Morrígan
The Morrígan is a triune war and fate goddess, appearing as maiden, mother, and crone—or as a crow on the battlefield. She incites and foretells conflict, offers sovereignty to worthy kings, and curses those who spurn her.
Story beats
- 1) She meets heroes like Cú Chulainn, offering aid or love; refusal draws her ire.
- 2) Shifting into crow, eel, or wolf, she hampers foes mid-battle, testing their valor.
- 3) She foretells doom with a washer-at-the-ford aspect, washing bloodied armor before a warrior’s death.
- 4) After victory, she proclaims glory; after defiance, she seals fates, embodying war’s inevitability.
Context & symbolism
The Morrígan fuses sovereignty, land, and battle frenzy. As a crow, she haunts liminal moments when life and rulership hang in balance. Her triune nature reflects cyclical power—youth, vigor, wisdom—within one divinity.
Encounters with her test humility and consent; rulers who honor her pact gain legitimacy tied to the land’s will.
Motifs
- Crow on a shoulder during war
- Washer at the ford foretelling death
- Triple goddess faces
- Offer of sovereignty through union
Use it in play
- Battlefield omen: a crow offers prophecy or aid for a price.
- Contest of humility: honor the goddess or face curses before war begins.
- Quest to wash bloody armor in a haunted ford to avert a foretold death.
- Political arc: accept the Morrígan’s pact to legitimize a kingdom, gaining boons and obligations.