Today we are presenting to you one of many
terrifying creatures you'll have to face in the dangerous world of
Mictlan.
[h3]Tlahuelpuchi: a blood-sucking creature.[/h3]
The Tlahuelpuchi are mythological beings of
Tlaxcala folklore, whose origin is still debated among specialists.
Usually female, these creatures were
born with a curse that would accompany them forever.
The witches had the ability to transform themselves into several animals, such as buzzards, cats, dogs and turkeys. The power to
shape-shift usually came around the age of puberty. At this time, the young Tlahuelpuchi began to crave human blood.
Their
bloodthirst could only be satisfied by feeding on the blood of
infants, who they kidnapped from their rural communities, fleeing to the mountains.
One of the places where the Tlahuelpuchi met to plot their evils, were the ruins of the
temple of Teopanzolco, which was located between Atla and Xolotla, over a hill where, at night, you could see a long line of
fireballs: one of the forms that the Tlahuelpuchi used in order to travel over the skies.
These creatures could actually also
live incognito in their villages, that's why, even in modern folklore, couples with children and women with unbaptized babies
protect themselves and their families by putting orange branches on the roof or their clothes upside down near the crib of the infant, or even by positioning cross-shaped objects under it.
As a matter of fact, the belief in these otherwordly beings has
remained alive until well into the twentieth century in some villages in Mexico.
In
Mictlan, the Tlahuelpuchi will be
adversaries for you to defeat.
For their design, we seek to recreate lunar elements, referring to figures such as the
goddess Coyolxauhqui and the
Tzitzimimes, which are the most common inspirations for contemporary Tlahuelpuchi.
If you're enjoying seeing how
Mictlan is developing and you would like to see more of our game, please support us by registering on
Kickstarter and follow Mictlan!
