Temple of Aclazotz
| Temple of Aclazotz | |
|---|---|
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| Information | |
| Plane | Ixalan |
| Colors |
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| Part of | Queen's Bay, Ixalan |
The Temple of Aclazotz is a ruined jungle shrine on the surface of Ixalan, dedicated to the bat god Aclazotz, the Great Betrayer and patron of vampirism. Though long abandoned, it once served as a place of sacrifice and dark pilgrimage for those who sought the god's promise of eternal life.
Description
Nearly hidden by the jungle, the stone temple of Aclazotz is overgrown with vines. Its broad steps lead up to a darkened entrance, and are caked with a red-black substance - dried blood. Absolute silence hangs in the area around the temple, as though the site is devoid of life. The trail from the steps leads into a stone chamber. A strong stench fills the air, and the temperature is significantly cooler here than it is outside in the humidity of the rainforest. In the center of the chamber stands a lone altar.[1]
The temple is built around a broad, deep cenote with curved stairs carved into its walls, descending to a network of catacombs. These lead to a large circular chamber lit by candelabras and centered on an obsidian altar. A golden door within the chamber opens only when a sacrifice is offered, revealing a vast underground desert that swallows trespassers who stray from the correct path. At the far end, a discreet trail marked by carved bat wings guides the faithful deeper into a massive cavern illuminated by rivers of cascading lava. The cavern is spanned by natural stone bridges, with ancient stone buildings perched on rocky outcroppings and carved into hanging stalactites.[2]
History
The temple was rediscovered by High Marshal Arguel, a vampire knight of the Legion of Dusk from Torrezon. Guided by visions during a blood fast, Arguel followed signs of blood and bats into Ixalan’s jungles, finding the temple's entrance flowing with blood like his dreams. Though he hoped to commune with Aclazotz there, the bat god was imprisoned deep in Ixalan’s Core and did not answer. The surface temple remained as a haunting relic of the god’s lost cults, its hidden passages and traps protecting secrets that outlasted its builders.
In-game references
- Represented in:
References
- ↑ James Wyatt (January 2018) - [X MARKS THE SPOT: An Ixalan Adventure, WotC.
- ↑ James Wyatt (January 2, 2018) - The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ixalan, Viz Media.
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