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The Aztec Empire encompasses the deserts, plains, and jungles of Central America and southernmost North America, reaching from Panama (no canal yet) to the hotly-contested Texas. It is a well-populated nation full of loyal subjects and enthusiastic diplomats, though the roots of their fanaticism lie as much in the magical machinations of the ruling head as in any honest appreciation for the state. The Empire is a respectable size, but historically has not expanded as much as it possibly could. Content to raid nearby enemies for prisoners to be sacrificed, the Aztecs have had no desire to push their boundaries to gain more population than they could control. The desert ‘barbarians’ to the north have lately become fairly safe from annexation, since any raiding the Aztecs would do from those bases would be upon established Iroquois settlements, and a war of that scale is not something to be taken lightly. Depending on the outcome of the recent American settlement in Texas, however, it might be worth reevaluating. Extensive trading with the Auracanians to the south has greatly advanced both cultures, allowing the Aztecs the domesticated llamas and guinea pigs for labor and food, respectively. Trading with the desert natives to the north has brought copper, iron, and even uranium into the huge population’s work machine. The Empire is rapidly catching up to global technology levels by dissecting salvaged American tanks and plasma weaponry abandoned on the battlefields far to the north. The air is warm and clear, the water is clean, and the countryside is stunning. The well-mannered people are friendly and hale. The food is excellent, and the roads serviceable. If Azteca were closer to Europe, surely it would be a tourist paradise. top
The Aztecs were already a large, thriving people when Cortez invaded them. With his horses and guns, it’s likely he would have conquered them outright and suppressed their indigenous culture, if not for the machinations of one woman, called La Malinche. Given to Cortez as a slave, she acted as translator, lover, and eventually, advisor. It was she who suggested that he make the most of the coincidence of the Quetzalcoatl prophecy, and pose as the returning god. It was also she that charmed the conquistador, convincing him that there was more value in ruling the Aztecs than in destroying them in the name of Spain and Catholicism. As a result, the Spanish would-be conquerors were themselves conquered and assimilated, and their technology incorporated. Cortez was adopted as the deity-figure Quetzalcoatl and placed at the head of church and government. His language, Spanish, has been used ever since as that of the ruling circles, leaving the masses to their native Nahuatl. top
Worship among the Aztecs has never been to only one god, and while Cortez made a convincing presence in his day, reverence to all the others has continued. Notably, the fire-god Huitzilopochtli continues to demand his blood sacrifice rituals, and it is magic performed in his name that is the most noticeable and crowd-pleasing. In modern times, the victims for these demonstrations are generally not killed, and so are volunteers from the Aztec population. On the rare occasion that a true beating heart is required, a ‘volunteer’ is taken by raid from a nearby Non-Aztec settlement. The most popularly venerated gods are as follows: Huitzilopochtli, the warlike incarnation of the sun; Quetzalcoatl of science and resurrection; Tlaloc of the many waters; and Tezcatlipoca the all-seeing protector of slaves and students. top
The Aztec military is strong, and designed around one aspect – mobility. Even before the time of Cortez they were the dominant power, but with the additions of literal horsepower and gunpowder they quickly obliterated the few resistant areas within and surrounding their territory. The borders expanded to their current marks within a few decades, halted only by management difficulties inherent in large empires. This has turned out well, in actuality, because any more expansion would have likely caused earlier and more heavy-handed responses to their blood magic raids upon the neighboring Iroquois. There is an active ground army, a token navy, and a cadre of special forces, all of which are independent of each other, yet subject to the Teopixque, or Council of Priests. The majority of the Knights are male, but this is not due to gender bias, merely the high standards of physical capability required to be inducted. The Eagle Knights (Cuauhte; Cuauhtli in singular) and Jaguar Knights (Ocelo; Ocelotle in singular) are the special forces of the Aztec military. They employ the latest in biotech engineering, including bionic implants, as well as the best equipment available. They are the equivalent of the Church Knights in Europe, but they spurn the use of horses, preferring their personal jump jets for expanded mobility on the battlefield. Their thin ceramic body armor is crafted to appear like nude flesh, creating the image of the half-dressed jungle warrior in modern times. They generally are fielded in groups, unlike their European counterparts. Knights are expected to give their lives in battle, but some are forced to retire by age or injury. These men and women are highly respected within society, and are considered Tlayacatia, with appropriate stipends for the class. Both types of Knights are largely close-combat oriented, but they are armed with light anti-personnel weaponry. Each shoulder holds a rail gun - a launching mechanism for firing tiny needle-like projectiles via a magnetic repulsion tube. Each articulated, semi-flexible tube is attached to an arm at the elbow and wrist. Both orders utilize the ancient machete-shaped maca for hand-weapons, but with the improvements of modern technology. The largely unbreakable ceramic blade holds a keen edge, and is set with a micro-vibrator to allow the weapon to cut through bone, thick wood, and thin steel as if through butter. Beneath the armor of a Knight is a hydraulic suit fitted with small pumps and valves. This suit augments the strength of the Knight beyond any biotech enhancements, allowing him to bend open the steel plating of tanks and the like without assistance. The suit is self-sealing, as the gel within it solidifies when exposed to air. Knights’ heads are protected by helmets resembling large heads of either birds or cats, depending on the order to which the Knight belongs. These helmets incorporate night vision, thermal imaging, and laser-based rangefinder overlay views, in addition to short-range wireless communication with other squad members. The air intake of each helmet is filtered, removing many biological and chemical toxins. Eagle Knights make great use of their aerial techniques, and are adept at placing themselves anywhere on the battlefield they need to be. Their ability to rise quickly above the fighting allows them to escape sticky predicaments and land with a great disrupting ruckus somewhere else. Their ‘wings’ of ceramic feathers double as airborne guidance and flexible shields, and are anchored at the forearm and midback. Eagle Knights also are used for last-minute reconnaissance, but this puts them at risk of being shot by long-distance weaponry. Jaguar Knights excel at stealthy infiltration, often appearing in the midst of the enemy before an alarm can even be raised. Their armor is specially fitted with optic sensors to determine light levels and even surrounding colors. A well-guarded national secret is the coating placed on the armor itself, which changes colors in response to the environment, but is resistant to the hazards of battle. They do not use jump jets, but find their own augmented strength sufficient for the leaps required of them. The rail guns mounted on their shoulders have been designed with vents and other silencing gadgetry. top
The governing body is centered in The Teocalli (Great Temple) in Tenochtitlan. The Teopixque (Council of Priests) is quite large, with at least one representative for each major deity and some for various minor personalities. The power structure is fluid, yet weighted towards four main factions. Each of these powerful subgroups looks after the interests of their chosen deity, described in the Religion section. Priests are both male and female. To become a priest (Tlamacazto), a student must demonstrate some ability at magic, in addition to satisfying all the educational requirements of his class. To be elevated to a Council Priest (Teopixqui), the priest must survive a ritualistic test, known as the Tlaihiyohuia. Not much is known about this trial, but those that fail and live are rendered frail and insane. The babblings of such pitiful survivors lead to rumors of confrontations with one’s chosen deity, but nothing can confirm this. All who complete the test are inducted into the Council. This can affect the balance of power within the group, depending upon the patron deity of the new member. Taxes are moderate, and are collected monthly door-to-door. The most remote villages and some approved farms pay annually, soon after the harvest. top
The highest class of citizen, the Tlayacatia, is trained from a young age in all the higher educational fields, including warfare, empire management, and magic. Not all of them become priests, but priests only come from this group. It is not certain whether only these bloodlines can perform the greater magics, but certainly none of the lower classes are trained in them. This class enjoys the decadent lifestyle of the fabulously powerful and wealthy, and have been known to bend laws to suit their purposes. The rest of the Aztec population is divided into calpolli, or clans. Each calpolli is formed of family lines and is devoted to a task of life, like a guild. Children attend clan schools to learn clan trades, but upward mobility is available through heroic efforts in combat or sport. Tachli is the sport of choice, being somewhat like basketball with soccer rules. Various team members would be sacrificed in the past, but in modern times this is not generally done, mostly because none volunteer. Athletic stars are very popular, and events in their lives are broadcast for the public gossip more often than official news is related. A well-bred Aztec is expected to exercise self control and to behave with dignity. The perfect nobleman is described by the historian Sahagun as serious and modest, who 'wishes no praise', who is 'solicitous of others', chaste and devout, eloquent but discreet in his conversation, diligent, wise, polite, 'a follower in the ways of his parents', and an example to other people. This, of course, is an idealized picture, and the high standard of behavior is more often sought after than achieved. The emphasis is on moderation, responsibility, and self restraint, yet penalties for public drunkenness and adultery are harsh, as these crimes have not been suppressed by mere social stigma. top
The Aztecs have high levels of technology in their grasp, but most of the population has no access to it. While telephones and refrigerators are widespread within Tenochtitlan and other large cities, computers are an expensive rarity and televisions aren’t available. Huge video display panels in shopping areas and public parks communicate the Empire’s messages to the metropolitan citizens. Minor news depends on criers and gossips, forcing the population to interact with itself daily. Personal transportation is by mass transit and bicycle only, since motorcars are a restricted commodity, but this seems non-problematic. Aztec medicine rivals any in the world, using many herbs and jungle extracts to effect cures unknown in Eurasia. Health care costs are low to reasonable, but still only the rich Tlayacatia can afford the advanced biotech surgeries and implants. Military medicine is supplied by the government, transforming the most promising warriors of any class into the elite Knights. top
To the Aztec mind, there is a limited and finite amount of life energy in the world. A strong, healthy warrior will have an abundance of it, while a sick or aged person will be below their optimal amount. Eating food transfers the life force (iyeliz) of it to the person, though cooked or long-dead things have much less iyeliz than their raw versions. Aztec sorcerers (nahualli) and priests discovered centuries ago how to steal the life force of humans and give it to others. With their magic, they can leach the vigor and drive from an enemy battle force, causing a decrease in morale and a more assured victory. They can heal the masses, or find lost children or hiding fugitives. Once a priest has a victim on the ritual slab, the act of cutting out the beating heart releases waves of iyeliz, which can then be guided by his or her magic. An historical example of this magic prowess occurred shortly after Cortez’ arrival. The smallpox and other diseases of the invaders progressed more quickly than even the potent herbal concoctions the Aztecs had available could cure. A huge ceremony was enacted to heal the population across the countryside. Thousands of captured prisoners from far and wide were sacrificed to save the lives of tens of thousands of Aztecs. It is still considered a legendary day, and well worth the price paid by their enemies. Trivial effects are performed by some non-priests, but only nobles seem to have the knack. They require no material components. Examples are: learning a person’s name, improving or deflating the mood of a person, determining the general health of a person. Minor effects can also be produced by various nobles, and require only token blood or live plant samples to be burned. It is not necessary for the blood to come from the victim in these cases. They include but are not limited to: tracking a living thing, detecting life (useful for detecting bacteria). Moderate effects can only be managed by initiated priests. A human sacrifice is unnecessary, but the use of a large animal or small forest is required if humans are not used. Results include: tracking a specific person across large distance, making a dozen people invisible to tracking, erasing a day’s memories of a person. Superior effects are only performed by Council Priests. They require the sacrifice of some vibrant being, preferably human, in order to function. For each vigorous warrior slain on the slab, ten average citizens will be cured of an affliction. Alternately, one slaying will allow the will-sapping of 100 enemies. With their higher expertise, the Teopixqui can also erase a day’s memories of all citizens within a small radius effect. Legendary effects are truly awe-inspiring, and would require such sacrifice of life as to be politically ill-advised in the modern world. Unless another, richer source of iyeliz is found to tap, nationwide remote mass healings such as in Cortez’ time and other impressive deeds will likely remain beyond reach. top Back to Magical Arts List
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