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Axonil
Ojer Axonil
Details
Race God
Birthplace Ixalan
Lifetime Mending Era
Parents Chimil (creator)
Relatives Taq (sibling)
Ancient One (nephew)
Divinity
Veneration Oltec religion
Temples Temple of Power
Colors
{R}

Ojer Axonil (oh-HAIR ash-oh-NEEL)[1] is a God from the Core of the plane of Ixalan.[2] As one of the Deep Gods of the Core, he is believed to be a child of Chimil.[3] Ojer Axonil is said to have torn Aclazotz's eye out,[2] and is the one to have imprisoned the bat god.[4]

Description[ | ]

Like the other Deep Gods, Ojer Axonil can change his shape.[5] His usual appearance marries the muscled body of a great warrior with the titanic form of mighty dinosaurs; in place of a head, Ojer Axonil has a naked skull ringed with gold. His right arm is the head and neck of a dinosaur tyrant, and he carries a flaming macuahuitl to use in battle. Axonil is the younger, fiery brother of Ojer Taq.[4] He is often in conflict with his sibling, but never enough to be cast out. Despite the pain that he has inflicted on the Oltec and all Komon Winaq, he has also been the mightiest to stand in defense of the Oltec.

Ojer Axonil is associated with volcanoes, fire, storms, might, and the volcanic glass obsidian.[2][6][4] He is the patron god of warriors, lamplighters, storms, fire, the summer, lightning, dinosaurs, athletes, passion, volcanoes, and mountains.[4] The Thousand Moons serve as the priests of Ojer Axonil.

History[ | ]

Ojer Axonil was born after Ojer Taq at the beginning of the Fifth Age.[4] After the veil between life and death was weakened, Aclazotz began the Whispering War. Drawn to the Core by the sounds of battle, Ojer Axonil was the first god to emerge. Aclazotz was not his kin, as Axonil expected, but a demon wearing his nephew's skin. So Ojer Axonil reached back into the firmament and warned Ojer Taq of what was happening in the Core. Then, he entered the Whispering War against Aclazotz, raising a company of one thousand champions to follow him into battle. When Aclazotz attempted to kill Ojer Taq, Axonil defeated Aclazotz, tearing out one of his eyes and imprisoning him away from the Core.

Inspiration[ | ]

Ojer Axonil may be inspired by the Aztec god Huītzilōpōchtli, a war deity who wielded a flaming serpent as a weapon, or Tezcatlipoca, who was associated with storms, obsidian, and conflict. He may also be inspired by the K'iche' Maya god Huracan, a god of storms and fire who had a serpent for a leg.

Ojer is a Kʼicheʼ Maya word referring to the past, used to mean "ancient" or to refer to ancestors.[7] Among the Oltec, "Ojer" is a title that indicates divinity. Axonil's name may come from the phrase ojer kaxonil ja, meaning "ruin."

Trivia[ | ]

  • Internally, Ojer Axonil was affectionately referred to as "Dinohands."[1][5]

In-game references[ | ]

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Quoted or referred to:

References[ | ]

  1. a b The Preview Panel at MagicCon: Barcelona (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (July 28, 2023).
  2. a b c The Preview Panel at MagicCon: Las Vegas 2023 (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (September 22, 2023).
  3. Adventure At The Core - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Debut (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (October 24, 2023).
  4. a b c d e Miguel Lopez (November 10, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to the Lost Caverns of Ixalan". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. a b Shivam Bhatt, Ovidio Cartagena (October 31, 2023). "Casual Magic Episode 196 - Ovidio Cartagena and the Lost Caverns of Ixalan". Liberated Syndication.
  6. Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 6". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. Miguel Lopez (November 8, 2023). "Lost Caverns of Ixalan Worldbuilding Q&A". Discord. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023.
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