Morrigan
| "Queen of Ghosts" | |
| Pantheon: | Celtic |
| AoC: | Battle, war |
| Symbol: | A sword hilt |
| Home P/L/R: | the Outlands/Tir na Og (the Bloody Field) |
This power's full name is Morrigu Morrigan, but many folks call her "the Morrigan" (much like they do the Daghdha, though in her case it's not so much respect as fear). She takes the form of a shapely young woman, though she has a hideous crone's face and is given to fits of maniacal laughter. She's deeply and keenly interested in battle, and she has even been heard to call the Daghdha a coward for daring to make peace with other pantheons. The Morrigan is vicious and cruel, and chant says any of her worshippers who flee a battle fall dead on the spot.
Her realm is called the Bloody Fields, and it's far too much like Ysgard for the comfort of many of the petitioners of Tir na Og. Sods who aren't warlike steer clear. But for bashers with battle in their spirits, the Bloody Field's a great place. The Morrigan's petitioners can fight and fight, every single wound regenerating come noontime. If they die, they come back to life.
The same doesn't apply to visitors; they go straight to the dead-book and stay there. What's more, any berk who doesn't have a warrior's heart (in other words, anyone who doesn't fight for the sheer pleasure of battle) suffers damage that takes twice as long to heal if they take part in the Bloody Field's carnage.
The realm has no towns or buildings, just a bundle of caves (the Caverns of Woe) that're more often used as an extension of the battleground. A canny traveller knows to find a few trustworthy bashers and have 'em guard his back while he sleeps. 'Course, it ain't considered sporting to kill a berk while he dozes, but that doesn't stop the Field's more bloodthirsty petitioners.
The four proxies of the Morrigan are the warrior-queens Macha, Fen, Neman, and Badb. Some Celtic scholars think the four are minor powers themselves, and their ferocity in battle doesn't give the lie to the chant. Macha can incite violence in men simply by looking at them. Fen has the ability to soften the ground beneath a berk's feet through sheer force of will - even solid rock turns to mud within a few minutes. Neman is said to have a dragon's fear-inducing effect on any who come close, and Badb can assume the form of a raven and command all carrion birds near a battlefield.