Religion in the world of Ranger’s Apprentice
In the world of Ranger’s Apprentice (and Brotherband), religion seems to hang in the background. Everyone knows it’s there, but religion is not a topic that is expressed on a constant basis unless it’s a cult or used in a curse. Despite this, however, there is often a gap between the ‘old’, or ancient, religions and the ‘new’, or monotheistic, religions.
The Skandians are known as one of the most religious cultures in the RA series. The first instance we come into contact with their religion is when Erak, Will, and Evanlyn find out about the Vallasvow. The Vallas are the Skandian gods of vengeance, and are evoked in cases of murder or fraud. They can also be used in the way of an exclamation: “By the gods of the Vallas”. In conjunction with the Vallas, it is shown that the Skandians have other gods, like Loki and Gorlog, as well as possible Heroes, like Thaki and Loka. Connected to the gods is the Skandian heaven, although we’re never told its name. Ragnak is said to have been taken to the highest level of heaven due to having died in battle as a berserker, and it is feared that if a Skandian dies without a weapon in their hand their soul will wander for eternity.
The Skandians are also very superstitious, believing in forest spirits and ogres, and have many myths and legends that account for different environmental happenings, e.g. The Great Blue Whale and the tides.
Arrida is an interesting country when it comes to religion. As far as the RA series goes, we only hear about their religion in terms of the Tualaghi or the desert. The Tualaghi are called the Forgotten of God, and Yusal admits that he doesn’t “pretend to know God’s will”. When it comes to the desert, they follow the Word of the Law, which states what one should do in the desert, such as leaving a man with water. This could be a parallel to Islam, but nothing is explicitly stated beyond this, so I am unwilling to state it outright.
More information is given in the Brotherband series. In Soccoro, a city on the north-western coast of Arrida, it is mentioned that the inhabitants worship three main gods: Hahmet (god of war), Jahmet (god of love), and Kaif (god of good harvests, fair weather, business success, and family matters). It is also stated that they have demigods, such as Ikbar. Later in the series, the Herons and Gilan come into contact with the Scorpion cult, who worship Imrika, the Scorpion goddess of death and destruction. It is said to have been based on a warped religious system, and it is possible that it is formed around the ‘old’, or ancient, religions.
Araluen, like Arrida, is a complex mix of old and new religions. There are many instances of an Araluen using the phrase “God’s sake”, “my God” or other phrases with a capital ‘G’ in god. This seems to indicate a specific god, more than likely the one in Judeo-Christian beliefs. This is backed up by the statement by Cullum Gelderris in Sorcerer of the North about Orman: “Wears a black robe like a monk, although he is no man of the church”. Like the use of a capital ‘G’, this indicates a connection to the Catholic Church, which was prevalent in 10th and 11th century Europe. In the same way, in Battle of Hackham Heath, it is pointed out that Woldon Abbey was a nursing order, not a religious one, meaning that there was some form of religious healing orders like the Catholic monasteries and nunneries.
The old religion is connected to the ancient beliefs of the country. Not only do many Araluens say “Thank the gods” or “May the gods bless you”, but a few of the old gods are mentioned by name. Such as Ergon, who is revealed to be an obscure Araluen god in Brotherband: Slaves of Soccoro, or the Black Troll of Balath in the Royal Ranger. Most – if not all – of the Araluen protagonists we know don’t follow these religions closely. This is why we can hear Halt curse someone with many gods and then later with only one God. Hibernia is no better, as an old lady in Mountshannon makes the distinction between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ gods. It’s an underrepresented conflict, but it’s there.
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