Category:Religion

Religion in Middle-Earth was, for the most part, rather informal and unobtrusive.

Most Religious beliefs in the world of Ambar fall into one of three categories: Eruist belief, Dark Worship or superstitious Cults.

Eruist Religion
Eruist Belief ist the religion of Eru Illuvatar as it was teached to Elves by the Valar ond to men by the Elves. Eruist religions vererate Eru as he one true god and creator of all while the Valar are merely seen as Angelic powers and removed guardians of the World. Eruist Religion tends to be centered around personal faith. There is no official clergy or priesthood, most rituals are held in private and are simple and unpretentious. Eru is almost never directly called upon but rather seen as a removed god who usually does not interfere with the world.

Dark Worship
Dark worship is the twisted worship and idolatry of the Dark Lord as a deity. The Dark Clergy politically controls fallen realms and bloody sacrifices, temples and human sacrifices are common.

See:Dark Worship

Superstitious Cults
Superstitious cults refers o the simple tribal religions of the lesser men.Many of these Cults were influenced in one or another way by both Eruist religion and the Dark worship, but developed into bastardized creeds.Often the various Valar and Maiar are treated as pagan deities and developed into confused concepts and myths.These Cults can be urban or rural, temples, sanctuaries and priesthood may be common or cults are performed by elders, chieftains or shamanic figures.

Religion of the Elves
The Eldar had encountered the Valar and regarded Illuvatar as the only true god and creator of all, but they did not devise elaborate ceremonies or temples to worship him. Instead, they installed secular Orders or Guilds to the service of the Valar,his angelic representants, but the members of these fraternities saw themselves as servants and scholars rather than priests.

The Avari had heard rumors of the Valar and Eru, and some of their elders had encountered Araw and Morgoth, but they largely despised any cults and religion and stayed away from religious reverence of any greater power, though some revered the World itself and the Stars, the Moon and the Sky.

Religion of the Dwarves
The Dwarves followed similar religious thoughts. They also revered Eru in a rather informal way, but for the most part, they did not pay much attention to the Valar - with the exception of Mahal, their maker. They added a worldly reverence to their ancestors and their dead forefathers (but especially the Seven Fathers) to their spiritual life.

Religion of the Halflings
The Hobbits and other Halflings had heard about the Powers of the West and the One, but did not pay much attention to them. They turned religious holidays and feasts largely into worldly events of joy and social gathering and only old names of days or months (Rethe, Astron, Halimath, Blotmath or Highday) bore remembrance that they had once been the times of religious ritual.

Religion of the Orcs
The Orcs were, for the most part, not interested in religion or cults, From the beginning, however, the Dark Lords had demanded god-like reverence from their slaves which had led to some rudimentary and superstitious demon-worship and affinity to Sorcery and Necromancy among some tribes. But in general, Orcish society was primitive, brutal and selfish and had not much room for spirituality with the exception of a few powerhungry Sorcerers who sought to aid the Dark Lords in hope to gain might and influence for themselves.

Religion among Men
Many mannish peoples had preserved memories from the First Age, legends about a Voice and a mighty Man, a first temple and various Spirits and Demons. Additionally, some early mannish tribes had been pupils of Avari and Orcs, and had learned rumors about the Powers of the West. This had led to some superstitious ideas and cults among the early Men, many of which prevailed among the Wild Men of the East and the South.

In the West, the Edain had encountered the Eldar and learned from them about Illuvatar and the Valar. Their Númenórean descendants turned the reverence of Illuvatar into a religion with their King as their high-priest and the Meneltarma as their sanctuary. When Sauron was taken captive to Númenór, he infiltrated the thoughts of the Kings of Númenór and spawned a dark cult of Melkor-worship with a dark temple on Númenór.

After the Fall of Númenór, the Elendili and Black Númenórean survivors carried on imitations of both Valarin or Eruist and Dark Worship in their realms, and found many imitators and followers among the Lesser Men and Middle-Men. The neighbors and denizens of the Kingdoms of Arnor, Gondor and the Black Númenórean Domains added the religious lore of their new Masters and allies to their own, which led to a number of superstitious ideas. In the Westlands, religion remaind largely informal, but in Harad many idols-worshipping sects emerged. The Men of the East continued their own primitive spirit-worship and remnants of the old Dark Worship, but also added a kind of nature-worship, which included indistinct memories of the Entwives who had taught their forefathers agriculture and various magical cults and arcane traditions were brought to the East and South by the adepts of the Ithryn Luin.

Daen Religion
Deities:
 * Banseech
 * Beynshea
 * Dark One
 * Duram
 * Earth Mother
 * Earth Mistress
 * Eremi
 * Ezande
 * Fer Craich
 * Fois
 * Gaoth
 * Gawalos
 * Gealach
 * Gobha
 * Grian
 * Iroi
 * Jevinne
 * Mairb
 * Marec
 * Master of the Hunt
 * Montia
 * Nainden
 * Nezea
 * Old Man of the Butte
 * Old Man of the Mountains
 * Shoglic
 * Stalan
 * Tica
 * Turaigh
 * Wandia
 * Yevan

Groups:
 * Bel
 * Belain
 * Colruh
 * Devam
 * Woigh

Drû Spirits

 * Aru-Baito
 * Balûk
 * Chailûza
 * Chefuidocsuma Tunkadur
 * Hika
 * Kâi
 * Mâm-ugi-Mâm
 * Mori-Kam
 * Onak-Ji
 * Shin-Ko
 * Sûzush
 * Uro-Lôk

Eriadorian Gods

 * Arahoth
 * Ardalam
 * Blackheart
 * Dalam
 * Edainil
 * The Judge
 * The Just
 * Mahel
 * Niesse
 * Ôs

Forodwaith Gods

 * Ôs
 * Ympyra

Northron Religion
Deities:
 * Afodfréa
 * Agendfrea ealra waetera
 * Ailgra
 * Baumo
 * Baumya
 * Béma
 * Blostma
 * Ealwaeter-frea
 * Garsecges frea
 * The Great Bear
 * Lord of the Winds
 * Master of the Hunt
 * Nefrea
 * Neoaerna hlaford
 * Neorth
 * Sanor
 * Uerda
 * Urdur
 * Vaxa
 * Witogoda

Groups:
 * Freas

Easterling Religion
Deities:
 * Allanda
 * Aldena
 * Amnac
 * Arawanez
 * Ariaana
 * Arud
 * Ash'val
 * Aztar
 * Banodos-damu
 * Barenda
 * Davix
 * Dianti
 * Donu
 * Dragon of Knowledge
 * Dulungaz
 * Eagle-King
 * Earth-Mistress
 * Ezran
 * Gaath
 * Glauren-Erom
 * the Great Shaker
 * Hakima
 * Hur-Iriga
 * Illila
 * Joghul
 * Kadena
 * Kaishnalai
 * Keo
 * Kerkassk
 * Khûdriag-Ata
 * Kol
 * Kondrí Odhí
 * Kor-Sharhaigun
 * Lilra
 * Lord of the Winds
 * Mahlic
 * Maladûm
 * Mambaug
 * Mestri din Lioa
 * Mestri din Tilmenas
 * Montia
 * Numa
 * Odanal
 * Pael
 * Phaon
 * Rakana-Kiral
 * Sanor
 * Shining Hionvar
 * S'Sorr
 * Sûr
 * Traitorous Hunter
 * Tûmrakhí
 * Uldona
 * Uruboz
 * Utha
 * Vadan
 * Valkir
 * Waerez
 * Yugal
 * Zojan

Groups:
 * Balagini
 * Dragonlords
 * Earth-Maidens
 * Khia-vôl
 * K’Ta’Viiri
 * Lords of Essence

Haradrim Religion
Deities:
 * Alavo
 * Aluva
 * Amaav
 * Anorel
 * Ardi
 * Ardo
 * Aritan
 * Arizul
 * Arom
 * Arome
 * Ascuru Hudari
 * Azain
 * Bozisha
 * Casu-sadu
 * Cubuwa
 * The Dark Overlord
 * Elenala
 * Ganiraib
 * Garauda
 * Hathor
 * The Horned Serpent
 * Ishtra
 * Junast
 * Katamaji
 * Kesht
 * Kessem
 * Khäz-gramaze
 * Kojomo
 * Kutamaji
 * Ladnoca
 * L´arkarun-i-masra
 * Lilis Makusset
 * Malkôra Malikiam
 * Master of Sands
 * Meklak
 * Mûmathûmûr
 * Nadi-Manje
 * The Ocean Sunfish
 * Rasayn
 * Ráskara
 * Ringed Serpent
 * Ro
 * Roho
 * Sainausta
 * Sanbaiz
 * The Sea-Serpent
 * Taimaraud
 * Talmorng
 * Tarbarûn
 * Tarkarun-i-masra
 * Tera-vel
 * Tûlimi
 * Valya-Vekte
 * Vatra
 * Yesuchi

Groups:
 * Arizul
 * Azhan
 * Colruh
 * Devam
 * Orag
 * Peri