Morgain la Fée
Morgain la Fée (* 497 in Tintagel, † 629 in Tintagel), also known as Morgan le Fay, Morgaine, Morgana, Feimorgan and Famurgan, is a fascinating figure in magical history, known for her prodigious skill as a witch and her formidable reputation as a rival to Merlin himself.
Personality
Morgain was raised with a deep understanding of the magical arts and an unwavering sense of pride in her ancestry as a witch, and she kept this pride until her death. While she was known to use her magic and beauty to manipulate, seduce and deceive others to get her way, she was not as malicious as she is often portrayed. She was simply taught by her fellow witches to use her powers and her "female magic" to achieve her goals. While Morgain considered herself above Mundanes, she felt no disdain for them. Instead, she used her magic to protect, heal and and help those in need, as they didn't have the means to help themselves.
Appearance
Morgain was a beautiful woman with flowing brown hair and green eyes. She liked to wear green robes and golden jewelry. Historical accounts describe her as one of the most beautiful women to grace Britain at the time, which is why she was courted by many suitors, among them princes and kings. It is said that Morgain retained an almost youthful appearance until she died at the age of 132.
Life
Morgain was born to the chieftain of Tintagel, Cornwall, England. The name of the chieftain is no longer known, neither is the name of her mother, but it is likely that it was not the chieftain's wife. The chieftain was approached by Gwennora la Fée, the leader of a powerful witch coven which was active during the 5th and 6th centuries. Having forseen the power of the newly born child, she offered him a favour in exchange for the girl. What the favour entailed is lost to history, but the chieftain agreed and Gwennora took the child, and she and the other members of her coven raised her. The coven was named Les Fées (the fairies), and every member of the coven used the moniker "la Fée" instead of their actual last names, hence they named the child Morgain la Fée.
From an early age, Morgain showed an extraordinary aptitude for magic, quickly mastering spells and incantations that took others years to learn. She was fiercely ambitious and driven, with a burning desire to prove herself as one of the greatest witches of her time.
As Morgain grew older, she became increasingly influential in the magical community, using her considerable skill and charisma to gather a following of loyal supporters. She was known for her powerful spells and her ability to bend the wills of others to her own ends, and many feared and respected her in equal measure.
At the age of 44, she was recruited by Myrrdin as a founder and teacher of Anlárdraíochta, the first school of magic in the world.
Morgain remained a teacher at the school, even after Myrrdin's disappearance, until she retired in 612 at the age of 115. After that she returned to her coven to serve as their temporary leader, after the current leader had suddenly died from undocumented causes. She eventually named a new leader and stayed with her coven until she died at the age of 132, reportedly from natural causes.
In the end, Morgain's life was marked by both great achievement and great controversy. She was a brilliant and influential figure in the magical world, but also one who was not afraid to wield her power in pursuit of her own goals. Despite her faults, however, her legacy lives on to this day, and she remains one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures in the history of magic.
Rivalry with Myrrdin
Despite her prodigious talent, Morgain was not without her flaws. She was fiercely protective of her coven and her own interests, often using her magic to gain power and influence at the expense of others. And while she and Myrrdin shared a deep respect for each other's magical abilities, they were also bitter rivals, each determined to prove themselves the most powerful wizard in the land.
Despite her often contentious relationship with Merlin and others in the magical community, Morgain accepted Myrrdin's proposal when he recruited her for his school of magic.
While teaching at Anlárdraíochta, her views were radically different from Myrrdin's visions for the school. While she agreed that everyone with magic talent should receive a basic training to keep their powers under control, she believed that only the most talented Magi were worth the time and effort of any further training. She specialized in teaching the most advanced and powerful forms of spellcasting, and her students went on to become some of the most accomplished witches and wizards of their time.
Wand
Morgain la Fée's wand was a twisted, blackthorn branch, with Grimhound fur embedded into it. The shaft had intricate carvings of snakes and thorns along its length. At the top of the wand, there was a large, dark, polished onyx set in silver, with tiny runes etched around its edges. When Morgain held the wand, it hummed with power, and the onyx glowed with an eerie, purple light. The wand felt cool and slightly heavy, and seemed to pulse with a life of its own, as if it had a will that is all its own. The carvings on the wand seemed to move and writhe in the dim light, as if they were alive, and the whole wand exuded an aura of dark, otherworldly magic.
Trivia
- Some believe that Morgain was a Visvalker. Since Myrrdin is also often presumed to have been a Visvalker, this would have been the only time in history when two Visvalkers were alive at the same time, something many people believe to be impossible.
- When asked why she agreed to teach at Anlárdraíochta, despite her rivalry with Myrrdin, she was famously quoted to have stated: "Somone must keep him [Myrrdin] under watch, lest the old fool starts teaching the Craft to any scruffy squirrel he crosses paths with."
- Morgain's wand was one of only 6 wands known to history to have been crafted using Grimhound fur.
- Although it has never been confirmed, there are several accounts of Morgain and Myrrdin having been lovers at some point, potentially even having a child.