Badb

In Irish mythology, the Badb is a powerful war goddess associated with crows and battle omens. She appears as Badhbh in modern Irish, with both names meaning "crow." Most famously known as Badb Catha ("battle crow"), she swoops over battlefields in crow form, using her supernatural powers to sow chaos and terror among enemy soldiers, thus influencing the outcome of battles to favor her chosen side.

Badb's role extends beyond direct battle intervention - she also serves as a harbinger of bloodshed and death. Before major conflicts, she may appear to prophesy the magnitude of upcoming carnage or to foretell the death of important figures. She often delivers these dark prophecies through mournful cries, similar to those of the bean-sídhe (banshee).

Together with her sisters Macha and the Morrigan (also known as Anand), Badb forms part of the three Morrígna, a formidable trio of war goddesses in Irish mythology. This sisterhood represents some of the most powerful and feared deities in the Celtic pantheon.