MesoamericaWP (中南米, Nakaminami Kome?, lit. "Central and South America") is the historical and cultural region spanning from central Mexico down to parts of Central America, defined by the pre-ColumbianWPcivilizations (文明, Bunmei?), predominantly the Maya and the Aztecs.
When the meteorite carrying the Divine Filament impacted on the Yucatán Peninsula, it left a 160-kilometer craterWP full of IridiumWP, a rare metal that still persists in the present day. Furthermore, the impact's force fractured the bedrock, leading to the formation of an underground cavern and numerous deep, water-filled pits called cenotesWP (セノーテ, Senōte?), which were crucial sources of water. Additionally, many of these cenotes are often interconnected underground, forming a subterranean network resembling a giant ant colony. This geological reality—a massive underground world—is why the Maya's mythological Underworld, Xibalba, later adopted as Mictlan by the Aztecs, was so vivid and real to them.[2]
The alienDivine Filament that arrived in the meteorite that hit the Yucatan Peninsula weren't conscious beings, however, they had the ability to store and convey information. Over millions of years, they persevered by parasitizing Earth's native species and lending them power. Originally, they only attached to the planet's most abundant form of life, plants, using their power to help them develop seeds. This resulted in Central and South America's massive jungles and rainforests. Furthermore, thanks to the network of Cenotes and caverns formed by the meteorite impact, the plant roots were able to spread out underground, forming a nervous system to cultivate all around the world. Over time, they witnessed the emergence of humans, Earth's Prime Species, and oversaw the close of the Age of Gods. When their own time ran out, and accepting that they would never return to outer space, they decided to entrust their hopes and dreams to their "children" inhabiting the planet's surface: humanity.[2]
When humans first learned of the Divine Filament, they revered them as incarnations of nature itself. As such, the filaments began to manifest as natural forces themselves. Eventually, they started using animals and ultimately, humans, as their hosts, becoming the root of all Mesoamerican Divine Spirits. This is how the Maya civilization was born. Those who were most compatible with the fungi became priests, kings, and sometimes, gods. As such, the explanation in the World of Magecraft as to why gods like Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca sometimes manifested using human bodies is that they were actually the kings of their respective eras serving as a host to the Divine Filament.[2] Furthermore, this is why the Mesoamerican deities were able to manifest Mysteries from the Age of Gods during the AD era.[4][5][2]
Corn was so important to the livelihoods of the people of Central America that they often spoke of it as a gift from the gods, or sometimes, as if it were a god itself.[6] Similarly, in the South American Lostbelt, corn is considered the flesh of the gods, and had been modified by Malla to grow anywhere and everywhere in Mictlan.[2] While it is not confirmed, it is extremely likely that the production of Proper Human History's corn was also influenced by the Divine Filament.[citation needed]
Memories of the Past
The Divine Filament's ability to store and convey information, as well as to manifest as gods using human hosts, played a key role in shaping Mesoamerican culture. The Divine Filament remembers Earth's Five Mass Extinction events,[2] which is likely why the World was said to have been destroyed five different times during Aztec mythology.[7] Four in the past, and a fifth one in the future, once they stopped making human sacrifices to preserve the Sun.[7] It is no exaggeration to say that the Mesomaerican's fear for Mictlan and outer space was inscribed in their DNA.[2] Due to this, they were incredibly interested and fearful of space. In fact, their knowledge of AstronomyWP was by far the most accurate of any other ancient civilization.[7][2] Similarly, this is why different Mesoamerican civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec all share similar creation myths and legends. Their knowledge was continously passed on by the Divine Filaments living there.[7]
On the other hand, it should be noted that while the Mesoamerican people had memories of the Five Mass Extinction events, they didn't portray them in a negative light. The Divine Filament likely informed them of how life had managed to persevere every single time. As such, the Mesoamerican mythologies not only perceived existence as a continuous cycle of death and rebirth, but was filled with the will to overcome even the worst world-ending disaster.[2] Due to this, the mesoamerican people thought of death as a close neighbor, and every god had some connection to it, regardless of what kind of god they were.[8]
Finally, it is stated that Mesoamerica's cosmological timeline is fairly fractured compared to different mythologies. Similar meanings carry different names, and even its perception of time is highly unusual. So while people in the modern era have written historical records, it is difficult to piece everything together and keep it all free of contradictions. The cause for this is that the mythology wasn't created by humans, but rather, the land itself.[7]
Technology
The harsh climate of Mesoamerica helped to form a vibrant mythology and strong people, however, it also prevented them from making much progress when it came to hand tools, like weapons. The same thing happened to the Aztecs. Their arms consisted primarily of wooden weapons like spears, bows, and sword with shards of ObsidianWP embedded in their edges. They never developed guns, nor did they have mounted cavalry.[9] Furthermore, they never kept large livestock, used vehicles to transport anything, or rode animals. Though they had all the necessary knowledge to do so had they wished, they intentionally denied themselves any development which might have made their lives easier or more comfortable if it meant humans reigned supreme in the jungle.[7]
In addition to being closely tied to the natural world, Central American mythology also tried to focus on an astronomical perspective; they took a great interest in outer space. In fact, there are still lots of depictions of rockets pointed towards the sky that remain in Mesoamerican murals and relics today.[2]
Known Civilizations
Olmec
The OlmecsWP (オルメカ, Orumeka?) are an ancient Mesoamerican civilization.[9]
Maya
The Maya civilizationWP (マヤ文明, Maya Bunmei?) is a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in the Yucatán Peninsula of modern-day MexicoWP. It lasted from around 2000 BC to 1697 AD, however, the name "Maya" is believed to have come many years later, from a city-state of MayapanWP. Furthermore, the Maya civilization wasn't created by a single unified society, but rather, a group of different tribes and hamlets. Their descendants broke into several different ethnicities, like the TzotzilWP and Kʼicheʼ peopleWP.[9]
Maya History
The history of the Maya civilization is said to have experienced its own decline and subsequent rise to prosperity. Furthermore, during its decline, the gods disappeared as well, and all of Latin America entered its Age of Man.[9]
The Classic PeriodWP (古典期, Koten-ki?) lasted from 250 to 900 AD. During this time period, Maya civilization was composed of around 60 to 70 city-states.[9]
During the Postclassic period, after their civilization's first collapse, the Maya went on to create numerous cultures and histories. For example, the Itza peopleWP, Mayan for "water sorcerers," migrated to the Yucatán Peninsula during this time period. They are thought to have been either outsiders of the Maya civilization, or the descendants of Maya who managed to escape the fall of their central hub. Nevertheless, when they arrived to the peninsula with its abundance of natural wells, or cenotes, they built a city in it and named it Chichén Itzá, "the mouth of the well of water sorcerers."[9]
The Maya people are believed to have been physically stronger and more mentally advanced than the average person at the time. City-states like CopánWP, TikalWP, CalakmulWP, and PalenqueWP flourished thanks to a prolonged period of continuous competition and cooperation. These cultures had advanced written language and astronomical practices, and built incredible structures like the Pirámide de La Danta, a pyramid in the Mayan city of El MiradorWP. By using the observatory, El CaracolWP, which meticulously tracked the stars' movements, they created two calendars, and efficiently managed the lives of their people.[9]
Maya Cosmology
At the heart of Maya mythology, there is a space tree called CeibaWP (セイバ?).[10]
Xibalba
The Underworld is known as XibalbaWP (シバルバー, Shibarubā?). Over time, this underworld myth was brought into Aztec mythology as well, where it was reborn as Mictlan.[2]
The Aztec civilizationWP (アステカ文明, Asuteka Bunmei?) is the society that succeeded the Maya and flourished during the Postclassic Period.[9] It was marked by human sacrifice, slavery, and endless war, so it was certainly one of the harshest societies in human history. However, at its heart, it retained an inherent respect for nature, and gratitude to the gods.[11]
From the 14th to the 16th Centuries, the Aztecs' capital city was Tenochtitlan.[12][7]
The Aztec civilization collapsed in the mid-16th Century when they were overrun by foreign conquerors from the Spanish Kingdom overseas.[9]
Aztec History
When the Aztec people lost their land, they were forced to wander around Central America for a considerable amount of time.[7][13] Thanks to the guidance of the god Huitzilopochtli, they eventually reached the lake Metztliapan.[7] There, they built their capital Tenochtitlan, a water-top city where they came to worship two gods: Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli.[12][7][14]
During the 17th Century, when Hernán CortésWP, leader of the Spaniards and eventual conqueror of the Aztecs, visited the city Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma II, its King, recieved him with open arms. Some believe that Moctezuma did so because he believed that Cortés was the god Quetzalcoatl, whose second coming was prophesized after his banishing.[7] However, this theory doesn't address the fact that Quetzalcoatl didn't approve of the human sacrifices conducted in the city, or how the city worshipped Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli,[7] both of whom had a history of confronting Quetzalcoatl.[7][15] According to Grigori Rasputin, the most likeable explanation is that Moctezuma II was actually using Cortés himself to take down the enemy tribes.[7]
Aztec Religion
Many of the myths from Maya and Aztec mythology are similar thanks to their shared origin in Latin America. However, at their heart, they are fundamentally different religions. To put it blantly, the Maya civilization was the rough draft that would later be polished by the Aztec civilization.[9]
Human Sacrifices
In Aztec mythology, the destruction of the World was inevitable. The Aztecs specifically believed that this cataclysm would occur every 52 years, the moment their two central calendars—XiuhpōhualliWP: The Solar Calendar (太陽暦, Taiyōreki?) (the agricultural calendar) and TōnalpōhualliWP: The Ceremonial Calendar (祭祀暦, Saishi-reki?) (the sacred calendar)—aligned. On this marked day, the Sun was believed to lose its strength, plunging the world into darkness. As twilight approached, the entire populace would gather in Tenochtitlan for a grand ceremony. The people would extinguish every fire in their homes and village, symbolizing the close of the old cycle. They would then offer their own blood for the ritual, fervently praying for the Sun’s return, gripped by the fear that tomorrow might never come. Fueled by these passionate appeals, the Aztec priests would tear the still-beating hearts from the sacrifices and use them to ignite a new grand fire, which symbolized the rebirth of the cycle. This ritual act was believed to grant the Sun sufficient power to sustain the world for another fifty-two years, allowing the current era to be successfully reborn. While Tepeu claims that these beliefs were absurd, Grigori Rasputin suspects that, in terms of Magecraft, it was very real. He claims that it is no coincidence that their empire came to an end once they stopped making human sacrifices. It is very likely that this ritual was a Mystery dating to the Age of Myth.[7]
The conflict over human sacrifice between two major gods of the Aztec pantheon—Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca—reveals much about their distinct natures. Tezcatlipoca, who strongly upheld traditional teachings and the protection of the Mesoamerican people, was a proponent of human sacrifices. Quetzalcoatl, conversely, sought to improve the lives of the people and opposed what he considered obsolete, old-fashioned beliefs. When the Spaniards arrived in Central America in the sixteenth century, they were astonished by the prosperity of the Aztec Empire and the glittering city of Tenochtitlan. Recognizing similarities between Quetzalcoatl and their own Christian saints, the Spaniards quickly decreed him the "good" god. By contrast, his rival and opposite, Tezcatlipoca, was subsequently labeled "evil."[7]
Five Suns
In Aztec mythology, the World was said to have been created and destroyed five different times.[7][16] The Five SunsWP (五つの太陽, Itsutsu no Taiyō?) are:[16]
Second Sun - At some point in time, Quetzalcoatl became the Sun. At the end of this era, Tezcatlipoca transformed into the mountain-sized jaguar Tepēyōllōtl and crushed Quetzalcoatl's hip-bones, causing her to fall from the sky to the ground.[16]
Nahui Olin: Fifth SunWP (第五の太陽, Dai Go no Taiyō?) - During the fifth and final apocalypse, Tezcatlipoca discussed the matter with Quetzalcoatl, successfully regenerating the world and stabilizing the current world of Aztec mythology.[16]
In Aztec mythology, the people would choose a young man to embody Tezcatlipoca as a component of their worship. This exceptionary wise, brave, and handsome young man would then be given divine proclamation to become a vessel for Tezactlipoca. For one full year, the man would be made to grow stronger and more beautiful than anyone else while also being treated to banquets and entertainment that even kings and nobles could only dream of. If he did this for a full year, he would be accepted as a vessel and considered the incarnation of Tezcatlipoca.[15]
Mictlānpa (ミクトランパ, Mikutoranpa?) (North): Tezcatlipoca's domain. A zone of peaceful response and quiete. It is regarded as a temporary realm, not an eternal one. According to Tezcatlipoca, this is just a resting place for warriors before the next battle. Furthermore, this is where Daybit Sem Void was sent after his death and defeat at the hands of Ritsuka Fujimaru in the South American Lostbelt.[8]
In Aztec mythology, there is a subterranean Underworld formed by nine layers.[11][10] Collectively, these nine layers form a world named MictlānWP (ミクトラン, Mikutoran?).[11] This is the place where the souls of the humans who died from natural causes, and not combat, are sent. Its purpose was to subject the souls to numerous trials as they descended to the bottom layer, eventually making them strong enough to return to the living world.[11][8] Furthermore, Mictlan is the domain of two gods: the exceedingly cunning Mictlantecutli, and his wife, Mictecacihuatl.[8]
Itzcuintlan (イツクイントラン, Itsukuintoran?): The First Layer. It contains an enormous river called Apanohuacalhuia (アパノワカルウィア, Apanowakaruuia?). The dead had to cross the river with the help of a hairless breed of dog (無毛種の犬, Mumō-shu no Inu?) in order to make it to the other side without a large iguana, called XochitónalWP (ソチナトル, Sochinatoru?), eating them.[11]
Unknown Second Layer
Itztépetl (イツテペトル, Itsutepetoru?): The Third Layer. A mountain path filled with sharp obsidian that cuts the dead as they walk along it. Furthermore, the wind blowing across the mountain is also said to strip the dead of all the ornamentations they possessed in life. It would remove their clothes, their equipment, their possessions, and sometimes, even their very flesh, eventually leaving them as no more than skeletons. Only the soul's willingness to persevere through the suffering would allow them to be saved. According to Grigori Rasputin, it resembles Japanese's folklore's version of hell.[18]
Unknown Fourth Layer
Pancuetlacalóyan (パンクエトラカロヤン, Pankuetorakaroyan?): The Fifth level. It is an underworld composed of a massive desert region. It is believed to contain eight oases, but was also home to strong winds which would away anyone attempting to cross. The dead would cling to trees so as not to get swept up into the sky.[2]
Unknown Sixth Layer
Teyollocualóyan (テヨロクアロヤン, Teyorokuaroyan?). The Seventh Layer. It was said to be home to a terrifying starved jaguar. It would attack and eat their heart if they chose the wrong path out of fear. The jaguar, called Tepēyōllōtl: The Heart of the Mountain, was also said to be Tezcatlipoca's TonalWP: Different Aspect (別相, Bessō?).[14]
Unknown Eighth Layer
Chiconahualóyan (チコナワロヤン, Chikonawaroyan?): The bottom layer in Mictlan. Once a soul reaches this place, they will come to terms with their own life, allowing them to return to the natural world.[11]
Other
AztlánWP: The Land of Beginning (始まりの地, Hajimari no Ji?).[19]
