Ometeotl is a deity in the Aztec pantheon. Ometeotl is a personification of the principle of duality which pervades much of Aztec religious thought. He is male and female, negative and positive, light and shadow, and could also be thought of as two separate gods, Ometecutli and Omeciuatl.
Description[]
Appearance and personality[]
No statue or depiction of Ometeotl has ever been made, for he is as invisible as the wind. The only image of Ometeotl that a worshipper can see are his footprints.[1]
Ometeotl is the most aloof of all deities and never answers appeals for aid. The only time he will involve himself in human affairs is if those affairs threaten the order of the universe itself. In such cases, he will send his avatar to destroy or correct the problem.[1]
Titles[]
Ometeotl is "the god-above-all", "of the near-and-close", and "he who is at the center".[1]
Abilities[]
At will, Ometeotl can create anything he wishes without tiring.[1]
Ometeotl’s avatar is always invisible, even when attacking. No means of detection, either magical or mundane, will reveal his location.[1]
Portfolio[]
In a certain sense, Ometeotl is the embodiment of the universe, and all things are a part of him.[1]
Worship[]
Dogma[]
Ometeotl seldom sends omens or warnings to his worshipers. If they do something that angers him, he simply withdraws his favor. If they do something that threatens his power or the order of the universe, he sends his avatar to destroy them.[1]
Worshipers[]
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Clergy[]
Priests of Ometeotl are free to behave as they please. However, 10% of any treasure they accumulate, and every third magic item, must be donated to Ometeotl’s temple or the god will withdraw his support.[1]
Rituals[]
Before eating, worshippers of Ometeotl are expected to offer half of their meal to their god.[1]
Orders[]
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Holy sites[]
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Holy days[]
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Holy symbol[]
Ometeotl’s holy symbol is a footprint.[1]
Favored weapon[]
Ometeotl’s avatar carries a razor sharp sword of pure obsidian. Although the avatar remains invisible at all times, if the sword is unsheathed, it becomes visible.[1]
Relationships[]
Family[]
Ometeotl is the progenitor of all the gods: first he created himself, then the other gods of the Aztec pantheon, and then everything else.[1]
Enemies[]
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Allies and minions[]
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Creatures[]
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Artifacts[]
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Realm[]
Ometeotl and the other gods of the Aztecs do not inhabit the planes. Instead, many of them live in Wildspace.[2]
History[]
Origin[]
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Ancient history[]
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Recent history[]
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Myths and legends[]
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Publication history[]
AD&D 2nd edition[]
Ometeotl is detailed in Legends & Lore (2e) (1990), p.48.
He is mentioned in The Astromundi Cluster, The Astrogator's Guide (1993), p.24 in connection to the god Pyrax, chief god of the Antilans. He is also mentioned in the Sage Advice columns of Dragon #173 (Sep 1991), p.62 and Dragon #198 (Oct 1993), p.37.
Creative origins[]
Ōmeteōtl is a deity, or pair of deities, appearing in real-world Aztec belief. The name means "dual god" in the indigenous Nahuatl language of Central America, and is thought to represent either a single progenitor deity with male and female aspects, or a pair of deities.
Reception and influence[]
Ometeotl was mentioned in the Sage Advice column of Dragon #173 (Sep 1991), p.62, where a reader questioned how a deity which embodies the universe can be barred from entering the material plane.