Tascela
Role
A powerful and enigmatic sorceress and the true power behind the Tecuhltli clan.
Secrets
Possesses the secret of perpetual youth and is centuries old; was once the lover of Olmec.
Dialogue
Cool, sardonic, and slurringly caressing, often carrying a tone of mockery.
Appearance
Tall, lithe, and exceptionally beautiful. She wears a broad strip of gilt-worked purple cloth and jeweled breast-plates. Her eyes are dark and enigmatic, blazing like black moons. She possesses unnatural strength and a hypnotic gaze.
Background
A woman from the shores of Lake Zuad who was given the secret of immortality by a Stygian priest; she has remained young for centuries.
Identified
true
Motivations
To maintain her youth and immortality by sacrificing young women like Valeria.
Personality
Indifferent, callous, and mysterious. She is a master of mesmerism and ancient magic, detached from human emotion and driven by the need to maintain her youth through sacrifice.
Competencies
Witchcraft, perpetual youth, mesmerism, and skilled swordplay.
Plot Relevance
She is the catalyst of the entire feud and the final antagonist of the story.
First Appearance
The throne room of Tecuhltli
Timeline
Appearance in the Throne Room
Tascela is introduced as the princess of Tecuhltli, staring intensely at Valeria.
Battle of the Throne Room
She fights with a sword during the Xotalanc invasion, remaining untouched.
Revealed as the Witch
Techotl reveals to Conan that she is the original woman who started the feud fifty years ago.
Enslaving Olmec
Tascela uses hypnotic power and a drugged wine to paralyze Olmec and drag him to torture.
Attempted Sacrifice of Valeria
Tascela prepares to sacrifice Valeria on a black altar to restore her own youth.
Death by Valeria
Tascela is stabbed through the heart by Valeria after Tolkemec's attack.
Explore more
Chicmec
A scout for the Tecuhltli clan whose death serves as a narrative catalyst.
Characters
Valeria Discovers the City of Xuchotl
manuscript
Plot & Structure
The Great Hall System
## Overview The **Great Hall System** is the primary architectural and navigational artery of the city of **Xuchotl**. Unlike traditional cities, Xuchotl is constructed as a single, massive, interconnected structure under one roof, with the Great Hall serving as the equivalent of a main street. ## Mechanics and Rules * **Orientation:** The hall traverses the entire city from the **North Gate** to the **South Gate**. * **Dimensions:** It is described as being of "heroic proportions," with a length so vast that its vista grows indistinct in the distance. * **Construction:** The floor is composed of square tiles of a red stone that smolders with the reflection of flames. The walls are made of green jade, and the vaulted ceiling is crafted from lapis lazuli. * **Illumination:** The hall is lit by clusters of **Green Fire-Jewels** set into the ceiling, which glow with a poisonous radiance, supplemented by crystalline skylights that allow filtered sunlight to enter. ## Narrative Significance The Great Hall represents the only major open space within the claustrophobic, palace-like city. It acts as the boundary between the warring factions of **Tecuhltli** and **Xotalanc**. Techotl notes that the city gates, which terminate this hall, have not been opened for fifty years, emphasizing the isolation of the inhabitants.
World & Mechanics