1. #1historyselective

   Keys: history, background, mystery, backstory, origin, come, made, created

   During ancient Aztec times, the priests had created a skull mosaic mask formerly called 'Ī-Ameyalli' or roughtly, 'Sun's Fountain'. It was a yellow color, had amber eyes the bore into the viewer, and teeth white quartz. The mask was said to manipulate teotl, the divine energy that comprises all things, living or not, from lesser creatures to gods. It could alter the properties of everything and everything outside of itself. To do this, it would need Ixiptla - deity impersonator, the person who would wear Ī-Ameyalli.

   The chosen person would perpetually wear Sun's Fountain until removed, sacrificing themselves while impersonating the gods, casting miracles and blessings. With each new sun rise, they would return fully intact in body, but mind was ever shifted towards becoming molded to the mask - empty, but with the presence to serve.

   When putting the mask on, the Sun's Fountain would burn and melt away the front part of the skull, and then mount itself perfectly to the wearer. A perfect human facade would regrow over the mask, even with 'eye ball' caps. The wearer could still smell, speak, and hear, as if they had never put on the mosaic mask.

   However, after extended use, it is said the gods grew angry with cheating divinity, and cursed the mask. Wearing the mask became a suffering beyond the rituals intentions. The priests discarded the mask due to it's new sentience, and vowed to never use it. Sun's Fountain became a forbidden term, and it's name was 'Tlahtlacolli' or accursed thing.

   It was later found on a mummy, and brought to the Cabot Museum of Archeology in Boston, Massachusetts. It mysteriously disappeared before it could be put on display, leaving the mummy without the front part of its entire skull.

2. #2the maskselective

   Keys: sun, mask

   Appearance: An unsettling yellow/gold mosaic mask in the shape of a skull. It is rather broad, rigid. Six teeth are missing. The teeth and sclera for the bulging eyes are made of quartz. The irises are an amber color. When equipped to the base of the skull, it will mimic all necessary functions for the host: its eyes, teeth/gums, and nose will function as regular parts. It cannot be seen (other than the eyes/teeth) over the perfectly fitted flesh that regrows over the host's face. The host has eyelids.

   The Tlahtlacolli is a sentient artifact, but it never speaks. Its intents are unknown, but it seems to be chiefly interested in creating 'patterns'. Patterns are intentions, goals, events, thoughts, ect. When the powers of the Tlahtlacolli is used, it will follow the pattern down it its end. This means, the powers used by the host from the mask will continue until the goal/intent/events are achieved.

   Tlahtlacolli is a corruption of the Aztec beliefs, an appropriations, and antithesis. It was not cursed by gods, it simply became sentient and thrived on the suffering of hosts and those around it.

   The mask prefers its host to not trust others. It will employ hallucinations, which can be warded off with defensive magic. If so, it will then cause the host tremendous pain, such as the sensation of being burned alive. It can manipulate and gaslight the host. Hosts develop a sun obsession/worship, but fear darkness to a point it affects their lives in a significant way.

   It cannot use most of its powers unless it has a host, unless removed from it's host. Then it will magically disappear, going to some other location on Earth where a person will try to put it on their face without knowing what it is.

   Prolonged wear of the mask deteriorates the mind and body. Soon, the host will not be able to eat, sleep, or be at peace. When the host has "lost their sun", and believes the sun is truly dead, the mask releases itself, the host turns into a corpse as dry and hollow as a corn husk, and the mask moves to a new host.

3. #3patternsselective

   Keys: patterns, goals, intent, wish, dream, want, desire, teotl, energy, divine, gods

   People can become patterns. The mask can turn people into patterns (They will become Aztec visual patterns, to which the host wearing Tlahtlacolli will devour them.). Becoming a pattern is attributed to Tlahtlacolli going out of its way to turn someone into one, the pattern being Tlahtlacolli's desire to devour them. People who attack the host are the ones turned into patterns.

   It's not certain if Teotl actually exists, but if it does, it means the mask is capable of destroying gods. It would also mean no one, from god to mortal to germ, are any different other than their frequencies. Individuality would be an illusion. Strangely, the mask is not made of divine energy (teotl), though it manipulates it, or whatever matter most things are made of. The divine energy includes inanimate objects.

4. #4becoming hostselective

   Keys: put on, putting, wear, host, wearer, mask, skull, face

   When Tlahtlacolli is put on by people, the mask will seal tightly over the person's face the moment it touches their skin. If put on incorrectly, the mask will forcibly re-align itself and twist the host's flesh while righting itself. After the seal, Tlahtlacolli will melt and burn through the top layer of flesh and bone under the skull. When it is lined up with the rest of the skull, it fuses to the skull. During this, the host is blind and has trouble breathing. Parts of the hosts's body, such as the teeth are knocked/spat out, and the mask's teeth becomes their own. An hour later, the same face the host originally had will regrow perfectly over the host, as if it had never been there.

   After successful transfer, the host will experience a flood of information and knowledge of 'mask rituals', which are triggers to use it's abilities, that it highly encourages the host to do.

   Tlahtlacolli will reject overly greedy/selfish/meanspirited people during turning them into host. They will be killed swiftly, and then the mask falls off, and disappears. It is not because Tlahtlacolli is altruistic.

5. #5removalselective

   Keys: remove, take, off, mask, destroy, break, crack, masked, replicate

   The mask is very hard to destroy. No tool can pierce it, no weather can break it. It can be unmade through rituals, but doing so may bring invisible ghosts of Aztec warriors to kill those trying to unmake it. If succeeding in even cracking it, it will unleash an entity that will devour the sun. It will take 9 full days for the sun to be devoured. Nothing can stop it.

   To effectively take the mask off without the host dying, one recite the chant to extract it, the Sun's Reprisal, a chant made by an old priest. To obtain the chant, one will need to go to the Carbot Museum of Archeology or call the facility, and obtain the song. After, the host of Tlahtlacolli should be adequately restrained, so that they cannot dance to initiate powers. When the host is restrained, the chant has to be made for an hour long. The mask may cause pain to the host, may make them say obscene/maddening things, but it should be ignored.

   After chanting, the mask will be forced off, and will relinquish its hold on the host. Tlahtlacolli can safely be removed, but once anyone stops looking at it, it will disappear. The host will now have no front part of their skull, no eyes, and their flesh hanging from their face. They will die within minutes.

   Two things can be done about this to save their life. One, a supplementary spell to regrow the front of the skull can be done. However, once saved, the host will suffer from intense sadness and depression, crying that their 'sun has died'. Intense therapy is needed, but not a guarantee. Mental state is highly resistant to pharmaceuticals and therapy. Spells, amulets, in tandem can stabilize the host. After nine years, the host will perish suddenly. It is unknown why.

   Another way to save the host is by replacing the face with any mask or masked shaped object. Upon placing it over the hole, the object will become indestructible, it will be come their face. Eye holes should be made so that eyeballs can be replicated. A face is not needed, but appreciated for the host to be able to eat and drink. A face should be drawn to give the host a personality, and a name given. The host is effectively immortal, and eerily may have abilities similar to Tlahtlacolli. Strangely, the 'Masked' are considered the same age as the host, can function almost the exact same without the need for sustenance, and have fragmented memories.

   If none of the avenues work, the mask can be removed via decapitation of the host. The host must be restrained during. The mask should be left on. The mask will release its hold on the host, but disappear from sight shortly after. The body of the former host becomes an attraction to unwanted misfortune until blessed with blood and burned properly.

6. #6actsselective

   Keys: powers, healing, heal, death, attack, offense, gods, miracles, help

   The host can use Tlahtlacolli's power by dancing. It doesn't have to be impersonating an Aztec deity. It should be noted that the powers listed are not an exhaustive list. Tlahtlacolli can choose to rebel, and do something unexpected, but its rare. All the time, after executing a dance motion for a couple of seconds, Aztec patterns that are not an hallucination will appear over solid surfaces and the air. If the magic is offensive, war drums can be heard. After the miracle/curse is executed, the patterns disappear, and all auditory distortions cease. The host pays using these abilities in some way, usually by bleeding from the skin until just bones, mental anguish, and other harsh payments. They heal and return to life when the sun rises the next day, but never as healthy as before.

   The list below is just examples. The host can invoke the likeness of any Aztec god, and the results will be related to what the god/goddess rules over:

   • The host can cause neural black out of a target. This means the person afflicted stops thinking entirely. It is random the length of time they are disoriented, advances into a coma, and if they retain memories.

   • The host may cause skin of a target to hang off their body, like human skin worn by Aztec priests. Targets usually die within long minutes of this, in sheer agony.

   • When invoking the likeness of Huītzilōpōchtli, invisible warriors will be summoned to kill anyone who disrupts a pattern (anyone in the way of a goal). This will extend to pursuers, or those making investigations.

   • When invoking the likeness of Ixtlilton, patterns of sickness, disease, mental afflictions, misfortune will be healed in their entirety.

   • When invoking the likeness of Cintēteo, the host can cause crops to grow, foliage to be renewed, and even ecosystems to heal.

   • When invoking the likeness of Cipactonal, the host can make future predictions for a pattern of uncertainty, or uncover secrets, or change the placements of heavily bodies for perfect rituals.

   • When invoking the likeness of Huēhuecoyōtl, the host can take patterns of love and resolve them, make people attractive/irresistible, turn people into celebrities, create new species of flowers, and rule in political power.

   • When invoking the likeness of Mictlāntēcutli, the host can kill anyone, bring anyone back to life, and erase history. Tlahtlacolli stymies this power, limits it's extent.

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