Perhaps the most prevalent superstition still held today is that of The Raven. The raven has been considered an ill omen since the Middle Ages, considered to be a foreteller of death. While many superstitions aren't taken so seriously nowadays, this particular one has become much more ingrained in the human psyche in recent years. What's interesting is that as well as its older meaning, the Raven seems to have taken on a new meaning as an omen.
One of pure, unrestricted chaos.
It all began during the Crisis of 2075. Within Capital City, the sighting of a raven was often followed by events which led to chaos in the surrounding region. Perhaps best known is the appearance of one in Capital City's Central Traffic Control Centre, which was followed by almost the entirety of the city becoming gridlocked.
As of late, it has even been something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, with raven sightings causing such panic in some that, in their terror, they end up finding themselves at the beginning of a chain of accidents with catastrophic consequences.
Whether coincidence, supernatural, or just someone playing the most elaborate practical joke in history, one thing is clear: People will be fearing the Raven for a long time to come.
-Extract from “The Omen: A Treatise on Modern Superstition” by Damien Grave.