Morrigan

Morrigan is a Witch of the Wilds, one of innumerable sorceresses whose legends originate in the Korcari Wilds. She is a companion to the Warden and a romance option for a male Warden. Morrigan can also teach the Shapeshifter specialization.
== Background ==
Morrigan is the daughter of Flemeth, the legendary Witch of the Wilds who has reputedly given birth to scores of daughters and has lived for centuries, though Morrigan is unwilling or unable to confirm Flemeth's true origins. Whatever Flemeth's history, Morrigan was raised by her in isolation from civilization. Flemeth instilled a distrust of humankind in Morrigan, strictly forbidding her from venturing out into settlements. As such, Morrigan sought solace among nature and the animals of the Korcari Wilds, into whose forms she would often shapeshift. 
Starting in 9:20 Dragon, when she was seen observing a group of Avvar hunters from afar, Morrigan was spotted several times in the towns and villages near the Korcari Wilds; she would pick out a local who drew her interest and then question them until she drew too much attention or lost interest. Although Morrigan is adept at using her wiles to manipulate people, due to her isolated upbringing she is unfamiliar with some of the nuances of human interactions. Morrigan would sometimes use her exploration of civilization to learn about social etiquette but was inundated by the subject and eventually lost interest. After giving up on trying to understand human society, Morrigan returned to the Wilds and swore to Flemeth that she was never leaving again.
When she reached a sufficient age, Morrigan would occasionally assist Flemeth in eliminating threats to them. If templars hunted the pair, Morrigan would often play the part of the innocent girl in fear for her life, while in reality leading the men to her mother, and thus to their doom. 
It is implied that Morrigan's father, who is unknown, was likely of Chasind origin.According to Alistair, upon meeting Morrigan in the Korcari Wilds in Dragon Age: Origins. This indication is bolstered by Flemeth's history of using Chasind men to breed, as per Codex entry: Flemeth.
== Involvement ==
=== Dragon Age: Origins ===
Morrigan first encounters The Warden in the Korcari Wilds, following them in animal form and later leading them to Flemeth, who held ancient Grey Warden documents necessary for the completion of their Joining. Following the Battle of Ostagar, Morrigan helped nurse The Warden and Alistair back to health, later accompanying them on their quest at the behest of Flemeth. While Morrigan had always intended to leave the Korcari Wilds to see the world, Flemeth insisting that she leave to aid the Grey Wardens end the Fifth Blight was not the manner in which she had expected it to happen.
As a child, Morrigan once saw a traveling noblewoman by her carriage and was enthralled by the wealth and beauty she exuded. Morrigan stole a lavish hand mirror from the noblewoman's carriage and Morrigan went on to treasure her bauble after bringing it back to the Korcari Wilds. When Flemeth found out about Morrigan's thievery and that she risked discovery for a pretty bauble, Flemeth smashed the hand mirror to teach her daughter a lesson. Although heartbroken, Morrigan learned a valuable lesson that day: love and beauty are fleeting and meaningless, while survival and power are important and sensible.
Flemeth's harsh lessons has engendered in Morrigan a self-serving attitude. She can be callous to those she has little respect for and will encourage the Warden to acquire power even if it comes at the expense of others. Although her agenda remains a mystery, she has a fascination with ancient magic and power and also sympathizes with fellow Apostates considered to be Maleficars.
After receiving and examining Flemeth's Black Grimoire, Morrigan claims that her mother plans to possess her body in order to prolong her own life. To prevent this, Morrigan asks the Warden to slay Flemeth. 
On the eve of the Battle of Denerim, after the Warden learns from Riordan that a Grey Warden must die in order to defeat the Archdemon, Morrigan offers an alternative. If she can conceive a child with a Grey Warden, the Archdemon's soul will pass into the unborn child rather than the Grey Warden who strikes the killing blow.
=== Witch Hunt ===
=== The Darkspawn Chronicles ===
=== Dragon Age: The Last Court ===
=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
== Quests ==
=== Dragon Age: Origins ===
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==== Witch Hunt ====
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=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
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=== Dragon Age: The Veilguard ===
== Romance ==
Morrigan's responses to a romancing male Warden when she is chosen in the field or approached for dialogue are initially bored or sarcastic, but will (as with others) evolve with advancing Approval and breadth of topic, becoming flirtatious, sultry and even girlish. When engaging her in conversation, it is important to remember that she values independence and power above all. For successful advances it is best to agree with her "survival of the fittest" philosophy; she disdains any display of soft-heartedness. (That being said, if the Warden plays the "contemptuous of love" card too strongly, he may spoil his chances of intimacy with her.) She also appreciates open-minded curiosity regarding her apostate status and 'uncivilized' upbringing.
== Gifts ==
Quite simply, Morrigan likes shiny stuff - mostly jewelry.
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== Statistics ==
Morrigan starts at least at level 5.
=== Initial attributes ===
Relative attribute weightings on auto-level:
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Strength	Dexterity	Willpower	Magic	Cunning	Constitution
0.125 	0.25 	1.125 	1.5 	0 	0
=== Initial specialization ===
: (obtained before level 7)
=== Initial skills ===
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=== Initial spells (PC) ===
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Shapeshifter	  (level 8)
Primal 	  (level 7)   (level 6)
Spirit 	
Entropy 	     
=== Initial spells (PS3, Xbox360) ===
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Shapeshifter	
Primal 	   
Spirit 	
Entropy 	    (level 7)  
=== Initial equipment ===
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Weapons 	
Clothing 	
Accessories	
=== Restricted gear ===
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=== Plot skills ===
== Quotes ==
==== Dragon Age: Origins ====
* "You look upon the world around you and you think you know it well. I have smelled it as a wolf, listened as a cat, prowled shadows that you never dreamed existed."
* "Men are always willing to believe two things about a woman: one, that she is weak, and two, that she finds him attractive."
* "Apparently everyone seems to agree that a Blight is the perfect time to start killing each other. Marvelous, really." 
* "How odd. We now have a dog and Alistair is still the dumbest one in the party."
* (On the Circle Tower) "So the mages are all locked within? A fitting end for all those who gave up their own freedom."
* (On intimidating Lothering's Revered Mother) "Now we threaten priests? How fun!"
* (Witch Hunt) "Flemeth once told me that temptation lies in the forbidden. 'Do not follow me,' I said, and slipped into the shadows. Some doors should never be re-opened."
===== Dialogue =====
(After completing Flemeth's Real Grimoire)
* Morrigan: "'Tis a curious thing. I do not know how else to describe it."
* Warden: "Oh? Did you have your first feeling?"
* Morrigan: "(Laughs) That would be rather unlikely, would it not?"
=== Dragon Age: The Last Court ===
* "It is a delight to deal with someone reasonable at last. You would not believe the fools I have had to endure at court. The laws of courtesy are so inconvenient: do not set fire to this chevalier, do not encase that baroness in a block of ice... How are we supposed to get through the day?"
* "Magic thrives on use. A mage who fears her magic cannot master it. When the demons come calling, she will not have the strength to deny them. The Circles are a cage made from fear. I cannot decide who is more stupid: the ones who built the cage, or the ones who allow themselves to be put in it."
=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
* (To Flemeth) "I am many things, but I will not be the mother you were to me."
* "The magic of old must be preserved. No matter how feared."
* "Mankind blunders through the world, crushing what it does not understand; elves, dragons, magic...the list is endless. We must stem the tide, or be left with nothing more than the mundane. This I know to be true."
== Appearances ==
=== In Dragon Age media ===
Morrigan is one of three companions who appear in the Dragon Age: Origins promotional trailer, Sacred Ashes. She is modelled after Victoria (a.k.a. Victorria) Johnson.
Morrigan is named or referred to various times throughout Dragon Age II: during the first visit to Sundermount in the quest Long Way Home; by Alistair during the quest King Alistair, or if exiled, when talking to him in the Hanged Man; by Anders during dialogue regarding mages; finally, an illustration of Morrigan is also present in the ending.
In Dragon Age Legends, Morrigan appears as a companion if the player unlocks "Morrigan Room" (requires two expansion rooms) and places it in their castle.
=== In other media ===
Morrigan appears alongside Commander Shepard from Mass Effect as cameo characters in MySims SkyHeroes, the sixth game in EA's MySims franchise.Morrigan on the MySims wiki Similarly, a character named Morrigan Hemlock can be found in The Sims 3, via the Late Night expansion pack.
Morrigan is featured in the Penny Arcade Dragon Age comic, along with Flemeth.
== Codex entries ==
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== Notes ==
* Morrigan was written by David Gaider, and named after a character in a LARP that Gaider once ran. Morrigan's initial design had her more similar to Flemeth; "talking in circles" and "kind of out there". According to David Gaider, a previous version of Morrigan's dialogue was modelled upon the way the character Delirium (from the comic book Sandman) would speak.
* This more whimsicle version of Morrigan was eventually scrapped, and her mode of speech changed: unlike any other character, Morrigan speaks with a tendency towards older forms of English, using words such as "'tis" and grammar such as "were I you". She behaves more as a "teenage girl who just resents her mother", and speaks in blunt statements in opposition to Flemeth's abstruse ones. 
* Morrigan's voice actor was difficult to cast. Both Morrigan and Flemeth were originally supposed to have a Persian accent, but the idea was scrapped during the audition phase. Eventually, Claudia Black auditioned for a different role, but the team listened to her recording and thought she would be "perfect" for Morrigan. 
* Early on in Dragon Age: Origins development, a historical framing for the story was considered, with narration by an old woman thought to be Flemeth, who was later revealed to be Morrigan. 
* Early concepts of the Dark Ritual also had Morrigan able to conceive with any character, including female Wardens, which was eventually cut for time. A cut-scene was proposed to show Morrigan (either as a friend or a romantic interest) being conflicted over the Dark Ritual, but was also cut from the game. The comic Dragon Age: The Revelation, a collaboration between David Gaider and Irma Ahmed ("Aimo"), gives one scenario of what might have happened.
* In BioWare's character file for her, her appearance is described as: "A svelte, exotic-looking young woman with long black hair and large eyes. Her body is relatively thin and not strong."Dragon Age: Origins Resource File: morrigan.chr Actress Kate Mulgrew, who plays Morrigan's mother Flemeth, has said that "Morrigan is innocent. She is beautiful. She is vulnerable."
== Trivia ==
* According to Gaider, Morrigan is not an atheist.
* Morrigan is one of the only party members (along with Sten) to recognize that the dream the sloth demon creates in the Fade isn't real.
* After the fight in the Tower of Ishal, a conversation with Morrigan can lead Alistair to inquire about her cooking skills. After some banter, she will comment that she knows "fifteen different poisons" that grow right in the Korcari Wilds. However, Morrigan has no initial Poison-Making ability; instead she has Herbalism.
* While she does not have the blood mage specialization, Morrigan states that some of the magic she knows might be considered blood magic by some.As stated to the Warden when explaining the Dark Ritual and when meeting the Inquisitor.
* Morrigan's dress in Dragon Age: Inquisition's quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts appears very similar to the clothes Leliana wanted to dress Morrigan in from Dragon Age: Origins ambient dialogue: "Dark red velvet, yes. With gold embroidery. It should be cut low in the front of course, we don't want to hide your features."
** According to a conversation between Leliana and a messenger in Dragon Age: Inquisition (if Kieran is present in the world state), Morrigan claims that her red velvet dress was chosen by her son, Kieran, to which Leliana exclaims that "the boy has wonderful taste."
* Morrigan's first words to both the Warden and the Inquisitor are "Well, well. What have we here."
* The narrator of Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas includes a recipe for nettle soup which they liken to Morrigan, as both the plant and the mage are helpful despite the bristly exterior, and often times misunderstood.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 65
== Bugs ==
* There is an exploit through which Morrigan can be brought to shortly after the party's arrival in Lothering. See the final section of The Qunari Prisoner.
* If the Warden is in a romance with Morrigan and talks to her in Arl Eamon's Estate, her first response is the one normally made to a friendly Warden. However, the game still considers that Morrigan and the Warden are together and thus this bug doesn't have any lasting effects. In the Xbox, downloaded PS3 and some PC versions, if the Warden kisses her, she seems to disappear, but is next to Dog.
* If you send Morrigan away in Redcliffe Castle before speaking to Riordan about killing the Archdemon, she won't be there after you speak to Riordan and so you won't be able to talk about the Dark Ritual with Morrigan and therefore be unable to continue the main quest.
* Witch Hunt may have a bug in which Morrigan will reference the Warden refusing the Dark Ritual even if there was no refusal. In any case, all of the final choices are still available.
* Morrigan may mistakenly refer to a male Warden as her former lover in Dragon Age: Inquisition if an imported Warden did not romance anyone during Dragon Age: Origins.
== Gallery ==
Morrigan concept art.jpg|Concept art
SA Morrigan WB.png|Morrigan inflicts Walking Bomb on a hurlock in the Sacred Ashes trailer
Morrigan-Ogre.jpg|Concept Art
Inquisition art 2.jpg|Morrigan on the Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 1 book cover art.
MorriganDAI.jpg|Morrigan in the Fires Above trailer
Morrigan_Dress.jpg|Morrigan's ball gown, front and back.
Keep Morrigan detail.jpg|Morrigan's romance tile in the Dragon Age Keep
Morrigan HoDA.png|Morrigan in her ballgown in Heroes of Dragon Age
Morrigan HoDA in game.jpg|Tier progression of Morrigan in Heroes of Dragon Age
Dragonmorrigan.png|Morrigan's dragon form in Heroes of Dragon Age
== References ==
== External links ==
* Introducing Dragon Age Inquisition Character Kits
* Morrigan Character Guide
* BioWare Wiki Morrigan (archived)
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