Three Witches

Not much is known of the mysterious triad (in actuality, one being with three aspects) known as the Kindly Ones or the Three Witches. In fact, the three have many different forms. One form, known as the Hecateae, is a trio of three spirits who can foretell the future and see where lost people or things are located. Another incarnation is as the Kindly Ones, who bring down their wrath upon those who have spilled family blood.

Individually, the three personas of the Kindly Ones are commonly known by the names Cynthia, Mildred and Mordred (or Morgan). Regardless of incarnation, they manifest as three women of different ages: young Cynthia, middle-aged Mildred, and elderly Mordred. In their common guise as the Three Witches, the Kindly Ones are storytellers who have often associated with Cain and Abel. They often held competitions to see which of the three was the best storyteller, forcing unlucky mortals to judge.

• Various magical talismans and paraphernalia, including broomsticks, cauldrons, and spell components (eye of newt, etc.).

• The Kindly Ones typically travel by magical teleportation, though they have been known to ride broomsticks after the manner of mortal witches as well.

The Hecateae are summoned with several items, namely: honey, a snake, a gallows, and a black she-lamb at a crossroads under a crescent moon at midnight.

• The Three Witches originated as the hosts of The Witching Hour, and were introduced as human witches, not supernatural deities. They were frequent guests in House of Mystery and House of Secrets. When The Witching Hour was cancelled, they were moved to The Unexpected, where they remained until shortly before that series' cancellation. The Three Witches were revived in The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, who established them as a single supernatural entity with three aspects and a much more dangerous, elemental nature.
• The Three Witches are said to have had many different incarnations. As many of those incarnations appear outside the larger Sandman stories, they are listed there as separate characters. They are known as:
  • The Erinyes
  • The Moirai
  • Hecate, Artemis and Luna
  • Hecate Trioditus
  • The Parcae of Rome
  • Juventas the virgin, Juno the mother, Minerva the wise crone
  • The Wyrd Sisters
  • Morrigan (Nehman, Badb, Macha)
  • Morgaine Le Fay
  • Mut (Maat, Hathor, Nekhbet)