Today we want to talk about one of the mythological elements of Titan Quest II that we first featured in our announcement trailer: the Moirai, the three goddesses of fate.
Fate in Greek Myth
The Ancient Greeks were fascinated by the concept of fate. Are our lives laid out for us, like a play with the script already written, or do we forge ahead, blind and alone, through chaos? The Ancient Greeks certainly thought that it was the former, and they believed that three goddesses, called the Moirai, were the ones in charge.
Three Sisters
The first of the Moirai, Klotho, “The Spinner,” who uses her spindle to weave the thread of mortal lives and determines the hour of their birth. Then comes Lachesis, “The Allotter”, who uses her measuring rod to determine the length of a mortal’s life, and how it will be lived. Then, finally, is Atropos, “She Who Cannot Be Turned” who snips the threads of life as they end. In Titan Quest II, the three Moirai are three aspects of one entity, sharing a face, but at different stages of life.
Divine Nature
The Moirai weren’t “just” goddesses. Gods in Greek mythology are usually depicted as quite “human,” meaning that while they may be immortal and possess earth-shattering power, they are psychologically not that different to a mortal. They love, they hate, they fear. Even Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympians, can be petty, jealous or selfish as much if not more than he’s helpful. The divine characters of the Greek pantheon very much feel like a family that’s constantly squabbling.
But the Moirai sit above all this. Even Zeus must abide by the fate they weave. The Moirai sit outside of time, weaving a careful tapestry so that all events happen as they are supposed to. The stories of characters like Oedipus and Perseus show us that often, an attempt to avert one’s Fate is exactly what causes it to be fulfilled. Fate may be inescapable. But that’s not always a bad thing.
Destiny Awaits You
So, how does all of this relate to your heroic journey through the world of Titan Quest II? Well, if the Announcement Trailer is anything to go by, the Moirai certainly aren’t pleased by the havoc Nemesis is causing. Perhaps they’ll need a mortal hero to rise and stand against her? You’ll have to wait and see what fate has in store for you.
The Titan Quest II Team