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Aztec Resource

Double-Whammy
PDF by Telgar

Atzlnti gods, but feel like maybe they want more


information than is published in the book

What This Is Not For:

This is not for telling people theyre doing it wrong,


because were all just making stuff up and trying
This PDF contains two amazing Atzlanti resources by to have fun. These are my notes, and Im sharing
two great authors: Brent-not-Broken and Griffinguy24. them with you, and if you can either use them in
They both deserve equal credit, it just happens the your game or print them out and line your birdcage,
Brents name comes first in the alphabet and his whatev, I am cool either way.
resource is more general. Griffinguy24s Nagual project
is after the Toolkit. Enjoy the resources and hopefully Caveat For Sticklers:
theyll make your games richer for having read them.
Partially because this is mythology with a complex
history that grew up in various distinct nearby
cultures that got smushed together by conquest and
then stomped all over by Europeans, this is hella full
of contradictions. Some of them I kept and just let
them go ahead and be contradictory, and some of
them I made executive decisions about, based on
which version I think is more interesting.
-----------------------------------------------------

Atzlnti Toolkit
by Brent-not-Broken
Brent Not Brokens Introduction

So, Ive been spending about a week browsing


a bunch of Mesoamerican mythology material,
collating names and symbols and ideas, and jotting
down notes in a great big wordpad file. I confess
to having a big soft spot for the Atzlnti, but Ive
had to do a lot of extra reading to really get the
hang of them. I feel like they are maybe one of the
most difficult pantheons in the books, because
our culture isnt really soaked in them the way it is
with some other mythologies. And because of the
insane-looking names, the general complicated/
contradictory nature of lots of the gods, and the
whole messy blood and hearts thing.

What This Is For:


Every person! Such as, for example,
- people who play Atzlnti scions and want to know
some more about the mythology its all rooted in, or
want some places to start brainstorming
- STs who run games with Atzlnti scions, or with
some Atzlnti NPCs, or some extra choices to offer
their players
- people who want to know a little more about the

Cosmology:
Teotl and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance
Total Teotl
The concept of teotl is a strange one. It is variously
translated as "god," "mystery," and "divinity," and
these various usages often generate confusion. The
Aztec gods use the word "teotl" to refer collectively
to themselves, preferring it to the term "Aztlnti,"
a label devised by the other pantheons, who
don't really get it. Much like a god of the Celestial
Bureaucracy might refer to himself as "one of the
shen," an Aztec god might call himself "one of the
teotl."
However, teotl is also a universal concept of divinity,
and each of the Atzlnti gods understands himself
to be merely one facet of a vast, cosmic teotl
larger than himself. It is a mistake to jump to the
conclusion (as some people do) that the Aztecs were
monotheistic and worshipped the one god Teotl
through many aspects. However, the Atzlnti do
refer to teotl as a universal, cosmic force of divinity,
expressed through all things. It is not uncommon to
hear an Atzlnti god use the word teotl to describe
her divine ichor, her supernatural abilities derived
from that ichor, the energy of Legend that fuels
those abilities, or the power offered and accepted
during the act of sacrifice. An Atzlnti Scion who
uses her divine powers to perform a sacrifice is one
of the teotl (gods), using teotl (divinity) in order to
transfer teotl (power)-- and she may spill some of her
own teotl (divine ichor) in the process.
Teotl is also used to refer to phenomena which
cannot be explained-- unsolvable mysteries. When
Moctezuma referred to Corts and his men as "teotl,"
he may either have been calling them gods, or
admitting he had no idea what they were.

Equal and Opposite Teotl


Because the concept of teotl includes every divine
thing, many gods have opposite natures-- mirror

images in teotl. The Atzlnti progenitor Ometeotl


("two god") is its own opposite, and this male/
female duality gave rise to all the other Aztec gods.
Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl are teotl opposites,
and this nature fuels their eternal rivalry. Realist
and idealist, dark and light (but explicitly not Evil
and Good), they are as alike as they are different,
equals in power and in cunning. Other aspects
of Quetzalcoatl, the morning star, are mirrored in
Xolotl, the evening star. The siblings Xochipilli and
Xochiquetzal are also opposite manifestations of
teotl, embodying masculine and feminine beauty in
equal, contrasting measures.
Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl is practically a case
study in duality and opposing teotl, and many
other gods (such as Tlazoltotl and Xipe Totec)
have self-contradictory features that are difficult
to understand without first understanding teotl.
Compared to gods of other cultures (especially
the Dodekatheon, who tend to exemplify a single,
clear trait), the gods of the often Aztecs seem to be
jumbled, contradictory messes of exceptions and
opposites-- the nature of teotl is the reason why.
This essential unity represented by teotl is what
holds the Aztec gods together, in spite of their
many differences. Teotl makes their universe
function, and each god is a part of teotl, each
with his own unique and important place and
function. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl are each
others' greatest enemies, because their teotl is
opposite, but they are also each others' greatest
allies, because their teotl is the same. Despite
fundamental disagreements, each understands that
the other has a vital function.
Atzlnti Scions may come to discover their own
teotl opposites, in the form of rivals or unexpected
allies-- their equal opposites. Often, a pair of
opposites are siblings (especially twins, sacred
because they demonstrate the duality of teotl),
and may be Scions of the same divine parent, or
Scions of teotl rivals. The relationship between teotl
opposites is complicated and usually fraught with
conflict, but in a very real way, they are one and the
same. Actually killing one's teotl mirror image may
be impossible (and at the very least, it would be
fantastically unwise); Fate has a special role in mind
for these auspicious pairs of opposites.

If the Atzlnti and the Celestial Bureaucracy could


put aside their differences, they may find common
ground through their fundamentally similar
worldviews. Through teotl, the Atzlnti understand
yin and yang, and the Great Principle of Change.
Through taiyi, the shen understand teotl and the
contradictory duality that defines the universe.

Hey, Baby, What's Your Nagual?


Many of the teotl have powers from the Animal
purview, and this is no coincidence-- it's a result
of the concept of nagual. A nagual is an animal
that is spiritually connected to a god or magician,
and is conceptually somewhere between "animal
guide," "spirit form," and "alter ego." Many gods'
nagual have their own independent associations,
personalities, and legends-- almost as if they were
totally different entities. For example, the Black
Tezcatlipoca's nagual aspect is the jaguar deity
Tepeyollotl, who is responsible for both echoes and
earthquakes. Xiuhtecuhtli in nagual form becomes
Xiuhcoatl, the fire serpent, which in addition to
being responsible for the dry season is also the atlatl
that Huitzilopochtli carries into combat in order to
wield the power of the sun and drive back darkness.
According to Mesoamerican folklore, each person
has a specific animal association, determined by
the day and circumstances of his or her birth, which
affects personality (much like a zodiac sign). Only
a few, powerful mortals (and gods, of course) can
take the shape of their animal counterparts-- the
word "nagual" is used to describe both the human
shapeshifter and the animal spirit whose form is
being borrowed. Some nagual are tricksters and
troublemakers, while others are believed to use
their power to protect the community; while some
villages are grateful to their nagual protectors,
others respond to accusations of nagualism with
tactics right out of the Spanish Inquisition. In
modern Mexico, evil nagual (often called brujos,
"witches") maraud nightly in animal form, causing
curses and disease, drinking blood from sleeping
victims, stealing valuables, and causing other types
of harm.
Most mortal nagual sorcerers have fairly modest
nagual-- dogs, birds, and donkeys are the most

common. Mightier nagual are reserved for truly


Legendary beings, especially gods. It's also
commonly believed that nagual can only assume
their animal forms during the night; gods are not
bound by this restriction, but it's certainly true for
mortal nagual. As the god of sorcery and the night
(and the possessor of a powerful jaguar nagual
himself ), the Black Tezcatlipoca is the patron god of
nagualism.

The Fifth Sun


The Nahua people recognized the human race, the
sun itself, and many aspects of the World as fragile
things, having been destroyed and remade several
times. Like Hindu cosmology, the Aztec worldview
involves a cycle of creation and destruction. The
previous suns-- all teotl-- abdicated the post or were
toppled by their peers, and the previous humans
were destroyed by various gods for various reasons
(though the Black Tezcatlipoca had an indirect hand
in each cataclysm).
We are now in the World of the Fifth Sun. The Fifth
Sun himself is Huitzilopochtli, who battles daily
across the sky against his own murdered siblings,
the evil stars. The People of the Fifth Sun were
created by Quetzalcoatl, who journeyed to Mictln
to revive the bones of the previous versions of
humanity by pouring out his own blood upon them.
In order, the Five Suns (including the present
one) have been Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, Tlaloc,
Chalchiuhtlicue, and Huitzilopochtli. The four
previous races of humans, again in order, were
devoured by jaguars, transformed into monkeys for
their lack of respect, scorched to death by drought
and blistering sun, and transformed into fish to save
them from drowning in a worldwide flood.
Regarding the Sun purview, there's a bit of
inconsistency. You can give the Sun purview to
Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl, and Chalchiuhtlicue, making
it a power granted to all suns past and present, or
you can take it away from Tezcatlipoca, so that only
the current sun, Huitzilopochtli, has it. (Personally,
I prefer the latter option; Tezcatlipoca has plenty of
powers without Sun.)

Some Recurring Symbols


The Sun - As a job, it's both a desirable position
of power and a burdensome responsibility.
Associated with crops and prosperity, sometimes
also considered the source of rain (especially with
regards to Tlaloc, as the Third Sun). The Sun is also a
major player in a daily solar battle: the World's last
defense against the Moon (usually characterized
as evil) and the Stars (invariably characterized
as evil). As the mightiest warrior of the Atzlnti,
Huitzilopochtli is well-suited to this part of the
sun-god job. He is aided by Xiuhtecuhtli's nagual,
Xiuhcoatl, the turquoise atlatl that blazes with fiery
sunlight, driving back the darkness.

human races that preceded them. This isn't feared


so much as accepted-- nobody particularly wants to
be around when it happens, but it's got to happen
eventually.

Tezcatliposting

The four head honchos of the teotl

The Four Tezcatlipocas

This idea of the sun driving back the darkness


pervades Aztec mythology-- the sun fights a daily
battle to hold the evil night at bay. Final victory is
impossible; catastrophe is averted one day at a time.
This is why the sun bears witness to all the Aztecs'
sacrifices, and why Huitzilopochtli requires the vast
amounts of blood offered to him-- if he falters in
battle, even for one day, the stars will eat the World.

Tezcatlipoca is a title, not a name. Four of the


teotl hold the rank of Tezcatlipoca; at times they
are said to be brothers, while at other times they
are merely described as equals in power and in
station. Each of the Tezcatlipocas is associated with
a color and a direction. Quetzalcoatl is the White
Tezcatlipoca, associated with the East; Xipe Totec
is the Red Tezcatlipoca, associated with the West;
Huitzilopochtli is the Blue Tezcatlipoca, associated
with the South; and the Black Tezcatlipoca,
associated with the North, has no name and is
addressed only by his title.

The Earth - At best, it's inhospitable. At worst, it's


downright hostile. The Earth is made of the body of
Cipactli, a ravenous monster with dozens of mouths,
and Cipactli still hungers-- blood sacrifice spilled on
the ground slakes Cipactli's thirst, and the bodies
of the dead put into their graves appease Cipactli's
hunger, but the Earth monster will always demand
more. So many of the teotl have Fertility powers
because it's necessary just to coax crops from the
ground. Chalchiutlicue and other water spirits are so
important because water soothes and mitigates the
unforgiving harshness of the Earth.

The four Tezcatlipocas are sometimes said to be


the four sons of Ometeotl, the primordial god
of duality who created itself from nothingness,
becoming both father and mother to its four sons.
The four Tezcatlipocas, in turn, created the rest of
the Aztlnti. Not only is being a child of Ometeotl
insufficient to classify a god as a Tezcatlipoca, many
of the Tezcatlipocas have conflicting stories of their
parentage. While Quetzalcoatl is a Tezcatlipoca, his
twin brother Xolotl is not; while the dishonorable
nature of Huitzilopochtlis fatherless conception is
an important part of his Legend.

Bones - Like seeds, bones are understood to contain


dormant life. (This is why Quetzalcoatl was able to
create the People of the Fifth Sun out of bones by
watering them with his blood.) Bones are powerful
symbols of life, as well as symbols of death. This
is not an indication of any belief in reincarnation,
but rather the idea that destruction is not the end.
Good or bad, everything is temporary; like the Five
Suns and the Five Peoples, everything is eventually
destroyed and remade. Some day, there will be a
Sixth Sun and a Sixth People, and the current People
of the Fifth Sun will pass into memory like the four

Together, the four Tezcatlipocas lead the pantheon,


despite frequent differences of opinion and a
general lack of consensus. For the most part,
they parcel out important tasks according to
their abilities and inclinations, so that their
duties dont overlap (and they can get away with
interacting with each other as little as possible).
Their curious relationship is a mix of mutual
rivalry and mutual support, tied together by
teotl. While the Tezcatlipocas often oppose and
undermine each others efforts, they also rely on
each others strength and counsel in times of need,

understanding that all four of them (and their


conflicts) are a vital part of the order of the World.
The four Tezcatlipocas created the rest of their
pantheon (with the possible exception of
Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl), and their power is
unrivaled by the other Atzlnti gods (with the
possible exception of Tlaloc). Those outside the
pantheon who wish to enlist the help of the teotl
must deal with the Tezcatlipocas in order to make
any progress.

Huitzilopochtli
The Blue Tezcatlipoca, the Fifth (and current)
Sun, and the Hummingbird of the South,
Huitzilopochtli is a god who has understood
battle since birth. A fatherless son of Coatlicue,
Huitzilopochtli discovered a murder plot against
his mother while still in the womb. To protect his
mother from his scheming siblings, Huitzilopochtli
was born fully grown and armed, and immediately
slaughtered his four hundred treacherous siblings
before Coatlicue could be harmed, then hurled
them into the night sky where they became stars.
Now, in his role as the Fifth Sun, Huitzilopochtli
wages daily war against the bloodthirsty stars, and
his slain siblings have not forgiven him. In battle,
Huitzilopochtli carries Xiuhcoatl, the nagual form
of Xiuhtecuhtli, which functions both as a fiery
atlatl and as the turquoise scepter of the suns
authority.
By far the most direct and least subtle of the four
Tezcatlipocas, the Blue Tezcatlipoca confronts
problems with overwhelming force, battering
them relentlessly until the crumble-- when youre
a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. As a
god of war and the current sun, Huitzilopochtli has
taken a leadership role in the battle against the
Titans. His duties as the Fifth Sun occupy more of
his time than he would like; his daily battle against
Itzpapalotl and the Tzitzimime prevents him from
hunting down the newly-freed Titans directly, so
he wants to make dead certain his Scions are up to
the task. As a father, he seems stern and distant,
but thats because he knows what his children
are up against and he wants them to be ready. He
does his best to ensure his Scions are well-armed

for the battles to come, and hardened enough to


do what is required of them without hesitation or
remorse.
Huitzilopochtli maintains a paradise in Tzompatic
for warriors who die courageously in battle. It is
arguably the best afterlife the teotl have to offer
mortals, and the lucky warriors who reach the
House of the Left are sometimes allowed to visit
the World in the form of hummingbirds. When
Huitzilopochtli presides in Tzompatic, his radiance
is so blinding that the assembled warriors must
raise their shields to protect their eyes, viewing him
only through the arrow slits cut into the shields.
Appropriately, this means that the bravest warriors-the ones with the largest arrow slits (and thus, the
largest vulnerabilities) in their shields-- are the ones
who can behold Huitzilopochtli the most clearly.
Huitzilopochtli is gruff, direct, and often
condescending-- he doesnt mince words, and has
no use for diplomacy. His friend and occasional
battle companion is the similarly-dispose Tlaloc,
but he has no strong ties to any other of the teotl.
Much of the policy-making of the four Tezcatlipocas
goes on without Huitzilopochtli present, which is
fine with him-- the Blue Tezcatlipoca would much
rather be on the battlefield than bickering with
Quetzalcoatl and the Black Tezcatlipoca about the
best way to get things done.
If Quetzalcoatl concerns himself with the largest
portion of humanity and the World, Huitzilopochtli
concerns himself with the smallest. While its true
that his daily solar battle protects the entire world
from the Tzitzimime, Huitzilopochtli does it all for
the country he founded: Mexico. The eagle on the
flag of Mexico is Huitzilopochtli himself.
Huitzilopochtli is famously left-handed (as are
most of his Scions), and left-handed warriors are
considered to bear his particular blessing.

Quetzalcoatl
Wind god and benevolent trickster, Quetzalcoatl,
the White Tezcatlipoca, transcends limitations
through clever, unpredictable behavior. A common
theme in his stories is the surpassing of limitations,

the overcoming of obstacles. His influence goes


beyond his supposed boundaries-- though
associated with the East, Quetzalcoatl is also the
god of wind, which blows in all directions-- he
concerns himself with the entire human race,
not just Mesoamericans and their descendants.
Quetzalcoatl is an idealist, which often puts
him at odds with the rest of the teotl-- by and
large pragmatists and realists-- especially the
Black Tezcatlipoca. Caring and grandfatherly,
Quetzalcoatl loves humans despite their flaws.
The master of tactical retreat, Quetzalcoatl brings
victory out of defeat and life out of death by
allowing his enemies to have their way. He traveled
to Mictln to create the People of the Fifth Sun by
watering the bones of previous mortals-- slain by
Tlaloc and Tezcatlipoca-- with his own blood. When
Tezcatlipoca tried to force Quetzalcoatl into exile
in order to rule Tollan unopposed, Quetzalcoatl
left willingly to participate in the European
Renaissance. Quetzalcoatl is always working on
many projects at once, so that his enemies can
never spoil them all. He never invests so much
energy into a single plan that its failure would be a
disaster. Rather than opposing his rivals efforts by
force, Quetzalcoatl prefers to step aside, let them
think theyve won, and come back later to make
something surprising out of the results. He has
turned the contingency plan into an art form.
Regarding associated powers, I think a strong argument can be
made for removing Earth and Water from Quetzalcoatl (he doesnt
need them) and giving him Epic Wits instead-- as a trickster and
culture hero, its certainly appropriate.

Tezcatlipoca
If the Black Tezcatlipoca has a name, he keeps
it as secret as his plans. Inscrutable and driven,
this Tezcatlipoca prefers to work indirectly when
possible, manipulating mortals and gods alike so
that they enact his will without requiring him to
dirty his hands personally. As a formidable god of
sorcery, divination, and strife, it is well within his
power to do so.
To the Black Tezcatlipoca, nothing is so important
that its no longer expendable in pursuit of his
plans. To defeat Cipactli and create the Earth,

Tezcatlipoca sacrificed his own right foot. He


tricked Quetzalcoatl into a long exile, then framed
him for the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. He
has indirectly destroyed the human race no less
than four times: by commanding his jaguars to
eat the People of the First Sun, by using sorcery
to transform the insolent People of the Second
Sun into monkeys, by provoking Tlaloc to destroy
the People of the Third Sun with drought and fire,
and by tricking Chalchiuhtlicue into destroying
the People of the Fourth Sun with a rain of bloody
tears. The Black Tezcatlipocas nickname Necoc
Yaotl (the enemy of both sides) is well earned.
He is not afraid to lose a battle against the Titans
if it brings him closer to winning the war, and he
considers the World and everything in it to be
expendable.
Technically, the Black Tezcatlipoca is not the
leader of the Atzlnti-- Xipe Totec, Huitzilopochtli,
and Quetzalcoatl are his equals. (After a brief,
unsuccessful tenure as the First Sun, Tezcatlipoca
found he preferred to leave the spotlight to other
gods and manipulate events from the shadows.) In
practice, however, he is the Atzlnti god with the
power, cunning, and resources to get things done,
or to spur the rest of his pantheon into action.
Divine diplomats from other pantheons must
decide whether to meet with the Black Tezcatlipoca
and risk being drawn up into his plots, or to deal
instead with other Atzlnti gods who may have less
leverage.
Tezcatlipoca is a forward-thinker and a pragmatist, a
master of strategy, trickery, and improvisation, and
a patient and careful planner. As a god of royalty,
he shapes civilizations through their rulers; as a god
of time and destiny, he ensures that the long arc
of the World bends slowly towards his desires. He
rejects the notion that Fate has cast him as a villain,
preferring to think that his victories are worth the
cost of securing them.

Xipe Totec
The Red Tezcatlipoca has little patience for his
peers, and little to say to them. He is disinterested
in Huitzilopochtlis blood-soaked battlefield
machismo, Quetzalcoatls touchy-feely idealism, or

the Black Tezcatlipocas continuous scheming and


sorcery. While those gods busy themselves with
their battles and plans and prophecy, Xipe Totec
prefers to be in the World, getting things done. He
is a hands-on sort of god, and thanks to his habit of
wearing flayed human skins, those hands could be
just about anybodys.
Xipe Totec concerns himself with the Cycles of the
world, and with making sure they run smoothly.
He personally changes the seasons when the time
is right. He inspects seeds to make sure theyll
germinate and plants to make sure theyll produce
seeds. He campaigns for progressive politicians
when conservative ones are in power, and for
conservative politicians when progressive ones
are in power. He starts new, virulent pandemics
when necessary, then provides doctors with the
appropriate cures. Xipe Totec knows that almost
everything is good in moderation and at its proper
time, and almost everything is bad when carried
to extremes. He doesnt care about people, as long
as the World they live in continues to function
properly. If individuals-- even lots of them-- need
to be sacrificed to ensure that the seasons and the
tides keep humming along, thats okay: theyre
expendable. Because the Red Tezcatlipoca is the
perfect likeness of anyone whose flayed skin he
is wearing, even gaining knowledge of all their
memories and skills, murder is often the most direct
way for him to address a problem.
Xipe Totec requires fewer sacrificial victims than
Huitzilopochtli, but his sacrifices are bloodier and
more elaborate. Skin-flaying is a practice unique
to sacrifices to the Red Tezcatlipoca, and statues of
the god are often dressed in the flayed skins (when
hes not present to wear them in person). When
courageous enemy warriors are sacrificed to Xipe
Totec, theyre often armed with mock weapons and
released into arenas, with fully-armed Aztec warriors
sent in after them. Considering Xipe Totecs direct,
personal involvement with so many of the Worlds
day-to-day affairs, it is perhaps fitting that his
sacrifices are also so visceral.
Of the four Tezcatlipocas, Xipe Totec is the only
one who has much to do with agriculture. As a
god of the cyclical seasons and of life and death,
this makes sense, but his flayed-skin motif is also

profoundly agricultural in its symbolism. Loosely


stitched into his borrowed skin, the Red Tezcatlipoca
represents seeds splitting their husks as they begin
to germinate, and the blood that spatters the
ground from his sacrifices resonates with the rain
that brings crops.

Additional Teotl
Even More Gods
That Start With An X
Chalchiuhtlicue
Among the teotl, Chalchiuhtlicue is the most
powerful water deity, and the only goddess
to have served as the sun. Like many Atzlnti
water spirits, Chalchiuhtlicue is associated with
both prosperity and serpents, but she is also the
inventor of marriage, the protector of children,
and the goddess of generosity and sincere,
powerful emotion. Her tenure as the Fourth Sun
ended when the Black Tezcatlipoca accused her
of insincerity, implying she only feigns caring in
order to be liked. Wounded by Tezcatlipocas cruel
words, Chalchiuhtlicue cried uncontrollably until
her tears flooded the entire world, and the People
of the Fourth Sun had to be changed into fish to
prevent them from drowning. Having regained
her self-control, Chalchiuhtlicue treats the People
of the Fifth Sun more gently, washing away their
misfortune and unhappiness. Newborn infants are
ritually bathed, blessing and consecrating them in
her name.
Chalchiuhtlicue (she who wears the jade skirt)
is known for her green skirt, which is sometimes
made of precious stones and sometimes made of
serpents. All the rivers of the World flow out from
beneath it. At times, she is depicted as a prickly
pear cactus rising from a stream-- the cactus
is overburdened with an enormous amount of
crowded fruits, representing both the gifts of the
goddess to humanity, and the many human hearts
sacrificed in her name. She is married both to
Tlaloc and to Xiuhtecuhtli, and helps to oversee the
paradise at Tlalocan.
In modern times, Chalchiuhtlicue has been a water
conservationist, a neonatal doctor, and an online
dating website founder. In her various incarnations,
she tries to do good in the World, trying to make up
for the harm she did to the previous human race by
misusing her power as the Fourth Sun. Similarly, her
Scions tend to be sincere and emotionally open,

and are often careful and hesitant about unleashing


their full divine potential, mindful of the possible
consequences of power used carelessly.
Abilities: Command, Fortitude, Medicine, Politics,
Presence, Survival
Epic Attributes: Charisma
Purviews: Itztli, Animal (Snakes), Fertility, Health,
Water

Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl
Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl is the Turquoise Lord,
the Lord of Fire, a well-loved god of the hearth. As
the fire stolen from Mictln, Xiuhtechutli is a little
bit of the Underworld, brought to the World of the
living in order to sustain life. Xiuhtecuhtli embodies
duality, contradiction, and mitigated hardship in
all his aspects-- he is warmth in the cold, food in
midst of famine, and a moment of comfort and rest
to ease fatigue and pain. He is a god of power and
royalty, but also of humility and the lowly. His flames
represent the light of day, but he is also a lord of
the night, keeping watch over mortals during the
sunless hours. He is sometimes believed to be a
manifestation of the distant god of duality, Ometeotl
(two-god), and his nagual is Xiuhcoatl, the Fire
Serpent, which Huitzilopochtli wields in battle as an
atlatl.
As self-contradictory as his aspects, he sometimes
appears as Xiuhtecuhtli, the strong husband of
Chalchiuhtlicue, and a youthful god of kings and
warriors, potential and promise. At other times,
he appears as Huehueteotl, the old god, decrepit
and bent with age. Both as Huehueteotl and as
Xiuhtecuhtli, he receives the same sacrifice: whether
offering blood and hearts, the first mouthful of food
at mealtimes, or dozens of small, live animals caught
in advance of his festivals, supplicants offer sacrifice
to Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl by throwing them into
the fire. As long as a buildings hearthfire is burning,
the Turquoise Lord is present within, keeping
watch over the household from deep within the
subterranean turquoise shell where he resides.
In the World, Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl works to
counteract dangerous extremes, making undesirable
situations a little safer or more pleasant. He has been

a night cop in a dangerous part of town, a battlefield


medic on triage duty, and the head chef at the best
restaurant in town. His Scions are similarly in nature.
Whether theyre illicitly spray painting beautiful
murals over a dusty, dried-up downtown, or running
an after-school program for disadvantaged kids, they
excel at giving people better living conditions. If
those people are more than happy to offer a grateful
sacrifice in return, what of it?
Abilities: Art, Awareness, Command, Fortitude,
Integrity, Thrown
Epic Attributes: Stamina, Charisma
Purviews: Itztli, Earth, Fire, Guardian

Xochipilli
The flower prince of the Atzlnti spends much of
his time in the World, because thats where all the
fun is happening. Like his twin sister Xochiquetzal,
Xochipilli exemplifies the physical beauty of his
gender, but this well-sculpted god is also a patron
of recreation and culture. Easygoing and genial,
Xochipilli loves scholars and artists of all kinds,
especially dancers, painters, and writers. When he
is not busy fostering mortals creative projects or
exemplifying male sexual attractiveness, he finds
work as a very specialized agriculture god-- the god
of vision-inducing psychoactive plants.
In modern times, Xochipilli has been a tortured
playwright, a chartbusting pop song producer, a
porn sensation, a greenhouse pot grower, and a gay
bar proprietor. He prefers the company of mortals
to gods, and spends as much time away from Acopa
as he can, leaving the hard work of planning the
war against the Titans to other gods. He has taken
many mortal wives (and more than a few husbands),
but the flower prince finds it hard to settle down for
long.
Xochipillis Scions are similarly carefree. Life comes
easy to them, and they enjoy it to the fullest-- even
when that means leaving the difficult conflicts
for others to resolve. They inspire and uplift those
around them (and occasionally, also chemically
alter their states of mind) as laid-back musicians,
philosophers, abstract poets, recreational chemists,
and orchid cultivators, and theyre always the life

of the party wherever they go. Although it can be


frustratingly difficult to get them to focus, Scions
of Xochipilli may be better-suited than anybody to
staving off the despair of a World in the oppressive
grip of the Titans.
Abilities: Academics, Art, Awareness, Empathy,
Medicine, Survival
Epic Attributes: Charisma, Appearance
Purviews: Itztli, Fertility, Mystery

Xochiquetzal
The goddess of desire, wealth, and feminine sexual
allure, Xochiquetzal knows what she wants and
how to get it. The twin sister of equally-attractive
Xochipilli and former wife of Tlaloc, Xochiquetzal has
discovered (after being stolen from her husband and
seduced by the Black Tezcatlipoca) that shes happier
not being tied down. Xochiquetzal always goes hand
in hand with luxury; she loves living the high life,
with all that entails. She is a fierce protector of new
mothers, and a proponent of the idea that women
control the world because they control men. Clouds
of butterflies, entranced by her beauty, follow her
wherever she goes.
In modern times, Xochiquetzal enjoys making
policy indirectly, by influencing people in positions
of power. She has been a corporate consultant, a
feminist blogger, and an illicit mistress of suggestible
politicians. She also likes to enjoy mortal life as a
luxury jeweler, a glamorous model, a florist, or a
brothel madame. All her mortal guises have youth
and beauty in common, and flowers are always a
part of her fashion or her surroundings.
Like their mother, Scions of Xochiquetzal are usually
more than willing to leverage both their great
cunning and their great beauty, and are usually wellliked, as well. Some are lepidopterists, avant-garde
fashion designers, or political lobbyists, while others
attach themselves to politicians, drug lords, or Wall
Street magnates, in order to exercise a subtler power.
Abilities: Art, Craft, Empathy, Fortitude, Politics,
Presence
Epic Attributes: Manipulation, Appearance
Purviews: Itztli, Animal (Butterflies), Fertility

Xolotl
The dark twin of Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl is the god of
bad luck, the evening star to his brothers morning
star. In spite of his negative associations, Xolotl
feels a responsibility toward mortals, and does his
best to care for them. Together with his brother
Quetzalcoatl, Xolotl stole fire from Mictln and
gave it to humanity. Xolotl leads the dead on their
arduous, four-year journey to Mictln, and he
guards the sun faithfully during the night. He does
his various jobs dutifully, knowing hes unlikely ever
to get any proper respect for his hard work.
Xolotl is fearsome to behold. He appears as a
skeleton, his bright red bones scorched by fire. His
feet are on backwards (so that he can lead the way
to Mictln while keeping an eye on his charges),
and he sometimes replaces his skull with the head
of a dog, in imitation of his canine assistants. Xolotl
is usually accompanied by several large, hairless
dogs (one breed, the Xoloitzcuintle, even bears
his name). These loyal hounds assist Xolotl in his
role as a guide through the Underworld. When
Quetzalcoatl journeyed to Mictln to create the
People of the Fifth Sun out of bones, Xolotl went as
well, in order to create dogs. In exchange for people
taking care of dogs during life, Xolotl decided,
dogs would care for people in the afterlife. Many
ancient Mesoamericans were buried with dogs, to
ensure they wouldnt need to journey through the
Underworld alone.
In modern times, Xolotl has been a wilderness
guide, a seeing eye dog trainer, and an insurance
agent. Like their father, Xolotls Scions are typically
humble, long-suffering, and a little scary-- drawn to
roles where they give people important assistance
in times of need, and usually receive no thanks
whatsoever.
Abilities: Animal Ken, Athletics, Awareness,
Fortitude, Presence, Survival
Epic Attributes: Stamina, Appearance (negative)
Purviews: Itztli, Animal (Dogs), Guardian,
Psychopomp

Birthrights
Offerings to the
Atzlnti
Amaranth Seed Rations (relic o)
At the culmination of Panquetzaliztli, a month-long
festival in honor of Huitzilopochtli, a life-sized statue
of the god sculpted of amaranth seeds and honey
was cut into pieces and distributed to the people. By
eating a blessed portion of the statue, festival goers
secured the blessings of the Blue Tezcatlipoca.
These amaranth seed rations are prepared in the
same way, but instead of life-sized statues, modern
versions are shaped like high-protein energy bars
in blue foil wrappers. When passed around before a
battle, those who eat a mouthful of the rations gain
the effects of the Blessing of Bravery (War 1) boon, but
are granted temporary Courage instead of temporary
Valor. Somehow, there is always exactly enough for
every warrior present to have a taste, and a single
point of Legend will transform the empty wrapper
into a brand new ration, ready to be opened and
consumed again.

Blue Riot Shield (relic - varying values - War


purview - varying DV bonuses)
In the paradise of the Blue Tezcatlipoca, the House
of the Left, the spirits of courageously-slain warriors
can behold Huitzilopochtli in all his solar glory-- but
only if they protect their eyes with their shields,
peeking through the shields' arrow slits. In imitation
of this ancient design and in recognition of its sacred
function, modern Scions of Huitzilopochtli developed
the riot shield, blending visibility and sturdy
protection. Impressed, Huitzilopochtli sometimes
gives blessed riot shields to his most promising
Scions. These rectangular blue shields provide access
to the War purview, and many provide enhanced
protection (above and beyond the +1 to DVs granted
by a basic, non-relic riot shield). They also feature a
clear polycarbonate viewing window, so that if a Scion
should fall in battle and find himself in the House of

the Left, he will be able to view his divine parent-- not


that many Scions are eager to test that out.

Coatl (creature ooo, relic o)

(See Scion: Hero, page 325, for full stats and description.)

These flying, feathered serpents are intelligent and


capable of speech. They can fight alongside their teotl
allies, or carry them through the air at up to 60 miles
per hour. Scions call forth their coatl creatures by
drawing a small amount of blood with a coatl feather
and spending a point of Legend.

Hummingbird Spirit (guide oo)


For the dead mortals who fall under the auspices of
the Atzlnti, there is no returning-- except for the
courageous battle-slain warriors who reside eternally
in the House of the Left. These formidable warriors
train eternally in the domain of Huitzilopochtli,
who can send them back to the World in the form
of hummingbirds when the need is great. These
hummingbird warriors are sometimes sent to advise
young teotl Scions, or to push them toward the true
test of battle against the titanspawn.
A hummingbird guide can provide some very
limited knowledge about the Aztec gods and their
sacrifices, but most of his assistance is in the form
of combat technique and small-unit battle tactics.
Such a warrior no longer has the human body it
takes to demonstrate his skills, but he can talk a Scion
through even advanced combat forms, give detailed
instruction on how to disassemble and clean an
automatic rifle, and scout a battlefield from the air to
expertly analyze troop movements.

Jaguar Warriors and Eagle Warriors


(followers - varying values)
Elite Aztec soldiers, Jaguar Warriors and Eagle
Warriors are fearless in battle and trained in the use
of many weapons. Most such modern warriors now
eschew maquahuitls and atlatls in favor of automatic
rifles and grenade launchers, but they are still sworn
to follow Atzlnti Scions into battle. The left-handed
Eagle Warriors are expert masters of weaponry in
service to Huitzilopochtli, and Tezcatlipoca's feared
Jaguar Warriors are as cunning as they are formidable.

Itztli (relic - varying value - assorted


purviews)
These sacrificial stone knives-- called itztli-- are
of ritual importance, consecrated for ceremonial
bloodletting. Their make and material vary according
to their source and purpose-- itztli associated with
Xiuhtecuhtli often have turquoise-inlaid handles,
itztli associated with the Black Tezcatlipoca are
obsidian-bladed, and so forth. In addition to being
superb sacrificial accessories (and having the combat
stats of a hadseax, in a pinch), most itztli can be
used to channel one or more purviews associated
with the god who granted them. Among the most
common (but certainly not the only) choices are
Magic, Sun (because the sun is called upon to witness
all sacrifices), and Fertility (since blood quenches
Cipactli's thirst and represents the rain crops need).
Atzlnti Scions don't need a relic to access their Itztli
boons, but many use an itztli knife for the purpose
anyway.

Obsidian Mirror (relic oo - Mystery and


Prophecy purviews)
These tools of divination are sacred to the Black
Tezcatlipoca; he often gives them to his own Scions,
as well as to other Atzlnti Scions he considers
sufficiently important. After the mirror is "awakened"
with a few sprinkled drops of blood (which
immediately sizzle away, disappearing in a tendril
of smoke), dark images stir within its murky depths,
allowing Scions to use their Mystery and Prophecy
boons by staring deep into the obsidian. Images
revealed by this mirror are distorted, either by the
nature of the Obsidian or by the Black Tezcatlipoca's
will. The mirror reveals only the darkest secrets of a
person's nature or the darkest potential outcomes of
future events. Some of the teotl believe that the Black
Tezcatlipoca's motivations for giving these mirrors are
not entirely altruistic.

Thunder Serpent Weapons (relic oooo


- Animal (snake) and Sky purviews,
unlimited ammunition, and a one-dot
unique power)
These remarkable weapons are most favored by
Tlaloc, but are given to Scions of the teotl regardless

of their parentage. Traditionally, these weapons


have been atlatls or matched javelins, but modern
technology has made firearms an intriguing
possibility. (Tlaloc himself is said to enjoy using a
Thunder Serpent Shotgun.) Regardless of type, these
projectile weapons always have "just one more" shot-as firearms, they never need reloading; as atlatls or
bows, they create arrows or darts when readied to
fire; as javelins, there's always one more in the case.
More dramatically, any projectile fired from a Thunder
Serpent weapon immediately becomes a lightning
bolt-- a feared serpent of the storm, striking quickly
across the heavens. Firing such a weapon is always
accompanied with a searing flash of light and closely
followed by a bellow of thunder, so they're not exactly
armaments for the subtle.

Xiuhcoatl (relic ooo - Fire and Sun


purviews, and a one-dot unique power)
This turquoise atlatl is made from the molted
serpent skin of Xiuhcoatl the fire serpent, the solar
weapon of Huitzilopochtli. Warrior Scions of the teotl,
especially Scions of Xiuhtecuhtli-Huehueteotl or
Huitzilopochtli, may carry such a weapon in imitation
of Huitzilopochtli himself, who wields Xiuhcoatl in his
daily battles against the world-devouring demons
of the stars. These Xiuhcoatl weapons function as
atlatls which allow their wielders to access the Fire
and Sun purviews, and can be commanded to shine
with a bright solar light. Also, any projectile thrown
by a Xiuhcoatl glows with bright sunlight, becoming
especially deadly to vampires, minions of Soku-NoKumi, and other light-hating titanspawn.

Xoloitzcuintle (creature oo)


One of the creations of Xolotl, these ghostly dog
spirits are as large as mastiffs. They are equally at
home in the World and in the Underworld; they
instinctively know the way to travel between the
World and Mictln, and can accompany their masters
to other Underworld realms safely. In the World,
a Xoloitzcuintle is an invisible, intangible ghost,
detected and affected by Death Senses and other
powers from the Death purview. In the Underworld, a
Xoloitzcuintle is visible, but is as solid or as immaterial
as it wants to be.

Each Xoloitzcuintle is trained by Xolotl to guide


spirits through the Underworld to Mictln, but Xolotl
sometimes entrusts them to Scions likely to spend a
lot of time in the Underworld. The Xoloitzcuintle barks
to warn its master of the presence of other ghosts-the dog's master hears a ghostly bark echoing in
his head, even if he doesn't have Death Senses and
can't see or hear the dog in any other way. In the
Underworld, a Xoloitzcuintle helps its master safely
navigate the pitfalls and obstacles often associated
with the lands of the dead. It is most comfortable in
Mictln, but has a certain talent for finding landmarks
and passages even in unfamiliar Underworld realms.
While in the Underworld, the Xoloitzcuintle can also
physically attack (and be attacked by) intangible
ghosts, and will do so to defend its master.
A Xoloitzcuintle has the statistics of a ghostly dog
with Atzlnti Virtues-- especially Loyalty. It always has
an Epic Perception score equal to its Legend -1, and
reliably notices ghosts.

The Nagual: An
Atzlnti Animal
Companion
by Griffinguy24
-----------------------------------------------------

Griffinguy24s Introduction
A large feature of Mesoamerican mythology was
a concept known as the nagual to the Aztecs and
uay to the Mayans. This was, essentially, a cross
between a totem animal, a guardian angel, and a
horoscope. The Mesoamerican soul was divided
into three parts. The first was the yollotl, the heart.
The second was the tonal, the spark of life that was,
essentially, what Westerners call the soul (According
to folklore, the tonal could be lost to a person for a
number of reasons, resulting in a culturally-specific
illness known as susto, which is similar to clinical
depression). The third was the nagual, the shadow
soul, the animal twin. The nagual was a spirit animal
existing somewhere in the world with whom a
person shared their very life.
A persons nagual was determined by a number
of factors, including a persons birthday, and their
experiences. Usually, a nagual would reveal itself
through dreams, or by having another individual
of the same species interact with the person.
Sometimes, that representative might even attack
them! Many native cultures felt that being attacked
by a powerful creature and surviving was the
animals way of testing if that person was worthy.
A person who mastered their nagual would become
a powerful magician, called a nahualli. The most
common form of magic known by a nahualli was
the ability to transform into their animal form and
wreak havoc, or to command their nagual to do
their bidding (Essentially, the Animal Form and Ride
Animal abilities). More powerful nahualli could
even claim more than one creature as their nagual,

though their strongest connection was always to


their first nagual.
So, what does this mean for Scion players? Well,
many Aztec gods were nahualli. Huitzilopochtlis
naguals were the hummingbird and the eagle.
Quetzalcoatls were the quetzal and the snake.
Mictlantecuhtlis was the owl. Xolotl, Quetzalcoatls
twin brother, had the dog. And Tezcatlipoca, the
god of sorcery and nagualism itself, had a jaguar
nagual. In fact, Tezcatlipocas nagual was a god in
and of itself, called Tepeyollotl. The Heart of the
Mountain lived underground and his roar would
cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
So, it stands to reason that the Scions of the Aztec
pantheon should have naguals of their own. Now,
animal companions for Scions arent unique to the
Aztlanti. However, the creature Birthright alone
doesnt reflect the mastery of the nagual that an
Aztec Scion should be able to possess. This isnt
merely a boy and his dog, this creature is a part of
the persons soul. As a Scion becomes more and
more divine, so should his beast.

Naguals
The Basics
Naguals gain Legend as their Scion does, their
Legend scores starting at 1 and always remaining
two dots of Legend below their Scion. The
maximum Legend a nagual may accrue is 10, at
which point, they essentially become a Typhonian
beast.
All naguals start with 15 bonus points to be spent
as bonus points are at character creation, as well as
5 dots in Aztlanti Virtues. Any Attributes the base
creature has at 0 are automatically raised to 1.
Naguals are bought as Birthright Creatures, usually
at Hero level (although many purchase it later), at
the cost of 2 dots (where the mundane animal is
a 1-dot Creature) or 3 dots (where the mundane
animal is a 2-dot Creature).
At character creation, the nagual starts at Legend 1,
Legend Points 1. Epic Attributes may be purchased
with bonus points (with 3 Epic Attributes maximum,
per Nemean animal rules), but Boons may not.
When a nagual gains a dot of Legend, it gets 10
bonus points. See the list of common nagual species
to determine which Epic Attributes and Boons are
considered Favored. All naguals can take Itztli and
Animal Boons as Favored.
When a nahualli Scion reaches Demigod and God
status, the Scion may spend a Birthright dot to gain
15 bonus points for their nagual and to add 4/3/2
dots to their naguals Attributes.
Naguals have the following unique supernatural
powers to begin with:

Shared Fate
Prerequisite: Automatic

The Fates of the Scion and Nagual are so intertwined


that they are equal in the eyes of Fate. If one dies,
the other dies (This is, essentially, a permanent
version of the 10-dot spell Heart of Mine)

Coordination
Prerequisite: Automatic

Since the Scion and his nagual are one soul, the two
complement each other on the battlefield. The two
act as though they have the Perfect Partner Knack
for free, though this only applies to the two of them
coordinating attacks.

Atzlnti Only
Animal Boons
Nahualli:
Note: The following Boons may ONLY
be used on a Birthright nagual

Ghost Form - Animal 1


A nagual is a spiritual animal made into flesh by the
Aztec gods to serve their nahualli. For 1 Legend
Point, the nagual may return to that spiritual state,
becoming incorporeal and invisible to mortals. All
beings with a Legend score can see the nagual,
though they cannot touch or interact with it
(unless they possess the appropriate Death Boons
or Birthrights). Mortals cannot see, hear, smell,
or touch naguals using Ghost Form, but they can
preternaturally feel the animals presence, which
usually unnerves them. If the nagual attempts to
interact with a mortal while in Ghost Form, the
mortal may make a Perception + Awareness roll (at a
difficulty equal to the naguals Legend + the Scions
Legend) to perceive it. When mortals can see/hear/
feel incorporeal naguals, Fate has a tendency to
make life REALLY difficult for the nahualli.

One Consciousness - Animal 2


The Scion may spend 1 Legend Point to see through
his or her naguals eyes. This Boon is the equivalent
of Radas Eyes (Cheval 1)

One Mind - Animal 3


The Scion and nagual no longer need to speak to

communicate. By spending 1 Legend point, the two


can communicate telepathically. This lasts the entire
scene.

Human Speech - Animal 4


Prerequisite: Animal Communication

The nagual is now capable of human speech. They


are automatically fluent in all languages their Scion
is fluent in. After gaining this trait, the nagual may
now take the Knacks Language Mastery and Instant
Translation (if they have Epic Intelligence).

Shared Sacrifice - Animal 5


Itztli boons, and the Legend reaped from them, are
shared through the nahuallis Fatebond. Any Legend
bonus reaped from any Itztli boon by one party
effects the other equally.

Nemean Form - Animal 6


The nagual gains a supertough hide with
+4A/+8L/+8B soak. The creatures size is double
that of a normal animal of its type. The nagual may
spend 2 Legend points to revert to the appearance
of a normal animal of its type

Boon Companion - Animal 7


Whenever a Boon is used on a Scion (whether he
uses it himself or another uses it), the divine power
affects the nagual as well. Any Boons the Scion or
nagual uses to change his body (Greenskin, Earth
Body, Devil Body, Liquid Form, etc.) or enhance
combat (Toxic Thorn, Storm Augmentation, Mortal
Stroke, etc.) or to change health (Bolster, Heal/
Infect, Life Giving Rays, etc.) are shared through
their Fatebinding. Be warned, because this cuts
both ways. Any damage done to a Scion or nagual
through use of a Boon (wounds caused by a Blazing
Weapon, action penalties from the Evil Eye spell, DV
Penalties from Tidal Interference) affects the other.

Two Hearts, One Soul - Animal 8


At the cost of 5 Legend, the Scion may replace his
dice pool for a single action with that of his nagual
(or vice versa). At the cost of 1 Willpower and 5

Legend, he may add his naguals dice pool to his own


for a single action (Epic Attributes are not added)

Typhonian Form - Animal 9


The nagual grows to 100 times the size of a
normal creature of its type. Costs for increasing
Epic Strength and Stamina are halved. It gains
+8A/16L/16B total armor (Nemean Form does not
stack), and all natural weapons have the Piercing
Quality.

King of Beasts - Animal 10


Due to having a maximum of 10 Legend, the
maximum Boon a nagual can attain in any purview
is the nine-dot. Well, the nagual-only power King of
Beasts (or Queen of Beasts) grants the same benefits
of Protean Understanding to a nagual

Common Nagual
Species
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all possible
naguals, merely a list of those commonly associated
with Aztlanti Scions

Jaguar

The Mesoamerican king of beasts, jaguars are the


ultimate symbol of strength and nobility in Aztec
society. Only the most powerful Scions have jaguar
naguals. The jaguar was one of the two animals
to sacrifice themselves in the fire that birthed the
Fifth Sun, and the ashes of the flames grant the
jaguar its spots. When the Mayan sun god Kinich
Ahau descended from the sky at night, he became
a massive jaguar that prowled the underworld for
the souls of the unworthy. Tezcatlipoca himself
took a jaguar nagual, known as the god Tepeyollotl,
a god of caves whose roar caused earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions. Aztec poetry and prayers
referred to warriors as eagles and jaguars, and
the Jaguar Knights were an elite order of warriors
dedicated to serve Tezcatlipoca.
Among the large cats, jaguars are known for being

incredibly powerful, built with the highest muscle


mass and bite strength among living felines. Even
small jaguars appear big due to their stocky frames.
Where other large cats tend to go for the neck when
making a kill, the jaguar chooses instead to bite
through the skull.
When taken as a nagual, jaguars are aloof and proud.
They take well to their Scion, after all, any human
who shares their soul with a jaguar must be worthy
of their attention, but their reaction to any other
humans will be either cold indifference or outright
hostility. This hostility is doubled if they encounter
another Scion with a jaguar nagual. Theres never
room enough for two kings.
Almost all Scions with jaguar naguals are Scions of
Tezcatlipoca. Those Scions of other Aztlanti blessed
with jaguar naguals will inevitably find themselves
the object of the Smoking Mirrors interests, and a
pawn in his myriad schemes.
Jaguars favor Epic Strength, Epic Dexterity, Epic
Stamina, Epic Perception, and Epic Wits. They can
take Boons from the Darkness, Earth, Fire, Moon,
Sun, and War Purviews. Their highest virtue is
usually Courage.

Eagle

The Mesoamerican king of the sky, the eagle,


specifically the golden eagle, is the symbol of
Tenochtitlan, and the most prevailing symbol in
Aztec society. To have an eagle nagual is a rare
blessing. The eagle dove into the fire that birthed
the first sun, and the burning of the flames singed
its feathers black. Huitzilopochtli, the patron god
of the Mexica tribe that would found the Aztec
Empire, chose the eagle as the symbol of his military
strength and relationship to the sun. He told the
Mexica that they would build their empire on the
spot they would find an eagle killing a serpent.
They saw this occur atop a prickly pear cactus in
the middle of Lake Texcoco, and there founded
Tenochtitlan. Aztec poetry would refer to warriors
as eagles and jaguars, and the Eagle Knights were
the elite order of warriors dedicated to serve
Huitzilopochtli.
The golden eagle is one of the most widespread
raptors in the world (second to the peregrine

falcon), their territory covering most of the Northern


Hemisphere. Theyre also one of the largest and
fastest birds of prey, making them incredibly strong.
While they typically hunt prey in the size range of
rabbits, groundhogs, and pheasants, they also have
been noted to hunt deer, goats, and antelope. Hell,
in Mongolia, falconers have trained golden eagles to
hunt wolves and there have been recorded incidents
of golden eagles fighting grizzly bears to drive them
off their territory.
Taken as a nagual, the eagle is fierce and proud.
They may welcome their Scion, but that Scion had
better ensure their courage does not fail them,
because if their Scion proves unworthy of the eagle,
the eagle will not hesitate to leave them in the lurch.
However, if that Scion were to prove him or herself in
battle, the eagle will return nigh instantly.
Almost all eagle naguals are given to Scions of
Huitzilopochtli. If another gods Scion has an eagle
nagual, then the Left-Handed Hummingbird will
become a presence in that Scions life, either to make
the eagles master into a model warrior or to prime
the child as a sacrifice. Note that the two goals are
not mutually exclusive.
Eagles favor Epic Strength, Epic Dexterity, Epic
Charisma, Epic Appearance, and Epic Perception.
They can take Boons from the Fire, Guardian, Justice,
Sky, Sun, and War Purviews. Their highest virtue is
usually Courage.

Minor Nagual
Species
Pumas favor Epic Strength, Epic Dexterity, Epic
Perception, and Epic Wits. They can take Boons
from the Earth, Guardian, Sky, and War Purviews.
Their highest virtue is usually Courage.

Dogs favor Epic Stamina, Epic Appearance

(negative) and Epic Perception. They can take Boons


from the Death, Health, and Psychopomp Purviews.
Their highest virtue is usually Loyalty.

Coyotes favor Epic Dexterity, Epic Manipulation,

and Epic Wits. They can take Boons from the Chaos,
Earth, and Illusion Purviews. Their highest virtue is
usually Conviction

Monkeys favor Epic Dexterity, Epic Charisma,


Epic Manipulation, and Epic Wits. They can take
Boons from the Chaos, Fertility, and Illusion
Purviews. Their highest virtue is usually Loyalty
Quetzals favor Epic Charisma, Epic

Appearance, and Epic Perception. They can take


Boons from the Guardian, Health, Justice, and Sky
Purviews. Their highest virtue is usually Duty.

Hummingbirds favor Epic Dexterity, Epic

Appearance, and Epic Wits. They can take Boons


from the Fertility, Psychopomp, Sky, and War
Purviews. Their highest virtue is usually Conviction

Snakes favor Epic Dexterity, Epic Appearance,

and Epic Wits. They can take Boons from the


Fertility, Health, Justice, and Water Purviews. Their
highest virtue is usually Courage.

Caimans favor Epic Strength and Epic Stamina.


They can take Boons from the Earth, Fertility, and
Water Purviews. Their highest virtue is usually Duty.
Rabbits favor Epic Dexterity and Epic Wits.

They can take Boons from the Fertility and Moon


Purviews. Their highest virtue is usually Loyalty

Bats favor Epic Dexterity and Epic Perception.

They can take Boons from the Darkness, Death,


and Psychopomp Purviews. Their highest virtue is
usually Loyalty

Owls favor Epic Manipulation and Epic

Perception. They can take Boons from the Darkness,


Death, and Moon Purviews. Their highest virtue is
usually Conviction

Spiders favor Epic Dexterity and Epic


Appearance (negative). They can take Boons from

the Death, Fertility, and Psychopomp Purviews.


Their highest virtue is usually Duty

Deer favor Epic Strength, Epic Dexterity, and Epic

Wits. They can take Boons from the Earth, Health,


and Sky Purviews. Their highest virtue is usually
Conviction.

Opossums favor Epic Dexterity, Epic

Manipulation, and Epic Wits. They can take Boons


from the Chaos, Fire, and Illusion Purviews. Their
highest virtue is usually Loyalty.

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