expressed with a
single word in Nahuatl. Nahuatl also contained
several sounds not present in Spanish, which
led to many inaccurate transliterations by the
conquistadors and the scholars who came
afterward. Regrettably, these errors were not
fixed in later centuries and remain present in the
common Latin alphabet spellings. In deference
to this tradition the common spellings will be
used throughout this book (with the exception
Introduction
of Montezuma, which is rendered as the more
accurate Motecuhzoma).
Because of this, proper pronunciation is
difficult. As a general rule of thumb, uh and hu
are both pronounced as w; an h not connected
to a u is a glottal stop; qu, q, c, and k are all
pronounced as k; cu is pronounced as qu; ch is
pronounced as in church; and x is pronounced
as a hard sh, zh, or tzh. Of special note is the
combination tl, which denotes a phoneme that
does not exist in English or Spanish. If found
in the middle of a word, it is pronounced much
like the tl made by running the two English
words “at least” together. If at the end of the
word, however, the l is barely pronounced and
the combination sounds almost identical to
the t. Like Spanish, Nahuatl emphasizes the
second to last syllable of words. Any exceptions
are marked with accents, as they are in Spanish.
There are many exceptions to these rules, but
more complex studies of Nahuatl are beyond
the scope of this book.

Historical Accuracy
This book is written to be used with Witch Hunter:
The Invisible World. However the Aztecs are a
universal fascination. And the rules herein are
easily adapted to fit other systems. An Aztec or
Aztec-like nation can arise in any setting, presided
over by the Immortal Motecuhzoma and living
under the protection of their own gods. For those
more interested in a historical game without Witch
Hunter’s supernatural elements or changes to history,
however, some adjustments need to be made.
• Itzcoatl’s purge of historical records
means that any history prior to his time is difficult
to piece together. I have quite liberally added
details in order to make the Teotihuacanos and
Toltecs seem like complete societies. In reality
the Aztec legends about them are both simple
and often contradictory, and the archeological
evidence, while fascinating, is scant. We do
Introduction
know that both cultures had vast influence,
spreading all the way down to the Mayan city-
states. But whether this influence was due to
military conquest or peaceful cultural exchange
is impossible to say.
• Even after the purge, the Aztecs had
no written language (another thing I have altered).
Most information about them was written after
their conquest by their conquerors. Several of
these accounts have contradictory elements,
and several paint a clearly incomplete picture. I
have filled in the gaps with various theories from
anthropologists, and my own imagination.
• The Aztec Great Count, so far as I
know, did not actually exist. I have shamelessly
stolen this idea from the Long Count, which was
a Mayan calendar, not an Aztec one. However it is
not inconceivable that the Aztecs had something
similar.
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• Tlacaelel was a great man, likely the
real power behind the throne of three Tlatoanis,
but historically he died in 1487. He was neither
responsible for Ahuitzotl’s actions, nor the
actions of Motecuhzoma II. However, he really
is suspected as being the one behind Tizoc’s
poisoning.
• Of course the single largest change is
that in our world, Cortéz beat the Mexica. The
Mexica did manage to drive the Spanish from
the city after the massacre at the Great Temple,
but Motecuhzoma remained their prisoner and
Cortéz soon arrived with reinforcements. For
obvious reasons Aztec history after this point is
fabricated.
• Imperial China did have a golden
age of exploration. However most scholars agree
the explorer Zheng He never made it anywhere
near America. After his final voyage in 1433
China became isolationist and stopped their
explorations.
• Perhaps the single greatest change in
the Witch Hunter universe, one that stretches far
beyond the Aztecs, is the diminished smallpox
epidemic. Smallpox slaughtered as many as 90
to 95 percent of all Native Americans, and there
was nothing that the Europeans, ignorant of the
concept of germs, could do about it, even had
they been inclined to help. In the Witch Hunter
universe, and indeed any universe that wishes a
strong Indian presence to remain after contact
with Europe, the force of smallpox is blunted.
Only about 30% of Indians died; a figure
equivalent to the number of Europeans who died
in the Black Death. In Mexico this number was
even less, because the Mexica were able to find
a cure using their blood magic which they then
passed on to their neighbors. Only distant tribes
like the Maya felt the full force of the epidemic.
Even then they only suffered 30% casualties.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 An Introduction
doubt my esteemed
Campeche has fallen. Yucatán has fallen. No
e years of peace, the Aztecs
brethren are well aware of this. After som
how things might have been
have expanded again. I have often ref lected
l, had been successful in his
different. If Hernán Cor téz, the great foo
the rise of a great Christian
bid to conquer Mexico, would we have seen
ss the New World, ushering
empire? Would New Spain have stretched acro
ld things have fallen apart
in an era of Christian supremacy? Or wou
was slaughtered by the
anyway? It is pointless to speculate. Cor téz
y seem to have taken his
Aztecs in the most public manner. Worse, the
becoming a power to rival
coming as a sign to consolidate their empire,
now Campeche has fallen.
any Christian presence in this New World. And
lost. I and my cell
You will be pleased to know that all is not
e able to take most of
successfully evacuated to Cuba, and we wer
among the Spanish of
the Relics we possessed with us. T here is talk
find this likely. T he Aztecs
attempting to retake Yucatán, but I do not
great, their magic too potent.
are too powerful, their military might too
upon my previous report on
For some time I have considered expanding
ination of their ways and
the Aztecs, constructing a more detailed exam
has become a necessity. As a
culture. Given the current aggression, this
de Landa Calderón’s excellent
basis for our work we will be using Diego
published over a century
“Relació n de las cosas de Azteca”. While it was
h Hunter, it remains the
ago, in 1566, and while Landa was not a Witc
piled.
most thorough work on the Aztecs yet com
well as provide
To update this work to the present day, as
to the Invisible World could
information that only those of us attuned
tial scholarship, as well as
know, I shall be relying upon my own substan
J.F. of the Apostles of the
the assistance of two others. T he first is
the Americas and has even
New Dawn, who has traveled extensively in
second is S. of the Dream
survived forays into Aztec territory. T he
his order to communicate
Walkers. S. has used the peculiar abilities of
touched by Christian
with many Dream Walkers in areas not yet
spective.
explorers, and offers an invaluable native per
s the dire threat the
I must impress upon the Court of Whisper
not only to the entire New
Aztecs pose, not only to Spanish interest s,
May this work help us in our
World, but to the souls of every Christian.
struggle. May God have mercy on us all.

I remain,
D.V.
Fellowship of the Ashen Cross
Former Prior of Campeche
1690

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 First, allow me to begin by beseeching you. Do not allow this work to How much knowledge was lost due
be read by the common folk. There is knowledge within that can do them no to Landa’s inquisitorial zeal? The
good, and may well tempt them on the dark path to damnation. You cannot
speak of the Aztecs, you cannot understand them, without also speaking of
Maya are practically unknown
their foul and bloody blasphemies. This is true in a way that is quite unknown to us thanks to him. How many
in Christendom. The Pope may declare crusade against the infidel, but a Mayan Witch Hunters perished
king may also declare war to expand his power. The Aztecs, more than any under his torture? We have no way
people I have ever seen, are guided fully and completely by their paganism.
Every war is a holy war. Every act is a sacred act. From the lowest slave all of knowing. What we do know is
the way to Motecuhzoma Teotltzin himself, every waking moment is spent that prior to the Spanish arrival
in absolute faithfulness. the Maya remained independent
This is not to say that all Aztecs are sincere in their faith. They are, from the Aztecs, while now all of
after all, men, and thus infected with the same vices as other men. But their Yucatán is under Aztec power.
religion is a unifying feature, allowing their laborers to work through pain
so great a f lagellant would pause, and granting their warriors a fanatical S.
endurance to rival the purest Christian that ever raised sword against an
infidel. Thus, any scholarly analysis of the Aztecs must by necessity be
intertwined with an understanding of their blasphemy. It was for similar Surely that cannot
reasons that I had knowledge of the Maya suppressed and burned in Yucatán,
for such information could only tempt the faithful.
all be laid on Landa
and the Spanish. T he
Yet the Maya were weak, falling before our righteous conquest. The
Aztecs have proven more formidable. Thus, in hope of the day when Christ’s Mayans were far
light shall burn the last stench of blasphemy from them, I have prepared this from the only Indian
document detailing all I have learned. And as the Aztecs are inseparable from culture conquered by
their religion, we must begin with their mythical origin.
the Aztecs.
D.V.
Diego De Landa Calderón
Bishop of Yucatán
1566

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 We know that the
Aztec gods are not
diabolicals. Some believe
they are of the fae
race, which have
troubled God’s chosen
in the Old World, but
most of us who have
dwelled in Campeche
find this unlikely. We
believe the Aztec “gods”
are a new kind of
powerful entity that
stand apart from
both God and the
Adversary. It is the
only way to explain why
our spiritual gifts that
target the Adversary’s
taint often do not
work against monsters
under the influence of
these gods.
D.V.
It is also likely the “contradictions”
Landa speaks of are the result of
human minds attempting to grasp
the maddening reality of these
entities. The Aztec gods are not to be
understood by mere mortals, and yet
in their tales and legends the Aztecs
attempt to place their gods in human
situations, much like the Greeks or
the Romans. This inevitably leads to
apparent contradictions.
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
The Era of Myth
We who are the blessed, granted absolution for our sins through the
Holy Church, know well of the creation of our world. It is spoken of in
the scripture, and interpreted justly through divine revelation. And yet the
Aztecs tell a different story, a blasphemous story of a second creation. We
must take this tale at face value, for the Aztecs do not possess history as we
know it. They have no infallible word to guide them. Instead they possess
tales, legends, and myths that revolve in repetitive cycles. Their history is
inexorably intertwined with their beliefs, and one cannot be excised from the
other. Most troubling are the many inherent contradictions found in Aztec
history. Quetzalcoatl was a god, intangible, who had sacrificed himself at
Teotihuacán. Yet he was also a man who ruled the Toltec Empire and sailed
east across the sea. And he was also slain before he could make that journey.
And he also remains to watch over the Aztecs today. He is a part of the great
god Tezcatlipoca, yet he also fought against Tezcatlipoca. And these are but
some of the many contradictions to be found.
I have chosen to present these facts to you as the Aztecs tell it,
without attempting to reconcile the different tales. In truth, it is not so
incomprehensible. Does the church not have her own holy mysteries, riddles
so sacred that mortal minds cannot fathom them? Perhaps Quetzalcoatl
could be all these things simultaneously, even as they contradict each other.
Or perhaps, as the Priests of Campeche claim, Quetzalcoatl is nothing more
than a demon who has deceived the Aztecs, and these contradictions are but
evidence of his lies. I am but a humble Bishop, and I can do little more than
present these tales to you and leave the answers to wiser men than I.
It is said that in the beginning there was Duality. The twin gods of the
Ometeotl, the Duality, created all. They were Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl,
the Lord and Lady of Duality. They looked upon the void, the darkness of
the early universe, and they created the four Tezcatlipocas: Quetzalcoatl,
Huitzilopochtli, Xipe Totec, and Tezcatlipoca. The four ancient gods drifted
in the void while the terrifying Tzitzimime, the demons of the stars, warred
amongst themselves. The wars of the Tzitzimime were horrible, and a third
of their number were struck from the heavens by the conf lict. One of their
number, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli the Morning Star, was cast from their host
and fell, bright and burning, to the earth. Thus he became Tlaltecuhtli, the
earth monster. He terrorized the formless oceans in the form of a giant
caiman, its body covered with many ravenous mouths and fierce gnashing
teeth. And some of the Tzitzimime joined him, and some fought him, and the
Tezcatlipocas watched all from the void. And then they thought to themselves,
let us remove ourselves from this conf lict to the other side of the world. Let
us make our own creation. And so they did so, and the Duality shaped other
gods to join them.
But this new world was dark, and nothing could grow. Thus the gods spoke
among themselves, asking, “Who shall be our sun?” Tezcatlipoca demanded
the honor for himself, and would hear of no other choices. And so Tezcatlipoca
ascended to the heavens, and became the first sun. But Tezcatlipoca was an
evil, twisted creature, filled with darkness, and thus his light was wan and
weak. He fashioned giants, who were the first inhabitants of the earth. But
the giants too were dark and twisted; cruel beings that spilled blood in the
half-light. Quetzalcoatl looked upon the world with dismay and compassion.
In the end he confronted Tezcatlipoca, but Tezcatlipoca would not listen to
 Quetzalcoatl, and the two of them fought. The battle raged and raged, and T his has many
the giants looked up in fear and horror. In the end Quetzalcoatl prevailed
and knocked Tezcatlipoca from the sky. Thus came the end of the first sun.
similarities to the
Outraged at the loss of his power, Tezcatlipoca used the blood the giants had account of the war
spilled to gain strength, and transformed himself into a ravenous jaguar. He in heaven, when Satan
unleashed his wrath upon the first people, and despite Quetzalcoatl’s attempts and one third of
to stop him he slaughtered his creations. Thus came an end to the first age.
the heavenly host
Quetzalcoatl was unwilling to allow the earth to remain barren, and so in
time he became the second sun, and he glowed bright and powerful. He too
betrayed the Lord,
fashioned a people, a people much like humans but with tails and grasping and lends further
feet. At first these people were devout, practicing their blasphemous sacrifices credence to the idea
and honors to Quetzalcoatl, but in time these second people forgot the gods. that the Aztec gods
Tezcatlipoca then came to Quetzalcoatl, terrible in his guise of a sorcerer of
blood and shadow. are something other.
“Your people have forgotten you,” Tezcatlipoca said. D.V.
“Some remember,” Quetzalcoatl protested.
“But not enough. They must be punished.”
It is worth nothing that the
But Quetzalcoatl was filled with compassion and would not punish them. Aztecs do not directly worship
He insisted that his people find their own way, and that one day they would
return to him. Enraged, Tezcatlipoca defied the sun and used his magic to the Duality, nor do they offer
transform the people into barbarous animals, without minds. They remain blood sacrifices to the twin gods,
today as monkeys. In anger and grief Quetzalcoatl brought Tezcatlipoca before nor do they expect the Duality to
him, and the dark god had to shield himself from the rays of Quetzalcoatl’s sun.
intervene in the mortal plane.
“Why have you done this horrible thing?” Quetzalcoatl demanded.
Perhaps the Duality is something
“For you,” Tezcatlipoca insisted. “Always for you. You could not see it, but apart from even the Aztec gods, as
they were an ungrateful people. And we must always have respect. We must
always have blood.” it is the only god recorded creating
But Quetzalcoatl knew that in truth he was jealous because he was no
something out of nothing.
longer the sun. In grief Quetzalcoatl scattered the animalistic people with S.
a mighty wind, and stepped down from his position as sun. Thus ended the
second sun, and the second age. Quetzalcoatl descended down into the depths
of Mictlan, the Underworld, and he would not emerge for many eons.
The first gods, the Tezcatlipocas, knew that Tezcatlipoca would not allow
anyone besides himself to remain the sun. And yet Tezcatlipoca himself was
swathed in darkness. He had served his time, and could not become the sun
again. Thus, they resigned themselves to an end of creation. They prepared
to allow the warring Tzitzimime to reclaim the world they had shaped, to
transform it back into formless void. And then Tlaloc, then a young god of
rain and fertility, stepped forward. He was not of the Tezcatlipocas, and he
believed that Tezcatlipoca’s wrath would not fall upon him. And so he became
the third sun.
Unlike the Tezcatlipocas, Tlaloc was a nurturing god who created a
paradise, and spoke often with his creations so they would remember and
worship him. His wife Xochiquetzal was the most beautiful of the goddesses.
The two of them lovingly crafted, out of mud, a race of men to live there;
shaping them into beautiful creatures with wings and feathers. For a time it
seemed this third age would last forever. The gods hoped that Tezcatlipoca
could accept a sun who was not part of him. But Tezcatlipoca’s jealousy knew
no bounds, and he prepared his revenge.

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 T hese tales seem out One day as Xochiquetzal walked the earth, with quetzal feathers in her
beautiful hair, Tezcatlipoca attacked her in the shape of a jaguar. Though
of place among the Xochiquetzal was swift, Tezcatlipoca caught her by surprise and began to
Aztecs. T heir gods savage her. Then he transformed into the shape of a dark and handsome hero,
are creatures who and swept her away.
feast on blood, who “Where is the jaguar,” she asked him.
cause madness. T heir “I have defeated the jaguar,” he said. “I have slain him, and saved your life.”
priests are terrifying Xochiquetzal saw that the man was more beautiful than her husband, and
creatures who are allowed herself to be seduced. Tezcatlipoca committed adultery with her, and
made sure Tlaloc knew of it. Tlaloc’s grief caused him to withdraw from
out of their minds.
the world, and it was no longer a paradise. Rain did not fall, crops dried
And yet these stories up, and the people despaired. They made sacrifices and prayed for Tlaloc to
smack more of remember them, and bring back their paradise, but their pleas only angered
Greek or Roman tales the god.
than anything else. “Why should you have plenty, when I have lost Xochiquetzal?” he demanded.
Their pleas angered him more and more, and at the last he gave them rain
D.V. – a rain of fire, which burned them and the earth, destroying the third earth
and ending the third age. Only a few were able to survive by using the magic
Tlaloc had given them to transform themselves into birds, soaring high above
The Aztecs saw everything in cycles. the f lames.

It is possible that “Tlaloc” was also
a king of some great ancient empire,
who destroyed that empire after his
wife was seduced away by a stranger.
To the Aztec mind there is no
Chalchiúhtlicue, goddess of lakes and rivers, felt pity for Tlaloc after his
loss and became a wife to him. Their marriage lacked the passion of his love
for Xochiquetzal, but slowly she began to cheer the god once more. Seeking
to show him that love and beauty could remain despite loss, she herself
became the fourth sun. She shaped her people from wood for, she said, people
should be made of living things. But Tezcatlipoca was still jealous, and the
destruction of yet another age did not deter him. He came to Chalchiúhtlicue
and whispered to her.

difference between the play of gods in
ancient myth, and the tales of men
from old legends. Everything is cyclical.
Stories that happened once will
happen again, and to the Aztecs these
stories are the same story, and told as
a single tale.
J.F.
“Do you think this race you have created is good?”
“Yes,” she said. “It is very good.”
“And yet there is such evil in it.” And Tezcatlipoca showed her all the evil
that men do: those who were lazy, those who did not help their fellow men,
those who showed restraint in battle, and those who denied the gods their
price of blood. He showed her this, and yet Chalchiúhtlicue was unmoved.
“That is their choice. There are still more who do good, and show honor
to their communities and to the gods.”
“Ah,” said Tezcatlipoca slyly, “But then, that is only natural. For you, too,
are known to be good, and kind, and beautiful, yet there is evil in you.”
At this Chalchiúhtlicue was offended. “By what right do you say such a
thing?” she demanded.
And using cunning words, Tezcatlipoca showed the goddess how
her kindness, her generosity, and her beauty all stemmed from her own
selfishness. For she did not do good for its own sake, he claimed, but
because it made her much beloved among the gods. Step by step, lie by lie,
Tezcatlipoca transfigured her kindness and goodness to evil. Confronted by
this, Chalchiúhtlicue cried great tears. It was but a temporary confusion,
and the goddess would have quickly recovered, but it was too late. Before she
realized what was happening her tears had f looded the fourth world, and her
people were drowned and swept away. Stricken with grief and guilt over what

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 had occurred, Chalchiúhtlicue saved who she could by transforming them It is tempting to
into fish. She stepped down from her lofty place and left the world once more
without a sun.
equate this flood
with Noah’s flood,
For a long time after the f lood, the waters were in darkness. And only
Tlaltecuhtli, the earth monster, swam them. And Tlaltecuhtli warred which was also caused
constantly with the Tzitzimime in the skies above. Quetzalcoatl had exiled by the evils of men.
himself to Mictlan, the underworld, seeking wisdom and understanding. If that is true,
There in Mictlan lay the bones of all the peoples of the four ages who had
been destroyed. Quetzalcoatl sought to take the bones, but he was stopped by
then we can date
Tlaltecuhtli, for he was jealous of the souls of the fallen and sought to claim the passing of the
them for his war against the stars. Thus Quetzalcoatl once more returned to fourth world to the
the world and sought out Tezcatlipoca; he who had once destroyed his age. year 2348 Before
Tezcatlipoca was still enraged because Quetzalcoatl had cast him down when
he was the sun, but Quetzalcoatl showed him Tlaltecuhtli. Christ (according to
“Here,” said Quetzalcoatl, “Is one who is not like us. He has fallen from
Archbishop Ussher’s
the heavens, one of the Tzitzimime. And he dares to tell me that I cannot have excellent chronology).
the bones of the dead, bones that you and I, and Tlaloc, and Chalchiúhtlicue
D.V.
created.”
And Tezcatlipoca agreed that such an affront could not go unpunished.
But Tlaltecuhtli was powerful, and his many horrible mouths were large
enough to swallow even a god. So together, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca
If you believe the accuracy of Ussher.
concocted a plan. Tezcatlipoca lured Tlaltecuhtli away from the underworld,
using himself as bait, and entered into a mighty struggle with the beast.
J.F.
But Tlaltecuhtli was powerful, far too powerful even for the jaguar lord, the
mightiest adversary he had ever faced. Tlaltecuhtli reached out with its many
mouths and bit off Tezcatlipoca’s foot, satiating himself with the blood of
the gods. But Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl were cunning, and this was all
part of their plan. For Quetzalcoatl had snuck into the underworld while
Tlaltecuhtli was warring, and had stolen the bones of the fallen from behind
his back. Once the deed was done he crept up behind Tlaltecuhtli while he
was feasting on Tezcatlipoca’s foot and struck him over the head, knocking
him unconscious. The two gods surveyed their fallen foe, and came to a
decision.
“We shall make a fifth age,” said Quetzalcoatl. “And this time you shall
not destroy it.”
“But I desire to become the sun!” Tezcatlipoca insisted.
“This time we shall summon all the gods, and we shall decide together the
most worthy.” And Tezcatlipoca agreed.
They fashioned the fifth earth from the beast’s body. His bones became
mountains, his f lesh the fertile soil, his many mouths the great caves and
calderas that lead to the underworld. Quetzalcoatl then took the bones of the
dead and ground them up, creating a powder. Yet this left him with little
more than dust. And so he took maize and ground that up as well into corn
f lour, and he mixed the corn f lour with the bones. Then he let his own blood.
The divine blood mixed with the f lour to form a dough, which he shaped into
a new form. And thus, through the blood of their god, the humans, children
of maize, were formed.
Quetzalcoatl was pleased with his creation, but the humans themselves
would lead miserable lives without a sun. Thus, Quetzalcoatl went to
Tezcatlipoca and reminded him of their bargain. Together the two of them

William Tauzin (order #3164905)


The story of the defeat of the earth
monster strikes a chord, does it
not? Quetzalcoatl seems almost like
the Archangel Michael, defeating and
binding that old dragon, Satan.
J.F.
I would hesitate to
equate any of the
Aztec gods with
the angels. Even
Quetzalcoatl demands
countless human
sacrifices to appease
his insatiable blood
lust.
D.V.
Let us assume, for a moment,
that Tlaltecuhtli symbolizes the
Adversary. Tezcatlipoca is certainly
not the Archangel Michael, nor
do we know of any Aztec Witch
Hunters that claim power from
Tezcatlipoca. Could the war of
the Tzitzimime truly be the war
between Heaven and the Adversary,
with Tezcatlipoca and his ilk
interlopers who exist apart from
the conflict between good and evil?
And does not the final sacrifice of
the gods, resulting in a departure
from this world, sound very much
like an effect of the Great Seal of
Solomon?
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
raised the heavens, to prepare a place for the new sun. Yet there remained the
question as to who would be the next sun. As Quetzalcoatl had promised, he
gathered all of the gods together in the divine city of Teotihuacán to discuss
the matter. Tezcatlipoca of course wanted to be the sun, as did Quetzalcoatl,
and a host of lesser gods. But Quetzalcoatl reminded Tezcatlipoca again of
their bargain, and reluctantly the jaguar god agreed. It was decided that the
sun could only be created through sacrifice, for this sacrifice would make the
sun stronger and brighter. The god that would become the sun would have
to step into the sacred f lames at Teotihuacán and be burned. Then all the
gods would lend their power to the new sun, to make it brighter and stronger
than any before. The pyre was built, and the fire soared to the heavens. The
haughty and beautiful Coyolxauqui volunteered to become the sun. After much
discussion the others agreed that she should be the sun, in part because she
was the sister of the mighty Huitzilopochtli. But when she approached the
fire she was frightened, and hesitated.
As she was paralyzed in fear her son Huitzilopochtli bravely stepped into
the fire. Astonished at the god’s bravery, and angered at her own cowardice,
Coyolxauhqui stepped in after him. Thus did Huitzilopochtli become the
fifth sun, and Coyolxauhqui become the moon. Yet Coyolxauhqui was jealous
of her brother, and sought to burn even brighter than he. The moon’s f lames
extended, threatening to destroy the fifth sun as soon as it began. But the
other gods favored Huitzilopochtli and his bravery, and so they sacrificed a
rabbit and threw it at Coyolxauhqui, forever staining her brightness with the
shadow of a rabbit.
And so the fifth sun and the current age began. Yet this age presented new
problems for the gods. The Tzitzimime began to notice the gods after their
defeat of Tlaltecuhtli, and sought to cast down this new sun to the earth, aided
by the treacherous Coyolxauhqui who was angry that the gods had chosen her
brother over her. In addition, Tlaltecuhtli slept uneasily in his bonds, and
his rumblings caused the earth to tremor and shake. And the gods knew that
just as the last four peoples had perished by jaguar, wind, rain, and water, so
would this people be doomed to perish by earthquake as Tlaltecuhtli threw
off his bonds. Even though Tezcatlipoca had vowed not to destroy this age,
Tlaltecuhtli was an even greater enemy still. For a time the gods led their
people directly, and mighty battles were fought against the Tzitzimime and
the creatures of Tlaltecuhtli. But one by one these battles became too great,
and to save the fifth age the gods would throw themselves onto the sacrificial
fire at Teotihuacán, strengthening the sun with their blood as they departed
this world. One by one the gods did this, until they had all left, sacrificed
to the sun. Yet still the Aztecs claim they guide them, through dreams, and
priests, and through the word of the immortal Huey Tlatoani Motecuhzoma.
Of course, this story is blasphemous. But it is necessary in order to
understand the Aztecs. For the Aztecs believe that they were formed by the
blood of Quetzalcoatl, that the earth was formed after a sacrifice of blood
from Tezcatlipoca, and that the sun and moon were likewise formed and
empowered from the blood of the gods. They come into this world carrying
a blood debt; a debt that they believe must be repaid. Without understanding
this, one cannot understand the Aztecs. But this empire of blood did not
appear from nothingness. They built upon those who had come before.
 The Aztec gods may indeed be
The Ancient Peoples independent from the Adversary,
We have only the tales of the Aztecs to illuminate their history, and
so much of it is just as mythical as their legends of the world’s creation.
but that does not stop them from
Civilization began, so they say, in Teotihuacán. Once the gods sacrificed being evil. One does not have to
themselves to empower the sun, the humans they had created remained serve the Adversary to be damned.
behind as the new masters of the world. They quickly learned that without But I would not be surprised if
their gods to protect them the world was full of darkness. The sun itself was
assaulted by the Tzitzimime, who were jealous of the souls of men. Each the supposed “sacrifice” of the gods
night at sunset the Tzitzimime would shine brightly in the sky and assault were not voluntary, but instead
the sun in the darkness when Huitzilopochtli was weakest. Each night they corresponded to the great working
marshaled their forces to attack mankind. And each night they were stopped
of Solomon that shut them forever
just in time by the coming of the dawn. Those who followed the gods were
forced to give blood sacrifices for the sun, as the gods had done before them, in the Invisible World.
to ensure that Huitzilopochtli would rise again in the morning and save S.
them. In addition the sleeping earth monster Tlaltecuhtli spawned horrors to
roam the world and destroy the children of maize. Humans huddled in caves,
the very gateways to the underworld, and feared the darkness. Some fought,
but without their gods by their side they were all but helpless. Eventually they Obviously the sun is not literally an
were scattered from Teotihuacán and f led. Aztec god. Such beliefs are common in
All seemed lost. It seemed the fifth sun would go out and allow the people
to be devoured by the Tzitzimime and the servants of Tlaltecuhtli. But
pagan cultures and cannot all be true,
then the gods once more looked with favor upon their creations. In the east and besides we know that our Lord
Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Tlaloc, Cinteotl the god of maize, and others
taught a group of humans ancient mysteries and magic to protect them. They created the sun on the fourth day of
were able to use their blood to empower giant stone carvings; creating colossal Creation. However, this tale should
statues to serve as their protectors against the minions of Tlaltecuhtli and
the Tzitzimime. Of these mighty artifacts only the heads remain, carved not be dismissed out of hand. I have
in stone and found occasionally near the Gulf of Mexico in the Isthmus of seen priests of Huitzilopochtli call upon
Tehuantepec.
Protected by their magically powered guardians humanity enjoyed an era
sunlight to work incredible supernatural
of peace. But this peace was restless. The servants of Tlaltecuhtli still roamed acts. Further, while I am not certain
the streets of Teotihuacán, and that was a blasphemy decried by the priests.
And yet what could they do? Their massive guardians could do little other than whether it would actually affect the
protect them; for the blood required to empower them was used up too quickly physical sun or not, the struggle between
for a military campaign. Then one day a terrible storm blew in from the
ocean, a great hurricane that caused devastation throughout the settlements. the sun and the Tzitzimime does seem
The priests quickly discovered that this was no assault by Tlaltecuhtli, but to have a profound supernatural affect
rather something else entirely. As the eye of the storm passed over the palace
of the high priest a man suddenly manifested before him, a powerfully built, within the boundaries of the Aztec
pale man with hair and beard of f lame. Empire.Whatever Huitzilopochtli is, he
“Who are you?” the priest asked in wonder.
seems to have infected the very sunlight
“I am Quetzalcoatl,” said the man, sagely. “And I have returned from
across the sea.” within the bounds of the Aztec Empire;
The high priest called for feasts, and for sacrifices, but Quetzalcoatl had which explains why the Aztecs move
not come to be honored. He revealed himself to his high priest that day. No
one knows precisely what happened, but when it was over the storm had burst
across that land with such ease, while
apart in the heavens. The high priest’s palace had been destroyed by lightning, Christians seem oppressed by the heat.
the high priest’s attendants and courtiers were all dead from terror, and the
high priest himself was mad. Yet in his madness he was seized with a terrible
The sun itself is on their side.
purpose.
J.F.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)


The theme of Quetzalcoatl and
other gods appearing in human form
in times of crisis is one which is
repeated throughout Aztec history.
What these tales truly are, on the
other hand, is more difficult. The
Great Seal of Solomon should have
kept these entities from directly
entering the world. What, then,
was the figure who claimed to be
Quetzalcoatl? Rather than the gods
themselves, these beings could be
considered avatars or prophets. Or
perhaps, like demons, the Aztec gods
can slip through the cracks in the
Great Seal of Solomon by assuming a
lesser form.
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
He spoke to the people, and wherever he spoke the people listened
as if entranced by his rantings. He spoke of gods, and glory, and ancient
places restored, and the people cheered. His madness became an infection
that spread throughout the land. And so, when the time came, he marched
at the head of an army; an army of fanatics willing to die for their divine
madness. And so they fell upon Teotihuacán.
The city was inhabited by monsters, corrupted humans, and the
spirits of the dead. Yet though these creatures were terrifying, the high priest
of Quetzalcoatl did not f linch. How could he? What gave him power was
far more terrifying than anything that lay before him. Their simple stone
weapons were all but useless against the monsters, but they threw themselves
upon them heedless of the danger. The ruins of Teotihuacán ran red with
blood, but the blood itself empowered the gods. A storm arose and lightning
rained down on the creatures of darkness. A great black mist hissed from the
ground to confound the minions of Tlaltecuhtli. And in the end the creations
of the gods stood triumphant in Teotihuacán once more.
Teotihuacán became the center of the first great empire of the region.
Under the tyrannical eye of the priesthood, the people tirelessly hauled stone
from the mountains and constructed the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid
of the Moon, and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. The Pyramid of the
Sun was a sacred temple built atop the very place where the gods sacrificed
themselves to make the fifth sun; while the Pyramid of the Moon was devoted
to Tlaloc, whose hurricane had brought Quetzalcoatl to the high priest, and
whose storms had guided the reconquest of Teotihuacán. The Temple of the
Feathered Serpent was dedicated to the great Quetzalcoatl himself, their
terrible savior.
This was no longer a time of peace, but a time of action. With divine
fervor still upon them, the warriors of Teotihuacán began a campaign of
conquest. Like their later descendants they did not forge an empire as we
define the term. Rather Teotihuacán would send out their armies, massive
forces of countless thousands, and conquer a settlement. The settlement would
then be forced to pay a regular tribute, but otherwise would be left alone.
Yet it was rare to find a settlement that did not acquiesce to this. After all,
Teotihuacán had driven out the forces of Tlaltecuhtli. They were liberators as
often as they were conquerors, and everywhere they went they brought word
of the gods who had been forgotten over long centuries of oppression.
All civilizations in Mexico trace their origins back to Teotihuacán.
The Maya were once its scions in the southeast. The Huastecs and Zapotecs
paid them tribute. Even the Tarascans hold them in high regard. Their
inf luence also stretched north, far enough north to hold sway over a hidden
and fabulous place called Aztlán, which would become vitally important in
the future. The minions of Tlaltecuhtli were driven into caves and beneath
lakes, into dark jungles and barren deserts. It was Teotihuacán that first
developed the architecture, culture, clothing, food, and religious ritual
that would forever dominate the region. This was the age of men, and they
protected their age fiercely with newly developed weapons of obsidian and
with the blood of sacrifices; for the Teotihuacanos knew that blood made the
sun rise in the morning. Blood kept the gods strong. Blood kept the darkness
at bay. Blood protected them.
 The Muscogee tribe, called Creek
by the English, tells of a vast
empire that once ruled over the
area from northern La Florida
to Carolina, and further west.
They built great pyramids of
earth and worshipped strange gods.
Even now the Ghost People of the
tribe keep careful watch over the
ancient ruins, for they are likely
to become hellpoints. And they are
likely, as well, to manifest other,
stranger things. This culture
vanished long ago, long before
the arrival of the Tsalagi forced
the Muscogee people to occupy the
ruins. It is said that they practiced
human sacrifice and that they
worshipped demons of the South.
While it is all but impossible to
properly determine dates of such
The Teotihuacanos believed that their empire would last forever. But of ancient events, it seems likely that
course, nothing lasts forever. The mad high priest who had led the conquest
of the city, whose name has been lost to history, had died a troubled death
Teotihuacán’s influence stretched
along with countless others at the hands of terrible monsters. Their souls did even this far.
not rest easily. The king of Teotihuacán was walking in the evening along the S.
street of the dead, which led from the Pyramid of the Moon past the Pyramid
of the Sun and to the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, when a dark mist
sprung up from the cave beneath the Temple of the Sun, where Quetzalcoatl
had first ground up bone and maize to make mankind. And so the king was If true, and it seems likely it is true,
suspicious, and hopeful that perhaps this was an omen from the gods. Yet
what came from the temple was no omen, but a nightmare. The spirit of the this would make Teotihuacán the
mad high priest emerged that night, along with a host of the undead. It is not largest empire in history, dwarfing the
known whether they served the gods or Tlaltecuhtli, nor for what reason they
arose from their dark sleep, but it is known that by morning the nobility and Romans at the height of their power.
the warriors were slaughtered, and their palaces burned. The witnesses could
not speak of what they saw, they could only gibber like fools. The time of J.F.
Teotihuacán was done. Although the city remains inhabited to this very day
it would never again become a great power.
Cut off from their conquerors in Teotihuacán, the various native
tribes withdrew from each other. The Mayans began forming their own
empire in Yucatán, which would remain until its conquest by Francisco de
Montejo. Smaller empires formed throughout central Mexico by groups such
as the Mixtecs and Zapotecs. The Tarascans began settling in the mountains
northwest of Lake Texcoco. And to the north a tribe of Chichimec nomads
settled in a northern city which they called Tollan.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 One thing absent from the Aztec
legends is mention of the art of
nahuallotl: blood magic. The Aztecs
claim that they alone are granted this
gift. It is true that the Spanish did
not face it when they conquered the
Mayans. However, there is reason to
believe that the Aztecs were not the
first to develop the power. No matter
how fanatical they were, it is hard to
believe that mad warriors armed with
stone spears could drive the minions
of Tlaltecuhtli out of Teotihuacán. The
legend speaks of blood empowering the
gods. I find it more likely that blood
empowered the priesthood, who used
blood magic to strike down their foes.
Certainly Teotihuacán practiced blood
sacrifice, and that is the key ingredient
in the empowering of their deadliest
rites. Regardless, it is clear that when
Teotihuacán fell, knowledge of blood
magic fell with them.
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
The Toltecs
The region north of Lake Texcoco was not an easy place to live. The
Chichimec nomads fought every day for their own existence; desperately
struggling against the harsh environment and the dangerous creatures that
dwelled to the north. It sharpened them, like stone against stone, into
something harder. Something fiercer. When one of the strongest Chichimec
tribes settled in Tollan they were not like the people of the south. They were
warriors born and bred. Every Toltec was a warrior. Every day was a battle.
Blood was life.
The Toltecs carved statues of their warriors, which they left standing
in grim formation throughout Tollan. They were very religious, and their
sacrifices were more frequent than Teotihuacán’s had been even in its glory
days. And they conquered. Like the Teotihuacanos, they did not destroy the
cities they conquered, nor did they change the culture of their conquests.
They simply demanded tribute and then moved on. As the tribute began to
f low and the Toltecs became wealthy they began to approach art and culture
with the same disciplined severity with which they approached war. Their
soldiers were the best, and so their artisans, their poets, and their musicians
must also be the best. It was the will of the gods.
At the height of Toltec power in the 9th and 10th centuries Tollan was
the largest city in the region, boasting fifty thousand people, all of whom
were indoctrinated into the Toltec warrior culture. Yet this was not the
Toltecs’ greatest achievement. For the Toltec Empire was also the birthplace
of Quetzalcoatl.
The god Mixcoatl, the Cloud Serpent, came upon a woman named
Chimalma and impregnated her with Quetzalcoatl. As the child gestated
Tezcatlipoca came to earth as well and sought to destroy Chimalma, but at
every turn she was protected by brave warriors. Finally the child was born, and
named Topiltzin. His mother died in childbirth; succumbing finally to the
warrior’s struggle. Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, as the child is known to history,
was raised by his mother’s husband. His two brothers were treacherous, and
sought to kill him, but each time they tried the wily Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl
used his divine magic and his warrior’s prowess to escape. Finally they
betrayed and murdered their father, a crime for which Topiltzin took bloody
revenge.
Now alone with no family, Topiltzin traveled north to Tollan. The city was
great in those days, but also cruel and terrible. Blood ran constantly down the
steps of the temples in an unending river, and Tezcatlipoca himself controlled
the city from the shadows. Sacrifice might be necessary, but the Toltecs
had taken things too far and had become monsters to rival the minions of
Tlaltecuhtli. Topiltzin saw this and spoke out against it, stunning the Toltecs
with his commanding presence and his skilled arguments. Tezcatlipoca was
furious, and sent many challenges against Topiltzin, but the man was also
the god Quetzalcoatl and he proved himself Tezcatlipoca’s better again and
again. The Toltecs adored Topiltzin not only for his prowess and skill but
also for his purity and goodness of nature. They made him their leader, or
Tlatoani, a word first used by the Toltecs which meant “speaker”.
Topiltzin reigned for over a hundred years, and he used his magic to make
Tollan the greatest city in the world. It was a land without hunger, without
corruption, without violence. He abolished the practice of human sacrifice,
 and instead sacrificed the blood of animals to appease the gods. Realizing this
was not enough, he established a priesthood of such virtue and purity that its Again the Aztec legends say nothing of
like has never been seen again. His priests were all celibate and refrained from
strong drink. They were scrupulously honest and completely charitable. They
nahuallotl in the Toltec Empire, but
practiced auto-sacrifice by bleeding themselves with the spines of the maguey it is not difficult to read between the
cactus so that their blood might appease the gods. In this way Topiltzin was
able to feed the sun, protecting the world from the Tzitzimime, while still lines. Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl was a
protecting his people, for he had such compassion that he could not bear to mage-king, and Tezcatlipoca appeared
see a fellow man sacrificed.
And Tezcatlipoca lurked in the shadows, biding his time. One day he
in the guise of a sorcerer. In many
disguised himself as an ancient magician. Using tricks and charming speech ways the Toltec Empire represented
he slunk his way into the court of Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl.
“Your people have forgotten you,” he whispered into the king’s ear.
the height of magical power, but again
“That is not so,” the Tlatoani protested. “They sing my praises. They it seems the knowledge of blood magic
dance in the streets in my honor. They call this a paradise, and worship me
as a god.”
vanished when the Empire fell.
“And yet they have forgotten you,” Tezcatlipoca insisted in his sly way. J.F.
“For are you not beyond their understanding? They love the idea of you. They
love what you have done for them. But which of them truly knows you?”
Topiltzin grew angry then, and threatened to have Tezcatlipoca thrown
out, but Tezcatlipoca persisted. “Come with me. For one night, see the
world as your people see it. Hear their tales. And you will see that they have
forgotten you.”
“I will go with you,” said Topiltzin proudly, “But only to show to you that
you are wrong. And when I have, I shall cast you out of Tollan.”
And so Tezcatlipoca and Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl went out into the city.
And there they saw a great many people reveling and celebrating, because
their lives were glorious under the reign of Topiltzin.
“You see?” Topiltzin insisted. “They praise my name.”
“They praise your name while drinking pulque,” Tezcatlipoca pointed out,
and indeed the revelers were quite drunk on the sacred liquor. “Sober, they
would not know you.”
“That is absurd,” Topiltzin insisted. “Pulque may loosen a man’s tongue,
it may even drive him to crazed action, but if they praise me now then surely
they will praise me in the sober light of the sun.”
“Oh-ho?” said Tezcatlipoca. “And you know pulque so well then?”
“I have never drunk pulque, for I have sworn myself to celibacy and
sobriety,” Topiltzin said truthfully.
“Then how can you know?” Tezcatlipoca said. “Drink pulque with me and
you will see how it changes you. And then you will know that you cannot trust
your people’s drunken praise.”
So eager was Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl to prove Tezcatlipoca wrong that
he agreed, against his better judgment. And so the two had pulque. And then
they had more. And then they had more. And in his drunken state Topiltzin
Quetzalcoatl forgot himself, his purity, and his nobility. And when the dawn
came Tezcatlipoca found Topiltzin in the bed of his own sister, stinking of
pulque.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 It may seem unusual that blood
magic should vanish after the fall
of Teotihuacán and again after
the fall of Tollan, but it makes
sense when you consider it. These
were not empires in the European
sense. They demanded tribute
from their conquests, but they did
nothing to alter their tributary’s
culture. Thus, while the influence
of Teotihuacán and the Toltecs
spread over a vast territory,
only in Teotihuacán and Tollan
would blood magic be taught and
practiced. Because of this when
those cities fell both the empires,
and the knowledge of blood magic,
fell with them.
S.
It is an irony of
history that the
Aztecs were originally
the same way, and
had damnable Cortéz
been successful in his
initial assault he would
have destroyed the
empire and knowledge
of blood magic in one
blow. Yet afterward
the Aztecs began
teaching blood magic
to others, and it
has become a plague
over their Empire
that now is all but
impossible to stamp
out.
D.V.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
“What has happened?” Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl asked in horror.
“You have done just what I wished you to do,” Tezcatlipoca sneered. “You
have become drunk, and given up your purity, and now you are nothing.”
And Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl realized that it was true, and he realized that
he could no longer use his magic to make Tollan a utopia. He gathered up
his warriors and left the city. Without his guiding inf luence Tezcatlipoca’s
lies infected the population, and soon they rose up against their leaders in
revolt. The Toltec Empire was destroyed from within, a victim of its own
hubris and sin.
Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl wandered east. For a time he dwelled with the
Mayans in the guise of an aged priest, and he taught them of the worship of
Quetzalcoatl, whom they called Kukulcan. Finally he arrived at Tlapallan, the
resting place of the gods. There, in an act of sacrifice, Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl
sacrificed himself and became the morning star. He also sailed east; beyond
the sea, but not before promising that he would return one day to guide his
people in their darkest hour.
The Paradise of Aztlán
As the mighty Toltec Empire fell apart, a people who would change
the course of history were appearing. Far to the north of Tollan, across the
mountains, there was a mythical place called Chicomoztoc, the place of seven
caves. A vast underground complex, the name of seven caves refers to the seven
tribes that dwelled there. These tribes later became the Xochimilca, Tlahuica,
Acolhua, Tlaxcalan, Tepaneca, Chalca, and most importantly Mexica people.
These tribes left Chicomoztoc and settled in a land called Aztlán, where they
were first called Aztecs.
Aztlán was a paradise, where the gods spoke freely with men and there
was no shortage of food. For a time they paid tribute to Teotihuacán, but
even under the control of that empire they remained a primitive people;
nothing compared to the might and glory of the Toltecs, whose domain never
stretched far enough north to include them. Luxury made them soft, and one
by one the tribes of Aztlán forgot their gods and wandered south, where they
formed settlements of their own in the ashes of the Toltec Empire. Finally
only the Mexica were left, wallowing in the decadence of Aztlán. Meanwhile
Huitzilopochtli, who had become the fifth sun, had been all but forgotten
by mankind. While the other gods received sacrifices, Huitzilopochtli was
starved. The sun weakened, and the Tzitzimime grew stronger. And so
Huitzilopochtli looked down at the earth, and saw the Mexica.
Tales of why the Mexica left Aztlán differ. Some say their decadence
offended Huitzilopochtli, and he demanded they depart. Some say they cut
down a tree sacred to Huitzilopochtli, and the god cast them out for their
transgression. Some say they were innocent of wrongdoing, but Huitzilopochtli
could see their glorious destiny and spurred them on their way. Whatever the
reason, the Mexica left Aztlán bearing an idol of Huitzilopochtli, and with
Huitzilopochtli himself in human form leading them. The god forbade them
from calling themselves Aztecs, for Aztecs were made of all the people of
Aztlán, and the Mexica alone remembered Huitzilopochtli. They would be
the Mexica until the day all the Aztecs were united once more.
 Their journey out from Aztlán was a hard one, for the north was the realm It should come as no surprise that
of the Chichimec barbarians. The Mexica were tested by these nomads, and
Indian nations cover the whole
they learned the way of the warrior. And always Huitzilopochtli was there,
teaching them. He taught them not to kill in battle, but to take prisoners, of the Americas, and not merely
prisoners that were later sacrificed to him. He taught them that they fought the eastern part. The gifts of the
for the gods, and that death in battle was glorious, and so they knew no fear. Dreamwalkers have allowed us to
And he taught them that they were his chosen people. By the time the Mexica
left the lands of the Chichimec they were as bloody as the Toltecs. Yet their
communicate with these western
blood remained the blood of cave dwellers. They had no nobility within them. tribes. One tribe in particular,
Huitzilopochtli guided them during their long trek through the wilderness, The Hopi, dwells far to the north
but before they reached the civilized settlements of the south he gave them of the Aztec Empire. They too
a prophecy. They would find an eagle upon a cactus clutching a snake in
its talons, and in that spot they would found their empire. And with that claim that their people once
prophecy to guide them the Mexica went south. dwelled in vast caves underground,
and this belief is shared with
many of the surrounding peoples.
The Mexican Journey It is possible that there is more
In those days Lake Texcoco was the center of civilization. Teotihuacán
itself was nearby to the east, and the city-states of Texcoco, Chalco,
truth in the Aztec legend of their
Xochimilco, Culhuacan, Tlacopan, and Azcapotzalco were established on its origins than one might otherwise
shores. The Mexica arrived on the western banks of Lake Texcoco to find that suspect.
their fellow tribes from Aztlán were well-established, as were former Toltec
tributaries which had become independent following the Toltec collapse. The S.
Mexica would have to find their way among neighbors far stronger than they.
The Mexica first settled in Chapultepec in the Year of our Lord 1248, on
a hill overlooking Lake Texcoco’s western shores. Already they had allowed
weariness to overcome them, for they had seen no sign that would fulfill
Huitzilopochtli’s prophecy, yet they settled regardless. This region was
dominated by the Tepanecs of Azcapotzalco, the mightiest city-state on the
shores of Lake Texcoco. Although the Tepanecs shared a common origin with
the Mexica, they looked down on their brethren as barbarians. They saw the
sacred sacrifices of the Mexica and they sneered, calling them bloodthirsty.
They saw the Mexica’s warrior nature and they called them savage. They
wasted no time in dominating the Mexica, forcing them under the yoke
of tribute, and they heaped every degradation imaginable on the Mexican
people. Yet the Mexica did not break, but instead grew stronger under the
persecution. Finally Copil, the Tlatoani of the Tepanecs, went too far and
demanded the Mexica give up the worship of Huitzilopochtli, for the Mexica
were the only ones who remembered their god. Copil styled himself as a god,
and claimed his divinity should be worshipped in Huitzilopochtli’s stead.
The Mexica refused, and entered a bloody struggle with the Tepanecs. The
Mexica fell upon Copil and sacrificed him to Huitzilopochtli, tearing out his
heart and throwing it in Lake Texcoco. Huitzilopochtli honored the sacrifice
and caused a cactus to grow over Copil’s heart, where it remains a sacred
place to this day.
However, although they had slain the Tlatoani of the Tepanecs, the Mexica
were too few in number to hold off the Tepanec assault. They were forced to
f lee from Chapultepec and travel to the lake’s southern shores, where the
Culhua people of Culhuacán granted them asylum and permission to settle
in 1299.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 T lacaelel remains Unlike the Tepanecs, the Culhua were not from Aztlán. They were of
Toltec blood, and their nobility was the last vestige of Toltec nobility. Indeed,
one of the most it was in Culhuacán that leaders were first called Tlatoani by the Toltecs;
mysterious figures a tradition that they spread to all the surrounding city-states. The Mexica
of Aztec history. were given land, and fields to work, but above all they were warriors. Their
T he tales whispered strength was added to the Culhua, and with the Mexica to fight for them
Culhuacán grew in power to become a rival of Azcapotzalco. In return for
about him indicate their services the Mexica were given wealth, and more importantly they were
that he was the true given noble brides to marry. Thus did the noble blood of the Toltecs mingle
power behind the with the Mexica, creating the first of the pipiltin noble houses. Now the
Mexica saw that they were greater than any other nation, for not only were
Triple-Alliance, and
they the noble heirs to the Toltec Empire, but they were the last worshippers
that the T latoanis did of Huitzilopochtli.
what he told them. For a quarter of a century the Mexica served the Culhua as mercenaries, and
He was treated with in 1323 they asked Achicometl, the Tlatoani of Culhuacán, for his daughter.
awe, as a demi-god, At first the Tlatoani was reluctant to grant such a request, but the Mexica
assured him that they sought to make his daughter a goddess, Yaocihuatl,
and he was never
in honor of the Tlatoani’s noble bloodline. Flattered by the idea Achicometl
seen in public. He was agreed, and a great feast was planned. There was music, and dancing, and
also extraordinarily ritual sacrifice. The Tlatoani was much pleased, but he asked his hosts when
long-lived, surviving he would see his daughter, the new goddess. At his request the Mexica brought
out their priest, who was clad in the f layed skin of the Tlatoani’s daughter.
for over a hundred They had made her a goddess by sacrificing her, sending her to heaven.
years and only The Tlatoani was so horrified by what he saw that he called upon his men
dying at the hands and immediately made war upon the Mexica. The Mexica did not expect such
of Motecuhzoma an attack, nor could they understand how the Tlatoani had misunderstood
Teotltzin. It is clear them. After all, how else could one make a goddess save through sacrifice?
Did he not realize that they had granted his daughter an honor rarely afforded
T lacaelel was no women? Again the Mexica were forced to f lee, but this time it seemed that all
mortal man, but were against them. With nowhere else to turn, they sailed onto the mighty
rather a corrupted Lake Texcoco itself, seeking to f lee their enemies. The Mexica disembarked
monster of some on a small, swampy island on the western side of Lake Texcoco, and they
marveled at what they found. For there, just as they had been promised, was
kind; very likely the a cactus, upon which was an eagle with a snake clutched in its talons. The
same monster as Mexica rejoiced, and in 1325 they founded their new city on the spot. They
the Children of named it Tenochtitlán, named after their then-leader Tenoch.
Motecuhzoma that
plague the Aztec
Empire today. Tenochtitlán Enslaved
The swampy terrain of Tenochtitlán was unfavorable, and the Mexica still
D.V.
had many enemies on the banks of Lake Texcoco, but they did not let this
deter them. They were guided by their gods and by their wise ruler Tenoch.
The island was too small, and so they expanded it by reclaiming farmland
from the lake. They had many enemies, and so Tenoch skillfully negotiated
their services as mercenaries to the surrounding nations. Other Mexica
established the city of Tlatelolco on the northern side of the island, though as
Tenochtitlán continued to grow Tlatelolco would eventually become a fifth
quarter of the city.
In 1375 the Mexica were no longer content to be merely mercenaries,
and they announced their own Tlatoani. Acamapichtli had not been born
in Tenochtitlán, but his father Opochtzin was one of the Mexica leaders

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 under Tenoch and his mother Atotoztli was a princess of Toltec blood and
daughter of a Culhua Tlatoani. Hoping such a bloodline would make allies of Itzcoatl’s purge of Mexica history
the Culhua who had formerly fought them, the Mexica proudly proclaimed
Acamapichtli the first Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán. He married the daughter
makes it very difficult to be certain
of the current ruler of Culhuacán and took wives of each of the original four of anything that happened before
noble families of Tenochtitlán as well, for it was through marriages like this
that alliances were made among the Aztec city-states. his reign, or even after since all the
Acamapichtli was a magnificent ruler. Under his reign the first Aztec historians were in his employ. Landa
laws were made, and work was begun on the Great Temple which paid tribute
to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. The island of Tenochtitlán was expanded
has done his best using fragmented
through chinampas, farms reclaimed from the lake, and by dumping dirt and information, and we have done our
rock into the lake to expand the island itself. But the island was expanded
only to the east, toward the larger portion of the lake. The Tlatoani was very best to supplement him, but we may
careful never to expand the island too close to the shore, for he knew that
despite his political savvy the Mexica had many enemies, and the lake was
never know all the details.
their greatest defense.
J.F.
Politics remained a danger. Acampichtli found himself in the midst of a
juggling act; conquering precious chinampas from other settlements too weak
to hold on to them, while negotiating tribute to cities large enough to crush
the Mexica. The greatest threat he faced was from the Tepanecs, whose city
of Azcapotzalco was far too close on the western shore. They were a powerful
people, and Acampichtli wisely chose to negotiate tribute with them rather
than face their military might. His negotiations kept Tenochtitlán safe, but
sent Mexica warriors to die for Tepanec causes, and of course forced the
Mexica to pay ever-more-oppressive tributes each full moon.
As Acampichtli grew older he brought his sons before the Calpulli elders,
and asked them to choose who would succeed him, for although nobility was
necessary to be Tlatoani, there was no strict line of succession. The Tlatoani
would be whoever could best rule. After much deliberation they chose his
eldest son, Huitzilihuitl. Acampichtli died in 1395, leaving behind a Mexica
who were virtual slaves to the Tepanecs.
Huitzilihuitl was able to alleviate the oppression somewhat through a
strategic political marriage to the daughter of Tezozomoc, the Tlatoani of
Azcapotzalco. He also expanded the weaving industry, and the Mexica replaced
maguey fiber cloaks with cotton, which quickly became the standard trade good
of their economy. But overshadowing all of this was one accomplishment of
Huitzilihuitl: He had a son. In truth he had many sons, but one in particular
stands out. Not his son Chimalpopoca, though he became Tlatoani after his
father’s death. Not even his son Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, who ruled over
the Mexica’s true rise to power. No, Huitzilihuitl’s most important son was
Tlacaelel.
Tlacaelel could have easily become Tlatoani of the Mexica, perhaps the
greatest Tlatoani in history, but his ambitions lay elsewhere. Early in his
life he pulled away from politics, at least overtly, and instead joined the
priesthood of Huitzilopochtli. Under the Tepanec oppression Huitzilopochtli
was seen only as a local god, one special to the Mexica but irrelevant to all
else. Tlacaelel knew that was not the case, and he conceived of a plan to raise
Huitzilopochtli, and the Mexica, to greatness.
In 1417, on the very day his brother Chimalpopoca became the third
Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, Tlacaelel was named High Priest. Only twenty
years old, the position was created especially for him. He was not high

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 It is said that Lake Texcoco
is one of the many mouths of
Tlaltecuhtli, the Earth Monster.
It is said that this was the mouth
that devoured Tezcatlipoca’s foot,
and the god’s flesh festered and
turned the waters brackish. It
is said that this is the source of
the rumored caverns beneath
Tenochtitlán, and Tezcatlipoca’s
hold over the Aztecs.
S.
Lake Texcoco is also supposed
to be sacred to Chalchiúhtlicue,
Huitzilopochtli, and countless other
gods. It is only natural that priests
would seek to spin tales about their
home. I would pay these rumors little
heed.
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
priest of Huitzilopochtli, but of all the gods, and this was the first time
in Mexica history that the supreme Mexica political and religious leaders
were separate. From his position as High Priest Tlacaelel oversaw great
reforms in Tenochtitlán. Huitzilopochtli again rose to prominence, and he
resurrected the tales of the Mexica as the god’s chosen people. He claimed,
too, to have discovered ancient things beneath Lake Texcoco; secrets from the
gods, intended for the Mexica to make them rulers of the land.
The Tepanecs did not care for such talk, but they were satiated by
Tenochtitlán’s help in their war against the city of Texcoco, which was
going well for the Tepanecs. During the conf lict the prince of Texcoco,
Nezahualcoyotl, was forced to f lee to the mountains. Like a spider Tlacaelel
was spinning his web. He whispered to his brother, and the Tlatoani went
to the Tepanecs and convinced his grandfather Tlatoani Tezozomoc to spare
the prince’s life, allowing him to live in Tenochtitlán under the protection
of the Mexica. Now the heir to Texcoco was under Tlacaelel’s inf luence, and
Tlacaelel began whispering that the Mexica were Huitzilopochtli’s chosen
people, not fit to be slaves, but destined to be rulers. He began teaching the
priests in secret, and he taught them dark rituals he had learned, he claimed,
from the gods themselves in the secret caves beneath the city. He increased
the number of sacrifices in Tenochtitlán, and he taught the priests how to use
blood to gain power.
And then the Tlatoani of Azcapotzalco died. There was a question of
succession, with two of the Tlatoani’s sons, half-brothers, arguing over the
throne. It was not long before the question became a battle, and the battle became
a war, with Tezozomoc’s chosen heir Tayatzin becoming usurped by his half-
brother Maxtla. And Tlacaelel smiled, and advised his brother Chimalpopoca
to side with Tayatzin, although Tlacaelel knew that Maxtla was the stronger
ruler. Tlacaelel advised harsh words and insults, and the Tlatoani listened,
and Maxtla responded in kind. They attempted to assassinate each other, they
insulted each other publicly, and soon Chimalpopoca’s rage was hot and he
was ready to go to war regardless of the reason. And then, as Tlacaelel had
predicted, Tayatzin the legitimate heir was slain. Now the Mexica found
themselves at war with the Tepanecs, who were far more powerful than they.
But this was all part of Tlacaelel’s plan.
He organized a massive religious ceremony and sacrifice to the gods, and
this time the sacrifice would be truly magnificent. Nobles themselves would
be sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli, and then, at the last, Chimalpopoca would
be slain for the gods. This last shocked all, but Tlacaelel had gone to the
Tlatoani and woven his magics, ensuring Chimalpopoca would be compliant.
The Tlatoani announced that his uncle, Itzcoatl, would succeed him, and he
marched to the altar. Fearful of what might happen should royal blood call
on the attention of the gods, Maxtla took that opportunity to strike. He swept
upon the ceremony and took Chimalpopoca prisoner before he could sacrifice
himself. The Tlatoani would later die in prison, committing suicide in an
attempt to fulfill the terms of the sacrifice. This mattered not to Tlacaelel.
Cold and cruel, he would gladly have sacrificed a hundred brothers if it meant
victory.
Itzcoatl was the illegitimate son of the first Tlatoani, Acamapichtli, and
no one would have thought him likely to ascend to the position. But thanks
to Tlacaelel’s magical inf luence he was chosen by Chimalpopoca, and thus he
inherited a Mexican people being slaughtered by the Tepanecs. But Tlacaelel
had been busy. He allowed Nezahualcoyotl to escape the city, and the exiled
 prince returned gratefully with loyal soldiers ready to liberate Texcoco from It cannot be
the Tepanecs. Itzcoatl had another ally in Totoquilhuaztli, the Tlatoani
of Tlacopan: a city of Tepanecs that sought liberty from the oppression of
emphasized
the larger Tepanec city of Azcapotzalco. And then Tlacaelel revealed his enough how much
secret weapon, the blood magic he had taught to the priesthood. The Mexica T lacaelel changed
sorcerers fell on the Tepanecs, and mere military might could not stand up to the Mexica. Prior
their dark power. The forces of Maxtla fell like f lies, and the usurper himself
was soon captured and sacrificed. to his involvement
Now the alliance between the Mexica of Tenochtitlán, the Acolhua
the various Aztec
of Texcoco, and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan ruled Lake Texcoco and the nations were likely
surrounding settlements. These three tribes, all children of Aztlán, had no more evil than
reunited once again under the banner of the Triple-Alliance. some of the more
aggressive Indians of
The Triple Alliance Caribbean. After
Tlacaelel had chosen Itzcoatl for a reason. In 1430 he lead the Triple Alliance T lacaelel’s reforms
on its first successful campaign, conquering Xochimilco and claiming all the Mexica were
their valuable chinampas in the process. The campaigns continued, and soon forged into an evil
the Triple Alliance had complete control over Lake Texcoco. Although the
Acolhua and Tepanecs fought bravely, from the beginning it was the Mexica,
rarely seen outside of
with their fanatical warriors and their blood magic, that led the Triple the Adversary’s dark
Alliance. Itzcoatl fed the fanaticism of his people, purging their history covens.
and burning all the historical writings. The truth of the Mexica submission
to Azcapotzalco was suppressed, and the Mexica were now given a simple D.V.
tale, a powerful legend that painted them as the true heirs to the legacy of
the Toltecs and Teotihuacán before them, destined from the beginning by
Huitzilopochtli to conquer eternally. It should be noted that Tlacaelel did
And conquer they must. The gods were hungry creatures, and the Aztecs
were as bloody as the Toltecs before them. Their need for sacrifices drove them
not just corrupt the Mexica religion.
onward, ever onward. In 1439, at Tlacaelel’s urging, Itzcoatl sent his armies He also instituted reforms to the social
south, outside the bounds of the Valley of Mexico, to conquer Cuauhahuac. It
was the first expansion of the Triple Alliance away from Lake Texcoco, but it order, oversaw public works projects,
would not be the last.
and restructured the military. The
After Itzcoatl’s death in 1440 Tlacaelel saw to it that his half-brother,
Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, became the Tlatoani. The two brothers worked Aztecs after Tlacaelel were not just
together well, sharing many secrets, and Tlacaelel was given the position
of Cihuacoatl or “First Councilor”, second only to the Tlatoani in power.
bloody fanatics, they were exceptionally
Tlacaelel used this position to radically reshape Mexica culture, increasing advanced, educated, and well-supplied
the power of the priesthood and the number of sacrifices offered to the gods.
He guided Motecuhzoma through political waters, censuring the power- bloody fanatics.
hungry Tepanecs of Tlacopan and reducing them to little more than junior
partners in the Triple Alliance, leaving only Tenochtitlán and Texcoco in J.F.
power. Texcoco was still ruled at that time by Nezahualcoyotl, who remained
entirely under Tlacaelel’s thumb. His eventual successors would be no
different. Together Nezahualcoyotl and Motecuhzoma constructed the first
aqueduct system of Tenochtitlán, supplying fresh water to the city. They also
constructed a nine mile long dike across Lake Texcoco to regulate the water
f low, preventing the island of Tenochtitlán from f looding. Tlacaelel enforced
sumptuary laws, restricting the dress and jewelry of the people according to
their status in society, as a way of enforcing order. The pipiltin nobility truly
came into its own as masters of the Mexica, as well as a continuing drain on
Mexica resources as the noble class grew.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Who killed Tizoc? It seems there
are two main suspects. The first,
most obviously, is Tlacaelel
himself. The Cihuacoatl was tired
of seeing his dream being destroyed
by weak Tlatoanis, and at the
very least Tlacaelel prevented any
serious investigation into Tizoc’s
death. However there is another
possibility. Ahuitzotl was a devout
follower (some might even say a
pawn) of Chalchiúhtlicue and
her temple. It is quite possible
that Tizoc’s death was caused by
the priestesses, who may have had
far more influence in the Aztec
empire than previously believed,
and wished to put one of their own
on the throne.
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
However the social and political changes of Motecuhzoma’s reign pale
before his complete military mastery. If Itzcoatl was the liberator of his
people, Motecuhzoma was their champion. Under his reign the Mexica
armies became an unstoppable force. He added the Eagle Warriors as a new
peasant order to accompany the Jaguar Warriors raised up by his predecessor,
he established the supreme position warriors hold in Mexica society, and then
he conquered. By the end of his reign the Triple Alliance stretched from the
Gulf of Mexico almost to the Pacific. Included in these conquests were the
Huastecs in 1458, whose sacrificial blood inaugurated the latest expansions to
the Great Temple in Tenochtitlán, the Totonacs in 1461, the Chalca in 1465,
and finally the Tepeaca in 1466. Under Motecuhzoma’s reign the number
of sacrifices increased to around 20,000 annually, with more being called
upon for special occasions. More importantly, Tlacaelel devised a system
of inspectors to ensure tribute f lowed from the expanded empire. Despite
suffering from periodic droughts and famine during Motecuhzoma’s reign
Tenochtitlán would never again want for supplies. Food and wealth came
pouring in from across the empire, and the Tlatoani and Tlacaelel began
reshaping the city, turning it into the jewel of the Americas.
However, even at this early stage the empire was beginning to feel the
strain of its own consumption. The high rate of sacrifices demanded constant
warfare, and when no conquest was available Motecuhzoma was forced to
wage “f lower wars” against his neighbors, partially-staged battles not of
conquest but simply to take captives who could then be sacrificed to the gods.
Further, while the system of tribute made Tenochtitlán rich, it wore on the
many tributaries. Tenochtitlán was seen as a city of fat noblemen who knew
nothing of the virtues of productivity and lived of the toil of others. The
first stirrings of rebellion began in Motecuhzoma’s reign. These were quickly
put down, but as time went on more and more resources would have to be
expended retaking rebellious territory rather than conquering new territory.
Doomsayers began predicting that this cycle could not last forever, and that
the Triple Alliance would consume itself with its own bloodlust. Their cries
were ignored.
In 1469 Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina died and was replaced by his 19 year
old grandson Axayacatl. Although Tlacaelel sought to steer Axayacatl as he
had Motecuhzoma, the boy was not the man his predecessor had been. While
Motecuhzoma had been a man dedicated to his people, Axayacatl reveled in
the wealth and luxury of his position, and he spurned Tlacaelel’s advice. He
built a grand palace for himself, and oversaw the absorbing of Tlatelolco into
Tenochtitlán as its fifth quarter. Meanwhile, things outside of Tenochtitlán
were growing worse. Although Axayacatl did expand the empire, his attempts
to expand to the northwest were met with defeat at the hands of the fierce
Tarascans. They wielded metal weapons, and it is said they had their own
magics to protect them. The attempted Mexica invasion was a disaster.
Axacayatl was succeeded in 1477 by his brother and military commander
Tizoc, but Tizoc was weak and under his rule the Triple Alliance was plagued
with rebellions. It is not certain what happened next. The Tlatoani suddenly
took ill, and though poison or sorcery was suspected, Tlacaelel ensured that
no investigation was made. He had grown tired of Tizoc’s weakness, and was
content to let him die in 1486. Tizoc was succeeded by his younger brother
Ahuitzotl, who inherited a Triple Alliance that was beginning to fall apart
at the seams.
 Ahuitzotl was a religious man who swore fealty to Chalchiúhtlicue, the The flood of 1503 caused a great
goddess of water and love. While Tlacaelel may have been suspicious as to what
deal of devastation. The last
hold the priestesses of Chalchiúhtlicue had over the Tlatoani, one thing was
certain; Ahuitzotl was a strong ruler, more like Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina remnants of the old Mexica were
than his predecessor. He began by suppressing a rebellion by the Huastecs with swept away. Rumor has it that
such power and finality that other would-be rebels did not dare to cross him. Tlacaelel wanted the flood to occur,
He then more than doubled the size of the Triple Alliance, conquering all the
way to the Pacific Ocean. He conquered the formerly resistant Mixtecs and
perhaps even caused it, to cement
Zapotecs with ease, and then struck further east into the jungles. He was a his latest wave of changes and
tactical genius, using forced marches, surprise attacks, and ambushes to defeat reforms. What is known is that
his enemies. He led his armies personally, and would camp among the men, many Mexican records were lost in
even after conquering enemy palaces, which caused his armies to respect and
love him more than anyone before. the flood, whether deliberately or
Upon his return to Tenochtitlán, Ahuitzotl proved himself as able a
not, again wiping the slate clean
statesman as a conqueror. With tribute once more pouring in from across for Tlacaelel and Motecuhzoma to
the land he began a major renovation of Tenochtitlán, creating the city that rewrite history.
remains today. He built a second, grander aqueduct to supply water and he
oversaw the final expansion to the Great Temple of Tenochtitlán. On the S.
day of its dedication in 1487, he sacrificed 50,000 people in a single day,
calling down the protection of the gods upon his kingdom. By this time
the Triple Alliance was a Triple Alliance in name only. All knew that it
was the Mexica who ruled the Empire. And Tlacaelel looked on, smiling at
his plan’s fruition. But he knew the greatest challenge was yet to come. For
Ahuitzotl had expanded the Triple Alliance as far as it could reach. All power
was focused on Tenochtitlán, and in a society without horses the reach of
Tenochtitlán could only extend so far. With the exception of the Tarascans,
who remained stubbornly independent, and the Maya, who were too far away,
the world as it was known at that time had been conquered. Now there could
only be inevitable decay and destruction. But Tlacaelel would not let that
happen. Tlacaelel had a plan.
In 1503 a f lood devastated Tenochtitlán. One of the victims of that f lood
was Ahuitzotl. The people said that Chalchiúhtlicue had granted him power,
and then demanded him as a sacrifice. He was succeeded by Motecuhzoma
Xocoyotzin, who would become Motecuhzoma Teotltzin.

Motecuhzoma and Cortéz

Motecuhzoma, who was at first called Xocoyotzin or “honored young one”
to distinguish him from his illustrious great-grandfather of the same name,
was the son of Axacayatl and the nephew to Ahuitzotl. He was a wise man,
wise enough to realize that the Triple Alliance was facing a dire situation.
Mexican power had been stretched to the breaking point, and yet Mexican
culture demanded more conquest and a steady stream of sacrifices to the gods.
Where would these sacrifices come from? The Empire thrived on blood, and
more blood was needed. Some came from rebellions, which were becoming
more and more frequent now that the feared and respected Ahuitzotl was
dead. Others came from the increasingly prevalent “f lower wars”. But
these wars, along with heavy tribute and a lack of local power outside of
Tenochtitlán, only encouraged further rebellion. Reluctantly Motecuhzoma
began social reforms that would limit human sacrifices, making the Empire
more sustainable. These reforms were blocked at every turn by the fat and

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 arrogant pipiltin nobility. Consequently, Motecuhzoma gained a reputation
Of course Landa, like most Spaniards, as a weak ruler.
is hard on Cortéz. Although the Adding to the agitation of the Mexica were the signs and omens that
began appearing. Fire was seen falling from the sky to the east. The temple
Governor of Cuba did attempt to of Huitzilopochtli atop the Great Temple in Tenochtitlán caught fire
recall Cortéz’s commission to lead the under mysterious circumstances. A lightning bolt struck a straw temple of
Xiuhtecuhtli, god of volcanoes, destroying it. Streaking fire was seen across
Spanish forces, he had installed Cortéz the Gulf of Mexico. A lake near Lake Texcoco suddenly boiled over its banks,
in that position to begin with. He had f looding a nearby village. The ghostly image of a weeping woman was seen in
Tenochtitlán, begging the Mexica to f lee while they could. A two-headed man
no intention of recalling the Spanish was seen, warning of danger. Motecuhzoma himself saw visions of fighting
men in a mirror. This was compounded by the arrival of a new cycle for the
forces, merely replacing their leader. 52 year Mexica calendar; a dangerous time of renewal for the Mexica, when
But I suppose we must allow the they believed the world could be easily destroyed. Motecuhzoma summoned
his favored fortune tellers and sorcerers to advise him, and of course he also
Spanish their embarrassment. relied upon the advice of Tlacaelel.
Tlacaelel had warned against seeking to deny the gods their proper tribute,
J.F. but he understood his great grand-nephew’s position. He could not see into
the future, but he believed that the gods would guide him. And they seemed to
do so when Motecuhzoma received word in 1518 that strange, white-skinned,
It is easy to speak bearded men who rode upon great four-hoofed beasts had landed in Totonac
from a position of territory along the Gulf of Mexico. This was the expedition of Juan de Grijalva,
superiority if you the first European to set foot in Aztec lands. Immediately all thoughts went
to the legend of Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, who had traveled east across the sea
have never faced the and had promised to return in his people’s darkest hour. And what could be
Aztecs. Recall that at darker than this, an empire teetering on the brink of collapse? Soon rumors
this time no Indians of the strange visitors had reached the Mexica, who were already preparing
had ever given any to welcome them. Motecuhzoma remained skeptical, but he dared not risk
upsetting his people once again.
Christian nation much
Of course as we know the truth was far different. A glory-hound by the
difficulty. Indeed, name of Hernán Cortéz, whose name has become a blight upon the world, had
the later conquest illegally acquired control of a f leet of ships and, like the basest of criminals,
of Yucatán would had set sail from Cuba. He was under a delusion of being chosen by God; a
go much smoother delusion that would lead him to the greatest blunder in Spanish history and
create the greatest enemy Christendom has ever known. Cortéz first landed
and Yucatán would in Mayan territory, where he acquired, among other things, Malintzin, a
remain in Spanish woman whom Cortéz rechristened Doña Marina. Marina was a remarkable
hands until the recent woman, the daughter of a nobleman from Aztec lands who had been sold into
Mayan slavery. She spoke f luent Nahuatl, and she quickly learned to speak
unpleasantness. T he
Spanish. Cortéz realized her worth and quickly took her to his bed. Soon she
Spanish cannot be became the chief translator and diplomat of the Spanish forces. Had they, like
blamed for Cortéz’s other expeditions, been interested in trade then Cortéz might have won fame
aggression, nor for and glory by bringing back Aztec wealth. But the shortsighted fool would not
be content with such things. He craved only conquest, and was deluded into
his mishandling of the believing he fought “For glory, God, and gold”.
invasion.
His forces landed again in the land of the Totonacs, a place the Spanish
D.V. called Veracruz. Upon their arrival in the Totonac village of Cempoala they
were greeted not with hostility, but with cheering townsfolk and a delegation
of 20 dignitaries. Here Cortéz and his band first learned of the might of
Tenochtitlán and the powerful Triple Alliance. A sane man, realizing he
had less than 600 Spanish soldiers with him, would have turned his thoughts
toward peaceful trade, or else f led back to Cuba. But Cortéz was far from

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 sane. He led his men in a farcical legal ceremony, establishing a Spanish Doña Marina remains a
colony at Veracruz, thus pretending that he was free of Cuban authority (and fascinating and enigmatic
the Cuban governor, who wished him jailed). Then, when the wiser of his figure. Although it is true
men threatened mutiny upon hearing of mighty Tenochtitlán, he scuttled that she could translate the
his own ships to prevent desertion. With the help of Marina, who it seemed Nahuatl language, and this
had been swayed entirely to his side, the silver-tongued Cortéz persuaded made her an invaluable asset
Chicomecoatl, leader of the Totonacs, to join him. The Totonacs chafed to Cortéz, it seems strange
under Mexica rule, and believed that if Cortéz was not a god, at least he had that she would become
been sent by the gods to aid them. He gave Cortéz 50,000 warriors, and now such a close and trusted
Cortéz had a true army. confidant of the man. In
Cortéz and his men pushed inland, arriving soon at Tlaxcala. The addition, she is almost
Tlaxcalans were a proud people who, like the Totonacs, rankled under Mexica always referred to as
rule. Adding to the problem, the Mexica had often made Tlaxcala their target “Doña” Marina by not only
during their f lower wars. The Tlaxcalans hated the Mexica and the entire Cortéz but all his men, an
Triple Alliance, yet they were not about to give their lives freely to this odd show of respect for
invader. The Tlaxcalans met the Spaniards with hostility, and the Spaniards a woman most Spaniards
soon discovered they were no match for Tlaxcalan warriors. Yet when the would call a “savage”. T here
Tlaxcalans had the Spanish surrounded they suddenly ceased their attack. is likewise no record of
Xicotencatl, Tlatoani of the Tlaxcalan city of Tizatlán, had decided to let her ever being captured
these strangers speak. Again Cortéz had the opportunity to turn back, for if or slain, and it is possible
the Tlaxcala could defeat him then surely so could the Mexica, but instead he she survived the events at
spoke with Xicotencatl and the other Tlaxcalan Tlatoanis about his dreams of Tenochtitlán. When looked
conquest. By the end of their time in Tlaxcala he had won new allies, and had at from this perspective,
even baptized the four Tlatoanis into the Christian faith. she seems an almost sinister
figure. After all, the Aztec
Meanwhile Motecuhzoma had heard of these Spaniards, and by now he Empire claims to fight the
knew of their dreams of conquest. This told him, among other things, that Adversary. It would be just
Cortéz was not Quetzalcoatl returned. But his understanding did little to like a witch to use Cortéz
squash the rumor among his people. Facing an armed rebellion of not just to accomplish her goals,
the Totonacs but the Tlaxcalans as well, Motecuhzoma went to his advisors. and seduction followed
Tlacaelel urged Motecuhzoma to be strong, to pray to Huitzilopochtli and by corruption is a tried
prepare his armies, but Motecuhzoma instead decided to take the more and true tactic of the
prudent course. He sent lavish gifts to the Spaniards, showing them quite Adversary’s covens.
clearly that Tenochtitlán was stronger and wealthier than any of their allies,
and more than capable of defeating them in battle. Sadly, Cortéz was too D.V.
stupid to understand the message, and these gifts only made his eyes glow with
greed for the treasures of Tenochtitlán. Tlacaelel realized that Motecuhzoma
would require help. He foresaw that the invaders would next go to Cholula, Or perhaps you would just like
the sacred city that housed the single largest temple to the gods in the world, to ascribe the actions of Cortéz
second only to Tenochtitlán in greatness within the Triple Alliance. The to Witchcraft, thus further
Cholulans had but a small army; for their priests were powerful, and the
gods themselves protected them. Tlacaelel sent emissaries to Cholula with absolving your nation from
messages purported to be from Motecuhzoma. These messages were quite responsibility. If she was a Witch
clear. The Cholulans were to stop the Spaniards in their city. But Tlacaelel she would know of the power of the
sent a second message to the priesthood, this one more insidious. They were
to withdraw their power, their protection from Cholula. Tlacaelel wanted
Aztecs, and would likewise know
the Spanish to succeed. Cortéz quickly caught wind that the Cholulans were conquest was all but impossible.
planning to attack his men. He struck first, in a midnight massacre that Perhaps she had another aim, or
slaughtered 30,000 Cholulans in their beds. The tremors of this horrible act perhaps she was just a woman who
echoed throughout the Triple Alliance. Smaller cities did not dare stand
against the Spaniards now, for they had gained a reputation as savages who showed loyalty and love to the man
did not meet their foes in sacred combat, nor capture their foes for holy who rescued her from slavery.
sacrifice, but instead slaughtered them mercilessly while they were unarmed,
S.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 It is a staple of Christian
invasion stories that any natives
who accompany them become
baptized Christians. It is far
more likely that the Tlaxcalans
simply added Jesus Christ to their
already sizeable array of gods
and legendary heroes, while not
abandoning their tribal beliefs. A
similar effect is seen in many of
the “Christianized” Indians of the
northern colonies.
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
denying them paradise. To the warrior cultures of the Triple Alliance
this was a horror akin to desecrating the corpses of the dead. It made the
Spaniards seem cruel and inhuman. All now looked to Tenochtitlán to save
them from this barbarian menace. Tlacaelel planned for the Spanish to come
to Tenochtitlán, and to there be defeated in a great battle.
Yet Motecuhzoma was still wary, and unwilling to succumb fully to his
great-granduncle’s machinations. In the Spaniards he saw the glimmer of
something more than savagery. He saw an Empire that could stretch across
the oceans themselves. The Tlatoani saw in the Spaniards hope for his own
beleaguered empire. Just the horses of Cortéz would allow the Mexica to
expand their conquests three-fold, and the Tlatoani suspected there was
even more wisdom to be gleaned from the Spaniard’s culture. Motecuhzoma
himself met Cortéz on one of the causeways that linked Tenochtitlán with
the mainland, and the two exchanged gifts. Motecuhzoma welcomed the
Spaniards into Tenochtitlán, eager to learn from them. Cortéz, however,
had no such desire to learn from the Mexica. His men were girded for war,
and in short order Motecuhzoma found himself a prisoner, first within his
own palace, then within the palace of his father. Yet still Motecuhzoma bided
his time, and commanded his warriors not to repay Spanish aggression with
force. He could have destroyed the Spanish, but he feared that if he did so he
would never learn what he wished to know. So instead he capitulated to the
Spaniards and let them believe him to be captured, so that he might learn
from them. He let them see his city, the markets, the gleaming temples
and the hard-working people. He let them see his warriors, always in full
dress uniform, and never in battle, and in return he learned. He learned
about European kings, dukes, counts, and barons. He learned about the tools
of power. He learned that religion was not merely a sacred act, but also a
powerful weapon of conquest. He learned that shared culture made people
loyal, and that the Governor of Cuba obeyed the King of Spain because the
Governor of Cuba thought of himself as a Spaniard. Motecuhzoma learned all
of this, and hungered for more. And bit by bit the foolish Cortéz created an
enemy that would rise above all others.
But the Spaniards were not good guests. During the feast of Toxcatl, in
honor of Huitzilopochtli, the Spaniards were treated to an opulent display
of Mexica celebration. Disdaining their hosts they fell upon the ceremony,
taking advantage of the many Mexica noblemen present to massacre the
worshippers. Hundreds of peasants fell, and the Spaniards would have
slaughtered the priests as well, but suddenly their steel was turned by Mexica
obsidian. Tlacaelel had given the order to counterattack. Regardless of the
will of the Tlatoani, the Mexica would not be slaughtered. The Spaniards
were forced from the city, and Tlacaelel himself went to visit the Tlatoani.
“You have betrayed your people!” Tlacaelel seethed, the ancient lord terrible
in his anger. “You have betrayed the gods!”
“And what would you know of it,” Motecuhzoma spat back in his face. “We
have nowhere else to go! Our Empire is rife with rebellion!”
“I could teach you the path. The path of the gods, not of these pale men.”
And Motecuhzoma bowed his head, and said, “Then teach me.”
On that day Tlacaelel gave his strength to Motecuhzoma, making him as
he was, old and powerful. Tlacaelel said to him, “You are now of my blood,
of my f lesh. Now you will follow my path.”
 “No,” Motecuhzoma said. “For I have seen your path, and though it is Landa is not quite
powerful, it is like a strong man trying to hold the wind. I thank you for
your gifts, and your power, but as for your path, I shall follow my own.”
accurate when he
And there Motecuhzoma devoured Tlacaelel, destroying him and taking his claims it is the last
power and his knowledge for himself. Motecuhzoma had learned much about time Christians
power from Tlacaelel, but he had learned too about power from the Spanish. have set foot in
And on that day he became not Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, but Motecuhzoma
Teotltzin, the Mystical Lord. From that day forward, he was never seen in Tenochtitlán. T hree
public, but his words were known through his servants. He unleashed the full years later, in 1524,
might of the Mexica. On a night known to the Spanish as “La Noche Triste”, twelve Franciscan
the Night of Sorrows, Motecuhzoma’s men ambushed Cortéz and his men
monks boldly walked
as they were crossing the causeways toward Tenochtitlán, preparing for a
counterattack. They were trapped on the bridges, and the Mexica fell upon into the city. T hey
them with a ferocity unheard of. Not a single Spaniard escaped alive, and were, of course,
most were taken captive. Those captured were sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli sacrificed, but rumor
with savage relish, and their blood stained the steps of the Great Temple.
Finally Cortéz was brought to the Great Temple, defeated and in chains, and
has it that the one
forced to kneel in the blood of his countrymen. With him were Spaniards sermon they managed
chosen for their skill with letters. Then Cuitlahuac, the Tlatoani’s younger to deliver before
brother who was given the position of Cihuacoatl after Tlacaelel’s death, their deaths may have
appeared before them, f lanked by priests of all the gods.
born underground
“Look now upon this man,” he said. “This man who came to us in search
of glory, God, and gold. His glory is torn from him and made into despair,
fruit. It is said that
for he is Cortéz the conquered. His God has forsaken him, for he kneels even today Christian
crushed on the steps of our temple, a captive to our gods. But gold? See now Aztecs remain, hidden
how Tlatoani Motecuhzoma shows his mercy. You wished gold? We shall lest they be sacrificed
give it to you.”
for their blasphemy.
And then the priests seized Cortéz and forced his mouth open. They poured
molten gold down his throat, filling him until gold poured out all his pores. D.V.
Then they set him on display before their temple, where he remained until
the birds ate away his rotting f lesh, and even now the twisted sculpture of
hardened gold that formed from his innards remains a trophy of the Tlatoani.
Cuitlahuac bid the Spaniards who were there as witnesses to tell of all they
had seen. And these few messengers alone survived the slaughter of Cortéz’s
forces. And these few messengers alone spread the tale of his ignominious
death when they returned to Cuba. And that was the last time Christians have
set foot in Tenochtitlán. Since that day all news of the Aztecs comes only
from their merchants.

A New Ally
The Mexica may have defeated the Spanish, but the Triple Alliance was
rife with conf lict. The Totonacs and the Tlaxcalans were in open revolt, and
the whole of the region was suffering the shock of contact with an unknown
people from across the sea. To make things worse, in their wake the Spanish
brought with them smallpox and other diseases which began devastating the
population and claimed the Cihuacoatl himself as a victim. In Tenochtitlán
the epidemic was quickly contained thanks to the tireless efforts of the priests,
but the rest of the Empire suffered greatly. Motecuhzoma acted quickly,
organizing priests and sorcerers who could cure the diseases into expeditions
which he then sent out throughout the empire. Not only did this stop the

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 China remains a
mysterious land even
today. Some of them
are Muslim, but a
large number of them
follow strange religions
all but unknown to
us. Jesuits have only
been in China for the
last hundred years,
over fifty years
after they made
contact with the
Aztecs, and then only
sparingly and under
Imperial oversight.
T heir alliance with
the Aztecs is just one
more thing we know
little about, and that
is cause enough to
make any Christian
nervous.
D.V.
We do know that the Chinese hero
Zheng He went on his voyages of
discovery in the early 15th century.
This was followed by a brief period
of cultural isolation, but by the end
of the century expeditions had begun
once more. Had it not been for that
brief withdrawal it would likely have
been the Chinese, not Christians, who
first colonized the Americas.
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
empire from collapsing completely, but it forced the conquered tribes to look
upon the Mexica as their saviors. Motecuhzoma capitalized on the foreign
nature of the Christian religion to paint the conf lict, and the diseases that
followed, as a divine struggle between Huitzilopochtli and the Spanish God;
one which Huitzilopochtli clearly won. The disease was just a last, cowardly
attempt by the Christian God, who was too weak to face Huitzilopochtli’s
chosen people in battle. Like Tlacaelel before him, Motecuhzoma revitalized
religion among the Mexica. But this time he did not paint Huitzilopochtli
as a god of the Mexica, but rather as a god of all people who came from
Aztlán, and indeed of the whole world. He took the evangelical commands
of our Lord and married them to his dark faith, thus restoring the Mexican
fanaticism. No longer did Motecuhzoma seek to limit sacrifices. Now there
was no need.
Cortéz and his men had left horses, steel, and firearms behind them. Under
torture his men revealed the nature of these things, the mixture necessary to
create gunpowder, and how to alloy metal. Motecuhzoma chose his finest
craftsmen to begin duplicating these wonders, and made plans to breed the
European horse. He knew that it was only Aztec magic that had defeated the
Spanish, and that Spanish horses and Spanish guns were superior to their
obsidian clubs. Soon he would change the face of Mexican warfare.
The process dragged on for ten slow years. Ten years of attempting to master
centuries of European metallurgy and chymistry. During these ten years the
Triple Alliance remained rife with conf licts and rebellions. Mexica warriors
were sent out to quell these rebellions, but only half-heartedly. Without the
full might of the Aztec army both the Tlaxcalans and the Totonacs remained
free. The Spanish colony of Veracruz continued to expand, though their fear
kept them from mounting another expedition of conquest. Motecuhzoma’s
obsession with Spanish technology might have been his undoing were it not
for the arrival in 1534 of another f leet of ships, this time not from the Atlantic,
but from the Pacific.
The mysterious Empire of China, known to its people as Zhongguo,
had not been idle over the centuries. Although their golden age of exploration
was over a century prior, they had continued to send their treasure f leets out
into the vast Pacific. In 1534 they arrived in a bay just to the north of the western
edge of the Triple Alliance. They founded a colony there, and began exploring
inland. They happened upon Oztoman, a Mexica fortress on the Tarascan
border. The Chinese, unlike the Spanish, were as interested in learning about
the Mexica as the Mexica were about them, and a delegation from the colony
of Yingzhou was brought to Tenochtitlán. After their experience with the
Spanish the Mexica were not as forgiving to foreigners, and they quickly took
the delegates prisoner. The Chinese accepted this with serenity. They began
to speak of the glories of the Chinese Empire, and of the wealth the Imperial
treasure f leet had to offer. They spoke of Chinese technology, principles of
magnetism, engineering, and mathematics. They spoke also of gunpowder
and horses. Motecuhzoma was delighted, and drafted a message of friendship
to be sent to the Chinese Emperor. From that day forward the Chinese would
be close advisors of Motecuhzoma, and in return they were granted rights to
plant colonies on the Pacific side of the Triple Alliance as trading posts in
the New World.
The Tlatoanis of Texcoco and Tlacopan were eager to share this new
technology with the Mexica, and quickly planned to gain Chinese advisors
of their own, but Motecuhzoma had other plans. He was no longer content
 with a Triple Alliance. He realized now that he needed to learn from the The Chinese may be living among
Spanish, and the Chinese. The people did not need an alliance of scattered
the Aztecs, but they are not part
cities, they needed an empire. And an empire was ruled by an emperor. In
1535 Motecuhzoma did what no other Mexica had done before him. He began of the Aztecs. What few rumors
a military campaign against Texcoco, Tlacopan, and the other cities in I have heard speak of strange
the Valley of Mexico, not to subdue them for tribute, but to conquer them magic, and strange monsters that
utterly. Old dynasties were torn down, palaces were razed, and new Mexica
governors were put in place. The Mexica way was forced on the people. They
seem confined to the borders of the
were arranged into calpullis like the families in Tenochtitlán. Children Chinese colonies and Calpullis.
were sent to the state-run telpochcalli and calmecac schools, as they were in The Aztecs seem inclined to leave
Tenochtitlán, where they were taught of the supremacy of Huitzilopochtli such powers well alone.
and Motecuhzoma Teotltzin, the Huey Tlatoani or Great Speaker. New
temples of Huitzilopochtli were constructed, setting the god of the Mexica S.
above all. And finally, Motecuhzoma changed the very name of his people.
They were no longer just Mexica. The Mexica were only part of a whole. He
remembered why the Governor of Cuba was loyal to the King of Spain. And
just as all Cubans were Spaniards, now all Mexica, Xochimilca, Tlahuica,
There’s precious little information
Acolhua, Tlaxcalan, Tepanec, Chalca, and all others would be united under about Chinese sorcery, but they seem
one empire. As they once were, so again they would all be Aztecs.
to have an almost philosophical bent
to their magic, relying on concepts
The Aztec Empire of balance and direction. This seems
By 1537 Motecuhzoma had been graced with some of the finest scientific
minds in China to serve as his advisors, as well as a breeding stock of Chinese
opposed to the ecstatic nature of
horses. In return he lavished gifts of cotton, jade, and gold upon the Chinese, Aztec blood sorcery.
and drafted laws that allowed the Chinese colonies to continue practicing their
culture and religion without oppression. With the Mexico Valley conquered, J.F.
Motecuhzoma began expanding. This would be a slow process, for while
some cities like Cholula submitted willingly to Aztec reconstruction, most
fought. They knew that if they failed they would no longer lose mere captives
to be sacrificed; they would lose their identities and ways of life. The Aztecs
fell upon the Tlaxcallans in 1540, and they fell before the new Aztec horses
and rif les. At this point the Aztec expansion halted while the Tlaxcallans,
who had always been quite independent even as allies and tributaries of the
Triple Alliance, were fully assimilated into the Aztec Empire. All vestiges of
Christianity were stripped from them. By 1541 Motecuhzoma was ready for
another expansion, and this time he pushed northwest toward the old foes of
the Mexica, the Tarascans.
The Tarascans were no fools. They knew that their metal weapons could
not stand against firearms and horses, and they knew they had nothing with
which to counter the Aztec’s fierce blood magic. They had always survived,
not through military might (although their warriors were formidable,) but
through superior tactics. They would use this skill to their advantage, using
the mountainous terrain they inhabited to organize quick hit-and-run strikes
against the Aztecs, attacking their supply lines and their storehouses. The
Aztecs still had few horses and firearms, and few nahualtin who could use
their dark arts. The Tarascans stretched these resources thin. Their way was a
cowardly way, but an effective one. When they were forced to fight the Aztecs
head-on they chose the terrain, and like the Spartans of old they felled countless
Aztecs for each Tarascan lost. Eventually, however, the mighty Tarascans
fell. The Aztecs were too many, and each battle against the Tarascans yielded
prisoners which were sacrificed to fuel the power of the next attack. The f lag

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Why did the Spanish not rely
more on the native Totonac and
Huastec? These tribes had joined
with Cortéz eagerly because of
a shared hatred for the Aztecs.
The region remains rebellious. If
Europeans are to succeed against
the Empire, they must find a way
to look past differences in belief
and unite with the natives.
S.
An army of Huastecs
and Totonacs did
very little to save
Cortéz, and many
brave Indians died at
Veracruz. T he Spanish
have always been
willing to accept any
Indian who converts
to Christianity, and
one would think the
natives would be eager
to ally with God,
from whom flows
such blessed power.
D.V.
Do you not see the arrogance
in that statement? Why must
they be Christian if we fight
a common foe? Do you act this
way around all Ghost People and
Dreamwalkers?
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
of Motecuhzoma was finally f lown over the capital of Tzintzuntzan in 1544,
after three long years of warfare. The Aztecs were victorious, but at a great
cost. They were forced to spend some time recovering, doing little other
than absorbing the smaller states that had relied on the Tarascans to keep the
Aztecs distracted. In a show of anger for their stubbornness Motecuhzoma
demanded that the histories of the Tarascans be burned, and that all mention
of the Tarascans be struck from the records. From now on the children in
the telpochcalli and the calmecac schools would learn that Tzintzuntzan,
rechristened Huitziltlán in honor of Huitzilopochtli, had always been an ally
of the Mexica, willingly subjugating itself to first the Triple Alliance, and
later the Aztec Empire.
While this was happening the Spanish were not idle. The colony of
Veracruz had expanded, absorbing their allies the Totonacs. They knew that
with the Tarascans gone the Aztecs would turn their attention to Veracruz,
and so they began fortifications. Meanwhile to the southeast, Yucatán and the
Maya had already surrendered to Christendom. For a time it seemed that the
dream of New Spain might yet be a reality, albeit on a smaller scale, outside
the borders of the Aztec Empire. But such things were not to be. In 1550 the
Aztecs fell upon Veracruz and their allies the Totonacs. The brave Spanish,
backed by Cuba, had hopes of holding back the Aztecs as had the Tarascans,
using their superior weaponry and fortifications to force the Aztecs into a
stalemate, and then a truce. But Veracruz did not have the natural defenses of
the Tarascans. The Aztecs fell upon them like a plague, as recorded by one
survivor who f led back to Cuba.
“It began with a darkness in the west, blotting out the falling sun. This was
no natural darkness, but a darkness of the soul, and the men did shiver and
pray to the Lord to deliver them, and I prayed as well. In one hand we held
our muskets, and in the other we held rosaries, and our bones shook so much
that the rosaries made a great clamor as the beads clacked together. Then a
mist came from the ground, dark as smoke, and we heard our commander
shout, 'man the walls!’ And we did. By God, we did, though our hearts were
hollow and fearful, but it availed us not for we could hardly see through the
mist. And then the man next to me was struck down, not by any man but by a
beast, a beast more twisted than any savage idol, its shape like that of a great
jaguar carved from stone. And as he fell the man fired his musket, and I saw
the bullet pass through the creature. Right through it, as if it were nothing
but smoke. Then I knew we did not face men, but devils. I could hear the men
screaming, some for mercy and some for Jesus, as the monsters tore them
apart. And then behind them came the Aztecs, dressed in the skins of jaguars
and eagles, the blood of those they had already slain dripping from their
bodies and from the black blades of their clubs. And God help me, I could not
remain there. God help me, I ran, for I knew that to stay there any longer was
to consign my soul to hell.”
The Aztecs remained in Veracruz long enough to destroy the colony,
and build their own temple there. They consecrated this temple with the
blood of captured Spanish and Totonacs. No Spaniards were left alive once
the Aztecs were done. Again they paused in their conquest to consolidate
their holdings, constructing temples to their gods and establishing regional
Tlatoani loyal to Motecuhzoma. By this time the first generation of children
raised under Aztec conquest had become adults in the Valley of Mexico, and
Motecuhzoma’s plan was shown to be wise. They did not see themselves as
Tepanec or Acolhua, but rather as Aztec, and they praised Huitzilopochtli
 T here are no
Ghost People among
the Huastecs and
Totonacs. Indeed, the
only Witch Hunters
in Mesoamerica seem
to be the rare few
among the Aztecs
themselves. It is as
if God has removed
his hand from all
surrounding tribes.
We must be cautious
when dealing with
the natives, lest
corruption enter
our ranks. T here
is nothing so bad as
a corrupted Witch
Hunter.
D.V.

for granting the Huey Tlatoani success in war. Once more the power of
Tenochtitlán stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and it seems that It was likewise believed there were
this trend will only continue. As I write this, in the year of our lord 1566, I no Aztec Witch Hunters until they
hear that the Aztecs have pushed to the northwest beyond the former Tarascan were met in battle. Just because we
Empire and, more disturbingly, to the southeast toward Yucatán. I do not have never encountered any Witch
know what the future will hold, but I do know that we are doing God’s work.
The Maya, though weakened by the smallpox epidemic, have nonetheless Hunters in the surrounding tribes
converted to Christianity in droves under our leadership, and this proves that does not mean they do not exist.
these Indians are not irrevocably evil. The Aztecs are merely an aberration,
plagued by the devil and set against God. If ever there was cause for Crusade
S.
it is here in the Americas, for in the Aztecs we have found infidels more
destructive than any Mohammedan horde.
I remain in service to Christ and my King,

Diego de Landa Calderón

Bishop of the Archdiocese of Yucatán
1566

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Diego de Landa Calderón died in 1579. T he beleaguered King
Philip II, eager to restore Spain’s good fortune after the disastrous
Cortéz and Pizzaro expeditions, would ignore the Bishop’s call for
Crusade. Yucatán was maintained as a Spanish colony, but tentatively,
and always with an eye toward disavowal should the Aztecs hand
Spain another defeat there. Would things have been different if we
in Campeche had more support from the crown? Perhaps, but
perhaps not. I suspect Charles II will bury the fall of Yucatán as a
historical footnote, and focus instead on the more southerly colonies
of Panama and Venezuela, which it seems are unlikely to come under
Aztec attack. But I digress. T his post script is not to complain
about the state of Spanish monarchy, but rather to cover the
continuing expansion of the Aztec Empire since Landa’s text in 1566.
First, it is difficult to know for certain, but the helpful (if
at times abrasive) S. of the Dreamwalkers assures me that the
Aztecs have, indeed, expanded to the Northwest. T his seems to be
a joint venture with the Chinese, whose latitude makes a northern
journey easier than a southern one. Indeed, according to Aztec
merchants the Chinese claim to have found a land far to the north
which the natives call “Alakshak” that is even closer to their land,
but the freezing climate was deemed unsuitable for a permanent
colony. Although it is difficult to be certain, it is believed the Aztecs
have reached latitudes equal to that of La Florida, and perhaps
even further north. T hey have followed the Pacific coastline, and
the Aztecs claim that they have rediscovered their birthplace of
Chicomoztoc. S. has confirmed through as yet unknown western
Indian tribes that this expedition left conquered lands and Aztec
temples in their wake. Although without a better understanding of
lands west it is impossible to accurately chart their location using the
Dreamwalkers. What is known is that the Chinese now have at least
five major cities on the Pacific coast of the Aztec Empire, while the
Aztecs have a dozen other cities in the area. Given their distance
from the English, Dutch, and French colonies, however, it may be a
century or more before they become a true threat.
It took the Aztecs until around 1600 to fully consolidate
their Empire. T he Triple Alliance was always a patchwork, with
cities that had no allegiance to the Alliance surrounded by cities that
did. Motecuhzoma was unwilling to allow such a situation to stand,
and he took his time to conquer them all properly. In addition
the transformation of native cultures to Aztec culture is a slow
one, but one the immortal Motecuhzoma, for he now clearly will

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 not know the touch of
death, seems determined
correctly. Finally in the ea to carry out
rly part of the 17th cent
began to receive word th ury the Spanish
at the Aztecs were on th
land that had once belon e move, invading
ged to the southern May
had explored some of th a. T he Spanish
is area, but they discover
but abandoned, populated ed it to be all
by empty ruins. T here we
the supernatural, and us re also signs of
ing their inf luence my pr
Fellow ship of the Ashen edecessors in the
Cross were able to diss
from exploring further. uade the colony
With the constant threat
already upon them they of the Aztecs
certainly did not need to
awaken another threat. inadver tently
T he Aztecs had no such
restraint. T hey sent their
through the area, and at armies
first seemed surprised
dwelled there. T heir his that no one
torical records no doub
Maya had been a mighty t indicated that the
nation, perhaps mighty en
Aztecs themselves, and, ough to rival the
like the Aztecs, inheritors
of Teotihuacán. T he Azte of the legacy
cs soon discovered why
abandoned this land, howe the Mayans had
ver. Indeed, this is our su
that, despite their evil, an rest indication
d despite their blasphem
not follow the Adversar y, the Aztecs do
y. For it was certainly th
Adversary that at tacked e forces of the
the Aztecs in those lands
assaulted the darkness th , and the Aztecs
ere with all the furor wi
had assaulted the Spanish th which they
of Veracruz. Of course
the Adversary, unlike m the minions of
y fellow Spaniards or ev
had one advantage over en the Tarascans,
the Aztecs. T he Advers
fully capable of defending ary’s servants were
against Aztec blood magic,
their own magic in kind. and returning
T his was a pitched batt
unknown to the Aztecs, le of a sort
save from their darkest
was ongoing, and the sout myths. T he battle
heastern frontier proved
barrier to the Aztecs un an unstoppable
til the 1630s. Sometime
battle the Quetzal Warr during this long
iors first made themse
themselves as an order lves known, revealing
uniquely suited to fighting
discovered this much lat the Adversary. We
er, and much later still
the Quetzal Warriors se we discovered that
em to be Witch Hunters.
fellow s can imagine how Neither I nor my
this is possible, since the
not follow God as we do Aztecs certainly do
, nor even an analogous sp
brethren do. Still, the sim irit as our Indian
ilarities and the Mark of
undeniable. But I begin to St. Michael are
digress again.
With the Aztecs firmly
occupying the lands of th
Maya the colonist s of C e southern
ampeche braced for the
but surprisingly enough inevitable invasion,
Yucatán was not subjecte
d to a full invasion,

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 T his war was
but rather to a “flower war” for sacrifices.
inded once again of the
devastating enough, and the Spanish were rem
was over, though their
superiority of Aztec fighters. But when it
d. Two vital benefit s
numbers were weakened, the Spanish remaine
was that members of
came out of this brief conflict. T he first
ly identified Aztec Witch
the Fellowship of the Ashen Cross positive
ld not equate them
Hunters for the first time. Our order wou
later, but agents saw
with the fearsome Quetzal Warriors until
s did exist among the
enough signs to determine that Witch Hunter
through our society,
Aztec soldiers. T his revelation sent shockwaves
olar to Campeche,
and directly led to my posting as a young sch
on the Aztecs. T he
with standing orders to study and report
atán flower war was
other vital benefit to come out of the Yuc
survival was not our
the attention of Spain. Although the colony’s
successfully defended
doing, it appeared to Spain that Yucatán had
n King of Spain, saw
itself against an Aztec incursion. Philip IV, the
y that might have been
an opportunity to reclaim some of the glor
forced with the finest
New Spain, and in 1647 Campeche was rein
ition, by this time we,
of Spanish soldiers and for tifications. In add
had made allies among
for I considered myself a colonist by now,
es helped us understand
the conquered Mayans, and these Indian guid
les, far different from
the territory. Yucatán is a land of thick jung
en in the Fellowship of
the valley surrounding Tenochtitlán. My brethr
we might stand a chance
the Ashen Cross and I dared to hope that
flame after the Accord
against the Aztecs. T hat hope flared into a
yet again with members
was signed, and our number was reinforced
der of the Rose and
of the Apostles of the New Dawn, the Or
Spanish and the Maya
Cross, and the Dreamwalkers. Although the
was nothing less than
would not know of it, what we were planning
the Aztec Empire. We
the first serious Witch Hunter stand against
it saddens me to think
were full of such bravery, such faith, that
T hat will come later.
of the result. No, I will tell that in its place.
e building our
T he Aztecs were far from idle while we wer
they had waged a
forces. We later discovered the reason why
invasion. Although they
flower war against us, rather than a true
the south (and indeed,
had faced the minions of the Adversary to
had far less to fear
after their conflict those of us in Yucatán
hing if not thorough),
from the Adversary, for the Aztecs are not
the jungles of the
some of the dark creatures had escaped into
he Aztecs gave chase,
east, which the natives called Guatemala. T
they identified as the
unwilling to let any of these creatures, which

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 mythical foes of their gods the Tzitzimime, remain unm
olested. It
is my personal opinion that the Aztecs, having not face
d serious
opposition since their invasion of the Tarascans a century
before,
were overjoyed with the thought of facing a truly dang
erous foe in
battle. T he Adversary was capable of facing the Azte
cs with every
bit of magical prowess they possessed, and more. Wha
t warrior
culture could resist such a challenge? Having invaded Gua
temala to
stop the Adversary, the Aztecs decided to continue until
they had
conquered the region. Like before, they paused regularly
in their
conquest to impose their own culture on the natives;
altering the
temples of the Mayans into ones that more suited their
bloody
sensibilities. Abandoned were the Mayan cenotes, sacred
caves filled
with water where sacrifices were thrown as offerings
to the
spirit world of Xibalba, and in their place were pyramids
of stone
with cold altars and greedy chacmools waiting for the
hear ts
of the sacrificed, cut out with obsidian knives. Perhaps
to us
these distinctions seem minor, even insignificant, but to
the Aztecs
the Mayan methods were blasphemy, if respected blasp
hemy, as
anathema to them as the Mohammedian faith is to us.
T his made
their progress slow, slowed even further by the thick
jungles of
Guatemala, but there were no true foes in this area
to defeat
them. Indeed, it soon became clear that our brethren
in the Spanish
colony of Panama would face the Aztec wrath, and not
us. While
I would not wish the Aztecs on any man, especially not
fellow
Christians, I must admit to feeling great relief when
I thought the
Aztecs would pass us by entirely.
And then something strange happened. I heard of this
only
after the fact, from a messenger who had come to
us from
Panama. My fellow Christians knew the Aztecs were com
ing of
course, and unlike us they did not have a surplus of
fortifications
or soldiers. Also if the jungle of Yucatán is treacherous,
the jungle of
Panama is doubly so. Panama is a stinking, festering place
, oppressively
hot and prone to days without wind when the humidity
sits upon
you like a shroud, filled with diseases such as are foun
d nowhere
else on earth, and which prey on the Spaniard like no
other. Even
the natives are savage and cruel, far removed from the
relatively
civilized Mayans. Indeed, had Panama not been the geograph
ically
thinnest point between the Atlantic and Pacif ic, and thus
vital to
Spanish shipping interests, the colony would have been
abandoned
altogether. As it was, the Spanish at Panama were a ragt
ag bunch,
barely able to fend off assaults from the English, muc
h less the

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 ristian brethren. T he
Aztecs. We feared and prayed for our Ch
jungles, and soon the
Aztecs approached, conquering through the
ance of the colony. On
day came when they were within striking dist
ch reported movement
that day, at the dawning of the sun, the wat
And through the jungle
not to the nor thwest, but to the southeast.
n seen before. T hey
came Indians the like of which had never bee
tary uniform, with the
wore tunics all in the same fashion, like a mili
n topped with a red
cloth dyed in a black and white check pat ter
h about their head, and
triangle. Some of them wore bands of clot
shields with the symbol
these seemed to lead the rest. T hey bore
with gleaming bronze
of the sun upon them, and wielded spears
only to each other, and
heads. T hey did not speak to the Spanish,
ever heard. T he soldiers
their language was unlike any native language
lves, but the Indians made
took arms and prepared to defend themse
ough the colony, silent
no move to attack. Instead they marched thr
s to the nor thwest
and in perfect precision, and took up position
where the Aztecs were expected to attack.
with a darkening
T he Aztec assault came, as it normally did,
the Indians, dressed
of the sky. Yet when this occurred some of
ds in the air and chanted
differently than the others, raised their han
beat back the darkness.
as if praying, and the sun itself seemed to
lf them, but the Indians
T hen smoke rose up and threatened to engu
natives chanted, and
stood firm and again the differently dressed
stood in the midst of
the smoke par ted around them as if they
atures, the servant s of
a strong wind. And then came the spirit cre
leapt for the Indians
the Aztecs, black and terrible. But when each
ed spears, and where
they thrust forward with their bronze tipp
flash like sunlight and the
each tip struck the creatures there was a
the astonished eyes of
creatures fell, mor tally wounded. And before
the Aztecs, and the
the Spaniards the two sets of Indians fought,
sun. T he bat tle raged
strange Indians that bore the symbol of the
each night the Aztecs
for a full three days and three nights, and
angers would push them
would surge forward, and each day the str
take one of the Indians
back. And when the Aztecs would move to
Indian would suddenly
prisoner, as they do to gain sacrifices, that
himself to ash. By the
immolate, burning his attacker and reducing
en up arms to assist the
end of the first day the Spaniards had tak
Aztecs beat a retreat,
strangers, and finally on the third day the
ange Indians took up
and withdrew from the area. T hen the str
ted back into the jungle,
their dead, and without a word they retrea
m or follow them.
avoiding all attempts to communicate with the

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 It was only later that this was correlated with legends spoken
in the colony of Brasilia, legends of a mythical empire known as the
Empire of the Sun. Another word was spoken of it, Inka, though
it is not known to what this word refers. T he Spanish of Panama
rejoiced, but the Aztecs were not ones to surrender so quickly.
T hey licked their wounds, sacrif iced those Spaniards they had
captured, and invaded again in 1679. And again, as they approached
the Panama colonies the strange warriors from the Empire of
the Sun appeared. T his time the Spanish fought with them from
the beginning, and together they stood against the Aztecs. T he
Spaniards fought bravely, but it was clear that the Aztecs would
have slaughtered them if it were not for the strange magic of these
Indians, magic that seemed tied to the sunlight. T his time when the
Aztecs retreated, they retreated all the way back to Guatemala,
which remains the southeastern border of their Empire to this
day. It seemed they knew as little about these strange foes as the
Spanish did, but they realized that they were in no position to
conquer Panama yet. T he colonists sought to offer the Indians gifts,
and speak to them, trying to learn anything about them, but again
the strangers melted into the jungle as silently as they had arrived,
defying all attempts to track them. I have recommended that
several Witch Hunters be sent to Panama on a permanent basis; in
an attempt to make contact with these natives should they appear
again. But until that happens we can do little but bless our good
fortune that a powerful ally seems to wish Panama to remain in
Spanish hands. However, with Panama out of their reach the Aztecs
sought revenge against the Spanish. T hey would take that revenge
upon us.
T he Aztecs took a decade to lick their wounds. A decade to
recover from the defeat the Empire of the Sun had handed to
them, and consolidate their power over Guatemala. We heard later
from S. and his Dreamwalkers that they had also suffered some
attack in their northwestern reaches, and this was another reason
for their delay. But after a decade their army was mightier than
ever. T his was no longer the Triple Alliance, a motley collection of
tributary cities under the tenuous control of Tenochtitlán. T his
was the Aztec Empire. Every city had a telpochcalli school, as
Tenochtitlán did, and every city chose its graduates to join the
Aztec army. Every city had temples, and every city had nahualtin
to teach the arts of blood magic to a new generation of sorcerers.
T he Chinese had taught them much, and what they had not

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 learned from the Chines
e they had learned from
Aztec Empire was like a the Spanish. T he
vast diabolical organism,
producing more defenses healing itself and
, and more weapons. And
organism it was driven by like any predatory
the insatiable desire to de
was denied to them, and vour. Panama
so there was only one pl
turn. Yucatán’s day had fi ace for them to
nally come. We were fore
coming. T hey made no at warned of their
tempt to hide the gather
T he Aztecs had gathered ing of their armies.
in the ruins of Tikál, bare
Yucatán, and they had bu ly south of
ilt the ruins into a functio
had renovated the great ning city. T hey
pyramids there and built
temples for Huitzilopoch new ones into
tli, Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalc
T laloc, and other gods. T oatl, Xipe Totec,
he air in Yucatán stank wi
they offered there, prep th the sacrifices
aring for war. And we wo
and spoke our prayers, ve our magics,
and prepared our fortifi
not face mere men this cations. T hey did
time. T hey faced Witch
we knew how lit tle diff Hunters. Would that
erence that would make.
T he first at tack came at
dawn on November 29, 16
af ter the Aztec festival 89, the day
of the Raising of the Ban
Huitzilopochtli. T he blood ners in honor of
mages of the Aztecs ha
many sacrifices given at d not wasted the
Tikál during the festival,
was potent. Although th and their power
e Spanish did not unders
nature of the Aztec’s m tand the true
agical assault, the report
and Panama were enough s from Veracruz
for them to prepare so
bonf ires were prepared mewhat. Great
to combat the supernat
smoky mist the Aztecs ural darkness and
would use. In addition m
Order of the Rose and ages, many of the
Cross (though this was
those not of the Order unknown to all
s of Solomon), had been
break the power of the brought in to help
Aztec magics. Even so th
spirits struck us hard. e first assault of
T hese were not men, an
could not stop them. Ho d our barricades
wever the barricades di
slowed the Aztec assaul d their job, and
t long enough for us to
the spirits. With each sp finish dealing with
irit destroyed the nahuall
it fell as if injured, indica i who summoned
ting a link between them
previously been realized. that had not
Spears thrown from at
our barricades with dead latls soared over
ly accuracy, and we retu
only with muskets and bo rned fire not
w s but also with cannon
had scarcely removed th . Our mages
e cloying darkness when
sorcerers seemed to us the Aztec blood
e the sun itself against us
its extreme heat. But we , burning us with
held firm, and lasted th
our spirits hopeful. e first day with

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 T he second day began with treachery, on both our parts. Aztec
sappers had begun an attempt to undermine our fortif ications;
both with magic and with tools. It was a tricky business stopping
them. Our Mayan allies, meanwhile, had begun assaulting the Aztec
supply lines, attempting to cut them off from Tikál. T his would
ultimately prove fruitless, however. Tikál was too close. T he Aztecs
had done well in building their headquarters so close to the colony,
but we had done well in constructing our fortif ications. T he Aztecs
settled in for a strategy they were unfamiliar with, a protracted
siege. Such was the situation for two months. Two months of siege,
with skirmishes and battles every other day. Cuba attempted to
resupply us, but the Aztecs surprised them with a debut of their
new navy. T he Aztec ships were nothing compared to Spanish ships,
but the Chinese had taught them naval strategy. Magic, as well as
surprise, was on their side, and Spain was still unwilling to devote
all their resources to a battle that may well prove to be another
embarrassment. T he ships retreated back to Cuba rather than risk
destruction, to try again at a later date. T hey would never get the
chance.
We had underestimated the Aztecs. In late January of 1690
they vanished, and we thought, or hoped, that they had given up.
Perhaps, discouraged by Panama, they had let us be and sought out
easier target s. But we also knew that these were the Dead Days,
five days at the end of the year when the Aztecs feared to do
anything due to their superstitions. We thought of mounting our own
assault, but the Maya too had taboos against these days, and besides
we were already far too worn by the previous Aztec attacks. We
thought that their inability to conquer us before the dead days
meant that they would give up. In early February our spies repor ted
activity in Tikál. A massive sacrif ice was planned. Although we had
been at war with the Aztecs for several months, we had given up
very few captives. Knowing what was in store for prisoners we
had taken to collecting our own wounded, and shooting those we
could not. Surprisingly they were not sacrif icing warriors, but slaves;
a horde of slaves, such a horde that they must have gathered
them from across the Empire. We thought they were supplicating
Huitzilopochtli as an apology for their defeat. We hoped this signaled
their final retreat. But like the fabled Trojan Horse, it signaled only
our destruction.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 even then we had
We should have disrupted the sacrifice, but
Aztec magic could be
little understanding of just how powerful
there was. Our spies
when fueled with enough blood. And blood
with it. And as the
reported that the streets of Tikál ran red
and storms. Too late we
streets ran red, so the sky ran with wind
sive tendrils of magic
saw into the Invisible World, and saw the mas
destruction. A massive
reaching up into the heavens to create our
suffered before in
hurricane, the likes of which we had never
we realized that the
Yucatán, began to form in the gulf. Too late
Huitzilopochtli, god
Aztecs were not sacrificing their victims to
no defense. Our
of war, but to T laloc, god of storms. We had
while the Aztecs
for tifications were destroyed by the deluge,
dings of stone. T he
remained secure far ther inland in their buil
it may as well have been
storm raged over us for three days, but
lost.
three years. We realized then that all was
it pained us to do
I escaped. Others escaped with me. T hough
d how vital it was that
so, all the Witch Hunters present understoo
be kept out of Aztec
the sacred relics of the Priory of Yucatán
er texts that may help
hands. We also saved Landa’s works, and oth
n as the storm let up
us combat the Aztecs in the future. As soo
leave, with the Aztecs
we rushed to the harbor and prepared to
ind us. Even as our ship
charging over our ruined for tifications beh
ecs destroying what was
sailed away we could see the waves of Azt
last boat out. T he
left of our crumbled colony. Ours was the
enemy. T hat is it. T here
others were burned in the harbor by the
e that this document
is no more to tell. Campeche has fallen. I hop
of the Aztecs as we
gives an accurate accounting of the history
k with more of Landa’s
understand it. I intend to fur ther this wor
es on what we know
writings about the Aztecs and fur ther not
for now, I remain.
about Aztec society as they are now. But
Yours in Christ
D.V. of Campeche
Havana, Cuba

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 w s is an ot he r se ct io n of Diego De Landa
What follo sas de Azteca”,
or k, “R el ac ió n de la s co
Calderó n’s w text s readily available.
al ly elim in at ed fr om
which is norm he re for translation
th at I re pr od uc e
Indeed, the copy sk by a source in the
gr ea t pe rs on al ri
was acquired at se e w hy it has been
lf . It is ea sy to
Spanish cour t it se
ss ed . N ot on ly do es it delve into lurid detail
suppre s of th e Aztecs, but
em ou s pr ac ti ce
regarding the blasph
il sh ou ld no t ha ve be en available to Landa in
such deta po rt s an d tales. I had
om na tive re
Campeche, working fr an t do cu m ent in Havana
al l-i m po rt
only just been given this iv e, and was then
riti ng of m y la st m iss
af ter the w is only one possibility
s sig nif ica nc e. T he re
unaware of it sh op sent among the
da w as no t ju st a bi
that I see. Lan ar ea . He must have
th e Ind ian s of th e
Maya to study k, on e skilled enough
sk ille d sp y ne tw or
had access to a it se lf unmolested.
e A zt ec E m pi re
to travel within th
in k of no or ga niz at io n other than the Jesuits
I can th
d m an ag e su ch a th ing . Ultimately, however,
who coul op or a Jesuit spy,
an da w as a hu m bl e bi sh
whether L ga in my friends J.F.
ar e inva lu ab le to us . A
his writings n and S. of the
les of th e N ew D aw
of the Apost st udy this manuscript
ha ve he lp ed m e to
Dreamwalkers el necessary. While
m m en ta ry as w e fe
and provide co pa nd ed since 1566,
re ha s ce rt ain ly ex
the Aztec Empi d sin ce that time, but
t gr ea tl y ch an ge
it s culture has no ed on other cities as
co pi ed an d en fo rc
rather was being he r di scussion to the
ill le av e an y fu rt
it still is today. I w
manuscript it self.
I remain,
D.V.
Cross
Fellow ship of the Ashen
che
Former Prior of Campe
1690

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Motecuhzoma is one of the most
powerful beings on the planet.
We are fortunate that he never
leaves his palace in Tenochtitlán,
for were he to appear on the
battlefield there might be no need
for the Aztecs to have an army at
all. He appears to be extremely
intelligent, though his intellect
is monstrous and alien to human
minds. He has survived countless
assassination attempts, most of
which are only known because he
announces their failure and sets
the assassin’s corpse on display.
According to rumor, one assassin
was a demon, but its corpse was
treated with the same disdain
as his human foes. If there is
anything that approaches a god on
earth, Motecuhzoma is that thing.
S.
Of course
even suggesting
Motecuhzoma is
some sort of god
is blasphemy of the
highest order. T here
is but one God, the
God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob.
But Motecuhzoma
is perhaps the most
powerful creature
that dwells fully on
this side of the veil
that separates us
from the Invisible
World.
D.V.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Allow me to diverge somewhat from my historical accounting so that I may
discuss the nature of this new society, this Aztec Empire that Motecuhzoma
is spreading. It is very similar to the Aztec society that fought and defeated
Cortéz, which in turn is a natural progression of society and culture that
stretches back to the time of Teotihuacán, and perhaps beyond. However, as
in so many things, it is the differences that prove the most important. For
all their strength, Cortéz ultimately encountered a tribal city-state whose
culture certainly inf luenced its neighbors, but only insomuch as our own
Spanish culture has inf luenced, say, Germany or England. While they have
borrowed from us, and we from them, ultimately most of our similarities
come from shared ties to Rome. In the same way, while many surrounding
cities borrowed from Tenochtitlán, and they from their neighbors, most of
their similarities came from a shared origin in Aztlán, or with the Toltecs
or Teotihuacanos before them.
After Cortéz, all this changed. The Aztecs now impose their will and
their culture on each conquered city. They strip the nobility of their titles,
and replace them with their own governors. They establish state-controlled
schools that indoctrinate the children, and within a generation that city
is populated not by rebellious natives, but by loyal Aztecs. The culture of
Tenochtitlán has thus become the culture of the Aztec Empire. But what is
this culture? I hope to illuminate this subject to the best of the knowledge I
and my allies have been able to gather.
Aztec Government
The basic family unit of the Aztecs consists of two parents and their
unmarried children. This is the standard household. However, it is not
uncommon for these parents to join together with their own parents, siblings,
married children, and in some rare cases even more extended family members
to form a larger family. Each family is responsible for maintaining their
house, keeping it clean, and seeing their household gods are properly honored.
Beyond the family unit is a system of ever larger administrative units, each
one led by its own system of officials. I will detail a number of these official
positions below.
Calpoleh
All the families from a given part of the city are organized into the
Calpulli, or “big house”. While in many rural areas the Calpulli is comprised
entirely by an extended familial clan, this is rare in the Altepetl, or city.
In most cities Calpullis are organized based on location, with no thought
toward the relation of the families within. In some cities a Calpulli may
house members of a particular trade. The governments of such Calpullis often
bear a resemblance to European craftsman guilds. In a few rare cases Calpullis
are reserved for the wealthy, and settled only by those of certain status. Each
Calpulli is overseen by a Calpoleh, an elder or chief. In Calpullis that served
as extended families the Calpoleh is normally the patriarch of the clan.
Otherwise he is often the most skilled and respected member of the Calpulli,
or sometimes simply the most politically savvy. The position of Calpoleh is
not necessarily hereditary, but it is appointed, with each Calpoleh naming
 his successor. Of course, as in all things, the decision of the Calpoleh can be T he fierce loyalty
overridden by the city’s Tlatoani. The Calpoleh is almost always a member
of the pipiltin, the nobility. Most cities of any size have at least 10 Calpullis,
most Aztecs feel for
and even smaller settlements have several. Tenochtitlán was founded with their city of residence
7 Calpullis, but by the time of Cortéz it had 20, and that number continues may be one of our
to increase. Calpullis control the cultivated land surrounding them. Land is greatest tools for
then parceled out to individual families to cultivate according to their means
and needs. Depending on their position within the city, each Calpulli also has opposing the Aztec
various social and religious obligations. For instance a Calpulli with a Temple Empire. Motecuhzoma
to Mictlantecuhtli within its boundaries is responsible for the maintenance of expends many of his
that temple, and to ensure that the priesthood is able to carry out the proper
resources ensuring
religious rites, festivals, and sacrifices. The most important task any Calpulli
has, however, is the maintenance of the Telpochcalli, or commoner’s school. loyalty from the
Every Calpulli has one, and it is expected that each is sufficiently capable of Altepetls that make
educating and indoctrinating Aztec children. Most Calpullis take great pride up his Empire, but
in their Telpochcalli. A famous warrior from a particular Telpochcalli in
turn brings honor to his Calpulli. It is quite common for such warriors to
some remain stubborn
donate a portion of their wealth to their Telpochcalli. Beyond these basics the and rebellious. T he
Calpullis are often run differently depending on the makeup of their families. former Tarascan
One Calpoleh might regularly hold gatherings of the families, the better to cities have hidden
hear their desires and accede to their wishes. Another Calpoleh might be a
tyrant, ruling his Calpulli with an iron fist. So long as order, culture and undercurrents
propriety are maintained, and so long as the Calpoleh gathers sufficient taxes of rebellion (with
to pass on to the Tlatoani, each Calpulli is allowed to govern itself as the the exception of
Calpoleh sees fit.
Huitziltlan, which is
firmly under Aztec
domination). T he
Tlatoani eastern cities of the
Above the Calpolehs is the Tlatoani, or speaker. The Tlatoani has dominion Huastecs and Totonacs
over an Altepetl, or city. They submit, in turn, to the agents of Huey Tlatoani
Motecuhzoma Teotltzin himself. The Altepetl were once city-states, but now likewise rest uneasily
the word refers to a city within the Empire and its surrounding rural areas. under Aztec rule.
The Altepetl does not just refer to the city, but also to its inhabitants. Even Yucatán is the newest
before the Aztec conquest, Indians identified themselves not based on their
acquisition of the
heritage, but based on their city. The cities of Azcapotzalco and Tlacopan, for
instance, were both inhabited by the Tepanecs, but despite that they became Empire, and as such
bitter rivals, and Tlacopan eventually joined the Triple Alliance and helped remains far from
ensure Azcapotzalco’s downfall. This is because their culture set the city they tamed. It is possible,
inhabited above their shared ancestry. Now, with old tribal divisions swept
away by Aztec indoctrination, the Altepetl is the only division remaining.
given the right
resources, that the
Technically each Tlatoani reports to Motecuhzoma himself, but in practice
this is not the case. There are too many Altepetls in the Empire for them all native Maya may be
to report to Motecuhzoma. And so the Altepetls are gathered into six Huey convinced to remain
Altepetls: Great Cities, or Provinces. Special authority has been granted to rebellious.
the Tlatoanis of Culiacán, Huaxyacac, Huitziltlán, Tenochtitlán, Tikál, and
Tlahuanapa to act as agents of Motecuhzoma in their respective regions. D.V.
Originally Motecuhzoma himself served as Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán, but as
his attention turned more and more toward his Empire another Tlatoani
was appointed to run the city itself. These elevated Tlatoani have very
specific authority. They have no power of their own, beyond the fact that
they are Tlatoani of their own cities, but they are assumed to be acting for
Motecuhzoma when they act within their Huey Altepetl. If they fail to act

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Although Christian Witch
Hunters may not like the idea, the
finest tool available in fomenting
rebellion is native religion. While
most natives in the area follow
variations of the Aztec religion,
those variations are seen by their
practitioners as all-important.
This is especially true in Mayan
lands, where the Mayans once
possessed a great civilization
with a religious element nearly
as strong as that of the Aztecs
themselves. It is my belief that if
the Mayans were to reject Spanish
Christianization and rededicate
themselves to their own gods, they
would retain a national identity
that would run counter to all
Aztec attempts at assimilation.
S.
It is said among the
Aztecs that some
T latoani, as well as five
of the six T latoani of
the Huey Altepetls, are
no longer human. It is
said that they have
become the dark and
twisted creatures known
as the Children of
Motecuhzoma, hungry
for blood. T hey rule
through fear, and those
who see them cower
before them. We do not
know for certain, but it
is quite conceivable, even
likely, that Motecuhzoma
would ensure that his
most powerful T latoani
were members of his
dark brood.
D.V.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
in the way Motecuhzoma feels they should, they have not only failed in their
duty but they have committed treason. These six Tlatoani wield great power,
but they are also under intense scrutiny. Few hold these positions for long,
and few survive the holding.
Huey Tlatoani
Above all is the Huey Tlatoani, the Great Speaker, Motecuhzoma
Teotltzin. He is immortal, and according to rumor he has become a horrible,
hideous thing. This rumor cannot be confirmed, for he is never seen. He sits
on his great throne covered by screens, and he never speaks save to whisper
to his chosen slaves, who relay his commands to those present. It is said that
the sight of Motecuhzoma drives men mad. But whatever he has become, he
remains a canny and crafty ruler. He is the will of the Aztecs. He directs
the people. He sends out the armies. He chooses where to conquer. He has
supreme authority. All those under him are merely administrative agents,
whose every decision can be overridden at his whim. He spins plans within
plans, and his actions often seem capricious and cruel to his people, yet
history has shown there is a terrible method behind his madness.
Cihuacoatl
The Cihuacoatl is the position of First Advisor, who serves as the
Huey Tlatoani’s agent in all things. The First Advisor traditionally hears
Motecuhzoma’s council, though even he does not lay eyes on the Huey
Tlatoani, and acts as Motecuhzoma’s voice to the people. The position
was once held by Tlacaelel; then, after his death, by two of Motecuhzoma’s
brothers, then his nephew. In the earliest days this position was technically a
religious one, with the Cihuacoatl acting as High Priest over all other High
Priests, but it has long since become an entirely secular political position.
Traditionally the Cihuacoatl is held by a member of Motecuhzoma’s family,
who serves until his successor comes of age. Then the Cihuacoatl disappears,
and his successor takes over. Rumor has it that Motecuhzoma transforms his
worthy family members into hideous monsters, but no one knows for certain.
Tecpanecatl
Besides the Cihuacoatl, one other official is almost always near
Motecuhzoma. This is the Tecpanecatl, or Palace Keeper. This position is
supposedly a merely honorary one, but it is always granted to Motecuhzoma’s
Chinese advisor, hand-picked by the Chinese Emperor and sent to bestow
China’s wisdom on their Aztec ally. As such, despite not having any official
authority, the Tecpanecatl often wields more inf luence than the Cihuacoatl or
any of the Tlatoani. The Tecpanecatl remains at Motecuhzoma’s indulgence,
but despite this no Tecpanecatl has ever suffered punishment, or been returned
to China. They have all retained their positions until their natural deaths,
and they were each given full state burials with honors as if a favored Tlatoani
had perished. No sooner does Motecuhzoma send a message to the Chinese
Emperor requesting a new Tecpanecatl than a new one is sent out, almost
 as if the Emperor was expecting such a missive. This has caused some to Most Aztec families have
suspect that the Tecpanecatl is truly a Chinese spy for his Emperor, but their
household gods, but the nobility
wise advice is so indispensible that Motecuhzoma has chosen to ignore such
suspicions. are able to worship theirs with
opulence. Such household gods
often receive private sacrifices of
Aztec Social Classes blood, or even orgiastic, murderous
In the early days of Tenochtitlán there were only two social classes: the ceremonies in their honor. They
pipiltin, or nobility, and the macehualli, or peasants. As time went on and often form the center of small
the Mexica became the Triple Alliance, and finally the Aztec Empire, further cults, half social club and half
sub-classes began to develop, and modern Aztec society has several distinct
bloody religion, that further
castes. There is a limited amount of mobility between castes. A warrior or
even an artisan or merchant who wins great honor may be able to marry into cement the bonds of nobility.
the pipiltin, and although it is most likely that a child will follow either his S.
father’s or mother’s profession, this is not set in stone. Generally, however,
the Aztecs fall into the following social strata.

Pipiltin
The pipiltin are those who can trace their lineage either through their
father or their mother, preferably their father, to Toltec nobility, mostly
through Mexica marriage to the Culhua people. Of course, according to
Aztec lore the noble lineage of the Culhua can in turn be traced back to the
last Toltec Tlatoani, Topiltzin, who was also Quetzalcoatl. Thus the pipiltin
are literally the children of Quetzalcoatl, with divine blood in their veins.
Even in the modern Aztec Empire nobility is determined entirely through
a connection to Toltec blood, though more and more this is established
through a convoluted system of family marriages and likely more than a
little fabrication. The pipiltin have many social advantages. For one thing,
it is unheard of for anyone but a pipiltin to become a Tlatoani, and rare for
anyone but a pipiltin to rise even to the rank of Calpoleh. The pipiltin can
also levy tribute against anyone living on land they own, regardless of their
station, which is the basis for taxation in the Empire. The Calpoleh own
the Calpulli, and tax the families of the Calpulli, the Tlatoani owns the
Calpolehs, and taxes the Calpolehs, and Motecuhzoma owns the Empire, and
taxes the Tlatoanis. This system of tribute keeps the Empire going, but it has
also made more than a few unscrupulous pipiltin wealthy off the sweat of the
poor macehualli who live on their land. The pipiltin are also allowed to wear
fine cloaks, jewelry including jade and opulent headdresses, which are denied
to the macehualli. An often overlooked advantage of the pipiltin is that their
children do not go to the telpochcalli schools for commoners. Instead they go
to the calmecac, academies in each city that teach them not only the standard
indoctrination but also literacy, history, the art of politics, and other higher
subjects. Although not all pipiltin achieve positions of authority, even when
they serve others they are regarded as superior due to their special training.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 T he current
Cihuacoatl is
Alcolmiztli, a cunning
and clever descendant
of Motecuhzoma who
acts as his agent in
the outside world.
He has recently been
making overtures to
Christendom seeking
trade. Of course,
given the actions
of the Aztecs, few
besides the French
have taken him up
on this offer. T he
French, on the other
hand, are more than
willing to trade for
Aztec gold and finery.
T hey should know
better. Aztec gold is
rarely uncursed.
D.V.
This same courtesy has also been
extended to many native nations.
Alas, the Aztecs have already
conquered most advanced people
in their area, and they are not
near enough to truly trade with
the eastern tribes known to
Europeans. I have heard rumors
of a limited amount of trade with
the tribes to the far west, but the
Aztecs have an evil reputation
and these western tribes are more
likely to attack them than trade
with them.
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Macehualli
The macehualli, on the other hand, are required to wear plain clothes.
They normally work the same land or the same trade all their life. In
addition they can be pressed into service as laborers for certain public works
projects, such as building temples, aqueducts, roads, and other such things.
They are not slave labor, however. True they do not have a choice about
working on such projects, but it is required by law that they be compensated
for their time. The macehualli are not only farmers, but also include artisans,
merchants, lawyers, sanitation workers, and many other positions. Although
many of these professions, such as that of artisan, provide the opportunity for
glory and renown, they are still considered macehualli and are restrained by
the laws against opulent dress or excess that govern their class. The pipiltin
have remained mostly unchanged throughout history; which has become a
problem as the class has expanded through more marriages, becoming a drain
on society. The macehualli, however, over time have divided into several sub-
classes that, while still technically peasants, filled their own niche and often
were governed by their own special rules.
Warriors
Every male, whether macehualli or pipiltin, is taught the fighting arts,
and most are expected to spend at least some time on the battlefield before
settling down to a trade. Some, however, prove adept at combat. While there
is little incentive for a pipiltin to remain a warrior, there is no surer way for
a macehualli to earn fame and wealth than on the battlefield. Warriors who
prove themselves well, capturing many living prisoners to sacrifice to the
gods, are lavished with honors, and allowed to take the choicest plunder from
their enemies. Many are the warriors who have become so wealthy from their
campaigns that they were able to marry into the pipiltin, becoming nobles
themselves.
Technically the Aztecs have no professional army, only professional
officers, but in reality every male is trained in combat. In a real sense the
Aztecs are nothing but a professional army who, when necessity requires it,
also perform other tasks. A warrior is judged according to the number of
captives he has taken, with those taken single-handedly bringing more honor
and fame than those taken with assistance. Those who have taken multiple
captives are allowed to wear their hair in certain styles, depending on their
experience and achievements, and are given rewards from the plunder of
the battlefield. The greatest warriors are the Cuachicqueh, or Shorn Ones,
allowed to wear their head shaved save for a long braid over the left ear. The
highest honor any warrior can receive is induction into one of the warrior
orders of the Aztec Empire. There are countless orders, but most of these
are only for the pipiltin, requiring noble blood and often ties to a specific
family. These orders often act much like European honorary knighthoods,
more status symbols than indicators of actual martial prowess.
There are three peasant orders, however, that choose their members based
entirely on skill. The most prestigious of these are the Jaguar Warriors. These
warriors make up the front lines in any true war, and they are taught to stand
firm and shrug off wounds as if they did not exist. Being a Jaguar Warrior is
dangerous, for they are always the first into battle, but the glory they gain has
 The current Tecpanecatl is Shi
Lang. Although no man is privy
to his private conversations with
Motecuhzoma, it is known that since
his arrival Motecuhzoma has sent
agents to the Gulf coast, where they
have overseen the construction of a
fledgling navy. It is my belief that
this man, who according to Jesuits in
China had previously been an admiral
of the Chinese navy and had been
the driving force behind the conquest
of the island nation of Tungning, has
been pushing Motecuhzoma toward
developing sea power. As much fear
as the Aztecs strike into European
hearts, the idea of an Aztec Empire
with a powerful navy is more
terrifying still, as the Spanish fleet
made them a wealthy and powerful order indeed. Almost as prestigious are learned to their cost during the
the Eagle Warriors. They are lighter infantry, skilled with the atlatl or spear-
thrower in addition to the macuahuitl, or bladed club. They are known for
conquest of Yucatán.
their speed and cunning, often outmaneuvering an enemy to conquer superior
foes. Their tactical prowess has won them many victories and great renown.
J.F.
The final peasant order is the Quetzal Warriors. Little is known about them.
They are rarely on the front lines, but instead seem to travel about within the
empire to troubled regions, rooting out the trouble and stopping it. Rumor
has it that they fight the Tzitzimime and that they practice secret arts from
their fortress city of B’aak. Such rumors are unsubstantiated. It is known that
they rarely take new recruits, and while they have not won the accolades of
the Eagle or Jaguar Warriors, many wish to join them simply because of their
exotic exclusivity.
When Aztec warriors congregate into a massive army, they are led by the
Tlacochcalcatl, or High General, and the Tlacateccatl, or General. In the past
it was expected that the Tlatoani would lead his troops personally, but since
Motecuhzoma’s transformation into an immortal being this is no longer the
case. Beneath the Tlacochcalcatl and the Tlacateccatl are the various Warrior
Orders, and finally the common warriors who are divided into units by their
Calpulli of residence.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Of course Landa
could not have known
the reason for the
Quetzal Warrior’s
exclusivity. Although
many details remain
unclear, what is
clear is that the
Quetzal Warriors
are primarily,
perhaps even entirely
comprised of Witch
Hunters. Given their
pagan leanings I can
only imagine Witch
Hunters in the Aztec
Empire are few
and far between, so
naturally they would
recruit only rarely.
D.V.
Do not be so certain Witch Hunters
are rare. The Ghost People and the
Dreamwalkers were doing quite
well in “pagan” lands long before
your people arrived on our shores.
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Pochteca
A sub-class of merchants is the Pochteca, or honored merchants. For a
time, merchants were almost sneered at by the Mexica, for they committed
no great deeds, but rather simply bought and sold goods. During the reign
of Tlatoani Ahuitzotl, however, things began to change. Ahuitzotl not only
recognized that those merchants who traveled long distances performed an
invaluable service for the Empire, but he began using them to act as his spies
and agents in foreign lands. In return, he created an elite class of far-traveling
merchant, the Pochteca, and granted them special rights and privileges. They
could wear a certain amount of adornment at certain times of the year, as if
they were pipiltin. They could purchase slaves with their wealth and offer
them for sacrifice like warrior captives. In addition he installed them in every
city in the Triple Alliance that had a sizeable marketplace, a practice which
has continued to this day. The Pochteca rule the market as an autonomous
entity, reporting not to a Calpoleh but directly to the local Tlatoani. They
ensure that prices remain fair, and that theft does not occur. The Pochteca
appoint their own judges over the marketplace, and their punishments for
any caught cheating, whether customer or merchant, are notoriously harsh.
Because of the Pochteca the economy is streamlined throughout the Empire.
The Pochteca are the ones who have ensured that, while technically a barter
system, undyed cotton Quachtli cloaks and cacao beans have a standard worth
that has made them as useful, if not more so, than any European coin. The
Pochteca are fiercely loyal to the Huey Tlatoani, for it is the Huey Tlatoani
who allows them to keep such an exalted status. Because of this, they also
serve as a deterrent to rebellion, for every city knows that should they ever
rebel the Pochteca will ensure that no goods reach them, and their rebellion
will starve.
Priests
The priests are not always macehualli. Many pipiltin also become priests.
However once they surrender themselves to the gods they are no longer
macehualli or pipiltin, they are merely priests. The priests are trained in
special calmecac schools where they are taught not only higher learning and
religious ritual, but also the mysteries of Aztec blood magic, nahuallotl. The
priests are fearsome and frightening to look upon. Their rituals require auto-
sacrifice, piercing of the skin with maguey cactus barbs or obsidian needles
and daggers, bleeding themselves at the scalp, earlobe, lower leg, lip, tongue,
or penis. Their hair becomes matted from the blood they constantly work
with, and their faces are blackened with ash that they smear on themselves
during rituals. Unlike most other Aztecs, priests bathe only rarely. Thus a
dedicated priest appears as something inhuman; and perhaps they are. Each
temple contains a High Priest, whom the others report to and who generally
advises the Tlatoani. The High Priests in turn report to the High Priests of
Tenochtitlán, where there is a temple to every acknowledged Aztec god, and
who in turn advise the Huey Tlatoani, usually through the Cihuacoatl.
 Landa paints an almost rosy
Slaves picture of Aztec slavery. And
There is one other social class present in Aztec society, and that is
the slave. Aztec slavery is not like European slavery. The Aztecs do not
no doubt it is preferable to the
recognize hereditary slavery. A slave’s children are free. Indeed, a slave can Christian variety. However, it
own property, and even other slaves, though it is not common for a slave to should be made clear that these
become so wealthy. Slaves can also buy their freedom, or can be set free if they people are owned. What rights
are able to show before a court that their master mistreated them or if they
have children with or are married to their master. Slaves can be passed on they possess under the law are very
as part of an inheritance, but typically any slave that had served their master basic. If they are brought before
well is freed upon the master’s death. Slaves also cannot be sold without a judge they often find judgment
their permission unless they have been declared incorrigible by an authority;
biased against them, especially if
something that can only happen if they are repeatedly lazy, poorly behaved,
or if they often attempt to run away. Although Aztecs can be made slaves as the accused is noble. In addition,
criminal punishment, it is also common for them to sell themselves into slaves declared incorrigible may be
slavery. A typical slave fetches 20 Quachtli cloaks, which a typical Aztec sold for sacrifice. Such sacrifices
can live off of for a year. They are allowed to remain free until they have
spent their price, at which time they enter their new master’s service. As a
are sold for a very high price. It
strange cultural quirk, any slave can free themselves if they are clever enough. is not unheard of for a master
If, at the marketplace, a slave can escape their master’s vigilance, escape the to manipulate circumstances
walls of the market, step on a piece of human excrement and then present to ensure a slave becomes
themselves to the judges before they are caught, they are washed, provided
with new clothes, and set free. Of course this is not as easy as it sounds. The incorrigible, so a higher price can
Aztecs keep themselves and their cities scrupulously clean, making human be fetched. The life of a slave is a
excrement far harder to find than it is in European cities. Stepping in such fragile one.
filth is an ingrained cultural taboo as well, ensuring this method is only used
by those truly determined to be free. Slaves who have attempted this and S.
failed may be declared incorrigible, which allows their Master to fit them
with a heavy wooden collar with planks that extend in either direction. In
addition to being extremely uncomfortable, the planks tend to catch on the
narrow alleys of the marketplace and make escape all but impossible. Slaves
that are constantly sold for their incorrigibility are allowed to be purchased
as a sacrifice, and thus their disobedient souls may find release on an altar
to the gods.

Aztec Religion
As I have said before, the pagan Aztec religion dominates every aspect of
their society. They are a religious people, and every act to them is a sacred
act. The gods have laid out the proper way that life should be led, the proper
way that all things should be done, and Aztecs cannot choose but to follow
the gods in all things. Although the priests do not have the prestige that
the warriors possess, nor the privileges of the pipiltin, in the Aztec Empire
the priests have a power all their own. They speak for the gods. The Huey
Tlatoani himself listens carefully to his high priests, for they bring him
whispers and omens of divine will. Yet now I will say something that I have
not dared to say before. There is true power in the Aztec religion. I have no
doubt that this power comes from Satan himself, but blood spilled on their
stone altars grants the Aztecs supernatural strength, and blood sacrificed
from their priests works black miracles. Not all Aztec priests are nahualtin,
or blood sorcerers, but all are taught the basics in their calmecac. Many go on
to become mighty practitioners of this black art. Given their evil, one might

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 T he nature of Quetzalcoatl
lends itself to speculation.
Indeed, it seems at times
that there are two
Quetzalcoatls in the tales.
One is the bloody Aztec
god, as cruel and capricious
as the rest. T he other,
though, seems very human
indeed, compassionate,
like a saint or an angel.
When speaking of such
beings so far above our
understanding, how can
we know the truth? Is
it not possible that the
Aztecs themselves, in an
attempt to translate such
a being down to tales they
can understand, got it
wrong? Could Quetzalcoatl
perhaps be something
else, an interloper into the
Aztec pantheon, who wishes
to spread the light of a
better, even Christian way?
D.V.

As much as you may wish

Christianity to be a worldwide
constant, finding its way into the
darkest cultures, that is nothing
but speculation. If Quetzalcoatl
does have a different origin than
the other Aztec gods then he is
just as likely to be a powerful
and compassionate spirit from
one of the northern tribes, or the
Greeks, or the Chinese, or any
other pantheon. Surely sky-gods
associated with thunder abound in
the world.
S.
expect the priests to be corrupt, using their positions to advance themselves.
However, while this occasionally happens, for the most part the priests are
possessed with a religious fervor and a purity that rivals the most devout
Christian monk. I will say no more of this, for fear where the speculation
may lead. Let us speak instead of the gods these priests worship.
The Gods
The Aztec gods are not always the same thing at all times. They are not
clearly defined like the gods of the Greeks. They are twisting things, alien
things that do not settle in the human mind. Ehecatl may be seen as part
of Quetzalcoatl in one tale, and Quetzalcoatl may be seen as an aspect of
Tezcatlipoca in another, and in the next all three may be opposed to each
other. Ehecatl likewise shares many of the same features as Tlaloc. The
Aztecs may confidently say one minute that Ehecatl was the cause of a storm,
and the next that Tlaloc was the cause, and the next that Quetzalcoatl was
the cause, and they will not see these two statements as contradictory. The
Aztecs have fully accepted that their gods are beyond human understanding
and they do not trouble themselves over such seeming discrepancies. This
makes cataloguing the Aztec gods rather difficult. I will confine myself to
the gods which seem to have possessed a large degree of inf luence over the
whole of the Empire, although there are many others.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Huitzilopochtli The Aztec priests do indeed seem to
First and foremost is Huitzilopochtli, also known as the Left-Handed possess inhuman devotion, but a closer
Hummingbird, the personification of the fifth sun, once patron to the Mexica,
and now to the Aztec Empire. Huitzilopochtli is a war god and one of the look reveals this to be an illusion due
four Tezcatlipocas. He is patron of the Aztec armies, and the bloodiest of
gods, demanding far more sacrifices than any other. This is his right, for the
to the manic rituals and sacrifices
Aztecs know that the sun only rises each day due to the blood that is spilled in required of them. While many priests
its name. Huitzilopochtli is the first line of defense against the Tzitzimime,
who swarm each night seeking the Aztecs destruction, and which are held off are devout, one does not become High
only by the rays of dawn each morning. The spirits of warriors who died in
battle lift the sun each day, and the sun sets because of the spirits of mothers
Priest without being politically astute
who died in childbirth, seen by the Aztecs as warriors in their own right, who as well as spiritually powerful, and
drag the sun down until it sets again. Huitzilopochtli is celebrated each year
in the Raising of the Banners, a grand festival and one of the most important the intrigues within the temples are
in the Aztec calendar. Paper f lags are hung everywhere, and the war god byzantine and deadly. In addition the
is celebrated with races, processions, dances, songs, prayers, and of course,
enough human sacrifices to make blood run in the streets. priesthood of the Aztec goddesses is
one of the few ways women can gain
true power within the Aztec Empire,
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, is the champion god of the Aztec
all but assuring that ambitious
pantheon, and the only one that we might consider heroic. Although he demands women will work their way into the
blood, as do all gods, his demands seem markedly less than some others.
Although he is one of the Tezcatlipocas, and thus an aspect of Tezcatlipoca, he priesthood. This is especially true in
is also Tezcatlipoca’s greatest rival, frequently supporting Aztec society even as
Tezcatlipoca seeks to corrupt and destroy it. He also is the father of the Aztecs
Tenochtitlán itself, where a position
twice over; first because he spilled his blood to make mankind at the beginning of High Priest of any temple grants
of the fifth sun, and second because he came to earth as Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl
and gave birth to the Toltec royal line, which is also the Aztec royal line. He Empire-wide power.
is a sky god, and is also often worshipped as a thunder god, with his serpentine
body seen as the bright f lash of lightning that accompanies the storm. It is J.F.
said that he became the morning star, replacing the fallen Tlaltecuhtli whom
he defeated thanks to his clever treachery, and his mighty weapon which could
split the earth at a blow. The Aztecs believe that long ago Quetzalcoatl crossed
the eastern sea, where he dwelled for some time in a cold and bleak land.
They also believe that one day he will return from across the sea, and they
look forward to that day as a day of salvation and renewal. Whatever the case,
Quetzalcoatl is clearly the most “human”, if such a word can be used, of all the
Aztec gods.

Tezcatlipoca
It is tempting to compare Tezcatlipoca to Satan, and leave it at that, but
of course the truth is far more complicated. Huitzilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl,
and Xipe Totec are all seen as aspects of him, and as such he is seen as the
first and mightiest of all gods. Though often Quetzalcoatl’s rival in the tales,
playing villain to his hero, in practice Tezcatlipoca is worshipped with just
as much adoration as any other Aztec deity, and more than his share of fear.
Indeed, he is shown more deference than many others, for he is recognized
as one of the most powerful, perhaps the most powerful god. He is called

William Tauzin (order #3164905)


What do we know about
Chalchiúhtlicue? We know her
priestesses sponsor an order of female
Witch Hunters, but we know little
about them. We know they once
enjoyed the patronage of Tlatoani
Ahuitzotl, and perhaps even had
him in their thrall. We know her
temples never draw much attention
to themselves, but they are found in
almost every city, even occasionally
in those far away from water. We
know her priestesses often part from
the traditional Aztec method of
sacrifice, instead killing her sacrifices
by drowning them. We know that
she is far from the bloodiest goddess,
but her temples are perhaps the
most secretive. There is much worth
studying here, and precious little
information to study.
J.F.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
“the smoking mirror”, which displays his attributes well. He works in the
shadows, in the dark places where no one else dares go. He is the patron of
nahuallotl. It is said that he was the one who gave first Tlacaelel, and later
Motecuhzoma, the hideous knowledge that transformed them into immortal
monsters. He is a god of destruction, whether of civilizations or of ideas,
and as such he is the father of new civilizations, and new ideas. Every year
in the month of Toxcatl a man is chosen to be the perfect representation of
Tezcatlipoca. For the next year he lives as the god’s mortal guise on earth,
wearing jewelry above what even the pipiltin are allowed, and given the four
most beautiful virgins to be found as his brides. The next year he spends a
week singing, feasting, and dancing in a festival to the dark god, and then he
climbs the temple of Tezcatlipoca, where he is viciously sacrificed. Then the
process begins again, with a new perfect sacrifice chosen.
Xipe Totec
While Huitzilopochtli might be the bloodiest god, and Tezcatlipoca the
cruelest, Xipe Totec is perhaps the most disturbing. He is “Our Lord the
Flayed One”, a creature who once f layed off his own skin, transforming it
into maize to give food to humanity. With no skin of his own, as a shapeless,
formless thing, he must wear the skin of others. More disgustingly, his
priests follow in this practice. Every spring, the festival of Tlacaxipehualiztli
involves slaves and sacrifices being carefully, precisely f layed alive before
being sacrificed, resulting in nearly whole human skins which are then worn
by Xipe Totec’s priests for the full twenty days of the festival. By the end of
the festival the skin is rotting, stinking, putrid, and further human f lesh is
cast upon the crowd as a blessing, or given to warriors as skins to wear as they
carry out mock battles in honor of the Flayed God. For twenty days it is as if
the whole of the Aztec Empire devolves into bloody, savage madness. Dark
deeds are performed during the festival, deeds which are only whispered of,
and never fully explained, all in the name of Xipe Totec.
Centeotl
Centeotl is the god of maize, and as such is much beloved by the Aztecs,
for whom maize is their main food crop. Every spring the maize is planted
amid prayers to Centeotl in his aspect as Xilonen, the princess of unripe
maize. Then, with the planting done, a wild dance begins. Women dance
bare-breasted with the men in an ancient, savage fertility rite meant to incur
the blessing of Centeotl. Flower pollen and scented maize f lour is thrown
about in playful mock-warfare. These dances continue sporadically until the
Great Feast of the Lords, in Centeotl’s honor, when the pipiltin throw feasts
for the macehualli to show their respect for the peasant farmers, and for the
maize god.
 Chalchiúhtlicue T he temple of Xipe
Totec also sponsors
Known as “she who wears the jade skirt”, the wife of Tlaloc is the patron
of women, of love, of beauty, and of water. But she is no Aphrodite, no the Flayed Ones,
beautiful love goddess. Though she is depicted this way in many stories, she horrible agents of the
is worshipped as something altogether darker. Her priestesses know secrets, Aztecs who can wear
secrets which the women keep to themselves in sacred feminine rites. Her
the skins of those
temples are strange, alien places, often built near lakes or rivers, and often
encompassing underwater grottoes that are filled with misshapen monsters of they kill, thus seeming
the deep. Chalchiúhtlicue also controls the oceans, and the unexplored depths like them in every
below them. The Tlatoani Ahuitzotl was under her inf luence, and though way. In this guise
men, for the most part, rule Aztec society, they often spread tales of the secret
powers that women wield, personified by this goddess. Chalchiúhtlicue is
they infiltrate other
the goddess who blesses marriage, as well as childbirth. Indeed, all females communities, acting as
born in the Aztec Empire are dedicated to her at infancy, and all infants Motecuhzoma’s spies
born are ritually baptized in her honor after the severing of the umbilical. and the harbingers of
Although she has no festival dedicated solely to herself, as Tlaloc’s wife she
is honored in many. Though she is rarely spoken of in the tales or the halls his armies.
of Motecuhzoma, there are few gods as widely worshipped by the Aztecs D.V.
themselves.

Coatlicue
Coatlicue is known as the “Mother of the Gods”, and was worshiped not
only as the one who gave birth to Quetzalcoatl and his twin Xolotl, but also
as the mother of the sun, the moon, and the stars. It was she who gave birth
to treacherous Coyolxauhqui and four hundred other children who sided with
the Tzitzimime and turned on her, severing her head. In death, however, she
gave birth to one last child, the great Huitzilopochtli. This legend stands in
stark contrast to all other legends about the rise of the gods, but the Aztecs
accept this contradiction without question as yet another divine mystery.
Coatlicue is a hideous creature with a skirt of snakes, dead because of her
severed head, yet still alive within the earth, which is fed by her gushing
blood. She is a ravenous creature, dark and primordial, who needs the blood
of sacrifices to replenish her own. She is also the patron of women who die in
childbirth, who become the frightening spirits known as Cihuateteo.

Coyolxauhqui
Coyolxauhqui is a strange figure in the Aztec pantheon. She is regarded
as a traitor, for she has sided with the Tzitzimime against her brother,
Huitzilopochtli, and she decapitated her mother, Coatlicue. And yet in
slaying her mother she became the archetype for the priest, spilling her
sacrifice’s blood to feed the earth. She is also the moon, the most powerful
figure in the night sky. As such she is given honor and respect, though rarely
official worship. She is most often depicted near Temples of Huitzilopochtli,
often in submission after having been defeated by her brother in battle.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Coyolxauqui’s position as the
rival to Huitzilopochtli has made
her the object of secret cults
maintained by those who would
rebel against the Aztecs. She is a
symbol for all those who seek to
cast down Motecuhzoma, or at the
very least to be free of him. For
obvious reasons these cults remain
hidden, their sacrifices made
not in temples but in dark and
abandoned places, and no obvious
statues of the goddess are used for
fear that they will be found by
those loyal to the Huey Tlatoani.
Because of this secrecy there is no
way of knowing just how many
moon worshippers dwell in Aztec
lands, but they might be persuaded
to offer aid to any Witch Hunters
who likewise oppose Motecuhzoma.
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Ehecatl
Ehecatl is normally seen as an aspect of Quetzalcoatl, a sky deity with
dominion over the wind and, to a lesser extent, storms. It is said that when
Huitzilopochtli became the sun he could not move until Ehecatl blew on him,
which began his motion through the sky. Although an aspect of Quetzalcoatl,
Ehecatl maintains a separate priesthood in many cities.
Huehuecoyotl
Huehuecoyotl is a god much beloved among the macehualli. He is
grandfather coyote, god of music, dance, and song. He is a storyteller and
a trickster, as well as a shapeshifter. When he grows bored he plays tricks,
which often backfire upon him. His finer tricks have started wars, and led to
bloody massacres, which always amuse the trickster god.
Mictlantecuhtli
Mictlantecuhtli is the god of death, and as such, a deity to be feared and
respected. He is a skeletal figure with a necklace of human eyeballs and
earspools of human bones. Along with his wife, Mictecacihuatl, he rules over
the underworld of Mictlan. He is also honored as the judge of the dead, for it
is Mictlantecuhtli who views a soul upon its death and judges whether it has
died normal deaths of natural causes, heroic deaths from battle, childbirth,
or sacrifice, or non-heroic deaths. Those who suffer normal deaths or non-
heroic deaths, apart from the victims of drowning which belong to Tlaloc,
are dragged down to Mictlan, where they are forced to endure a treacherous
four year journey through the underworld full of tests and traps for their soul.
Mixcoatl
Mixcoatl is the cloud serpent, as well as the god of the hunt. Hunters
and trackers, as well as warriors, pay homage to him, and he speeds them
on their way. Mixcoatl also has the renown of being the father of Topiltzin
Quetzalcoatl. In the month of Quecholli a festival is held in honor of
Mixcoatl, not only honoring him as the father of Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, but
also as god of the hunt. Grand hunts are then held in his honor, and the prey
is often human or monster.
Tlaloc
Tlaloc is an old and powerful god, one of rain and water. Chalchiúhtlicue
is his wife, and he provides the storms that feed her lakes and rivers. Although
not one of the Tezcatlipocas, Tlaloc is a god of such significance that he is
worshipped atop the Great Temple of Tenochtitlán along with Huitzilopochtli,
and with good reason, for when Tlaloc grows angry the rains pour in. His
wrath has f looded Tenochtitlán in the past. Tlaloc also rules over his own
watery afterlife, the destination of all those who die from drowning. He is
 a cruel god. On the festivals of Atlcalhuo and Tozoztontli he demands the
slaughter of children. He was once married to Xochiquetzal, but she betrayed While Huitzilopochtli seems to have
him to Tezcatlipoca. Since that time he has never again been painted as a
kind or generous god. He provides rain only because he is satiated with blood,
entered public consciousness with
and he takes life on a whim. He is served by the Tlaloque, elemental spirits the Aztecs, Tlaloc is far older. He
and imps of rain and thunder whom he sends forth from the mountaintops to
help or torment the Aztecs as he wills. has been worshipped, it is said, since
the earliest days in Teotihuacán, and
some say he is even older still. It is no
Tlazolteotl coincidence that he is one of only five
Tlazolteotl is a strange goddess of contradictions. On the surface she is
a disgusting creature, the goddess of filth, vice, disease, adultery, and other gods said to rule an entire world. Of
distasteful things. She is often depicted in lewd or sickening situations. And
yet she also symbolized purification, the casting off of such things and a
all the most popular Aztec gods, he
return to cleanliness and virtue. It is she who causes disease, casting it upon is the only one to specifically demand
the sinful and the filthy. However, in keeping with her role as purifier, her
priestesses often perform a ceremony very similar to confession, hearing the child sacrifices. He and Mictlantecuhtli
sins of the burdened as a step toward casting those sins away. Of course, those
same priestesses are as likely to be reveling in the filth of their goddess soon
are also the only gods regularly
afterward. portrayed with demonic servants.
Tlaloc is served by the Tlaloque,
Xiuhtecuhtli demons of wind and rain and thunder
Xiuhtecuhtli is the god of fire, volcanoes, and light in the darkness. Although who dwell on mountaintops, and
normally thought of as a young, vibrant deity, he can also be Huehueteotl, the
Old God who has guided mankind since ancient days. Xiuhtecuhtli is a vitally
descend when they are not properly
important deity, for the word for fire, Xiuhuitl, is also the word for year. At the appeased to wreak havoc. I say demons
end of each bundle of 52 years comes a dark time, a time when the Tzitzimime
are at their strongest, and the night is at its blackest. During this time the deliberately, as the Tlaloque seem to
world is more likely than ever to be destroyed. At the sunset of the last day
of the last year in this bundle a procession of priests from Xiutecuhtli’s cult
show many signs of the diabolical.
walk from the center of Tenochtitlán toward a sacred mountain in the east However they clearly serve Tlaloc over
called Huixachtlán, an ancient and extinct volcano. At this time all fires in the
Aztec Empire are put out, and darkness reigns. The Tzitzimime wait, ready to the Adversary, so this similarity only
attack. In the darkness the priests perform ancient rites that, they say, stretch raises more questions.
back to Teotihuacán and beyond, for Xiuhtecuhtli is an old and powerful deity.
These rites culminate in human sacrifice, and a fire is started in the sacrifice’s J.F.
chest. If it f lares to life then the danger is past, and the new bundle of years
is begun. In all of Aztec history the fire has never failed to light. From this
fire runners bring torches to light the sacred fires of the Great Temple in
Tenochtitlán, and once the light of Huixachtlán is seen other bonfires are lit
across the whole of the Empire to signify that the world was not destroyed.
Curiously, Xiutecuhtli’s dominion over light in the darkness is also applied to
the concept of life after death, and the Aztecs believe ghosts and other such
undead monsters fall under the dominion of the fire god.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 There is a legend, a rare one half-
regarded as blasphemy, whispered
by the cult of Xochiquetzal.
According to this legend
Xochiquetzal was cast from the
realm of the gods because of her
infidelity against Tlaloc. Thus she
is bound to earth, and dwells there
still in a hidden valley. It is said
that if she is found and properly
placated with trinkets of love, she
will impart secrets.
S.
Given what we
know of the Aztec
gods, if this is true
I feel confident the
required sacrifice will
be far greater than a
few trinkets of love.
Xochiquetzal may be
beautiful, but she
is as bloody as the
other Aztec demon-
gods.
D.V.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Xochipilli
The god of art, beauty, dance, and f lowers, Xochipilli is also known as
the f lower prince and the twin brother of Xochiquetzal. Most Aztecs know
him as a celebratory deity, patronizing feasts and dancing. But like all Aztec
gods he demands his share of blood. His priests perform rituals in secret,
rites which often mirror his twin sister’s dominions of sex and prostitution,
though with a decidedly more clandestine bent. Indeed, while priestesses of
Xochiquetzal enjoy protection from Aztec law for their prostitution, priests
of Xochipilli enjoy no such protection, and their secrecy is as much a matter
of necessity as it is religious.
Xochiquetzal
The most beautiful of the goddesses, Xochiquetzal is a goddess of fertility,
beauty, and sex, a protector of young women and prostitutes. While adultery
and prostitution are normally punished with death, the priestesses of
Xochiquetzal are allowed to accompany the warriors on their campaigns.
Their congress with warriors who have proven themselves in battle is not
seen as adultery, and any issue from these liaisons are either killed or given
to a temple to be raised, with the father bearing no responsibility. Nor do
these acts ref lect poorly on the women, who are still considered virgins and
suitable for marriage after they return. Indeed, because of their training in
the sexual arts such women are often highly prized as wives.
Xolotl
The twin of Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl is a god of fire, and also of bad luck.
As Quetzalcoatl is the morning star, so Xolotl is the evening star, depicted
either as a skeleton or a dog-headed monster. He is sacrificed to and placated
because to do otherwise is to invite misfortune and disaster. His priests are
terrifying men who preach doom and call down darkness. However Xolotl is
also a rival of Mictlantecuhtli, and he has been known to descend to Mictlan
and help travelers in the underworld upon their journey.
Yacatecuhtli
Had it not been for the Pochteca, Yacatecuhtli may have forever been
merely a minor god. However, the rise of the Pochteca thrust their patron
god, the god of commerce and travelers, into prominence. Yacatecuhtli
presides over the marketplace, and is invoked with sacrifices to ensure good
trades and good profit, and protection on long journeys.
 The Aztec Calendar We believe the Aztecs
can work some kind
The Aztecs believe in a concept of cyclical time. Time is not a straight
line; it repeats itself over and over again. The course of one year is repeated of calendar magic. On
the next year, and the course of a bundle of 52 years is repeated in the next certain days when the
bundle. Each year starts in darkness, and ends in darkness, and each ending Day Count and Year
will either mark the beginning of a new cycle, or the end of all existence.
Count align, perhaps
The Aztec calendar itself is complicated. It is actually formed by three in combination with
interconnected calendars, each serving their purpose. The most important
calendar is the Tonalpohualli, or day-count. This is the sacred calendar of the Great Count,
260 days operated not according to the seasons, but according to the time of horrible magical
the gods. The sacred day consists of a number, from 1 to 13, and a day-sign, rituals are possible.
chosen from twenty day-signs that repeat in order. These day signs, in order,
T his happens so
are Caiman, Wind, House, Lizard, Serpent, Death, Deer, Rabbit, Water,
Dog, Monkey, Grass, Reed, Jaguar, Eagle, Vulture, Earthquake, Flint Knife, rarely that we have
Rain, and Flower. The sacred year begins on the day 1 Caiman. As each thus far been unable
cycle ends it begins again, so 13 Reed is followed by 1 Jaguar, and 7 Flower is to determine just
followed by 8 Caiman. It takes 260 days for these two cycles to align again,
moving from 13 Flower to 1 Caiman once more, and this makes a full sacred
how such magic
year. functions.
The day signs are vitally important to the Aztecs. Each day sign carries D.V.
with it portents, omens that follow an Aztec born on that day for the rest of
his life. Aztecs born on especially auspicious days are often delivered to the
priesthood of the god associated with that day. Certain tasks are sought out or
avoided depending on the current day. Each set of 13 days make up an Aztec Where did the calendar come from?
week, and there are twenty such weeks in the sacred year. Each week is known The calendar seems to be shared by
by the day sign that begins it (beginning the year with Caiman and ending
with Rabbit), and each week is presided over by a different god. practically all cultures in the region,
The second calendar is the Xiuhpohualli, or year count. This is the 365 day including the Maya. This would seem
calendar that marks out the seasons. This year is broken into 18 months of 20
days each, and the 18th month is followed by 5 “dead days” that are considered to indicate it is very old, handed
extremely unlucky. Then the cycle begins once again, with the new year falling
on February 2nd. The year count is used for marking out yearly festivals, and
down from Teotihuacán or even before.
each 20 day month has an accompanying religious festival of the same name
celebrated throughout the month.
J.F.
The year count and the day count operate on different cycles, but every 52
solar years they re-align. This is called a bundle of years, and is the primary
method of historical record in the Aztec Empire. For most peasants a bundle
of years is the greatest magnitude of years needed, for it is all but unheard of
for a peasant to survive more than two bundles of years, and it is believed that
each bundle is a cycle that will be repeated in the next cycle.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 During the Empty
Days the Aztecs
attempt to do as
little as possible,
as they believe any
undertaking started
during those days
is cursed. Woe to
the child born on
an Empty Day. It is
tempting to call such
things superstition,
but while in Yucatán
I observed many
unfortunate and
violent coincidences
that plagued us on
those days, regardless
of our faith.
D.V.
While there does seem to be some
power in the Aztec calendar, I
would hesitate to ascribe to Aztec
magic what can more easily be
blamed on Spanish incompetence.
S.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Month Festival and Gods Honored
Atlcahualo (Feb 2-21) The Ceasing of Water
(Tlaloc, Chalchiúhtlicue)
Tlacaxipehualiztli (Feb 22-Mar 13) The Flaying of Men
(Xipe Totec)
Tozoztonli (Mar 14-Apr 2) The Little Vigil
(Centeotl, Coatlicue)
Huey Tozotli (Apr 3-22) The Great Vigil
(Tlaloc)
Toxcatl (Apr 23-May 12) Dryness
(Tezcatlipoca)
Etzalcualiztli (May 13-Jun 1) Feast of the Corn
(Tlaloc, Chalchiúhtlicue)
Tecuilhuitontli (Jun 2-21) Little Feast of the Lords
(Xochipilli)
Huey Tecuilhuitl (Jun 22-Jul 11) Great Feast of the Lords
(Cinteotl)
Miccailhuitontli (Jul 12-31) Little Feast of the Dead
(Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli)
Huey Miccailhuitontli (Aug 1-20) Great Feast of the Dead
(Xiuhtecuhtli)
Ochpaniztli (Aug 21-Sep 9) Month of Sweeping
(Tlazolteotl, Cinteotl)
Teotleco (Sep 10-29) Return of the Gods
(All Gods)
Tepeilhuitl (Sep 30-Oct 19) Feast of the Mountains
(Tlaloc)
Quecholli (Oct 20-Nov 8) The Precious Feather
(Mixcoatl)
Panquetzaliztli (Nov 9-Nov 28) Raising of Banners
(Huitzilopochtli)
Atemoztli (Nov 29-Dec 18) The Descent of Water
(Tlaloc)
Tititl (Dec 19-Jan 7) The Stretching
(Yacatecuhtli)
Izcalli (Jan 8-Jan 27) Encouragement and Rebirth
(Xiuhtecuhtli)
Nemontemi (Jan 28-Feb 1) The Empty Days
 There is another calendar used to keep track of especially long dates,
however. This is known as the Huey Pohualli, or Great Count. It divides the The Aztecs themselves seem conflicted
time into days, months (of 20 days), years (of 360 days, as the great count does
not include the five empty days in its reckoning), great years (of 7,200 days,
about the origins of the Great Count.
or 20 years), and ages (of 144,000 days, or 400 years, or 20 great years). Since Most claim it was given them by the
the Great Count year is not a full 365 day year, it can be difficult to calculate.
Dates are written as a series of numbers in the order of age, great year, year, Teotihuacanos, but beyond that they
month, and finally day. In this way ancient dates can be remembered with do not inquire. The oldest known
great, if complicated, precision. For instance, January 1st of the Year of our
Lord 1566 can be denoted as 11, 17, 6, 9, 7, or the 11th age, the 17th great year, Great Count marker is located in a
the 6th year, the 9th month, and the 7th day of the Great Count. The current
Great Count began on August 12th, in the year 3114 Before Christ. This is the
ruined city that, legend has it, was
date the Aztecs believe the fifth sun began. Interestingly enough, the current settled by refugees from the days
Great Count will fill up on December 20th, in the far-future year of 2012. At
this time the 12th age will end, which traditionally means the count will reset when Teotihuacán was controlled
and, according to the few Aztecs who speculate about such far-future events,
the fifth world will end.
by monsters. If true, that might
indicate the calendar was not the
Aztec Law gift of Teotihuacán, but rather of
The first Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán, Acamapichtli, is credited with first Quetzalcoatl in his incarnation as a
codifying the laws of the Mexica. The law has grown since that day, and has
now been spread across the Aztec Empire. Aztec law is very strict, but also
storm god.
very fair. Both pipiltin and macehualli fall under the law without exception,
and are bound to obey it. Officials found to be corrupting the law are dealt
J.F.
with swiftly by their superiors and in such terrible ways that they serve as
warnings to all others who would dare. Indeed, if anything, pipiltin often
receive harsher punishment for crime, for they are supposed to be the examples T he end date of the
by which the macehualli live. Serious crimes are punishable by death, and calendar is troubling,
these include theft of crops, murder, public drunkenness (except at festivals
or for those who are over seventy years of age, who have earned the right),
but we should not
adultery, homosexuality, wearing clothes above one’s station, and of course worry. It is clearly
acts of blasphemy against the gods. Depending on the crime and the wishes written in scripture
of the wronged party, first offenders will sometimes receive lighter sentences, that no man knows
such as having their homes demolished, being sold into slavery, or having
their hair shaved. Hair is a status symbol in Aztec society, worn according the date or time of
to rules based on social class and, in the case of warriors, deeds done in the end of all things.
battle. To have it shaved is to forever lose that coveted status and suffer public Certainly not pagans.
disgrace. Lesser crimes are most often dealt with via restitution. Simple theft
requires the return of the items, plus extra to pay for the original owner’s loss; D.V.
though even minor theft can be punished with death should the judge so wish
it. One who starts a brawl might be required to pay medical expenses and
damages. Slavery is also a common punishment for lesser crimes. Drinking
pulque, the sacred liquor, is also a crime for any who have not earned it.
Those worthy include priests, warriors of renown, the elderly, the pipiltin,
and others who had done some service for the Empire and been granted the
right by the Tlatoani. Lesser liquors were allowed for the macehualli.
The Tlatoani of a city, often with the advice of the Calpolehs, appoints
officials to be judges. To be a judge is a great honor, and judges are expected to
do no other work and are paid by the state. There are also knowledgeable men
and talented speakers who act as lawyers for those who can afford them, but
they are valued for their persuasive speaking rather than their legal knowledge

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 While the details have
changed, there remains
an undercurrent of
discontent even today. In
conquering Yucatán the
Aztecs conquered a region
not only rife with Spanish
Christianity, but a religion
based upon a much older
tribal culture before it.
When the word of God
was first preached to
the Mayans they accepted
it, but they also mingled
it with their own tribal
beliefs. Jesus Christ
joined with their gods
Kukulcan and Chac and
many others. Even under
Spanish conquest the
native religion would not
die. What we thought then
was an annoyance now has
become a boon, for the
Mayan belief will simply
not fade away. Even now
both Christianized and
aboriginal Mayans meet
in secret, whispering of
their ancient traditions to
each other. Meanwhile the
natives of Lake Texcoco
have become all but
completely subjugated and
the Tarascans have learned
to keep their dissent to a
whisper, but the Huastecs,
T laxcallans, and Totonacs
often grumble against their
Aztec masters. As Landa
said, these small pockets
of dissent are not yet large
enough to become rebellion,
but should it come to open
war between Spain and the
Aztec Empire, or for that
matter Witch Hunters and
the Aztec Empire, we will
have a few allies within the
serpent’s belly.
D.V.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
as Aztec judges have no sympathy for legal quibbles and loopholes. The law
is meant to be enforced harshly to keep order, and there was no such thing as
getting off on a technicality.
Aztec Life
Compared to most European cities, Aztec cities seem like luxurious
paradises. The Aztecs are scrupulously clean, and macehualli are employed
to keep the city streets free of filth and excrement, with Tenochtitlán itself
employing almost 2,000 such workers. Horses are not allowed inside Aztec
cities for this very reason. It may seem strange that a culture that will
sometimes literally bathe in the blood and wear the f layed skins of their
sacrifices have such a dedication to cleanliness, but save for the bloodstained
stones of the temples the Aztecs believe that to live in filth is an affront to the
gods themselves. They sacrifice to their gods out of fear of them, and they live
clean lives out of fear of them as well. Aztecs bathe every day, and use herbal
concoctions to sweeten their breath. Indeed, it seems clear that the incense
with which they sprinkled the Spanish after their arrival, far from being the
honor Cortéz believed it to be, was simply a reaction to their rank smell.
Except for the pipiltin, the pochteca, and certain highly honored warriors
Aztecs dress without frills or bright colors, in simple cotton or maguey-fiber
cloth. Men wear loincloths and cloaks, while women wear blouses and skirts.
Young children often roam about naked. For all the opulence of their cities,
most macehualli live simply, in houses with few rooms. Like serfs most will
work the same land or ply the same trade for their entire lives, most often
the same land or trade as their father or mother. They eat maize chief ly,
both on its own and ground into maize f lour and shaped into a f lat, bread-
like disc called a tortilla. They also eat tomatoes, avocados, porridge, and
tamales, which is an envelope of maize f lour stuffed with vegetables or, more
rarely, meat, most often dog meat. The pipiltin also drink chocolatl, a frothy
drink made from cacao beans and maize f lour. This luxury is normally too
expensive for the macehualli, but it is enjoyed among the upper classes.
School is both freely available and compulsory for all Aztecs. The pipiltin
and those chosen for the priesthood attend the calmecac, an academy where
they are taught scholarly subjects, and in which priests are trained in sacred
mysteries. Most children, however, go to the telpochcalli found in their
Calpulli. Here they learn basic occupational skills, are indoctrinated into
the Aztec religion and official history, learn good citizenship, and the boys
also learn how to fight. All men are given warrior training, because all men
are expected to be warriors. Women normally spend a year at the age of
twelve helping in a temple, and some later become priestesses. For most
women, however, their formal schooling is over after this service, and they
are expected to either marry or work a trade. Men continue to be taught
throughout their teenage years, but in more specialized subjects based on
their likely roles. Those with skill at fighting are trained further as warriors,
while a few who show scholarly gifts are allowed to transfer to a calmecac
and learn the priest’s arts.
Life is not all work, even for the macehualli. Each month brings with it
its own festival. While some of these festivals are dark and bloody affairs, a
number of them involve feasting, celebrations, and games that provide needed
relaxation from a life of toil. In addition there is the ballgame.
 The Ballgame As in Christendom, there are
The ballgame is older than any history the Aztecs have, leaving its countless Aztec “heretics” who follow
origins a sacred mystery. It is played throughout the Empire. There are many
variations, but all these games are played with a hard rubber ball within the other powers. Cults to infernal
ballcourt. Every city and most villages have at least one ballcourt, a long,
narrow field in the shape of an I with stone walls. Upon these walls is fixed
powers are the most common, and
a stone ring. Although there are countless variations of the ballgame, many certainly they are the most hunted by
of which have a close following of players and fans, the most popular version
of the game is ullamalitzli, a variation first developed by the Mexica in the the Aztecs. This supports the view
days of the Triple Alliance. In this variation players wear a loincloth with a
stout girdle and leather hip-guards. Traditionally this is the only protection
that the Aztecs are opposed to the
worn, though practically most games also involve knee and arm guards, and Adversary. A common variation on
helmets. The solid rubber ball is very hard and moves very fast, and regular
ball players are known as “the perpetually bruised”. Teams, usually of 4 players Diabolism are cults to Tlaltecuhtli,
each though there are variations, move the ball forward using only their hips, the earth monster himself, or to the
bouncing the ball from one to the other. Points are scored by successfully
knocking the ball into the opposing team’s end of the field, the wide part of moon who betrayed the gods to side
the I-shaped court they are supposed to be guarding. The game is usually
played for a fixed length of time, at which point the team with the most points
with demons. The mysterious wood
is declared the winner. As an added challenge, one can try to knock the ball men are also occasionally worshipped
through the stone ring on the wall. This is extremely difficult due to the
height of the ring and the limitation of only hitting the ball with the hip, and in cults, as are the mud men. It
thus rarely happens. When it does happen it is seen as a sign of the gods’ favor
upon the team that managed such a feat, and that team is declared the winner
is believed these creatures survived
by word of the gods. earlier worlds, and their passage
The losing team is often mock-sacrificed in an elaborate ritual that
heaps glory on the winning team, but despite the tales of my Spanish brethren
through the cycle of destruction and
ball players are never truly sacrificed, except during the festival of the Raising rebirth has granted them a measure of
of Banners when such games are held in honor of Huitzilopochtli. The
ballgame is a haven of gamblers, an act looked down upon as a vice but not insight. Most disturbing, however, are
punished under Aztec law. Even games in small villages often attract crowds the cults to older gods, especially the
of gambling macehualli, who will place their goods as wagers on one team
or the other. After the game it is traditional to give a portion of the losing gods of native tribes that have resisted
gamblers’ wagers to the winning team, and split the rest among the winning
gamblers. There is an exception, however, if the game ends due to the rare
Aztec attempts at assimilation.
event of the ball traveling through the stone ring. In this case the gods have Some of these are surely diabolical in
intervened, and all wagers are claimed by the priesthood of the city. This
happens rarely enough that gambling is still profitable, provided wagers are disguise, but is it inconceivable that
made on the winning team. Sad tales are told of gamblers who bet their
family’s fortunes on ballgames, and are forced to sell themselves into slavery
some of these, like the Aztec gods,
to pay off their debts. might be their own separate powers?
J.F.
Rebellions and Cults
It is easy, when staring into the burning eyes of Aztec warriors, to
imagine the Aztec Empire as a single, homogenous, unstoppable force. This is
not the case. Although the Aztecs themselves pretend that it is. Motecuhzoma
spends much of his Empire’s wealth indoctrinating the youth of the Indian
nations he conquers, in the hopes that they will forget their own histories
and become Aztecs. For the most part he is successful, but it is impossible

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

 Do you think I should to completely annihilate the human spirit. Aztec culture is based on Mexica
culture, and after all, the Mexica are only a little tribe, inhabiting a single
include this? It is city. Perhaps it is the greatest and grandest city in the world, but it remains
said to be the last only one city. Even on the shores of Lake Texcoco itself there are those who
thing Landa wrote remember the old ways, practicing old tribal rituals of the Tepanecs or the
upon his deathbed. Chalcas, whispering of these things to their children when they come home
from the telpochcalli.
T he Church has
Further afield it is even worse. Although Huitziltlán is all but completely
already ordered all subjugated, the surrounding people remember the glory of the Tarascans, and
copies destroyed, whisper to themselves of old gods and rebellious plans, saying that one day
but for the sake of there will be a new Caconzi, a Tarascan king with the blood of eagles in
completeness perhaps his veins. In Veracruz the Aztec oppression has spawned myths and stories
that the Spaniards truly were servants of Quetzalcoatl, returned from over
I should pass it on. the eastern sea, and though wise men say differently the Totonac-descended
D.V. peasants whisper that as his servants came, so Quetzalcoatl shall come
on the deck of a Spanish ship, and liberate them. There are even rumors,
strange though it may seem, of Christians in Aztec territory; the remnants of
Mountains of steel and glass? All men martyred Spanish missionaries who burn like the embers of a scattered f lame.
Only time will tell if these embers burn out, or spark a new fire.
using such destructive magics? These Do not mistake my meaning; the Aztec Empire seems in no danger
are just the rantings of a dying man. of falling to rebellion, at least not any time soon. However, neither has
rebellion been stamped out entirely. While most people consider themselves
Best to let them die with Landa. Aztecs, there are still a few, hidden, and secret, who are not Aztecs, but
are Tepanecs, Chalca, Huastec, Totonac, Tlaxcallan, and Tarascan. And yes,
there are a few who consider themselves Mexica as well, and wish their great
empire had never expanded.

I shall be with my Lord soon. I must write this carefully, for my hand shakes, and I can barely
lift the pen.
But write this I must.
I have seen visions. Visions of the future. I have seen Aztec armies, bloody and victorious, trampl
ing the
ruins of Campeche beneath them. I have seen their blood magic cast a shadow over the whole of
the Americas. I
have seen Indians of the north resisting them, and failing as we Christians have failed. I have
seen so much that
I wish to shut it from my mind, but I cannot. I must tell, at the last, what I have seen.
I have seen a future where God is all but forgotten. A future where mountains of steel and
glass rise
high, where millions of men might be crowded together on narrow streets, like cattle lined for the
slaughter. I have
seen horrible magics given to all men that belch fire and metal, and leave uncountable deaths in their
wake. I have
seen canisters that send explosions of fire up to the heavens, and destroy entire cities. But though
the magic of men
is great it cannot stand against the magic of the Devil.
I have seen a circle closing. A great circle of days, finally running out. I have seen the sky
crack, and
the ancient seals of Solomon melt away. I have seen Satan loosed from his chains, rising from
the earth. I have
seen the earthquakes caused by his waking destroying half the world. I see the final winter descend
. And I know
that though we have done all we could to prevent this dark future, we have failed. Blood makes
the sun rise. And
the sun has been starved. The Aztecs were right. God help me, the Aztecs were right, and the
day of reckoning
comes too soon.

William Tauzin (order #3164905)

William Tauzin (order #3164905)
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 The Aztec World of 1690
Tenochtitlán Last year I presented a brief
The cradle of Aztec civilization is lake Texcoco, a large lake atop
the Mexican plateau, nestled between two mountain ranges on study of the Aztecs to my
either side which join together just to the south. The water of fellow Witch Hunters. At that
the lake is naturally brackish due to the high mineral content time Yucatán still remained
of its feeding rivers, though Aztec engineering has cordoned in Spanish hands. I will now
off large areas of fresh water. Although the move to Empire
elaborate and expand on
has somewhat decentralized Aztec culture and power, Lake
Texcoco, and especially the city of Tenochtitlán, remains the that study, detailing the six
spiritual and political center of the Aztec world. Before arriving Huey Altepetls of the Aztec
at Lake Texcoco the original Aztec tribes were little more than Empire. T he Huey Altepetls
wanderers, barbarians and mercenaries, but their settlements are not official provinces, but
around and on the lake turned them into the civilized creatures
practically they serve the
they are today.

The Aztec World

purpose of provinces by allowing
Tenochtitlán dominates the entire area. The city is
Motecuhzoma to elevate a
home not only to the Huey Tlatoani, but to more temples and
religious sites than any other currently populated city on earth. T latoani to a position of regional
Nestled on an island in the western part of Lake Texcoco, the governor. Each Huey Altepetl is
city has expanded since its founding. The Aztecs are constantly known colloquially by the name
widening the island it rests upon through marvelous feats of of the city where this elevated
engineering, extending it further into the lake, which forms
T latoani resides. T here is some
a protective moat about it. The Great Temple dominates the
city, its double-headed structure dwarfing all else, standing in speculation that one day these
testament to the war god Huitzilopochtli and the storm god may become official positions,
Tlaloc. Other temples, however, are no less impressive, with the but Motecuhzoma is loathe
temples of dark Tezcatlipoca, heroic Quetzalcoatl, and bloody to give up any appearance of
Xipe Totec filling out the center of the city. The Aztecs tell
absolute power. As it is, their
how this city was founded on a deserted island upon seeing a
sign from Huitzilopochtli of an eagle clutching a snake upon a unofficial status means they can
cactus, but there are persistent rumors that the city was built be easily replaced should they
atop of a vast underground cave that, strangely, tunnels down step out of line or contemplate
and under Lake Texcoco itself. It is said that here Tlacaelel, the rebellion.

of
first Cihuacoatl of Tenochtitlán and the constant power behind
the Mexica Tlatoani, met Tezcatlipoca, and there learned the
secrets of blood magic, and was transformed into a dark creature D.V.

very much like the hideous Motecuhzoma.
Outside the central region of Tenochtitlán there are
more temples, as well as the great houses of the Eagle, Jaguar, and
Quetzal Warriors. These lodges are lavishly decorated with the
massive tribute won by the elite soldiers, although the Quetzal
Warrior house is little more than an ornamental building as
their true power base lies in the southeastern city of B’aak. The
market district of Tlatelolco, once a separate city on the island
but now fully a part of Tenochtitlán, is the center of power for
the Pochteca, and indeed a full Calpulli is inhabited entirely by
these honored merchants. Although Tlatelolco is not the largest
market in the Empire, it is perhaps the most important due
to the political power of the Pochteca. The artisan’s Calpulli is
almost as prestigious, housing only artisans and their families,
many of which are employed year-round simply to make the
lavish costumes of jade, gold, and quetzal feathers for the priests
to wear at the many religious ceremonies. The central temple
district is not the only holy site in Tenochtitlán, and temples to
the gods are prevalent throughout the city. Of special note are
1690
Fellowship of the Ashen Cross
Former Prior of Campeche
1690
the temples of Chalchiúhtlicue and Mictlantecuhtli. The temple
of Chalchiúhtlicue is considered part of Tenochtitlán, though in
reality it sits on a separate artificial island in Lake Texcoco. In the
past, although the lake has occasionally flooded and swept into
Tenochtitlán, the temple has remained untouched. The temple
of Mictlantecuhtli is found in one of the poorer Calpullis,
which might seem an odd choice, but its position ensures that
the priests of the god of death can do as they please, for who
would listen to the poorest of macehualli if they complain? The
temple is a twisted pyramid plated in polished obsidian, and
those who have climbed to the temple to its peak have claimed
that the structure does not correctly fit into mortal perception.
All temples are bloody places, places of sacrifice, but the temple
of Mictlantecuhtli has an even more sinister reputation. It is

67
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 said that the god of death seeks
not only blood, but souls, and that
those sacrificed in this temple do
not ascend to paradise like other
sacrificial victims, but rather are
pulled down to darkest Mictlan,
forever to serve the skeleton god.
Since their arrival in 1534
the Huey Tlatoani has kept a Chinese
advisor, the Tecpanecatl, currently
Shi Lang. The Tecpanecatl has his
own palace in close proximity to the
Huey Tlatoani’s dread estate. There
has also been a small but steady
influx of Chinese to Tenochtitlán,
at first to assist the Tecpanecatl in
his work, then to coordinate the
1690

integration of the five Chinese

colonies within the Empire, and then
simply because Tenochtitlán was the
center of the Aztec world. With the
of

Huey Tlatoani’s permission a new

ancient city where according to Aztec legend the gods sacrificed
Calpulli was founded in Tenochtitlan for these immigrants,
themselves to create the sun, and mankind was formed. It
known as Meitlán. Though still a small Calpulli it has become
was also the center of the first true Empire in the Americas,
The Aztec World

a source of controversy and suspicion, for an all Chinese

controlling an area almost as large as the modern Aztec Empire.
population likewise means a Chinese Calpoleh, and Chinese
The city itself has not been greatly expanded upon, but has been
responsibility for land owned by the Calpulli. Although Meitlán
kept as a sacred site for priests, littered with temples older than
currently has no temples, many worry that this will happen in
any others in the Empire. Beneath the Pyramid of the Sun is a
time. Since the Chinese have no ties to the Toltecs, and come
cave, a dark place where once Quetzalcoatl ground up bone and
from a land that worships strange gods, many fear this is nothing
maize flour to create mankind. Only special chosen members
less than blasphemy. So far Motecuhzoma has not heeded these
of the priesthood are allowed to enter the cave, and they have
warnings, but neither has he silenced them.
never spoken of the things that lie within. It is a great honor to
Tenochtitlan is the greatest city in the Aztec Empire, be such a priest, but also a great danger, for they frequently go
and arguably the world. But many other cities around Lake mad. It is further said that on certain dark nights the ghosts of
Texcoco are even older and have become nearly as prestigious. the ancient Teotihuacanos haunt the city, terrorizing the living.
Tlatelolco may be renowned for its power, but its market pales
Almost as important as Teotihuacán is Tollan, the
before that of Azcapotzalco, a city which after its defeat at the
ancient city of the Toltecs, from whom the Aztecs claim their
hands of the Triple Alliance fell into the hands of the merchants
divine right to rule the world. Dotted with strange standing
and is now the finest market in all of the Aztec Empire, selling
statues in a patterned, almost military formation, and
everything from cacao beans to specially trained slaves to French
surrounded by the great serpent wall carved with images of
trade goods. Xochimilco is the breadbasket of the area, and the
snakes feasting on human skeletons, there is deep mystery to
waters stretching from Xochimilco to Tenochtitlan are covered
Tollan. Strange things are said to happen in its streets. It has
in thriving chinampas, growing food on the water of the lake
become a refuge for lesser branches of the pipiltin, who inhabit
itself. The city of Texcoco, which gave the lake its name in the
the rapidly expanding city in order to emphasize their blood
days before the Mexica, is a renowned center of learning and
connection to the Toltecs. As such it has become swollen with
maintains the largest library in the Aztec Empire. Literacy in
luxury and opulence. After sunset however there is no activity
the Empire is low, restricted to a fraction of the pipiltin and
on the streets, not because of any legal curfew, but because
the priesthood, but Texcoco provides a wealth of state-approved
of supernatural horrors. Tollan fell because of the curse of
information for those who have mastered the art.
Tezcatlipoca, and the dark god does not give back what he has
Chipahua, the Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán, does not destroyed lightly. Sacrifices are made regularly at the temple of
merely govern Lake Texcoco. The Tenochtitlán Huey Altepetl Tezcatlipoca to keep the jaguar god appeased, and the pipiltin
is not the largest Huey Altepetl, but it is the most populous, credit this as the only reason they remain alive.
including the four former Tlaxcallan Altepetls. However
Cholula does not have the historical weight of
perhaps its most famous cities, besides Tenochtitlán itself, are
the other two religious centers, but it does house the largest
the religious centers. Within the Tenochtitlán Huey Altepetl rest
pyramid in the world, a temple to Quetzalcoatl that dwarfs
Teotihuacán, Tollan, and Cholula, three of the most important
the great pyramids of Giza and attracts pilgrims from across
sites in Aztec religion. Teotihuacán is the most important; an
the Aztec Empire. This has made Cholula the de facto center

68
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Tenochtitlán – The Facts
The Tenochtitlán Huey Altepetl is so soaked in blood and
magic that the supernatural has become commonplace.
Rogue nahual spirits terrorize the populace and the spirits of
the dead haunt the streets at night. And yet the tyranny of
the Aztecs, and of Motecuhzoma, keeps the people in line.
The Aztec Empire makes a great pretense of having a society
based on merit, but that idyllic society changed when its
leader became a monster. Nowhere is that more apparent
than in the center of the empire itself. How can a mere
peasant, or even a nobleman, truly wield power against a
creature that could destroy them in an instant?
Motecuhzoma is a hideous and disgusting monster
and he has transformed the Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán,
Chipahua, into a Child of Motecuhzoma like himself. In
outside Tenochtitlán proper the Huey Altepetl is the oldest
in the Empire, and as such has the most religious diversity.
Most cities favor one god, such as Choulula which favors
Quetzalcoatl, or Tollan which favors Tezcatlipoca, but all the
Aztec gods gain plenty of worship in this area. These cities,
especially Tenochtitlán, are also the most likely to practice
human sacrifice, with captives sometimes being shipped
into Tenochtitlán from far away battlefields to be sacrificed
to Huitzilopochtli at the Great Temple.
Witch Hunters
The Jade Skirt society is based in Tenochtitlán, supported
by the powerful temple of Chalchiúhtlicue. Lake Texcoco is
sacred to the goddess, and so the entire area is littered with
her temples, including her primary temple in an artificial

The Aztec World

addition Motecuhzoma has changed many of his noble
family into these monsters. Most dwell in the royal palaces.
Because of the lunatic terror the mere sight of these creatures
engender in mortals, it is the Cihuacoatl, Motecuhzoma’s
human descendant Acolmiztli, that provides most of the
direct orders to the people. In whispered tones some debate
whether Acolmiztli is a savior who stands between the
people and the monstrous Motecuhzoma, or whether he
is little more than a pawn in the Huey Tlatoani’s hideous
schemes. In truth Acolmiztli is part of Motecuhzoma’s
family, and eventually Motecuhzoma will transform him as
he has transformed others. Acolmiztli looks forward to that
day, when his byzantine mind and ruthless cunning will be
enhanced by supernatural power and immortal life.
Tenochtitlán houses over 250,000 people, and many
of the other cities around Lake Texcoco house almost as many.
Indeed, Lake Texcoco itself can be looked at as one grand city,
its expanding urban centers separated only by the lake and
island near Tenochtitlán. And wherever there is a temple
of Chalchiúhtlicue, there is a sanctuary for the Jade Skirts.
In addition, the great market in Azcapotzalco, and other
markets as well, often contain many of these female Witch
Hunters working undercover. The pipiltin nobility, which
remains concentrated in Tenochtitlán Huey Altepetl, likewise
have unknowingly taken many Jade Skirts as wives. The
Quetzal Warriors maintain a warrior house in Tenochtitlán
and a larger one in Cholula, where they are honored for
their dedication to Quetzalcoatl. Still, the Quetzal Warriors
are at heart a martial order, and are far less prevalent in the
relatively peaceful center of the Empire than elsewhere. The
Disciples of Indian Jerusalem were founded in Tenochtitlán,
but they have to be very careful in this area. They have no
real power except in the Tlaxcallan cities. Here, there is a
small but resilient underground of Tlaxcallans who descend
from those converted to Christianity by Cortéz. These rare
Christians have provided shelter for the Disciples as they
seek to lessen the tyranny of Aztec monsters and magic.

of
the stretches of both land and water farms needed to survive.
Farther from the Empire’s center, the four former Tlaxcallan
cities are beginning to settle under Aztec rule, but there remains

1690
dissenting elements below the surface. While it is unlikely they International Relations
will be given the opportunity to truly rebel against the vastly
A recent development in Tenochtitlán is the Chinese
superior Aztecs, they remain a hotbed of discontent.
Calpulli, known as Meitlán or Beautiful City, built to
house diplomats from China so they can feel comfortable.
In addition goods from all across the world are sold in the
Religion market, though they are brought in by Aztec merchants as
Tenochtitlán is a place where all the Aztec gods are foreigners beyond the Chinese are unwelcome. Although
worshipped. Religion is dominated by Quetzalcoatl, the Aztecs have been pursuing closer ties with European
Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc, and of course the Mexica patron nations, eager to prevent an organized crusade, such
Huitzilopochtli, but temples can be found to every god negotiations do not occur in Tenochtitlán itself, which has
imaginable, often in two or three different aspects. Even not seen Europeans (save as favored sacrifices) in some time.

of Quetzalcoatl worship, despite the fact that the High Priest
of Cholula is technically subordinate to the High Priest of
Tenochtitlán. In this city Quetzalcoatl is often merged with
Tlaloc and worshiped as a storm deity, a great and powerful
figure whose mighty club strikes in the form of lightning and
thunder. Although fearsome, the Cholulans believe Quetzalcoatl
is ultimately benevolent, and they praise him for all the bounty
and virtue in the Empire. The city also plays host to a house
of the Quetzal Warriors, much larger than the token house
they maintain in Tenochtitlán. Indeed this is the largest regular
concentration of Quetzal Warriors outside of their home city of
B’aak.

69
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 The entire Tenochtitlán Huey Altepetl is very clean diseases did not spread easily between the isolated mountain
and very civilized, but beneath the veneer of perfection there towns. Indeed, many of these settlements never knew of
is a dark rot. The evil of the Aztec Empire festers here. The smallpox until the Aztecs brought it with them when they
Children of Motecuhzoma roam the streets, never spoken conquered. And of course the Aztecs also brought the curative
about by the frightened macehualli, denied by them, yet it is blood magic to heal those afflicted.
clear that they are real and they have a taste for human blood. Huaxyacac itself is a thriving city of around 50,000
Nahualtin, the terrifying Aztec blood mages, wield powerful people, situated in the valley of Huaxyacac by the Atoyac River.
magic, as much for their own tyrannical purposes as for the The people here chiefly worship Tlaloc, who grants the rain
Empire. The high concentration of temples and priests means that nourishes the soil, and Mictlantecuhtli and his consort
that horrific monsters crossing over from the Invisible World Mictecacihuatl, the gods of the underworld. At first glance this
are not uncommon, and while these creatures may not serve may seem an odd combination, but the worship of these three
the Adversary, that makes them no less deadly to their poor permeates the entire region for important reasons. Upon the
victims. Tenochtitlán’s place as the seat of Aztec power means mountaintops the storms are powerful, and Tlaloc is desperately
the entire Huey Altepetl is mired in byzantine Aztec politics. sought for protection, but at the same time the many caves and
And in the Empire, political enemies are as likely to use magic volcanic calderas form entrances to the underworld. Indeed,
and monsters as forms of assassination as poison and blades. in the middle of this very century a great eruption of spiritual
The area has a cloak of fear over it, the people too frightened creatures rose from the underworld in nearby Mitla. But I shall
to do anything but what they are told by the greatest monster
1690

discuss that presently. Motecuhzoma has appointed Itztli, one

of them all, Huey Tlatoani Motecuhzoma Teotltzin, who rules of his most ambitious descendents, as Tlatoani of the city. Itztli
from his dark and terrible palace. is convinced that only he can turn Huaxyacac into a center
for Aztec culture that will overshadow the mighty ruins of the
of

Mixtecs and Zapotecs, and put to final death the stubborn

Huaxyacac cultures that hold out against the Aztec way of life. To this end
he has built a mighty temple to Huitzilopochtli in Huaxyacac,
The seven tribes of Aztlán may have eventually become the
The Aztec World

and has been renovating temples across the region to appeal to

dominant culture of the Aztec Empire, but they are not the
Aztec sensibilities.
oldest. The mountains to the south of Lake Texcoco stretch
to the broad Pacific coast. This land has been inhabited since The Tlatoani has his work cut out for him, however.
time immemorial by the Mixtecs and Zapotecs. This is the The Huaxyacac valley is dominated by the ancient ruins of the
modern-day Huaxyacac Huey Altepetl. The terrain is volcanic Zapotecs, including a long-abandoned city that the Zapotecs
and rocky in the north, becoming heavily forested to the south. claim predates even Teotihuacán, though the punishment is
The mountains make human settlement difficult; except for the harsh for anyone heard spreading such blasphemy. A fifty foot
valley of Huaxyacac itself which is a lush paradise nestled in pyramid dominates the site. Itztli originally sought to destroy
the mountains, fed by the Atoyac River. It was to this cradle the ruins, but when the first stone was smashed it released a
that the Mixtecs and Zapotecs fled after the ascent of the gods. foul-smelling smoke that poisoned the men demolishing the
The Zapotecs formed a powerful and advanced state, which was site with a disease that could not be cured by any means. Itztli
a primary client-state of the Teotihuacano Empire. However carried on, determined to wipe the memory of the pyramid from
when that empire fell, so too did the Zapotecs. It is said that the earth, but every team he sent in died of the plague within
they had made contracts with dark powers and the servants of a week, and every night the stones that had been cracked had
Tlaltecuhtli; that they had turned from the true gods in order repaired themselves, though strangely they remained as ruins.
to survive the dark days before Teotihuacán was reclaimed. To make matters worse, horrifying creatures had begun stalking
While Teotihuacán flourished they were protected by that through the streets of Huaxyacac, slaughtering the invaders
mighty empire, and turned back to the gods. But Tlaltecuhtli without mercy. Finally, when Itztli gave up on attempting to
did not forget the bargains that they had betrayed, and once demolish the site, the mysterious maladies ceased. He has since
Teotihuacán could not protect them he smote down their places contented himself with attempting to overshadow these ruined
of power. monuments with his own construction.
Even without a powerful empire, however, the Mixtecs Outside the Huaxyacac valley, the terrain changes.
and Zapotecs are far from helpless. The cities in this area tend to Dark things lurk in the mountains; ancient minions of
be smaller, but very well defended, and the cities of the Zapotecs Tlaltecuhtli that were never expunged after the reclamation
especially are often guarded by mountainside fortresses of of Teotihuacán and monsters of Mictlan that crawl out of the
basalt stone. Indeed, though Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina first many caves. Every mountain storm brings with it Tlaloque, the
conquered much of the area, the southernmost cities along the mischievous servants of Tlaloc, who cause havoc if they are not
Pacific coast maintained their independence from the Triple appeased with the blood of children on the appropriate days.
Alliance and were not conquered until long after the foundation Countless ruins dot the mountains, ruins of settlements whose
of the Aztec Empire. Although there are few major cities in the people starved to death, or who moved to better ground, or who
area besides Huaxyacac itself, the mountains are dotted with were wiped out by mysterious and sinister forces.
independent settlements. After the Spanish arrived, this proved Of special significance is the mountain city of Mitla,
advantageous because smallpox and the other Spanish-borne built on the eastern edge of the Tlacolula valley, almost thirty

70
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Huaxyacac – The Facts
Despite having been continually inhabited since the days
of Teotihuacán, in many ways Huaxyacac is as dangerous
and barbaric as the northern deserts. The region is centered
around the Mexican province of Oaxaca in our world,
down to the Sierra Madre del Sur along the Pacific Coast,
and brushes against the Trans-Mexican Volcano Belt to the
north. The early Mixtecs and Zapotecs did indeed make
bargains with the forces of Tlaltecuhtli in order to survive,
and for a time the region was ruled by the Tzitzimime. The
Tzitzimime intended to use Huaxyacac as a base to crush
Teotihuacán and destroy the upstart Aztec gods, but this was
not to be. The Tzitzimime squabbled amongst themselves
while the Teotihuacanos were united under the gods. Aided
by Mixtecs and Zapotecs who remembered their gods, the
brief city-states of the Tzitzimime fell. But the Tzitzimime
caves beneath the city. Worship of Huitzilopochtli is on the
rise thanks to the tireless temple-building of Tlatoani Itztli.
There remain diabolicals in the mountains,
remnants of the dark pacts of an earlier age. These servants
of Tlaltecuhtli often gather cults around them. The Order
of the Feathered Serpent seeks to stamp this blasphemy out
wherever it can, but in such isolated, mountainous terrain it
is far too easy for infernal cults to hide.
Witch Hunters
Mitla contains a house of the Order of the Feathered Serpent,
staffed at all times by warriors of that Order, to protect
against the dark things that still rumble in the caves beneath
the earth. This is one of the few places where the Order
of the Feathered Serpent has no qualms against fighting

The Aztec World

were not destroyed. One of the most powerful Tzitzimime monsters tied to the Aztec gods, though this is merely out of
eventually traveled east to plague the southern Maya, but necessity since the mad creatures of the dead seek nothing
most fled into the mountains where they still lurk. The but to rend and kill. The Feathered Serpents regularly patrol
forests here have grown thick and twisted, and repel attempts the region as well, seeking out diabolical cults and other
to cultivate them for food. The creatures here are dark. This monsters from ancient times. Because they are so clearly
is one of the few places in Mexico where a Witch Hunter is defenders of the people, the Order of the Feathered Serpent
likely to encounter a true demon. has a great deal of support from the grateful Aztecs whose
Itztli is the only Tlatoani of a Huey Altepetl who is lives they regularly save.
not a Child of Motecuhzoma. Itztli has been promised that The Jade Skirt society has but a single major center
if he successfully subdues the region he will be transformed, in the area, a temple to Chalchiúhtlicue on the Atoyac
and he is eager to do so. What he has not been told is that, River. Although there are other minor shrines and temples
between the death of the Tlatoani at the hands of Zapotec to Chalchiúhtlicue in the region, there is not a significant
nationalists in 1655 and Itztli’s own ascension to the position Jade Skirt presence elsewhere. Huaxyacac itself maintains
in 1684, five more Tlatoani, all Children of Motecuhzoma, Jade Skirt agents mostly among the Pochteca.
were slain by mysterious and likely supernatural means. It might be expected that the Disciples of Indian
There is a power in Huaxyacac that is keeping the Children Jerusalem would be able to flourish among the small,
of Motecuhzoma out. Motecuhzoma wants to find out what isolated settlements of Huaxyacac, but nothing is further
that power is, and either subdue it or destroy it, and he is from the truth. Aztec indoctrination has taken hold here,

of
relying on Itztli’s ambition to do so. and the people tend to turn the Disciples in for blasphemy
The Zapotec uprising of 1655 was put down with wherever they are found. Outside the settlements it is even

such ferocity that there is no true remaining danger of
rebellion from mortal sources. Although the settlements of
the area tend to be small, their isolation has lessened thanks
to the superior infrastructure of the Aztec Empire, and now
they are being taught in Aztec schools. Already isolated from
each other, Mixtec and Zapotec cultural ties have all but
completely vanished under the Aztec regime.
Religion
The Aztecs know that caves and volcanic calderas are
entrances to Mictlan. There are caves aplenty in the
mountains, and to the north are volcanos that burst and
belch fire. Thus it is the worship of Mictlantecuhtli and
his wife that is most prominent here, second only to the
worship of Tlaloc, whose storms nurture the few crops eked
out in the mountains. In addition Quetzalcoatl is given
great honor in Mitla as the hero who sealed up the dark
1690
worse, for despite being enemies of the Aztec gods, the
diabolical creatures in the mountains seem to be even fiercer
enemies of the Disciples.
International Relations
Huaxyacac itself is a major trade hub, a way station between
Tikál and Tenochtitlán. However its position in the Empire
means that almost all its trade is from other Aztecs. It is too
far to the south to deal with the French or other willing
Europeans, and too far to the east to have a significant
Chinese presence. However trade with the rest of the Empire
is brisk. Itztli has begun importing foodstuffs, hoping to
increase the population of the various mountain settlements
in the region, and in return he exports stone, lumber, and
exotic Mixtec and Zapotec artwork, the last remnants of
those cultures.

71
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Tlahuanapa
To the east of Tenochtitlán mountains rise up, only to plummet
before they reach the Gulf of Mexico. This is the Tlahuanapa
Huey Altepetl, once home to the Spanish colony of Veracruz,
conquered from the Spanish by the Aztecs in 1550. For 140
years this land has been under unbroken Aztec dominion,
and yet still it remains the most downtrodden and rebellion-
prone region in the Aztec Empire. The native Totonacs to
the south and Huastecs to the north are proud people. The
Totonacs claim that they, not the Toltecs, were the descendents
of the original Teotihuacanos, and they dared to ally with the
Spanish against the Triple Alliance when Cortéz first landed at
Veracruz, which won them no sympathy from their eventual
conquerors. When the Aztecs fell upon them the Spanish were
mercilessly slaughtered, but that was not enough. Filled with
murderous rage, Cuetlacheztli, the Tlacochcalcatl at the time,
purged not only the Spanish but also all the Mestizos, people
1690

of mixed Spanish and native blood, that he could find. Men,

women and children of mixed blood were slaughtered, not as
sacrifices like the Spanish, but as abominations cut down in
the street and tossed aside, without a proper burial. He razed
of

Veracruz, the Spanish settlement, to the ground, and sacrificed

every living soul found within. When Motecuhzoma rewarded
miles east of Huaxyacac. The city was built atop ancient ruins the butcher Cuetlacheztli by transforming him into a Child of
The Aztec World

as a fortress, but not a physical one. No, it is spiritual terrors Motecuhzoma, and setting him as Tlatoani of the new Huey
that this city defends against, and the terrors come not from Altepetl of Tlahuanapa, the stage was set for rebellion.
without, but from within. Mitla is built upon a vast cavern The Totonacs and Huastecs have never submitted to
complex, one that stretches down into Mictlan itself. It is said the Aztecs, not for a hundred and forty years. Their children are
that the caves are the very audience chamber of Mictlantecuhtli, taught in the telpochcallis to be Aztecs, and then their parents
and that those who die within the caves will return as horrible teach them to hate the Aztecs and thrill them with stories of
skeletons to wreak havoc in the name of the Lord of Death. Totonac and Huastec heroes, along with Cortéz, the great servant
Yet terror is not confined to those who venture within. In the of Quetzalcoatl from across the sea. Tlatoani Cuetlacheztli
dark nights of the past, monsters spewed forth to devour life. sought to take children away from their parents, to be educated
It is said that in ancient times Quetzalcoatl himself led a band separately, only to discover that not a single Totonac or Huastec
of mighty warriors, and they sealed the caves by building a teacher could be trusted. Even if taught by Aztecs the children
mighty temple to Mictlantecuhtli and his wife Mictecacihuatl would be subverted by everyone around them. Enraged, bloody
where the dread lord and his servants could be appeased and Cuetlacheztli has been sacrificing Totonacs and Huastecs left
turned away before they entered the physical world. Since that and right, but this only steels their resolve, for they believe that
time the temple has always been maintained. In 1655 Zapotec death in sacrificial fires sends their souls to paradise. For each
nationalists, rebelling against their Aztec masters, infiltrated the temple the Aztecs raise to Huitzilopochtli, shrines to ancient
priesthood of Mictlantecuhtli and his consort. They ceased all Totonac and Huastec versions of the gods spring up in secluded
worship of the dread lord and took up arms against the Aztecs. homes, worshipped in secret by the rebellion. An enduring
This would prove to be a horrible mistake. With a howl and a belief among the Totonacs and Huastecs is Quetzalcoatl as a
raging darkness the spirits and bodies of the dead poured from thunder god, usurping Tlaloc’s position in the pantheon. They
the underworld. No longer checked by blood sacrifices, no describe Quetzalcoatl in the form of a large, bearded white man,
longer appeased, they stormed over the mountains and overran no doubt to link him with Cortéz and the Spanish, and they
Huaxyacac, slaying the Tlatoani of the time. The undead horde claim too that he is a war god who empowers them in battle,
then turned its attention north, but they were met by the and rains down lightning on their foes.
Quetzal Warriors and priests of Mictlantecuhtli who appeased
those spirits they could, and destroyed the rest. The temple This rebellion is aided by the Huey Altepetl’s position.
was rededicated to Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl, and Tlahuanapa has become a center for trade with the French, and
the Zapotec rebels were sacrificed to appease the underworld. occasionally other European nations, due to its position on the
Although Itztli has renovated the temples of Mitla to have a Gulf of Mexico. While the French, for the most part, are only
more Aztec appearance, he has done so with more caution than interested in becoming rich off Aztec gold and jade, the Jesuits
he usually shows, and only after consulting the High Priest of have used this opportunity to smuggle agents into the territory.
Mictlantecuhtli. They have had little to no success spreading Christianity in this
land, but they have smuggled provisions and equipment to the
rebellion. This plan, however, may soon backfire. Motecuhzoma

72
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Tlahuanapa – The Facts
Tlahuanapa is a Huey Altepetl on the brink of great change.
This province covers the area east of the Sierra Madre Oriental
mountain range, stretching to the middle of the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec. Technically there is no northern border to this
province, though practically the Aztecs have little power
north of modern-day Tampico. The city of Tlahuanapa itself
is immediately adjacent to the now-destroyed Spanish colony
of Veracruz. While it is unlikely, perhaps even impossible for
the native rebellion against the Aztecs to succeed without
outside support, Tlatoani Cuetlacheztli grows more and
more unstable with each passing day of his long reign.
Motecuhzoma has only allowed Cuetlacheztli to remain
because of the fierce loyalty the soldiers have toward him.
The region’s strategic position on the Gulf of Mexico makes
the territory vital for the Empire, so if Cuetlacheztli cannot
Religion
The Aztecs of the area worship Huitzilopochtli, of course,
but also Tlaloc and Chalchiúhtlicue. Chalchiúhtlicue is
worshipped for her sway over oceans, so very important
for the coastal Huey Altepetl; while a priest of Tlaloc is
present on every major ship in the Aztec navy, to sway his
god to grant them favorable weather and to call up storms
to smite their enemies. Quetzalcoatl is given much respect
in the southeastern region of the former Olmec tribe,
where Quetzalcoatl as a hero led early man to victory in the
reclamation of Teotihuacán.
The Totonacs and Huastecs, on the other hand,
worship differently. Their worship is more tribal, focused less
on blood sacrifice and more on household shrines, and simple
ceremonies that can be carried out in secret. They chiefly

The Aztec World

subdue the rebellion soon, Motecuhzoma intends to arrange
for a fatal accident to befall the Tlatoani.
Cuetlacheztli, however, has a plan. He knows the
French merchants, mostly at the behest of the Jesuits, have
been smuggling supplies to the rebellion. He has intercepted,
among other things, the first copies of the Bible in Nahuatl.
In studying this text he has found inspiration in the character
of the Assyrians, one-time invaders of Israel, who scattered
the tribes throughout their empire in a great diaspora, thus
destroying their culture. In secret he and his closest advisors
have been working up plans to do that to the Totonacs,
dispersing them throughout the Aztec Empire and bringing in
loyal Aztecs to replace them. He has yet to tell Motecuhzoma
of this plan, for fear that the Huey Tlatoani will not like
the idea of rebellious natives being scattered throughout his
Empire, where they might cause more trouble.
Meanwhile the Chinese have been hard at work
follow Quetzalcoatl, who has become an amalgamation of
Quetzalcoatl, Ehecatl, and Tlaloc. As a storm god, so they
say, Quetzalcoatl sent white explorers to them, and they
consider Cortéz to be Quetzalcoatl’s herald, sent to announce
his swift return. They also worship a being they call the All
Father, which bears many similarities to the Christian God,
and some similarities to the Aztec concept of the Duality.
Witch Hunters
The proximity to the Gulf of Mexico means there are many
temples to Chalchiúhtlicue in the area. That, coupled with
the thriving Tlahuanapa market with its many Pochteca,
have made Tlahuanapa Huey Altepetl a fertile ground for
the Jade Skirt society. The Jade Skirt Society is ever-vigilant
here. Legend among these Witch Hunters tells of a beast,
a beast that fell from the stars to the earth. It is said that
it slaughtered countless beings when it struck, and created
the Gulf of Mexico with the force of its impact. Since then

of
improving the Aztec navy. They do not intend to reveal all
their secrets to the Aztecs. After all one day the Aztecs and Chalchiúhtlicue, and the Jade Skirt Society, have kept
the Chinese may not be allies, and on that day the Chinese careful watch over the Gulf, and the sea monsters rumored

1690
intend to win all battles. But they have shared some of their to dwell there.
secrets, and while Aztec ships are slower and generally less The Order of the Feathered Serpent has tried to
maneuverable than European ships, ship-board Aztec blood make inroads amongst the Totonacs and Huastecs, using
mages can unleash devastating attacks, and call up storms to their worship of Quetzalcoatl to find common ground. This
destroy their enemies. has, thus far, been an abysmal failure. A half dozen Witch
Although the Aztecs are preoccupied with the Hunters, lured by lies into a meeting with a local leader
Totonac and Huastec rebels, there are other forces stirring in of the Totonac rebellion, were ambushed and slaughtered.
the land of the Olmecs in the southeast of the province. In Since then they have been cautious, and since there are few
ancient times the refugees from Teotihuacán built powerful attacks by minions of Tlaltecuhtli here they have mostly
supernatural defenses against outsiders. While the Aztecs stayed away. They do, however, have a presence to the north,
like to claim they are descendents of these ancient people, where they are instrumental in pushing the borders of the
their blood, if it was ever shared at all, has been diluted Aztec Empire and dealing with the monsters that lurk in the
through the millennia. It has taken a long time, but the wilderness.
ancient defenses are beginning to stir. Great stone heads, The Disciples of Indian Jerusalem find Tlahuanapa
now without their bodies, are beginning to awaken. Powerful a contradiction. On the one hand, the Totonacs and
spells against darkness are once again glimmering to life. Huastecs cling to their beliefs, and are unwilling to hear
While the area covered by these defenses is small, it could the Christian word of the Disciples. On the other hand,
still cause incalculable trouble for Motecuhzoma’s empire. they have often hidden and supported the Disciples simply

73
William Tauzin (order #3164905)

because the Aztecs wish the Disciples dead. Because of
this, the Disciples are found in greater numbers here than
anywhere else besides Yucatán. Recently the Disciples
attempted to make contact with European Witch
Hunters, smuggling a message out with a sympathetic
French merchant. The message is being considered by
the Court of Whispers, which argues bitterly whether
the benefit of making contact with Witch Hunters in the
Aztec Empire is worth the risk of revealing the threat of
Witch Hunters to the Empire at large.
International Relations
Tlahuanapa remains the last point of contact between
the Aztecs and Europe. Europeans are discouraged
from traveling to Yucatán, but merchants, especially the
1690
Of note is southeastern Tlahuanapa, a land revered in
Aztec history as the site of the first civilization after the minions
of Tlaltecuhtli forced the children of maize to flee Teotihuacán.
This civilization, in the land once inhabited by the Olmec people,
left behind ruins, including great stone heads that, it is said, were
guardians. There are ancient magics throughout the place. Tales
abound of the stone heads coming to life and terrorizing Aztecs,
or speaking in a strange, garbled tongue. Thus far Cuetlacheztli
has dismissed such tales as rumor, or else tricks by the rebels.
However if these ancient ruins are stirring it could prove a far
greater problem for the bloody Tlatoani than any natives.
While the rebellion shows no signs of ebbing, it would
be a mistake to think this province will soon escape Aztec
rule. Cuetlacheztli has been Tlatoani for longer than any other
Tlatoani of a Huey Altepetl, and he has done so by controlling
the region with an iron fist despite the troubles. Without fail
each of the natives’ more ambitious attempts at freeing their

French, are welcome in Tlahuanapa. Here the Pochteca
bring their finest works of jade, gold, and quetzal, and
they trade them for European firearms and café, which
is quickly becoming a delicacy to rival chocolotl. The
of
people has ended in disaster and a fresh crop of sacrifices for
Aztec altars. Yet with each defeat, with each bloody retribution
Tlatoani Cuetlacheztli takes from them, their resolve to oppose
their conquerors becomes stronger. I can only speculate how

European merchant is warned, however, not to leave the long their spirit may continue, but until it fails this province
harbor. Any white man found outside the harbor and is our best opportunity for defeating the Aztecs. European
adjacent market is captured and sacrificed, not only support, along with magi to counter the Aztec blood magic,
The Aztec World

because they are invaders, but because the Aztecs do not might be just the edge they need. When Crusade comes, it shall
want the Europeans getting wind of how rebellious the begin in Tlahuanapa.
area truly is.

cannot afford to stop trading with the French, but both

Motecuhzoma and Cuetlacheztli know that French Christians
Huitziltlan
are using the merchants to trade with the rebellion. There has Huitziltlan echoes Tenochtitlán in form and style more than any
been talk of repercussions. Though just what the Aztecs, who other city in the Empire. Indeed, walking through its streets,
have little in the way of a navy, can do to the French is unknown. past its pyramids and temples, one would feel certain that this
city was settled by the Mexica. That is deliberate, for the Aztecs
Although the Aztecs have nothing even approaching have no intention of allowing anyone to remember their long
the formidable European ships, what they do have is harbored enemies, the Tarascans. Of all the native people of the Empire,
in the coastal cities of Atzaccan, Cempohuallan, and Tochpan only the Tarascans and the Maya resisted conquest until after
along the Gulf Coast in this province. These ships show a the defeat of Cortéz. For the Maya this was merely a matter of
decidedly Chinese design. Indeed, Tlahuanapa itself has a distance, and nothing else. For the Tarascans, however, there is
small population of Chinese shipbuilders who are advising the no such excuse. The Tarascans consistently defeated the forces of
Aztecs on the construction of their navy. This is viewed as a the Triple Alliance, using the advantages of their mountainous
very ominous development by the Europeans of the Caribbean. home and their metal weaponry to counteract Aztec blood
While the Aztecs have not attacked any major Caribbean ports magic. The Aztecs never forgave them. When the Tarascan
yet, ships that dare venture close to the mainland rarely return. city of Tzintzuntzan finally fell, they burned the city and tore
Their destruction is often accompanied by great storms, most down the Tarascan structures. In its place they constructed
likely summoned up by priests of Tlaloc. Huitziltlán, named for Huitzilopochtli, and made it the center
Although the Aztecs have begun expanding north of the Huitziltlán Huey Altepetl.
of Huastec territory, their inability to keep Tlahuanapa Huey The region stretches across the traditional land of the
Altepetl under control, coupled with the mountainous terrain Tarascans, from Lake Cuitzeo west across the mountains to the
and the predations of the barbarians who still roam the northern Pacific, south to the Balsas River, and north to the land of the
lands, have made this a slow process. Tlatoani Cuetlacheztli Zacatecas. The region is best known for its rich mining, with
has heard of a great river to the north, beyond which the land veins of silver, gold, copper, iron, and other minerals found in
stretches east over the ocean. He intends to colonize this land, the mountains. Huitziltlán itself is home to a vast foundry, and
and he does not intend to let rebellious natives stop him. not only is a primary producer of gold and silver decorations, but
Obviously the land he speaks of must lie west of Nouvelle- is also one of the few places where Aztecs create steel weapons
Orleans, and any such colonization would put the Aztecs right and armor. Huitziltlán also produces most of the firearms found
on the doorstep of Christendom. throughout the Empire.

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Huitziltlan – The Facts The Chinese follow a mixture of religions in
Yingzhou, primarily Buddhism and Taoism, though native
The Tarascans are a proud people, and they would do gods such as Shou Xing, Mazu, and Shangdi are also
anything to be free of the Aztecs – including make a deal worshipped freely.
with the Adversary. By disguising himself as the tribal fire
god Curicaueri a powerful demon has made contact with
Tarascan rebels at Lake Pátzcuaro. He has presented himself Witch Hunters
as a war god who will lead the Tarascans to victory. He has
proven himself by guiding the Tarascans to an underground The Quetzal Warriors wish to expand into this province, but
cave system, where he has taught them Diabolism and thus far Tlatoani Milintiyaotl has shown deference to his
Witchcraft. These practices are slowly spreading among the Fire Warriors above all else, and has shown no desire to allow
Tarascans, who have been told by Curicaueri to keep their any of the other peasant orders to expand their presence,
new powers secret until they have grown stronger. which is unfortunate considering the rise of infernal cults
in the area. Likewise worship of Chalchiúhtlicue is limited,
Meanwhile the Child of Motecuhzoma who for the most part, to the small lakes and rivers, and thus
controls Huitziltlan, Milintiyaotl, has alienated most of the while the Jade Skirt Society has some presence thanks to
priesthood with his obsession with steel and gunpowder. their infiltration of the flourishing Pochteca, they have no

The Aztec World

Aztec blood magic does not affect steel weapons as it does true base of operations in the region.
obsidian. But protests against his policies have fallen on
deaf ears. Although a visionary, Milintiyaotl is politically The Disciples of Indian Jerusalem, on the other
unskilled, and would surely have fallen to political intrigues hand, flourish in Huitziltlán. In the city itself they are all
by now if not for the support of the Pochteca, who have but non-existent, but the Tarascan natives have a policy
profited greatly by Milintiyaotl’s generous policies regarding of supporting any who stand against the Aztecs. Thus the
Huitziltlán’s mineral bounty. The Pochteca maintain the Disciples have found a support network in the smaller
balance of power in favor of the Tlatoani, but the kindness villages of the region. Some Tarascans have even converted
of merchants is fickle and must be constantly bought with to the Disciples’ hybrid version of Christianity, especially in
favors. Huitziltlán is one of the richest Huey Altepetls in recent years as the Disciples have learned more about their
the Empire, and there is no shortage of Aztecs who desire adopted faith and its history. In particular the Tarascans
Milintiyaotl’s position. feel a kinship with tales of Christian persecution under the
Romans. The Disciples know of the cult of Curicaueri, and
The streets of Yingzhou are like another world consider them allies against the Aztecs. Of course, if they
entirely. Here Chinese architecture and culture rules. The knew the true nature of the cult their sentiments would be
temples and priests could not be more different than their quite different.
Aztec counterparts. Chinese magic is practiced freely here,
and the complex interplay between Animism, Prayer,
Witchcraft, and even Diabolism creates a blend of power all
International Relations

of
but unknown to the rest of the world.
Gold, silver, and other precious metals are useful to the
Aztecs, but are not held in such esteem as they are in Europe.

1690
Religion Thus Huitziltlán has a vested interest in expanding trade
routes with Europeans, who pay handsomely for Huitziltlán
The Aztecs of the region are primarily devoted to gold and silver. Within the Empire itself, Huitziltlán has
Huitzilopochtli, though the high mountains also encourage become the major supplier of weapons and armor to the
worship of Tlaloc, while Xiuhtecuhtli, god of fire, is also Empire. Even though the Aztec armies are slow to adopt
worshipped by many weapons manufacturers as the god of steel and gunpowder, the south of the region contains many
gunpowder and forging. Among the native Tarascans, Tlaloc volcanic rocks, allowing Huitziltlan to also become the
is the most frequently worshipped in public, though the premier manufacturer of traditional obsidian weapons. This,
diabolical cult of Curicaueri continues to gain adherents. In coupled with a Tlatoani who encourages open trade with
the northern reaches of the region the Chichimec nomads the rest of the Empire, has led to the Pochteca of Huitziltlán
roam. Their traveling lifestyle prohibits formal worship at becoming very rich indeed.
temples as the Aztecs do, and their religions are usually
mishmashes of household gods, with some tribes showing
favor to Coyolxauhqui, the moon goddess.

75
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 While Huitziltlán is
almost entirely inhabited by
transplanted Aztecs, the villages
surrounding are often populated
by indigenous Tarascans. These are
a hardy people. Aztec oppression
has only refined them and driven
their culture underground. Any
sign of Tarascan culture is illegal,
but the people still practice their
ancient traditions and religion
in secret. There is a lake called
Pátzcuaro where the veil that
separates this world from the
Invisible World is thin, and
the natives often summon up
creatures here to wreak havoc
within the Aztec Empire. While
1690

this may seem like something

that works to our advantage, these
creatures are often allied with the
Adversary. There are also tales that
of

Chicomoztoc, the ancient cavern

homeland of the Aztec tribes, is actually found just south of Culiacán
Zacatlan, and the Aztecs only claim that it is further north The Huey Altepetl of Culiacán is both the newest, and the
The Aztec World

because the caverns of Zacatlan have been seized by rebellious largest, in the Empire. Originally part of the Huitziltlán Huey
Tarascans, who defend it with the great magics native to Altepetl, which like Tlahuanapa originally had no northern
the cavern. The Aztecs deny that these rebels exist, but they border, this region is the location of all but one of the Chinese
maintain military presence outside the caves in an attempt to colonies in the Aztec Empire. The exception is the original
capture any who leave its protection. colony of Yingzhou. The Chinese were instrumental in pushing
the Aztecs to explore further north, as the northern coasts were
The Tlatoani of Huitziltlán, Milintiyaotl, is a warrior at far more accessible from Chinese latitudes.
heart. He has created a small order of warriors, whom he boldly
calls the Fire Warriors. They are outfitted with Aztec muskets Motecuhzoma resisted them until after the Tarascans
and metal swords cast in the Chinese style. While the order were fully defeated, but in the mid-16th century he established
remains small, as most Aztecs still prefer the traditional obsidian the city of Culicán; at that time it was the farthest north the
weaponry, the Tlatoani has ensured that they are given the finest Aztecs had ever ventured. From Culicán, Motecuhzoma sent
equipment and training. Milintiyaotl believes that gunpowder out explorers, along with Chinese advisors and mapmakers,
and steel are the future, and during his reign he has overseen an on his own voyages of discovery. The greatest of these was
expansion of the forges of Huitziltlán. Motecuhzoma indulges Inomayolcahua, who sought out Chicomoztoc, the ancient
his distant cousin, so long as Huitziltlán does not burst into cavern from which the tribes of the Aztec Empire emerged. He
open revolt, which seems unlikely given the caution and secrecy traveled far to the north and met many strange tribes of Indians,
of the Tarascans. including the Ndee, the Dine’e, the Hopi, the Numinu, the
Tsitsistas, the Gaigwu, the Kanza, the Niukonska, and many
Of special note is the Chinese colony of Yingzhou, others. Sadly he died on the return journey, slain by Ndee
located on the Pacific coast near the northern border of warriors, and he never discovered the object of his expedition.
Huitziltlán Huey Altepetl. This is the largest of the Chinese
colonies, and remains the main port for ships from China Later expeditions, in conjunction with the Chinese,
coming to the Aztec Empire, though as the northern colonies of held to the Pacific coast and did not turn inland as Inomayolcahua
Culiacán become larger that will likely change. The Chinese are had. The Chinese had been exploring the Pacific coast on their
granted special permission by Motecuhzoma to practice their own since the first foundation of Yingzhou. The area is wild
own culture and religion within the bounds of their colony, so frontier, populated by fierce Indian tribes who are no more
long as they do not attempt to teach this blasphemy to Aztecs. accepting of Aztec incursions than the fiercer tribes of the east
As such Yingzhou is very much a nation unto itself, with its are to Christians. Tales are told of monsters who walk as men,
Tlatoani, Jiang He, keeping many secrets. Tlatoani Milintiyaotl of tribal spirits who protect their warriors, and although the
does not object, however, because of the assistance the Chinese Aztecs have won every straightforward clash with these natives
have given him on his military projects. the natives are clever, and know the terrain, and their sneak
attacks have been devastating to Aztec colonies. The Culiacán
Huey Altepetl was not separated from Huitziltlán until 1689,
and Culiacán’s new Tlatoani Quetzalxipilli has thus far sought

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Culiacán – The Facts
The Aztecs have settled a region as far north as southern
California and Arizona in our world. They have explored
a much vaster territory, from the California coast all the
way east to Kansas. Four major Chinese colonies have
been planted here, from Teteotlán near our-world Los
Angeles, two on Baja California, and one at the site of
modern-day Mazatlan. Tlatoani Quetzalxipilli is an odd
choice for this region, being a former warrior of some
renown before becoming a Child of Motecuhzoma, and
being noted for his caution. He is less likely to recklessly
expand the Aztec Empire, and more likely to ensure that
the Empire is defensible. In the face of hostile natives
and strange supernatural threats he has been discouraging
further exploration, instead focusing on consolidating the
territory the Aztecs already possess. Though this has made
him no friends among the Chinese and the Pochteca, who
both advocate exploration and expansion, it has earned him
respect from the warriors on the front lines. They have seen
what horrors await them in this new land, and they do not
wish to charge forward to their own doom.
Religion
On the frontier no particular Aztec god has gained
prominence. Each colony chooses its own patrons based on
their particular desires. The most vocal advocates for Aztec
expansion are, of course, the greedy Pochteca. As they have
poured into the new Huey Altepetl seeking their fortune
they have brought with them the worship of the merchant
god Yacatecuhtli. In addition the cult of Xipe Totec has sent
many of its monstrous agents, the terrifying Flayed Ones,
in and amongst the native tribes of this area and beyond. As
such the cult of Xipe Totec maintains a number of temples
in the far north of this province. From there they coordinate
the efforts of their undercover agents.
In the Chinese colonies it is legal for the Chinese to
continue the worship of their own deities and practice their
own culture. These cities, as well as the Chinese quarter of
Teteotlán, are alien to the Aztecs, filled with strange rituals
and beliefs, and strange monsters and spirits summoned up
by Chinese sorcerers.
Although most contact with the native tribes of
the north have been hostile, Indian slaves often continue
following their ancient tribal beliefs in secret, or weaving
them into the enforced Aztec religion. While this would
never be tolerated in the heart of the Empire, on the frontier
it is not unheard of for a temple to adopt certain native
beliefs, especially those temples that regularly encounter theshould not be overlooked is sacrifices. With the mysterious
supernatural horrors of the region.
Witch Hunters
The Quetzal Warriors are found throughout this area,
serving in the Aztec army along with their fellows. There are
new supernatural threats here, and the Quetzal Warriors are
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
on hand to defeat them. They also watch warily the Chinese
colonies, with their strange beliefs and stranger creatures,
and they wonder if the Chinese magic they have seen is not
a gift from the evil Tlaltecuhtli. There are many among the
northern Indians who worship the Adversary, but there are
also Indian Witch Hunters, fighting on the side of right.
This has caused great consternation among the Quetzal
Warriors, who dislike being put in a position of attacking
their fellow Witch Hunters. This hesitancy for battle has, in
turn, harmed their reputation. And while no warrior order
would ever be insulted to their face, the Quetzal Warriors
are simply not given the support and choice honors of the
other warrior orders in this land. On the other hand, when
the supernatural horrors of the Adversary do appear the
Quetzal Warriors are the best equipped to defeat them, and
gain great honor in doing so.
The Aztec World
The Jade Skirt society has begun moving into this
area, but they are an order of established cities, not of the
frontier. While they do travel with the Pochteca, and are
supported by the Temples of Chalchiúhtlicue that spring up
with regularity on the Pacific coast, they do not have their
normal information network in place yet.
The Disciples of Indian Jerusalem at first looked
upon this new frontier as a boon, for here Aztec society is
not as rigid, and thus they are less likely to be discovered.
However, this Order more than any other is trained to
deal with internal threats, and most of the threats found in
Culiacán are external. While Culiacán can provide needed
respite for this oppressed order, it does not forward their
mission, and thus does not have a very organized presence
of Disciples.
International Relations
The northern lands hold many exotic commodities found
of
nowhere else in the Aztec Empire, since the lush soil is
far more suited to agriculture than the mountains of the
1690
southeast. The Pochteca are eager to expand further into this
territory, anticipating great profits once they do so. As the
Chinese colonies become more firmly established, they are
also becoming the preferred ports for ships from China, and
it is likely that within the next decade nearly all Chinese
ships will arrive in Culiacán Huey Altepetl. Teteotlán itself
was designed as a port city, and though trade routes are
not yet firmly established it is anticipated that it will soon
become the major trade hub between the Aztec Empire and
China.
Another precious commodity of this region that
Empire of the Sun blocking Aztec expansion south, the
Indian tribes bordering Culiacán Huey Altepetl have
become the primary targets of Aztec flower wars. This has
only increased the already aggressive tribes’ hatred, and
has led to common Indian attacks and massacres of Aztec
colonies along the frontier.
77
 to consolidate his existing holdings. The Aztec and Chinese
colonies inhabit a long, thin strip up the Pacific coast. Their
extended border makes them very vulnerable to native raids.
The northernmost major colony is the joint Aztec and Chinese
city of Teteotlán, the City of Gods.
There are many strange legends to be found on the
frontier, including those of the trickster Kokopelli, who play
their flutes, make crops and women fertile, and leave their
victims destitute and weeping, as well as a wide variety of
talking animals, many of enormous size and deadly intent. Now
that Yucatán is conquered it is all but certain that the Aztecs
will turn their attention here. Its importance should not be
underestimated. Although we do not know for certain where
this northern extent, called by local tribes Kali Forno, may lie,
it is presumably west of the southerly American colonies. As
Christian colonies move slowly west, we should be aware that
we may find the Aztecs waiting for us.
1690
This remains new territory, the bold Aztec frontier,
and as such it has become a magnet for those who are dissatisfied
with the rigid caste system of Aztec cities. While they have
found new freedom at the edges of civilization, Tlatoani
of
Quetzalxipilli has no tolerance for rebellion. It has enacted
harsh measures against colonies that have slid into dissolute and
uncouth behavior. It remains to be seen whether the Tlatoani’s
The Aztec World
obsession with discipline and order will tame the frontier or
lead to rebellion among his people.
Tikál
By 1640 the Aztecs had swept the forces of the Adversary from
the lands of the Southern Maya as far as the ancient Mayan
ruins of Tikál. This placed them right at the door of Spanish
dominated Yucatán. Although they would not finally drive us
from Yucatán for another half century, the territory they had
already conquered extended beyond the comfortable reach of
Tenochtitlán. Thus in 1643 the Motecuhzoma placed the former
Mayan lands, as well as all regions to the southeast, under the simultaneously fascinated by the Mayans and paranoid of his
leadership of the Tlatoani of the rebuilt Tikál, forming the Tikál fellow Aztecs. In this last he has good reason to be, for Necalli
Huey Altepetl.
Unlike the Tarascans, Mixtecs, Zapotecs, Huastecs,
and Totonacs, the Mayans had not remained independent
from the Aztecs due to military might or rebellion, but rather
due to practical concerns. Prior to the reformation of the
Triple Alliance into the Aztec Empire it was impossible for
Tenochtitlán to properly control lands so far away. In addition,
by the time the Aztec armies arrived the Spanish had already
conquered the Maya. Because of this the ancient Mayan ruins
are treated with respect by the Aztecs, who see them as fallen
brethren, much like they themselves might have been had they
not defeated Cortéz. Thus in Tikál, B’aak, Copán, Chichén Itzá,
and other ancient Mayan cities the temples and ruins have been
renovated rather than destroyed, and treated with great respect
even as they are adapted to Aztec culture and religion.
The Catholic structures of the Spanish, however, are
not shown such reverence. As of 1690, when we were forced to
flee Campeche, the Aztecs were gleefully destroying the basilicas
78
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
we had built, and the ancient Mayan temples were running
red with the blood of captured Spanish and half-breeds. News
from this area is unreliable due to the recent conquest, but it is
believed that the Christianized Maya, of whom there were many,
have fled underground, on pain of sacrifice if they are caught.
Tikál itself is a fortress, built into an armed camp in
preparation for 1689 invasion, and its fortifications remain
today. The ancient and massive temple structures have been
renovated in the Aztec style, creating an exotic clash between
old and new stonework that makes Tikál a distinctive and
hauntingly beautiful location.
The Aztecs have subdued all natural threats in the
area, but the natural has never been the greatest danger of the
region. The thick jungles of Tikál Huey Altepetl hold many
secrets, and many monsters. The Southern Maya, in particular,
were all destroyed by a hideous demonic force. Although the
Quetzal Warriors were able to drive these demons southeast
to Guatemala, many dark servants still lurk in the southern
countryside. The Maya also practiced sacrifice within cenotes,
underground watery caverns beneath dank wells through which
human sacrifices would be dropped. The Aztecs found this
practice strange, and preferred their own methods of sacrifice,
only to discover as we Spanish did before them that dark things
lurked in the cenotes, not gods but neither men, and if not
satiated with blood they emerged to wreak havoc. The jungles
are further plagued by weird creatures such as the Camazotz, a
strange mingling of human and bat that lurks in the dark places
of the jungle. The Mayan farmers also venerate the Aluxob,
strange fairy-like spirits that can be summoned by building a
tiny house upon the land. They help a farmer’s crops grow for
seven years, after which time the farmer must seal up the house,
trapping the Alux inside. If they do not do this then the Alux
is free to cause mischief. The Aztec invasion disrupted many
such rituals, and destroyed many of the tiny houses, setting free
countless Aluxob to plague the region.
Tikál is ruled by Tlatoani Necalli, a creature who is
does not have the warrior reputation of most Tlatoani. His
stint in a pipiltin warrior order was quite unremarkable, and
he soon left the military to pursue politics. It has been rumored
that Yayauhqui, Tlacochcalcatl of the Empire, favors Tikál, in
part because he built the city to his military specifications before
leading the Aztecs to victory in Yucatán. Necalli fears, perhaps
rightly, that after his military career Yayauhqui will seek to
supplant him, and he knows that he does not have the reputation
or political support to stand against so popular a figure.
The Mayans are recently conquered, and as such
have not yet been indoctrinated by the Aztecs. Discontent and
rebellion are still rife in the area, but the Aztecs are hopeful. After
all, the Mayans were subdued by the Spanish, and sadly have
become used to being a conquered people. Necalli anticipates
that within a decade all major dissent in the area will cease, and
within a generation the Mayans will consider themselves Aztecs.
Only time will tell if he is correct, but a proper application
of Spanish influence could prolong the assimilation process
indefinitely.
 Tikál – The Facts
The outbreak of the Aluxob after the Aztec conquest has
become a major thorn in the Aztec’s side. Having been
summoned to ensure a fruitful crop, the many now-freed
Aluxob seem to take a perverse delight in destroying the
region’s agriculture. The Quetzal Warriors hunt down these
pests whenever possible, but like European fairies they are
stealthy and tricky beings. Nahualli have been called in to
assist with the problem, and they have been attempting to
develop new blood magic to counter the pests, but thus far
have been unsuccessful.
The Aluxob, however, are not the gravest threat to
Tikál. That would be Cobán, a small settlement in the region
the Mayans called Guatemala. Here there is a cave that,
according to the Mayans, leads down to Xibalba, the Mayan
word for the underworld of Mictlan. However, the Mayans
were wrong. This is not a portal to Xibalba, but instead is the
lair of the Camazotz, a great demonic bat that feasts upon
blood. The conquest of Yucatán has awakened this great beast,
and it now seeks to feed. Already several Aztec jungle colonies
have been destroyed with no survivors. Tlatoani Necalli
does not yet know what is causing the destruction, but he is
desperate to deal with it quietly lest he draw Motecuhzoma’s
ire.
The Tlatoani also has to deal with the stubbornness of
the warriors, who do not respect him as a leader. Of course no
warrior would deny an order from the Tlatoani, but there are
many small ways they can make his life more difficult. Necalli
has pleaded with the warrior houses to work with him, but
to no avail. The warrior houses know that Tikál is favored by
Tlacochcalcatl Yayauhqui, a descendent of Motecuhzoma and
a hero for his part in conquering Yucatán. Most warriors would
far prefer him as Tlatoani. They know that if the province is still
in disarray when Yayauhqui is ready to retire from the army it
will be that much easier for him to replace Necalli.
Religion
One of the great contributing factors to the Aztec tolerance
for Mayan culture is the belief that Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl,
the human form of the god who ruled the Toltec Empire,
traveled to Mayan lands after being expelled from Tollan and
ruled for a time before crossing the eastern sea. The city of
Chichén Itzá remains a great center of Quetzalcoatl worship,
and Quetzalcoatl worship is prevalent throughout the region.
In the south the Aztec gods are worshipped as they
are throughout the Empire. In Yucatán, however, the Mayans
must acclimate to the Aztec way of worship. They are showing
little resistance, as they were already a conquered people and
many treat the Aztecs as liberators, but the process will likely
take some time to complete. In the meantime, groups of
Mayans continue to worship the gods by their ancestral names,
in their ancestral ways, in secret. Officially this is blasphemy,
as the gods must be worshipped in the proper way, but the
Aztecs tend to turn a blind eye to this so long as the Mayans
are worshipping analogues of the Aztec deities.
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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
There remains an underground of Christianized
Maya who converted under Spanish rule. They have scriptures,
and an organized community. The arrival of the Aztecs have
forced them underground, and for the first time these Mayan
Christians are facing the cruel realities of persecution. Only
time will tell if this forges the movement into a Christian
underground, or destroys the movement entirely.
Witch Hunters
Two Witch Hunter orders consider Tikál Huey Altepetl to
be their base of operations: The Quetzal Warriors and the
Disciples of Indian Jerusalem. The Quetzal Warriors were
given the city of B’aak as a reward by Motecuhzoma for
their instrumental role in conquering the southern part of
the region. They have converted this into a secret training
ground, where they teach new Witch Hunters the arts of
The Aztec World
combat both physical and supernatural. They have many
hidden chambers in B’aak, and they keep the full extent of
their abilities hidden even from Motecuhzoma’s agents. Their
central location means their presence is felt throughout the
Tikál Huey Altepetl, which has proven most fortuitous given
the supernatural troubles of the region.
The Disciples of Indian Jerusalem found a
haven under Spanish rule, where they learned more about
Christianity and fully developed their hybrid religion. Now
that the Aztecs have conquered the region they support the
Christian underground, teaching their brethren the tricks they
have already learned while hiding within an oppressive society.
The Mayans, rarely sharing the Aztec’s hatred of Christians,
have been a great boon to the Order, but the future holds
difficult times for the Christians, and also for the Disciples.
The Jade Skirt Society is only recently making inroads
to the area. The newly conquered Yucatán especially is still too
tumultuous to contain much Jade Skirt presence. They do have
a presence in B’aak, however, with the more martial Jade Skirts
of
participating in training with the Quetzal Warriors.
1690
International Relations
Tikál is a region still settling after the recent conquest. The
stones of the temples are still stained red with the blood of
the Spanish, and it will be some time before trade routes are
fully established. Although the ancient Maya once had massive
trade networks, by the time of the Spanish conquest (and the
Aztec reconquest) the grand Mayan city-states were all but lost,
and most cities are subsistence farming communities. Thus the
Aztecs find themselves having to build trade routes from the
ground up. Once this is done, however, Tikál will be a haven of
luxury items, as the jungles are rich in such delicacies as macaw
and quetzal feathers, jade, and cacao beans.
It is quite likely that eventually Yucatán will serve
as a shipping point for trade with European merchants, and
perhaps as a second haven for the fledgling Aztec navy, but
until the region is fully organized the Aztecs are keeping
all ships away from the coast. Any vessels approaching are
quickly destroyed with blood magic.
 1690
of
The Aztec World
Elsewhere
The Spanish colony of Panama sits like a jewel, very tempting to
Motecuhzoma who no doubt wishes to be rid of the last Spanish
colony he knows of on the mainland. However the mysterious
Empire of the Sun has thus far thwarted all efforts by the Aztecs
to conquer the region, causing no end of frustration to the Huey
Tlatoani. The Aztecs sent their first naval expedition south
across the Pacific in an attempt to find the Empire of the Sun,
but the expedition never returned and are presumed lost. This
may be the same empire as the rumored Inka empire of gold
whispered of in Brasil, but that does little to solve the mystery.
To the north are more fertile grounds for Aztec
expansion. It is known that somewhere to the north and east
of the Aztec Empire lies the Christian colonies of the Grave
New World, but between them and the Aztecs lies a vast, dark,
and unexplored land inhabited by unfriendly natives. The high
mountain peaks of the north contain great supernatural terrors,
and the vast plains of the northeast are no better.
The Chinese have spoken of island nations in the
Pacific, which seem ripe for conquest, but they are very far away
and the Aztecs are not yet willing to risk losing another Pacific
expedition. Besides, why should they concern themselves with
native islands to the west that may exist, when they know the
Caribbean waits for them to the northeast? But these European
strongholds will not surrender easily, and if there is one place
where white men hold the advantage over Aztecs it is at sea.
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The Invisible World
In a general sense the Invisible World that overlays the
Aztec Empire is as the Invisible World anywhere else; for this
supernal realm is not bound by physical borders, but by spiritual
powers and concepts. However the dark gods of the Aztecs have
shaped the Realm Invisible, and in the Aztec Empire it often
takes on strange forms.
Many mountain caves and volcanic calderas provide
strange passageways through the Outer Kingdom, accessible by
any who dare walk the hoary and treacherous paths, and navigate
the supernatural guardians placed there by the gods. The path
indeed travels all the way into Mictlan, the Aztec underworld,
where the souls of all those who did not die from battle,
drowning, or sacrifice are said to dwell. These caves seem very
much like Hell Points, and indeed share many properties, but
they are not gateways to the minions of the Adversary. Instead
they take on the sure taint of the Aztec gods Mictlantecuhtli
and Mictecacihuatl, the Lord and Lady of Death.
Indeed, the veil between the physical world and the
Outer Kingdom seems remarkably thinner wherever the Aztec
Empire holds sway. Many of us in the Orders of Solomon look
upon this with dread, for it seems that should the Great Seal of
Solomon crack, it will surely crack here first.
 The Aztec Campaign
Witch Hunter: The Invisible World was designed with the
assumption that most players would choose characters either
from Europe, from the European colonies of America, or from
those few Indian tribes in contact with the colonies. Since most
players have at least a basic understanding of European history,
these are easy characters to play. After all, the cultures of Europe
and the colonies are forerunners of modern Western culture,
and we are all quite familiar with that.
Prepare to have that familiarity stripped away. Aztec
culture is nothing like our culture. That is evident by the
previous chapters, but it is a point that bears repeating. The
single biggest obstacle to running an Aztec campaign is the
alien nature of the Aztec world. Even their concept of time is
different, divorced from the Western idea of linear time and
instead adopting a more cyclical ideal. However, while the Aztec
An Alien Society
Even when an Aztec peasant is working hard to farm the land
for his family, it is not like a European farm. Indeed, the Aztecs
have been separated from the Europeans since long before
civilization began. There are hardly any direct correlations
between Aztec society and European society, beyond the basics
of human nature and instinct. Since most of your players
grew up in nations influenced almost exclusively by European
culture, this means the Aztec society is just as strange and alien
to them. Indeed, unless they’ve spent some time studying pre-
Columbian Mesoamerican history their idea of the Aztecs is
likely based on highly inaccurate portrayals of Mayans from
movies like “The Road to El Dorado”.
They probably have a vague idea of human sacrifice,

The Aztec Campaign

campaign presents its own unique challenges, it also presents likely sanitized as a clean kill of a single victim on certain holy
unique opportunities. The Aztec Empire is like no place your days, rather than the almost never-ending mass slaughter of gore
players have ever seen. It is a place of rich exotic mystery, of and blood that it was. They probably have an idea of the Aztec
terrible evil but also of grand heroism. warrior mixed up with stereotypes of tribal warriors as nearly-
naked savages, rather than as the highly trained and cunning
warriors that they were. They probably imagine Aztec culture
as a king, ruling over either a mass population of slaves, or a
An Evil Society feudal system much like Europe, rather than the complicated
There is no way to sanitize the Aztecs. The Aztecs are not wholly and completely foreign social system that truly existed.
evil, but there is much evil in their society. Their lives revolve As a Grand Master you can use the general ignorance
around rituals of human sacrifice, and in order to gain more about the Aztecs to play up dramatic effect. Describe the day-
sacrifices they have launched bloody wars of conquest. They to-day goings on of the Aztec world. Emphasize the things that
are led by a tyrant in a rigid society without what Europeans are strange, such as people selling themselves into slavery, the
would call freedom. The Aztec Empire is forever opposed to all concept of communal land, the constant ritual to household
outsiders, which includes all the Witch Hunters in the Accord. gods, and of course the horror of human sacrifice and the
However, while the Empire may be evil its citizens have their blood-stained, ash-blackened priesthood. If your players are
own individual moralities. An Aztec peasant may work hard to playing Aztecs this should be told to them so they can have the
provide for his family, just like a European. An Aztec warrior experience of playing exotic, foreign heroes. If your players are
may fight with honor and dignity, selflessly charging into battle playing typical European or northern Indian Witch Hunters,
to protect his brethren. Even the priests, particularly the priests however, emphasize the cultural differences in grand, dramatic
of Quetzalcoatl and Chalchiúhtlicue, are not universally bad, gestures. Make them feel like they are outsiders. Make them feel
often doing what they feel is necessary to protect the people of like the culture cannot be predicted, working on hidden rules
the Empire. In addition the society does hold up values that we impossible for them to understand. Even when not faced with
would consider good, such as hard work, courage, and clean the darkness of human sacrifice and the horrible Aztec gods,
living. It is true that at the very least the Aztecs have a skewed non-Aztec characters should feel the constant oppression of
concept of morality, but heroes do emerge even from the darkest being a stranger in a very strange land.
of places.
In Witch Hunter one of the themes of the game is
moral heroism. Witch Hunters stand as beacons against a dark
world. This is doubly true in an Aztec campaign, where not only
monsters but society itself feeds the darkness.

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 A Civilized Society
After reading the above the temptation
is to make the Aztecs a society of evil
and alien savages. Nothing could be
further from the truth. The Aztecs of
Witch Hunter are the most “civilized”
(by European standards) empire in the
Americas, with rigid ideas of morality,
class, and duty. These ideas are quite
different than the European ideas,
but they exist nonetheless. One of
the most striking attributes about the
Aztecs was their cleanliness. In a time
when Europeans bathed infrequently,
and then only if they were nobles, the
Aztecs bathed every day and considered
personal cleanliness a necessity. While
European streets were often mired
in filth, the Aztecs had sanitation
The Aztec Campaign

workers that kept their cities clean.

The Aztecs had advanced agricultural
techniques and a complex legal system
that, while many of the punishments seem strange or excessive,
was consistent and generally fair. The Aztecs even had public
education for both men and women, something unheard of in
Europe at this time.
When Cortéz and his men entered Tenochtitlán for
the first time they would have seen a city cleaner and larger
than any European city, with grand monuments and buildings
constructed according to clearly defined city planning. It was
an evil society, especially by European standards, an oppressive
society, an alien society, but also a noble and civilized society. It
is important to remember, as Grand Master, that events in Aztec
society happen according to laws and societal rules.
A Cyclical Society
In studying either pre-Columbian American cultures or far
eastern cultures, the hardest thing for the so-called “Western”
mind to grasp is the cyclical nature of time. Western society
is built on the idea of linear time. Things begin at a certain
point, progress in a straight line, and end at a certain point.
This is not so among the Aztecs. The Aztec calendar is depicted
as a great wheel, and that is how they see time. Something
that happened in a time of ancient myth, such as Quetzalcoatl
being cast out as the second sun, can happen again in ancient
history, such as Quetzalcoatl being cast out of Tollan, and can
happen again in modern history. To the European mind these
are three separate events, but to the Aztecs these are three cycles
of the same occurrence. History repeats itself. The fifth sun will
perish in an earthquake, just as the previous four suns perished
in disaster, and then there will be a sixth. And everything will And all things that happen are merely precursors to the next
happen again, as it has happened before.
To the Aztecs the god Huitzilopochtli triumphed over
his sister in myth, and through the Mexica he triumphed over
the Tepanec, and through Motecuhzoma he triumphed over
Cortéz, and these were all the same victory, and thus inevitable
because each had already happened before or after. Every day
the sun rises, pulled by the spirits of warriors fallen in battle,
and then sets, dragged down by the spirits of mothers who died
in childbirth. And every day is the same day, and every year is
the same year, and every bundle of 52 years is the same bundle,
and so it shall be until the end of the fifth sun, and even then it
will only be the same as the four suns before it, and all the suns
that come afterward.
This grants the Aztecs a curious idea of destiny. They
feel that each of their lives, indeed every action they take, is pre-
ordained not because of prophecy, but because it has already
happened before. The day on which a child is born presages
their entire life, because they already know what lives children
born on that day have. In an Aztec campaign, this sentiment
is likely true. In an Aztec campaign prophecies may be true or
false, but history will always repeat itself. Heroes may find an
ancient codex describing the monster they need to defeat, and
in this codex it talks about a chain of events that led to the
defeat, a chain of events that now must be made to happen
in the same way as before, but perhaps on a grander scale, or
perhaps through metaphor. Heroes may find that every 10
bundles of years a great disaster strikes a certain town, and that
the time for the disaster is nigh, and rather than trying to stop
the disaster (which is impossible, since it has happened before
and will happen again,) they instead must discover how to deal
with it when it comes.
All time is cyclical. All things have happened before.
time.

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A Human Society
Above all else, remember that Aztecs are human. Their culture
is different, and so their behavior is different, but they remain
human. Just as Europeans will ignore the law when it is
convenient, so will Aztecs. Just as Europeans are sometimes
touched with compassion so that they will risk their lives and
take a stand, or filled with rage so that all else is thrown by the
wayside, so too are Aztecs. In interacting with the Aztecs you are
likely to find one who truly believes that Motecuhzoma is a god,
an incarnation of Huitzilopochli, and that he divinely leads the
Aztecs in the right path. Another may feel that he is a monster,
but the monster is in control so what can he do? Another may
feel that he is simply a man, replaced by another of the same
name after each death, so as to give the illusion of an eternal
empire. Another may not consider it at all, but be far too busy
harvesting crops to feed his family. Because of the oppressive
society, all of these men will likely claim to believe as the first
does, but what they whisper in their own homes is a different
matter entirely. In the same way certain Aztecs may see nothing
That said, there are two approaches you can take. The
first is to have the heroes sneak around the wilderness as spies.
This is especially useful north of Tenochtitlán, which is mostly
wilderness, and in the southeastern Empire, which contain
dense jungles. This would be an exciting campaign filled with
dodging Aztec patrols, sneaking into small Aztec settlements
at night to find provisions and secrets, and dealing with the
horrifying monsters that lurk in the Aztec wilderness.
The other approach is to grant the characters a relic
that makes them look like an Aztec. This can have its own
sources of drama, as the relic may need to be re-applied or have
a certain ritual performed at regular intervals to keep working
(an example of this is the Spy Bean, p. 112). Once they look
like Aztecs, they can make contact with Aztec Witch Hunters
who can give them shelter. They will still not know about Aztec
culture, which can provide a source of tension and drama,
but it gives European Witch Hunters a method to visit even
Tenochtitlán itself in a story.
While these concepts work very well for a story or a

The Aztec Campaign

wrong with breaking what they consider minor laws, such as the series of stories, it would be difficult to maintain for an entire
law against drinking pulque, just as people in our culture might campaign. The chances of getting caught are simply too great.
go over the speed limit if they think that no one is watching. If you want to set an entire campaign within the Aztec Empire,
you may wish to think about having your players play Aztec
Aztecs are human. They have great goodness and great
characters, or at least Indian characters.
nobility inside of them, and also great evil and great savagery.
A European can be as cruel and as noble as any Aztec, and an
Aztec can be as cruel and as noble as any European. Imagine a
woman who falls in love with a man, a man who then is arrested Playing Aztec Characters
for a crime he claims he did not commit. The beauty and the
Playing Aztec characters can be fun and rewarding. It allows
tragedy of their relationship, and the actions of the woman to
players to pull themselves out of their own culture and become
both clear his name, and when that fails to defy the law and
part of a fascinating and foreign one. It also allows characters
rescue him, remains a true story whether the man is a European
to exist in Aztec lands without consequence, allowing them to
arrested for killing the king’s deer or an Aztec arrested for public
more fully explore the exotic and wondrous lands of the Empire.
drunkenness. It is a true story because it is a human story, and
Of course, playing an Aztec character also brings its own unique
no matter what culture and society they live in, humans and
challenges.
humanity remain the basis for all good stories.
The first of these challenges is the Aztec ideal of
productivity. The Aztecs value productivity far more than do the
Europeans in the Aztec Empire Europeans, and laziness to the Aztecs is a cardinal sin. An Aztec
Now comes the difficult bits. It is easy enough to play a Native character is part of society, and is expected to play that part.
American in the Aztec Empire. While they may not pass as Laborers tend their fields and homes, and go where they are
Mexica, the Aztecs have conquered enough nations that they told to work on public works projects. Merchants are expected
can pass relatively undetected. But there is simply no way for to travel, buy, and sell. Craftsmen are expected to produce for
Europeans to travel through the Aztec Empire unopposed for market or on commission. The nobility is expected to govern.
any length of time. In general Aztecs should be antagonists, the The priesthood is expected to tend to the daily rituals of the
ravaging Aztec armies always expanding, threatening European gods. And warriors are expected to travel where they are told
settlements in the Caribbean, Panama, and even to the north in and fight.
the colonies. But now you have this big book, filled with really Because of this, players may want to think about
neat things about the Aztecs. And you want to use all of it. That designing characters together, characters who have a cultural
means sending your players into the Aztec Empire. While it is reason to travel with each other. A unit of warriors, plus
not easy, it can be done. attendant priests and slaves. A merchant, plus craftsmen, slaves,
First, resign yourself to the fact that this will be a high and laborers in their employ. A pair of noblemen, plus their
risk campaign. If the heroes are caught as Europeans in any attendants and slaves. However even if your players want a more
Aztec city, they are almost certainly dead. If they’re lucky one widely varied collection of characters, the Grand Master can
of the Aztec Witch Hunter groups might free them before their think of scenarios where they would be sent together. After all,
inevitable sacrifice, but even that only really works in smaller Witch Hunters are used to strange coincidences. Perhaps the
Aztec settlements. In a city like Tenochtitlán the heroes would laborer is sent to Tikál to repair a road, while the warrior is sent
simply be too well guarded. there to report to his unit in preparations for a military campaign

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 in the jungle, the merchant is
there to purchase quetzal feathers,
the craftsman is there to deliver a
commission, the priest is there to
ensure the local priests are preparing
for an upcoming holy day, and the
noble is there to review the annual
tribute reports. And while they are
there, a dark supernatural force
attacks the city. In another game
this might feel contrived, but in a
Witch Hunter game the forces of
good often guide their servants in
just such a manner.
The upshot of this,
however, is that after the adventure
the warrior will go on his campaign,
while the merchant, craftsman,
laborer, and priest will eventually
return to their homes. In such a
The Aztec Campaign

setting, where the characters are

not bound to each other, their
adventures will be moments of
Was this a flower war, waged purely to gain victims for the altar?
coincidence in between their day-to-day lives. There are no
Or was this a war for a more moral cause? Ultimately a lot of
Aztec “itinerant adventurers”.
this will depend on the intentions of the character, and thus
Of course there are other reasons characters might get must be made on an individual basis by the Grand Master. The
together. Aztecs believe in omens and dreams. Perhaps a noble noble defender who captures an enemy warrior, thus saving a
with enough power to command the characters has dreamed that village likely gains no damnation (and may even gain a hero
they are the only ones who can solve a crisis, and thus has sent point). A bloodthirsty follower of Huitzilopochtli who captures
them all to deal with the problem. This presents opportunities warriors just so they can have their hearts fed to the Southern
to get involved in Aztec politics (as the noble sponsoring them Hummingbird likely does.
surely has enemies,) and having to deal with orders from a non-
There is one final consideration for Aztec characters,
Witch Hunter, while at the same time giving a group a rationale
and that is traveling in Europe or the Colonies. This is much
for adventuring together.
easier than a European traveling in Aztec territory. All the Aztec
Regardless of the method used, characters will be needs to do is call himself something else, and not wear the
Aztecs with an Aztec system of morality. It would be easy to cast accoutrements of his culture. Europeans would likely take any
these characters as rebels with moral objections to their own discovered Aztec prisoner, pending execution, but there are a
society, but it’s far more realistic (and a far better story) for them number of Indians from the New World who travel freely in
to accept the rules of society that they had been taught since Europe, and few Europeans can tell the difference between a
birth. As such, their primary battles should be against minions Powhatan Indian and an Aztec. So long as the Aztec does not
of the Adversary, rather than minions of the Aztec gods. Of let anyone catch them worshipping Quetzalcoatl they will likely
course, revealing the true evil of the Aztec gods is a great way to be fine. Of course Europeans tend to view Indians as savages,
send Aztec characters into a moral dilemma. and treat them accordingly. An Aztec noble might be surprised
Aztec characters also have to deal with damnation. to discover he is treated no better than a base commoner in
Witch Hunter does not exist in a universe of moral relativism. Europe, but such is the price one pays for travel. It is worth
Many of the things common among Aztecs cause damnation, noting, however, that unless the Aztec left their home as a spy
which is why the leaders of the Aztecs tend to have very they will likely never be welcome back in the Aztec Empire. The
high damnation scores. Sacrificing humans on an altar gives best they can hope for is that they will be considered dead, slain
damnation, regardless of the intention of the priest. But what by some beast in the wilderness. If it is known that they fled the
about capturing a prisoner in battle who will be condemned Empire then their family will be disgraced and punished. Either
to the altar? Questions of damnation become very complicated way, they will have no home or status to return to.
when dealing with Aztecs. At what point is a character responsible In an Aztec campaign, especially one where the
for the outcome, gaining damnation? A laborer who works to characters have a noble patron, they might be sent as spies to
build an altar almost certainly does not gain damnation, but a a colony or even to Europe to provide some exotic flavor for a
priest who presides over a sacrificial ceremony likely does gain story or three, but there is no way for an Aztec character to take
damnation, even if he does not sacrifice anyone personally. As part in a largely European/Colonial campaign and maintain
for the warrior example, a lot of it depends on the circumstances. their status in the Aztec Empire.

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 Aztec Orders
Due to the fact that most non-Aztec travelers into the Aztec
Empire are killed, until very recently it was assumed that the
Aztecs had no Witch Hunters, or quickly slaughtered them. It
suited Christian Witch Hunters especially to believe that in the
Empire, without the influence of the Church, Witch Hunters
simply did not arise. At the signing of the Accord the Fellowship
of the Ashen Cross first reported sightings of Witch Hunters in
Aztec territory to the other orders, though their records indicate
speculation about Aztec Witch Hunters prior to this. These
sightings were unverified and so quickly dismissed or else said
to be Christianized Indians. However by 1680 the testimony
of those who had survived Aztec warrior bands verified that
Aztec Witch Hunters existed. More distressing, although these
Witch Hunters generally showed more compassion than their
comrades, they were clearly not Christian.
Today there is rarely contact between Aztec Witch
Hunters and the orders traditionally known as the Orders of
Solomon, especially since the loss of Yucatán by the Spanish.
When such contact is made it is often violent, as there exists
no Accord between the two groups. Yet despite the continued
insistence by the Orders of Solomon that Aztec Witch Hunters
The Flayed Warriors
The test of the chaneque does not always result in a clear
victory. There are rare recruits who avoid the hideous fate
of the Jade Warriors, yet still have their soul fundamentally
altered by its binding to the diabolical. Their connection to
Quetzalcoatl, and their Witch Hunter abilities, is severed.
Indeed, victims of this fate are no longer recognizable as
Witch Hunters to others. However, out of this tragedy
new opportunity arises. These rare few are delivered to the
temple of Xipe Totec, where the priests of the Flayed God
give them their own training, making them into Flayed
Warriors. European, and even Indian Witch Hunters
know little of the Flayed Warriors, save that they can
wear the skins of their victims and thus serve as the Aztec
Empire’s perfect infiltrators. They are often confused with
Quetzal Warriors due to their common training, but the
Quetzal Warriors know the horrible truth. The Flayed
Warriors have failed the test of the chaneque as surely
as the Jade Warriors have. They are unfit to be Witch
Hunters, and are cast from the order.

Aztec Orders
must somehow be false or corrupted, there are in fact three spirit and opening the area east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to
major orders of Witch Hunters in the Aztec Empire. Aztec conquest. Such was their struggle, however, that necessity
forced them to cast subtlety aside and to act openly to defend
the Empire. The Quetzal Warriors braced themselves, fearful
Quetzal Warriors that Huey Tlatoani Motecuhzoma Teotltzin would destroy
The Aztecs honor their warriors above all others. Yet them for their strange powers and beliefs. To their surprise and
even within their warriors there are orders, almost like European relief, the Huey Tlatoani instead granted them great honor, and
knightly orders, that house the elite. The Jaguar Warriors, the made them an official peasant order of warriors on par with the
Eagle Warriors, and the Quetzal Warriors. The Quetzal Warriors Eagle and Jaguar Orders.
fight fiercely, but rarely against men. They are the elites whom The Quetzal Warriors were granted the city of B’aak, an
the Immortal Motecuhzoma sends to fight monsters. abandoned Mayan city which the Spanish had called Palanque
Other Names: Sons of the North, Feathered Warriors, during their brief explorations. Over the next fifty years they
Soulbound, Serpents modernized the city, turning it into a secret training ground for
Witch Hunters. From B’aak they travel throughout the Empire
Area of Origin: B’aak, Tikál Huey Altepetl as the Emperor commands them, fighting supernatural horrors.
The Quetzal Warriors also send their own on secret missions
History and Homelands without the Emperor’s knowledge, doing Quetzalcoatl’s work
and cleansing the land of the agents of Tlaltecuhtli.
There have always been Quetzal Warriors. This is what
the Quetzal Warriors believe. From the creation of man
Quetzalcoatl has blessed some with the strength and power
to do battle against monsters and the corrupted servants of Traits and Tactics
Tlaltecuhtli. The current cycle of Quetzal Warriors existed from The Quetzal Warriors are, first and foremost, warriors. They train
time immemorial in secret. Some say that they first arose in themselves with the obsidian-edged macuahitl and the deadly
ancient Aztlán. However it is more commonly believed that atlatl. They train too with the Aztec musket and blunderbuss.
Quetzal Warriors of the Mexica were first taught their sacred They have, if anything, become even bolder since their imperial
arts by a similar order in Culhuacán, who in turn had carried sanction. Wearing plumes of quetzal feathers they stride into
the legacy from the Toltecs. However the knowledge first came battle. Their preferred target is not men, but monsters. They are
to the Mexica, by the time they settled at Tenochtitlán the well suited to the task, for their training against the supernatural
Quetzal Warriors were well established as a secret order. begins upon their recruitment. Nahualtin of Quetzalcoatl
In the mid-16th century the Aztec expansion southeast summon up a chaneque, a diabolical creature from the invisible
into the abandoned cities of the Southern Mayans was halted world, and using ancient secrets passed down since time
by the dark forces that had originally forced the abandonment. immemorial they bind the imp to the soul of each new recruit.
Recognizing the foes as agents of Tlaltecuhtli, the Quetzal The recruit must remain bound for the length of his two year
Warriors struck for the first time as a body, defeating the evil training.

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 The struggle is fearsome and horrible. The chaneque is
a vicious creature, and upon being bound it has but one purpose:
To pull the soul of the Witch Hunter out of its body and drive
it shrieking to Mictlan. Those who fail this test, and many fail,
become the soulless undead known as the Jade Warriors, given
as gifts to Motecuhzoma to serve him. Those who succeed are
perhaps the best trained Witch Hunters in the world, able to
resist evil day and night. They gain the honor of destroying their
chaneque and freeing their soul, though this is no small task
as the chaneque has had two years to learn every weakness the
Quetzal Warrior possesses.
Not every Quetzal Warrior is a warrior, though all
have passed the hideous test of the chaneque. Many Quetzal
Warriors are skilled in nahuallotl, the better to empower the
weapons and armor of the Quetzal Warrior, or see their foe
in the Invisible World. These nahualtin are never as powerful
as their Imperial counterparts, however, mostly because most
Quetzal Warriors do not offer human sacrifices. This prevents
the most powerful blood rituals from being used.
The Quetzal Warriors prefer a straight-up fight, but
they understand that part of the battle against the minions
of Tlaltecuhtli is knowledge, and so there are a few Quetzal
Aztec Orders
becoming too suspicious of their true nature. Their richest
recruiting grounds are in the telpochcallis, the commoners’
schools where young men are taught to be warriors. Here they
can snatch up those Witch Hunters who find their calling young
with very little fuss. After all it is only natural that an elite order
of warriors should take their pick from the telpochcalli. Because
they are a warrior order the Quetzal Warriors only accept male
Witch Hunters, sending the women to join the Jade Skirt
Society.
Religion
The Quetzal Warriors are dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Many have
personal gods they follow as well, but devotion to Quetzalcoatl
is supreme. It is Quetzalcoatl, they say, who raised up the
first Quetzal Warrior. It is Quetzalcoatl who gave them the
power to fight monsters. The Quetzal Warriors also emphasize
Quetzalcoatl in his aspect as Ehecatl, the Wind Serpent.
Strangely, they also seem to add some elements of Tlaloc to
this worship, worshipping Quetzalcoatl-Ehecatl as a god of
thunder as well as wind. They will often choose to attack their
supernatural prey at the height of a thunderstorm, for they
claim that is a sign of Quetzalcoatl’s presence with them.

Warriors that specialize in stealth, investigation, and scholarly

pursuits, the better to inform their more martial brethren where
and how to strike the fiends of the earth. However it is more
likely that the Quetzal Warriors will focus on martial prowess,
and leave these other pursuits to their counterparts in the Jade
Skirt Society.
Unlike nearly every other Aztec the Quetzal Warriors
do not practice human sacrifice. They keep this as quiet as
possible, and when they are questioned they insist that because
their prey are not men, their blood could not fuel the gods.
Secretly amongst themselves they say that Quetzalcoatl does

Recruitment
As far as the Emperor Motecuhzoma knows, the Quetzal
Warriors pick their members from the ranks of the worthy as
the Eagle and Jaguar Warriors do.
Of course the truth is more
complicated. The Quetzal
Warriors, for obvious
reasons, only recruit those
who are Witch Hunters.
This leads to them often
picking warriors of low birth,
or those who are not warriors at
all, much to the consternation
and sometimes anger of the
nobility.
They compensate
for this by having their
few noble members be
the public face of the
organization. Noble
Witch Hunters thus
recruited often find
themselves compelled
to spend large amounts
of time in Tenochtitlán,
preventing the Emperor
and the nobility from

86
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 not require blood as the other gods do, that he has transcended
blood and thrives solely off the defeat of his enemies.
Whatever the reason, the Quetzal Warriors can instinctively
feel that sacrificing a fellow human somehow stains them with
damnation, a fate that diminishes their abilities.
The Current Day
The Quetzal Warriors may soon have cause to regret their
discovery and Imperial sanction. For the time being their many
victories over the supernatural has granted them power and
favor, but more and more Motecuhzoma has requested that
they march into battle against men as well. At first the Quetzal
Warriors complied, seeing it as a small price to pay, but the
recent campaign in Yucatán revealed that the Spanish, despite
their pagan rejection of the gods, also possess Witch Hunters.
This discovery has shaken the Quetzal Warriors, many of whom
are no longer willing to march against the Aztec Empire’s human
foes. Of course they fear the first time they refuse the Tlatoani’s
command they will find his favor dissolve into anger.
At the same time the insistence of the Quetzal
Warriors not to participate in human sacrifice has made them
Quetzal Warriors lack, though the Jade Skirts never bind
themselves to a chaneque. The Quetzal Warriors are aware of
the Disciples of Indian Jerusalem, but consider them heretics.
However, while they reject the teachings of the Disciples, they
feel enough kinship with their fellow Witch Hunters not to kill
them on sight.
The Quetzal Warriors are, however, the most likely
to battle Christian Witch Hunters, if only because they are
soldiers and often travel with the army. They try to avoid this
whenever possible, many going so far as to refuse to march
against humans, but others see their deaths as a sad but
necessary consequence of European paganism. They do try to
kill opposing Witch Hunters, however, rather than capture
them for sacrifice, something they see as a mercy. For their part,
it has become known to European Orders that the Aztecs have
Witch Hunters, but little is known about their organization.
Indeed, it is widely believed by Europeans and Indians that the
Flayed Warriors are still part of the Quetzal Warriors, something
that the few Flayed Warriors captured have admitted to, on
orders from Motecuhzoma. The Quetzal Warriors are currently
unaware of this, but the Immortal Tlatoani seems to be taking
measures to ensure the Quetzal Warriors will never find allies
among the white men or northern Indians.

Aztec Orders
few friends among the nobility and the priesthood. It is only the
favor of Motecuhzoma that keeps them from being pronounced The greatest foes of the Quetzal Warriors outside the
heretics, and the price of the Immortal Tlatoani’s favor is very battlefield are the Eagle and Jaguar Warriors. Both orders never
high indeed. fully accepted the Quetzal Warriors, whom they see as modern
upstarts despite their claim to ancient legacy. In addition they
Then there is the matter of their recruiting method,
see that few Quetzal Warriors have taken captives for sacrifice,
which to those Aztecs who cannot see the signs of a Witch
and they call that cowardice. They do not understand why
Hunter seems very strange. Nobles wish their sons to join
Motecuhzoma has granted the Quetzal Warriors sanction, and
the Quetzal Warriors to gain glory, as do most soldiers not
do whatever they can politically and at times more directly to
already part of the Eagle or Jaguar Warriors. They are rarely
undermine their rivals.
understanding when their requests are refused. The policy of the
Quetzal Warriors to only recruit Witch Hunters makes them
not only the smallest military order, but also one of the least
connected in terms of wealth or political power. Benefits
On the other hand, their base of operations at B’aak The Quetzal Warriors are trained at B’aak, and taught the
has been a great boon, allowing them to strike into the jungles history of the supernatural as well as tactics and techniques
of the south and east against the new, strange monsters found for fighting monsters. Because of this extensive education the
there. It has also allowed them to train new recruits fully and Quetzal Warrior can make Myth and Lore checks untrained,
away from prying eyes, making the Quetzal Warriors the best regardless of how many ranks they have put into the skill.
trained and educated Witch Hunters in the world. In addition they spend two years with a diabolical
Still, many say that it cannot last. They foresee chained to their soul. They know the supernatural, they have
that eventually their strange recruiting habits and religious felt its pull, and they have persevered. Once per scene when
idiosyncrasies, along with their newfound refusal to fight confronted by the supernatural the Quetzal Warrior may take
against Europeans, will lose them the favor of Motecuhzoma. an action to threaten or act aggressively toward a single target
When that happens they will either have to return to hiding or creature within sight, rolling a True Faith check. Any accursed,
be destroyed. Already a growing faction of Quetzal Warriors is beasts, diabolicals, ghosts, spirits, or undead creatures so
pushing for secrecy, like in the old days. Only time will tell if targeted which do not follow one of the Aztec gods must make a
these dire predictions are true. Resolve(Courage) check against a difficulty equal to the number
of successes rolled on the Quetzal Warrior’s True Faith check.
Failure by one results in the targeted creature being Shaken,
failure by two or more results in the targeted creature being
Friends and Foes Stunned, as if on a failed Fear check. These effects last for the
The Quetzal Warriors and the Jade Skirt Society are two sides duration of the scene.
of the same coin, one order taking the males and the other the
females. They often train together, albeit secretly, and the Jade
Skirts often take on the subtler talents that the straightforward

87
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 the priestesses found them, but they did. The Witch Hunters
Jade Skirt Society found a place in the temple of Chalchiúhtlicue by consecrating
Aztec society values its women, but it values them in their themselves as would-be sacrifices to the goddess. The temple
proper place. While a woman can own property and accumulate then allowed them to strike out on secret missions to oppose the
wealth, she cannot be a warrior. Certainly she cannot go where forces of evil.
she needs to go to fight evil when called. But sometimes she is
It was only a matter of time before Tizoc became
called by the gods, and she must obey the calling. She wears the
aware of this activity. Chalchiúhtlicue, of course, had a right
jade skirt. She serves Chalchiúhtlicue. She is a woman apart,
to sacrifices and to those who were consecrated to her. But
equal to any man. She is a Witch Hunter.
the sheer number of women suddenly joining the temple led
Other Names: The Baptized, Greenskirts, Ahuitzotl’s to suspicions. When the Tlatoani’s spies caught several Witch
Daughters, Serpents Hunters out on a secret mission their suspicions were confirmed.
Area of Origin: Tenochtitlán Huey Altepetl Tizoc sent his younger brother to confront the temple, up to
and including arresting the priestesses for treason.
It is unknown for certain what happened. The
History and Homelands priestesses of Chalchiúhtlicue say that the Tlatoani’s younger
The gods seem to have no respect for sex. Quetzalcoatl calls brother entered the innermost sanctum of the temple alone.
both male and female equally to be his servants, granting them When he left he had changed. He took a new name for himself,
the power of Witch Hunters. Aztec society is another matter. Ahuizotl, after a watery monster that served Chalchiúhtlicue.
Women may be valued equally to men, but women are not He proceeded to his brother, and informed the Tlatoani that
given the opportunity to be warriors, nor can women ascend there was no wrongdoing within the temple. Tizoc was furious,
as easily as men within society. This has given female Witch
Hunters a grave problem: how to travel, as a Witch Hunter
Aztec Orders

often must to fight evil, without abandoning the duties of

calpulli and position. While there are many tales of women
who rose above their station to become great heroes, many of
whom were Witch Hunters fighting monsters, such women are
only honored after the fact in legends and are almost always
censured, if not fully persecuted, in their own time. Laziness
and abandonment of duty are among the greatest of sins among
the Aztecs. How can a woman who leaves hearth and home
be anything else? The Quetzal Warriors have always attempted
to help female Witch Hunters where possible, but due to
their military nature this was limited to those women who
could join the cult of Xochiquetzal as courtesans and thus
accompany the soldiers into battle. For a time it seemed
female Witch Hunters could be nothing more than
eyes and ears for the Quetzal Warriors in the city of
their birth, save for those lucky few who became
merchants, a profession that allowed them at
least a limited degree of travel and freedom.
Then came the goddess.
Chalchiúhtlicue is revered as one of the most
powerful goddesses in Mesoamerica. She is
goddess of water, beauty, and fertility, wife of
the powerful god Tlaloc, and the personification
of the fourth sun. She is worshipped everywhere
in the Empire, and especially by the Aztecs who
dwell on the waters of Lake Texcoco, waters
over which she holds sway. During the reign of
Tlatoani Tizoc the temple of Chalchiúhtlicue
in Tenochtitlán began reaching out to female
Witch Hunters. No one knew how

88
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 suspecting his brother had been bewitched, but he could do
little for he was suddenly struck down enfeebled. Sorcery or
poison was suspected, but nothing was proven. Tizoc died,
and Ahuizotl became the new Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán.
Among his first acts was an official sanction for the Temple of
Chalchiúhtlicue to choose women consecrated by the goddess.
Thus the Jade Skirt Society was created, granting a home to
female Witch Hunters.
Traits and Tactics
Women are not usually trained as warriors by the Aztecs, and
so there are few warriors among the Jade Skirts, but they fill
almost every other niche. Although patroned by the Temple of
Chalchiúhtlicue, this remains a secret order known only to a
select few priestesses. Indeed, many Jade Skirts whose places in
society allow them some degree of freedom, such as nobles and
merchants, remain in those positions and keep their connections
to Chalchiúhtlicue hidden. This has resulted in Jade Skirts
infiltrating all facets of Aztec society. Their information network
is spectacular, and they are also often skilled at thievery and
other forms of skullduggery, for who would suspect a woman of
such things? Indeed, when the Quetzal Warriors march out to
confront some being of evil they are most likely forewarned and
forearmed with information gathered by the Jade Skirts.
Those Jade Skirts who do join the Temple of
Chalchiúhtlicue are often very skilled in nahuallotl, or animism.
Animism is normally rare among Aztecs, but priestesses of
Chalchiúhtlicue are the exception, often using their Animism
to entreat the spirits of their goddess’s favored element, water.
Recruitment
In general the Jade Skirts have two types of recruiting methods,
depending on the status of the recruit. If a Witch Hunter does
not have freedom of mobility, which is the case for most women
in the Aztec Empire, then they will be visited by a Jade Skirt
priestess of Chalchiúhtlicue. The priestess will often help the new
Witch Hunter understand her powers and her destiny, and then
offer her a place within the temple where she can better serve
the goddess. Few Aztecs would turn down such a divine call.
The woman is then made to be the anointed of Chalchiúhtlicue,
and under the provisions granted the priesthood of the goddess
by Ahuizotl she leaves her former life and joins the temple. On
occasion the temple will recompense her calpulli for their loss,
but normally it is considered an honor, especially if the woman
was formerly a mere peasant.
If the Witch Hunter does have freedom of mobility,
such as a noblewoman or a Pochteca, then most often they will
be approached by other Jade Skirts within their social strata.
They will talk to the new Witch Hunter, and sound her out.
If they feel she is a good recruit, only then will a priestess of
Chalchiúhtlicue come to her. Even then the meeting is usually
kept secret, as the Jade Skirts have learned the value of having
hidden agents within the nobility and the merchants.
89
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
A very few Jade Skirts are recruited and then sent
to consecrate themselves to Xochiquetzal as courtesans. This
allows them to travel with the Aztec armies, often with groups
of Quetzal Warriors, and more directly confront evil. However
this remains rare, due to the necessity of consecration to a
goddess other than Chalchiúhtlicue.
Religion
The Jade Skirts are patroned by Chalchiúhtlicue. Some of
the more skeptical believe their patrons are the priesthood of
Chalchiúhtlicue rather than the goddess herself, but this is
belied by the fact that, as the Aztecs expanded and conquered
other cultures, the Jade Skirts often found female Witch
Hunters already associated with the temple of Chalchiúhtlicue,
or whatever name those cultures called the goddess. Because of
this the Jade Skirts almost universally give their full devotion to
Chalchiúhtlicue. There are exceptions, such as the rare female
Witch Hunter who is already a priestess of another goddess
(normally Xochiquetzal), but even then Chalchiúhtlicue is given
great honor. Secondary honor is given to Quetzalcoatl, who is
seen as the partner of Chalchiúhtlicue in this endeavor due to
his part in raising the Quetzal Warriors. It is also believed by
Aztec Orders
many that while Chalchiúhtlicue is their patron, Quetzalcoatl is
the source of their power.
Unlike the Quetzal Warriors, the Jade Skirt Society
is linked to the Temple of Chalchiúhtlicue, a body that still
practices human sacrifice. While most Jade Skirts personally
do not practice this art, they do not shun it as do the Quetzal
Warriors. To the Jade Skirts the gods still require blood, just not
blood spilled by their hand. The most common rationalization
for this is that the gift of being a Witch Hunter makes the Jade
Skirt consecrated as a living sacrifice to Chalchiúhtlicue, and it
is not fitting for a living sacrifice to herself sacrifice others.
The Current Day
Ahuizotl, beloved of Chalchiúhtlicue, was succeeded by
Motecuhzoma Teotltzin. Motecuhzoma does not share, nor
understand Ahuizotl’s favoritism toward Chalchiúhtlicue, but
at the same time Motecuhzoma has no desire to annoy the most
powerful among goddesses. As such he has allowed Ahuizotl’s
original decree to stand unaltered, though things might be
different if he realized just how deeply the Jade Skirt Society has
insinuated themselves throughout the empire.
Every Temple of Chalchiúhtlicue, of which there are
many, is a sanctuary for the Jade Skirts. In addition Jade Skirt
Pochteca take on Jade Skirt apprentices, who soon become
Pochteca in their own right. The Society is not above using
their influence to ensure such merchants succeed. Thus it is rare
for there to be a marketplace of any size that does not have at
least one Jade Skirt present. The Jade Skirts have also arranged
for their number among the nobility to be choice brides for
powerful lords, for who would not want a woman trained by the
Temple of Chalchiúhtlicue in the arts of beauty and love? Jade
Skirt power in the courts of the nobility is hampered only by the
non-hereditary nature of Witch Hunter powers.
 Yet with power comes difficult decisions. A schism
is forming within the Jade Skirts. On the one hand are
traditionalists, who wish to use their power and position
to fulfill only the tasks of a Witch Hunter, seeking out and
destroying evil wherever it may be. A growing faction, however,
feels that their power and position brings with it responsibility
beyond that of a Witch Hunter. They feel a duty to guide the
Aztec Empire with their influence and make it a better place, by
which they mean a place more suited to their plans. A number
of ambitious Jade Skirts see no reason why they cannot fight evil
and gain temporal power at the same time. While this position
is seen as dangerous, it is also undeniably appealing.
Friends and Foes
The Jade Skirts are so tied with the Temple of Chalchiúhtlicue
that it is easy to believe the two are synonymous. This is not
true, but the two organizations are certainly close allies. Almost
as close are the Quetzal Warriors, who are often called upon to
dispose of the evil that the Jade Skirts uncover. Jade Skirts are
occasionally trained in the Quetzal Warrior stronghold of B’aak
in martial techniques, while Quetzal Warriors so inclined often
learn the art of politics and subterfuge from the Jade Skirts.
Aztec Orders
The Jade Skirts care little for the Disciples of Indian
Jerusalem, even less so than the Quetzal Warriors. Trained as
they are by the Temple of Chalchiúhtlicue, they cannot help
but feel that true Witch Hunters are granted power by the Aztec
gods, and any Witch Hunters that claim power from pagan
beings cannot be as effective. They stop short of exposing or
slaying the Disciples, but any necessary alliance between the
two groups is always strained and short-lived.
Being so closely tied with the Temple of
Chalchiúhtlicue the Jade Skirts often find themselves embroiled
in temple politics, and thus find themselves friends or foes of
various temples and factions of nobility. Such is the risk of
an order so deeply mired in Aztec society. Due to their rarity
among the military, they are all but unknown to European and
Indian Witch Hunters.
Benefits
The Jade Skirts are a wide-reaching sisterhood, found throughout
the Aztec Empire. Any Gossip checks made within a city or
village in the Aztec Empire gain a two dice bonus.
In addition, once per day the Jade Skirt is able to
manifest a nahual, as per the spell “Manifest Nahual”. This
manifestation costs no blood, and is automatically successful,
however the caster still suffers if the nahual is damaged or
destroyed, as per the spell. The nahual of the Jade Skirt is always concepts.
in the form of an Ahuitzotl.
90
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Disciples of Indian Jerusalem
In 1524 twelve Franciscan monks came to Tenochtitlán seeking
Jerusalem in the New World. They were, perhaps inevitably,
sacrificed to the Aztec gods. But their legacy touched the lives
of those who found themselves Witch Hunters. Living secretly
in a society that considers them heretics, worshipping a single
god who sacrificed himself to cleanse them of their sins, they
do what they can to protect the innocent people of the Aztec
Empire from evils both within and without.
Other Names: Franciscans, Motolinians, Children of the
Twelve, Temple of the One God
Area of Origin: Yucatán, Tikál Huey Altepetl
History and Homelands
In 1524, three years after Cortéz had been defeated, twelve
Spanish monks of the Franciscan order arrived at Veracruz
via ship. They were barefoot, yet they began walking toward
Tenochtitlán. When they were found by an Aztec patrol two
weeks later they put up no resistance and surrendered. By this
time their simple robes were so threadbare that the Aztecs
called each by the name Moltolinia, which means “He is poor”.
Despite not having been captured in battle the priests were
marched with great ceremony into Tenochtitlán, and were
greeted by Cuauhtémoc, Cihuacoatl of Tenochtitlán and voice
of Motecuhzoma. There the twelve Franciscans surprised the
Cihuacoatl by proclaiming that they had traveled through such
hardship only for the opportunity to speak to the people of
Tenochtitlán, and preach the gospel of Christ.
In another time they likely would have been sacrificed
on the spot, but the Aztecs were still reeling from the attempted
invasion of this strange white enemy from across the sea, and the
brief smallpox epidemic that had followed. Many Aztecs were
questioning their place in the world, and upon being informed
of the situation Motecuhzoma proclaimed that the greatest of
Aztec priests would be summoned to speak in a public forum with
these foreigners. Motecuhzoma was certain that the Aztec priests
would prevail in the arguments and that the people’s morale would
be bolstered by the triumph of their gods over the pagans. The
people of Tenochtitlán were summoned, and the debate began.
The Franciscans were millenarians, convinced that the Indians
of the New World, including the Aztecs, somehow represented
humanity in a purer state. They believed that once exposed to their
apocalyptic gospel the Aztecs would turn from their gods and form
a Christian utopia, which would bring about the second coming of
Christ and what the Franciscans called an “Indian Jerusalem”.
The Aztec priests were merciless, mocking these
Again and again they pointed out the failure of
Spanish Christians to prevail against their blood magic, and
the naïveté of the priests. Most of the people, already inclined
to accept the word of the Aztec priests, felt that the Aztecs
carried the day. They cheered as the Franciscans were ultimately
sacrificed, one by one, to the gods. Motecuhzoma succeeded
in raising the morale of his subjects. But there were two in the
crowd who had listened, and who had heard a deeper message.
 Their first true mission was to stop
a mad priest of Mictlantecuhtli who
sought to cast eternal darkness over the
Spanish colonies in Yucatán. Although
they were successful, the price was far
too high. The fledgling Order was almost
wiped out, and among the martyrs were
the twin founders. However, in the
process of the mission the survivors
made contact with the Christianized
Mayans in Campeche. The contact was
strained and distrustful, but the Order
was hungry to learn more about this new
idea called Christianity.
Slowly and secretly the
Christianized Mayans taught the Order,
which had begun calling themselves the
Disciples of Indian Jerusalem, the basics
of Christian dogma. The Disciples in
turn spread this dogma secretly through
the Empire. In some cases they accepted
the Catholic teachings, but in other
cases they mixed the teachings with their

Aztec Orders
traditional religion, creating a hybrid. By
the end of the 16th century the Disciples
had spread as a hidden cult through
Aztec lands, finding Witch Hunters and
bringing them to Yucatán where they
could be taught of the one god.

Traits and Tactics

The Disciples are infidels in their own
lands, and their stated mission is to fight
This brother and sister, whose names have been lost to against the evils of their own people. For
the Disciples, were simple laborers. They listened as the priests obvious reasons, this requires absolute secrecy. They operate
spoke of one true god above all other gods. They listened as they through the use of secret symbols and code phrases, not unlike
talked of that god incarnating and sacrificing himself for sin. the early Christians, and they only fully trust one who both
They listened, and something awoke inside of them. knows the codes and bears the mark of a Witch Hunter. They
The two had often been troubled by the evils they saw use magic to cloak themselves in shadow, acting as assassins of
in society. They were blessed, or perhaps cursed, with a level of evil. They move in quickly, they destroy their evil target, and
insight beyond what they were taught in the telpochcalli. They then they vanish into the night. They know that capture means
looked upon Motecuhzoma and saw a monster. They looked destruction, not only for them but for anyone whose name they
upon Tezcatlipoca and saw a demon. Yes great heroes fought might scream under torture. For this reason they fight to the
the evils without, but who would fight against the evils within? death, and prefer to kill themselves or each other rather than let
Who would protect the laborers from jaguar spirits hungry for themselves be captured.
blood? Who would save wives and children from beasts set loose Although they have mingled the concept of the
from Mictlan? As they listened to the doomed monks speak, Christian god with that of Quetzalcoatl, their religion calls
they realized the answer. They would. They would call upon the for no blood sacrifices, and thus the Disciples do not practice
one true god, and his earthly incarnation, and they would stand nahuallotl. To use blood magic, they believe, is to give power
between the evils of the Aztec gods and the Aztec people. At to demons. They treat the magic much like Christian Witch
that moment, brother and sister awakened as Witch Hunters. Hunters treat Diabolism or Witchcraft. This is offset by the
Slowly the brother and sister whispered their new gospel few Disciples who practice Animism or Prayer casting, but this
to those they could trust. Slowly through the laborers the word remains somewhat rare as there are few in the Aztec Empire to
spread. And slowly they found other Witch Hunters before the teach such methods.
Quetzal Warriors or Jade Skirt Society could reach them, and
whispered to them of the one true god. Slowly their numbers grew.

91
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Recruitment
The Disciples recruit almost exclusively from laborers and slaves.
Such Aztecs are beneath the notice of the nobles, who fear the
Disciples for the social unrest they create, and the priests, who
hate the Disciples for daring to worship a foreign god. After
all, who would suspect laborers and slaves of doing anything
other than what they are told? They watch keenly for the signs
of Witch Hunters among the people, hoping to get to them
before the Quetzal Warriors or the Jade Skirts do. Since the
Quetzal Warriors do most of their recruiting in the telpochcalli,
the richest recruiting for the Disciples is among those who
become Witch Hunters as adults, often due to some traumatic
encounter with the supernatural.
Religion
During the earliest years of the Order, the Disciples had
only a single sermon given by an apocalyptic monk. There
was no scripture, no bibles, only a single sermon interpreted
by two illiterate laborers. Even after the Order found other
Christians in Yucatán, they could not receive much education,
for fear of discovery. What they did receive was mostly
Aztec Orders
Meanwhile the Disciples have begun spreading their
gospel throughout the Aztec Empire, focusing on conquered
races, like the Tarascans, who have reason for anger at the Aztecs
and their gods. They have evolved into a loose cell structure for
their own survival, so that if one cell is compromised they are
unable to reveal the others. A small faction of the Order wants
to go underground entirely, sharing the truth only with Witch
Hunters and focusing on acts of terror and disruption of Aztec
evil. However, for now, most of the Order continues to maintain
that they must also preach the gospel, albeit quietly, to give the
common people hope and salvation through Quetzalcoatl.
Friends and Foes
The Disciples have no friends among the Aztecs. Even the other
Aztec Witch Hunters barely tolerate them. If they knew the full
extent of Disciple operations against Aztec priests they would
probably hunt them down with Motecuhzoma’s blessing. For
their part the Disciples never target the Quetzal Warriors or the
Jade Skirt Society. While the Disciples choose to focus on evil
within the Aztec Empire, they are all too aware that there is evil
without as well, evil that the other two orders are best suited to
deal with.

through Christianized Maya, who had already begun filtering

Christianity through their own beliefs. The result is a strange The Disciples have found some allies in the races the
hybrid of Aztec, Mayan, and Christian religion. Aztecs have conquered, especially among the Maya who were
already being taught Christianity by the Spanish. Very often
They believe in Quetzalcoatl, who fulfills the story these former nations have no desire to convert to the Disciple’s
of both God and Jesus. They equate Tezcatlipoca with the religion, preferring their own tribal gods, but they tend to turn
Christian idea of Satan, and consider all the other gods to be a blind eye to Disciple activities simply because it infuriates
Tezcatlipoca’s demons. They have fixed on the tale of the second their conquerors so much.
sun, where Tezcatlipoca struck Quetzalcoatl down from the
sky, as the coming of darkness. Then Quetzalcoatl descended Finally the Disciples are gaining some followers
to Mictlan as Jesus to grant the power of Witch Hunters to his among laborers and slaves, but this work is proceeding slowly.
chosen few, and then sacrificed himself to create a new sun, Although the downtrodden have a natural reason to listen to
bringing salvation. the Disciples, they have also been taught since birth that the
highest virtue they can strive for is productivity and loyalty to
They also believe that Quetzalcoatl will return some the Empire. Deviant thinking is not encouraged. Disciples have
day, again descending to Mictlan (this time representing to be careful, because a peasant is as likely to expose them to the
Mexico) and defeating Tezcatlipoca once and for all, establishing priesthood as listen to their gospel of hope.
Jerusalem on the site of Tenochtitlán. They believe that blood
sacrifice is evil, and working blood magic to any deity is a sin.
They also practice a strange version of baptism with drops of
blood upon a new recruit’s initiation, and at their meetings
Benefits
they regularly break bread in remembrance of the sacrifice The Disciples claim that they are in the right, and they know
of Quetzalcoatl, who spilled his blood upon flour to make this because Quetzalcoatl is with them. That is the only way
mankind. they can explain the series of coincidences that seem to work
together to assist them in their missions. Disciples gain the
Lucky talent for free. In addition by spending one round in
The Current Day prayer and succeeding at a D3 Sorcerous Tradition(Prayer)
check (or a straight Courage check if the Witch Hunter has
The conquest of Yucatán by the Aztecs has cut the Disciples off no ranks in the skill) the Disciple gains a +1 to their Stealth
from their teachers, possibly forever. Their religion, and their skill, and a further +1 to Agility for 1 minute + 1 minute per
destiny, is in their own hands now. They are still based mostly additional success, a gift from the one god to protect them.
in Yucatán, where there is a group of Christianized Maya that
grant them support and succor. This group has already fallen
under persecution from the Aztec priesthood, however, and it
is likely that these brave Christians will only remain as a small
underground.

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 Social Standing: Artisan
Aztec Backgrounds
These backgrounds are appropriate for players creating Aztec
Skills
characters. Note that most standard backgrounds are perfectly
acceptable for Aztecs, with a few minor adjustments. Whether A naualoztomeca’s background skills include Charm 1,
you use a standard background or one of the new ones below, Deceive 1, Empathy 1, Gossip 1, Notice 1, Trade(Any) 1.
your social standing is only applicable in an Aztec campaign. Naualoztomecas gain elective skills in the following catagories:
If you play an Aztec character in a non-Aztec campaign Fighting: 2
(such as the Witch Hunter: Dark Providence campaign) your
social standing is Commoner regardless of your background. Interaction:2
Europeans have little respect for what you were back in the Movement: 1
Empire.
Professional: 3
Reactions: 2
Aztec Priest
Requirement: Education 3, Personality 3, Male only for gods, Spy Game
Female only for goddesses
Your life is a dramatic one, filled with secret whispers and
You were trained in the calmecac to show honor to the gods. double-crosses. Whenever making a Charm, Deceive, Empathy,
You were trained in the rites and rituals of holy days. You bleed or Gossip check, double the number of successes. However
for the gods, and your blood grants you power. You blacken any check of these skills that fails to score any successes is

Aztec Backgrounds
your face to show your devotion. You are a priest. You ensure automatically a botch.
the sun rises each morning.
Social Standing: Professional
Pipiltin
Skills Requirement: Personality 3
An Aztec priest’s background skills include Concentrate 1, Your blood is the blood of the mighty Toltecs. You are noble
Intimidate 1, Myth and Lore 1, Occult 1, Sorcerous Tradition by birth, trained in the finest calmecac school and destined
(Nahuallotl) 1, Trained Knowledge (Philosophy & Theology) for greatness – whether you deserve it or not. Being a pipiltin
1. Aztec priests gain elective skills in the following catagories: grants you, among other things, the right to demand tribute
Fighting: 1 from those who dwell in territory you own.
Interaction: 2 Social Standing: Merchant
Movement: 1
Professional: 4 Skills
Reactions: 2 A pipiltin’s background skills include Charm 1, Command 1,
Gossip 1, Hand-to-Hand 1, Intimidate 1, Trained Knowledge
(Philosophy & Theology) 1. Pipiltins gain elective skills in the
Devotion following categories:
You have devoted yourself to a particular god or goddess. This Fighting: 2
god or goddess is the one for whom you offer blood sacrifice to
Interaction: 2
empower your magic. You gain the Basic Talent: Basic Nahualli
for your chosen god, and one Basic Nahuallotl Rite. However, Movement: 1
your training as a priest has involved the art of human sacrifice. Professional: 3
Your character begins with one point of Damnation.
Reactions: 2

Naualoztomeca
Requirement: Intuition 3, Personality 3
You are a merchant, traveling throughout the Empire and
beyond, trading the finest goods. At least, that is what you tell
people. In reality you are one of the Naualoztomeca, elite spies
for Motecuhzoma in the guise of merchants. Your information
helps put down rebellions before they begin, and you scout out
targets for invasion.
Tribute
You own land and can command those upon it. Your income is
considered to be doubled in Aztec territory. If you have access to
your home city during an adventure you may forgo this benefit
for that adventure, and instead compel a priest local to your city
to cast a Basic or Greater Nahuallotl ritual upon you at his own
expense (note that if this involves a human sacrifice you still
incur a Damnation Point).

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 Pochteca
Requirement: Personality 3, Reason 3
You are more than just a Merchant. Your family proved
themselves vital to the expanding Aztec Empire, winning
acclaim and reward. You are Pochteca. On certain days you are
allowed to regale yourself as a noble. Merchants wish they could
be what you are.
Social Standing: Merchant

Skills:
A pochteca’s background skills include Charm 1, Empathy 1,
Evaluate 1, Navigation 1, Profession (Merchant) 1, Trade (Any)
1. Pochtecas gain elective skills in the following catagories:
Fighting: 2
Interaction: 3
Movement: 1
Aztec Backgrounds

Professional: 3
Reactions: 1 Gossip (Noble), Hand-to-Hand (Warrior), Myth and Lore
(Priest), Profession(Any)(Peasant), Trade(Any)(Merchant). You
may use the skill untrained, regardless of skill ranks.
Guarantee
Cheating in the marketplace is punishable by death. The
Pochteca know this, for their judges enforce the law. If you Warrior
cannot trust a Pochteca, who can you trust? You gain an
automatic success on any Charm or Deceive roll. Requirement: Courage 3, Strength 3, Male only
You are the elite of the Aztec army. You wield your weapons
with pride, and never show fear. In return, you live well off your
Tlacotin share of the plunder! What better life is there?
Requirement: Either Strength, Toughness, Education, or Social Standing: Merchant
Personality at 4
You have sold yourself into slavery, or been relegated to slavery
Skills:
due to some crime. To be a slave is not a dishonorable thing,
and perhaps one day you will be free again. Until then, though, A warrior’s background skills include Command 1, Endurance
you serve your master. 1, Hand-to-Hand 1, Intimidate 1, Resolve 1, Throw 1. Warriors
gain elective skills in the following catagories:
Social Standing: Commoner
Fighting: 3
Skills: Interaction: 1
A tlacotin’s background skills include Deceive 1, Empathy 1, Movement: 2
Endurance 1, Grapple 1, Notice 1, Reflexes 1. Tlacotins gain
elective skills in the following catagories: Professional: 1

Fighting: 2 Reactions: 3

Interaction: 1
Movement: 2 Awe Inspiring

Professional: 4 As your exploits become known, others tremble before you. You
gain a +1 bonus to all social checks with those who have heard of
Reactions: 1 your military exploits, plus another +1 for every 70 SP you have
accumulated in your career, rounded up. In an Aztec campaign
My Master’s Tool tales of a loyal Aztec warrior will have spread throughout the
As your master has used you, so you have learned from your Empire. In a non-Aztec campaign the widespread effects of this
master. You will gain +2 dice on one of the following skills, ability are up to the GM.
based on your master’s profession: Construct(Any)(Artisan),

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 Aztec Talents
For the most part Aztec characters have the same talents as
standard Witch Hunter characters. However below are new
talents especially suited to Aztec characters, though non-Aztec
characters can take them as appropriate.

Basic Nahualli (Basic)

Requirement: Worship of an Aztec God, Occult 1
Description: You have learned the rites and rituals needed
to worship an Aztec god. Choose a single god to call upon
for power. This ability only works with Aztec gods, not the
Adversary or other deities. This talent may be taken multiple
times, each time for a different god, but rites must be taken
separately for each god. For a list of gods see p. 53. things happen, they happen tremendously. Once per scene, prior
to making a roll, the character can call upon the transformative
power of his day. All successes on the initial roll are counted as
Day Sign (Basic) such, then re-rolled once as if they were tens (additional tens
Requirement: Aztec characters only continue to explode, as usual). However if a botch is rolled on
Description: The Day Sign talent is a special talent, or rather this roll it becomes a critical failure, doing far more damage
group of talents available only to Aztec characters. This talent even than a usual botch. A botched attack roll, for instance,

Aztec Talents
represents the Aztec’s belief in destiny, and how life is dictated by could result in an attack against an ally or the character in which
the day on which you were born. This talent may only be taken defense points cannot be spent, while a botched fear check may
once. Choose one of the days below on which your character force the character to flee, suffering from Lunacy.
was born. You gain the benefit and drawback of that day sign. Mazatl (Deer): This is a day for the hunt. You gain +2 dice on
Cipactli (Crocodile): An auspicious sign, signifying one all Notice, Stealth, Survival, and Track rolls, as well as any roll
destined for advancement and honor. You gain an automatic made while you are pursuing another using the Pursuit rules. It
success on all initiative and defense rolls. As a result of your sign is also a good day for your enemy’s hunt. You lose one dice from
much is expected of you. You no longer gain hero points for all Defense rolls.
charging into dangerous situations. Tochtli (Rabbit): This is a day of devotion, self-sacrifice, and
Ehecatl (Wind): A sign of chaos created out of order, and of the mysticism. You gain +2 dice on all Sorcerous Tradition rolls,
lone traveler. You gain +2 dice on all Deceit, Empathy, Notice, and may subtract one round from the preparation time (though
and Stealth rolls. It is not a good day for working with others. not the casting time) to a minimum of 1 round. However, this
You gain no advantage to others assisting you. is not a good day for acting against others. You take a -1 dice
Calli (House): A sign of rest and tranquility. Whenever you penalty on all Fighting skills.
would normally heal damage, you heal one and a half times the Atl (Water): This is a day of purity. If you would normally gain
normal amount (rounded down). It is not a good day for public a point of damnation for something that is not an evil act (for
life. You suffer a -1 dice penalty on all Interaction skill rolls. instance, handling an evil artifact, but not committing human
Cuetzpalin (Lizard): A sign of luck and rapid reversal of sacrifice or calling upon your sin,) then you do not gain the first
fortune. Once per scene you can completely reroll any dice pool point of damnation you would normally gain. Only one point
with a +1 die bonus, keeping the second result. In the long term of damnation per adventure can be avoided in this manner.
the winds of fortune turn against you, however. You only earn However, Atl is not a day for rest. Whenever you recover health
half as much income as you normally would for your standing. by any means, natural or supernatural, you gain one point less
healing than you otherwise would have.
Coatl (Snake): A sign of the river, which is ever-changing
and never-changing at the same time. If you gain any bonus Itzcuintli (Dog): This is a day of trust. Trustworthiness is an
dice for a dice pool due to circumstances then you gain one admirable characteristic. You gain +2 dice on all Interaction
additional dice. This only affects momentary circumstances, skill rolls. However it is also a day of death and the specter of
and not permanent bonuses granted by backgrounds, talents, or those who have passed on haunts you. You take a -1 dice penalty
permanent effects. It is a bad day for acting out of self-interest. on all Resolve checks.
In order to gain the special ability of your sin you must either Ozomahtli (Monkey): This is a day of lightheartedness and
spend a hero point, or accept a second damnation point in play. A day to avoid seriousness. You gain an automatic success
addition to the first. on all Fear checks. It is also a warning how easy it is to be trapped
Miquiztli (Death): A normal day, except when it is not. Death by the lures of life. You gain no hero points for giving in to your
days are tricky. They normally pass without incident, but when sin, and in fact must spend a hero point to avoid giving in to
your sin when the opportunity presents itself.

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 Malinalli (Grass): This is a day for persevering against all odds.
Whenever a circumstance would give you a penalty on a dice Optional Rules: Day Signs
roll, reduce that penalty by one. This only applies to temporary As an optional rule, GMs may allow/force players in an
circumstance penalties. Permanent and long-term penalties, all-Aztec campaign to each have the Day Sign talent for
and all bonuses, are not affected. It is a bad day for those who free. In Aztec society the day sign you were born under
would oppress those who are weaker. When attacking minions is of immense importance, and that destiny follows you
subtract one success from your total successes. throughout your life. As another optional rule GMs may
Acatl (Reed): This is a day for justice and fate. Whenever a make players roll randomly to select their day sign prior
creature causes you damage, you gain a +2 dice bonus to all to character creation.
attacks (both physical and mystical) against that creature until
you have done at least as much damage in return. But be wary,
lest justice and fate be against you. You cannot spend hero A shoddy item generates 4 CUs for every success, a normal item
points to add dice to rolls. generates 2, and a superior item generates 1. In addition you
gain a +2 dice bonus to all Evaluate and Trade skill rolls. But
Ocelotl (Jaguar): This day signifies power, valor, and beauty, like the flower, fades and dies quickly. Once rot takes
recklessness. When using the Charge option you increase the hold it is difficult to get rid of. Reducing your Damnation score
Damage Modifier of your weapon by 3, not 2. When using the costs two Hero Points for every point of Damnation removed.
Reckless Attack option you gain an extra three successes, rather
than two, if it is successful. It is also a day of sacrifice. You do
not recover the automatic Toughness in health after a battle that Follow the Forms (Basic)
others do. Requirements: None
Cuauhtli (Eagle): This is a day to put planning aside and take You are well versed in the rituals, customs, and colloquialisms
Aztec Talents

action. Once per adventure you can declare a double action, of your native culture. You gain an automatic success on any
and take two actions within a single turn as you act hastily, on check made to explain away illegally deviant behavior to one of
the spur of the moment. This is not a day for deep thought. You your culture’s authorities (such as an Aztec Disciple of Indian
suffer a -1 dice penalty on all Reason based rolls. Jerusalem fast talking his way out of a heresy charge, or a
Cozcacuauhtli (Vulture): This day signifies long life, wisdom, Spanish mage explaining his grimoires to a nosy Jesuit.) Note
good counsel, and mental equilibrium. You gain a +1 dice that if you are blatantly breaking the forms and customs of your
bonus on all Education and Reason based rolls. This is not the nation, such as actively breaking in to someone else’s home or
day for youth or quickness. You can only move 2 yards with a openly preaching heresy, this talent is useless.
Cautious move, 6 yards with a move, and 10 yards with a run.
Distance traveled over time remains unchanged. Someone with
this Day Sign may not take the Cuautli fighting style moderate Greater Nahualli (Greater)
talent of Paina (To Run Fast). Requirements: Worship of an Aztec god, Basic Nahualli,
Occult 3
Ollin (Earthquake): A good day for transmutation, the shifting
of one thing into another. Nahuallotl costs one point of injury You have been inducted into the greater mysteries of your
less than usual (to a minimum of one). It has no effect on rites temple and have learned more magic from your god. Greater
that require human sacrifice. This is also the day sign of the Nahuallotl rites gained are from the same god chosen with Basic
doom of this age, for the fifth sun shall perish in an Earthquake. Nahualli. If you chose that talent multiple times, you must
And like this age, you too carry a doom. You cannot spend Hero designate which god this talent applies to.
Points to prevent your death.
Tecpatl (Flint Knife): A day of trials and tribulations, and you Heroic Nahualli (Heroic)
must be prepared to face them. Add one health point to each Requirement: Worship of an Aztec god, Greater Nahualli,
of your health tracks. But the life of one born on Tecpatl is one Occult 3, Special
of hardship and misery. You begin each adventure with 1d10
points of injury already sustained. You have been inducted into the inner circle of your temple, and
have learned the most powerful magic from your god. Heroic
Quiahuitl (Rain): A day of fortune smiling upon the traveler. Nahuallotl rites gained are from the same god chosen with Basic
Those born on this day will go far. You can move cautiously and Greater Nahualli. If you chose those talents multiple times,
up to 4 yards, move up to 12 yards, and run up to 20 yards. you must designate which god this talent applies to.
Distances covered over time are likewise increased by 1/3,
though this does not affect your companions. But it is also a As a special requirement for this talent you must have
bad day for business and planning. You take a -2 dice penalty personally offered a human sacrifice to your god following
to Construct, Profession and Trade skills. This ability does not proper ritual. This involves incurring at least one Damnation
stack with the Cuautli fighting stile of Paina (To Run Fast) point in the process, and quite possibly more.

Xochitl (Flower): The day of the artisan and the artist. When
using the Construct skill you generate twice the CUs per success.

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 Wealth and Equipment
Cortéz came to the New World for god,
for glory, and for gold. That last item was what
most interested the merchants and nobles of
Europe. They heard tales of El Dorado, the city of
gold, and of streets that were paved with the stuff.
Not only did this lust for gold end with the death
of Cortéz and his men, but it was futile to begin
with. The Aztecs had no particular love of gold.
Oh, they recognized it as a precious metal, and they
often used it for decoration, or to make religious
artifacts, but for them it was little more than a
pretty rock that they pulled from the ground. They
found jade far more precious, and even that was
little more than a decorative rock used to make
jewelry for the nobility.
Unlike the Europeans, who took precious

Wealth
metals and minted them into coins that denoted
wealth, Aztecs tied their economy to useful things.
Trade goods. Technically the Aztecs had no currency
and existed in a barter economy. However two
trade goods were considered constant, becoming a
substitute for currency in Aztec lands. These were
cotton cloaks, called quachtli, and cacao beans.
Both were somewhat exotic. Cacao beans came
primarily from the southeast, while cotton was

considered a finer fabric capable of all sorts of uses.
Since the quachtli cloaks were little more than
plain bolts of cotton, they could easily be sewn into tunics, used
as padding for armor or as armor itself, or dyed to create fine
and
Exchange between European currencies, Indian
wampum and Aztec currencies creates more of a problem. First,
trade between these groups is almost always based on barter with

decorations. For its part, cacao was used to make chocolatl, a
fine beverage that the Aztecs highly prized.
This made the “currency” of the Aztecs useful. While
any goods could be bartered at the market for other goods, in
general sizable wealth would be stored in the form of cloaks and
beans, and these terms were often used to describe the worth of
an item. A quachtli cloak had approximately the buying power
of a British pound, and that conversion can be used for goods
common to both Europe and the Aztec Empire (see Chapter 3
of the Witch Hunter book). For that reason conversion rates
for European currency are listed in the chart below. However
keep in mind that trade between cultures is modified by the artistic works such as fine clothing, etc., are often worth more
additional information below.
Equipment
individual merchants, and so prices fluctuate wildly. Second,
the value placed on currencies is far different. Aztecs have no
love of European gold, so in general European coinage has only
half its buying power in Aztec lands or with Aztec merchants.
On the other hand, while the Europeans have access to cotton
they have no such access to cacao. Cacao beans have double
their buying power with European merchants. GMs should
use common sense during these transactions. Players should
not be able to take advantage of cultural differences to become
instantly wealthy.
Most trade goods retain their basic value, though
to the foreign culture. The one exception is steel. The arrival of
Cortéz introduced the Aztecs to steel. Prior to this the Aztecs
were a bronze age culture, and even then most of their weapons

Currency Q b £ c s d f
Quachtli Cloak(Q) 1 300 1 4 20 240 960
Cacao Bean(b) 1/300 1 1/300 1/75 1/15 4/5 3 1/5
Pound (£) 1 300 1 4 20 240 960
Crown (c) 1/4 75 1/4 1 5 60 240
Shilling (s) 1/20 15 1/20 1/5 1 12 48
Penny (d) 1/240 1 1/4 1/240 1/60 1/12 1 4
Farthing (f ) 1/960 5/16 1/960 1/240 1/48 1/4 1

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 were stone age. Even though the Aztec Empire has begun Clothing and Accessories
smelting and refining iron, they have yet to produce steel items
of European quality. In addition, most warriors continue to use Item Cost Weight
traditional weapons for religious reasons. Because of this, steel Belt, Common 30b --
weapons, shields, and armor cost double when imported from Belt, Decorated 1Q 1/2 lb.
Europe. Blouse, Common 150b 1 lb.
The prices listed in this chapter are the average price Blouse, Merchant 5Q 1 lb.
for goods. Aztecs do use a barter system, and like all economies
Blouse, Nobility 30Q 1 lb.
where a price is not set by a guild the actual price can vary
wildly based on quality, supply, demand, and the reputation of Breechcloth 15b 2 lb.
the merchant. However in order to speed play the prices listed Cloak, Common 1Q 9 lb.
here can be used as a general rule. Cloak, Merchant 10Q 9 lb.
Cloak, Nobility 100Q 10 lb.
Goods and Gear Headdress, Merchant 1Q 1 lb.
Many of the goods described in chapter three of Witch
Hunter are also available in Aztec territory for roughly the same Headdress, Nobility 10Q 1 lb.
cost (translated to quachtli and cacao as noted above.) As with Jewelry, Shell and Glass 2Q --
the core Witch Hunter book these prices are approximations Jewelry, Gold 5Q --
Equipment

that fluctuated wildly based on crops, availability, political

developments and more. Further these are for goods of average Jewelry, Jade 50Q --
quality. The Aztecs had a keen understanding of art, and those Sandals 50b 1 lb.
who could afford it would often purchase very ornate and Skirt, Common 100 b 2 lb.
beautiful items at greatly inflated prices.
Skirt, Merchant 3Q 2 lb.
Skirt, Nobility 30Q 3 lb.
Vehicles
Cortéz introduced horses to the Aztecs, and like the Indians
near the colonies, the Aztecs immediately recognized the great
Lodging and Services
Services (as listed on Table 3-8, WH p.97) are available in the
and

potential of these beasts. In the nearly 170 years since, the

Aztec Empire for roughly the prices listed. Accommodations,
Aztecs have copied European designs for vehicles, and now
however, are a different matter. The rigidity of Aztec culture
they are available for the prices listed on WH p.95. It is worth
means that travel is more or less limited to merchants, the
nothing that much of the Aztec Empire is mountainous, and
nobility, and the priesthood. When these men travel they
often carriages and wagons, and sometimes even horses, are
Wealth

useless off of Empire-built roads.
Clothing and Accessories
As noted in Chapter 2, clothing is restricted based on the social
standing of the Aztecs. Indeed, clothing was so important
in denoting an Aztec’s station that the words for “skirt” and
“blouse” could be combined to make a word that meant
“woman”, and of course the main form of Aztec “currency”
was the cotton cloak. Common men simply wore a breechcloth
held with a belt or string and cloak, while common women
wore a blouse and skirt. Merchants were allowed to wear more
elaborate dress. Only the nobility could wear gold headdresses
with quetzal feathers.
Equipment
All of the equipment listed on WH p.96 table 3-6 is available in the Aztec Empire. However it is very rare for tools to be made
the Aztec Empire at standard prices.
Food & Drink
Although the Aztecs often had much different food than
Europeans, Table 3-7 (WH p.97) can be used as a guideline for
Aztec food and drink.
often either stay with their caravan, are given lodgings from
friends or fellows at their destination, or else use their rank
and status to convince a commoner to give them their bed
for the night. Tourism and casual travel are not encouraged in
the Empire. Most foreigners are killed on sight, so there are
very few establishments that sell lodgings to others. Finding
others willing to let Witch Hunters stay with them for money
is possible, but can be an encounter in and of itself, and when
they are found they will generally cost double the cost for an
equivalent inn room in villages and settlements, or triple in
cities. This is simply for lodgings. While a peasant family may
also feed their lodgers, that is not guaranteed.
Tools
All the tools listed in Table 3-9 of WH p. 97 are available in
out of iron. Tools instead would be made out of obsidian, or if
they had to withstand stress out of bronze, wood, or stone. Steel
exists, but it is mostly given to the nobility and to warriors. Steel
tools cost double the listed cost.

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 Weapons
As noted above, weapons made of steel are rare in the Aztec
Empire. When they are manufactured, the quality is poorer
than European weapons, which have had hundreds of years to
be refined. Thus all iron and steel weapons manufactured by
the Aztecs (including steel-tipped arrows and spears) subtract 1
from their DM.
For this reason most Aztec warriors rely on their
traditional weapons. In addition, many of the powerful
nahuallotl rituals that make the Aztecs an unstoppable fighting
force only work on obsidian, such as the obsidian found on
most traditional Aztec weapons. It is rare for an Aztec warrior
to use anything else.
Aztecs do have their own firearms, and have begun
producing their own gunpowder. These weapons are highly
decorative and beautiful, carved with an Aztec eye for art.
European firearms are available for double their normal cost,
and Aztec blunderbusses and muskets are available for the price
Aztec warriors, even when steel is available. The statistics for
this weapon replace those for the obsidian club on p. 32 of the
Grand Tome of Adversaries.
Obsidian Knife: Obsidian knives are traditionally used for
sacrificial rites, and are often carried by Aztec priests.
Obsidian Shot: Obsidian is a fragile, brittle stone that shatters
easily. Normally it is unusable as any kind of shot. However
Aztec nahualtin have managed to create obsidian shot through
a special process that hardens it just enough to fire from an
Aztec musket. This shot will shatter inside normal muskets,
rendering the weapon useless. However, when fired from an
Aztec musket this weapon shatters within its target, dealing
internal damage. After a fight in which a character is wounded
by an obsidian bullet, they do not recover wounds equal to their
Toughness. Obsidian shot is also used for Aztec blunderbusses,
however blunderbuss shot does not have this special quality (the

Wealth
listed. These weapons use specially made and magically treated excess damage is already figured into the special rules for the
obsidian shot. Steel shot can be purchased, but at double the blunderbuss).
usual cost.
The following additional weapons are available in Poison Dart: You can use the Poison Dart as an improvised
Aztec territory. weapon with a +0 DM. The cost changes with the potency of
the poison. 1b for potency 1(+1 DM), 5b for potency 2(+3
DM), and 50b for potency 3(+4 DM). More potent poison
Atlatl: This is not a weapon in and of itself, but rather is a darts are not commonly available in Aztec marketplaces (see
spear thrower designed for Aztec tlacochtli throwing spears. Poison, WH p.115).

and
The heavier tepoztopilli are unsuitable for the atlatl. When a
tlacochtli is thrown using an atlatl its stats change to those listed
for the atlatl. You can use this weapon from a stationary mount. Tepoztopilli: The Aztec heavy spear. Unlike European spears,
It can be thrown one handed, but two hands are required to which come to a sharp point, Aztec spears have heads about

Equipment
reload. a foot long, roughly triangular, and covered with razor sharp
obsidian blades. It is used like a hybrid of a spear and a halberd.
Aztec Blunderbuss: The word Blunderbuss, borrowed by the
Aztecs from the Europeans, refers to their earliest attempt at Tlacochtli: The Aztec throwing spear. Often highly decorated,
firearms. It is heavier than the European version, but otherwise these are traditionally made of wood sharpened at one end.
follows all the rules of a Blunderbuss (WH p.98). They are designed to be used with an atlatl.

Aztec Musket: This is a heavier and normally stylishly decorated Tlahuitolli: An Aztec bow. Aztec bows are very large and
weapon designed to work with obsidian shot. Because of this, have an increased range over their European counterparts. You
if normal shot is used there is a risk of damaging the weapon. cannot use this weapon while mounted and you must have firm
If a botch is ever rolled for an attack while firing normal shot footing.
from an Aztec Musket, the weapon is ruined by a misfire and
the wielder takes 3 points of damage. Tlacalhuazcuahuitl: The Aztec blowgun, generally about three
feet in length. It fires poison-tipped darts. Rarely used in war,
Grand Macuahuitl: Nearly as big as a man and wielded by it is a weapon of spies and occasionally hunters. In addition to
the most savage Aztec warriors, a Grand Macuahuitl is roughly its standard damage it delivers poison on a successful hit that
analogous to a European greatsword, with all the advantages deals at least 1 point of damage. The potency and strength of
and disadvantages of the Macuahuitl. the poison varies depending on the dart used (see Poison, WH
p.115).
Macuahuitl: The primary Aztec weapon of war. The Macuahuitl
is a club with razor-sharp obsidian blades set all around the edge. Yaomitl: Heavy war arrows with jagged, obsidian tips. You can
On the surface this weapon is not as potent as steel, however, use the Yaomitl as an improvised weapon.
much of Aztec blood magic only affects weapons of obsidian.
For this reason the Macuahuitl remains the favored weapon of

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 Armor
Like their weapons, the Aztecs have their own traditional forms
of armor. In game terms, however, this armor uses the same
stats as the armor presented in WH p.101. Chimalli shields
use the same stats as a standard shield. Ichcahuipulli is a thick
quilted cotton armor that uses the same stats as buckskin and
furs. Tlahuiztli were distinctly decorated suits of armor worn
only by warriors who had earned honor and members of warrior
societies. These often full-body suits complete with helms have
the same stats as a pitch jacket.
The Aztecs have made metal breastplates, but they
are very rare. Characters are far more likely to find a merchant
bartering European armor, taken from some battlefield.
Equipment

Archery Weapons
Weapon Cost C DM Range Size Reload Weight T
Atlatl‡ 150b 1 +2 12/24/48/96 Medium 1 1 lb 2
Tlahuitolli 150b 3 +3 18/36/72/144 Large* 1 1.5 lb 2
Tlacalhuazcuahuitl‡ 50b 3 +0 10/20/40/80 Medium 1 1 lb. 2
Poison Dart ‡ --As Improvized Weapon-- -- 0.1 lb 1
Yaomitl 1b/3 --As Improvized Weapon-- -- 0.1 lb 1
*You cannot use this weapon one handed
and

‡This weapon has special rules. See entry for details.

Wealth

Firearms
Weapon Cost C DM Range Size Reload Weight T
Aztec Blunderbuss 5Q * +3 * Large 4 35 lb 1
Aztec Musket‡ 5Q 2 +4 10/20/40/80 Large 3 30 lb. 1
Obsidian Shot‡ 20b - - - - - 1 lb. -
*See description
‡This weapon has special rules. See entry for details.

Melee and Thrown Weapons

Weapon Cost C DM Range Size Weight T
Macuahuitl 200b 2 +3 * Medium 2.5 lb 3
Grand Macuahuitl 1Q 4 +4 * Large 3.5 lb 3
Obsidian Knife 150b 0 +1 2 Small .5 lb 2
Tepoztopilli 250b 3 +3 4/8/16/32 Large 5 lb 3
Tlacochtli 3b 1 +1 5/10/20/40 Medium 3 lb 3
*These weapons are not intended for throwing. If attempted, the weapon has a range of 1 and the
Complexity worsens by -2 if small, -4 if medium, and -8 if large.
‡This weapon has special rules. See entry for details.

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 Aztec Sorcery
All Witch Hunters know that
the Adversary gives power to his
followers. Tales, and more than tales,
abound of the vile witch selling his
soul to the Adversary, and in return
gaining power from demons. Known
as Diabolism, this path is inherently
evil. Even using Diabolism causes
damnation, that horrible stain on
the soul. But what if your deal was
not with the Adversary, but with
another power? And what if you
need not grant your soul, but only a
measure of blood?
To the Aztecs, this
is known as nahuallotl. Blood
Magic. Those who practice it, the
nahualtin (singular nahualli), are
feared throughout Christendom
and revered throughout the Aztec during the preparation time for the rite (no additional time is

Aztec Sorcery
Empire. They are sacred priests, offering blood to the gods in needed, as letting blood is already part of the rite). This damage
exchange for power. Aztecs say nahuallotl has existed since the is completely unavoidable. Nothing can diminish it in any
gods sacrificed themselves at Teotihuacán. It is known that the way. If casting a ritual this damage must be taken during every
Toltecs practiced it. Indeed, there were few civilizations that attempt to bank successes. Thus if a ritual has a price of 3, and
arose in Mexico that did not sacrifice the blood of men to feed it takes the caster three attempts to gain the requisite number of
the gods. Yet among the descendents of these civilizations, only successes, he will have lost a total of 9 points of damage.
the Aztecs codified the rituals. Only the Aztecs learned the true
Damage taken through auto-sacrifice in this manner
magic. And as their neighbors fell to the unrelenting might of
is exempt from the usual rule of losing successes while taking
the conquistadors, only the Aztecs called upon nahuallotl to
damage. No successes are ever lost because of damage taken to
destroy the Spanish invaders.
pay the price of a Nahuallotl rite, nor are any concentration
Nahuallotl only functions for those in service to one of rolls necessary. However additional damage from other sources
the Aztec gods. While there are other creatures in the Invisible still has the listed effects and additional damage taken from
World that desire blood, and will even bargain power for blood, another source does not count toward the price.
only the Aztec gods have codified such bargains into the rites
The caster has another option, however. Rather than
and rituals of a sorcerous tradition. Although many of the
sacrifice his own blood, the caster can choose to offer a human
rites are similar, there are distinct differences between the rites
sacrifice. It does not matter how many points of damage the
performed for each god. For that reason upon gaining the Basic
caster would normally take, the caster must personally kill
Nahualli talent a nahualli must choose a single Aztec god to draw
his sacrifice with an obsidian knife and remove his heart. The
power from. Practitioners can follow multiple gods, but each
knife must be obsidian, and the heart must be removed. If the
god requires the caster to start again with a new Basic Nahualli
sacrifice is willing or helpless this is again done as part of the
talent. However, any nahuallotl rites known do not need to be
rite preparation time. Otherwise it might take extra actions to
re-purchased for the new god. While many of these rites are
subdue the target.
universal, having versions applicable to any god, some are only
granted by certain gods (noted in parenthesis after the rite title).

Enacting a Rite
Nahuallotl acts like any other sorcerous tradition, as noted on
WH p.120. The ability used to cast Nahuallotl is Personality.
Rite Format: Price
All Nahuallotl rites have a price. This price may only be paid
through blood. The caster must choose to pay with his own
blood, or with sacrifice. If the caster chooses to pay with his own
blood then he will take the listed number of points of damage
Minor Gods
Specific rites are provided for the gods Chalchiúhtlicue,
Huitzilopochtli, Mictlantecuhtli, Quetzalcoatl,
Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc, and Xochiquetzal. But what about
the countless other Aztec gods and goddesses? If a rite
seems particularly appropriate to a god, at the GMs
discretion it can be available to that god. For instance,
Huitzilopochtli’s rites are also available to Xipe Totec,
while Mictlantecuhtli shares his spells with his consort
Mictecacihuatl.

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Being Sacrificed
Although it seems strange, Aztecs are taught that being
sacrificed is a noble thing. Indeed, death as a sacrifice was
the noblest death a non-warrior could hope for, surpassed
only by death in battle. Sacrificed Aztecs believe they go
to paradise rather than descending to the underworld of
Mictlan. Because of this it is not unheard of for sacrificial
victims to go willingly to the altar.
Still, the body has certain instincts of self-
preservation. It is a D4 Fear check to calmly and serenely
go to your own death in such a manner.
Certain advanced rites cannot be cast using auto-
sacrifice. They must have at least one human sacrifice to
function, and sometimes more. This is noted in the Price as “1
human sacrifice,” “2 human sacrifices” and so-on.
While animal sacrifices are often part of Aztec religious
ritual, their blood is not potent enough to empower nahuallotl.
Nor is the blood of monsters acceptable. Human sacrifices must
be human, although corrupted humans may be acceptable at
Aztec Sorcery
the GMs discretion.
The price is paid regardless of whether or not the rite casting can heal as many creatures as can be touched. Successes
is successful.
Nahuallotl and Damnation
Diabolism always causes damnation, but this is not the case
with nahuallotl. No transaction of the soul is involved. Blood
is paid for the power, and nothing else. In addition, although
the Aztec gods are often foes of the Witch Hunters, they are
likewise foes of the Adversary. While using blood magic is
certainly not the most pious thing a Witch Hunter could do, it
is not automatically damning so long as they use auto-sacrifice
to pay the price.
However, sacrificing another human being to an
Aztec god always causes at least one damnation point. This is
completely unavoidable. It does not matter if the victim was
a vile criminal condemned to die, sacrificing him to an Aztec
god gains a point of damnation. This is because those killed in
sacrifice have their souls delivered to the god to whom they are
sacrificed. To steal a man’s soul and give it to a god is a horrible
thing indeed.
Nahuallotl Rituals
Nahuallotl has many rituals. Often these rituals increase in
potency based on the number of net successes rolled. In these
situations the nahualli may continue to roll and bank successes
even after he has reached the base difficulty. However, unless
special circumstances apply (as noted in the rite description), no
nahualli may extend his ritual beyond a number of rolls equal to
his total Sorcerous Tradition(Nahuallotl)(Per) dice pool.
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
Basic Nahuallotl Rites
Blood for Blood (Quetzalcoatl, Xochiquetzal)
Difficulty: 1 (ritual)
Price: 3 + special
Time: 1 round/1 round
Duration: Permanent
Strain: 1
Description: Quetzalcoatl and Xochiquetzal sooth the
wounded warrior, and thus their nahualtin may do the same.
First the nahualli sacrifices his blood and places the wound
against the ally’s flesh. And then the rite makes them bleed. The
initial success of the rite heals one wound from the target ally.
The nahualli may heal one additional wound per additional
success, but each wound so healed costs him another point of
damage bled out as part of the price. Thus healing four points
of damage would require four successes, and provided all these
successes were gained on a single roll ultimately cost the nahualli
6 points of damage. If this took two rolls the nahualli would
take 9 points of damage, as only the first point of healing is free
regardless of rolls made.
This rite need not be limited to one person. A single
and price paid may be divided between the targets as the
nahualli sees fit.
Blood Vision
Difficulty: 2
Price: 1
Time: 1 round/1 round
Duration: 1 minute + 1 minute per additional success
Strain: 1
Description: By ritualistically piercing his eyebrow and
allowing the blood to trickle down into his eye the nahualli
is able to peer into the invisible world. This includes things
normally invisible to the naked eye, such as ghosts, the auras
surrounding corrupted or enchanted individuals, ley lines, and
the like.
However while using this rite his eyes glow blood red
in the invisible world, and any attempts to hide from creatures
within the invisible world suffer a -2 dice penalty.
Realm of the Gods
Difficulty: 2
Price: 2
Time: 1 round/1 round
Duration: 1 scene
Strain: 1
Description: By calling upon their chosen god the nahualli
opens a pathway between this world and their god’s realm
102
 in the invisible world. This allows the fundamental nature of Sun’s Caress (Huitzilopochtli)
their god’s realm to bleed through to startling visual effect. Difficulty: 2
For instance a priest of Mictlantecuhtli would cause the color
Price: 3
to dull in the surrounding area, and perhaps plants and other
living things would show signs of decay as a cold wind blows. Time: 1 minute/1 round
Meanwhile a priestess of Chalchiúhtlicue might cause the world Duration: Until sunset
to take on a bluish tint, and vision to swim as if peering through
water. These effects are merely illusory and provide no benefit Strain: 3
whatsoever. This effect covers a local area. For instance, it could Description: Calling upon Huitzilopochtli, the fifth sun, the
cover a city crossroads, or fill the room of a house. nahualli may do one of two things. The first is protection,
While the visual effects are illusory the spiritual results granting one ally plus an additional ally per net success
are tangible. Anyone using nahuallotl rites dedicated to the immunity from any negative effects due to natural heat (such
same god gains 1 bonus die, plus one additional die per 2 net as heat exhaustion in the desert). The sunlight does not oppress
successes (rounded down), on all casting rolls. This includes the them, but instead nurtures them in their path. The second
original caster. option is oppression, targeting one enemy within sight. This
enemy has the difficulty for all endurance checks made to resist
If multiple nahualtin cast this rite in the same scene natural heat increased by one.
the visual effects are often stunning, with multiple effects
combating and combining to taint the landscape. However, These effects only work on natural heat within normal
while the bonuses granted by Realm of the Gods does not stack, boundaries for temperature. For instance, they would protect
the mechanics otherwise overlap. For instance, there could be a (or enhance) heat exhaustion in the jungle, but it would provide
3 dice bonus to nahualtin of Quetzalcoatl and a 1 die bonus to no protection from fire or lava.
nahualtin of Huitzilopochtli simultaneously.

Aztec Sorcery
This rite is not without risk. If the nahualli should ever The Smoking Mirror (Tezcatlipoca)
botch their casting roll then a Nahual (see p. 127) appropriate Difficulty: 2
to their god comes through, with the sole intention of slaying
Price: 5
the nahualli for presuming to open a path to the gods. The
Nahual will attack no one but the nahualli, even if attacked by Time: 1 minute/1 round
others. Duration: 1 minute + 1 minute per additional success
Strain: 4
Sacred Obsidian Description: Calling upon Tezcatlipoca, the nahualli fills the
Difficulty: 1 area with treacherous darkness and mist. The mist fills a circular
Price: 2 area with a radius up to 50 yards, + 10 yards per additional
success. This is not true darkness, but the mist does have the
Time: 1 round/1 round following effects.
Duration: 1 day + 1 day per additional success All Notice checks in the area suffer a -1 dice penalty,
Strain: 1 plus 1 per additional success.
Description: By anointing an obsidian weapon (or weapon with All ranged attacks suffer a -1 dice penalty, plus 1 per
obsidian blades) with his own blood the nahualli can impart his additional success.
god’s power to the weapon. The wielder of the weapon gains All fear checks suffer a -1 dice penalty, plus 1 per
+1 die to all attack and parry rolls made with the weapon, and additional success.
the weapon’s DM and toughness both increase by 1. After the
casting roll is made the nahualli may choose to take another These effects affect everyone, including the caster.
2 points of price damage to apply an additional success rolled If someone is using a rite or has a power that allows them
as a bonus to these numbers. For instance, if the caster rolled supernatural sight, such as Awakening or Blood Vision, then
3 successes they may take up to 4 additional damage to give a the penalties to Notice checks and ranged attacks are negated.
total +3 bonus to attacks made with the weapon, and increase The penalty to fear checks, however, remains.
the DM and toughness of the weapon by 3. The additional
damage is suffered instantly as the nahualli imparts some of his
own life force to the weapon. The duration of the rite increases Straight Path
with each success regardless of whether or not additional price Difficulty: 4 (ritual)
is paid. Price: 3
Although the weapon is improved, it is not considered Time: 1 minute/1 round
blessed against creatures vulnerable to blessed weapons.
Duration: 1 day + 1 day per additional success
Strain: 3

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 Description: It can be difficult moving across the terrain of Either way, your ally chooses one target plus an
the Aztec Empire. Volcanic mountains dominate the northern additional target per net success, who then must make a Fear
plateaus, while harsh jungles dominate the south. Yet the check D1 + 1 per net success, and suffer the results of their Fear
servants of the gods must often move quickly. Through the use check as normal.
of this rite the nahualli can provide guidance for himself, plus This rite may be cast multiple times, but only against
one ally per net success. new targets. Once Warrior’s Gaze is directed at an enemy they
This guidance allows those affected to navigate difficult are immune to all other uses of Warrior’s Gaze, regardless of the
natural terrain as if it were clear terrain. They are not slowed by source, for 24 hours.
forests, jungles, or mountains. However, they can move no faster
than they would normally be able to move over clear terrain.
This does not allow them to move through obstacles, and thus Greater Nahuallotl Rites
does not assist them in combat, but rather it supernaturally
guides them to the shortest path on long journeys. Blood Frenzy (Huitzilopochtli)
Difficulty: 3
Price: 5 + 1 per additional target
Tranquil Sacrifice
Time: 2 rounds/special
Difficulty: 3 (ritual)
Duration: 10 minutes
Price: 2
Strain: 2 + 1 per additional target
Time: 1 minute/1 round
Description: The nahualli sacrifices some of his own blood
Duration: 1 day
and then presses his blood against the lips of a nearby ally. The
Strain: 2 ally goes into a blood frenzy. Strength, Agility, Toughness, and
Aztec Sorcery

Description: The most powerful nahuallotl rituals require a Courage all increase by 2. This can increase these abilities above
massive amount of human sacrifices. At times they simply are their normal limits. This has a normal effect on all linked skills,
not available. Thus, high priests will often have their lesser as well as initiative, defense, health, etc.
servants prepare their sacrifices with this ritual. While in a blood frenzy characters are unable to do
This ritual affects one human plus an additional anything except attack. Combat tactics are still possible, but
human per net success. Those humans affected count as one and anything complicated (including anything requiring skills that
a half times their normal number (rounded down) if sacrificed. are not Fighting or Reaction skills) are impossible. At the end of
So 5 humans so affected would count as 7 if sacrificed to fuel the rite’s duration ability scores return to normal. Any health or
a rite. In addition the difficulty of any Fear checks made to defense points lost remain lost after the rite ends. For instance,
submit to sacrifice peacefully are reduced by 3, though of course someone whose Toughness increased from 3 to 5, who then
sacrifices may always choose to attempt to struggle. suffered damage into their Heavy health track, would lose 11
points of damage after the frenzy subsided (4 extra points in
their healthy track, 3 in their light track, 2 in their moderate
Warrior’s Gaze (Huitzilopochtli, Mictlantecuhtli) track, and 2 in their heavy track.) This will very likely kill them.
Difficulty: 3 The nahualli may cast this on one ally + 1 per net
Price: 3 success, provided he is able to touch their lips; however each
ally takes another round of casting. Casting this rite on one ally
Time: 1 round/1 round
takes 1 round, two takes 2 rounds, three takes 3 rounds, and
Duration: Instantaneous so on. The effects of the rite do not take place until the rite has
Strain: 3 been fully cast, after the final round.

Description: When faced with an Aztec army, opposing forces

flee in terror. Perhaps they see war. Perhaps they see death.
Blood Path
Difficulty: 3(ritual)
Either way, they know that their cause is lost.
Price: 3
This can only be cast when a willing ally (one who
would consider themselves your ally) is engaged in combat, Time: 1 minute/1 round
or actively threatening immediate combat (i.e., it can be used Duration: 1 round + 1 round per additional success
during the posturing a split second before the battle, but not
while vaguely threatening someone in a tavern.) Your ally Strain: 3
suddenly becomes terrifying to their opposition. If cast by a Description: This rite can only be used in conjunction with the
nahualli of Huitzilopochtli, your foes see your allies as invincible basic rite Realm of the Gods. Once Realm of the Gods has been
warriors for whom victory is inevitable. If cast by a nahualli successfully used, this rite can be cast to actually open a pathway
of Mictlantecuhtli the vision is one of bloodthirsty reapers to that realm in the Invisible World. One person or creature can
bringing death to all who dare stand against them. walk the path per round, with the nahualli walking the path last
of all (the path closes behind him).

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 A trip through the realm of a god can be used for
several things. If it is the realm of Mictlantecuhtli it can be
used for communion with those dead who did not die from
drowning, sacrifice, or in battle. The shades of the dead inhabit
Mictlan, and it may be possible to track them down. If it is
the realm of Tlaloc those who died from drowning may be
communed with. Warriors who died in combat may be found
in the realm of Huitzilopochtli, though their task is to carry
the sun and so they rarely have anything to say. It is possible,
though unlikely, that anyone sacrificed to a particular god may
be found in that god’s realm.
The trip can also be used to commune with the god,
or the servants of the god. This can be tricky, and will normally
involve taking on a quest for the god, or offering an appropriate
sacrifice. Human sacrifice is almost always appropriate, but
other sacrifices can be acceptable depending on the god in
question (for instance, Xochiquetzal is partial to sacrifices of
quetzal birds).
Finally, the trip can be used to travel elsewhere in the
physical world. While this travel is not instantaneous, trips
through the realm of a god are all of equal length – one day.
A second casting of this rite after the journey while firmly
visualizing your destination can take you anywhere in the
physical world, and possibly some places in the invisible world
as well.
Regardless of the motive the blood path is extremely
dangerous, especially if the trip is for seeking out the dead or a
god. It is highly recommended that GMs actually narrate the trip
as a story, making it a spiritual quest through a dangerous and
frankly terrifying land. However if this needs to be reduced to
an abstract roll, roll Charm(Per) for communion with the dead,
Occult(Edu) for communion with a god, or Navigation(Int) for
travel, and consult the appropriate results table. Only a single
roll may be made for the party, though anyone can make it.
Anyone who does not worship the god of the realm suffers a
-3 dice penalty on the roll. This can be reduced to -1 with a
successful D1 Occult check.
If using this abstract method, roll a Fear check for each
character who makes the journey. This Fear check does not affect
the results of the journey, but the things they see in the invisible
world are so terrifying that some may go mad. Mere travel only
requires a D3 check. Communing with the dead requires a D5
check. Communing with a god requires a D7 check. Followers Goddess’s Gills (Chalchiúhtlicue)
of the god of the realm gain a +2 dice bonus on this check. If Difficulty: 3
they are traveling in the realm of Mictlan (the underworld) add
1 to all the difficulties, as that realm is particularly horrifying.
Again, this Fear check does not affect the outcome of
the journey. That is represented by the abstract roll. Any result Duration: 1 hour + 1 hour per net success
less severe than “Touched in the Head” can be ignored. Any Strain: 1
botch results in “Touched in the Head” during travel, “Lunacy”
while communing with the dead, or “Stark Raving Mad” if Description: By carving gill slits in your neck you, or a target
communing with a god.
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Because of the danger of this rite, the rewards should
be substantial. The spirits of the dead will answer to the best of
their ability (limited, of course, to what they knew in life, and
possibly limited by the commands of their god if the god itself
wishes something kept secret,) while gods will offer great insight
(more specific than typical prophecies, though gods have been
known to lie to protect their own interests).
Results
Successes Result
Botch A horrible fate has befallen you. You are either
dead or trapped in the invisible world. It will
take a long and dangerous quest to escape, and
months or years might go by.
Failure You have fallen afoul of one of the many
supernatural denizens of the realm. All travelers
take 1d10 points of damage (rolled individually),
and barely escape to their starting location. This
takes about one hour.
1-2 Nothing bad has befallen you, but your mission
is a failure. You return to the physical world
where you began. This takes about two hours for
Aztec Sorcery
communion, or one day for travel.
3-4 Your mission is a success! You find the shade
you are looking for and may ask them a single
question. You commune with your god and gain
their favor, but only at the cost of a major sacrifice
or quest. You travel to a place within a day’s travel
of your destination, though any further accuracy
in destination is impossible. This takes about two
hours for communion or one day for travel.
5+ Your mission is an astounding success! You find
the shade you are looking for and may engage
them in free conversation. You commune with
your god and gain their favor, and they require
only a token sacrifice or quest. You travel to a
specific place, returning to the physical world in
the exact spot you desire. This takes about two
hours for communion, or one day for travel.
Price: 2
Time: 1 round/1 round
designated by you, gain the ability to breathe in otherwise
unbreathable places, such as thick smoke or underwater. While
the carved gill slits might give the appearance of breathing like
a fish, this rite allows you to breathe anywhere regardless of
conditions.
 Holy Day
Difficulty: 3
Price: 3 + special
Time: 1 minute/1 round
Duration: 1 day
Strain: 4
Description: By making an offering (typically in the morning)
to your chosen deity, you enjoy the luck of that deity throughout
the day. When this ritual is cast you spend the original 3 price.
Throughout the day you may cut yourself as a free action to
invoke the Lucky Basic Talent. Each use of this talent costs you
another 3 points of price. Like the Lucky talent, this talent can
be used no more than once per scene. If you already possess or diabolical powers, such as Witch Hunters (and their inherent
the Lucky talent, however, this grants you an additional use of supernatural abilities), nor does it affect Animism rites (unless
Lucky per scene.
This power can be bestowed on another, but a nahualli If the nahualli leaves the circle, the circle breaks. The circle is
must be wary. The nahualli will automatically pay the price for immobile once cast.
their ally’s use of this ability, their blood spontaneously spilling
from their body regardless of distance between the nahualli and circle can pass through. This requires an extended Will roll (just
their target, and it will occur automatically upon the ally’s use Will, no skill added) with a difficulty equal to the total number
Aztec Sorcery
whether the nahualli desires it or not.
Manifest Nahual
Difficulty: 4
Price: 4
Time: 2 rounds/1 round
Duration: Until the next sunrise or sunset
Strain: 4
Description: You manifest your nahual spirit. This being will
fight at your side as a loyal companion. Nahuals can vary in
appearance based on many factors, almost always taking the
form of the sacred animal of your god. See the nahual, p. 127.
The Nahual will attempt to obey your orders, but it is not an
automaton and will respond normally to sudden threats.
Should the Nahual be destroyed prior to its normal
dismissal then the nahualli immediately suffers 7 points of
damage as the spiritual connection between them is severed.
Like the price, this damage cannot be negated or avoided in
any way. A nahualli may only manifest one nahual at any given
time, and it may not manifest a destroyed nahual until after
the next sunrise or sunset. If the nahualli is slain the nahual
vanishes, but the nahual remains if the nahualli simply falls
asleep or unconscious.
Repel Tzitzimime
Difficulty: 5(ritual)
Price: 5
Time: 1 minute/2 rounds
Duration: 1 hour + 1 hour per additional success
Strain: 5
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Description: This ritual can be used to create a circle up to
five yards in radius, + 1 yard per additional success, inscribed
by blood drawn via an obsidian dagger (use of this rite requires
the nahualli to possess an obsidian dagger). This circle will
keep out any and all creatures of angelic or diabolical nature.
This includes, of course, angels and diabolicals; however it also
includes any other supernatural creature specifically animated
by an angel, daemon, or devil. The circle also keeps any Prayer,
Diabolism, or Witchcraft rite, as well as any supernatural power
that comes directly from angelic or diabolical power, from
being cast or targeted within its radius (though rites and powers
targeted outside the radius still affect those inside if its area of
effect is large enough.)
This does not affect creatures who merely serve angelic
the caster calls upon angels or diabolicals to work their magic).
Particularly determined creatures excluded by the
of successes originally rolled by the nahualli. Each roll takes one
round. Banked successes are lost in the event of a botch, but
otherwise the creature may continue this indefinitely until they
succeed. Success does not break the circle; it merely allows the
creature inside, though that creature can henceforth pass freely
in and out of that particular circle. Such creatures within the
circle can leave it freely, it only keeps creatures out.
While angels and diabolicals are always affected,
what other supernatural creatures are affected is left up to the
GM. A creature of the fae would not be affected, but a ghost
created due to a Diabolists deal with the Adversary might be. A
ghost created by other means who merely serves the Adversary,
however, would not be; though any supernatural abilities
specifically granted by the Adversary and not inherent to the
creature would not function within the circle. The power only
affects supernatural creatures and abilities directly created by
angelic or diabolical force.
Speak with Dead (Mictlantecuhtli)
Difficulty: 4(ritual)
Price: 3
Time: 1 minute/1 round
Duration: Special
Strain: 4
Description: Calling upon the power of Mictlantecuhtli,
lord of death, you may interrogate a recently dead body. This
power only works on those bound for Mictlan, so it will not
function on warriors slain in combat, victims of drowning, or
sacrificial victims. Strangely enough, however, this rite works on
victims of any religion, so long as they did not die in combat,
by drowning, or by sacrifice. Every day that has passed after the
death adds another point of difficulty to this rite.

If successful the nahualli may ask the corpse a number
of questions equal to 1 + 1 per 3 net successes. By holding his ear
close to the corpse’s mouth, the nahualli will hear the corpse’s
whispered answer. The corpse can only answer to the best of
the deceased’s knowledge, and if the death was particularly
traumatic it is likely that the details of the death itself will only
be a series of strong emotions and confusion.
Warrior Sun (Huitzilopochtli)
Difficulty: 3
Price: 4
Time: 2 rounds/1 round
Duration: 1 minute
Strain: 4
One outdoor area, no larger than 100 yards in diameter,
is suddenly stricken with blazing hot sunlight. Huitzilopochtli
shines cruelly down, and all those under his baleful gaze are
scorched. Everyone within the area must make an immediate
Endurance (Toughness) roll (D3 + 1 per additional success)
or else take damage equal to the difficulty as per the rules for
extreme heat on WH p.114. If the area is already suffering from
extreme heat the difficulty (and the damage) stacks (thus casting
this rite on an area already suffering from 110 degree heat would
require a difficulty of D5 + 1 per additional success). This effect
does not need to be centered on the nahualli, but the entire area
affected must be visible to the nahualli. This rite may only be
cast between local sunrise and sunset, though it works even if
the sun is obscured.
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Heroic Nahuallotl Rites
Fear of Mictlan (Mictlantecuhtli)
Difficulty: Special (Ritual)
Price: 1 sacrifice
Time: 1 round/1 round
Duration: Special
Strain: 10
Description: Often used in conjunction with War Sacrifice,
this ritual thins the fabric of reality between the Invisible and
the Physical, giving foes a terrifying glimpse of Mictlan. This
rite is an exception to the rules of ritual length, and it may be
continued indefinitely as long as there are sacrifices, with each
roll requiring another sacrifice.
Upon achieving 1 success, this ritual imposes a -3 dice
penalty on Resolve(Cou) checks within a 1 yard radius area for
1 hour. Additional successes can be used to add 1 yard to the
affected radius (keep in mind there are 1,760 yards in a mile),
or to increase the duration by 1 hour. In addition additional
successes can be used to exempt creatures from the effects of this
rite, at the rate of one creature per success. Normally this will
Aztec Sorcery
be used to exempt Aztec warriors from the debilitating effects.
For instance 500 successes could shield 500 warriors from the
penalty.
Messenger
Difficulty: 5
Price: 1 sacrifice
Time: 1 hour/1 minute
Duration: Special
Strain: 5
Description: Through the proper application of rite and ritual,
a sacrificial victim can be prepared as a messenger to the gods
themselves. A question or request is whispered to the victim
before the final moment of death, at which point the victim’s
soul is bound to send the message to the god. The god returns
with an answer promptly. This power can be used in the
following ways.
Answer: The god will answer a single question that falls within
its purview. The answer may be somewhat cryptic, but not
entirely as a clear answer has already been bought with sacrifice.
Keep in mind that gods have been known to lie, but normally
only when their own interests are at stake.
Assistance: The god will grant a total of +10 dice of bonus,
which can be spread among the skills of the nahualli and his
allies as the GM sees fit, based on the nahualli’s request. For
instance, if requesting help for an upcoming battle the GM
might give his three warrior companions each a +2 to hand-to-
hand, a +2 to thrown for the atlatl wielder, and give the nahualli
a +2 to his Sorcerous Tradition(Nahuallotl) skill. While the
exact spread of bonuses is up to the GM, the GM should not
attempt to shortchange the characters. After all, the god has
been satiated by sacrifice. He might even grant a bonus to a
 skill the characters do not realize they will need, such as a +2
to Resolve prior to facing a monster that the nahualli knows
nothing about, but the GM (and thus the god) knows will
require a fear check. Skill bonuses should be broken up, with
no more than +2 being given to any one skill, and the bonuses
should be spread evenly across the party. These bonuses last for
a single day.
Healing: The god allows the nahualli and his immediate allies
(no more than six additional allies) to immediately regain health
as if at the end of a battle, even if they have already done so.
Prophecy: The god will grant the nahualli a vision of the future.
Unlike the Basic Prayer Rite of Prophetic Vision, this vision is
not as cryptic, though it is certainly not clear. The vision will
normally give the nahualli at least one solid clue (like a clear
image of the house of the villain’s next victim, along with the
location of the house, or an image of a warrior casting aside his
normal weapons in favor of wooden ones for a villain vulnerable
to wood).
Storm Lord’s Rage (Tlaloc)
Difficulty: 10 (Ritual)
Aztec Sorcery
Price: 1 Sacrifice
Time: 1 minute/1 minute
Duration: 1 hour + 1 hour per net success
Strain: 5
Description: Tlaloc’s fury is unleashed upon the nahualli’s
enemies. This ritual creates a massive thunderstorm and
destructive, torrential downpours of rain over an area the
nahualli designates, up to a mile in radius. All Notice checks
take a -4 dice penalty, and ranged attacks with anything
lighter than siege weaponry automatically fails. Each round
roll 1d10 to determine the direction the wind is blowing that
round. 1-2 North, 3-4 East, 5-6 South, 7-8 West, 9 No Wind
due to the eye of the storm, and 10 dangerous wind. Moving
directly against the wind requires a D2 Strength check. Moving
diagonally against the wind (for instance southeast when the
wind is blowing north) requires a D1 Strength check. If the
wind is dangerous, a D2 Balance(Agi) check is required to avoid
being knocked prone and taking 1 point of damage, and a D2
Strength check is required to move at all.
In addition every round the Nahualli can roll Sorcerous toughness in the hands of warriors blessed by this rite. This also
Tradition(Nahuallotl) as an attack roll to attempt to direct a grants the blessed warrior an automatic success on all Defense
bolt of lightning at an opponent he can see. This lightning has and Initiative rolls. These effects last for 1 day.
a DM of +5. Other than lightning, however, the effects of this
rite affect friend and foe alike.
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Massive Rituals
While rituals such as Fear of Mictlan and War Sacrifice
can be used on the party level, their most famous
applications are massive rituals that empower entire
Aztec armies. It can be assumed that when facing a
prepared attack by the Aztec military all the warriors are
under the effects of War Sacrifice, while the battlefield
is under the effect of Fear of Mictlan (with the Aztecs
being immune to the effects).
If the actual ritual needs to be played out,
do not roll dice. Rolling such massive dice pools
would take a needlessly long time. Instead, divide the
attendant priests’ total dice pool by 3 (for large groups
of warriors there will often be multiple attendant priests
working in tandem). That is the average number of
successes the priests will gain per round of sacrifice. So
for instance a nahualli that rolls 7 dice on a Sorcerous
Tradition(Nahuallotl) check can expect to get 2 1/3
successes per sacrifice (or 7 successes per 3 sacrifices).
If they need to gain 5,000 successes to empower 500
warriors with War Sacrifice for a 10 day campaign, they
will require 2143 sacrifices to do so, and it will take them
around 6 hours.
War Sacrifice (Huitzilopochtli)
Difficulty: Special (Ritual)
Price: 1 Sacrifice
Time: 1 round/1 round
Duration: Special
Strain: 10
Description: This rite is most familiar to Europeans, as it presages
practically any attack by Aztec armies. Priests of Huitzilopochtli
will sacrifice thousands or more at a time to grant their god’s
blessing over an entire army. This rite is an exception to the rules
of ritual length. It may be continued indefinitely as long as there
are sacrifices, with each roll requiring another sacrifice.
With a single success (and a single sacrifice) this ritual
blesses a single warrior, providing a +1 bonus to all attacks with
obsidian weapons. These weapons also gain +1 DM and +1
Additional successes in the ritual may be used as
follows. Each additional success adds an additional warrior that
can be blessed by the ritual. A number of additional successes
equal to the total number of warriors affected can be used to
add 1 day to the effect.
For instance, 1,000 successes can grant the bonus to
1,000 warriors for one day. It would take 1,000 more successes
to increase this to two days, and 1,000 more successes to increase
it to three. On the other hand, if there were only 5 warriors only
5 successes would be needed for one day, an additional 5 for the
next, and an additional 5 for the next.
 from eagle’s feathers. While they do not possess the ferocious
Fighting Traditions reputation of the Jaguar Warriors, canny enemies know that the
The European fighting traditions do not exist in the Aztec Eagle Warriors give them just as much to fear. For when an
Empire. While the Aztecs have seen such fighting styles used Eagle Warrior steps onto the battlefield, the battlefield is his.
by their enemies, their culture is far too xenophobic to support Requirements: Hand-to-Hand 3, Thrown 2
the kind of cultural exchange necessary to learn a European
Special Requirement: The character must have captured (not
fighting tradition. However the Aztecs are a warrior people, and
killed) at least four intelligent captives in solo combat.
while they have never embraced the concept of the duel as have
the Europeans, they have dedicated themselves to the glory of Choice of Weapons: A macuahuitl and atlatl, along with a
combat. Over the years the Aztecs developed elite traditions shield. Many Eagle Warriors also carry a sling and obsidian
of warriors. These warrior traditions grant access only to those dagger, so as to be more versatile on the battlefield.
Aztecs who have proven themselves, and each has special
requirements for entry beyond mere skill.
The first of these orders are the Quetzal Warriors, who Basic Talents: Cuauhtlimachtihquetl
will accept anyone so long as they are a Witch Hunter. They
are detailed in Chapter 4 (p. 81). The other two orders require
(The Eagle’s Student)
certain accomplishments before they will accept an Aztec and Cuel Achic (In an Instant)
teach them their techniques. If a character has the Warrior You have trained long and hard with both atlatl and
background, (p. 94) it can be assumed that they have already macuahuitl, and can use both interchangeably. After attacking
fulfilled this special requirement. Otherwise the requirement with an atlatl or macuahuitl you may drop one weapon and

Fighting Traditions
must be fulfilled in play. It is not unheard of for non-warriors to draw the other or a small melee weapon as a free action.
be inducted into the Cuauhtli or Ocelotl orders, but it is very
rare.
Manehnemi (To Crawl)
You can become one with the terrain, shaping your
body to the contours of earth and crawling with as much agility
New Fighting Style: as you walk. While prone you only grant 1 bonus dice to a
hand-to-hand attacker. In addition, you may stand as a free
Cuauhtli (Eagle Warrior) action and crawl up to 3 yards as an action.
History
The reign of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina, fifth Tlatoani Ocmaya (Wait a Minute)
of Tenochtitlán, was marked by a period of fierce expansion. You have learned the value of patience and observation,
Although Motecuhzoma’s predecessor, Itzcoatl, had begun and can seek out the weak points in an opponent’s armor. In
the subjugation of the cities around the newly formed Triple addition to its normal benefits using the aim action grants your
Alliance, it was Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina who proved that weapon +2 DM against the aimed target. This bonus is not
Aztec warriors were unmatched. As the influence of the Triple cumulative. Aiming for two rounds will still only grant you a
Alliance spread it was no longer enough for warriors to be strong +2 DM bonus.
and unyielding. Warriors now had to march for great distances,
often through difficult terrain, and once they had reached their
destination they would wage battle far away from their leaders Greater Talents: Imaticuauhtli (The Prudent Eagle)
in Tenochtitlán.
Paina (To Run Fast)
Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina looked upon the Jaguar
You have trained hard in moving swiftly. You may
Warriors, who had quickly become the fiercest shock troops in
move 4 yards as a cautious move, 12 yards as a move, and 20
the land, and realized that the peasant order was a success. And
yards as a run. You may not take this talent if you have the Day
so he founded another peasant order, the Cuauhtli, or Eagle
Sign talent of Vulture.
Warriors. These troops were trained in more diverse tactics than
the Jaguar Warriors. They were trained with atlatl as well as
macuahuitl. They were trained to use the terrain and to think Pano (To Pass)
tactically, acting as fast-moving light infantry. You are a master of battlefield terrain, using it to
The Eagle Warriors were a success. In battle the Eagle your advantage. Terrain that would normally slow you on the
Warriors often directed the combat, with their brothers the battlefield no longer does so. This is only effective in short
Jaguar Warriors acting as the front line. The Eagle Warriors were bursts, and does not affect long-term travel time. In addition
given the right to wear brightly colored armor of leather and you are now able to move through spaces occupied by an enemy,
cloth, often decorated with eagle’s feathers. They wear helmets though you cannot end your movement there.
crafted in the shape of an eagle’s head, with an open beak to
look through. They wear headdresses and ornaments made

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 Xitinia (To Knock Down)
The Eagle Warrior learns to do far more with his
New Fighting Style: Ocelotl
weapon than simply cause his foe damage. When using the
knock-down combat maneuver you may use your Hand-to-
(Jaguar Warrior)
hand(Strength) skill rather than merely strength. You also gain History
a +2 dice bonus on all knock-down attempts.
For the first quarter of the fifteenth century the Mexica
people were little more than warrior slaves of the Tepanecs of
Azcapotzalco. When Tezozomoc, ruler of the Tepanecs, died
Heroic Talents: Acicamaticuauhtli the Mexica knew the time was right for rebellion. Already the
(Master the Eagle) pipiltin nobility had begun to rise from the peasantry. Though
all were slaves, some slaves were greater than others. The pipiltin
Metlatl (Grinding Stones) had illustrious warrior orders, much like European noble
In combat it is often wiser to cripple your enemy rather than knighthoods, that spoke of their prowess in battle. Yet when the
just wounding him. During an attack if you have at least 2 Mexica overthrew the Tepanecs it was the peasant warriors that
remaining successes after your opponent has applied any Defense carried the day.
Points, you may spend all your remaining successes to cripple
Their hearts afire with the desire for freedom and
an opponent rather than injure him, giving him a -1 penalty on
supremacy, the peasant warriors threw themselves recklessly
either Strength or Agility. These penalties are cumulative and
into battle, sacrificing themselves on enemy clubs and spears
they last until the opponent has been fully healed of damage.
to allow the Mexica and their allies to carry the day. After the
fIghtIng trAdItIons

battle Itzcoatl became Tlatoani of Tenochtitlán, and he did

Poctli (Smoke) not forget the sacrifice of the peasants. He granted permission
You have become like smoke, shifting and flowing through for the peasants to found the first warrior order that admitted
the battlefield, avoiding enemy attacks as if they were nothing. members based on their deeds, not on their status. And thus the
Once per scene immediately after being successfully attacked Jaguar Warriors were founded.
you may use this ability to completely negate the attack and all The Jaguar Warriors are not like the noble orders.
its effects. They are heavy shock troops, mighty and fearsome men who
use their macuahuitls with deadly efficiency. They soon became
known as the fiercest of orders, willing to stare death in the face.
They were granted the right to wear brightly dyed jaguar skin
armor, and helms made from a jaguar’s open-mouthed head.
They strike fear in their enemies wherever they go. They are the
Ocelotl, the sword-arm of the Empire.
Requirements: Hand-to-hand 3, Endurance 2
Special Requirements: The character must have captured (not
killed) at least four intelligent captives in solo combat.
Choice of Weapons: Although the Jaguar Warriors use the
atlatl and the dagger when it suits them, they normally carry a
macuahuitl and shield, though some forego the shield and wield
a grand macuahuitl.

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 Basic Talents: Ocelotlixtiyol Heroic Talents: Ocelotlyollo (The Jaguar’s Heart)
(The Jaguar’s Eye) Amo Ezquiza (Does not Bleed)
You truly are an unstoppable force on the battlefield. Your very
Acomana (To Frighten) wounds seem to knit themselves together before the eyes of your
The Ocelotl are terrifying in battle. Their reputation has astonished enemies. Once per scene as a free action you may
often caused their enemies to flee the field. You may use recover your Toughness in damage.
Intimidate(Personality) with a +2 dice bonus instead of
Perform(Intuition) when using the Feint option. In addition
to the normal effects, if an enemy fails by 3 or more successes Tepehua (To Conquer)
they are shaken as if they had failed a fear check. At the GMs You are the Jaguar. You rend your enemies asunder. When
discretion a botched Empathy(Intuition) roll by your enemy using a macuahuitl or grand macuahuitl you gain the following
may result in them becoming shaken or stunned. effects. If you have at least one success on a Break attempt after
Chieltia (To Await Fearlessly) your opponent has applied any Defense Points you gain two
You are an elite warrior of the Aztec Empire. You do not back additional successes. Charges increase the damage modifier of
down or show fear. You gain 1 automatic success on all Fear your weapon by one additional point. Reckless attacks grant an
checks. additional success if successful. You gain an additional dice if
your target is prone. If you have the Day Sign talent of Ocelotl,
this ability stacks with the effects of the talent.
Tecuani (The Wild Beast)
In battle you fight with the rage of an animal, seemingly

fIghtIng trAdItIons
unstoppable. You ignore all penalties suffered from Light
damage. You suffer Moderate or greater damage penalties as
usual.

Greater Talents: Ocelotlmah

(The Jaguar’s Hand)
Icniuhtli (Brother)
You are a soldier, trained to fight alongside others as an
impenetrable force. Once per scene you may designate a
non-minion ally as your “brother”. Aiding your brother
or being aided by your brother in combat grants 1 dice
more than usual. In addition, so long as you are adjacent to
your brother they gain 1 automatic defense point.

Ma (To Capture)
The Aztec warrior will kill if they must, but the greatest glory
comes from capturing enemies alive for future sacrifice. You gain
two bonus dice to resist an opponent escaping a grapple, disarm
an opponent, start a grapple, or knock down an opponent.

Tepetl (Mountain)
You must know Tecuani (The Wild Beast) to learn this
talent. You feel no pain. You feel no fear. You are
a mountain, towering above your enemies,
invincible. You ignore all Moderate damage
penalties and consciousness rolls, though
you suffer Heavy and greater damage
penalties and rolls as normal. In
addition you gain 1 additional point
of damage to your Healthy, Light,
and Moderate damage tracks.

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 Relics
Level 1 Relics

Nahuatl Tongue (Holy/Unholy)

Requirements: None
As the Aztec Empire expanded, and especially as
they dealt with their Chinese allies, the Aztecs
discovered a need for accurate translation. This
is an enchanted, dried human tongue which
grants the wearer the ability to speak and
understand a single language, chosen when the
relic is created, as if the speaker had three ranks
in the Speak Language skill.

Jaguar Blood (Unholy)

Requirements: None
This jaguar blood is treated by the priests
of Tezcatlipoca to attain magical potency.
When smeared over the face it grants them
+1 health dots per health track and +1 to
Relics

Endurance(Toughness) rolls for a full day,

as well as adding to the Aztec’s fearsome
appearance.

Level 2 Relics
Lip Plug (Holy/Unholy)
This is a decorative lip plug, often carved from jade and pierced
through the lower lip. It was a mark of status, and could not
be worn in public by peasants. Often these lip plugs would be
enchanted as charms, and greatly prized. Each plug grants +1 to
all Interaction skills, as well as +2 to a single Professional skill,
which varies with each plug.
Level 3 Relics
Concecrated Dagger (Unholy)
This is an obsidian dagger, razor-sharp and fitted with a carved
stone handle giving praise to the Aztec gods. When used by a
nahualli to draw the blood price this acts as a focus for blood
magic, granting one automatic success on all rolls to activate a
nahuallotl rite or ritual. Within the Aztec Empire only priests
may carry these daggers, and there are harsh penalties for any
others who are caught with them.
Spy Bean (Holy/Unholy)
This appears to be a stone carving of a cacao bean, often painted
to be indistinguishable from the real thing save for its weight and
texture. When carried next to the skin, separated by no more
than thin cloth (such as, say, from a pouch or an inner pocket,)
it grants the bearer the appearance of being a generic Mexica.
Enough of the bearer’s original features are retained so that
each illusion appears slightly different (a tall man will remain
tall, a woman with a slender neck may retain that feature, and
distinguishing scars may also be retained). This illusion does
not alter the voice or clothes, nor does it grant a knowledge
of Aztec customs. It was originally developed by conquered
nations seeking to move freely in Aztec lands. The Aztecs, for
obvious reasons, have banned its use, and anyone caught with a
spy bean is assumed to be a spy and treated accordingly. Thus far
their existence is unknown outside of the Aztec Empire.

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 Level 4 Relics

God Costume (Unholy)

This is a costume, normally decorated with gold, jade, and
quetzal feathers, symbolizing one of the Aztec gods. Normally
worn by priests on holy days, they are also worn by devout
citizens who preside over private, secret rituals. On very rare
occasions during holy wars a priest may don a god costume
to inspire the warriors. Anyone wearing a god costume gains 2
automatic successes on all Command and Intimidate checks.
They are also treated as having 2 points of armor, with no
movement penalties. Finally, this costume grants 1 automatic
success on any nahuallotl ritual (not rite) cast by a nahualli who
calls upon the god whose costume he wears. This does not stack
with the automatic success granted by the Consecrated Dagger.

Creatures & Adversaries

Level 5 Relics
Chacmool (Unholy)
A Chacmool is a stone statue of a reclining man, his hands on
his belly clutching a bowl. Into this bowl are placed the hearts
of freshly sacrificed victims as an offering to the gods. Due to
the size and weight of the statue, Chacmools are usually only
found in temples that have regular sacrifices. When a sacrificed
human heart is placed in the Chacmool, the priest chooses one
of the following effects.
• Everyone within 100 yards of the chacmool who
worships the god of the sacrifice (even if they are not their
patron deity, though the worship must be sincere,) gains a
temporary hero point. This hero point is good for the next
24 hours, and can only be used within 100 yards of the
chacmool. This even grants a temporary hero point to non-
player characters, granting enemies an edge normally denied
them.
• All priests of the god to which the sacrifice is made,
who are assisting with the sacrifice (usually four to hold
down the victim, and one to actually commit the sacrifice,)
gain five automatic defense points for the next 24 hours
as long as they remain within two yards of the chacmool.
These defense points vanish if they leave this area, and are
not restored if they return.
• An immediate casting of any single nahuallotl rite
appropriate to the god to which the sacrifice is made,
whether the priest knows the rite or not. The rite is assumed in the water, or a black shape beneath the waves. Its pointed ears
to be successful with five net successes over the base
difficulty. If the rite has a target or targeted area, the onesometimes for hours. Then, when its prey is vulnerable, it will
who placed the heart in the chacmool chooses the target.
Any rites that are personal will target whoever placed the
heart in the chacmool. Any rites that are centered on the
caster are centered on the chacmool.
Chacmool are not consecrated to particular gods, but drowned victims ascend to Tlaloc’s watery paradise after death.
the user of this relic must sincerely worship the god to whom he
sacrifices his victim for the relic to function.
Creatures & Adversaries
Ahuizotl (Beast)
Background: The ahuizotl are feared and respected creatures
with pointed ears like a dog, a smooth black rubbery body,
strong legs for swimming with nimble, dexterous hands on the
end, and a broad, powerful tail with a hand-like appendage at
the tip. They feast on flesh, and have a taste for human eyes,
fingernails, and hair.
It is said the first ahuizotl was created by the
goddess Chalchiúhtlicue when she flooded the fourth world.
She transformed her followers into fish so that they might
survive, but her most favored she shaped into ahuizotl. They
retain a predatory intelligence, and have even rarely become
companions of priestesses of Chalchiúhtlicue or those favored
by the goddess.
They are water-dwelling beasts, and although they can
walk on land they are never found far from their watery domain.
It is rare to see one completely. Normally a victim will see its trail
and wide eyes will rise above the waterline as it stalks its prey,
strike. It grabs its victim with strong hands and its dexterous
tail, then drags them deep below the waves, drowning them and
then devouring their dead flesh at leisure. In this they are doing
the work of Chalchiúhtlicue and her consort Tlaloc, for the

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 True Faith, Damnation, and Other Powers
There are other powers between the force of goodness that
Witch Hunters follow, and the Adversary. The Aztec gods,
the Fae, and other creatures exist apart from the struggle
between good and evil that permeates the world. These
creatures often have high Damnation scores, and yet they
do not serve the adversary. In the case of Aztecs, they are
often very faithful to gods whose dark worship causes a high
damnation score (due to human sacrifice and other evil
rites).
These creatures gain powers from faith, as discussed
on p.156 of the Grand Tome of Adversaries. What of their
damnation, however? Normally True Faith cannot exceed
10-damnation. A high priest of Huitzilopochtli, stained with
the blood of sacrifices, will very quickly reach 10 damnation
Creatures & Adversaries
their Damnation will always be in direct opposition to
their True Faith, even if that True Faith is in Quetzalcoatl
or Chalchiúhtlicue.
• Those who have taken this option gain powers from
True Faith, not Damnation (as per GToA p.156). Each
of their powers also comes with a price. They may not be
selling their soul to the devil, but they have contracted
with evil nonetheless and this brings consequences.
• Those who have taken this option can use True Faith as
per WH p.85 with a single exception – this True Faith
cannot fulfill the requirements of rites and relics that
require a minimum True Faith score to learn or use.
Other gods still provide protection from the Adversary,
but they are incapable of empowering sacred artifacts.
• The fear rating of those who take this option is based

and thus have no True Faith to empower him. off their True Faith, not their Damnation. However, this
To represent this, certain creatures who are evil but remains a Fear Check, not an Awe Check (GToA p.157).
do not serve the Adversary, as well as those who faithfully Those who have great faith in an evil deity are terrifying,
worship these creatures, may have True Faith and Damnation not awe-inspiring.
scores independent of each other, having a True Faith score • As with normal foes, the Damnation score of those using
of up to 10 regardless of how much Damnation they possess. this option cannot be used in the normal ways listed on
In this case their True Faith represents faithfulness not to WH p.86. Their damnation exists as a measure of their
good, but to their chosen deity, while their damnation evil, and to empower certain blessed abilities against
represents the stain on their soul caused by their evil deeds. them, nothing more.
These creatures have the following new rules.
Many of the creatures below gain power through their True
• Witch Hunters cannot use these methods. By their very Faith to the Aztec gods. When this is the case, the True
nature Witch Hunters, even Aztec Witch Hunters, are Faith statistic in their stat blocks will be marked with an
granted their powers by the forces of righteousness. Thus, asterisk(*).

Ahuizotl are solitary hunters, and never hunt with Cave Ahuizotl – Watery caves and grottos are often sacred
others of their own will, although there have been rumors places to Chalchiúhtlicue, favored by the goddess. Such places
of particularly powerful priestesses of Chalchiúhtlicue are often guarded by an ahuizotl of nearly twice the size as their
commanding many ahuizotls for some mission of vital freshwater kin, with slavering jaws and multiple dexterous tails.
importance to the goddess. Ahuizotls very rarely attack those Such creatures act as guardians of the sacred grottos, allowing
favored of Chalchiúhtlicue, including members of the Jade Skirt only the favored of the goddess passage.
Society, or those who have sought Chalchiúhtlicue’s blessing. Sea Beast – Rumors of this fabled creature were first reported
This explains the universal reverence for the goddess among by the Spanish invaders in the Gulf of Mexico and the Chinese
the farmers who pilot their boats on Lake Texcoco, who will traders in the Pacific Ocean. At first it was believed that these
burn holy incense to the goddess on their boats while plying the were simply another manifestation of sea serpent, or kraken.
treacherous waters in hopes this will turn the Ahuitzotls away. Later reports confirmed that the creature was smaller, though
still massive, and though it had many tentacle-like tails with
Strains: grasping, hand-like appendages, it was not a squid or serpent
but a black-bodied beast. Its kinship with the ahuizotl is
Lake Ahuizotl – By far the most common kind of ahuizotl, undeniable, and it is only found in waters very close to the
this creature dwells in freshwater lakes and is roughly the size Aztec Empire, but any other connection is unknown.
of a large dog. Several of these dwell in Lake Texcoco itself.
It is forbidden to slay these ahuizotl except by word of the
Tlatoani, who grants permission sparingly and only to keep
their population from overrunning the lake. It is not widely
circulated, but those given such permission are always executed °This talent, power, or price is found in “Grand Tome of
afterward. While all know the ahuizotl exist in the lake, few Adversaries”
have seen one and lived to tell about it.
‡This talent is found in “Blessed and the Damned”
¥This talent is found in “Empire of Blood”

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 Organizations: A very few freshwater ahuizotl have been tamed Additional Powers & Prices:
by the Jade Skirt society, though they remain predators and can
only be safely handled by their trainers. More have been tamed Corpus Powers Corpus Prices
by the priestesses of Chalchiúhtlicue, but even this is very rare. Armor Allergen° - Holy Incense
Yet there is an undeniable connection between the ahuizotl and Camouflage° Corpus Limitation - Feeding
Chalchiúhtlicue, and they are known to guard sacred places
and ignore or even protect the chosen of the goddess. This Carnivate Weak Spot°
should not be relied upon, however, as they remain fierce and Durability
unpredictable predators. Movement Powers Movement Prices
Elusive Paralyzation° - When completely dry
Suggested Locales: The largest concentration of ahuizotls is in
Offensive Powers Offensive Prices
Lake Texcoco, surrounding Tenochtitlán. They can, however,
be found near any body of water within and around the Aztec Maiming Strike° Repulsion° (Chalchiúhtlicue followers)
Empire. Paralyzing Touch°
Mystical Powers Mystical Prices
Creating an Ahuizotl: Initial Cost 50
Hyperhearing° Feeder (Human eyes, fingernails, hair)

Creatures & Adversaries

Fundamental Powers: Hypersight° Mystical Limitation (While in water)
All ahuizotl begin with Swimming° 3 as a power.
All ahuizotl begin with the Tail talent.
Cave Guardian (Villain)
Fundamental Price: Standard Character (900 points)
Lair Fear Rating 4
Ahuizotl must return each day to their underwater lair or else Initiative Pool Base: 10d
suffer penalties.
Melee Pool Base: 12d+1 -
Claws 12d+1 (DM +6)
Fangs 12d+1 (DM +6) + Poison 3(DM +4)
Ahuizotl (Lieutenant) Tail 12d+1 (DM +6)
Quick Character (500 points)
Ranged Pool Base: 7d
Fear Rating 2
Defense Pool N+6d+3
Initiative Pool Base: 7d
Movement C3/W12/R20
Melee Pool Base: 6d –
Claws 6d (DM +4) Basic Talents Claws, Expertise (Hand-to-Hand), Expertise
Tail 6d (DM +4) (Swim), It’s Just a Scratch, Lucky, Talented
(Swim)
Ranged Pool Base: 5d
Greater Bleeding Strike°, Fangs, Iron Grip, Natural
Extras Pool Base: 6d Talents Poison, Sneaky, Sweep, Swift, Unstoppable°
Defense Pool Base: 3d + 1 Heroic Bone Breaker‡, Grace and Speed, Hulking Body,
Movement C3/W12/R20 Talents Tail, Veteran Warrior
Basic Talents Claws, Expertise (Swim), It’s Just a Powers Armor 2 (Weak Spot°), Carnivate 1 (Allergen° -
Scratch, Talented (Swim) (Prices) Holy Incense), Durability 4 (Corpus Limitation
– Feeding), Elusive 1 (Paralyzation° – When
Greater Talents Iron Grip, Sneaky, Sweep, Swift
completely dry), Maiming Strike° 1 (Repulsion° -
Villainous Talents Tail Chalchiúhtlicue Followers), Swimming° 3 (Lair)
Powers(Prices) Armor 1 (Weak Spot°), Camouflage° 1 Abilities Strength: 5 Education: 2 Courage: 3
(Allergen° - Holy Incense), Paralyzing Agility: 6 Reason: 2 Intuition: 4
Touch° 1 (Repulsion° - Chalchiúhtlicue Toughness: 5 Willpower: 3 Personality: 2
Followers), Swimming° 3 (Lair)
Background Endurance 4(9), Grapple 5(11), Hand-to-Hand
Rites - Skills 5(12), Notice 3(7), Stealth 3(10), Swim 4(10)
True Faith: 6* Damnation: 0 Elective Skills Contortionist 3(10), Navigation 3(7), Reflexes
Health Track (Toughness 3) 6/5/5/3/2 4(9), Survival 3(7), Track 3(7)
Equipment - True Faith: 12* Damnation: 0
Special - Health Track 20/10/7/5/5/2
Equipment: -

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 Suggested Locales: The Aztecs are normally found only within
Aztecs (Mortals) the Aztec Empire, and are often the last thing those few doomed
Background: Few armies are as feared as those of the Aztecs. outsiders who travel there will see. However the Aztecs require
While conflict with the Indians near the colonies is more human sacrifices for their gods. This has led them to wage a
common, it is the shadow of the Aztec Empire that strikes fear number of “Flower Wars” to capture prisoners for sacrifice.
in the heart of Witch Hunters. While Europe may face Turkish Thus, raiding parties of Aztecs may soon strike out at the
hordes, these warriors do not chill the bones like the tales of Caribbean, as they have at Panama in the past. Indians tell tales
bloody Aztec armies. Aztecs are the bane of Cortéz, the death of of small Aztec parties striking as far as Louisiane, but such tales
the Spanish, and the very soldiers of the devil. are normally discounted as hearsay.
The truth is the Aztecs do not follow the Adversary
any more prevalently than any other mortal race. However,
Creating an Aztec: Initial Cost 0
they do follow their own gods, which demand blood and cruel
sacrifice. No other race on earth has the potent combination of
military might and mystical power that the Aztecs possess. Fundamental Powers: As a mortal an Aztec has no fundamental
Aztecs are born warriors. All men are trained in the power, but may take a few powers. Doing so forever binds the
arts of war, and tales of women who defy social stricture to learn mortal to their god, or the Adversary.
combat are not uncommon, though certainly not encouraged.
Creatures & Adversaries

Aztec warriors are in turn supported by the nahualtin, the blood

mages, who enchant their sacred obsidian with dark magics and Fundamental Price:
summon up the very beasts of the underworld to fight beside Ultimate Master°
them. When an Aztec takes a power, the first price it must take is
The recent Aztec assault on Yucatán showed once Ultimate Master, toward the high priest of the god it contracted
again that the Aztecs are cunning, implacable foes. Their spies with or Motecuhzoma himself.
had already infiltrated the native Maya, granting intelligence
utterly denied the Spanish. The coming of their warriors was
marked by magic spreading over the battlefield, striking fear Additional Powers & Prices
and stirring up chaos. And then the warriors came, men that Corpus Powers Corpus Prices
their foes swore were more monsters than men. Before long
the only hope of the Spanish was that they would die on the Immunity – Steel Vulnerability - Obsidian
battlefield. That would be better than the fate that awaits Aztec Movement Powers Movement Prices
prisoners, who are slaughtered on sacrificial altars. Shadow Passage° Restriction
Offensive Powers Offensive Prices
Strains: Frightening Presence° Offensive Limitation
Warriors – In a sense all Aztecs are warriors, and the sight of Mystical Powers Mystical Prices
an Aztec warrior is enough to make most European colonists Death Aura° Atmospheric Disturbance
run for cover. Upon proving himself in battle, a warrior may be Debilitating Aura Fragmented Soul
invited to join one of the many Warrior Orders. Most of these Summon Lesser Minion
are small orders for the sons of nobles, but two of these, the
Eagle and Jaguar warriors, are peasant orders open to any who
have the requisite skill.
Aztec Warriors (Minions)
Nahualtin – The nahualtin are blood sorcerers who draw power Threat Level 2
from human sacrifice, and can translate that power into rites that Skills Hand-to-Hand +1, Thrown +1
empower an entire army. Often found among the priesthood of
Talents None
the hideous Aztec gods, the nahualtin stride onto the battlefield
practically invincible under layers of magical protection. Their Powers None
many human sacrifices have stained their souls black, and it Equipment Macuahuitl (DM +3), Atlatl (DM +2)
is not uncommon for them to have been corrupted with dark
supernatural power.

Organizations: The Aztecs belong to the Aztec Empire. Their

nation is their organization, and their loyalty to their gods
and to the immortal Huey Tlatoani, Motecuhzoma Teotltzin,
is absolute. Their strength is the Empire’s strength, and their
expansion the Empire’s expansion.

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 Eagle Warrior (Lieutenant) Jaguar Warrior (Lieutenant)
Quick Character (685 points) Quick Character (740 points)
Fear Rating 1 Fear Rating 1
Initiative Pool Base: 7d Initiative Pool Base: 7d
Melee Pool Base: 9d - 8d Macuahuitl (DM +3) Melee Pool Base: 10d - 9d Macuahuitl (DM +6)
Ranged Pool Base: 9d - 8d Atlatl (DM +2) Ranged Pool Base: 7d - 6d Atlatl (DM +2)
Extras Pool Base: 7d Extras Pool Base: 7d
Defense Pool Base: 5d+2 Defense Pool Base: 5d+2
Movement C3/W12/R20 Movement C3/W9/R15
Basic Talents Attack Focus – Macuahuitl, Basic Fighting Style Basic Talents Attack Focus – Macuahuitl, Basic Fighting Style
- Ocmaya¥, Basic Fighting Style – Cuel Achic¥, - Acomana¥, Basic Fighting Style - Tecuani¥,
Basic Fighting Tradition – Cuauhtli¥, Day Sign¥ Basic Fighting Tradition – Ocelotl¥, Day Sign -
- Cuauhtli Ocelotl¥
Greater Talents Canny Fighter, Danger Sense, Deadeye Shot – Greater Talents Attack Acuity – Macuahuitl‡, Attack Specialist
Atlatl, Greater Fighting Style – Paina¥, Greater – Macuahuitl, Canny Fighter, Deft Disarm,

Creatures & Adversaries

Fighting Style – Xitinia¥, Greater Fighting Humiliating Attack, Greater Fighting Style –
Tradition – Cuauhtli¥, Iron Grip, Marksman Ma¥, Greater Fighting Style – Tepetl¥, Greater
Heroic Talents Heroic Fighting Style – Metlatl¥, Heroic Fighting Fighting Tradition – Ocelotl¥, Iron Grip,
Style – Poctli¥, Heroic Fighting Tradition – Second Wind, Tough
Cuauhtli¥, Veteran Warrior, Pinning Shot Heroic Talents Attack Mastery – Macuahuitl‡, Brutal Charge,
Powers(Prices) Debilitating Aura 1 (Ultimate Master° - High Heroic Fighting Style – Tepehua¥, Heroic
Priest of Huitzilopochtli), Immunity 2 – Steel Fighting Style – Amo Ezquiza¥, Heroic Fighting
(Vulnerability – Obsidian), Tradition – Ocelotl¥, Tidal Force‡, Veteran
Warrior
Rites -
Powers(Prices) Debilitating Aura 1 (Ultimate Master° - High
True Faith: 3* Damnation: 4 Priest of Huitzilopochtli), Immunity 2 – Steel
Health Track (Toughness 4) 8/6/4/4/2 (Vulnerability – Obsidian),
Equipment Atlatl, Chimalli Shield, Macuahuitl, Tlacochtli Rites -
x3, Tlahuiztli Armor True Faith: 3* Damnation: 4
Special - Health Track (Toughness 5) 12/9/7/6/3
Equipment Atlatl, Chimalli Shield, Macuahuitl, Tlacochtli
x3, Tlahuiztli Armor
Special -

Nahualli of Mictlantecuhtli (Villain)

Standard Character (1,045 points)
Fear Rating 3 Melee Pool Base: 3d - 3d Obsidian Knife (DM +1)
Initiative Pool Base: 4d Ranged Pool Base: 1d
Movement C3/W9/R15 Defense Pool 4d+N
Basic Talents Basic Nahualli¥, Day Sign – Tochtli¥, Deft Rite – Warrior’s Gaze‡, Lucky, Pious, Practiced Basic Rite –
Warrior’s Gaze‡, Spiteful Vengeance°, Talented – Sorcerous Tradition(Nahuallotl)
Greater Fast Power – Chilling Wind, Greater Deft Rite – Warrior’s Gaze‡, Greater Nahualli¥, Practiced Greater
Talents Rite – Manifest Nahual‡, Second Wind, Spirit Speaker‡, Tough
Heroic Talents Heroic Nahualli¥, Permanent Rite, Piety‡, Rite Breaker°, Sacrificial Defense°, Spiteful Rite°
Powers Chilling Wind 3 (Atmospheric Disturbance), Death Aura° 3 (Fragmented Soul), Summon Lesser Minion 4
(Prices) (Ultimate Master° - Motecuhzoma)
Rites Nahuallotl Rites: 3 Basic, 5 Greater, 2 Villainous
Abilities Strength: 2 Intuition: 2 Education: 4 Toughness: 5 Courage: 3 Will: 6 Agility: 2 Personality: 6 Reason: 3
Background Concentrate 6(12), Intimidate 4(10), Myth and Lore 4(8), Occult 4(8), Sorcerous Tradition(Nahualotl)
Skills 6(14), Trained Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) 2(6)
Elective Skills Command 3(6), Deceive 4(10), Endurance 5(10), Firearms 2(3), Hand-to-Hand 2(3), Reflexes 2(4)
True Faith: 10* Damnation: 10 Health Track: 11/8/6/6/3 Equipment: Obsidian Knife

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 Yayauhqui (Mastermind)
Standard Character (1,080 points)
Fear Rating 3 (5 when leading an army)
Initiative Base: 8d
Pool
Melee Pool Base: 14d - Macuahuitl 13d DM +6
Ranged Pool Base: 10d - Aztec Musket 8d DM +4
Defense 6d + N + 3
Pool
Bonus Pool N + 3d
Movement C3/W 9/R 15
Basic Talents Adaptable, Attack Focus - Macuahuitl,
Combat Acumen‡, Commanding Presence,
Expertise - Grapple, Expertise - Hand-to-
Creatures & Adversaries

Hand, Expertise - Reflexes, Great Speaker‡,

Great Survivor‡, Lucky, Opportunist‡,
Pious, Talented - Grapple, Talented - Hand-
to-Hand
Greater Attack Acuity - Macuahuitl‡, Attack
Talents Specialist - Macuahuitl, Bleeding Strike°,
Combat Leader‡, Defensive Acumen‡,
Feature Villain: Yayauhqui Deft Disarm, Fearless, Inspire, Lingering
Yayauhqui is the Tlacochcalcatl, or High General, of the Aztec Words‡, Second Wind, Slam, Sweep, Tough
Empire, a remarkable feat for a man of only thirty-seven years. Heroic Attack Mastery - Macuahuitl‡, Limitless
He is a tall, imposing figure, powerfully built from a lifetime of Talents Rage°, Piety‡, Rite Breaker°, Tidal Force‡,
conflict, normally seen wearing beautiful battle armor made of Veteran Warrior
jaguar hide and quetzal feathers, ornamented with jade. Like
most Aztec war leaders he is not content to merely plan strategy Powers Debilitating Aura 2 (Atmospheric
and command his soldiers, but he also strides into battle with his (Prices) Disturbance – Flames and sunlight turn
armies. He is one of the Cuachicqueh, or Shorn Ones; veteran blood red), Foresight 3 (Ultimate Master°),
warriors who shave their heads save for a long black braid over Frightening Presence° 2 (Offensive
their left ear. He masterminded the conquest of Yucatán, where Limitation - When Leading an Army)
the Spanish called him “Bloody Grin” due to his habit of dying Rites -
half of his face with the blood of his enemies. Although not Abilities Strength: 6 Education: 3 Courage: 4
skilled in the supernatural arts he is the consummate warrior,
Agility: 6(5) Reason: 3 Intuition: 4
and his service and dedication to the god Huitzilopochtli has
earned him certain gifts even as he has yielded up his soul. Toughness: 5 Will: 4 Personality:
4
After the conquest of Yucatán many believed he would
be named Tlatoani of Tikál, and thus de facto governor of the Background Command 4(8), Firearms 4(10), Grapple
region, but after being summoned before Motecuhzoma he Skills 6(14), Hand-to-Hand 6(14), Reflexes 2(8),
requested that he not be taken off the battlefield, claiming that Resolve 4(8)
he still had many blood offerings to make to Huitzilopochtli. Elective Endurance 5(10), Intimidate 4(8), Myth
Impressed by his dedication, Motecuhzoma has bid him to Skills and Lore 2(5), Notice 3(7), Throw 4(11)
rebuild his armies after the conquest of Yucatán, in preparation True Faith: 7* Damnation: 10
for more campaigning further north. This he has done with a
Health Track: 11/8/6/6/3
passion, despite only a few months passing, and he now eagerly
awaits the next slaughter. Equipment: Aztec Musket, Chimalli Shield, Macuahuitl,
Obsidian Shot(10), Tlahuiztli Armor
His thirst for blood and personal bravery has not
diminished his keen tactical mind, however. Though he tends
to use the lives of his warriors easily, those lives are not wasted.
He has recently been spending time in Huitziltlán, learning of
the uses of gunpowder and steel, and developing new battle
strategies based around these weapons.

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Children of Motecuhzoma (Accursed)
Background: Despite the name, the first known Child of
Motecuhzoma was Tlacaelel, Motecuhzoma Teotltzin’s great
grand-uncle, the power behind the throne who was transformed
into a hideous monster by, it is said, Tezcatlipoca himself.
When Tlatoani Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin faced his darkest
hour Tlacaelel transformed him into a creature like himself.
Motecuhzoma repaid his mentor by destroying him, becoming
the immortal Huey Tlatoani of the Aztec Empire. Since that
day he has spawned many hideous children, drawing all of them
from the ranks of his extended, incestuous noble family. Organizations:
A Child of Motecuhzoma is a huge, bloated thing,
with fearsome slavering jaws, cruel fangs and a long, tentacle-
like tongue. Its pallid body is covered in rolls of fat, normally
adorned with all kinds of jewels and finery, and covered in
perfumes to mask the constant stench of rot that lingers about
it. Despite its size, however, it can move surprisingly well, using
its big-knuckled, clawed hands to clamber about on all fours,
limbs splayed out from its fat body like a hideous spider. The
eyes are black and soulless, and they drip a steady stream of
blood which must be replenished at regular intervals, prompting
those Children without slaves to fetch them blood to stalk the
streets at night, snatching lives as they may.
Because of their predatory and ravenous nature
Motecuhzoma has made relatively few children, and mostly only
as a great reward for service. According to Aztec law none may
gaze upon a Child of Motecuhzoma, much less Motecuhzoma
himself, and live, save for the personal slaves of the Children
and, on certain holy days, the Priests of Tezcatlipoca, who
preside over dark rituals and blasphemous orgies of flesh and
blood that would drive lesser men mad. The Children fear no
one save each other. But each other they do fear, for they are
immortal, and thus cannot die save, so they believe, at the end
of a brethren’s murderous devices.
Strains:
Infants – Though called infants, these are fully grown Aztecs
who have only recently been transformed. They are almost as
small as a normal human. Their claws are short, and their fangs
dull. Despite this they are formidable, retaining all the skills
they possessed in life along with a Child of Motecuhzoma’s
supernatural powers. Infants are usually kept in seclusion while
they adjust to their new lives, save for hunting excursions where
they are set loose to slake their new bloodlusts.
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Elders – The truly ancient, these Children of Motecuhzoma
have survived their fellows’ assassination attempts. By this stage
the Child of Motecuhzoma is truly huge and monstrous, and
has normally ascended to a position of such power that they no
longer appear in public, relying on servants to carry out their
undying whims. With a single exception, all the Tlatoani of the
Huey Altepetls are Elder Children, and Motecuhzoma himself
falls into this category technically, though he is more powerful
than the most powerful of his lessers.
The Children of Motecuhzoma command the Aztec Empire,
its armies and its citizens. As such, they believe one day they
shall command the world. There are rumors of a small cabal
of Children of Motecuhzoma who have fled the Aztec Empire,
heading into the jungles of Guatemala and beyond, there to
Creatures & Adversaries
plot the overthrow of Motecuhzoma that they might seize the
Empire for themselves. Even if such a cabal exists, Motecuhzoma
does not brook treason. He has survived assassination and coup
attempts before, and he will likely continue to do so.
Suggested Locales:
The Children of Motecuhzoma were first Aztecs, and thus they
are found exclusively within the Aztec Empire. They require
a great deal of blood, especially the elders, and thus any who
would dare move beyond its borders would rapidly become
discovered, if only due to the massive deaths that would follow
in its wake.
Creating a Child of Motecuhzoma: Initial Cost 55
Fundamental Powers:
All Children of Motecuhzoma begin with Frightening
Presence° 2 and Immortality 3 as powers.
All Children of Motecuhzoma begin with the Claws talent.
Fundamental Prices:
Feeder
The Children of Motecuhzoma must feed upon the blood of
humans in order to survive. Although it does not have to kill its
victim, it must drink the equivalent of a human body’s worth
of blood each day.
Repulsion°
The Children of Motecuhzoma find themselves repulsed by
powerful faith (those with a True Faith score of 5 or higher).
However, this does not protect those whose faith is in an evil
deity (see p. 57).
 Additional Powers and Prices: Child of Motecuhzoma (Villain)
Corpus Powers: Corpus Prices: Standard Character (1040 points)
Armor Allergen° - Jade Fear Rating 6
Carnivate Immobility° Initiative Base: 8d
Durability Obvious Appearance Pool
Living Blood° Vulnerability - Jade
Regeneration Melee Pool Base: 12d+2
Claws 12d+2 (+4 DM)
Movement Powers: Fangs 12d+2 (+4 DM)
Wall Crawling Lair Ranged Pool Base: 5d+2
Offensive Powers: Defense N+5d
Create Monstrous Spawn Avoidance - Sunlight Pool
Engulf Prey Exclusion - Clergy Movement C3/W 9/R 15
Fury Weakness - Jade
Maiming Strike° Basic Talents Basic Nahualli¥, Charismatic, Claws,
Paralyzing Gaze° Commanding Presence, Great Survivor‡,
Spiteful Vengeance°
Creatures & Adversaries

Rampage
Sap Ability Greater Bleeding Strike, Fangs, Greater Nahualli¥,
Supernatural Poison Talents Iron Grip, Night Vision, Second Wind,
Mystical Powers: Slam, Tough, Unstoppable°
Death Aura° Atmospheric Disturbance - Odor Heroic Giant Body, Heroic Nahualli¥, Hulking
Foresight Fragmented Soul Talents Body, Incredible Strength, Spiteful
Maddening Aura° Ultimate Master° - Motecuhzoma Comeback°, Spiteful Strike°
Summon Lesser Minion Powers Create Monstrous Spawn (Prey Exclusion
Summon Greater Minion (Prices) – Clergy), Durability 2 (Obvious
Appearance), Frightening Presence° 2
Infant Child of Motecuhzoma (Villain) (Repulsion° – True Faith 5+), Immortality
Standard Character (840 points) 3 (Feeder – Human Blood), Maddening
Fear Rating 4 Aura° 2 (Atmospheric Disturbance – Odor),
Initiative Pool Base: 9d Summon Lesser Minion 2 (Ultimate Master
Melee Pool Base: 12d+1 Claws 12d+1 (+2 DM)
– Motecuhzoma)
Ranged Pool Base: 5d+1 Rites Nahuallotl Rites: 2 Basic, 2 Greater, 1
Defense Pool N+5d Heroic
Movement C3/W 9/R 15 Abilities Strength: 6 Education: 2 Courage: 3
Basic Talents Agile Climber‡, Charismatic, Claws, Agility: 5 Reason: 2 Intuition: 4
Commanding Presence, Great Survivor‡, Spiteful Toughness: 5 Will: 3 Personality: 5
Vengeance° Background Charm 1(6), Command 5(10), Deceive
Greater Agile Runner, Bleeding Strike, Iron Grip, Skills 1(6), Grapple 6(12), Hand-to-Hand 6(12),
Talents Night Vision, Second Wind, Slam, Tough, Sorcerous Tradition – Nahuallotl 5(10)
Unstoppable°
Elective Intimidate 5(10), Myth and Lore 1(3),
Heroic Talents Hulking Body, Incredible Leaper, Incredible
Strength, Spiteful Comeback°, Spiteful Strike° Skills Occult 2(4), Reflexes 5(8), Resolve 3(6),
Trained Knowledge – Politics 2(4)
Powers Durability 2 (Obvious Appearance), Frightening
(Prices) Presence° 2 (Repulsion° – True Faith 5+), True Faith: 12* Damnation: 10
Immortality 3 (Feeder – Human Blood) Health Track: 10/10/7/5/5/2
Rites -
Equipment: -
Abilities Strength: 6 Education: 2 Courage: 3
Agility: 5 Reason: 2 Intuition: 4
Toughness: 5 Will: 3 Personality: 3
Background Charm 3(5), Climb 3(8), Command 3(6),
Skills Grapple 3(9), Hand-to-Hand 6(12), Jump 6(11)
Elective Skills Acrobatics 5(9), Stealth 5(9), Reflexes 5(9),
Resolve 1(4)
True Faith: 7* Damnation: 10
Health Track: 10/10/7/5/5/2
Equipment: -

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Elder Child of Motecuhzoma (Mastermind)
Standard Character (1245 points)
Fear Rating 8
Initiative Base: 7d
Pool
Melee Pool Base: 12d+3
Claws 12d+3 (+6 DM)
Fangs 12d+3 (+6 DM)
Ranged Pool Base: 5d+3
Defense 5d + N + 2
Pool
Bonus pool N + 3d
Movement C3
Basic Talents Attack Focus – Claws, Attack Focus –

Creatures & Adversaries

Fangs, Basic Nahualli¥, Charismatic, Claws,
Commanding Presence, Great Survivor‡,
Spiteful Vengeance°
Greater Attack Specialist – Claws, Attack
Talents Specialist – Fangs, Bleeding Strike, Fangs, Feature Villain: Motecuhzoma Teotltzin
Far Reaching Attack – Claws, Greater Known throughout the Aztec Empire as Motecuhzoma
Nahualli¥, Iron Grip, Night Vision, Second Teotltzin, or Motecuhzoma the Mystical Lord, feared
Wind, Slam, Sweep, Tough, Unstoppable° throughout Europe and the colonies as the tyrant Montezuma,
Heroic Giant Body, Heroic Nahualli¥, Hulking Motecuhzoma is perhaps the most dangerous creature in the
Talents Body, Reel-In Attack°, Incredible Strength, Grave New World. This is not merely because of his powers,
Spiteful Comeback°, Spiteful Strike°, Titan though they are formidable, but because he single-handedly
Body, Villainous Caveat controls the Aztec Empire, the most powerful Empire in the
New World. Even as a mortal man Motecuhzoma was clever,
Powers Armor 2 (Immobility°), Create Monstrous
capable of seeing difficulties and possible solutions long before
(Prices) Spawn (Prey Exclusion – Clergy),
others could grasp them, and now that Machiavellian mind is
Durability 2 (Obvious Appearance),
improved through the virtue of immortality, and the black taint
Frightening Presence° 2 (Repulsion° – True
of Tezcatlipoca.
Faith 5+), Immortality 3 (Feeder – Human
Blood), Maddening Aura° 4 (Atmospheric The Immortal Huey Tlatoani is a monstrous creature,
Disturbance – Odor), Regeneration his bloated, disgusting form as large as a house, but he is seen by
4 (Vulnerability – Jade), Summon no one save his disgusting clan. Not even slaves see Motecuhzoma
Greater Minion 2 (Ultimate Master° – directly; he is served entirely by his infant children, and by
Motecuhzoma) the struggling, screaming sacrifices of blood that they bring
him. The dread lord whispers his instructions to his children,
Rites Nahuallotl Rites: 3 Basic, 3 Greater, 1
concealed even from his closest councilors by a veil of silken
Heroic
cloth that reveals him only as a swollen silhouette, and his
Abilities Strength: 6 Education: 2 Courage: 3 children in turn relay his instructions to those present without
Agility: 5 Reason: 2 Intuition: 4
a single misspeaking. For if they misspeak, Motecuhzoma will
Toughness: 5 Will: 3 Personality: 5
know, and if Motecuhzoma learns of such inaccuracy the infant
Background Charm 1(6), Command 5(10), Deceive monsters will be torn apart, for Motecuhzoma has developed a
Skills 1(6), Grapple 6(12), Hand-to-Hand 6(12), taste for the blood and flesh of his own family.
Sorcerous Tradition – Nahuallotl 5(10)
To attempt to express the awesome power of
Elective Intimidate 5(10), Myth and Lore 1(3), Motecuhzoma himself in a series of numbers is futile. He is
Skills Occult 2(4), Reflexes 5(7), Resolve 3(6), so powerful that he may as well be a demigod, dwarfed in that
Trained Knowledge – Politics 2(4) regard only by the dark Aztec gods that he serves. Witch Hunters
True Faith: 20* Damnation: 10 will never fight Motecuhzoma directly. He will be the power
Health Track: 10/10/7/5/5/2 behind their difficulties, the grand tyrant whose abject slaves
are themselves Masterminds of incredibly complex schemes. Yet
Equipment: -
whenever they conflict with the Aztecs, whenever the minions
of Tezcatlipoca rear their head, wherever blood magic is used, it
is very likely indeed that the sanguine trail leads all the way back
to Tenochtitlán, and the vile Motecuhzoma.

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)

Chupacabra (Beast)
Background: Chupacabra, literally “goat sucker” in Spanish,
is the name given by the Spaniards of the short-lived Veracrúz
colony to the strange bloodsucking creatures that dwell in the
Mexican wilderness. These scavengers have long plagued the
area, and despite attempts by the Aztecs to exterminate them
they continue appearing at irregular intervals. Chupacabras are
about three feet tall, with scaly green-gray skin and long quills Organizations:
down their back. Their hind legs are powerful, able to leap long None
distances, and two oversized fangs protrude from their mouths.
Like a vampire of legend, the chupacabra lives on
blood, and though it prefers the blood of sheep or other herd
animals it will attack humans for sustenance if it becomes
hungry enough. Unlike the vampire, however, the chupacabra
appears to be alive, and passes on no supernatural curse, though
its bite is known to spread diseases as would a wild dog’s.
Creatures & Adversaries
Jungle Chupacabra – The smallest variety of chupacabra, it is
rare for a jungle chupacabra to exceed three feet in height. Their
fingers are adapted for climbing, and they often leap from tree
to tree in the jungles of the southeast. Jungle chupacabras are
more social animals, travling in large packs and assisting each
other to take down prey.
Suggested Locales:
Except for the jungle chupacabras, these creatures are almost
exclusively found in the arid north, among the mountains and
the northern deserts. Jungle chupacabras dwell in the deep
jungles of Yucatán and Guatemala.

Chupacabras are normally regarded as nuisances more

than anything else, but they can be dangerous if encountered in Creating a Chupacabra: Initial Cost 20
packs. If a pack of chupacabras establishes a nest near farmland
they can cause tremendous damage to herd animals, including
horses, and at the first sign of fang marks and exsanguinations Fundamental Powers:
Aztecs will normally go out hunting for the creatures.
All chupacabras begin with the Supernatural Poison 1 power.
Chupacabra scales, quills, and fangs are occasionally
All chupacabras begin with the Fangs talent.
prized for their use as magical reagents, since a chupacabra’s
feeding symbolizes the stealing of power and life from its
victim, but most practiced sorcerers consider this nothing but Fundamental Price:
suspicion. Very rarely a chupacabra caught in infancy may be
raised as a pet, but such pets are never truly domesticated and Offensive Limitation
they often turn against their masters. Still, they are prized as The chupacabra’s fangs drink the blood of those it bites, bringing
companions for those who enjoy the air of malevolence their waves of fatigue and weakness, but the chupacabra may only use
unsettling appearance and feeding habits lend them. its special offensive powers during the day.

Strains: Additional Powers & Prices:

Rock Chupacabra – The most common variety of chupacabra, Corpus Powers: Corpus Prices:
these creatures are usually solitary hunters, or else roam in small
Armor Tortured Existence° –
packs. They dwell in nests made in the hollow of rocks, where
Carnivate Constant Hunger
they can be shaded from weather. They are primarily active
during the day, when they can be warmed by the sun. Many Movement Powers: Movement Prices:
a traveler has met his end by accidentally stumbling upon a Jumping Impaired Travel – Night
chupacabra nest in the dark.

Long Chupacabra – This variety of monster is adapted to

moving on four legs instead of two. It is normally about four Chupacabras (Minions)
feet long, and is quicker than a rock chupacabra. Packs of long Threat Level 2
chupacabras can take down a horse. They primarily dwell in the Skills Jump +2, Stealth +2
deserts of the northeast, where their fangs draw not only blood Talents Fangs (DM +2)
but water from their victims.
Powers Supernatural Poison 1
(Offensive Limitation – Night)
Equipment None

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Strains:
Chupacabra Pack Leader (Lieutenant)
Quick Character (460 points) Cacarrontic – These coquiyocetlacatls were dried out from
Tlaloc’s rain of fire and hardened like pottery. They are brittle,
Fear Rating 1
and shatter easily, but they also retain their form better than
Initiative Pool Base: 6d other mud men, as well as their intellect. They are devious, cruel
Melee Pool Base: 6d things, lurking in wait for their prey, murdering silently and
Fangs 6d (+2 DM and Poison) vanishing away before they can be engaged in combat. Many
Ranged Pool Base: 5d of the coquiyocetlacatls still retain their wings, and can fly,
which makes them invaluable as scouts and lone agents of the
Extras Pool Base: 7d Adversary.
Defense Pool Base: 3d
Movement C 3/W 9/R 15
Atoltic – The most commonly encountered coquiyocetlacatls, if
Basic Talents Iron Constitution, Small Body any of them can be said to be common, the atoltic are creatures
Greater Talents Agile Runner, Ambush Attack, Fangs, of flowing mud, hideous lumps in vaguely humanoid form with
Sneaky gaping, dripping holes for mouths and eyes. Mud flows from
Heroic Talents Incredible Leaper them constantly, and so they lurk by riversides and in rainy

Creatures & Adversaries

places where they can gather more to refresh themselves. They
Powers(Prices) Supernatural Poison 1(Offensive
often hide in lakes, rising from the water to attack their victims,
Limitation – Night), Jumping 2
and are capable of sprouting new limbs and hurling pieces of
(Impaired Travel – Night)
themselves at their enemies.
Rites -
True Faith: 0 Damnation: 3
Organizations:
Health Track
Blood of the Earth – A recent development, this cabal of
Equipment -
coquiyocetlacatls has formed under the patronage of Caprakan, a
Special - hideous Mayan demon whose presence stirs Tlaltecuhtli, causing
earthquakes. Caprakan has convinced the coquiyocetlacatls
that they are not creations of Tlaloc, but rather the blood of
Coquiyocetlacatl (Awakened) Tlaltecuhtli itself, oozing from the earth to wreak havoc on the
Background: When Tlaloc became the third sun, and ushered Aztecs, whose gods dare to imprison Tlaltecuhtli. Still small,
in the third world, he sought to create beings to worship him, this coven practices Diabolism and Witchcraft primarily in the
and bask in his light. Knowing well the ways of rain and storms, jungles of Guatemala, seeking to push west into the former
he fashioned them from mud, which hardened under his Mayan lands.
sunlight to created sculpted beings of elegance and grace. These
men looked very much like Aztec sculptures, with exaggerated
features, and often with long, elegant wings. When the third Suggested Locales:
world was destroyed most survivors were transformed into There are very few coquiyocetlacatls remaining, and most of
birds, and remain as birds today. But some survived without those left have found refuge past the northern wilderness of the
transformation. Some hid from the rain of fire, and saw Empire. Atoltic dwell on the shores of forgotten mountain lakes
everything that they were, everything that they loved crumble and cacarrontics lurk in the isolated mountaintops. However
before them. there are also a number of coquiyocetlacatls, mostly of the
There are very few of the coquiyocetlacatls, literally oozing, muddy variety, in Yucatán and Guatemala where the
men covered with mud, left. Their bodies are often cracked and humid jungles favor them. This is where the dark cabal known
crumbling, or else half-liquid and dripping with muck. Some as Blood of the Earth has made its home.
still retain their elegant wings, but many have lost them over the
ages. But one thing they know for certain is that this is no longer
Creating a Coquiyocetlacatl: Initial Cost 5
their world. Their world was destroyed. They have lived through
the eldritch darkness between worlds, and it has changed them
and driven them mad. They feel festering hatred for the children Fundamental Powers
of maize, surpassed only by their desperate desire to survive.
All coquiyocetlacatls begin with the Awakened° talent
Their god Tlaloc has abandoned them, but they have found
a new patron in the hideous Tlaltecuhtli. The Adversary has
granted them powers in exchange for their service, and now Fundamental Price:
they haunt the swamps and jungles of the Aztec Empire.
None

123
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Additional Powers & Prices Atoltic Cultist (Villain)
Corpus Powers: Corpus Prices: Standard Character (900 points)
Armor Allergen° - Water or Fire Fear Rating 4
Camouflage° Corpus Limitation – When Wet Initiative Pool Base: 8d
Chimerical Form° Damage - Maize
Fluid Body° Reveal Nature – When Wet Melee Pool Base: 13d Unarmed 14d (DM +3)
Gestalt Body Weak Spot° Engulf 11d
Mortal Mask Ranged Pool Base: 13d Mystic Bolt 13d (DM +4)
Movement Powers: Movement Prices: Defense Pool N+5d
Burrow° Restriction – Deep Water Movement C 3/W 9/R 15
Flight Basic Talents Awakened°, Basic Diabolism, Pugilist,
Offensive Powers: Offensive Prices: Spiteful Vengeance°
Engulf Avoidance - Maize Greater Talents Dual Shot, Far Reaching Attack, Greater
Mystic Bolt – Mud Offensive Limitation – When Wet Diabolism, Great Fist°, Iron Fisted,
Mystical Powers: Mystical Prices: Sneaky, Tough
Creatures & Adversaries

Immortality Contracted Soul Heroic Talents Escape Artist, Incredible Strength,

Nature Control° Feeder – Mud Spiteful Comeback°, Spiteful Strike°,
Veteran Warrior
Powers (Prices) Chimerical Form° 2(Damage – Maize),
Coquiyocetlacatls (Minions) Engulf 1(Offensive Limitation – When
Threat Level 2 Wet), Fluid Body° 2(Corpus Limitation
– When Wet), Gestalt Body 2(Allergen°
Skills Hand-to-Hand +2, Stealth +2 - Fire), Immortality 2(Feeder – Mud),
Talents Awakened° Mystic Bolt – Mud 2(Avoidance –
Powers - Maize), Nature Control° 1(Contracted
Equipment - Soul)
Rites Diabolism Rites: 4 Basic, 2 Greater
Abilities Strength: 6 Education: 2 Courage: 4
Cacarrontic (Lieutenant) Agility: 5 Reason: 3 Intuition: 3
Quick Character (500 points)
Toughness: 5 Will: 3 Personality: 2
Fear Rating 2
Background Contortionist 1(6), Endurance 3(8),
Initiative Pool Base: 6d Skills Hand-to-Hand 6(12), Reflexes 3(8),
Melee Pool Base: 6d Stealth 5(10), Throw 6(12)
Unarmed 7d (DM +3) Elective Skills Command 4(8), Intimidate 2(4), Myth
Ranged Pool Base: 6d and Lore 1(3), Notice 3(6), Occult 2(4),
Resolve 4(8)
Extras Pool 6d
True Faith: 0 Damnation: 12
Defense Pool Base: 3d+2
Health Track 11/8/6/6/3
Movement C 3/W 9/R 15
Equipment
Basic Talents Awakened°, Incredible Actor, Pugilist,
-
Unreadable
Greater Talents Great Fist°, Iron Fisted, Sneaky, Tough
Heroic Talents Incredible Leaper Feature Villain: Caprakan
Powers(Prices) Armor 2(Weak Spot°), Flight Caprakan appears to the coquiyocetlacatls as one of them,
2(Restriction – Deep Water), Mortal a creature of earth and ooze that bubbles forth out of the
Mask 2(Reveal Nature – When Wet) ground to guide his followers, claiming that they all are born
of Tlaltecuhtli. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Rites - Caprakan does serve the Adversary, that is certain, but this
True Faith: 0 Damnation: 6 powerful demon has existed long before the coquiyocetlacatls.
Health Track - It is said that he was born from the blackness of Tezcatlipoca’s
treachery during the second earth, and throughout the ages has
Equipment -
always been set against the children of the gods.
Special -

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 In this age Caprakan is a powerful lieutenant of the
Adversary, with the ability to stir Tlaltecuhtli in his sleep,
causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is said that at
the end of the fifth sun Caprakan will be the one who awakens
Tlaltecuhtli, causing the earth monster to slip its bonds and
destroy the world. Caprakan eagerly looks forward to this
prophesied day. In the meantime he delights in leading the
remnants of Tlaloc’s earth astray and using them to prey upon
the Children of Maize.
It was Caprakan who fell upon the southern Maya,
destroying their mighty coalition of city-states before they
could become a true empire. It was Caprakan who lurked in
the area south of Yucatán, keeping it fallow and dangerous. He
was driven from his home by the Quetzal Warriors in a mighty
battle, but he merely relocated to Guatemala, where he went
into hiding. Since then he has found the coquiyocetlacatls to be
sympathetic to his lies, and founded the coven of the Blood of
not the deadliest enemies of the Jade Skirt Society, they are the
most narrowly targeted. They seek to disrupt the worship of
Chalchiúhtlicue. And since the temples are usually too well
protected, they content themselves with attacking priestesses
and Witch Hunters dedicated to the goddess in the wilderness.
It is only the fact that they are not organized, as all cuacetlacatls
are quite solitary, that has kept them from becoming a more
serious threat.
Tlamatini – These cuacetlacatls are the most well known,
famed in myth as mysterious and hidden soothsayers and sages.
They seem to have a supernatural connection with nature. A
lone tlamatini, and they are always alone, will often assume
guardianship of an inaccessible grove of trees or a hidden
forested valley, and transform it into a wooded paradise. They
are very wise, but approaching them can be dangerous for they
do not care for humans, preferring to remain alone with their

Creatures & Adversaries

the Earth to serve him and strike out at the Aztecs from the wet animal friends.
jungles of the southeast. Caprakan himself is too powerful to be
represented by mere numbers, and if he is to be destroyed it will Organizations:
only be through the blessings of the gods. None

Suggested Locales:
Cuacetlacatls are very rare, with likely less than one hundred
Cuacetlacatl (Awakened) remaining in the world, but they can exist anywhere in Aztec
Background: According to Aztec myth, Chalchiúhtlicue lands where there are trees. They favor places unpopulated by
became the fourth sun and crafted her people out of wood, mortal men, but given the alternately mountainous terrain of
shaping them into cuacetlacatl, or wood men. This was the the north and the jungles of the southeast it is not difficult to
first time that people were created out of already-living things. find such places.
Thus they were the most beautiful and the most intelligent
until the coming of the Children of Maize. The great flood of Creating a Cuacetlacatl: Initial cost 25
Chalchiúhtlicue’s tears destroyed most of the cuacetlacatl. and
others she rescued by transforming them into fish and things Fundamental Powers:
that lurk beneath the sea. But some few managed to survive the All cuacetlacatls begin with Armor 2 as a power.
destruction. They survived through the long darkness between All cuacetlacatls begin with Awakened° as a talent.
ages, and came out the other side transformed.
Fundamental Price:
Cuacetlacatl are not naturally aggressive, but neither Vulnerability
can they be considered friendly. They are inhuman, and their Because they are made of wood, cuacetlacatls are particularly
minds have been twisted by the darkness that they have lived vulnerable to fire.
through. They have a reputation among the Aztecs for being
philosophers, though their advice is often excessively cryptic. It
is said that wood men have accurately predicted the fall of the Additional Powers and Prices
Toltecs, the rise of the Mexica, the arrival of the Spanish, and Corpus Powers: Corpus Prices:
their eventual defeat. Mortal Mask Obvious to Touch
Most still worship Chalchiúhtlicue, but a few Offensive Powers: Offensive Prices:
felt betrayed by the goddess after she accidentally flooded Crippling Strike Frailty - Fire
their world. That sense of betrayal was transformed by the Maiming Strike°
maddening void between worlds into a thirst for vengeance
Mystical Powers: Mystical Prices:
against Chalchiúhtlicue and all her followers, including a special
hatred for the Jade Skirt Society, who are the current inheritors Animal Control Feeder – Fertile Soil
of Chalchiúhtlicue’s favor. Foresight Focus Bound – Protect Grove
Nature Control° True Name
Summon Lesser Minion
Strains: Summon Greater Minion
Chicotlaneltocaque – The rarest type of cuacetlacatl,
fortunately. The chicotlaneltocaque, or heretics, are those who
have rejected the patronage of Chalchiúhtlicue. While they are

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 Chicotlaneltocaque (Villain) Tlamatini (Villain)
Standard Character (700 points) Standard Character (1,100 points)
Fear Rating 2 Awe Rating 5
Initiative Base: 6d Initiative Pool Base: 7d
Pool Melee Pool Base: 9d Claws 9d (+2 DM)
Melee Pool Base: 10d Claws 10d (DM +2) Ranged Pool Base: 4d
Ranged Pool Base: 10d Defense Pool N + 5d + 5
Defense Pool N + 4d + 3 Movement C 3/W 9/R 15
Movement C 3/W 9/R 15 Basic Talents Animal Empathy, Awakened, Basic
Basic Talents Animal Empathy, Awakened°, Basic Animism, Claws, Meditative Trance
Witchcraft, Claws Greater Talents Animal Trainer, Far-Reaching Attack,
Greater Animal Trainer, Deft Disarm, Far-Reaching Greater Animism, Iron Grip, Slam,
Talents Attack, Greater Witchcraft, Slam, Sweep Sweep, Tough
Heroic Brutal Charge, Reel-In Attack, Veteran Heroic Talents Grace and Speed, Heroic Animism,
Creatures & Adversaries

Talents Warrior Hulking Body, Master Manipulator,

Powers Armor 3(Vulnerability – Fire), Maiming Reel-In Attack
(Prices) Strike° 2 (Frailty – Fire), Mortal Mask 5 Powers (Prices) Animal Control 4(Feeder – Fertile Soil),
(Obvious to Touch) Armor 5(Vulnerability – Fire), Nature
Rites Witchcraft Rites: 2 Basic, 1 Greater Control° 3(Focus Bound – Protect
Grove), Summon Greater Minion 4(True
Abilities Strength: 5 Education: 2 Courage: 4
Name)
Agility: 3 Reason: 2 Intuition: 3
Rites Animism Rites: 3 Basic, 5 Greater, 3
Toughness: 6 Willpower: 3 Personality: 2 Heroic
Background Animal Care 3(7), Endurance 5(11), Abilities Strength: 5 Education: 2 Courage: 5
Skills Hand-to-Hand 5(10), Throw 5(10), Agility: 4 Reason: 2 Intuition: 4
Survival 2(5)
Toughness: 6 Willpower: 4 Personality: 2
Elective Grapple 3(8), Reflexes 3(6), Sorcerous
Skills Tradition – Witchcraft 3(6), Swim 3(8) Background 26 Animal Care 4(9), Empathy 4(9),
Skills Endurance 4(10), Grapple 5(10), Resolve
True Faith: 0 Damnation: 10
5(10), Survival 4(8)
Health Track 12/9/6/6/3
Elective Skills Hand-to-Hand 4(9), Myth and Lore
Equipment - 2(4), Reflexes 4(7), Sorcerous Tradition –
Animism 4(8), Swim 4(9)
True Faith: 16 Damnation: 0
Jade Warrior (Undead) Health Track 12/9/6/6/3
Background: Throughout history, powerful men have thrived Equipment -
on symbols; symbols of strength and glory that have become as
much a part of their image as their faces (and in the case of the move as swiftly and strike as solidly as a man, and bear enough
perpetually hidden monster Motecuhzoma, even more iconic of an intelligence to serve as agents of their dread lord, but they
than his face). Motecuhzoma controls the Aztec Empire, and possess no spark, no humanity of their own, and without a master
all are at his service. But there is only one kind of creature that they become savage and mindless beasts.
does the Huey Tlatoani’s bidding without question, without When the Quetzal Warriors were a hidden Order
alteration. The Jade Warriors. they would slay these abominations when they were formed,
A Jade Warrior’s existence begins as a Witch Hunter, purging their bodies with fire. What few Jade Warriors escaped
horrifying as that may seem. The Quetzal Warriors bind their became mindless beasts, seeking blood as if it could restore
souls to chaneque demons as a test, a test they must pass in order their lost humanity. After knowledge of the Quetzal Warriors
to survive. The chaneque demon is powerful, and often the recruit became public, however, the dread Motecuhzoma discovered a
is not equal to the struggle. The chaneque demon then pulls the better use for these undead husks. He worked out a method
Witch Hunter’s soul from their body, and drags it screaming of controlling them, binding them to his will, and took them
down to Mictlan. What is left is a husk, no longer alive, yet still on as bodyguards. He demands that any Jade Warriors created
strangely animate, known as a Jade Warrior. Superficially they be delivered to him, an order the Quetzal Warriors only
look like men, though the skin is dried and leathery, and the eyes reluctantly follow. Jade Warriors now line the passages of the
are empty sunken pits that glow with a sinister green light. They Huey Tlatoani’s palace, bedecked in gold and jade armor and

126
William Tauzin (order #3164905)
 wielding fine obsidian, ready to defend him from all threats,
and ready also to work his evil will if commanded. Jade Warrior Leader (Lieutenant)
Quick Character (690 points)
Strains: Fear Rating 3
None Initiative Pool Base: 9d
Melee Pool Base: 7d Macuahuitl 6d (+3 DM)
Organizations:
All Jade Warriors directly serve Motecuhzoma, either as his Ranged Pool Base: 7d Tlahuitolli 5d (+3 DM)
bodyguards or his direct agents. Trappings are given to them Extras Pool 7d
similar to mortal warrior orders, but these are superficial honors Defense Pool Base: 5
only. The other warriors are quite aware that the Jade Warriors
Movement C 3/W 9/R 15
are both more, and less, than human. The Jade Warriors
themselves are rarely able to consider higher thoughts such as Basic Talents Adaptable, Attack Focus – Tlahuitolli,
organization. Direction Sense, Unreadable
Greater Talents Consistent Defense°, Danger Sense,
Suggested Locales: Fast Draw, Night Vision, Slam, Tough
Jade Warriors are found almost exclusively in Tenochtitlán, in Heroic Talents Incredible Strength, Lightning Reload,

Creatures & Adversaries

and around the palace of Motecuhzoma or the sacred undercity. Undead
Occasionally agents will be sent out to perform other tasks, but
the Jade Warriors lose effectiveness when they are more than a Powers(Prices) Armor 3 (Corpus Limitation – Within
mile away from their master. 1 Mile of Motecuhzoma), Hypersight°
2 (Ultimate Master – Motecuhzoma),
Immunity – Metal 2(Obvious to
Creating a Jade Warrior: Initial Cost 30 Touch), Regeneration 3 (Vulnerability
– Fire)
Fundamental Powers: Rites -
All Jade Warriors begin with the Hypersight° 1 power. True Faith: 0 Damnation: 10

All Jade Warriors begin with the Undead talent. Health Track 9/7/5/5/3
Equipment Chimalli Shield, Macuahuitl,
Tlahuitolli, Tlahuiztli Armor, 20
Fundamental Price: Yaomitl Arrows
Ultimate Master Special -
Jade Warriors are unable to resist the orders of those who have
bound them. For nearly all Jade Warriors, this means slavish
obedience to Huey Tlatoani Motecuhzoma Teotltzin. Nahual (Spirits)
Background: The concept of the nahual is the closest the Aztecs
come to the animistic ideas of the northern Indian tribes. The
Additional Powers & Prices nahual is a spirit that inhabits each person, reflecting who that
Corpus Powers Corpus Prices person is within. These are, by and large, animal spirits. A
Armor Corpus Limitation – Within 1 mile of powerful warrior often has the nahual of a jaguar, while a loyal
Motecuhzoma slave might have the nahual of a dog. Through the power of the
gods, granted through blood magic, these spirits can manifest
Immunity - Metal Obvious to the Touch
themselves. They are always stylized in appearance, resembling
Regeneration Vulnerability – Fire
the Aztec art of the creatures, and indeed it is unknown whether
Offensive Powers Offensive Prices the spirits are subconsciously manifested to resemble the Aztec
Paralyzing Gaze° Weakness – Fire artistic style, or if the style was adopted to better reflect the
appearance of the spirits.
Intelligent supernatural creatures that follow the Aztec
Jade Warriors (Minions) gods also have nahual, and they send these creatures to ravage
Threat Level 3 the Aztecs if they do not get their proper respect and due. The
Skills Hand-to-Hand +2, Notice +2 servants of the dread lord Mictlantecuhtli are notorious for
Talents Undead this. If the god of the dead is not properly satiated with blood
sacrifice then fearsome black nahual of Mictlan pour from cave
Powers Hypersight° 1 (Ultimate Master° - Motecuhzoma)
openings to attack the people until the blood debt has been
Equipment Macuahuitl (DM +3) settled.

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Manifesting a Nahual
Nahual are manifested using the Manifest Nahual rite.
The first time a character manifests a Nahual, they should
choose a creature based on their personality. In Aztec
culture, Jaguars represent the fiercest of warriors, while
eagles represent the swiftest and most cunning. Devout
followers of a god often manifest a nahual appropriate
to that god. Followers of Tezcatlipoca manifest jaguars,
for instance, while followers of Chalchiúhtlicue manifest
Ahuitzotls, followers of Huitzilopochtli manifest
hummingbirds, and followers of Quetzalcoatl manifest
winged serpents.
A manifested nahual obeys its manifester’s
conscious commands, but also its subconscious
commands. This means that a manifested nahual is not
an automaton, but rather a beast with its summoner’s
Creatures & Adversaries
Strains:
Nahual appear as every kind of beast and animal known in
the Aztec Empire. Indeed, it is quite likely that a manifester
that identifies most with an animal outside the Aztec empire
would manifest a nahual of that creature, since Aztec nahualtin
have begun manifesting nahual of horses since that creature’s
introduction. However, while nahual vary wildly in appearance,
their abilities and powers are always identical, and the differences
are merely cosmetic.
Organizations:
None.
Suggested Locales:
Nahuals only appear where they are manifested. They are not
summoned, but rather they are an external expression of the
manifester’s internal spirit.

personality. A hummingbird nahual will attack where it Creating a Nahual: Nahual stats are always the same. See below.
is told, but will crave blood and seek to spill as much
of it as possible. An eagle nahual, on the other hand,
would likely be more circumspect with more of an eye Nahual (Lieutenant)
toward tactics. A conflicted manifester, whose heart is Quick Character (400 points)
not committed to the battle, will often find their nahual
Fear Rating 1
likewise showing reluctance. This should, of course, be
role-played. In general, however, using Empathy against Initiative Pool Base: 6d
a character with a manifested nahual gains a 2 dice Melee Pool Base: 6d Claws 6d (DM +6)
bonus, because the nahual often clearly demonstrates the Fangs 6d (DM +4)
manifester’s subconscious state. Ranged Pool Base: 5d
Extras Pool 5d
Nahual always appear in the shape of an animal or Defense Pool Base: 3d + 2
beast, and they are always roughly the same size – about the
size of a horse or bear. Their abilities, likewise, are very similar Movement C 3/W 9/R 15
to each other. Their methods, however, vary wildly, based on Basic Talents Attack Focus – Claws, Claws
the spiritual personality of the nahualli who manifested them. Greater Talents Attack Specialist – Claws, Fangs
Jaguars and other warrior nahuals tend to be vicious, rending,
Heroic Talents -
tearing, and destroying. The nahuals of birds tend to be more
circumspect, observing and thinking. The nahual is always tied Powers (Prices) Armor 2 (Vulnerability - Jade),
to the life force of the one who manifested it. While the life Intangibility 2(Obvious Appearance)
force of gods and other truly powerful beings is so great that Rites -
the loss of a nahual is but a minor thing, the destruction of a True Faith: 4* Damnation: 0
mortal nahualli’s nahual can often cause the blood mage great
Health Track 6/4/3/3/1
harm. Despite this, it is standard battle procedure for an Aztec
assault to be preceded by a wave of jaguar nahuals, manifested Equipment -
by warrior priests. These fearsome creatures often cause the Special -
enemy to turn and flee all by themselves, and at the very least
they soften and disorganize the enemy for the following wave of
warriors.

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William Tauzin (order #3164905)
William Tauzin (order #3164905)