Apatzec Intli III

Emperor **Apatzec Intli III** was the emperor of the Sun Empire on Ixalan. He was the father of Caztaca Huicintli and Apatzec Intli IV, and the half-brother of Atlacan Huicintli.

## History

As a child, Intli's favorite sibling was his half-brother Atlacan Huicintli. By middle age, Intli was a fierce man, having succeeded his extremely long-lived and conservative mother several years before 4560. He spent most of his life chafing under her authority and anxious to prove himself as a leader and a warrior. As soon as his mother died, he changed everything he disliked about her rule, launching the empire into a renaissance state — and no small amount of turmoil.

Apatzec trusted in the strength of his armies and his leadership to secure the good fortune of the empire. He was named after emperor Apatzec Intli I who once abused the power of the Immortal Sun to conquer the River Heralds. Despite — or perhaps because of — his namesake, he initially put little stock in the legends of the Immortal Sun, holding no faith that it would be found, let alone alter the course of history. Learning of the visions of the warrior poet Huatli, though, convinced him that Orazca would be found and the Immortal Sun once again could be used to secure the empire's victory over its foes. He committed significant resources to the search for the city, painfully aware that his initial hesitation would prove costly. At the same time, some leaders feared that his eagerness to find the Immortal Sun was leaving the cities of the Sun Empire vulnerable to attacks by their enemies.

After the city was found and captured for the Sun Empire, Apatzec began a campaign that pushed the invaders to the sea, eventually capturing and reverse engineering their fleet in preparation for an invasion of Torrezon.

Intli's first child, Caztaca Huicintli, grew to serve as the Apex Priest of the Threefold Sun. As she developed a closer bond with with the priests of the Threefold Sun than with her father, when his son Intli IV was born shortly before 4 Dawn Era, Intli named him successor instead of Caztaca.

During New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse, Apatzec led the defense of the plane against the intruders. He was assassinated by Phyrexian sleeper agents near the end of the invasion, and his young son succeeded him as Apatzec Intli IV. In his will, he legitimized Atlacan as his "paper son," officially recognizing him as part of the Imperial dynasty.

## In-game references

Associated cards:

* Emperor's Vanguard

Quoted or referred to:

* Sky Terror

## References

1. ↑ R&D Narrative Team (September 13, 2017). "A Question of Confidence". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
2. ↑ ***a*** ***b*** R&D Narrative Team (November 1, 2017). "Planeswalker's Guide to Ixalan, Part 1". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
3. ↑ ***a*** ***b*** Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "*The Lost Caverns of Ixalan* - Pawns". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
4. ↑ ***a*** ***b*** ***c*** Miguel Lopez (November 10, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to the Lost Caverns of Ixalan". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
5. ↑ ***a*** ***b*** Miguel Lopez (Mar 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ixalan: Three Hundred Steps Under the Sun". *magicthegathering.com*. Wizards of the Coast.
6. ↑ Miguel Lopez (November 8, 2023). "Lost Caverns of Ixalan Worldbuilding Q&A". Discord. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023.