Ahpub
Last updated 2026-08-15
Ahpub was the first bearer of the Ancient Name UWZ ("UWZ," Uwezo) and one of the original Six Heroes of Natlan.[2][3]
He and his twin sister, Ixquieh, joined Xbalanque in his quest to overthrow Xiuhcoatl. Ahpub then served as Chief of the Collective of Plenty during the time of the Grand Alliance.[1]
Profile
Ahpub was known to fight with blowdarts. He had an "explosive temperament," in contrast to his "calm, unflappable" sister.[1]
Story
Ahpub and Ixquieh were born when dragons still ruled Natlan. When they were young, their father "lost his life due to the Dragonlord's impulsive whims" and their mother sacrificed herself to protect them. The twins were somehow separated during this time and had to endure "countless trials." They were only able to reunite with the help of the Collective of Plenty and Children of Echoes.[1]
When they met again "before the evil dragon's corpse," the two vowed to "obliterate death, destruction, and pain" and "make it so the strong of the world can never again bully the weak." To this end, they once used trickery to strip Aj Imuch' Paxlaq Lahun, Tenth of the Thirteen Sovereign Lords, of his power and bury him alive amidst the mountains.[1][4]
At some point, Ahpub and Ixquieh met Xbalanque and declared their allegiance to him, so long as he wished to "execute fell dragons" and "stamp out suffering." This allegiance later extended to Och-Kan and the Grand Alliance. After Och-Kan became King of Ochkanatlan, Ahpub became Chief of the Collective of Plenty and Ixquieh became Chief of the Children of Echoes.[1]
All this time, Ahpub's desire for vengeance remained strong. He never publicly opposed Xbalanque's ban on harming Saurians, but his hatred for dragonkind was well-known. When Och-Kan ordered that all fleeing dragons be pursued, only Ahpub obeyed. He led his forces to his sister's door and demanded that they hand over "cruel beasts" they were harboring, but Ixquieh refused. Ahpub eventually arranged for a private meeting, which quickly devolved into an argument. Ahpub accused his sister of betraying the Alliance and their vow, but Ixquieh felt that he and Och-Kan had become too blinded by bloodlust too see reason. Temper flaring, Ahpub put his sword to Ixquieh's neck to intimidate her. However, he struck her throat by accident, and she bled out in his arms. Grief-stricken, Ahpub "walked into the incinerating fire" with his sister's body, never to be seen again.[1]
Sundjatta's account of the death of Ahpub and Ixquieh is different. According to him, Ixquieh set fire to her own workshop, including her writings about forging, and took her own life while forcing her brother do the same, to avoid his leaving a tarnished legacy like that of Och-Kan.[5] As the two accounts of their death conflict, it is more likely for this second story to be inaccurate, possibly due to Sundjatta not knowing the specifics of how their lives ended.
Ahpub and Ixquieh's adventures went on to inspire traditions of both the Collective of Plenty and the Children of Echoes.[1]
Trivia
- Ahpub is possibly derived from one of the Maya death gods, Cizin also known as Ah Puch.
- Ahpub can also be possibly derived from the Mayan word aj "person, man" and the Kʼicheʼ Maya word pub "blowgun", which may explain him using blowdarts as a fighting method.
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Ahpub |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 阿霍布 Āhuòbù |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 阿霍布 Āhuòbù |
| Japanese | アホブ Ahobu |
| Korean | 아후푸 Ahupu |
| Spanish | Ahpub |
| French | Ahpub |
| Russian | Ахпуб Akhpub |
| Thai | Ahpub |
| Vietnamese | Ahpub |
| German | Ahpub |
| Indonesian | Ahpub |
| Portuguese | Ahpub |
| Turkish | Ahpub |
| Italian | Ahpub |