Ahuízotl, the Lurker in the Waters

The myth

The ahuízotl, “water thorn,” is an aquatic animal described in the Florentine Codex: the size of a small dog, with sleek, bristling fur and a human hand at the tip of its tail. It lived at the bottom of lakes and, with that hand, dragged down anyone who came near the shore. Its victims later surfaced without eyes, nails or teeth; they were believed to have been chosen by Tláloc for Tlalocan. The creature was the name glyph of the eighth Mexica ruler, Ahuízotl, and its figure appears in stone sculpture.

Why it has this power

A Level 6 Rare with 2200 ATK and 2100 DEF: strong and hard to bring down, like a predator that strikes by surprise and returns to the depths. Water is its home; Moon and Leviathan, night and the lake’s depths. As a Beast, it makes use of the Ceremonial Jaguar Pelt.

Did you know

A sculpture in Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology once identified as Xólotl is actually an ahuízotl: the clue is the little hand at the tip of its tail.

Connections

Where to get it

• Daily Offering: 0.11% per pack (Rare 2.8% per card)
• Traveler's Pack: 0.69% per pack · 4.6% in the themed pack (Rare 7% per card)
• Bronze Reliquary: 0.78% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Rare 8% per card)
• Silver Reliquary: 1.3% per pack · 8.6% in the themed pack (Rare 15% per card)
• Golden Reliquary: 2% per pack · 13% in the themed pack (Rare 25% per card)
• Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 1.5% of days · 400 gems
• Craft with card dust: 600 dust
• Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

1. El ahuítzotl. Animal asesino del agua (Arqueología Mexicana) — Yuri Escalante Betancourt
2. Ahuitzotl — World History Encyclopedia — Mark Cartwright
3. Digital Florentine Codex (Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España) — Bernardino de Sahagún and Nahua collaborators; Getty Research Institute