There is very serious conflict between the original article's presentation of Magri religion (¶3) and the details taken from MeFM #3001 (§ Worship). How should this be rectified? Only one can be "true"! --Hlingler (talk) "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." EB Hall, "Friends of Voltaire", 1906 04:47, 16 October 2021 (UTC)
- indeed, i noticed it as well. Well, all original info i had on the magri i believe came from shadow in the south and hands of the healer, i do not think there was anything on them in the ardor book. Seriously i do not know... could one version represent the Mag and the other the Tumag, or one is just for the urban classes and the other for the more traditional tribal folk? Religions can change, and especially within polytheism many different traditions may exist parallel without too much conflict. I really do not wish to exclude one version completely in favour of the other, rather i'd like to find a middle way.--Haerangil (talk) 16:42, 16 October 2021 (UTC)
Yeah, one solution that did occur to me is: one of these traditions is the "original" and the other is the "later corruption" or "later evolution" - depending on which way we wish to present the "development" of Mag/Tumag religion. Probably the most logical is to present the § Worship as the older, original religion of the "true" Valar, and the other as a later corruption (under evil influences). --Hlingler (talk) "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." EB Hall, "Friends of Voltaire", 1906 16:52, 16 October 2021 (UTC)
P.S. I found a blurb very similar to ¶3 in the MERP Fan Modules archives: Shadow in the South (not the published MERP title of same name). I assume that's where you got it. That blurb suggests that the original religion of the Magri (includes Tumag) was acquired from other civilization(s) in wandering days *before* they settled in Mag/Tumag. Here is the full text:
Religion: The Magri have taken much of the religion of the Pel as they moved through their lands long ago in the Second Age: They worship a host of weak deities and six primary gods: Roh'lô (Lord of Darkness and Souls), Alaav (Lord of Fire and Light), Kutarmarjí (Lord of Winds and Water), and Ardri (Lord of Earth and Plants). Their theology teaches the salvation of the strong and honorable, and so their lifestyle is partly caused by their religious ways. Orcs and all other creatures of darkness represent the antithesis of their code of living, so such creatures are encountered with loathing and often immediate assault. They don't like the Tantûraki overly much, but go well along with the Kirani.
However, I still say it seems most logical to present the "original" religion as the "true" belief in the Valar, and the other as a later corruption and decay into "heresy".
- or maybe the valarin variant was due to early numenorean influence, i mean pre-melkoric Numenor. That would be another option...--Haerangil (talk) 23:15, 17 October 2021 (UTC)
Yes, I know: we can present it either way - or even make up our own "history" of Mag/Tumag religion. Question is: which way to go? You know how I prefer it. However, I also see that, given the two conflicting "traditions" that we already have, it would be least amount of work and change to present the polytheistic "weak deities and six primary gods" religion as the older original beliefs (as the text indeed suggests) and leave that text intact; and the Valar worship (as you suggest: under influence of Númenóreans before their fall) as the later development ("current" in T.A. 1640-1650). --Hlingler (talk) "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." EB Hall, "Friends of Voltaire", 1906 05:40, 18 October 2021 (UTC)