When a young warrior of Tepac performs outstandingly in battle he is honored by being sacrificed to Quetzlcocuteatl. He is taken to the top of the tallest temple pyramid in his city. Four high priests lift him to a golden, blood-stained altar wich is shaped like a flattend cylinder. One priest each takes a limb and holds down the warrior. Then a messenger of the gods appears in a flash of light, wearing black armor and holding an ornate obsidian knife. The messenger of the gods takes the obsidian blade and cuts open the young warrior's abdomen. The messenger of the gods reaches into a special pouch on his belt and shoves his hand into the young warriors abdomen. Then both the warrior and the messenger of the gods disappear in a flash of light.
When the young warrior awakes he is in an entirely different location. He is lying on an obsidian table staring up at an immensly high cieling. He is surrounded on all sides by tall noble warriors dressed in black white and red armour. Some of the marines wear the skins of jagaurs on thier shoulders, others that of eagles, and others that of serpents. Then one particuraly noble marine wearing white dragon scales looks down on the young warrior and says "Welcome to the hall of the gods," "We are the Sons of Quetzlcocuteal, and you may one day be one of us. I am you Dragon Lord" The man in black who slit open the young warrior then appears "I am a Death Priest, and I have just implanted you with the primogenitor organ, one of the many organs that will follow." The Death Priest gives the groggy warrior a name and then drugs him.
The young warrior is implanted with many more organs, turning him into a super-human. While the organs are being implanted the marine-to-be is thouroghly trained in the arts of war. Many of these warriors are eliminated, because they are not brave enough, smart enough, stong enough, or tough enough. These warriors that are eliminated stay with the chapter, performing the menial tasks. Some are trained as ship-pilots, others make weapons in the factories and others act as Tepac's defense force when The Sons Of Quetzlcocutatl are off on a crisade.
When all of the extra organs are implanted, the warriors are formed into units of scouts, each unit led by a full fledged marine. For the first time in the warrior's life since he was "sacrificed" he is allowed to fight in a true battle. The scouts fight for a full year, on alien battlefields against all manner of enemies.
At the end of this year a council of ancient warriors gather, some are death priests, some are Dragon Warriors, and one is the company's Dragon Lord. Each scout is called forward, and a scribe calls out his achievements in battle, and his style of fighting. The ancient marines whisper to each other, and eventually come up with a decision. The young marine is given a totem, wich, depending on his personality and skills is either that of a Serpent, Jaguar, or Eagle.
Sons of Quetzalacaotl who are particuraly ferocious in hand to combat are given the totem of the Jaguar. The forests of Tepac are the prowling grounds of huge Jagaurs, that hunt man and beast alike. All Jaguar Warriors are fierce, powerful, and extremely savage in battle. Thier favored weapons are powered fists, swords, and clubs. When they charge into combat they let the snarling beast within them emerge, and they pounce on thier enemies like great hunting cats.
The skies of Tepac are ruled by huge birds of prey, similar to eagles of ancient earth. The bulk of Sons of Quetzalacoatl are Eagle Warriors. Eagle Warriors are the archetypical fighter, brave, deadly, and flexible.
The Swampy Marshes of Tepac are home to both small animals, and a few huge ones. One such beast is the swamp Serpent. These are huge crocodile-like snakes over ten feet long. Swamp Serpents silently wait for prey, completely submerged in water. When their prey appears, it lashes out in a sudden display of its powerful jaws. Serpent Warriors are equally tenacious, and wait for thier prey, and then lash out with thier powerful weaponry. Serpent Warriors are ussualy armed with heavy weapons like lascannon, missle-launchers, and multi-meltas.
Grey Warriors are young marines in training who have not been given a totem yet. There shoulder pads are unoainted plasteel, wich is a dull grey color. This is why they are called Grey Warriors. Grey Warriors use lighter armor and weapons than full fledged marines, allowing them to sneak forward ahead of the rest of the army.
When a Son of Quetzlcocuteatl performs an outstanding deed in battle the Death-priests of his company gather to decide if he deserves a place in the elite group of Space Marines known as the Dragon Warriors. When a Son of Quetzlcocuteatl is inducted into the Dragon Warriors he severes all ties with his previous totem and is given a new totem, that of the Dragon, of Quetzlcocuteatl himself. Dragon Warriors fight with thier favorite weapons, wether these are power swords or lascannon. A few Dragon Warriors are honored with the privlige of wearing ancient terminator armor. Dragon Warriors fight in either small squads or as the leaders of other types of squads.
The most powerful Dragon Warrior in each company is appointed the Dragon Lord, and leads the company ino battle. The Dragon Lord fights with any weapons he prefers, often ancient hierlooms of the chapter. Dragon Lords are often accompanied in battle by a bodygaurd of Dragon Warriors.