Church of the All-seeing

The Church of the All-seeing was the dominant religious tradition of the Empire of Ordâkh, devoted to the worship of Barkhûsh, the One-Who-Sees-All, a southern name for Sauron. It functioned as both a spiritual hierarchy and a powerful instrument of political control, through which the Ordâkhai enforced their rule across the Southlands and beyond.

The Church centered its doctrine on veneration of the All-seeing Eye, a symbol of Sauron's constant awareness and dominion. Its teachings emphasized obedience, surveillance, and submission, binding conquered peoples spiritually as well as politically. Through an extensive network of clergy and fanes, the Church justified Ordâkhai authority, repressed local cultures, and actively suppressed resistance among subject peoples such as the Umbarrim and the Shagâni. In the Valley of Ikorbân, the Church remained entrenched even when the armies of Harad marched north to war against Gondor, continuing its efforts to dominate the region through fear and dark sorcery.

In cities like Umbar Baharbêl, the Church of the All-seeing wielded immense influence alongside secular rulers aligned with Mordor. Temples and shrines to the All-seeing were raised throughout the city, integrating the Church deeply into civic life. Its authority extended far beyond worship: it enforced taxes, dictated public rites, monitored the populace, and silenced dissent. Clerics of the Church acted not only as religious figures but also as agents of surveillance and repression.

The power of the Church ended abruptly with the destruction of the One Ring and the annihilation of Sauron at the end of the War of the Ring. In the aftermath, all fanes of the All-seeing collapsed in surges of destructive magical energy, consuming their sanctuaries and killing many of the Church's representatives. The sudden fall of its authority sparked widespread rebellion across formerly oppressed lands. In Umbar, the collapse of Church power contributed directly to the uprising known as the Sea-stone Mutiny, after which the Kindred of the Coins seized control of the city. In Ambarûl, the Dumûri reclaimed their lands north of the Ikorbân, while revolts spread through Khûd Zagin and Imhûlar.

Though the object of its worship was destroyed and its institutions shattered, remnants of the Church persisted for a time. Former clerics and zealots continued to act in secret, attempting to undermine the new order and preserve fragments of their former lord's will, particularly in remote regions such as Idagâl.