Tlaltecuhtli, the Earth's Maw

The myth

Tlaltecuhtli, “Earth Lord/Lady,” is the deity of the earth’s surface, usually female despite the name. In one Nahua myth she was a monster swimming in the primordial waters, with mouths all over her body. Quetzalcóatl and Tezcatlipoca, turned into serpents, tore her in two: one half became the earth, the other the sky. From her parts came rivers, hills, herbs and flowers. But she wept with hunger and was calmed only by offerings of blood and hearts. That is why the earth swallows the dead.

Why it has this power

A Level 8 Epic with 2700 ATK and 2800 DEF: DEF above ATK, because she is the very ground that holds up the world. Earth is the obvious element; Sun and Crown recall that sky and sun were born from the same body. The game types her as a Dragon, reading the primordial monster as a colossal beast.

Did you know

In 2006 a Tlaltecuhtli monolith about 4 meters long was found beside the Templo Mayor, the largest Mexica sculpture ever discovered.

Connections

Where to get it

• Daily Offering: 0.012% per pack (Epic 0.15% per card)
• Traveler's Pack: 0.045% per pack · 0.23% in the themed pack (Epic 0.24% per card)
• Bronze Reliquary: 0.18% per pack · 0.94% in the themed pack (Epic 1% per card)
• Silver Reliquary: 0.49% per pack · 2.5% in the themed pack (Epic 3% per card)
• Golden Reliquary: 0.91% per pack · 4.6% in the themed pack (Epic 6% per card)
• Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 2.6% of days · 1,500 gems
• Craft with card dust: 2,400 dust
• Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

1. Tlaltecuhtli — World History Encyclopedia — Mark Cartwright
2. Tlaltecuhtli, “Deidad de la tierra” (Arqueología Mexicana) — Dúrdica Ségota