Aztec · No. 020

Mictlán Messenger Owl

Inspired by: A MYTHENOR creation inspired by owls, which the Nahua saw as messengers of Mictlantecuhtli and omens of death.

Mictlán Messenger Owl
When it hoots on the roof, someone is about to travel downward.
Rarity
Common
Category
Monster
ATK
1000
DEF
1000
Level
3
Type
Bird
Element
Darkness
Constellations
Feather · Crown

The myth

For the Nahua, the owl (tecolotl) was a bird of the underworld. Mictlantecuhtli appears in the codices adorned with owl feathers, and the Florentine Codex records that hearing an owl hoot over a house signaled illness or approaching death — it was called the messenger of the lord of the dead. The belief still appears in Mexican folk sayings and stories. The name of the harmful sorcerer, tlacatecolotl, means “owl-man.” The game’s messenger owl gives shape to that omen.

Why it has this power

A Level 3 Common with 1000 ATK and 1000 DEF: balanced and discreet, like one who only carries messages. Darkness ties it to Mictlán; Feather and Crown mark it as a bird serving a sovereign, the Lord of the Dead. It grows stronger with Dance of the Plumes, which boosts Birds.

Did you know

Mictlantecuhtli is sometimes shown wearing a headdress of owl feathers.

Connections

  • In Tepin, Veteran of the Flower War's deck
  • In Yolotl, Mistress of the Mirror's deck
  • In Itzel, Guardian of the Fifth Sun's deck

Where to get it

  • Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
  • Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
  • Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
  • Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
  • Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
  • Craft with card dust: 40 dust
  • Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

  1. Magia medicinal azteca (Arqueología Mexicana) — Bernard Ortiz de Montellano
  2. Mictlantecuhtli (Arqueología Mexicana) — Raúl Barrera Rodríguez y Gabino López Arenas
  3. Digital Florentine Codex (Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España) — Bernardino de Sahagún and Nahua collaborators; Getty Research Institute