TOXCATL

Located on the island of Tititl (TEE-teetl), the city state of  Toxcatl rises above the steaming waves of the Boiling Sea.  Built to pay homage to the storm god, Tlaloc, this storm tossed city covers the barren rock from its high, craggy peaks to the grinding surf below.

The Boiling Sea is named for its many geoactive areas that cause the sea to literally boil in places.  The flora and fauna in the area have adapted to these extreme conditions in many ways and flesh eaters are plentiful.

Raging storms batter the island with wind, rain, and lightning almost daily, which delights the inhabitants to no end, because each storm is looked on as a blessing by their lord, Tlaloc.

The people of Toxcatl develop stronger national and family loyalties than any other city-state because continuing to exist on this barren rock requires teamwork from every man, woman, and child.  In may ways they are the exact opposite of the Chanticans.  There, family is everything and no one trusts anyone else.  On Toxcatl, everyone works so closely together it tends to de-emphasize the importance of the immediate family.

The people of Tlaloc survive off what they glean from the sea.  They grow no crops; all they possess they take from the waters surrounding Tititl.  They have developed squid ink dyes, beautiful pottery developed from the fine silt of the seabed, kelp, and coral, and produce the finest seafood on Tamoachan.  Their pottery is famed and traded the world around because of its fine detail work, its unique materials, and the fine glazes developed by using volcanic vents as firing kilns.

Adolescent children are required to pass a rite of adulthood involving diving off a high cliff during a fierce thunderstorm.  If they survive the dive they must swim to a ceremonial rock a half mile from the island, braving the wind whipped waves to get there.  Once they attain the stone, they spend the night on an altar stone pledging their body and spirit to Tlaloc in return for  his favor in keeping them alive through the night.  Many of the youngsters die during the ritual, but those that don't are formed into teams and given trades befitting their abilities.  These teams, be they warriors or potters, will live and work together for the rest of their lives.  A few of the best of them earn the highest honor of the rite and become Tlaloque (tlah-LOH-lay), the male and female warrior elite of Tlaloc.

Captured enemies are sacrificed to Tlaloc in a highly unusual way.  The temples of Toxcatl are equipped with long, metal rods that extend high above the temple altar.  The captives are tied to these rods and the daily storm is awaited.  Lightning from the clouds is attracted to the rods and the captives are left on the rod until the storm abates.  A sacrifice's personal honor is measured by how often the lightning strikes him before the storm passes.

The people of Toxcatl strive for balance.  They are aware that a secure, strong empire in the stars depends on the city-states being unified.  The War of Flowers has them worried because of the dangerous foes they face "outside".  What they hope for is strong leader to emerge from the chaos.  They currently support Quetzalcoatl's return to prominence because the empire has been successful under his leadership.  However, their support can, and will, change if they perceive someone else to be be stronger and more capable, even if that turns out to be themselves.

The mecha and powersuits of Tlaloc are streamlined for submarine use.  Normal colors are smoke gray as a base color, complemented with turquoise, lightning yellow, and sea green.

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