Morai-Heg
|
Crone redirects here. For other uses, see Crone (disambiguation). |
Morai-Heg the Crone is the third in a trinity of female Eldar goddesses who appears as a withered ancient creature who holds the fate of mortals within a skin rune pouch.[1a][2a]
History
According to myth, Morai-Heg was the consort of Kaelis Vara’lanthian (or the 'death god yet to be') and he become a father for her 'daughters' - the Banshees.[7][Note 1] At some point, the Crone Goddess sought to learn the wisdom that was contained within her divine blood. Knowing that Khaine had the only power to harm a god, she sent her daughters to haunt their father with their piercing screams. To end this torment, she asked that Khaine cut off her hand so that she could drink from her own blood. Khaine complied and severed the limb, which allowed Morai-Heg to gain the knowledge contained within her blood whilst the Aspect of the Banshee was granted to the war god in return.[2b]
At the start of the War in Heaven, Asuryan asked the Crone Goddess the fate of the gods and she replied that she could find no answer. Thus, she followed Khaine and took from him a thimbleful of his fiery blood that she burnt on the balance in her lair. When she returned, Asuryan demanded to know the answer to his question, to which Morai-Heg said that the fate of the gods was not his to know but instead the mortal Eldanesh, along with the Eldar, would determine whether their gods lived or died.[4]
After the Fall of the Eldar, the original homeworlds of the Eldar became known as the Crone Worlds.[1b] Their name was in reference to the Crone Goddess Morai-heg.[3] The inhabitants of Craftworld Iybraesil are notable for being followers of Morai-Heg.[6]
The five severed fingers of Morai-Heg went on to form the Crone Swords, relics vital to resurrect Ynnead.[5]
Ahnakh-Yth is the first daughter of Morai-Heg.[8]
Notes
- Note 1: In the White Dwarf February 2017 mentioned Kaelis Vara’lanthian in a context that he is a Ynnead (‘death god yet to be’), although this is not literally written there.[7]
Trivia
 |
- Morai-Heg is probably based on the Irish mythological figure of The Morrígan, who is mainly associated with war and fate, especially with foretelling doom, death, or victory in battle and banshees.
- Alternatively, she may be based on the Moirai, the Greek personifications of destiny.
Sources
- 1: Codex: Eldar (2nd Edition):
- 2: Codex: Eldar (4th Edition):
- 3: Warhammer 40,000: Compilation, pg. 62
- 4: Path of the Warrior (Novel), Part One - Artist - "Fate"
- 5: Gathering Storm: Fracture of Biel-Tan, pg. 39 The Fracture of Biel-Tan
- 6: Codex: Aeldari (9th Edition), pg. 28
- 7: White Dwarf February 2017, pg. 62 (e-file) The Croneswords
- 8: Lhykhis the Whispering Web – Who is the Warp Spider Phoenix Lord leaping into the new Codex: Aeldari?
