Imperial Temple

Imperial Temple is a chief organized religion of Imperium of Karadia, established to worship gods of Imperial Religion which it does, for nearly three thousands of years already. Enjoying a cosy love-hate relationship with Imperial Ministry of Religious Affairs since the need to suffer under strict control of the secular organization is hard to swallow.
It is also one of the most widespread and influential organizations in the Imperium of Karadia, widespread throughout most of its territory, with sole exception being the lands with organized religions of their own, and one strong enough to prevent being 'infiltrated' by missionaries of Imperial Temple and thoroughly converted.

Structure

Imperial Temple is internally divided into priest hierarchies devoted to particular gods of Imperial Religion – in fact all of them that are considered available for worship within the borders of Imperium. All of them are immensely diversified, with completely separated rites, outfits, rituals, holy days and so on.
Whole organization is heavily leaning toward the White Pantheon, for reason quite obvious. Elemental Pantheon has next to no organized worship, its pantheistic members existing everywhere around mortals (as powers of the nature), their existence widely accepted... and nigh complete lack of ambition.
Black Pantheon... is a complicated matter, with only several religious groups allowed to be worshipped openly. It is actually heavily diversified internally, with some gods having several separate organizations devoted to them, Good example might be Deviation, her worship especially vibrant in dark elven states... but existing also in Akhad, Karthia, Novia, and even Itavia – in most cases as a fusion between temples and brothels. But separated into dozens separated religious organizations.
Of course most of them are relatively tamed to those worshipping their gods in secret, being a source of eternal headache for the 'whiter' parts of the Temple, with its internal organization sometimes bordering on a civil war.
It is actually of no surprise that the state of religions is a mirrored image of those of their gods. Temple, despite its everpresence, is in no way a cohesive organization. Each and every local religious organization might have different approach to other local organization, with for example some hierarchies dedicated to Love having close relations with local Deviation hierarchies – seeing her domain nothing but an expansion of their goddess – while others see her as nearly exact opposite.
It is in fact mostly according to Gods will. This way a myriad new pawns joins the Great Game, while mortals (due to their religious disorganization) are allowed to work on themselves, trying to perfect their religious organizations and religion as a whole. Not to mention this gives Gods greater plurality of choices in their actions and lowers chances of a certain charismatic madman – under patronage of other gods – will rise into supreme level of their sole organization and in some way influences themselves by influencing the view mortals have on them.
The effect is a massive ammount of locals religion organizations (some of them worshipping groups of them, which makes the whole mess even more crazy) that exist separately from each other while being classified as a member of the Temple. Receiving approval requires being screened by Imperial Inquisition to make sure they are not trying anything stupid (like being one big scam or attempting to 'bend' their theology to the breaking point).
Only the gods of Pentagram are banned from establishing their religious organizations, being an eternal opponents of all other gods.
The supreme authority in the Imperial Temple is Pontifex Maximus, a head of Imperial Shrine, small in size (but great in authority) religious organization limited to member of Domus Imperialis – namely Imperator and his family, courtiers, slaves, bodyguards and so on. He is officially impartial in religious terms, in fact considering its dependence on Imperator (who appoints the Pontifex Maximus) his 'impartialness' relies highly on the fact whether Grand Emperor is impartial.
His power over the Temple, however, is limited, as Choir of the Divines (group of 56 supreme priests or priestesses of all Imperial Gods (with exception of Pandaemonium)) can overrun most of his decisions by majority vote.
All religious organizations devoted to Imperial Gods (once again with exception of Pentagram) that aren't officially approved and part of Temple are considered heretics, meaning that hunting them is available to all religious groups that believe them to be their religious enemies – and to all imperial organizations/vassal states if their rites including something which goes against the law.
Beside Choir of the Divines there is also Choir of the Unity, which is a part advisory council, part embassy part who-knows-what. Varied in numbers, it represents religious organizations dedicated to vassal religions and non-vassal religions that managed to gain substantial number of adherents within imperial territory.

Public Agenda

Agenda of the Temple is... problematic to discern and a matter of theology rather than politics. It can be summed up to venerating Gods are guiding their flocks properly... but that would probably be too much of a generalization. Since details tend to change overtime, depending on the situation and many other factors, including ones so unpredictable as the Great Game.
Besides giving some sort of organization for something so disorganized as religion in Karadia, it is supposed to help prosecute the war against Pentagram, and... and after this 'and' the problem begins. Many supposed heretics represent the same faith as members of the Choir of the Divines, only in more... radical ways. Problem among the Black Pantheon is that everyone knews their approach is as true as the more 'moderate' ones of the accepted cults. Their Gods are both bloodthirsty maniacs and beings of balance and, even, benevolence (at least in some cases and under some approaches).
But this isn't limited to Black Pantheon, as White Pantheon hierarchies, too, are divided between radicals (that wish to prosecute war against Black Pantheon) and these more moderate that accept their... complexness. This internal schizophreny of the Temple mirrors the schizophreny of the Gehenna, perpetually broken and no longer being a place where evil is tormented, but when where it is to a point... rewarded even.
The division between accepted hierarchies and heretics was considered more of a temporary measure, but it sticked around until today. With the approach of for example Shadow priests to 'her' heretics being... problematic and complicated, relying heavily on local circumstances. After all, what if their god actually prefers them?
And there are still permanent feuds between certain Gods, with only the most flexible approach to theology capable to mend the rift between for example Shadow and Shimmer. Or Hammer and Demiurge. Or the triangle of doom between Shadow, Tyrant and Ember. Or...

Assets

Chief asset of Imperial Temple are Knights Templar, serving Pontifex Maximus and Choir of the Divines equally. That are supposed to approach the problem of 'agressive' heretics, one whose crime isn't the lack of knowledge about the way worship is organized in Imperium but for example human sacrifices and so on.
As an organization subservient – or at least overseen by - Imperial Ministry of Religious Affairs it is also capable of receiving help from its other subservient organization (including Novemberists, Abyssal Knights and, by it as a medium, practically any other imperial organization. If the problem is big enough to warrant such actions, of course.
There are also thousands of religious organization and all their belongings, not to mention zealots ready to wage war in the name of the reward in the afterlife. With its internal struggles making it, however, unable to muster all of it and become a threat to Imperium.

History

Imperial Temple actually is older than Imperium in its form known today, mostly because first religious groups dedicated to Imperial Gods were created right after the Imperium was founded, at the very beginning of Markh Dynasty. More than two centuries between Dawn of War began – its fast growth prior to it being a chief reason of Imperial Religion ultimate victory over the older gods and the foundation of what today is Imperium.

Demography and Population

The general ammount of members of the Temple is actually quite hard to discern. Many, if not most of, lower level priests works as them part time, leading rites and rituals for the glory of their Gods during days dedicated to them... while being farmers or workers for the rest.
Religion, however, is everpresent in Imperium, every town big enough having at least several different shrines and temples, with many other gods represented by wandering priests or by aforementioned part-timers, without any sort of permanent residence. Atheists, after all, are practically non-existent, with those that actually are being more of an antitheists. Or just being religious indifferent, not really seing any deeper meaning in the worship as a whole, while still acknowledging the existence of Gods and their power.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion