Melkor the Lord of Darkness

Deity	MELKOR "He who Arises in Might" (also known as Morgath "The Black Fire", or Morgoth "The Black Enemy")
Sphere	Evil, Undead, Fire and Darkness
Alignment	(Any) Evil
Symbols	Black Hammer, Iron Crown
Holy Days	Eclipses (both Solar and Lunar) [infrequent events, every year or so]
Services	Weekly (Fire-day). (After Sunset).
Sacrifices	Sacrificial Victims, especially Elves and Druids (nailed to trees and burned alive).
Weapons	Flails (including whips), Hammers, Crossbows.
Armour	Any armour, any shield.
Cult Skills	One Cult Weapon, Oratory, Any Craft, Any Lore.

Only humans or half-orcs may become clerics of Melkor. Followers of Morgathianism (as the faith is known) hate the elves (and valar) especially, as the elvish gods once tried to banish Melkor from the Realm of Earth. However he (eventually) broke his chains and returned, tearing the Seven Stars from the sky. Then he earned the name Morgath, or "Black Fire". Elves tremble and call him Morgoth, the "Black Enemy". Druids are also despised for their perverse opposition to the burning of trees.

Morgathianism is the state religion of the oppressive Empire of Mund (Theocratic Imperium of the Dark Flame, or "Dark Empire"), itself virtually controlled by the priesthood. Granting of "Immortality" to various petty kings has allowed expansion of Imperial power to it's present considerable extent.

"The Burning", a series of services which accompanies every High Holy Day (solar eclipse), decides the precedence of the Temples of Morgath. The High Priest of the most successful becomes Primate and "Spiritual Advisor" to the Emperor himself. (Since the Emperor has little need or desire for spiritual advice, or indeed for an empire on the Material Plane, the Primate effectively rules the Empire). The contest is decided by making the greatest number of, or most important, sacrifices during the week of The Burning.

The topmost echelons of power throughout the temples of the Empire are mainly occupied by the immortal 'Servants of the Lord of Darkness'. Outside of the Empire, the temples are usually occupied by mortal clerics.

SPELLS AVAILABLE TO CLERICS OF MELKOR
Level 1: Bless, Command, Cause Light Wounds (R), Detect Good (R), Dark, Cause Fear (R), Control Undead (M7)
Level 2: Augury, Chant, Find Traps, Hold Person, Resist Fire, Affect Normal Fires (M1), Spirit Hammer*, Fire Bolt*
Level 3: Animate Dead, Cause Disease, Dispel Magic, Glyph of Warding, Prayer, Remove Curse, Bestow Curse, Dark Sense*
Level 4: Cause Critical Wounds (R), Charm Monster (M4), Fire Shield (M4), Pyrotechnics (M2), Summon Shadows*
Level 5: Commune, Dispel Good, Flame Strike, Quest, True Seeing, Summon Wraiths*
Level 6: Fiery Servant*, Speak with Monsters, Word of Recall, Polymorph Self (M4), Summon Spectres*, Wall of Fire (M4)
Level 7: Astral Spell, Gate, Wither*, Energy Drain*, Destruction*, Immortality*

DARK SENSE (Necromancy) (C 1st) VSM; CT 1 round; R Touch; AoE 1 creature; D 1hour/level; ST None.
Recipient can 'see' up to 60ft with a kind of sonar. Spoilt by 'Silence' but not 'Dark'.