Old Religion

The Old Religion is a religion of Albion.

Beliefs
It is a polytheistic pagan religion that is followed by both people and creatures. It is heavily based around magic and the idea that people should have free use of it.

The structure of the religion is yet to be explored but there were also various High Priests and High Priestesses, a notable individual being Nimueh.

At the heart of the religion is the power of life and death itself, an ability only perfected by the most powerful of sorcerers. However it is impossible for mortal sorcerers to mirror life without a life being given in return.

Blood-sacrifice - This ritual of sacrifice was usually performed in the days of the Old Religion only by the most powerful High Priestesses on the Isle of the Blessed. During Samhain Eve, at the strike of midnight, when the veil that separates the world of the living from the Spirit World (or Underworld) is at its thinnest, a High Priestess would spread an altar, dedicated to the Ancient Gods, with a victim's blood and chant the words of power of the Old Religion. By doing this, probably depending on the power of the Priestess and on her intentions, she would pierce the veil and release the voices of the dead, the Dorocha, gaining magical power from them. The goddess of the winter and of the dead, The Cailleach, is related to this ritual.

History
In times Old Religion the High Priestesses would gather in the Samhain on Isle of the Blessed where they would sacrifice a living human to tear the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead.

In the days of the Old Religion, the High Priestesses used Dark Magic to summon form the depths of the Underworld the Fomorroh, a creature that they revered. This would allow them to take over the minds of their enemies, binding them to their will.

Prior to The Great Purge, people appear to have followed the Old Religion and had co-existed along side the "New Religion" in Albion, particularly in Camelot.

This changed following the death of King Uther Pendragon's wife, Igraine de Bois, in childbirth after he asked Nimueh to perform to power of life and death in order that he might have a son, Arthur. Uther blamed magic for his wife's death and carried out a terrible retribution against the Old Religion. (Excalibur) While some followers gave up using magic, such as Gaius, others refused to convert. This lead to the execution of thousands of followers of the old ways. Notable victims of the purge were Gregore and Jaden, friends of Gaius who practised black magic, and the parents of Edwin Muirden leading to his facial disfigurement when he tried to rescue them from the flames. (A Remedy to Cure All Ills)

Following the purge Uther banned all forms of magic in Camelot. (The Dragon's Call) It is unknown whether the kings of other countries also carried out these purges. For example in King Cenred's kingdom the outer regions still appear to follow the Old Religion as far as worshiping the gods (Merlin tells his mother that "The gods will look after [him]") despite not using magic. (Le Morte d'Arthur)

Emrys is the name by which Merlin is known to the Druids. He is the most powerful sorcerer who has ever lived along with I-L Violentemente, a High Preist of the Old Religion and God of Magic. The Druids' legends are true, Merlin is a man destined for greatness who will one day unite the powers of the Old World and the New and bring the time that the poets speak of, the time of Albion.

High Priestesses and Priests

 * Nimueh (deceased)
 * Morgause
 * Morgana - is a high priestess of the Triple Goddess and last of her kind.
 * Alator - is a warrior and priest of the Old Religion.
 * Iseldir

Gods the Old Religion
The Cailleach - the gatekeeper to the spirit world. - is a goddess, who appears after Morgana sacrificed Morgause at the Isle of the Blessed, in order to tear the veil between her world and the spirit world, she released the Cailleach and Dorocha.

As a goddess the Cailleach was an incredibly powerful being, she was the only one who could control the Dorocha, and as it is stated it is she who demands a sacrifice, it is implied only she can tear and repair the veil between worlds.

The Triple Goddess - is the main deity of the pagan religion, known as Old Religion or Old Ways. The three figures of the Triple Goddess are usually described as "The Maiden Huntress", "The Mother Goddess" and "The Death Crone", each of which symbolizes both a separate stage in the female life cycle and a phase of the moon, and often rules one of the realms of earth, heavens and the underworld.

The High Priestesses of the Old Religion are the main servants of the Triple Goddess.

God of Magic - The God of Magic is the most powerful sorcerer until it his handed down to Merlin. The God of Magic starts of as a normel sorecer and then a High Preist of the Old Religion and eventually you become a God. Morgana is the envy of this sorcerer because if she were in that situation she would become the Queen of camalot and be like that for many years to come until she is overthrown.

The current power is held to a sorcerer named i l Violentemente

Followers
Despite the ban of magic in Camelot there appear to still be followers of the old religion. A majority of these people, however, appear to use black magic with the intent in acting revenge on the king. Among these people there have been Edwin Muirden as well as Tauren and his band of renegade sorcerers.

Other notable followers are, it appears, Gaius who no longer practices magic but respects the old ways. It is also hinted thoughout the series that Merlin worships a polytheistic or old religion. (Le Morte d'Arthur) In the outer regions of the Kingdom of Cenred, where Merlin grew up, still appear to follow the Old Religion as far as worshiping the gods. In a scene in Series 1, Merlin tells his mother that "The gods will look after him" despite not using magic. (Le Morte d'Arthur). The Great Dragon is also an example of a creature who worships the Old Religion.

Known Followers:

 * Lamia
 * Orn
 * Alator
 * Julius Borden
 * Ferryman
 * Merlin/Emrys
 * Freya/The Lady of The Lake
 * Morgana Pendragon
 * Morgause
 * Mordred
 * Great Dragon
 * Nimueh (deceased)
 * Gaius
 * Mary Collins (deceased)
 * Thomas Collins (deceased)
 * Aulfric Tir-Mor (possibly)
 * Sophia Tir-Mor (possibly)
 * Sidhe elder (possibly)
 * Grunhilda (possibly)
 * Pixies (possibly)
 * Sidhe (deceased)
 * Aglain (deceased)
 * Anhora
 * Balinor (deceased)
 * Edwin Muirden (deceased)
 * Jaden Muirden (deceased)
 * Gregor Muirden (deceased)
 * Trickler
 * Cerdan (deceased)
 * Iseldir
 * Cornelius Sigan (deceased)
 * Lady Catrina/Troll (deceased, possibly)
 * Jonas (possibly)
 * Alvarr
 * Medhir (deceased)
 * Knights of Medhir
 * Taliesin (deceased)
 * Grettir
 * The Fisher King (deceased)
 * Alice
 * Gilli
 * Blood Guard
 * High Priestesses
 * Gilli's father (deceased)
 * Balinor's father (deceased)
 * Balinor's grandfather (deceased)
 * Dragons
 * Dragonlords
 * Druids
 * Tauren (deceased)

In the legend
The route of "old religion" is not specifically mentioned in either the show or the legends. Historically, the old religion appears to be a reference to the pagan religion that existed in Britain prior to the Roman invasion during the 1st century AD. Like the old religion in the series, it had a complex system of gods, mythology and religious leaders, who appear to have been the druids. The religion more or less died out after the adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire. Subsequently the British developed their own version - Celtic Christianity. This may be the "new religion" within Albion.

In the legends King Arthur appears as a pagan king, very tolerant and against any form of violence. He was clearly more tolerant towards the religions as Merlin is frequently refered to as being a druid, and has pagans and christians in his army. This appears to show in the series as Merlin clearly appears to worship some form of polytheistic religion. (Le Morte d'Arthur)