No different physically from other Ahua can, the Itzcoatl are the children of Ixchel who turned to the worship of Tezcatlipoca and forsook their Sires and siblings. Over time, the teachings of Shaitan and his Ba'ali, as well as life among the Sabbat, has changed the Itzcoatl's outlook, but they are in essence just outlaw Ahua Can. [The spread of the Ba'ali discipline over the use of Obfuscate might be an excuse to replace one with the other, but I leave that to each Storyteller, I kept Obfuscate and made the Itzcoatl pay for it as a non Clan discipline.]

Although the Itzcoatl are Ba'ali converts, they have some marked differences from that Bloodline. Firstly, many of them have grown aware that they were foolish to join Tezcatlipoca and that they are now outlaws. They have forsworn the duty of the Ahua Can, but have found no joy in the self imposed Slavery of the Ba'ali. They are truly miserable creatures with destruction looming in either direction. The majority of the Itzcoatl pay lip service to the devotion to darkness that the Ba'ali espouse, but in private, they rue the day they chose to succumb to their weakness.

Nickname: Obsidian Snakes

Appearance:
As with the uncorrupted Ahua Can, the Itzcoatl are of the native stock from the great South American Tribes. Many more of them are of Hispanic and African stock, and a growing percentage of white mortals have been embraced. The Bloodline has a preference for bright colours and gemstones as well as feathers. The Tribal tattoos and body modifications also come across as a common motif and Bloodline identity and more than one Itzcoatl has had her dead flesh mollified by Tzimisce in Mexico.

Haven
Most neonates find solace in the hearts of the cities, specifically Mexico, making alliances with the Sabbat vampires there or keeping to themselves. The Ba'ali and Sabbat converts are city dweller's and such Ahua Can are much harder to tell apart from the average Vampire than their Rural cousins.

Background:
The Itzcoatl embrace those with a flair for the demonic, the twisted occultists that even the standard Ba'ali prefer seem to appeal to this Offshoot. However, any who seem to show an understanding of the ancient Empires and its teachings are in with the dubious chance of being embraced.

Character Creation:
The Itzcoatl, as with the Ahua Can, rely strongly on the worship and servitude of their retainers, they surround themselves with the most desperate and despicable thugs and keep them in line with the tools of the charlatan. Whether they are drug pushers or the next Alistair Crowley, their personal Charisma seems to attract all the servants they require. The Itzcoatl favour traits such as Performance, Streetwise, Intimidation, Occult and Subterfuge.

Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate (or Daimonion), Presence, Canes Serpentis


Clan weakness:
As the typical Ahua Can, however the fact that the Itzcoatl already allowed their beast to lead them into damnation once has a noticeable effect on them. Any time they fail to resist their weakness, they are likely to become prone to severe depression and despair. The reminder of their fall from grace weighs heavy on their heart at these times. The Storyteller may feel justified in calling for a degeneration roll or maybe a change in demeanour or even in Nature.

Organization:
The Ba'ali converts are organised around their devotion to their new Lord and his Infernal masters. They hide amidst satanic cults and practitioners of the Occult, giving rise to every myth from Cuppacabra to the Kidney stealing gangs.

Gaining Clan Prestige:
The conflict with the Ahua Can is predominating as the focus for these outcasts, as are the orders of the Ba'ali. Success in any of these conflicts brings respect and admiration from others in the Bloodline as does a head count of worshippers. In the days of the Aztec Empire the amount of sacrifices carried out to honour each vampire God became the benchmark of power and respect and this has devolved to a counting coup amongst gangs and serial killers. The amount of misery and blood letting each Itzcoatl creates is the talking point of their meetings.



Stereotypes:
The Camarilla -
· "Humans with fangs! Well perhaps that is a trifle simplistic, but then so are all of thier traditions and laws."

The Sabbat -
· "The Sabbat are an amusing distraction, worthy warriors perhaps and certainly more in tune with thier natures than the Camarilla. What really marks them as acceptable companions in the backstreets of Mexico is thier lack of Morality, they do not fear the gift they have been given."

The Inconnu -
· "I have no Idea what you are talking about."

The Ba'ali -
· "We are the Priests of Darkness, our Blood is blacker than Obsidian and the Children of Tezcatlipoca are a poor reflection of our glory. They think they have brought us low, that they tempted our weak childer and perverted our teachings, but all they did was remind us of our true natures. The Darkness within us is the final darkness that will reign when this Sun ends, the Darkness that the world is plummeting towards."

The Followers of Set -
· "One has only to speak with these children of Quetzalcoatl to see the purity of the Itzcoatl. Our Father, whom thay call sutekh, led them down the same righteous path of corruption that we took alone."