Cardolandrim



The Cardolandrim were the inhabitants of the lost realm of Cardolan in Eriador. In a closer sense cardolandrim were those of númenorean blood, most of them Tergils.In a more broad sense it included all eriadorian tribes of men living inside the borders of cardolan including:


 * the cardolanian Northmen
 * the Dunmen along the Borderlands to Enedhwaith
 * the gwathló Bargemen
 * the Mebden of the Eryn Vorn
 * the Raggers
 * the rivermen of the baranduin
 * the Saralainners
 * the Siol Speriag
 * the men of the tharbad marshes

Cardolandren Religion
The Dúnedain of Cardolan, regardless of their persuasion, were not generally considered to be very devout.In Cardolan the Three High Festivals were carefully  observed, but there were few other outward displays of religion.Given the Dúnedain's  long history of intimate contact with the immortal Elves, even those of Valinor,and their direct experience of the Manifest  Will of Eru in the War of Wrath, the Gift of Númenor and its Downfall, it  was not surprising that they were little concerned  with overt worship.The Dúnedain of Cardolan were, however, very concerned with their ancestors, as could be noted  in the black obelisks set in several places of honor in their courtyards.Otherwise they  were more inclined to action and less to mysticism than their relatives in Arthedain. They held that, as the first among the second Children of Eru, they had an obligation  to set  a n  example to other Men by deed  and appearance; chiefly to rally and lead all Men against the Darkness and the minions of its foul author .The Tergíl  of Cardolan followed a similar,  albeit lower, path. Their concern with their ancestors was  often expressed  in an  excessive concern  with  their  personal honor  and they  were rather  superstitious especially with regard to  "luck". The Tergíl were  also  inclined to honor  Eru  through  the Valar. Especially among  the  warrior  class it  was  common for  the  men  to  follow  a  loose  cult  that  exalted  Tulkas, while  their  women  were  devoted to Niesse. The Cardolandren commoners tended towards  an attitude  that could be  described  as  irreligious. They recognize that  there  were  other  powers in the world,  but  felt  that  their purposes  were  beyond the  knowledge of Men.The rural Eriadorans were very  superstitious. The common folk and clansmen of Cardolan  were  usually familiar with the lessons of the Dúnedain,  but they  had  found the need  for more direct  comforts,  especially in  the  hard  times. They sought to honor the Sky Father  and the Earth Mother  at the  Festivals and during  the  planting  and  harvest  season  with simple  but  moving  rites. On a  day-to-day  basis,  they  sought  to  keep various  benevolent and  malevolent  spirits  appeased  with  charms and  libations. Since many  southerners  arrived  during  the  Plague Years,  several  cults  associated  with  "sacred mysteries "  had  made  progress ,  and  some  lords  rightly  feared  that  some  of  these cults  might have been  fronts  for  the  black religion. The Dunnish tribesmen held  odd  beliefs,  holding  that  their  ancient  culture  fell  because  of the  death  of  the  "old  gods". Their practices  were  primitive, animistic ,  and  shamanoid.