Morgain (Bran Mak Morn's sister)

morgain-branmm-postup morgain-branmm-face-part2 MORGAIN

Real Name: Morgain (surname uncertain; see comments)

Identity/Class: Human
Caledonian Picts;
2^nd and 3^rd century A.D.

Occupation: None

Group Membership: Ruling family of the Caledonian Picts

Affiliations: Gonar, Grom, Helta, Liuba,

Enemies: Atla, Hell-Worm, Legio IX Infernalis, Quintus Claudius Nero, Ssrhythssaa the Deathless, Worms of the Earth;
various Worm-hybrid crawler creatures

Known Relatives: Malis Mak Morn (father, deceased), Gydda (mother, deceased);
Bran Mak Morn (brother, deceased), unidentified siblings (deceased);
Berul Crookback (paternal grandfather, presumably deceased);
Othna Mak Morn (paternal great-grandfather, deceased);
Brule the Spear-Slayer (aka the Dark God, ancestor, deceased), Brule's unidentified father (ancestor, deceased), unidentified ancestors (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The fortress of Baal-dor, kingdom of Caledon (also known as Alba, Caledonia, Pictland and Pictavia; located in modern Scotland, British Isles, United Kingdom)

First Appearance: "Men of the Shadows" in "Bran Mak Morn" (1969; see comments);
(identified as Morgain) "Legion from the Shadows" (January, 1976);
(Marvel) Savage Sword of Conan I#103/2 (August, 1984)

Powers/Abilities: Morgain was trained somewhat in armed and unarmed combat by her older brother, Bran Mak Morn.

She fought relentlessly despite being exhausted and having been brutally whipped.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'6")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 115 lbs.)
Eyes: Dark (likely brown)
Hair: Black

Physical description: Her lithe, lean limbs displayed the same quick, pantherish grace of movement that characterized her brother. A thundercloud of bright black hair framed a round face and firm chin. Thick, straight brows almost met in a single dark line above the high-bridged nose. Her eyes were great, flashing pools of darkness that seemed to mirror all the brooding mysticism of the Pictish soul. Her skin was of that same dark complexion of the North, and her clean, graceful form proved the pureness of her aristocratic bloodline.

History:
(Legion from the Shadows (fb) - BTS) <190 A.D.> - Morgain was born to Gydda and Malis Mak Morn, chieftain of the Wolf Clan, and his wife, Gydda. She was the younger sister of Bran Mak Morn, and none of their other siblings had survived past infancy.

She was born of a line of "noble Pict," descended from the ancient line of Pictish chieftains, having kept its bloodline pure through the ages, as opposed to "savage Picts" who had degenerated, having interbred with the "Reindeer Men," red-bearded Neanderthal giants, in ages past, becoming smaller and more brutish in stature and temperament over the millennia.

(Legion from the Shadows (fb) - BTS) <196 A.D.> - Malis died during an attack on Hadrian's Wall, and Gydda died soon after of grief. Being the sole members of their immediate family led to a close relationship between Morgain and Bran.

(Savage Sword of Conan I#102/2 (fb) - BTS) - A rich merchant from Corinium Dobunnorum, Cirencester (located in modern Gloucestershire, England) offered a thousand pieces of gold to any who could bring to him Morgain for his lusts. The merchant sent a spy past Hadrian's Wall to steal her away, but Bran sent the merchant back the spy's head. morgain-branmm-sil

(Men of the Shadows (fb) - BTS/ Savage Sword of Conan I#102/2 (fb) - BTS) <205 AD> - After a legion of 500 Roman soldiers were massacred by Pict warriors in Caledon, eventually the sole survivor was a Norseman who had joined the Roman.

(Men of the Shadows (fb) - BTS/ Savage Sword of Conan I#103/2 (fb)) - The Norseman was brought before Bran Mak Morn as he sat atop a boulder.

(Men of the Shadows / Savage Sword of Conan I#103/2) - As Morgain came to Bran's side, Bran told the Norsemen about the the bounty placed on her head and how he had slain the spy who had been sent to abduct her.

(Men of the Shadows / Savage Sword of Conan I#103/2 - 104/2 - BTS) - When Bran's wizard (apparently Gonar?) suggested they slaughter the Norseman, Morgain asked that Bran show mercy and set the Norseman free, but the Pictish shaman Gonar wanted to sacrifice the Norseman to their gods. Bran, who was attempting to end the human sacrifices among the Picts, challenged Gonar to an arcane battle of wills, during which Gonar witnessed the wolf totem of Bran before losing, and he accepted Bran's authority.

(Men of the Shadows (fb) / Savage Sword of Conan I#104/2 - BTS, Savage Sword of Conan I#106/2 - BTS) - Gonar subsequently related the origins of the Pictish race, from the birth as the Nameless Race among the Pictish Isles to the west, to their survival of the Great Cataclysm and their migration to western Thuria, which after an age became the British Isles upon which their kingdom of Caledon stood...and how their time was soon to pass.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter II: "The King with the Iron Crown" - BTS, Chapter III: "The Men of the Heather" - BTS, Chapter IV "False Dawn" - BTS) <208 A.D.> - Bran assembled a massive Pict army to assault a Roman camp in the process of being built. However, they were demoralized upon finding the two thousand Romans within dead and decapitated. While Bran and Gonar suspected the culprits (the Worms of the Earth (with their monstrous Hellworm, of which they knew not at the time)), the other Picts appreciated the dark magic involved.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter V: "Baal-dor" (fb) - BTS) - Word of the fate of the mission reached Baal-dor and was heard by Morgan and others. Morgain appreciated that this might be a crippling blow to Bran's dreams of glory (uniting the Picts and other peoples of Caledonia, the Celts, Britons, etc. against the Romans). To ease this, Morgain had a victory feast prepared.

    The next morning, Morgain heard people murmuring that Bran was unlucky and/or had drawn down the wrath of the old gods, or that an unseen army of demons was among them and would strike at Roman or Pict according to their malice.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter V: "Baal-dor") - The next day, as Bran and his troops returned to Baal-dor, Morgain greeted Bran with a steaming goblet of spiced wine, bringing a smile to his previously dour face. After he drank it, Morgan appreciated the sweat on his brow despite the dank mists and the leaden quality of his movements. Stating the Bran had a fever and noting that his "face was as pale as a powdered Roman whore's and his flesh steamed like a winded nag's," Morgain told Gonar to give him something, but Bran refused to accept any of the wizard's powders or elixirs, insisting that he only needed sleep and more wine.

    Appreciating that Morgain was now a young woman, Bran considered that he must find a suitable match for her, which made him feel lonely.

    When Morgain announced the victory feast, Bran initially dismissed this, feeling that there was nothing to celebrate, but Gonar convinced him that the people needed the feast to dispel their dread/gloom. As Bran departed to put on his festive robes, Morgain told Gonar that Bran needed to rest and that the people unfairly blamed Bran for what had happened. Gonar advised her that that was the price of kingship.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter VI: "Voice in the Mist") - At the high table Bran dutifully appeared in festive garments. He called out toasts, engaging his sister, Gonar, and his clan chieftains in loudly confident plans for driving the Romans into the Channel. That these were empty boasts was all too apparent to Bran himself to inspire more than half-hearted responses from his chieftains. The entire evening had an atmosphere of forced gaiety -- too much like the funeral feast of some departed hero.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter VII: "From the Shadows" (fb) - BTS) - Via hidden tunnels below Baal-dor, Worms of the Earth Atla and Quintus Claudius Nero used magic to confront and propose an alliance to Bran against the Romans. When Bran refused, they had Morgain abducted by their forces and her bed filled with the body of one of Morgain's maids who had been skinned and then had the skin sewed back together and stuffed with hundreds of human eyes.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XII: "Morgain" (fb)) - The Worms of the Earth captured, gagged, blindfolded and abducted Morgain.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter VIII: "Secret Alliances" - BTS) - Finding the following note (written on human skin in Latin, presumably by Atla) on the boneless abomination on Morgain's bed -- Q. Claudius Nero to Bran Mak Morn: Having been taken hostage, your sister is being held in my camp. Come alone to the barrow below Kestrel Scaur this night to conclude our compact. Morgain has not been harmed. Fail to comply and it will not be well with her. -- Bran met with Nero and Atla. Again they proposed an alliance between the Worms, Nero's Legion IX Infernalis (whose origins Nero revealed) and the Picts, and again Bran refused. When Bran summoned his Picts to ambush Nero and Atla and force them to release Morgain, Nero summoned the Hellworm, which slew the other Picts and left Bran unconscious.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XII: "Morgain") - Morgain was brought before Atla and Claudius. Although insisting Bran would never ally with them, she willingly walked to her prison cell rather than be dragged.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter IX: "King No More" - BTS) - Recovering, Bran conspired with Grom to return to Baal-dor and to spread the rumor that he was bed-ridden, after which he planned to ambush the Worms of the Earth and recover Morgain.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter X: "Encounter at Dawn" - BTS) - En route to rescue or avenge Morgain, Bran encountered the enigmatic Liuba (an ancient Pict queen who was secretly some sort of revenant/vampire), who offered to join him on his mission. Certain he could only succeed by himself, Bran refused Liuba's offer.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XI: "Realm of Endless Night" - BTS) - Bran entered the realm of the Worms of the Earth and was ultimately captured by them.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XII: "Morgain") - Morgain goaded Atla into striking at her, after which she smashed Atla's head against the bars and eventually knocked her out and stole her key. When Morgain searched Atla for a weapon, however, Atla revived, stunned Morgain and then stripped her naked, suspended her body with leather straps and whipped her until Morgain passed out.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XV: "No Way Out" (fb) - BTS) - Claudius Nero discovered and stopped Atla from beating Morgain to death.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XII: "Morgain") - When she awakened, she found Bran imprisoned in the cell next to her.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XIII: "Master of Shadows") - Seeing Morgain so badly injured, Bran vowed to hunt down every last one of the Worms of the Earth. Both Bran and Morgain watched as the Serpent Man Ssrhythssaa revealed that he was the leader of the Worms and the commander of Claudius and Atla. When Bran refused to ally the Picts with Worms of the Earth and Claudius' Legio IX Infernalis, Ssrhythssaa prepared to use the Black Stone to enslave his will.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XIV: "Phantasmagoria") - Via the Black Stone, Ssrhythssaa revealed the history of man (notably the Picts), Serpent Men and the Worms of the Earth.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XV: "No Way Out") - The pain of wounds and bonds kept Morgain from being pulled under the sway of Ssrhythssaa's spell, and she twisted and rubbed her bonds against a rusted bar until her bonds finally ripped. Escaping from her unlocked cell but weaponless and her wrists still bound, Morgan resolved to flee the caverns and return with an army of Bran's warriors.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XIV: "Phantasmagoria") - Atla discovered and announced Morgain's disappearance.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XVI: "An End of Gamest" - BTS) - Ssrhythssaa was irate that Atla's outburst had wrenched Bran from the insidious spell of the mirage.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XV: "No Way Out") - Swiftly finding herself in pitch darkness, Morgain eventually freed her wrists but eventually blindly made her way to a region where the crawlers -- the spawn of the Worms of the Earth with other subterranean creatures -- dwelled.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XVII: "The Third Time") - Attacked in pitch darkness by monstrous hybrid creatures, Morgain fought back furiously and fled to the sound of rushing water. Pulled along by a powerful current, several times she went under, early drowning from exhaustion.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XVIII: "Deathsong" - BTS) - Liuba slew the surrounding guards and freed Bran for a price that she could later name.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XIX: "Death and Starlight") - Morgain eventually was brought to a surface shoreline in Serpent Gorge, and she slept for a few hours. Upon awakening, she was discovered by Claudius Nero.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XX: "Proserpina and Dis") - Attracted to Morgain and comparing her to Proserpina of Roman mythology (the equivalent of the Greek Persephone), Nero resolved that Ssrhythssaa would not sacrifice her to the Hellworm. After giving her his cloak to cover and warm her naked and chilled body, Nero led her back into domain of the Worms of the Earth. He explained the nature of the crawlers and brought her to the camp of Legio IX Infernalis and then into his private chambers. He gave her wine before forcing himself on her.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXI: "Sword's Edge") - Awakening after a long slumber of exhaustion, she witnessed Atla chiding Nero for having told Ssrhythssaa that Morgain was likely dead. Atla then mocked Morgain's having been raped, but Morgain played on Atla's vanity, claiming she had willingly given herself to Nero and that he preferred a human woman. Nero stopped Atla from stabbing Morgain in retaliation, and before she fled, she told Morgain that her brother was throwing away his life hunting for her. Appreciating Nero's ego and goals, she advised him that she might be able to convince her brother to ally with him "if it was an alliance of warriors and not crawling things" (meaning if Nero turned against the Worms of the Earth and Ssrhythssaa).

Some time after Nero's departure, Morgain heard a commotion and thought it was Bran coming for her, but instead Ssrhythssaa entered her chambers.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXIII: "Constellation" (fb) - BTS) - Ssrhythssaa had Morgain brought to the Altar of the Black Stone and locked inside a cage.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXII: "From the Crypts of Hell" - BTS) - Liuba led Bran to the Lair of the Great Old One (the Hellworm), where Bran figured Morgain would be brought to be sacrificed. Liuba departed to spy on the Worms of the Earth in an effort to learn Morgain's location and fate. Liuba learned that Ssrhythssaa had instead taken Morgain to the Altar of the Black Stone.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXIV: "Riptide" - BTS) - En route to the Altar of the Black Stone, Liuba and Bran donned armor and weapons from Legio IX Infernalis members she had slain to help them infiltrate and fight the rest of Nero's troops.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXIII: "Constellation") - After Ssrhythssaa chastised Nero for having tried to conceal Morgain's survival and location, he demonstrated his power by using the Black Stone to first transform a large serpent in a similar cage into a duplicate of Morgain. Ssrhythssaa next planned to transform Morgain into the form of the serpent, and as he initiated the spell, Morgain screamed in revulsion and terror. However, Nero, feeling affection for Morgain and hatred for Ssrhythssaa, then rushed forward and stabbed Ssrhythssaa repeatedly, killing him before he could react. Nero then led the Legio IX Infernalis to slaughter the Worms of the Earth.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXIV: "Riptide" - BTS) - Having heard Morgain's scream, Bran rushed in with Liuba to save her, but he first greeted the snake-transformed-into-Morgan's form, which bit him when he reached for "her."

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXIV: "Riptide") - Liuba located the real Morgain and Liuba picked the lock on her cell, after which she and Bran helped her escape the cavern as they fought their way past the Worms of the Earth. Morgain also wielded a sword and shield, fighting and slaying legionnaires seeking to stop them. They were eventually joined by Grom and a group of Pict warriors sent there by Gonar, who had mentally communed with Bran during his period of imprisonment. As they headed back to Baal-dor, Bran resolved to find Morgain something to wear.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXV: "Legion from Hell" (fb) - BTS) - Liuba departed to rally the Pictish settlements against Nero's inevitable assault on Baal-dor.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXV: "Legion from Hell" - BTS) - In Baal-dor, the Hellworm tore up through the ground, shattering the fortress' walls and slaying numerous Picts, after which Nero led the Legio IX Infernalis to attack. The Picts eventually drove off the monstrous Hellworm via a series of catapults of flaming pitch that pained it and caused its retreat. Nonetheless, Nero's forces threatened to overwhelm the disorganized Picts whose fortress had been so heavily damaged, and Brain sent Gonar to assure Morgain's safety and prevent her recapture. However, the Pictish armies arriving under Liuba's direction turned the tide, and the legionnaires were caught in a pincer and overwhelmed. Nero escaped on horseback.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXV: "Circles" - BTS) - After his horse died, Nero continued on to Roman legionnaires with whom he thought to ally, but they appreciated him as likely involved in the slaughter of their previous base and instead crucified him.

(Legion from the Shadows: Chapter XXV: "Circles") - Liuba, proving to be vampiric, sought to claim her price from Bran, but Gonar arrived -- with Morgain by his side -- and drove her off.

Comments: Created by Robert Ervin Howard.

What is Morgain's full name?

Howard got "Mak" from Irish mythological hero Goll mac Morna, who was an ally of Fionn mac Cumhail, whose father was Cumhail. Mac is the surname prefix in Scotland commonly used to mean "son of". Howard changed the c to a k to make it seem less Gaelic. Since Bran's father is Malis Mak Morn, it seems his people had stopped changing their surnames with each generation (something that did historically happen in the real world, although many centuries later than Bran's time), or else Bran would have been Mak Malis. Though far less common nowadays, the equivalent "daughter of" prefix is Nic, so Morgain might be Morgain Nic Morn.
--Loki
Or maybe Morgain Nik Morn?
--Snood Mak Christian

    According to the Robert E. Howard sources I've checked, "Men of the Shadows" was written in 1929, but it was rejected by Weird Tales, and it was actually published in Dell Books' "Bran Mak Morn" in 1969, about 33 years after REH's death.
    Savage Sword of Conan I#102/2-104/2 and 106/2 adapted "Men of the Shadows"

    "Legion from the Shadows" was not written by REH (but rather Karl Edward Wagner) and as far as I know, it has not been adapted by Marvel. I read the novel for this profile, and I really, really enjoyed it. Having previously read character summaries from the Bran Mak Morn and Worms of the Earth profiles, I knew what the major events were, but I loved the story nonetheless.
    Sadly, Marvel has lost the rights to publish REH material again, and who knows if they will ever regain them and adapt great stories like these.

    Morgain previously had a sub-profile under Bran Mak Morn, originally published 09/14/2021

This profile was completed 07/12/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event to represent the Supernaturals.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Morgain should be distinguished from:

MORGAINA of Myth-Realm - guardian of Myth-Realm's essence, former ward of Saraband, friend and possible lover of the Hulk (Bruce Banner)--HULK#21
MORGAN LE FAY - half-sister of Arthur Pendragon, 6^th Century sorceress active in modern era; aka Morgaine Le Fay- Black Knight Comics#1
MORRIGAN - queen of the Tuatha da Danaan --Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual#3
MORGA - Deviant woman, mothered Maelstrom with Phaedar, joined him in exile until her death, rejected by other Deviants due to nearly human appearance--[Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#7]
other "Morgain" characters, groups, items, events, races or places...

images: (without ads)
Savage Sword of Conan I#103/2, page 4, panel 4 (silhouette);
          panel 5 (posterior, upper);
          panel 6 (with Bran; face, partial);
       pg. 5, panel 6 (with Bran; face, partial, closer)

Appearances:
"Men of the Shadows" in "Bran Mak Morn" (1969) - Robert E. Howard (writer), Dell Books (publisher) - see comments above
"Legion from the Shadows" (January, 1976) - Karl Edward Wagner (writer), Zebra Books (publisher)
Savage Sword of Conan I#103/2 (August, 1984) - Robert E. Howard (original story), Roy Thomas (adaptation, editor), Gene Day (penciler, inker)
Savage Sword of Conan I#104/2 (September, 1984) - Robert E. Howard (original story), Roy Thomas (adaptation, editor), Gene Day (penciler, inker)
Savage Sword of Conan I#106/2 (November, 1984) - Robert E. Howard (original story), Roy Thomas (adaptation, editor), Gene Day (penciler, inker)

First posted: 09/27/2026
Last updated: 07/12/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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