Bird Keeper: (Animal Handler) Exotic and colorfull birds were very
valuable (for their feathers) and well tended. According to one Spanish
account of the Nahua Capital in the outlying regons there were over 20
square miles of Bird Aviaries.
Merchant: (Business sense, Boating or Running) Almost all trade was
conducted through canoes and market places. Goods transported over land
were carried in backpacks supported by a head strap, by large trains of
slaves.
Eagle Warrior: (Axe/Mace, Shield) An elite warrior. A ceremonial
position, they wore a head dress that looked like an eagle's head and beak.
Ocelot Warrior: (Axe/Mace, Shield) The most elite warrior. A ceremonial position, these guys oversaw the execution of prisoners.
Goldsmith: (Goldsmith) The Nahua were expert designers in gold.
Tonal (or birth day in the 20 day week)
0 Cipactli: (crocodile, earth monster), lord of nurturance, of creation
and fertility
a good luck sign
Charisma
Diplomacy
1 Ehecatl: (wind), bad for working with others, god quetzalcoatl (the
feathered serpent of reflection and meditation)
a bad luck sign,
slave (higher ST than DX)
Buisness sence
2 Calli: (Underworld or house), good for rest and family, not public life
a good luck sign,
Architect/builder
3 Cuetzpallin: (lizard or ripeness), old Coyote, the trickster, god of
deception
reverse missiles
Image
Trail twister
4 Coatl: (snake), the snaking river that always changes without changing,
fleeting
Sex Appeal
ventriloquist
5 Miquiztli: (death), the conch shell, the unkown, shadows, god Metztli
(the moon god)
warrior
Detect Lies
6 Mazatl: (deer), day of the hunt, sacrifice of prisoners, god Tlaloc
(the rain and thunderstorm god), he who makes seed sprout
Naturalist
Woodsman
7 Tochtli: (rabbit), scribe, goddess Mavahuel of alcohol (called maguey)
and fertility
a bad luck sign,
no weapon skills
literacy
Charisma
Caligraphy
8 Atl: (water), battle, god Xiuhtecuhtli (water) brings out the scorpion
which must sting the enemy or sting itself
good luck sign,
Aid
Curse
9 Itzcuintli: (dog), day of funerals, god Mictlantecuhtli (god of death;
also in Deities & Demigods book) guide for the dead and link from the spirit
world to the living world.
sign of happiness,
warrior
detect lies
buisness sense
10 Ozomatli: (monkey), creating, playing, celebrating, god ozomahtli (god
of arts, pleasure, feasting, and frivolity)
usually lucky,
Illusion
Fire spells
11 Malinalli: (grass), tenacity, rejuvenation, good day for the oppressed,
god patecatl (lord of medicines.) Note that this was the name of the Indian
Lady that helped Cortez to overthrough the Nahua. She was called Malinalli.
Physicker
Master Physicker
12 Acatl: (reed), good day to seek justice, the scepter of athority which
is hollow, god Tezcatlipoca (the smoking mirror, god of night sky and
ancestral memory, of warriors)
courtly graces
diplomacy
13 Ocelotl: (jaguar), good day for doing battle, power, valor, bravery,
god Tezcatlipoca (the smoking mirror, god of night sky and ancestral
memory, of warriors)
Silent movement
Business sense
14 Cuauhtli: (eagle), good day for action, bad day for reflection, god
xipe totec (of shedding skin, seedtime, elemental force of rebirth)
Light
Courtly graces
Dark vision
Far vision
15 Cozcacuauhtli: (vulture), good day to confront failure and disruptions,
god Itxpapalotl (long life, wisdom, good counsel, and mental equilibrium)
Recognize value
Tactics
Assess value
16 Ollin: (movement), good day for action, bad day to be passive, to see
one's future, god xolotl (the shapeshifter, twin of quetzalcoatl,
earthquakes)
Speed movement
Create wall
Trance
Shapeshifting
17 Tecpatl: (obsidian knife) day of grave ordeals, of trials and
tribulations, god chalchiuhtotolin (powerfull sorcery)
Tactics
Detect Lies
Strategist
18 quiahuitl: (rain) day of relying on fortunes of fate, to travel and
learn, bad day for buisness and planning, god tonatiuh (sun god, god of
movement)
Magic rainstorm
Lightning
19 xochitl: (flower), day for creating beauty and truth especially that
which speaks to the heart (poetry), goddess xochiquetzal (of flower, song,
and art)
Sex appeal
Bard
Courtly graces
The Nahua form of government had both a major difference in taxation and
in money use. There was no money as westerners understand it. The most
comon denominator was the cocao bean, or chocolate bean. Most prices can be
set relative to these, and yes this means that in Mictlan money grows on
trees. In offset to this one should realize that laziness was punishable by
death in the Nahua empire. cocao is a mild stimulant as well as food and
since malnutrition was no defence for laziness one could very well find
themselves eating their money to stay alive. To shed more light on this,
when the Spanish entered the capital and kept asking about gold the Nahua
were reported to have asked "Why do you keep asking about gold? Do you eat
it?" Consider 1 cocao bean worth one TFT dollar.
The Nahua form of taxation was based on labor. Each year at different
times of the year entire families had to report to the capital to work for
the empire. Thus taxation was based on donated labor. To handle this there
was a separate calender kept for the yearly tasks. It consisted of 18
months of 20 days, and 1 month of 5 days. This adds up to 365 or one solar
year. The last month of 5 days (numbered 0-4) were considered very evil
days and no work was done on them. In fact it was considered dangerous to
be found outside on these days. These were also days that many old grudges
were secretly settled as no one would be watching, and officially the days
were considered not to exist.
The other eighteen months read like a work list. The first month is
about the middle of the Gregorian November. On any given month (of 20 days)
about 1/18th of the population would be at the capital performing their
duty. Entire pyramids were built in this way, harvests brought in, and
canals dredged.
0 Izcalli Resurrection
1 Atlacahualco Daparture of the waters
2 Tlacaxipehualiztli Slaughtering of dogs
3 Tozoztontli Little Vigil
4 Hueytozoztli Grand Vigil
5 Toxcatl Dry thing
6 Etzalcualiztli Meal of Corn and Bean
7 Tecuilhuitontli Little Feast of Lords
8 Hueytecuilhuitl Grand Feast of Lords
9 Miccailhuitontli Little Feast of the Dead
10 Hueymiccailhuitl Grand Feast of the Dead
11 Ochpaniztli Sweeping
12 Pachtontli Small hay
13 Hueypachtli Large Hay
14 Quecholli Flamingo
15 Panquetzaliztli Raising of the banners
16 Atemoztli Lowering of water
17 Titl Shrinking
18 Neomontemi Empty days (or evil days, only 5)
Magic in ancient Central America
Calendar stone & the wheel
The Native American Indians have been accused of being technologically
primitive. The main traditional evidence of this is the lack of a wheel, or
any of its western developments, like chariots and water wheels. I submit
that the Indians, and in particular the Central American Nahua (also called
the Aztecs) did know of the wheel. In fact the had a profound reverence for
it. Due to their world view, they choose to develop it along spiritual
lines instead of mechanical.
In Eastern traditions the foot is considered the lowest part of the body
(more on the Eastern - Native Indian connection later.) In fact it is
considered rude and insulting to point ones foot at some one. This can be
taken to extremes. Before the members of my Aircraft Carrier were allowed
port side in Thailand we were briefed that "to step on a stray coin may get
you killed by a mob. The currency has a picture of the royal family on it."
In the eastern tradition this is a grievous insult.
Of course the Indians knew of the wheel. They just used it as a model
of the heavens, and considered it to be a symbol of the divine. The sacred
circle, the sacred calendar round, and the sacred cycle are common themes
in Indian culture. They would never have put the wheel under their feet.
And they would never have dared to ride on one.
Instead they used them as a symbol of their submission to the gods. In
the most famous of the calendar stones found the central carving was a face
with a tongue. The tongue stuck up and was made of flint. The hearts of
sacrifice victims were placed on this flint tongue. Thus they made offering
too, and fed, the gods.
In magical terms the calendar stones are the same as a ST Battery.
These ST Batteries/calendar stones are charged by blood offerings. Instead
of getting 1 point for every 5 points of fatigue, they get the victims
entire ST. As these calendars are charged with countless sacrifices
(according to Bernal Dias, thousands in a day on high holy days.) This
power is used by the priests to summon gods. In TFT terms these gods
correspond to elementals; wind, rain, earth, and fire (volcano). The priests
could summon huge rains for the growing season. Hurricanes, Massive pyramids
of earth elementals, and even volcanoes.
An interesting side note. When Cortez landed, Moctezuma had two
calendars sent to him. They were about 1 1/2m diameter and one was pure
silver, the other pure gold. The Spaniards immediately melted them down and
recast them into bars. The Nahua were stunned at what seemed to be a gross waste
of power.
Idols
Human hearts may be fed to idols also. These Idols may be charged with
power in the same way as calendar stones. At the top of one pyramid Cortez
was shown the god of war. Before the idol was a large stone bowl full of
human hearts.
Many of the outlaying, illiterate, tribes will have their own idols.
They do not contain the same astronomical information as the calendar
stones, so they are not as good at predicting celestial events. They are
typically carved with accurate autopsy information. Many have correct
showings of the locations of ribs, bones, organs, and other pieces of human
anatomy carved on them.
Human Sacrifice
All members of the culture who witnesses a human sacrifice get the
victims DX in experience points. This causes huge gatherings of all classes
of society. Even slaves benefit from this display. The sacrifice of nine
or so victims can give enough experience to every witness for each 32 point
character to get a full character point. Fighting to the death is frowned
upon. It is considered wasteful. Bringing in captives for ritual
sacrifice results in status and favor.
Some notes about human sacrifice. Each victim is considered to go
straight to heaven. This was sometimes a great honor. Occasionally famous
ball players would choose this as their form of retirement. Also, women are
NEVER sacrificed. In Nahua culture the only way a woman could go to heaven
was to die in childbirth. They pretty much had to wait until they were
reincarnated as a man.
Capture of Prisoners
Get prisoners' IQ in experience. To get this experience one must
transport the prisoner back to the sacred center, or pyramid, and turn them
over to the priests. If the prisoner escapes then loose five experience. A
person who loses a prisoner will be ridiculed back in the community.
Renewing the Calendar stone after 52 years
Caribbean / Central American tribe names
The Nahua celestial calendar ran on a 52 year cycle. When this cycle
runs out, all stored energy in the calendar stone is taken by the gods. The
stone must be recharged, and the cycle starts over. This is a particularly
unique ceremony. It is done at night, very rare for the Indians, and it
only has one victim. All fires, torches, and lights are extinguished in the
entire capital of Aztlan. The victim is taken up on a sacred hill and the
entire peoples follow with un-lit torches. A small fire is started. The
victim is sacrificed by the holy five priests. One with the obsidian knife,
and one to hold each limb. The still beating heart is then fed to the fire.
Once consecrated a torch is lit off the fire. All other torches are lit
from that one. The fire is passed from torch to torch and then brought down
to the city where all fires and lights are lit.
Thus the community is ensured to survive for another 52 years. To enjoy
unity, and to be part of the same sacred light. Also the victim is
remembered with the highest honor; being and individual who brought light
and life to the entire community. This makes him almost equal to the gods.
The Foaming Chocolate Drink In A Golden Cup
Moctezuma was the only one who could drink this sacred beverage. It
was ritually prepared and served in a solid gold cup. It is sort of like
hot chocolate without the milk. Very, very bitter. Also a very strong
stimulant. It is the Nahua version of the IQ+ potion, though it doesn't use
human brains as a component. Just chocolate. In one of his meetings with
Cortez, Moctezuma is reported to have ordered an excessive number of these
drinks.
The Quetzal Feather
The long green tail feathers of the quetzal bird are the symbol of
nobility. Nahua poems frequently refer to children in this way "you are my
feather, my beloved." The quetzal feather had huge symbolic importance. To
the illiterate masses the feather would have been equal to a Word Of Command
enchantment. Obey being the most common, but all the other words would have
been present.
An interesting fact that is often glazed over by historians is what
Cortez was wearing the night he left Cuba. A long red robe lined with gold
rings along the hem. The rings could be removed individually to make
payments or bribes. He also had a quetzal feather head-dress. He knew
exactly the kind of people he was going to subjugate and decide that he had
better look the part of a big chief. He probably had no idea how much
respect the feathers got him though.
Distinctly Chinese Influences
Chinese stone anchors have been found in the waters of the Pacific
coast of Central America. They date to the time of China's Shang Dynasty.
Some similarities in writing have also been found. This dates to the time
of the Olmec culture in Central America. Long before the Nahua.
Interestingly, when the Maya and Nahua were asked about the Olmec ruins of
Teotihuacan they said that they didn't know where the builders had come
from.
This view has gotten me a lot of arguments in the past, so here is a
link to some tentative supporting evidence.
http://abcnews.go.com/ABC2000/abc2000science/newworld991019.html
Magical Devices To Help In Gaining Experience
Once a character advances far enough it gets very expensive to gain
another attribute point. To aid in this difficulty, so-called cursed items
are used. An Item that reduces a persons IQ-5 will drop them to a lower
experience point category. A device that reduces all three attributes by 5
will drop them three experience categories. Because of this nothing is
considered cursed in Nahua culture. It is just said that "one must be very
powerful to use it."
Amuzgo
Aztecs (Mexicas)
Borinquen
Cakchiquel
Carib
Carinepagoto
Chaguanes
Chaimas
Chatino
Chibchan
Chichi-Pooloca
Chichimeco Jonaz
Chinanteco
Chol
Chontal (de Tabasco)
Chuj
Cochimi
Cora
Cucapa
Cuicateca
Dwekkers
Garifina
Guarao (Guaraun)
Guarijio
Hach Winik
Huasteco
Huave
Huichol
Ixcateco
Jacalteco
Jatibonicu
Kalina
Kalipunianis
Kiche'
Kikapu (Kickapoo)
Kiliwa
Kumiai
Kuna
Lacandon
Lipan Apache
Lokono (mistaken as Arawak)
Mame
Matlatzinca
Maya
Mayo
Mazahua
Miskitu
Mixe
Mixtec (Mistec)
Motozintleco
Musyca
Nahua (mistaken as Aztec)
Nepoio
Oaxaca
Olmec
Opata
Otomi (Otomie)
Paipai
Pame
Papago
Pima
Popoloca
Popoluca
Purepecha
Quichua
Seri
Shebau
Tarahumara (Tarahmara)
Tarascao (or Purepecha)
Tarumari
Tepehua
Tepehuano
Tequistlateco
Tlapaneco
Tojolabal
Tolteca
Totonaco
Trique (Triqui)
Tzeltal
Tzotzil (Tzeltal)
Yao
Yaqui
Yuman (now called Quechan)
Zapotec
Zoque
________ ___________ ____________ ___________
South America Tribe Names
Amazon
Arara
Araucan
Aymara
Bororo
Botocudo
Caboclo
Cagaba
Chaco
Chalchaqui
Chibcha
Gaviao
Guaja
Guarani
Inca
Katukina
Kulina
Manaos
Mapuche
Marubo
Mocha
Moxos
Muysca
Ona
Parakana
Quichua (Quechua)
Satere Maue
Surui
Tapajos
Tapiragem
Tenharim
Tikuna
Tukano
Tupinambas
Urubu
Yanomamo (Yanomami)
Yunca
Waiapi
Wai Wai
Zoros
David Michael Grouchy II