Read the title again. It says “Aztec.” Not “Blood.” Blood Magic and Aztechnology are so closely intertwined in the minds of many in the shadows that they are viewed as one in the same (and both use the same term, nahualli, for their priests). But the magic as practiced by Aztechnology is not deeply tied to Aztec traditions—it’s mainly connected to the way Aztechnology likes to function.

But enough about what the Aztec tradition is not. What it is, at the core, is the idea that every living being, even the gods, share a portion of their soul with an animal twin. Every nahualli must have a mentor spirit that represents their animal twin, and their relationship to that mentor is complex. They do not so much try to emulate the traits of their mentor as incorporate those traits in their magic, using the skills of their mentor to compliment their own abilities.

There are traditionalists following Aztec ways who insist that elaborate headdresses and flowery plumage are the only proper garb for one performing Aztec magic, but they are offset by others who believe the mana you wield does not much care how you look. To them, their relationship with their mentor and the spirits they can channel through them are what matters. If a weighty headdress helps you focus on your work, that’s fine. But if you can do what you need with a baseball cap on while sparing yourself a headache, so much the better.

In former times, ritual spellcasters were largely attracted to the Aztec tradition, but recent years have seen a number of individual spellcasters following this path as well. This is due, at least in part, to people separating Aztec from Aztechnology and deciding that following the one did not mean tying yourself in with the other. These spellcasters can often be found in more rural areas as they seek to better commune with their mentor in the wild. The rough life they sometimes lead has ended up being attractive to some adepts as well, who often enjoy a physical challenge.

Tlalli Ichtaca was on her way to becoming a nahualli in Tenochtitlan when she stumbled across a Matrix site explaining the differences between what she was learning and older Aztec traditions, and she decided the older ways were much more appealing. Aztechnology does not like to give up on its people easily, though, so she quickly understood that she’d be best serve leaving Aztlan. She managed to escape to the Pueblo section of Denver, where she figured she would be safe from Aztechnology’s prying eyes. She set up shop teaching people her newfound ways, and became known for her patience and good humor. The recent return of Aztechnology to Denver has made her situation more precarious, though at least she now has a cadre of students to watch her back.