Taq

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Revision as of 08:41, 26 November 2023 by >RudleyDudley (Adding details from LCI Guide, Core section)
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Taq
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Ojer Taq.jpg}}|250px]]
Details
Race God
Birthplace Ixalan
Lifetime Mending Era
Divinity
Veneration Oltec religion
Temples Temple of Civilization

Ojer Taq is the chief deity of the Oltec and the god of civilization.[1][2] They are closely associated with Chimil, and as one of the Deep Gods of Ixalan's Core, they are considered one of her children.

Description

Ojer Taq is recognized as the first of the gods, a triumvirate deity who is the patron of the Komon Winaq.[2] Ojer Taq's temple is the largest in Oteclan, their cult the most populous, and their legend the grandest and eldest in Oltec myth. Ojer Taq is understood to be the singular, divine congress of all who have come before, all who are, and those who will be; they are a deity of ancestors, family, and posterity—civilization, and humanity. Ojer Taq is the patron of stewards, administrators, ancestors, Echoes, cities, archives, and plains and is closely associated with cosmium, Chimil, cities, roads, infrastructure, and other markers of the designed world.

Ojer Taq manifests as a tall, androgynous humanoid figure, with three faces layered atop one another.[2] They wear a long quipu over white robes, which they braid and on which they record the simultaneous moments of history, present, and possibility. Priests, stewards, and faithful of Ojer Taq also favor white robes, quipu, and headdresses or tattoos that evoke Ojer Taq's triumvirate countenance. Their Temple of Civilization in Oteclan is the largest in the Core.

Inspiration

Ojer Taq's face is a mask known as the "three ages of man," "death and rebirth," or "triple death" popular across Mesoamerican cultures including the Aztecs, Maya civilization, and pre-Aztec Teotihuacan.[3] Its inner face, depicting a young person, represents the beginning of life at birth. This face is encased within an elderly person, representing adult life. The outer face, encasing both, is a death mask, representing the end of earthly life. They may be inspired by Viracocha, the Inca god of civilization.

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Depicted in:

References

  1. Adventure At The Core - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Debut (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (October 24, 2023).
  2. a b c Miguel Lopez (November 10, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to the Lost Caverns of Ixalan". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Roz Meredith & Victoria Barlow (2020). "Mayans". Maidstone Museum.