Morrigan

Morrigan is a Witch of the Wilds, a clan of sorceresses who, at one time, terrorized the Korcari Wilds. She is called upon to leave her home to become a companion to the Warden. Morrigan is also a romance option for male Wardens and when her approval is low, she can also teach the shapeshifter specialization.

Background
Morrigan is supposedly the daughter of Flemeth -- a legendary and fearsome personage who has walked the Korcari Wilds for centuries. However, Morrigan consistently dismisses these tales and is reluctant (or unable) to confirm Flemeth's actual background. Whatever Flemeth's history, Morrigan was raised by her. She kept Morrigan separate from the nearby villagers and because of this, Morrigan has had limited interaction with other humans, though her ability to shapeshift meant that she has often found solace in the company of animals. Morrigan generally dislikes the race of man, yet finds herself strangely intrigued by them.

Involvement
{{DAOSpoiler| Morrigan is the second companion who can join The Warden after Alistair, who she takes an instant disliking to. Morrigan does not ask to join to The Warden, but when her mother suggests it, she does not refuse. During her journey with the Warden, Morrigan expresses little sympathy for the plight of others and disapproves when The Warden helps people without gain.

When Morrigan trusts The Warden enough, and after she has been given the Black Grimoire as a gift, she will claim that Flemeth plans to kill her in order to prolong her own life. To prevent this, Morrigan asks The Warden to kill Flemeth. If The Warden retrieves the grimoire, Morrigan's approval will increase significantly. If the Warden refuses to help Morrigan, she will be furious and leave the group, but she will be back on the eve of the Final Battle for a required quest.

On the eve of The Final Battle, after The Warden hears 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 essence of the Archdemon will be lured into the unborn child, rather than the Grey Warden that strikes the killing blow. Morrigan will leave immediately if the ritual is refused, or after the final battle if it is accepted. However, The Warden can declare that they will find Morrigan.

Romance
Morrigan may be the hardest character to please overall when compared to the other romance options for a male Warden. However she is the easiest to bed, requiring an approval of just 30. She will like most of the random gifts found early in the game, but will disapprove of almost everything good the Warden does. To romance Morrigan successfully, the player either has to be somewhat evil or engage in good deeds whilst not in Morrigan's company, since choosing a negative outcome will more often than not decrease the approval of Leliana, Alistair, and Wynne.

When engaging her in conversation, it is important to remember that Morrigan values power above everything else. To get positive approval from her, one must agree to her "survival of the fittest" philosophy. She greatly despises anything that has to do with compassion and love.

If The Warden is pursuing a romance with both her and one other romance companion (Zevran or Leliana), she will confront the Warden and force him to choose. This will break the romance with the rejected companion and also lower the approval quite a bit, though Leliana and/or Zevran can force The Warden into an ultimatum the same way Morrigan does.

Morrigan will eventually give The Warden a unique ring in the course of romancing her. The ring is supposed to be a link between the two. After the completion of the Flemeth's Real Grimoire quest she will start to fear her affection towards him, prompting a conversation about love if her approval is high enough. There is a possibility that her approval may drop significantly during this conversation, or worse still break the relationship, unless the right dialogue path is chosen.

At the end of the game, the epilogue will state that "there came a night when he was sure that she was thinking of him... somewhere. She felt regret, and sorrow. But the ring told no more." There is no 'happily ever after' with Morrigan. She will leave the group immediately after the final battle, regardless of her approval rating.

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 * If the Warden beds Morrigan at camp and refuses her offer at Castle Redcliffe, the epilogue will state that she is expecting a child even though the ritual was never performed. This isn't a bug of any sort but actually a variation of Morrigan's epilogue. It is hinted that she unexpectedly conceived a child before the eve of the Final Battle.
 * If the Warden breaks up with Morrigan when she asks it, she will call the Warden, my love (even if the approval is friendly) at the Denerim gate and the regret and sorrow epilogue can happen (even if the Warden is in an other romance). Strangely, even if the ring is destroyed, you can still get the ring epilogue.

Quests Given

 * Flemeth's Grimoire
 * Flemeth's Real Grimoire
 * Morrigan's Ritual

Initial Statistics
Relative Attribute Weightings on Auto-Level: Strength 0.1, Dexterity 0.3, Willpower 1.1, Magic 1.5, Cunning 0.2, Constitution 0.5. Morrigan starts as a mage of at least level 6 with a specialization in Shapeshifter

Starting Skills: Herbalism, Improved Herbalism, Combat Training, Improved Combat Training

On the PC, Morrigan starts with the following talents:

Starting Talents: Spider Shape, Winter’s Grasp, Mind Blast, Vulnerability Hex, Disorient, Horror, Drain Life

On the PS3 & XBOX 360, Morrigan starts with the following talents:

Starting Talents: Spider Shape, Winter’s Grasp, Frost Weapons, Lightning, Mind Blast, Vulnerability Hex, Disorient, Horror (level 7), Drain Life

Plot Skills
As you befriend Morrigan and gain her approval she will gain additional abilities, including the following:

Quotes

 * (On first meeting with Morrigan in the Korcari Wilds.) "Well, well, what have we here? Are you a vulture, I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a corpse whose bones have been long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder, come into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of... easy prey?"
 * (After Alistair comments on her friendliness, or lack thereof) "I can be friendly when I desire to. Alas, desiring to be more intelligent does not make it so."
 * "The Chasind have tales of we witches... I have prowled shadows that you never dreamed existed. Am I an unnatural abomination to be put to the torch?"
 * "Apparently everyone seems to agree that a blight is the perfect time to start killing each other. Marvelous, really."
 * "And now we have a dog. And Alistair is still the stupidest member of the party."
 * (After Bella kissed the Warden) "Kissing serving wenches, now? Perhaps you intend to roll around in the nearest pig pen, as well?"
 * "What is the name they have for mother and I? Apostates? Truly it boggles the mind."
 * "So the mages are all locked within? A fitting end for all those who gave up their own freedom."
 * (Upon arriving at Lake Calenhad Docks to head to Circle Tower) "How very fitting that they would build a prison for mages in the middle of a lake and make it look like a giant phallus."
 * (After the shriek attack) "What will they send next, darkspawn tax collectors?"
 * (After The Warden completes the quest Cammen's Lament with Gheyna and Cammen together) "Does anyone else feel the urge to vomit? No? 'Tis just me?"
 * (When threatening Revered Mother to get key to Sten's cage) "Now we threaten priests, fun.
 * (Morrigan consoles a widow) "Your man is dead. Get over it."

Dialogue
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 * Morrigan: "Why do you ask me such questions? I do not probe you for pointless information, do I?"
 * Warden: "It's my favorite way of annoying you."
 * Morrigan: "Would it not be easier to simply poke me with a stick?"
 * Warden: "I could give it a whirl."

---


 * Morrigan: "I see the stories they tell of Grey Warden endurance are not exaggerated."
 * Warden: "Do you really need to talk?"
 * Morrigan: (Chuckles) "Finished with me now, are you? Well, you do not get away so easily as that. I will have my way with you until I am satisfied. Out of a sense of fairness, if nothing else...

---


 * Murdock: "So you're the Grey Warden, are you? I didn't think they made women Grey Wardens."
 * Warden: "I am a mage, as well, if it makes a difference."
 * Murdock: "Well, now, that's just great. As if we weren't nervous enough as it was, now we got magic too."
 * Morrigan: "More than you realize, even."

Cheat for Infinite Approval
Speak to the Chantry Mother in Lothering, and ask to her about releasing the caged prisoner. You are then able to use the repeatable intimidate dialogue option to gain infinite approval from Morrigan, but only if the intimidation is unsuccessful. Leliana or Alistair must not be in your party when you do this or else they will both settle the dispute and you'll be given the key.

Trivia

 * According to Mary Kirby, "she best symbolizes the world and the conflicts within it."
 * Actress Kate Mulgrew, who plays Morrigan's mother Flemeth, has said that "Morrigan is innocent. She is beautiful. She is vulnerable."
 * When asked to compare a list of NPC companions to food, BioWare employee Cori May described Morrigan as "the darkest of dark chocolates; bitter but rich."
 * If the party was going out for a drink, writer Sheryl Chee has said, Morrigan would "refuse to partake in any such foolishness."
 * She is also a star of the Penny Arcade Dragon Age comic, along with Flemeth.
 * Morrigan is modeled after Victoria (a.k.a. Victorria) Johnson.
 * 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. She is able to recognize this because of her high willpower and because the sloth demon did a poor job at copying Flemeth.
 * Morrigan is an Irish name meaning "great queen". Morrigan shares her name with the goddess of war and death of Irish mythology who often took the form of a crow. The Morrigan of Irish lore appears as both a young and beautiful woman as well as an old and ugly one.
 * During the Epilogue, a dog, similar to the one into which Morrigan shapeshifts if she leaves the Warden, can be seen at the exit door near Sten and Dog.
 * Morrigan is one of three companions who appear in the Sacred Ashes trailer.
 * 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 (not to suggest that poisons are at all related to cooking, of course). However, Morrigan has no initial Poison-making ability; instead she has Herbalism.
 * Morrigan may be based on Morgan le Fay, the sorceress and half sister of King Arthur from the Arthurian Legends.
 * "The Morrigan" is an often manipulative goddess in Irish Mythology. As many of the names in DA:O are taken from ancient Irish names and Morrigan's personality is often spiteful and callous, it is likely she was inspired in some way from this Irish legend.
 * In appearance and personality, Morrigan strongly resembles the female werewolf Marsha from the 1981 movie The Howling.