Tlaloc

Tlaloc is god of rain and moisture in the Olman pantheon. His symbol is a deer totem, known as a mazatl in the Olman tongue, or a black reptilian head with bulging eyes and tusks, or a serpent chasing its tail. Tlaloc is depicted as a reptilian humanoid dressed in black. His eyes, circled by white rings, bulge from their sockets and great tusks protrude from his mouth. His tongue is forked and snakelike. His black headdress is decorated with a garland of white feather. He stands fifteen feet in height. Tlaloc is the husband of the goddess of water, beauty, and youth, Chalchihuitlicue. Their children, minor water spirits known as the Tlaloques, serve him. According to Legends & Lore (1990), the Aztecs, whose gods are often also Olman gods, believe in a "world above" and a "world below." The world below is the home of the dead. Tlaloc dwells in the world above, specifically on the tops of the highest mountains. Deities & Demigods (1980) says that all of the Central American gods dwell on a parallel Prime Material Plane. The Scarlet Brotherhood (1999) says the Olman gods were originally worshipped on another prime material plane[1], while the errata for that book (originally available on the TSR website)[2] suggests they still dwell there. Tlaloc has also created a paradise for those who die by drowning, known as Tlalocan, as a present for his wife. According to the Maztica Campaign Set, Tlalocan is on the first layer of Arcadia. Tlaloc encourages obedience and discipline. He teaches that the will of the Olman gods must be obeyed if people are to receive their blessings, such as rain. Similarly, those who obey their superiors on the mortal plane will likewise be rewarded. Tlaloc also encourages his worshippers to seize opportunities to advance themselves, just as Tlaloc does. Tlaloc is arguably the most worshiped deity among the Olman, for all depend on the crops his rain sustains. He is also worshipped by those yuan-ti of Olman descent. The duties of Tlaloc's clerics include kidnapping, torture, and tracking and predicting the weather. They pray daily to their god in hopes of retaining his good will. When not serving at the temple, they often give guidance and blessings to rural communities, exalting their god's power and expecting gratitude and obedience in return. They wear leather helms and feathered cloaks, and dress in ash gray or black with a necklace of white feathers, jade, or metal. As with most Olman priests, priests of Tlaloc must choose a direction to pray to at the beginning of their careers. Clerics of the east wear red, clerics of the south wear yellow, clerics of the west wear black, and clerics of the north wear white. Tlaloc's favored weapon is the javelin. Dragon #354 says it is the sickle. Most Olman cities include a step pyramid dedicated to Tlaloc, with entrances at the bottom corresponding to the four points of a compass. Typically, such pyramids will be found nest to similar ones dedicated to other major Olman gods. Small shrines to Tlaloc and his wife can be found near springs. Clerics of Tlaloc construct idols from cornmeal paste, which they sell to farmers who wish to perform rituals to the rain god. During times of drought, additional rites are performed involving shouting and dancing through the night in hopes of awakening Tlaloc from his slumber. If prayers fail, blood sacrifice may be attempted. A youth may be bled; the more he cries during this ritual, the more rain Tlaloc's worshippers believe will fall. Typical quests for Tlaloc include protecting an Olman noble from evil spirits or overthrowing an impious king. A child or baby is sacrificed to Tlaloc during every full moon. Once a year, on the Spring Equinox, a great feast is held in Tlaloc's honor. Many babies are purchased or kidnapped during this time and sacrificed to Tlaloc; afterwards, the priests cook and eat them. The public is required to attend every ritual, held at Tlaloc's temple. Tlaloc's Tear was a relic created by the Olman of the Isle of Dread to defeat the aboleths of Golismorga. The Third Sun After the Second Sun, which was ruled by Quetzalcoatl, ended, Tlaloc became the ruler of the sun of the third age of the world. After a time, Quetzalcoatl sent a firestorm that burned the earth, transforming the people who survived into turkeys. Quetzalcoatl then invited Tlaloc's wife Chalchihuitlicue to become the fourth sun. Food Mountain Quetzalcoatl discovered Food Mountain, where corns, beams, peppers, and other foods had been hidden since the beginning of the world. Most of the gods thought these foods should all be given to humans, but Tlaloc stole them and hoarded them in his own realm and doles out portions of them only as he chooses. Some years he gies out more, some years less. The four pitchers It is said that Tlaloc owns four pitchers. The first contains fresh water, which he will sprinkle on the world if he has gotten sufficient prayer and sacrifice. When he is displeased, he will sprinkle water from one of his other pitchers. The second pitcher contains water filled with spider webs and eggs, which will cause blight. The third pitcher contains frost, and the fourth pitcher rots fruit. History In approximately -1100 CY, the high priests of the Olman city-states Alocotla and Xapatlapo made a pact with Tlaloc. In an elaborate ceremony, they sacrificed and devoured one thousand infants, and all who partook of that feast were transformed into yuan-ti. These changes bred true, and yuan-ti continue to rule those two cities to this day, as well as the city of Xuxulieto and elsewhere.