Celestial Religion

The Celestial Empire is a theocracy, ruled by a Goddess-Empress. Although the state religion is monotheistic in the sense that the Empress is the only living deity, mythology holds that the world once consisted of thousands of minor deities whom the Empress eventually destroyed. For this reason some deities persist in Celestial mythos, even if they are not worshipped in the modern era.
The Celestial religion is extremely organised, with priests acting as scholars of theology as well as spiritual advisors. There is no communal worship, but all citizens of the empire are expected to go make offerings at temples every morning, and temples are also used for sacraments such as weddings and funerals. Practicing any religion other than the State-mandated system is considered heresy and is illegal, with punishments ranging from fines, imprisonment, and even death, depending on the severity.

Core Tenets

The Celestial religion emphasises blood purity and racial hierarchies above all else, believing some races are divinely ordained to rule above all others. For this reason the Caste system can be considered an extension of religious ideals.
The Empress maintains ultimate autocratic authority over the religion. As the religion has no core texts (such as a bible) but rather thousands of collections of stories, the 'canonic' origins of the universe are somewhat mutable and up for interpretation, with the following general accepted:

The universe was formed of chaos and existed in an anarchistic state, ruled by thousands of minor deities, until 10,000 years ago the Empress created a mortal form and used it to destroy all other Gods. This ushured in the Age of the Empire.

The Empress is an immortal spirit that traverses multiple bodies

Before the Empress became the sole deity, all of Man was one race. She divided the races to ensure order.

In terms of philosophy, the religion emphasises the need for hierarchy and order in order to prevent chaos. All practice is derived from this essential belief.

The Empress

Although one goddess, the Empress has four 'Aspects' which are used to help structure worship. The physical body of the Empress has been designed to switch between these Aspects at will, much as an Eladrin might realign themselves.

Moon Aspect

Her Aspect of the Moon is ascendent in the winter season. This aspect is styled as 'Her Radiance.'
The Moon Aspect governs the cycle of life and death, as the moon itself governs the push and pull of the tides. She is worshipped in the context of funerals, births, and rituals of healing. She brings the souls of the dead to the Eternal Gardens of the afterife. She also holds dominion over the ocean, ghosts and the undead (who are abominations in Her eyes), dreams, memory, and travellers.

Cloud Aspect

Her Aspect of the Clouds is ascendent in the spring season. This aspect is styled as 'Her Clemency.'
The Cloud Aspect is the giver of rain, who holds dominion over the harvest and nature. Her temples are common in farming communities and smaller villages who rely on agriculture. She is representative more widely of fertility, plenty, and the land. She is the only Aspect that accepts sacrifices, typically of livestock, which are usually prompted by drought or famine.

Sun Aspect

Her Aspect of the Sun is ascendent in the summer season. This aspect is styled as 'Her Splendour.'
The Sun Aspect is the Avatar of glory and conquest. She holds dominion over all war, and she represents the religious imperative of the Empire to expand across the continent. She also represents military strategy, fire, courage, and victory.

Star Aspect

Her Aspect of the Star is ascendent in the autumn season. This aspect is styled as 'Her Serenity.'
The Star Aspect represents knowledge, law, and the arcane. She holds dominion over all magic and is the patron of scholars. Sometimes called the 'all-knowing', she is usually represented with her eyes closed, to demonstrate that all her dominion lies entirely within Her spirit.