Day V - Xiuhcoatl

Aztec emperors,

Hold the fiery serpent,

Weapon of the sun.

Brandished by fire god Xiuhtecuhtli to do wicked things like scorch his sister, the unpronounceable but pretty-darn cool Xiuhcoatl was a fire serpent of great significance to Aztec mythology. An incendiary snake said to be the animal spirit of the fire deity, the Xiuhcoatl was also wielded by the sun god Tonatiuh to flame his opponents. Prominent in Aztec art and architecture, Xiuhcoatl's image was replicated on the royal diadem so the emperors could hold up the reptile and claim "yeah! I am the mighty hot powerful overlord!" Had the Aztecs unleashed smouldering serpents on the Conquistadores, their empire would still be standing strong in Central America...