Tlazolteotl, Goddess of Filth, Vice, and Purification
Tlazolteotl is a goddess in Aztec mythology associated with fertility, purification, and divine retribution.
- Pantheon: Aztec Pantheon
- Deity Title: Tlazolteotl, Goddess of Filth, Vice, and Purification
- Deity Symbol: A broom made of eagle feathers and a red serpent
- Home Plane: Mictlan, Aztec underworld
- Deity Level: Lesser Deity
- Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
- Aliases: Tlaelquani, Tlazolteotli, Tzontemoc
- Superior: Ometeotl, the Aztec creator god
- Traditional Allies: Xipe Totec, Mictlantecuhtli, Mictecacihuatl, Xochiquetzal
- Traditional Foes: Tezcatlipoca, Xolotl, Xiuhtecuhtli
- Divine Artifact: Huixachtlan, the Rattlesnake Skirt
- Servants: Tlacateccatl (her chief priest), huastecos, chichimecas, various priests and priestesses
- Servitor Creatures: Nahuales, Cihuateteo, Naguals
- Sacred Animal: Jaguar
- Manifestations: Appearances as an old woman or young girl, shapeshifting into various animals, causing drunkenness or purification
- Signs of Favor: Good luck in games of chance, sudden wealth or success, protection from disease or illness
- Worshipers: Prostitutes, gamblers, adulterers, those seeking purification, healers
- Cleric Alignments: Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Good, True Neutral
- Specialty Priests: Gambler, healer, purifier
- Holy Days: Ochpaniztli (November 8-27), Tlacaxipehualiztli (February 22-March 13)
- Portfolio: Vice, Purification, Fertility, Healing, Childbirth, Midwifery
- Domains: Chaos, Charm, Healing, Luck, Trickery
- Favored Weapon: Macuahuitl (Aztec sword)
- Favored Class: Cleric
- Favored Race: Humans
- Duties of the Priesthood: Leading purification rituals, offering guidance and counseling, caring for prostitutes and those seeking redemption
- Major Cult/Temple Sites: Tlatelolco in Tenochtitlan, Huexotzinco
- Benefits: Access to Tlazolteotl’s divine magic, good fortune in games of chance, protection from disease and illness, assistance in childbirth and fertility.
Tlazolteotl is a female deity with a striking appearance. She is often depicted with long, flowing hair and a face that is half-black and half-white. Her body is adorned with a skirt made of serpents and a necklace of human hearts. As the goddess of fertility, purification, and sexual misdeeds, she has a sensual and provocative aura.
Tlazolteotl is known in Aztec mythology as the goddess of purification and fertility, as well as the goddess of sexual misdeeds. She is often portrayed as a complex deity, both life-giving and dangerous. Tlazolteotl was believed to be able to purify individuals of their sins through confession, and was often invoked by those seeking forgiveness for sexual transgressions. She was also associated with midwifery, childbirth, and the cycles of life and death.
As the goddess of purification, Tlazolteotl was believed to help individuals cleanse themselves of their wrongdoings, sins, and impurities. It was believed that confession and offering sacrifices to her could help one rid themselves of their past mistakes and begin anew. In this sense, she played a significant role in the Aztec worldview of balance and harmony.
Tlazolteotl was also associated with the cycles of life and death, and it was believed that she played a role in the journey of the soul after death. As a fertility goddess, she was associated with the agricultural cycles and the abundance of the earth.
In Aztec mythology, Tlazolteotl was considered to be one of the major deities and was often depicted in art and ritual. Her complex persona made her an important figure in the Aztec worldview, as she embodied the dualities of life and death, good and evil, and sin and redemption.
Divine Artifact: Huixachtlan, the Rattlesnake Skirt
Description: Huixachtlan is a divine artifact consisting of a skirt made of rattlesnake skin, adorned with feathers and precious stones. It is said to have been created by Tlazolteotl herself, and imbued with powerful magical properties.
Mechanics: Huixachtlan is a legendary item that requires attunement by a cleric of Tlazolteotl or a worshiper of the deity. It grants the following abilities:
- Divine Protection: While wearing Huixachtlan, the wearer gains resistance to poison damage and advantage on saving throws against poison.
- Serpent Strike: Once per day, the wearer can command Huixachtlan to unleash a burst of magical energy that deals poison damage to all creatures within 30 feet. The damage dealt is equal to the wearer’s level plus their Wisdom modifier. Any creature that fails a Constitution saving throw takes double the damage.
- Divine Guidance: The wearer can use an action to seek guidance from Tlazolteotl, gaining advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to determine the truthfulness of others or to discern their motives.
Curse: If the wearer of Huixachtlan ever betrays Tlazolteotl’s values or becomes corrupted by evil, the skirt will transform into a venomous snake and attack them, dealing poison damage each round until the wearer is subdued or killed.
Lore: It is said that Huixachtlan was created by Tlazolteotl to aid her worshipers in their quest for redemption and purification. The feathers and precious stones on the skirt represent the shedding of old, impure ways, while the rattlesnake skin symbolizes the power and danger of the deity’s purifying fire. The artifact is highly coveted by Tlazolteotl’s followers, who see it as a symbol of their devotion and a means of achieving spiritual enlightenment.
Currently in the World
Tlazolteotl, the Aztec goddess of purification and fertility, has existed since the creation of the world. In the beginning, she was revered as the goddess of the Earth and fertility, and was known to bestow her blessings upon the people.
As the world changed, so did Tlazolteotl’s role. She became the goddess of sexual excess, and her followers sought her out for her ability to absolve them of their sins. Though many saw her as a goddess of promiscuity, Tlazolteotl was also a goddess of purification. She believed that by indulging in their darkest desires, people could release their sins and be reborn anew.
As the Aztec Empire rose to power, Tlazolteotl’s influence grew. She became a central figure in Aztec religion, and her followers built grand temples in her honor. Tlazolteotl reveled in her power, and used her abilities to manipulate the people to her own ends.
In the 1450s, Tlazolteotl’s desires remain the same. She continues to use her power to manipulate and control the people of the Aztec Empire. However, she is not content with her current level of influence. Tlazolteotl seeks to expand her reach, to become the most powerful deity in the Aztec pantheon.
To achieve her goal, Tlazolteotl has begun to spread her influence beyond the Aztec Empire. She has sent her followers to neighboring lands, to spread the word of her power and glory. She hopes that by bringing new believers into her fold, she can become even more powerful.
Despite her seemingly selfish desires, Tlazolteotl is not without compassion. She understands the pain and suffering of mortals, and seeks to alleviate their suffering. However, she believes that the only way to do so is by allowing them to indulge in their darkest desires.
Tlazolteotl’s divine artifacts include a feather headdress and a stone carving of a jaguar. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman with jaguar ears and fangs, and is surrounded by the scent of flowers and incense. Her powers include the ability to purify the soul, grant fertility, and manipulate the desires of mortals. Those who cross her, however, may face her wrath in the form of disease, poverty, and death.
As a goddess of duality, Tlazolteotl’s actions can be unpredictable. She is both benevolent and malevolent, a goddess of both purity and excess. Her followers are devoted to her, but also fear her power. Tlazolteotl’s ultimate goal is to become the most powerful deity in the Aztec pantheon, and she will stop at nothing to achieve it.