The alter-egos of Maya shamans and rulers roles often overlapped, especially in the Preclassic period. The pre-classic shaman-rulers were said to be able to reach the inaccessible places where the rain gods dwelled, and intercede with them for the people. This, combined with his belief that he could not be a good ruler for humanity and was thus unfit to become the Anemo Archon, led Boreas to choose death.