The Dragon Isles thing makes sense to me, like it was one of the places bubbled and uplifted during the End Times, floating down to take permanent orbit over Ghur, but is Texcoco one of the temple ships having landed and integrated into the landscape/a city built around it in the same way they were in the World That Was?
Hey! Thanks for the comment! Below I am posting some of what I have so far in terms of origins for the temple cities and the main characters.
In regards to the question about Texcoco:
I imagine it indeed being as you describe, a large portion of the original city or like 2 of its major original temples (havent quite worked out the finer details) that has integrated into the realm of life and its surroundinf forest/jungle with new structures built around it, its priests using fire magic to keep the ever growing magical forest from devouring the Temple City.
Itzli sounds really cool to me though, a single island floating in the sky over the waagh-swept landscapes of Ghur with the resident Star-seer wandering the landscape upon his monsterous mount, rallying the beasts around him on the eternal watch for Chaos incursions, always waiting for the Terradon that'll rally his hordes for war against a true invasion.
This, 100% lol Hes quite the badass! My short story that will focus on him will help explain how he tamed Tlanextic (which means Light of Dawn, thought it was fitting) which is how he earned his way to being a Seer (or equiv) during the world that was even though his natural magic affinity is greater than many natural spawned higher ranking priests at the time (if that makes sense...lol).
Heres the short origin story that is still WIP hope you enjoy and helps answer more than it males question lol:
The Origins of Acattopa and the Dragon Isles
In the beginning there were the stars and the darkness behind them, from the stars came the Old Ones. The Old Ones came across a planet that had not yet been tainted and corrupted by the forces of Chaos, they saw this world for the potential of infinite futures. They began warming the world, allowing those area’s further from the equator to spring with life, the savage equator filled with ancient dragons and mighty lizards who battled for dominance.
After the Old Ones had claimed this world for their own, they created spawning pools throughout the world which would create the Lizardmen, Children of the Gods. These beings were savage and calculating when doing the bidding of their masters. One of the first to be spawned, a Slann, was sent to what is now called The Dragon Isles and the Temple City of Xiuhcoatl and its sacred spawning pools. These spawning pools were blessed by Quetzl himself, said to be a giant flying reptilian with feathered wings. After Quetzl left the Temple City feathers of his were left behind where they had fallen off, encased in the stone around the pools forever granted them the gods blessings. The Slann was tasked with ruling the surrounding lands and as new races were created to help guide and teach them the ways of The Old Ones. The Dragon Isles were on a large and powerful weyline on the Geomantic Web, allowing its Slann, Skink Seers and Priests to channel its magical energies almost nonstop. Two Major Temples were built within the City, The Great Temple of Quetzl and The Great Temple of Topek. The Great Temple of Quetzl was built over the sacred pools, the other over the strongest point of magical currents and where the Warpgate was that connected the Isles to Lustria. Peace it seemed was found, and then Chaos appeared, and the Great Catastrophe began.
When the polar gates were lost and allowed Chaos to spring forth into the world, the Dragon Isles were one of the first to be hit, its magical energies among the strongest in the world. Deamons sensed out the Temple City, its Slann and his legions fighting against the darkness. Years it took to break the siege on the city, but finally with a blast of pure sunlight the Slann and his forces finally broke through and pushed the hordes back off the isles and surrounding mainland. Leaving a large defensive force behind the Slann left the Temple and City, though he cloaked the Isles in a magic barrier, making it harder to cast magic by all but the strongest wizards. The Slann or his legions never returned, lost to one of the countless battles. With the protective barrier in place Xiuhcoatl and the isles held out against the deamon hordes and were defeated with relative peace achieved throughout the world.
Within the Temple City of Chaqua a second generation Slann was spawned, Lord Ka’Rapixca. This slann being very aggressive in both war and diplomacy made many allies from the younger races and within the Lizardmen factions themselves. Upon meditation a vision came to him at the start of the great war with the skaven race, it showed the Isles off the coast of Ind being over ran by plague and disease; much like Lustria. In the visions one word came out clearer than the rest: Xiuhcoatl, the city of the fire serpents and of the forgotten blessed pools. In accordance to The Great Plan Lord Ka’Rapixca sets forth with a mighty host to reclaim the ruined Temple City.
Upon emerging from the Warp Gate within the Great Temple of Topek, the legions of Ka’Rapixca were immediately attacked upon by plague monks and the ratkin of Clan Pestilence and Clan Eshin. The fighting is fierce, as neither side seemd to gain ground. The skaven with their poison and disease slowly began to eat away at the Lizardmen’s numbers, until finally Ka’Rapixca called upon fireballs and lightning bolts to fall upon the enemies flanks, allowing his Temple guard and Kroxigors to push through, eventually pinching the core of the skaven army. Weeks go on until finally the skaven are forced off the islands and the Lizardmen are finally put into a firm defensive position. The skaven do not return, but the Great Slann finds that the sacred pools of Quetzl had been tainted, any spawn would simply perish in agony.
The Slann looks up to the stars, being from Chaqua his faith in Sotek, the new God, has been long tested but he a firm believer never faulted even in the early days of secrecy. The Slann moved closer to the Pools and did the unthinkable and waded into the biggest pool while chanting an incantation, summoning Sotek forth to purify the pools after hundreds of thousands of sacrifice. Almost immediately after Ka’Rapixca finished the incantation the jungle around the Temple City comes alive, swarms of serpents emerged and entered the temple of Quetzl. The serpents entering the pools, glistening in godly light like diamonds, each snake slithering over Quetzls feathers adding to their purifying power as they release their venom into the pools. The Slann watched the pools as they started to change from a diseased green muck to vibrant colors of life that glistened in the sun. The Slann himself on the brink of death began to feel the effects of the purification, beginning to breath easily again and the sores on his skin healing. Upon exiting the sacred pool Ka’Rapixca examines the other pools, all within the Temple purified, he begins the spawning ritual, yet only one Saurus spawns.
This first Saurus, an Oldblood, blessed by two gods was given the name "Acattopa'Cocotona-Cocoxqui" or translated in lesser tongues "The First to Destroy Disease". Spawned with thick and bony obsidian black scales with ascending shades of purple, a split tail and immune to disease, pestilence and plague; he was spawned in direct response to counter the Skaven concoctions and manufactured plagues.
Upon walking out of the pool Lord Ka'Rapixca gave the Saurus two blessed weapons: The Great Macuahuitl of Sotek and the Golden Axe of Quetzel. The Macuahuitl of Sotek has an obsidian blade which was dipped into the pools after The Great Purifying blessing it. The blessings placed on the weapon made it indestructible and gave it the venom of Sotek. This venom of the serpent god can infect any enemy causing side effects the longer the enemy is in battle, eventually making them explode from swelling. A fallen feather of Quetzel was adorned onto a singlehanded Golden Axe before Quetzl originally left, this granted its wielder greater physical resistance and the ability to seep the life essence from the enemy, healing wounds and also is known to deflect incoming attacks.
Shortly after these weapons were bestowed upon the great Saurus another swarm of glistening serpents of Sotek entered the sacred space followed by a roar that made the ground tremble and pierced the sky, a Troglodons call. A large sailless and brightly covered Troglodon approached, a Matriarch. Walking directly up to the Oldblood, as if it knew his taste in the air, the beast flicked its tongue and nudged the saurus with its head. Skinks rushed in with spears and javelins feeling their Slann threatened, immediately the Troglodon turned around sensing the vibrations readying its corrosive spray when a single command was issued "Stay your ground” and both groups immediately stopped. Acattopa walked in front of the giant lizard, gently running his claws down its scaly hide to its head and softly says "This is Metzlitlaco, blessed by Sotek and given to me for battle, my blood is her blood". From that day forth the Oldblood and his Troglodon have ended the lives of many.
In the year 1397IC upon rebuilding much of the Temple City and its defenses, Ka’Rapixca receives word from Itza that Lustria is losing the battle against the Skaven. Filled with Rage Lord Ka’Rapixca sets his mind to the Temple of Quetzl and the sacred pools within and begins to rip them from the earth itself. The Slann focuses all his magical energies and transports himself, the temple, sacred pools and his army back to Lustria in the Mosquito Swamps. There he orders Acattopa, his new champion, to wage a bloody war against all those non coldblooded in the region. Soon securing the swamps Ka’Rapixca begins to build Texcoco after having another vision showing him that the Temple City with the Sacred Pools will be integral to fighting the war against the Skaven menace and later Nurgle in a world the Slann did not recignize. In the year 1390IC Texcoco was fully built, the pools now within the joint Great Temple of Sotek and Quetzl in the center.
During the year 1334IC peace had been won for years in Lustria as Clan Pestilence was driven to The Southlands, Lord Ka’Rapixca soon went into a deep meditating slumber; hoping to reveal this new world he saw. The Slanns only commands were left to Acattopa and his Star Priest (later star seer as will be revealed in my short story: The Priest and the Thunderlizard) Itzli-Citlalli who was the first Priest spawned in Texcoco. In his commands he tells the two that they are his Stewards and to protect Texcoco and its pools no matter the cost, to watch over the Dragon Isles and Xiuhcoatl and its younger slann who was out incharge of the ancient Temple City, and to go to the defense of any Temple City if it is under threat. Upon issuing his commands the Slann closes his eyes and drifts into his meditating state.
