By Alejandro Melchor
ya casi ni gente somos. / we are nearly not even people.
Aqui donde llueve tierra / Here where soil rains
los signos estan rotos / the seals are broken.
Xolotl bajo al infierno / Xolotl descended to hell
en forma de perro. / in the shape of dog.
Solo quedan las casas / Only the houses are left
y los indios colgados / and the indians hanging
en el viento encendido. / in the lit wind.
- Jorge Reyes, "A la izquierda del colibri"
When the European Kindred arrived to the New World, they knew that there were others of their kind, but they never expected to find the Mictlan.
Named after the Aztec Realm of the Dead, the Mictlan was the largest vampire organization in precolumbian America. The details of their rising are lost in time; only the rulers know their true heritage, whether they tell the truth or not is up to debate.
Branded heretics by the Sabbat Archbishops, the Mictlan hold a faith very different from that of the European Kindred. They spit at the mention of Caine, as they donŐt descend from him.
Their legends speak of a time when the gods, the Celestines, were creating the world. The first man and woman were created, but they were immortal, knew not of sickness and suffering. Thus was born Mictlantecuhtli, the God of Death, and Mictecacihuatl, his wife. These two gods would make sure that mankind didn't believe themselves as gods, for always Death waited for them at the end of their lives.
Mictlantecuhtli carved his kingdom, the Mictlan, in the bowels of the earth, and there he would wait for the souls of the dead. Together in their dark realm, the Death Gods saw their cousins create servants that would represent them on earth. And they had an idea.
Mictecacihuatl traveled to the living lands and entered a woman's belly, to be born as human. She was born and grew, remembering from the start her mission.
As a human, Mictecacihuatl learned the arts of sorcery, and she called for her husband to join her. He arrived, and they had strange children. They were sons and daughters of Death, yet they lived. When the time was right, the Death Gods killed their progeny, and gave them the gift of undeath.
The other gods were angered at this violation of the Mother's cycle, but Mictlantecuhtli appeased them by offering his Childer to them. Some gods ate the undead given to them, but others, out of curiosity or compassion, kept them and appointed them their dark messengers on earth.
The undead would serve the purpose of Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl: to remind humankind that they were not gods, they could die by the whim of the gods. As a reward, the gods allowed the undead to partake in the sacrifices, to drink the blood shed in their honor; but as a reminder of their unlife and that they themselves were not gods but servants of gods, the undead would not be able to gain sustenance from any other source, and they would never see the light of day again, as Death was their legacy. Thus were they born and called themselves tlaltecuhtli, lords of the earth.
The Tremere deny the veracity of the Mictlan's legend, stating that it was Caine who probably traveled to the New World and masqueraded as the God of Death. However, the ties the Mictlan has to both the Underworld an the god they are dedicated to is undeniable, as they manifest knowledge and Disiplines unique to them alone.
The Mictlan can be considered as a main clan consisting of several bloodlines, though there the analogies end. Each bloodline is called a Calpulli, like the guild-neighborhoods of Tenochtitlan. Each Calpulli is ruled by a Tlatoani. The Tlatoanis are said to be the children of Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl, given to the gods. Only they know for sure, and they are not telling.
As a whole, the Mictlan is governed by the Council of Tlatoanis, with the leader being Mictlaxochitl, Tlatoani of Calpulli Mictlantecuhtli. She claims to be the elder daughter of the Death Gods, and the other Tlatoanis comply. Mictlaxochitl, however, is not all powerful; she is still bound by the decisions of the Council, though her opinion carries a lot more weight than her brothers' and sisters'. In matters of internal Calpulli affairs, the Tlatoani has the final world, though sometimes a matter trascends the single Tlatoani's jurisdiction.
The original number of the Calpullis is unknown, only ten remain, and one of them lost its Tlatoani. The Calpullis are named after the god who accepted the undead as his/her servant, and the Tlatoanis took names accordingly: some are named as their god, some as an Incarna and others have a name of their own.
The Mictlan's influence on human society was always of a religious nature, they were the earthly representation of the gods, and ruled as a theocracy.
It's that attitude as the gods' gift to mortals that eventually brought their doom when the Spaniards arrived. Being a Mictlan vampire was a priviledge, a divine gift, a chance to partake on the gods' meals in exchange of service. That's why they were never many. Candidates were carefully chosen and would only be Embraced after the approval of all the rulers. Even then, the Embrace was a gruesome ritual that would ensure that only those fit would become tlaltecuhtli; Mictlan vampires.
The Flower Wars, conflicts bent upon capturing sacrificial victims from the other's army, were mainly a concoction of the Mictlan, who thus kept themselves supplied with their bloody sustenance without resorting to hunt and drawing suspicion to themselves.
One of the Tlatoanis became so obsessed with his mission to elevate his lord to greatness that he went insane: Tlatoani Huitzilopochtli, servant of the aztec god of war and the sun. He commited the sin of pride, as he forgot his purpose as servant of both his god and Mictlantecuhtli and appointed himself god. He became bloodthirsty, never satiated by the blood offerings he received. This recklesness alienated one of his followers: Tlacaelel, the man behind the Aztec Empire. Tlacaelel had been on the brink of Awakening as a Mage of the White Brotherhood, but he abandoned his mentors to build his dream of a great empire where men and women would be as one with the cosmos. Without knowing, he became the ghoul of Huitzilopochtli and, when he realized the mistake he had made when he trusted his god, he fell into a deep depresion.
Around this year, the explorers reached the outskirts of the New World, and Tlacaelel, alerted by spirits bound to him by a Garou friend, resolved to destroy his beloved Empire so as to have a new and pure one rise from the ashes. He called to the European Kindred and, when they arrived, he was Embraced by the Ventrue.
The Council of Tlatoanis sentenced him to death, but the deed was done and the sentence never fulfilled: the European Kindred were here, along with the Inquisition. The Mictlan's only chance was escape. Two Calpullis were destroyed during the battles, the others had to hide or go into Torpor.
After the Conquest, the Mictlan had to abandon their roles as gods and became rogues and demons; by observing the Camarilla, they adapted their usual strategy of domination -- religion -- into politics, though they vowed never to forget their origins; never to become so fascinated with intrigue as to forget their connection to the gods. They were quickly targeted for destruction by the Camarilla, a general Blood Hunt declared on them. But the Mictlan had the rural population's support, after all, they were the gods' messengers.
Soon, the Mictlan learned how to create social unrest; their sphere of influence was the lower strata of society; those who still believed in the ancient gods, even if only subsconsciously. When the Anarchs launched their Second Revolution, the Mictlan saw an opportunitty to strike at the invaders; they attacked the federal army at night; pulled what little strings they had on politics and generally made life difficult for the Camarilla. Problem was, the Tlatoanis didn't anticipate the Sabbat's intervention.
Caught off-guard by the arrival of the ruthless new player in the game, the Mictlan had to fall back, they were too few to present a decent battle to the 'barbarians', as they called the Sabbat Kindred. Their energies were spent into hiding from the new invaders to their lands, for those savages were not held back by a Masquerade and the chance of an all-out war was always hanging in the air. They adopted a Masquerade of their own, but not because of fear of the humans, but of the Sabbat.
It was during this time that the leaderless Calpulli Huitzilopochtli betrayed the Mictlan and joined the Sabbat.
Things were never the same for the Mictlan; Huitzilopochtli's betrayal showed them that not only change in tactics was necessary, but also change in traditions. They became more aggressive and direct, sometimes forsaking their secrecy. The last straw was drawn in 1968, when the Sabbat, fearful that the student movement might be a Camarilla move to recover the country, orchestrated the Tlatelolco massacre in October 2nd. The Tlatoanis were outraged by the depths that the barbarians could fall to and, for the first time in their history, Embraced indiscriminately all the dying left on the Plaza. Several possessed the will to survive initiation and the Mictlan saw its numbers engrossed by many angry people demanding revenge.
Since then, life in Mexico has been hell for the Sabbat; social unrest, terrorism, political assassination, riots, bombings; all are sign that war is at the turn of a corner, the niches left empty by the Camarilla are filled now by the Mictlan.
Limbo donde solitario/Limbo where lonely
se transforma/is transformed
lo vivido en polvo./the lived into dust.
Paramo sin aire/Airless wasteland
donde el tiempo/where time
no respira./doesn't breathe.
- Jorge Reyes, Saide Sesin; "Comala"
The relationship between the Mictlan and the denizens of the Underworld is very intense. Throughout history, these vampires have interacted with wraiths and Spectres in various ways depending on the Calpulli. Axolotl; Tlatoani of Calpulli Xolotl, visited the Underworld twice: once in the very beginning, striking an alliance with Charon and his Ferrymen; the Mictlan would call for a Ferryman when someone they cared for died, and one would appear to take it to where she deserved to go, or to train her as a Ferryman if she desired; the other time was to demand Charon the return of the indian dead after the Freewraiths destroyed the Dark Kingdom of Obsidian. He succeeded in both.
However, as history progressed, the Mictlan broke its ties with the Hierarchy, seeing the wave of intolerance that was rising and remained loyal to the Ferrymen, who still took the indian dead to the Far Shore of Mictlan. After Charon disappeared, war was declared against the Deathlords for the treatment of the wraiths: no Mictlan vampire would aid a Hierarchy wraith, and Renegades and Heretics found in the tlaltecuhtli useful allies in the living world.
On the whole, Mictlani and individual wraiths get along just fine; the Mictlani can talk to them and there exists mutual respect as well as a desire on the vampire's heart to help the wraith Transcend. Vampires like those of Calpulli Tlazolteotl actually take lovers from beyond and can cause false Harrowings (see in the Calpulli's description), and the members of Calpulli Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca are sought for their knowledge of Castigate and also because they make good friends.
Even some Spectres have dealings with these vampires, but it's unusual, for the Mictlan serves the Celestines, and Oblivion is very bad for their health.
There are some rumors among the Hierarchy: that the Mictlan is actually helping the survivors of the Dark Kingom of Obsidian, and together they plan for the Hierarchy's demise in Latin American lands. This is halfway true: the Mictlan were never very good friends of Ix Chel and his dominion; they resembled Stygia too much and anyway, their lord Mictlantecuhtli created the Far Shore of Mictlan. The survivors of the Dark Kingdom have gathered on that Far Shore and, under the guidance of Moctezuma II, appointed emperor of the indian dead, are launching small strikes against Hierarchy stronghold, hoping that, when the invading dead are destroyed, the living would have better luck in expeling the other invaders also.
Despiertan los muertos/The dead awaken
a la oscuridad/to the darkness
del silencio./of silence.
- Jorge Reyes, Saide Sesin, "Hekura"
Despite what other Kindred might think, the Mictlan tell the truth on something: they are not the Progeny of Caine. The legend of their creation is greatly exaggerated, but they do have links with the Dead and the Celestines they are dedicated to as proved by their Disciplines. Even then, some of their powers echo the other Kindred's Disciplines, so a sort of connection must exist.
Mictlan vampires are very attuned with death; they don't believe that they are cheating her, but to have been gifted to become the earthly reminders of the dark powers of the afterlife. They are predators though they don't see their feeding as a hunt, but rather as taking their rightful piece of sacrifice as messengers of the gods. As aztec cosmology, Mictlan philosophy is very convoluted.
The true nature of the Mictlan vampires resides in their Embrace: after the victim is drained, the soul is left to wander off into the Shadowlands; by the ways of the Discipline of Mictlampa (Side of Mictlan), the Tlatoani calls the soul back and ties it to the body with the blood of the Sire, her own blood, and the blood of Mictlaxochitl. Afterwards, the new vampire is to pass the initiation rite: a very demanding series of tests that follow the mythical journey into the land of the dead. If she survives, she is trained by her Sire into the ways of the Mictlan.
Besides surviving initiation, one of the reasons that Mictlan vampires are few is that there can be no accidental Embraces. Those who have tried to Embrace without the participation of the Tlatoani either kill their intended Progeny or create monsters: the victim is consumed by the darkness and becomes a ravening beast. These creatures are destroyed upon capture, although they are sometimes used as shock troops against the Sabbat.
The blood coursing through the Mictlan vampire's veins is tainted by the touch of Death, and thus they are closer to wraiths than to Kindred. Maybe it was a cruel joke by Mictlantecuhtli, no one knows.
This strong connection to the Shadowlands allow the Mictlan the use of Mictlampa, a very powerful Discipline that, at higher levels, allow the use of a Wraith Arcanos depending on the Calpulli. That was the gift of Mictlantecuhtli.
They also can learn and use Cainite Disciplines; that was the gift of Mictecacihuatl.
Some of the Calpullis have developed their own Disciplines, unique to them in the sense that no one can learn it save from diablerie; that was the gift of the Celestines.
They suffer the Itzyolotl, the Obsidian Heart; a manifestation of both Beast and Shadow. That was the curse from all of them.
Although it still is vampirism the Mictlan undeath is a little different from the traditional. The following characteristics apply to Mictlan vampires:
* Sun and fire destroys them as any other Kindred; Rotshreck, however is not as strong (-2 difficulty on the Courage roll), as a Mictlan vampire is not as selfish as regular Kindred. Younger Mictlani might fear fire as normal, as they haven't been fully indoctrinated.
* They drink blood as normal, have the normal Blood Pools for their Generation and do have fangs. Blood spent naturally is used both to sustain the body as to tie the soul to the dead flesh.
* Normal Blood characteristics apply: Blood Bonds, diablerie, regeneration, Attribute raise, etc. tlaltecuhtlis can't lower their Generation by diablerising Cainites and can't Blood Bind a Cainite with their blood, though they can be Bound by theirs. A Bond to a human or Garou is still possible.
* They don't feel the Beast as Cainites do; and thus are not tormented by Frenzies. However, by their very nature, they suffer the Itzyolotl, the Obsidian Heart, a far more subtle and, in the long run, terrible foe. Their Virtues are: Spirituality (replaces Conscience and Callousness), Purpose (replaces Self-Control and Instinct) and Courage (same as normal vampires). They follow the Path of Miquiztli (Death).
* To any Garou, they register more as "Wyrm tainted" than as "of the Wyrm"
* They cannot reach Golconda.
* Experience costs are the same.
Mi sombra empolvada cae/My dustfilled shadow falls
sobre el tambor de piedra./over the drum of stone.
En el Espejo Humeante/In the Smoking Mirror
soplan las flautas funerarias./blow the funerary flutes.
- Jorge Reyes, "A la izquierda del colibri"
The Obsidian Heart is the true curse that a Mictlan vampire must endure; upon death, the Shadow awakens, ready to torment its Psyche, only to be thwarted by Mictlampa. However, as the blood chains the spirit to the body, the Shadow always manages to enter, making it's home of the vampire's heart, turning it a jet black color. From then on, the Itzyolotl will attempt to corrupt its host into leaving her path, her god and her purpose.
The Itzyolotl can't speak to the host, but he can awaken dark urges within the spirit, although not as strong as the Beast incites frenzy in the Cainites; these urges will always be contrary to the character's Nature and the purpose of his Calpulli. As the Obsidian Heart is sustained by the blood the tlaltecuhtli drinks, every time she feeds she must make a Purpose roll, as the Itzyolotl is stronger then and will attempt to take over and make the character stray away from her mission. This is the same as a Self-Control roll.
In times of moral conflict, the Itzyolotl will also try to take over, by trying to sever the Mictlan vampire from her god. This is resisted by a Spirituality roll.
If the Itzyolotl ever takes over the Mictlani, it will make her darkest side surface. She becomes what she hates the most, indulging in the power of undeath, ignoring her purpose in life, straying from the will of Mictlantecuhtli; she will commit crimes that in a normal state would be horrid to her. This state lasts for a scene and the Itzyolotl wil lie dormant for a day afterwards. The character goes one point down in her Path, recoverable as normal Humanity.
Purpose: The amount of importance a vampire gives to the purpose of both his Calpulli and the Mictlan as a whole. It gives a safe haven in a mad world. The more the tlaltecuhtli clings to her Purpose, the more she is able to resist the temptations of Itzyolotl.
Courage: The same as in normal rules.
Background: Once they selected only mortals of pure indian descent, but they know try all people they judge worthy of the role of a Mictlan vampire. Each Calpulli chooses it's members from varying backgrounds.
Character Creation: Buying Generation is advisable, since most of the Mictlan are at least one hundread years old. Also, select Abilities according to the role of the Calpulli, since it's the possesion of those talents, skills and knowledges that made the character elegible to be part of the Mictlan. Tezcatlipoca's brood would choose Occult and Perception, while a Quetzalcoatl would have Charisma and Leadership, among other Abilities.
Clan Discipline:Mictlampa
Weaknesses: Each Calpulli has it's own weakness.
Gaining Clan Prestige: Fullfiling one's Calpulli's purpose succesfully; succeeding in any action against the Sabbat.
Quote: "Men are not as gods, and we are not as gods. The Gods of Death wait for us all, and right now, you are going to meet them"
The Camarilla: Ignorant, selfish and prideful, these vampires believe they are cheating our parents the Gods of Death, but they only postpone their meeting. And what kind of existence is that lived in fear of your own Father?
"Queer and enigmatic, should we have payed closer attention to them, we might have kept Mexico from the Sabbat. They are too self-righteous, though, talking to one of them is close to a religious debate".
-Santiago Lopez-Sanchez, 8th Gen. Tremere
The Sabbat: Brutal savages, they are the prime examples of what Mictlantecuhtli wishes us not to become. They exalt in their powers, thinking themselves superior to all, but they die as easily as any other vampire; these invaders will die too.
"Pain in the ass if you ask me, their hollier-than-thou speech really gets on my nerves and guess what?, some of them joined us, the assholes. Caine take them; ooooh, sorry, I forgot they were not from Caine. Pah!"
-"Garra", 11th Gen. Brujah antitribu.
The Inconnu: Old ones hiding from their duties; but they are wise beyond their kin, they deserve a close study.
"It is puzzling, but their affirmations of descendancy might be true; what this means, that there could be other kinds of vampirism, might be a key to our own understanding, their purpose and sense of duty are admirable".
- Anonymous Gangrel.
Members of this Calpulli serve the Old God of fire; knower of secrets and protector of the household; it is the duty of Calpulli Huehueteotl to care over mortals, give them hope and comfort. There can be no more tlaltecuhtli born of this Calpulli since Chantico, their Tlatoani, was lost during the Conquest; her whereabouts are unknown and also if she's even alive. Very few Huehueteotl practice the Arcanos Mictlantecuhtli taught them: Outrage.
They are the elite warriors of the Mictlan; combat oriented, they burn with the fire of the Sun denied them. It was their duty to fight the enemies of the Mictlan and the Aztec people, but during the Empire, the Tlatoani went mad and believed himself god. Hutzilopochtli was also lost during the Conquest though it's perfectly known that he didn't die, but lies in Torpor somewhere. Somehow, Huitzilopochtli's madness spread among his followers, who betrayed the Mictlan and joined the Sabbat shortly after the Revolution. The Council has hopes that upon Huitzilopochtli's awakening, the rest of the Calpulli will rejoin the Mictlan; meanwhile, no quarter is given (nor asked for) when fighting these traitors. They were greatly favored by their god, as he taught them a unique Discipline: Xiuhcoatl. The Archpriests capable of practicing Outrage were killed during the Conquest. The eldest of the Calpulli keep some of Huitzilopochtli's blood and by following a ritual can use Mictlampa 10, so they can still add members to their numbers, though they are more picky about it due to the limits of their supply.
The traditional leaders of the Mictlan, these vampires understand death better than all of their brethren, as they see it constantly; upon Embrace, their sight remains on the Shadowlands, and they see a world in constant decay. However, far from making these vampires a brooding lot, it makes them as philosophers. By experiencing death at every minute those of Calpulli Mictlantecuhtli see past lies and illusions much better, and don't delude themselves. It's hard though, to lose beauty, and only trough much soulsearching can the vampire come to terms with this fate. The duty of this Calpulli is to guide mortals to their eternal rest, sometimes judging how someone should die, and often carrying out the deed themselves. These philosophy puts them on speaking terms with the Euthanatos magi and their concept of the Good Death. The Fatalism Arcanos aids them in this duty. Mictlaxochitl, the Tlatoani of this Calpulli, is also the leader of the Council. Her judgment is final, although her decisions regarding the Mictlan as a whole are not.
Of all of the Mictlan, those of Calpulli Mixcoatl are the only ones who take feeding as a hunt. The spirit of hunting is strong within them, and they possess a hunter's code of honor. They are quite restless, unable to stay quiet without something to look for and bring back (dead or alive). They also serve perfectly as spies and messengers between Mictlan outposts, though they prefer to chase. Camaxtle, the Tlatoani, is a very hard man to find, he's always traveling, hunting, even the Shadowlands and the dreaded Tempest are his hunting grounds, thanks to the Argos Arcanos. Their duty is to gather information and provide food in times of need, both to vampires and mortals. The Sabbat and the Technocracy have made this last task very difficult, which only encourages the efforts of the Mixcoatl; the hunt is much more thrilling that way.
Quetzalcoatl forgave the children of Mictlantecuhtli out of pity. As such creatures would strike fear in the heart of men he didn't appoint them the task of teachers, as he later did to the Ehecatl Garou, but that of leaders and guides. Their duty is to drive away the darkness of corruption, which they perceive thanks to both Mictlampa and Auspex, Castigate helping those older to fight Oblivion in both the living and the dead worlds. They use their own wisdom when dealing with individual taint, but must resort to the leading of crowds when the corruption is greater. They are the most steadfast opponents of the Sabbat, and they are more devious than their Mictlan brethren, having a tighter grasp of human politics. The tlatoani's name wasn't always Topiltzin; he changed it after the greatest priest Quetzalcoatl ever had; he is a wise and cunning man, but he sometimes loses sight of his goal after becoming fascinated by the means to attain it. This Calpulli shares a trait: they all are incredibly stubborn; once they have meditated enough on something and reached a decision, they give themselves wholy to it, and no power on earth can make them change their minds, even when they are shown undeniable evidence on the contrary, and even when the obvious result is their own death.
The darkest dispositioned of the Mictlan; some are even believed traitors or at the very least untrustworthy. However, the sons of Tezcatlipoca are not what they seem at first sight. These Mictlani are not as tightly bound by the Traditions, it's their nature to always question and defy them, seeking new paths. They cannot fail to be sorcerers, but the secrets and powers they possess are not only used for the evil that is supposed to be in their hearts, for it is their duty to judge when and how it is appropriate to reveal those secrets and powers to the humans. A rumor the Magi Traditions quickly deny is that the members of this Calpulli have been instrumental in the Awakening of not few Orphan Mages. Ocelotl rivals Topiltzin in deviousness, with the added advantage that he is not afraid to step over any bounds; he has been the key to keeping the Mictlan and the Changing Breeds from exterminating each other as well as forging the alliance with the Nahual werecats and the Nightspawn Magi. The older vampires of this Calpulli can choose to learn Pandemonium _or_ Castigate (only Ocelotl knows both). They use the Pandemonium Arcanos to various ends, including Awakenings; they use Castigate to better understand the Shadows and the Itzyolotli. However, the disposition to defy laws and customs puts them in a grave danger: they don't fear the Itzyolotl, and are so curious about it that it's easier for them to fall victims to it's dark urges.
Contrary to the Tezcatlipoca, the members of Calpulli Tlaloc use their magic openly to help both land and people, thanks to their ties with the Sorcerers of Quiet Gladness and the Tlaloque Garou, the countryside is almost free of Sabbat depredations and Technocracy intervention. They refuse to venture into the cities, making their havens among the people that live of the land; they have been often confused with evil sorcerers, but most of them are greatly respected in the places where they dwell and are known, as they are often called for healing the sick and blessing the land, as is their duty within the Mictlan. The tlatoani is a wise and calm woman; she is the advocate of peaceful solutions. The Usury Arcanos is seldom used to harm others, save when the case is desperate and the victim is impossible to reason with. They have a profound respect for life, though they don't yearn for it as some Cainite vampires; they accept their roles in undeath and are the walking proof that in death lies the secret of life, that's why they are terrified of needless blood-spilling and their Itzyolotl punish them severely when they do.
These Calpulli is almost entirely composed of women, save for those masculine Childer born from a whim by both Sire and Tlatoani. They exist for the sole purpose of tempting humans into depravation, to show them the depths they can actually fall to. There is a dignity to their activities, though; after the human has been shown his own darkness, they show them how to master it through a variety of means, which include presentation to others of Calpulli Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl, instilling tremendous guilt, or haunting to the verge of insanity. The Phantasm Arcanos is used to both tempt and redeem, and so is taught only to those who have the wisdom to use it properly. Cihuatochtli is the spitting image of an indian temptress; no man (or woman if she desires) is able to resist her beauty and preternatural charms; she delights in providing wet dreams to the living, the dead and the undead, as she has been known to have several lovers both sides of the Shroud; those wraiths who catch her attentions later regret it, as she makes dream-Harrowings for them; the really wise ghosts appreciate this service, as they learn something more about their Shadow without actually having to confront it. The lustful nature of the Tlazolteotl vampires makes them very sexual creatures; they must have sex with their victims prior (and most often along) their feeding, as they perceive that a good orgasm is the perfect complement to the ecstasy of the Kiss.
Shunned by the less enlightened of the Mictlan, the Xipe Totec look like monsters; as a mark of their god, the Skinned One, the Embrace strips the skin from the vampire's flesh; in the younger ones, some strips of skin hang in tatters, in the older, it's gone completely. This monstruosity is echoed in their methods; they care not for pain. However, the soul in their cruelty is that of spiritual growth; by inflicting pain and misery, they seek to make the humans strive harder to reach the gods. As the Tlazolteotl tempt; the Xipe Totec test. The members of this Calpulli are paragons of determination and discipline; they strive also to better themselves as to be better prepared when Final Death catches them. Their tlatoani, Yoalli Tlahuana, is quiet in his rages, verbose on his threats; he is very thorough and as pityless as he is remorseless; he has not been overcome by his Itzyolotl for more than a century, and he is respected in the Council for that. Moliate serves them to terrify others and master their bodies. They usually feed on those they believe lost causes; unredeemable people who refuse to strive for a higher state of consciousness and closeness to the gods; they drain them and, if the victim was bad enough, they strip off her skin and wear it until it rots off. Those who wish for betterment but lost their hope in it are Embraced.
The Xolotl are misunderstood; they are regarded as honorless cowards but, even if they tend to be a little overcautious, there is wisdom in their fear. Their paranoia is often well used, as they are rarely ambushed. They have wild imaginations that come up with the worst case scenario; this makes them the worst warriors, but also the best strategists, always pointing at flaws in everyone's plans. The ones with dignity never whine; they just quietly run away when the goings get too tough. They are also master shapeshifters, using a more powerful version of Protean which allows them to shift into any animal instead of only bat or wolf, to aid in their escapes. Axolotl is a humble and quiet man; after all, he named himself after a small amphibian; in the Council, however, his courage is not questioned: he was the only one who ventured past the Tempest and into Stygia to bargain with Charon himself for the return of the indian dead and their deliverance to the Far Shore of Mictlan; he also sealed the alliance between the Mictlan vampires and the Ferrymen and he knows from them all the byways in the Underworld. As the Tezcatlipoca, they can choose to learn one of two Arcanos: Moliate or Argos, Axolotl being the only one to know both, favoring the shape of a dog when journeying into the Underworld.
Once the largest of the Calpullis, the Huitznahuac are short but gone; their Tlatoani, Coyolxauhqui, was killed by Huitzilopochtli when she realized he had gone mad; the rest of them were killed by his followers and the remaining later by the Conquistadores. Only eight remain, and not even the Mictlan knows about them; they keep to themselves, unable to reproduce and hidden from all, for no one would count them as friends for their greatest secret is that they are Abominations; Garou of the Wyld Runners Tribe Embraced by Coyolxauhqui; the Mictlan thought of their abilities as if they were a weak Discipline. They still serve her mistress, the Moon, but are content on surviving away from Clans, Tribes and Calpulli. They once knew the Argos Arcanos, but no more.
The gentlest of the Mictlan, they tended for beauty and the joy of humans and Mictlani alike. Xochiquetzal surpassed Cihuatochtli in beauty, but hers was gentle and peaceful. After the Conquest, none survived, refusing to abandon their human friends and the beauty they had created, and also uncapable of fighting their murderers.
The ties the Mictlan has to the Underworld are tight, and these reflect on a number of things:
View the Xiuhcoatl discipline.
View the Mictlan Thaumaturgical Rituals.
View the Path of Miquiztli.