Jun 25, 2017 5:53 pm
Denizens of the Everblack; the Zolucatli (1). Worshippers of Luat, a trickster aspect of the Seven Sisters Three (2) who long ago saved their people from Rilu'huacan, god of light and death (2).
Drow of the Underdark Forest
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Jun 26, 2017 1:29 pm
There are warring, decentralized clans of elves. There is a larger coalition with a central city but years of using lesser tribes as sacrifices to Luat and many believe it is this blood that washes away the sins of Rilu'huacan.
Jul 6, 2017 3:17 am
Niuxoneca, High Priestess of Luat
Neutral Evil Divination Cleric
Serves as head of the largest drow clan and leader of the coalition
Actively interested in research and methods for speeding the growth of the Underdark's trees
Neutral Evil Divination Cleric
Serves as head of the largest drow clan and leader of the coalition
Actively interested in research and methods for speeding the growth of the Underdark's trees
Jul 9, 2017 6:15 pm
The Zolucatli have an uneasy peace with the Sitoq, as past wars have shown them to be a mysteriously indomitable enemy. This doesn't stop them from capturing and sacrificing the odd dwarf who wanders astray though.
Jul 9, 2017 7:44 pm
Alright; I wrote this the other day, and it's bothering me because it doesn't sound sufficiently Azteca and I don't know how to do that. Posting it anyway to elicit feedback.
A year passed, and the prayers of the priests went unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispered pain and loss into the ears of his priests.
And Luat arrived, and spoke to the High Priest Xicliutotec, saying "Your prayers go unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispers pain and loss into your ears. I will answer your prayers, and shut your ears to the whispers."
And High Priest Xicliutotec said "Rilu'huacan will answer our prayers, and he will no longer whisper into our ears. We shall abide."
And Priestess Micte Zolucan heard, and was troubled. And Luat left.
Two years passed, and the light of Rilu'huacan grew harsh and withered the plants in the ground, and it burned the designs from the holy temples.
And Luat arrived, and spoke to the High Priest Xicliutotec, saying "Your prayers go unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispers pain and loss into your ears. The light grows harsh and withers the plants in the ground, and it burns the designs from your holy temples. I will spin the trees to shade you from the light, and weave new designs for your temples."
And High Priest Xicliutotec said "Rilu'huacan will temper his light to grow the plants, and he will burn new designs into our holy temples. We shall abide."
And Priestess Micte Zolucan heard, and was troubled. And she spoke to Luat, asking "Can you do what you have said?" And Luat replied "Yes". And Luat left.
Three years passed, and the wild animals grew fierce and hunted the people in their homes, and the empty dead rose from their boneyards.
And Luat arrived, and spoke to the High Priest Xicliutotec, saying "Your prayers go unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispers pain and loss into your ears. The light grows harsh and withers the plants in the ground, and it burns the designs from your holy temples. The wild animals grow fierce and hunt your people in their homes, and the empty dead rise from their boneyards. I will teach you mastery over the wild animals, and spin you spells to control the empty dead."
And High Priest Xicliutotec said "Rilu'huacan will gentle the wild animals, and put the empty dead to rest again. We shall abide."
And Priestess Micte Zolucan heard, and was troubled. And she spoke to Luat, asking "Can you do what you have said?" And Luat replied "Yes".
And Priestess Micte Zolucan took High Priest Xicliutotec to the altar and let his blood upon the stones, saying "Our prayers will turn to Luat, and we will hear no longer Rilu'huacan's whispers. We shall not abide."
And in the holy temples priestesses took their priests to the altars and let their blood upon the stones, saying "The trees will block Rilu'huacan's harsh light, and our holy temples house new designs. We shall not abide."
And in the homes women took their men to the hearths and let their blood upon the stones, saying "We will learn mastery over the wild animals, and words to control the empty dead. We shall not abide."
And Luat did not leave.
[ +- ] the assumption of Luat; spoilered for length
A year passed, and the prayers of the priests went unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispered pain and loss into the ears of his priests.
And Luat arrived, and spoke to the High Priest Xicliutotec, saying "Your prayers go unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispers pain and loss into your ears. I will answer your prayers, and shut your ears to the whispers."
And High Priest Xicliutotec said "Rilu'huacan will answer our prayers, and he will no longer whisper into our ears. We shall abide."
And Priestess Micte Zolucan heard, and was troubled. And Luat left.
Two years passed, and the light of Rilu'huacan grew harsh and withered the plants in the ground, and it burned the designs from the holy temples.
And Luat arrived, and spoke to the High Priest Xicliutotec, saying "Your prayers go unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispers pain and loss into your ears. The light grows harsh and withers the plants in the ground, and it burns the designs from your holy temples. I will spin the trees to shade you from the light, and weave new designs for your temples."
And High Priest Xicliutotec said "Rilu'huacan will temper his light to grow the plants, and he will burn new designs into our holy temples. We shall abide."
And Priestess Micte Zolucan heard, and was troubled. And she spoke to Luat, asking "Can you do what you have said?" And Luat replied "Yes". And Luat left.
Three years passed, and the wild animals grew fierce and hunted the people in their homes, and the empty dead rose from their boneyards.
And Luat arrived, and spoke to the High Priest Xicliutotec, saying "Your prayers go unanswered, and Rilu'huacan whispers pain and loss into your ears. The light grows harsh and withers the plants in the ground, and it burns the designs from your holy temples. The wild animals grow fierce and hunt your people in their homes, and the empty dead rise from their boneyards. I will teach you mastery over the wild animals, and spin you spells to control the empty dead."
And High Priest Xicliutotec said "Rilu'huacan will gentle the wild animals, and put the empty dead to rest again. We shall abide."
And Priestess Micte Zolucan heard, and was troubled. And she spoke to Luat, asking "Can you do what you have said?" And Luat replied "Yes".
And Priestess Micte Zolucan took High Priest Xicliutotec to the altar and let his blood upon the stones, saying "Our prayers will turn to Luat, and we will hear no longer Rilu'huacan's whispers. We shall not abide."
And in the holy temples priestesses took their priests to the altars and let their blood upon the stones, saying "The trees will block Rilu'huacan's harsh light, and our holy temples house new designs. We shall not abide."
And in the homes women took their men to the hearths and let their blood upon the stones, saying "We will learn mastery over the wild animals, and words to control the empty dead. We shall not abide."
And Luat did not leave.
Jul 9, 2017 8:44 pm
I love this! I think it has a really good feel to it. I like the repetition in particular.
When you mentioned that Niuxoneca is looking for ways to speed the growth of the trees, blood sacrifice was the first place that my mind went, but I wasn't sure quite how to fit it. But now I think:
The temples of Luat each have a central stone dais, around which grows a mighty tree. The temples are the trees themselves, and furrows from the sacrificial altar channel the blood to nourish the temple tree.
(Unless that's too much trees. We do already have Sitoq who weave the trees into their fortifications and a killing tree that drinks blood)
When you mentioned that Niuxoneca is looking for ways to speed the growth of the trees, blood sacrifice was the first place that my mind went, but I wasn't sure quite how to fit it. But now I think:
The temples of Luat each have a central stone dais, around which grows a mighty tree. The temples are the trees themselves, and furrows from the sacrificial altar channel the blood to nourish the temple tree.
(Unless that's too much trees. We do already have Sitoq who weave the trees into their fortifications and a killing tree that drinks blood)
Aug 8, 2017 4:12 pm
I worry that the repetition is too reminiscent of Indo-European mythology traditions. So I tried to do some research. It's actually very difficult to find primary sources for Aztec mythology. This is because the traditions seem to follow a pictorial alphabet. The locals would tell stories about the statues and it took a long time to eventually translate the pictograms. There was no Rosetta Stone for them and if I remember correctly the language was eventually solved by the daughter of an archaeologist but that may be apocryphal and I can't find it. I found this though that helps show some of the pictograms that exist and how they work. I'd be hesitant to take Aztec culture and put it into the Indo-European style. I'd think that if we were going to appropriate, we'd push to be as authentic as possible. Thoughts?
This document also discusses some Aztec rituals.
This document also discusses some Aztec rituals.