The first camazotz was created by the god of death to lead the souls of the dead to the underworld. The experiment failed when the camazotz refused to turn the gathered souls over, instead hoarding them for itself. As the creature's collection of stolen souls grew, it split into two identical creatures. The second camazotz immediately departed for its own territory, not wanting to vie with its progenitor for sustenance. Since their origin, each camazotz periodically multiplies in this fashion, and the newly spawned creature finds its own hunting grounds.