Atlocatl
The Atlocatl is a swarm of spiders that can take the form of a canoe.
Overview
Active in 15th- to 16th-century Mesoamerica, the Atlocatl was said to have originally been a spider demon who battled with, and eventually was defeated by, the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. On the advice of Quetzalcoatl, the god tore the demon into a thousand pieces and wove it into a boat.
When in water, this canoe moves at decent, though not exceptional, speed. Its true power emerges on making landfall. It breaks up into a swarm of spiders eight yards wide. This swarm follows the canoe's owner, attacking her enemies and helping intimidate foes. The swarm will re-corporate into a canoe when the owner enters water.
In the modern day, the Atlocatl is remarkably well-preserved. Even centuries of use would not wear it down.
References
- CofD: Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras, p. 245
