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Itzpapalotl, Goddess of sacrifice and the underworld, Obsidian Butterfly

Itzpapalotl
Midjourney
  • Pantheon: Aztec
  • Deity Title: Goddess of sacrifice and the underworld, Obsidian Butterfly
  • Deity Symbol: Obsidian knife, butterfly
  • Home Plane: Mictlan (Aztec underworld)
  • Deity Level: Lesser deity
  • Alignment: Chaotic Evil
  • Aliases: Cihuateteo, Tzitzimime
  • Superior: Mictlantecuhtli and Mictecacihuatl (rulers of Mictlan)
  • Traditional Allies: Mictlantecuhtli, Mictecacihuatl, Xolotl, Tezcatlipoca
  • Traditional Foes: Quetzalcoatl, Xochiquetzal, Tlaloc
  • Divine Artifact: Obsidian knife
  • Servants: Cihuateteo (female spirits who died in childbirth), Tzitzimime (star demons)
  • Servitor Creatures: Xoloitzcuintli (sacred dog)
  • Sacred Animal: Butterfly, jaguar
  • Manifestations: Skeletal figure with jagged obsidian blades for wings, sharp talons for hands and feet, crown of snakes coiled around her skull, draped in a skirt of human skin, jaguar mask
  • Signs of Favor: The appearance of butterflies or jaguars, successful sacrifices
  • Worshipers: Aztec priests, warriors, women who died in childbirth
  • Cleric Alignments: Chaotic Evil, Neutral Evil
  • Specialty Priests: Jaguar warriors, sacrificial priests Holy Days: Day of the Dead (November 1-2), Feast of Itzpapalotl (February 22)
  • Portfolio: Sacrifice, death, rebirth, war, stars
  • Domains: Death, Evil, War
  • Favored Weapon: Obsidian knife
  • Favored Class: Cleric
  • Favored Race: Human
  • Duties of the Priesthood: Conducting sacrifices, maintaining the temples, caring for the sacred animals, performing rituals to honor Itzpapalotl
  • Major Cult/Temple Sites: Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan, Tepozteco in Tepoztlan Benefits: The ability to call upon Itzpapalotl for aid in battle, protection from death, knowledge of the rituals and sacrifices that please her.

Itzpapalotl is a fearsome goddess of Aztec mythology, known as the “Obsidian Butterfly.” She is depicted as a skeletal figure with jagged obsidian blades for wings, sharp talons for hands and feet, and a crown of snakes coiled around her skull. Her skeletal frame is draped in a skirt of human skin, and her face is adorned with a fearsome jaguar mask.

As the goddess of sacrifice and the underworld, Itzpapalotl exudes an air of foreboding and danger. Her skeletal form is a symbol of death and rebirth, representing the cyclical nature of life. Her obsidian wings and talons are sharp and deadly, reflecting her role as a warrior goddess.

Itzpapalotl’s bio is that she is often associated with the sacrifice of captives during war, and is believed to have been one of the first to introduce the practice of human sacrifice to the Aztecs. As a deity of the underworld, she presides over the souls of the dead and is believed to help guide them on their journey to the afterlife.

In addition to her role as a deity of death, Itzpapalotl is also associated with childbirth and rebirth, and is often depicted as a midwife or protector of newborns. She is a complex deity, embodying both the destructive and creative forces of nature.

Overall, Itzpapalotl is a powerful and intimidating figure, representing the darker aspects of life and death. Her unique physical characteristics, including her jagged wings and skeletal frame, make her an iconic figure in Aztec mythology.

Currently in the World

Depiction of Itzpapalotl from the Codex Borgia., Itzpapalotl
Depiction of Itzpapalotl from the Codex Borgia.

In the beginning, Itzpapalotl emerges from the void, a creature of darkness and chaos. She is a fearsome goddess, with wings that spread wide and talons that glint in the dim light. Her skin is as black as obsidian, and her eyes shine like two stars in the night sky. She is a creature of duality, both beautiful and terrible, embodying the destructive force of nature itself.

As the world takes shape around her, Itzpapalotl revels in the chaos and destruction that it brings. She delights in the storms and earthquakes that ravage the land, and she takes pleasure in the suffering of mortals. She is a goddess of death and sacrifice, and her followers offer her blood and hearts in her honor.

Despite her ferocity, Itzpapalotl is not without allies. She has a close relationship with the god Tezcatlipoca, who shares her love of chaos and destruction. Together, they create new monsters and wreak havoc on the world. She also has a tenuous alliance with the goddess Tlazolteotl, who governs purification and penitence. While they are opposed in their aims, the two goddesses share a fascination with death and the ways in which it can transform the living.

As the centuries pass, Itzpapalotl becomes more and more entrenched in her role as a goddess of destruction. She takes on a fearsome reputation, and mortals tremble at the mere mention of her name. Her followers become more fanatical, and they perform increasingly gruesome sacrifices to appease her.

In the 1450s, Itzpapalotl is as powerful as ever. She is working closely with Tezcatlipoca to create a new breed of monster, one that will bring even more destruction to the world. Her ultimate goal is to plunge the world into chaos, to bring about a new age of darkness and death. She is motivated by a deep love for destruction and chaos, and she believes that the world will be reborn in a better form once it has been razed to the ground.

Itzpapalotl’s greatest strength is her power over death and destruction. She can cause earthquakes and storms, and her touch is said to be fatal. Her weaknesses lie in her single-minded pursuit of destruction, which can blind her to opportunities for growth and change. Her relationship with Tezcatlipoca is her most important, as he provides the strategic thinking that she often lacks.

The most powerful artifact associated with Itzpapalotl is her obsidian knife, which is said to be able to cut through anything, even the fabric of reality itself. She also has a number of magical creatures in her service, including giant moths and spiders that she uses to hunt and kill her enemies.

In summary, Itzpapalotl is a powerful and terrifying goddess, one who embodies the destructive force of nature itself. She is motivated by a deep love for chaos and destruction, and she works tirelessly to bring about the end of the world. While she has allies in the god Tezcatlipoca and the goddess Tlazolteotl, she is ultimately a solitary creature, driven by her own desires and ambitions.

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