House Momoztzi

## Description:

House Momoztzi, referred to as the Neo-Aztecs by the JPCU, is a Vampire House descended from the Aztec/Olmec civilizations. The group survives into the modern era in small numbers throughout rural Mexico and parts of the Western Continent of Pilbo, conducting their human sacrifices, feeding off of unsuspecting villagers, and worshipping the gods of their ancestors.

Rumors of House Momoztzi exist throughout Mexico, warning of leaving one's doors or windows unlocked at night and of allowing children to wander too near the ancient Aztec ruins, but few events occur so brazenly so as to confirm the group's existence to the public; the organization is known for its secrecy and infiltration of local communities to prevent discovery.

### Organization:

Structured like the Aztec empire that the House seeks to recreate and rebuild, House Momoztzi operates according to the Aztec's original social structure; the nobility rule over the peasant class and have access to certain privileges that peasants do not. These privileges include the use of special garments and symbols, ownership and logistical control of large areas of land and hunting territory, the privilege of becoming a Vampire, and political/military leadership. Peasants who demonstrated military prowess could achieve these privileges through demonstrations of dedication to the House, often resulting in the mortal's ritual entrance as a Thrall for the House and possibly a full Vampire in the future. The Vampire Princes rule over a city-state under the House's control, acting as the leading Vampire for the Province of Mexico that the House operates in; lesser Vampire Nobles own large parts of land within the province, with their Thralls and Vampires working and fighting for them. The House is ruled in a hegemonic manner, without a single centralized leader; spiritual leaders often supersede decisions made by political leaders of the House, however, as regaining the favor of their gods is considered more important than economic or political gain.

House Momoztzi recruits into its membership through displays of martial skill; the best fighters, politicians, and religious figures are taken into the House as Thralls and later as Vampires; initiation into Vampirism for House Momoztzi requires that a Thrall accomplish repeated feats of incredible skill, possess a political hook or favor from their master, or be deemed a prophet or blessed individual by a priest of the House. This initiation is highly ritualistic, and involves the initiate being sacrificed atop a ziggurat and thrown into the pit at the structure's center; the presiding priest then consumes the blood of the initiate and has a Vampire Noble cut themselves and sprinkle their blood into the pit, which seeps into the initiate's corpse shortly before their death and transforms them into a Vampire over the next twenty four (24) hours, at which point they are taken out of the pit by other priests. The House only recruits those of Aztec/Mesoamerican blood, but will kidnap others for transformation into Abominations very frequently; a large majority of the group's members are either Thralls or Abominations.

House Momoztzi dedicates most of its resources simply to ensuring its own survival; delivering bribes for local officials, kidnapping and sacrificing the appropriate amount of people without drawing undue attention to themselves, managing the sacrifices and rituals to appease the gods, etc. The House's deeply religious roots ensure that much of their time is spent in worship of some kind. The House rarely takes up large-scale arms anymore, and dedicates the remaining resources to expanding its influence in the hopes of eventually reestablishing the Aztec Empire.

House Momoztzi is actively hostile towards the JPCU, who the group sees as antithetical to their operations and goals. Likewise, the House is classified as a dangerous cult by the JPCU and is actively monitored and hunted by the JPCU.

#### Sub-Sects of House Momoztzi:

1. [HUITZILOPOCHTLI]:
2. Feathers of Quetzalcoatl: Vampires and their Thralls and mortal servants that worship the Pre-Olmec deity Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god of the sun, sky, wind, and stars; practitioners specialize in wind magic, flight, Divination, and share an innate connection with Lizardfolk.
3. Shrouds of Tezcatlipoca: Vampires and their Thralls and mortal servants that worship the Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, the jaguar god of darkness, Magic, stealth, and poison; practitioners specialize in stealth, assassination, poisons, shadow magic, shapeshifting, fear effects and magic, etc.
4. Tears of Tlaloc: Vampires and their Thralls and mortal servants that worship the Aztec god, Tlaloc, the god of rain and water; practitioners specialize in blood magic, water manipulation, and storm magic.
5. Followers of Cipactli: Vampires and their Thralls and mortal servants that worship the Aztec god Cipactli, the primeval crocodile/toad/fish monster that was killed at the planet's creation to forge the ground; specialize in cannibalism, bloodlust and berserker rage, earth magic (geomancy), the creation of many mutants and Abominations, etc. all in an attempt to create enough sacrifices to reawaken Cipactli and have him devour the mortal beings of the world so that House Momoztzi's Vampires may rule over all forever.
6. Winged Talons of Camazotz: Vampires and their Thralls and mortal servants that focus their worship on Camazotz, the Aztec darkness/bat god of sacrifice; practitioners specialize in bats (and bat-related shapeshifting), fire resistance (nullifies Undead vulnerability), fire magic, flight, and echolocation. Practitioners mutate to obtain physical features closely resembling those of bats, including elongated ears, stubby noses, longer arms and legs, wings, etc.
7. Drinkers of Momoztzi: Vampires and their Thralls and mortal servants that focus their worship on Momoztzi, the "first Vampire" of House Momoztzi's pseudo-Aztec religion; practitioners specialize in blood magic and flesh manipulation, Enchantment and Evocation, and often serve as the nobility within House Momoztzi.
8. [DARDARIAN]:

### Equipment:

House Momoztzi, following in the steps of their ancestors, has maintained their Aztec style and identity over the centuries. While many members of House Momoztzi must adapt into mortal society, even the most well-hidden members find ways to express their true allegiances, often through the display of pendants, necklaces or other jewelry, shrines in the home, pictures and symbols on clothes or buildings, etc.

The group's deep integration into rural Mexico ensures that the group maintains relatively up-to-date on modern technology. While not the most advanced Vampire House in the world, House Momoztzi is known to employ modern weapons (firearms and explosives) and automobiles when necessary. Additionally, the political connections of the House and its members ensures that local police and/or military are also under the House's thumb, preventing interference and providing protection in times of need.

House Momoztzi is known for its practice of blood magic, flesh magic, pseudo-nature magic, sacrificial magics, and Evocation. While not the most magically-capable Vampire House, the group is still strong enough to hold its own; the group's focus on martial skill often overshadows its Magic use. Higher-level Nobles of the House obtain Psionics and the many abilities associated with that, including access to a House Momoztzi Hivemind that allows for instant communication between provinces.

House Momoztzi's extensive use of flesh-shaping and blood magic provides it with a steady supply of Blood Diamonds, as well as a steady supply of Abominations and mutants of varying powers and levels of strength.

### Vampiric Abilities:

House Momoztzi's unique heritage and historical significance lend it to possess different strengths and weaknesses than are found in other Vampire Houses. The group originates from a totally separate source than an overwhelming majority of other Vampire Houses, and is also one of the oldest, which has created a powerful mixture of available strengths and a long list of associated weaknesses.

The Vampires of House Momoztzi possess the usual heightened senses, enhanced strength and agility/speed, greater endurance, and the benefits associated with being Undead; additionally, however, these Vampires are known to possess greater regenerative abilities than other Houses, are more prone to develop bat-like physical traits, and often develop Echolocation. Vampires of House Momoztzi also need only feed on a monthly basis, which exists in stark contrast to the almost daily requirements of other Vampires (*Note: This diminished feeding dependency is indicative of an evolutionary trait designed to prevent quick starvation when faced with times of conflict or scarcity, e.g. when the Olmec civilization and Aztec Empire collapsed*).

Like all Vampires and Undead, Vampires of House Momoztzi are weak to Silver, fire, and Divine Magic. These Vampires are not, however, harmed by Holy Water (but are still averse to it) and can enter hallowed ground but cannot kill while on hallowed ground; due to their difference in origin, these Vampires can cross lines of salt and are unharmed by the sight of a cross or other holy symbol. Similarly, these Vampires are unharmed by the Sun but are still nocturnal creatures by nature and prefer hunting at night. Vampires of House Momoztzi are afraid of dogs and ivory.

#### Military:

Due to dwindling numbers and a highly ritualistic manner of passing on their Vampirism, actual Vampires of House Momoztzi are incredibly rare. More commonly, a small enclave of Vampires rule over a small region via large numbers of cultists, Thralls, and Abominations. Each of the aforementioned Sub-Types has their own individual ranks and Abominations at their disposal, created via rituals and sacrifices.

##### Momoztzi Abominations:

Unlike most Vampire Houses, the Abominations of House Momoztzi are not randomly created or the result of accidental mutation or interference mid-transformation. Instead, Abominations of House Momoztzi are purposeful and tailored mutants and monsters created through very specific rituals at special ritual sites.

Abominations are created when a living mortal is selected by the Vampires and priests, at which point the sacrifice is kidnapped from their home in the middle of the night, dressed up as the god to which the person will be sacrificed, drugged, and then manipulated via Psionics or Magic into being a willing participant in their own demise. This mental manipulation also imprints on the victim the specific ritual requirements pertaining to any and all particular foods, activities, pieces of jewelry and clothing, etc. that are specific to the god they are dressed as; victims may exist in this state of enchanted mimicry for months before their actual sacrifice, at which point the victim's heart is removed and consumed by the presiding priest. After the ritual, the person's corpse mutates into the desired Abomination (determined by the specific incantation uttered by the priest) and then reanimates; only some Abominations of House Momoztzi are considered Undead, however.

### Religion:

House Momoztzi's religious beliefs are polytheistic in nature and focused inwardly with an emphasis on ancestor worship. Divine interaction comes in the form of the many ritual sacrifices conducted by the group, the state of Vampirism and of Thralls, and the use of associated Magic. Afterlife for House Momoztzi comes in the form of Mictlan, the Afterlife of the Aztecs; warriors of the House who died in battle would accompany the sun as it rises in the morning and women who died in childbirth accompany the sun as it sets. Holidays in House Momoztzi's pseudo-Aztec faith are incredibly numerous and always associated with some kind of sacrifice, usually of blood or flesh, that can be either animal or human in nature depending on the holiday and the god being appeased; holidays often celebrate important astrological events, important historical events, the construction of new sites or cult branches, succession of leadership, promotion and/or initiation into the group as either a Thrall or a Vampire, etc.

#### List of the Gods:

1. Huitzilopochtli: Primary deity of the pantheon; associated with the sun and war.
2. Tezcatlipoca: Secondary deity of the pantheon; associated with night, Magic, prophecy, jaguars, and shapeshifting.
3. Tlaloc: Important deity associated with the sky, storms, and rain.
4. Cipactli: Primordial crocodile/toad/fish god of the Earth associated with caves, swamps, the Abandoned Abyss, and consumption.
5. Camazotz: Bat god of darkness, bats (vampire bats specifically), death, and sacrifice.
6. Quetzalcoatl: Feathered serpent god of the sky, wind, the sun, etc.; originates in Lizardfolk mythology and predates humanity by millions of years.
7. Momoztzi: Twin Vampire gods of Vampirism, immortality, conquest, etc. connected via ancient Hivemind; originates only in House Momoztzi as a form of ancestral worship; rumors persist that Momoztzi hibernates somewhere in Mexico, awaiting his eventual return.

#### Clergy:

The function of priests in House Momoztzi is to lead the people in prayer and rituals, act as advisors to political figures, manage public relations, etc. These priests conduct their business with the utmost respect and secrecy, knowing that the wrath of their gods is swift and deadly.

The priesthood of House Momoztzi, like the priesthood of the Aztecs that came before them, live lives of luxury afforded by their deep political ties and importance to the group. They are allowed to have and make families, and possess all of the privileges of Vampire Nobles regardless of their personal level of power.

Prophets and other blessed individuals are selected based on their innate abilities, affinity for Vampirism and mutation, and most importantly their martial prowess.

#### Cultural Aspects:

Many symbols, all of them associated with the ancient Aztec Empire, are used by House Momoztzi. Holy colors include red (for blood), blue, and green. Learning is passed down through the priestly class and some political leaders, but rarely shared with the commoners or anyone not a Vampire; additionally, learning is passed down via oral tradition, performances, ritual activities and sacrifices, and scrolls. Their creation myth is one of many worlds spawned from the deaths of people and gods, the same creation myth held by the Aztecs; the group's origin of Vampires is determined by the Epic of Momoztzi, a long-form piece of performative poetry that depicts House Momoztzi's founder undertaking the necessary trips and rites to become a Vampire after slaying the brain-eating monsters under his village.

Deadly sins for the House include cowardice, slothfulness, impiety, etc. The highest virtues are martial skill, absolute piety, courage, and bloodlust.

The House, like the Aztecs that came before, use murals, paintings, mosaics, and sculptures as their most common art forms.

[REDACTED]

## History:

### The First Settlers

First there was a Pre-Olmec tribe, around 2500 BCE, that settled in an area of central Mexico. The small village held only a few hundred people at its height, but was continually hampered by the frequent nightmares, strange happenings, and disappearances that occurred throughout the area, most commonly at night. The villagers struck out to investigate these occurrences, eventually deciding to follow a villager who had entered a trance while asleep and begun sleepwalking.

The villagers followed the entranced man to the mouth of a massive cave, hidden from view from most angles, which the mob of angered villagers entered. After many hours of walking, the villagers would believe that they had entered the Afterlife; in reality, they had actually entered the Abandoned Abyss. The magical radiation played tricks on their minds, and the many monsters the group encountered dwindled their numbers significantly. Only after being lost for an undetermined amount of time, still following the entranced man, did the group reach their destination.

### The Brain-Eater Gods

The villagers had stumbled upon a Dardarian Dominion hideout, occupied by only a few of the alien creatures and their horrific pets and mind-controlled villager slaves. The mob of angered villagers descended upon the strange divine beings who used their vile magics to enthrall villagers and control their minds; the fight lasted a long time, but eventually the villagers had been the victors.

For no known reason other than anger, desire, and unbridled psychopathic tendencies, the Pre-Olmec villagers consumed the corpses of the Dardarians they had slain, most likely out of mimicry of what they had observed the aliens doing to their companions. After the villagers consumed the Dardarians, they turned their attention towards the large Home Mind that sat in a strange glowing pool of goo at the center of the hideout. Momoztzi and one other man killed and ate the Home Mind in its entirety, obtaining powerful Psionic powers and access to a new Hivemind shared between the two. Those villagers who had consumed the Dardarians were also experiencing new abilities and mutations.

### The Obsession Begins

Having found that the consumption of the aliens had granted the consumers with special magic powers, the Pre-Olmec villagers decided that their next experiments would involve the consumption of the aliens' blood, which they did and gained further power; then the villagers consumed the blood of the Momoztzi Hivemind and, combined with the radiation from the Abandoned Abyss, were transformed into Vampires of House Momoztzi.

This obsession with cannibalism and blood consumption would then evolve over time into the brutal Olmec/Aztec culture known today; the group's Vampire abilities and powerful Magic gave the young civilization absolute control over their mortal neighbors, and soon the Olmec civilization had been founded.

### The Rise and Fall of the Olmec

The Olmec civilization flourished for many centuries under its Vampiric rulers. More and more of the empire's citizens were converted into Vampires, and the culture continued to foster this Vampire superiority. Mortals were sacrificed at insane levels and in incredible numbers, turning rivers red with blood in the name of the worshipped Vampires and their gods; mortals were seen as nothing more than blood bags for the Vampires, who kidnapped and drank and killed indiscriminately.

#### Teyaco's Wrath

Over time, however, the mortal villagers and victims of the Olmec's brutality grew discontent and sought revenge for the many evils and atrocities committed against them by the Vampires. Rebellions occurred and were easily squashed, the villages destroyed and their inhabitants hunted without mercy. Unknowingly, the Olmec had been feeding the Sanguine Sea with their sacrifices, and were simultaneously granting [REDACTED] more and more power as they continued to feed the tide of blood.

Eventually, the Olmec attracted the ire of the Great Martyrs; what caused this interest is unknown. The Olmec, grand in their scope and absolute in their control, flaunted powerful Magic and advanced technology (*Note: Most of House Momoztzi's inherited "ancestral" technology is rumored to have been stolen from nearby Lizardfolk*). The Great Martyrs, observing this wide empire and its monstrous leaders, reached out to a mortal among the empire's ranks, Teyaco, and granted him the rank of Champion; the Martyrs promised Teyaco a new land to rule if he would kill the Olmec leadership and their accursed gods. Teyaco accepted and, with the help of Stregezor and other lesser divine beings of Teyaco's creation, he led a revolution across Mexico, slaughtering Vampires wherever he found them and slaying the gods whenever they dared rear their heads. Teyaco's genocidal vengeance resulted in the collapse and disappearance of the Olmec civilization.

### From the Ashes

Teyaco's genocide was not complete in its scope, however, and missed a few key deities of the Olmec pantheon, Camazotz and Quetzalcoatl most prominently. These gods were enraged at the Martyrs and at Teyaco for turning against them, and swore revenge. These few remaining gods and their remaining followers, few of whom Vampires, set out to restart their once-great civilization.

The Vampire and mortal followers now felt that the gods had punished the Olmec for their actions, and so their religion took on less of a worshipping aspect and more of an appeasement aspect to ward off another "apocalypse." The Aztec Empire was founded, and was more brutal and bloody than the Olmec.

### The New World

In the late 1400's and early 1500's, Spanish Conquistadors invaded the western hemisphere, exploring it and eradicating the original inhabitants without mercy or care. Eventually, these Conquistadors came upon the Aztec Empire, and were horrified; monsters, they claimed, led the Aztecs! The mountains of corpses and the long lines of upcoming sacrifices stunned the Spaniards, who did not waste any time in going to war with the Vampires many of them recognized or had heard about in Europe.

Finding allies was very easy for the Conquistadors, as the Aztecs were hated by their subordinate tribes and conquered regions. The war was swift and brutal, and ended with the collapse of the Aztec Empire, the plundering of its untold riches, and the enslavement of all natives who survived. But, as happened before, the Vampires survived in small numbers with their gods and fled, swearing further revenge on the European invaders.

### Fall of an Empire, Birth of a House

After the fall of the Aztec Empire, House Momoztzi was born from the twice-born ashes of the Pre-Olmec villagers; few of the House's original or founding members were still alive, and even fewer remained active, but still the Vampires continued on. The House bided its time, moving around the jungle and killing only rural villages far from European influence.

Over the centuries, the Vampires grew more brazen as their influence among mortal society grew. As technology developed, so did the Vampires, up to the modern day where House Momoztzi controls over half of Mexico and has deep ties to its federal government and even the drug cartels that also run the country; a culture of corruption and greed going back several centuries, all of which induced by the Vampires of House Momoztzi, of course, allows for easy manipulation and control of the country at every level. As a result, Mexico is very often reluctant to help the JPCU or the SCP Foundation.

Legends still persist within the House, however, of the mythological bringer of death - Teyaco, a figure so feared and hated that House Momoztzi's legends actively give Teyaco more power. Teyaco is often invoked in sacrifices, asking the gods to spare them from his apocalyptic wrath, and his invocation also feeds Teyaco's divine abilities.