Tlaloc

The Lord of Rain and Lightning

Domain: Rain, Fertility & Lightning
Alignment: True Neutral
Element: Water
Relics of Power: Jars of the Waters

Speak with Tlaloc

The People

People

Aztecs (Mexica)

Region

Central Mexico

Period

14th – 16th c.

The Aztec gods were worshipped by the Mexica people from their capital, Tenochtitlan, in central Mexico. They believed the sun would only move if fed with blood, which led to the famous sacrifices atop pyramid-temples. Their world was cut short by the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.

The 18-month ritual calendar brought festivals such as Toxcatl, in which a youth lived for a year as the embodiment of Tezcatlipoca. Every 52 years, the New Fire Ceremony extinguished every flame in the empire, rekindled from a single bonfire to prevent the end of the world.

The Sacred Scrolls

Supreme god of rain, water, and agricultural fertility, Tlaloc is one of the oldest, most vital, and feared deities in Mesoamerica. The harvests intrinsically depend on him, as he decides between sending nourishing fertile rain or annihilating devastating drought. He is an impersonal force of nature, benevolent and cruel in equal measure, reflecting the volatile temperament of the climate. Visually, he is easily recognized by his striking goggle-like eyes and sharp fangs. Ruling from the heights of misty mountains, he watches the mortals' work in the fields. He is the bedrock of sustenance, demanding constant appeasement.

Sacred Symbols

The goggle eyes (rings), the lightning, the raindrops and the jade

Divine Lineage

Husband of Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of sweet waters (and in some versions, was a partner of Xochiquetzal). He rules the paradise known as Tlalocan.

The Legendary Myth

Tlaloc sovereignly ruled over Tlalocan, a verdant and eternally flowering paradise reserved for those who died from water-related causes, such as drownings, storms, or lightning strikes.

Legends & Deeds

A notable legend involves the creation of pulque and disputes with other gods. In ancient times, Tlaloc used his lightning bolts to split the great mountain where the gods had hidden maize, freeing the sacred grain for n…

Cult & Worship

The Templo Mayor had two shrines at the top, the northern one exclusively dedicated to Tlaloc, painted vibrant blue.

Relics of Power

Four sacred jars that hold the beneficial rain, the drought, the destructive frost, and the floods. These ancient artifacts are shaped from primordial clay and echo the sound of thunder when touched.

Did You Know?

Tlaloc is so ancient that he was already worshipped in Teotihuacan centuries before the rise of the Aztec empire. His iconography remained remarkably consistent for over a thousand years across various cultures.