Imperial Theology
The religion of The Empire of Belyos is not a unified organisation, and has no formal name, but still encompasses the faith of the Imperial people in a coherent belief structure. Most gods have their own individual temples, and their own internal hierarchy of priests and clerics, but the vast majority of smaller temples are ecumenical, offering worship to, if not all, then most of the known gods. Most theology outside of some universal beliefs is not formally defined; so long as the appropriate gods are venerated in appropriate ways, then no more can be asked.
Structure
Whilst every god has, in some respect, its own temple, and its own high priest, each of the Inheritor Gods has a large temple in Belyos that serves as the headquarters for the worship of that specific god. The High Priests of each of these temples form an unofficial council that oversees the general well-being of the Imperial Faith. This informal gathering does not plan new temples, or ensure that the proper rites are carried out - this is a job for local lords and priests, but rather they ensure that the overall theology is not shifting, and that all the major temples present a unified face to the secular aspects of the Empire.
The High Priest's Council, as it is often known (although not officially) occasionally receives visitation from the Emperor themselves, and is considered the second most important collection of authorities after the Imperial Parliament.
Mythology & Lore
There are a number of established myths that, regardless of a temple's location or focus, all priests will teach and are considered 'canon'. Every Imperial citizen will know of these myths, their general content and meaning, regardless of which god they tend to offer their prayers to.
Creation of Pande
Creation of the world is attributed to the goddess that bears its name; Pande. Official reasons are not given, although it is widely believed that she created the world, and all its inhabitants out of love, and a need for thinking beings with which to share that love with. Her fellow Primordial siblings receive some acknowledgement in the creation myth for their role in the universe as a whole, but it is Pande alone who is responsible for the world. It is then stated that the Primordials birthed the Primae and withdrew to their heavenly abodes.The Usurpation
The Primae then ruled humanity, and the first organised worship began to occur, leading the Primae to create the Secundae. The little known story of Tuko and Nexi comes from this era. Turbal, youngest but most ambitious of the Secundae, conspired with his siblings and the Primae of Strife, Nexi, to imprison the other Primae and rule humanity for themselves. This led to the moniker by which they are now know; the Usurpers.The Inheritance War
Turbal's children, first held in unthinking sleep within the human afterlife by their father, and released by the efforts of their half-sibling, Hikis, wage war to overthrow their parents. They are successful in this through the intervention of first Pande, then the Primae Saudo. The Usurpers are defeated, and the Inheritor God reward their human followers with The Empire. The Telling of Tistal is a part of this myth.Judgement of the Dead
When a person dies, their soul is destined to go to one of three locations, and are judged by a trio of gods known as the Lords of Order. The chief of the judges is Diyoth, and is considered fair, incorruptible and able to see the truth of anyone. He is assisted by the twins, Myin and Mobius, who watch the world and perceive the ebb and flow of human endeavour.The Afterlife
The most devout souls, those whose faith in their god has shone brightly during their lifetime are received by Lysek, and are rewarded with a place of peace and calm. The most heinous, those who deny the gods, neglect to worship them, or serve the likes of Nexi and the Usurpers, are bound for Niynar, where their souls will receive no rest until they truly acknowledge their crimes against the gods. The vast majority of souls go to Doyom however, where they exist in unthinking limbo for all eternity.The Underworld
Place of monsters and prison of the Usurpers, the Underworld is used a tool to frighten youngsters and as a way to explain all the unusual and dangerous occurrences in the world. Actual monsters are rare in the Empire, but their stories abound, and the Underworld is where they come from. It is said that volcanoes are entrances to these depths, and that earthquakes are caused by the Usurpers throwing themselves against their prison walls, trying to get out. Only the might of Sis'retyr, the Guardian, keeps them contained.Cosmological Views
At its core, Imperial Theology sees Pande the world as an isolated jewel of life in the endless darkness of the void around it. The faith has no official stance on most formal cosmological issues such as the shape of the world, or the potential for life to exist elsewhere in the cosmos, but unofficially, it accepts the scholar's evidence that the world is a sphere, and discourages the notion that intelligent life exists elsewhere. After all, this is Pande's world, borne from love and sustained by her care, why would she offer this to anywhere else.
The only official stance on the nature of the universe is that reality is split between the physical world of mortals, and the ethereal world to which the gods first came from, and ultimately will return to. Everything of importance happens in the material world, but its existence is bound by, and dependent on, the ethereal. The Underworld and the Afterlives are sub-sections of the physical world, as only the gods can access the ethereal.
From an eschatological point of view, the general consensus is that, so long as human venerations of the gods are kept up, the world and the universe around it will continue forever. If, however, the gods are neglected enough, then they will cease their care for the physical world and leave for the ethereal, the Usurpers and the monstrous horrors of the underworld will escape, and wreak destruction on the universe in their retribution. The cataclysmic war that follows would break the physical world, and lead to the ending of all humanity. Not even the sanctity of the afterlives would be safe. The actual chance of this happening is entirely dependent on the needs of the faith to encourage worship in the temples, and is used as a dire warning to ensure piety.
Worship
Worship of the gods is simplicity in itself; each of the gods represents an aspect of the world, and when engaging in something that touches on that aspect, one is expected to offer prayer for its success. The importance of the activity should relate to the amount of devotion given prior to taking part, so whilst something as simple as a short journey from one's house to the fields might only necessitate a quick prayer to Zedtur for safety during the trip, a journey across the Empire would require longer devotions, and a donation in Zedtur's name would be encouraged, be it food, resources or just plain coin.
Further examples include Yaltur; as the patron god to the Empire, he requires constant veneration for the continued success of authority, and is the most widely invoked of all the gods. His wife, Hikis, represents the sanctity of home and heath, and such is also frequently mentioned to ensure good fortune in one's home and all that goes on there. Taneb is the Steward of the Sea and is mentioned prior to any sea voyage, and Leris the Stormlord is invoked to avoid bad weather, and to ensure sunshine and mild rains on one's crops.
Almost all formal worship and donation takes place at temples; every settlement, no matter how small, will have a building given over to the worship of the gods. Whilst it may not have a full-time priest, journeyman priests visit often for that role.
Priesthood
Granted Divine Powers
If a devotee to a god is devout enough, and the cause is justified enough for the god involved to be invested in it, then they may manifest divine power. This is a rare event, and always results in much attention to the person, who more often than not is key to a significant event. Actual occurrence is almost impossible to predict, and not relied upon; those who can call upon the gods regularly are exceedingly rare indeed, perhaps only one or two in a generation. They invariably become high priests to their gods, and know better than to test their god's providence with frivolous displays of power.
Most of the time however, incidents of divine providence are as miraculous as they are random; the man who lifts a fallen tree off his trapped children, the sailor who calms a storm moments before a ship breaks on the rocks, the soldier who fights with inhuman skill, or the farmer whose crops are more bountiful than ever before. The unifying nature of one who can do such things is unknown, as not all are the most pious or devoted, and the situation is not always perceived as being more critical than others. Individuals who catch their god's attention in this way are always rewarded with high honour though, and can expect to be sanctified on their death, becoming a part of the Empire's history, even if they can never draw their god's power again.
Founding Date
Officially: 1 IY
Type
Religious, Other
Alternative Names
The Faith, The Temples
Parent Organization
Permeated Organizations
Related Ethnicities
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