the Glantrian Highlands. In 1700 BC some elves found an ancient Blackmoorian artefact in that region, and they caused its explosion when they tinkered with it. The resulting radioactive rain and the nuclear winter that devastated the whole region turned it into the modern Broken Lands. The so-called Glantrian Catastrophe affected even the farthest reaches of the nearby Ethengar Steppes forming the Land of the Black Sand. The elven survivors dug underground, in at least two directions, to flee the disease and destruction. Atziann was the sole survivor of his clan, probably because they were responsible for finding the artefact and triggering its destruction. After years spent wandering underground, an embittered and vengeful Atziann emerged into the Azcan Lands in BC 1650 and began to live under the Red Sun disguised by his magic. He became slowly fascinated with the Azcan culture, and, after years of living among the Azcans and building his net of conspiracy, Atziann finally left Azca when he made contact with one of Thanatos's Burrowers, who revealed him the path towards immortality in the sphere of Entropy. When he returned to Azca after his travels took him all around the Hollow World, he used his extensive net of spies, thieves, and conspirators to usurp the priests' and Emperor's power and to create a new religion that would have helped him ascend to the top of the Azcan pantheon once he became immortal. Thanks to his deceit the cult of the new god, Atzanteotl, established a sense of unrest and rebellion among the lower castes and later got hold of the hearts and souls of the more corrupt priests, who organised a true uprising against the established rulers and forced the rightful Tlatoani, Atruatzin, to flee from the capital city. This event marked the peak of Atziann's corruptive power as a mortal and guaranteed his ascension to immortality in BC 1500. He immediately took the role he had tailored for himself, and under the identity of Atzanteotl he began to spread his words of hatred and strife in the world. But Atzanteotl had not forgotten his old enemy Atruatzin, and he tried to corrupt him with promises of eternal life and power. When the wise old emperor refused to side with him, preferring to defend the ways of the old gods, Atzanteotl sentenced him to death for his insolence. So he sent his minions to Atruatzin's fortress of Quauhnauhac to capture him. They massacred all the resistant forces trying to capture Atruatzin, who managed to flee below ground. Atzanteotl's priests silenced all those who dared speak against the new order and crowned a new puppet emperor in the name of their god. They also rewrote the historical records of the Azcans, thus obscuring the importance of the old gods in favour of the new one. Atzanteotl became the only true sun of the new Azcan era characterised by human sacrifices and brutal rituals. However, when Atzanteotl found out that Atruatzin was still alive along with several allies, and that they had found shelter in the ruins of Aengmor (now renamed
Mictlan by Atruaghin, the city of the dead), the former capital of Atzanteotl's elven kingdom in the outer world, he went mad with rage. He contacted a group of underground elves and led the unsuspecting refugees through the caves leading to the Hollow World, with the promise of a new homeland. The Schattenalf clan found Mictlan and they assaulted the citadel, killing all the humans living in the sacred temple of their new god, Atzanteotl. However, once again Atruatzin was able to flee and found refuge in Xochiquetzal's court, thus hidden from Atzanteotl's watchful gaze. Atzanteotl ordered the Schattenalfen to rebuild the city, and when they ended their task, he caused great earthquakes that killed many of his followers, forcing the survivors to move away from the city and find another place to settle. He then moved the city towards the surface of Mystara without destroying it, and placed it floating on a lava pool beneath the Broken Lands, where it was later discovered and inhabited by humanoids, who renamed it Oenkmar and converted to Atzanteotl's cult. Meanwhile the fleeing Schattenalfen emerged first in the caves of the Kogolor dwarves, beginning a vicious war against them. When Denwarf the golem was sent to help the dwarves and the elves were outnumbered, Atzanteotl guided the survivors to the grottos near the southern border with the Empire of Azca. This began the eternal rivalry that turned into a perpetual state of war between the Schattenalfen and the Azcans, worshippers of the same immortal (a situation Atzanteotl greatly enjoys). Atzanteotl was later responsible for the bloody feud between the Sohktari (manscorpions) and the Enduks (winged minotaurs) of Nimmur, and he managed to convince the Sohktari clerics to strike the old Enduk allies in their back, in order to drive them away from Nimmur and conquer the land for themselves. The Sohktari betrayed the Enduks and established Menlil (Atzanteotl's name in Nimmur) as leader of the new Nimmurian pantheon, thus earning Idu (Ixion)'s terrible curse that forces them to avoid direct sunlight or be burned to death. Now Atzanteotl's master plan is the corruption of the Shadow Elves and other humanoid races. He wants to create a schism among Rafiel's followers and thus increase his influence among the inhabitants of the underground of Mystara, hoping that one day all the outcasts living underground will emerge united under his banner to bring utter destruction to the creatures living above ground. : Atzanteotl is fascinated by the process of corruption and he especially loves to see how any kind-hearted person can fall into the abyss of Evil and regret thanks to his machinations. Often, he loses interest in one project and starts looking for new ways to spread evil. His final goal is the complete annihilation of life on the outer world, and especially the destruction of all elves. : Thanatos (who now considers Atzanteotl a deadly rival)
