Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26535281-20170609153659

Religion is widespread throughout the Empire and has many different cults and Gods under it's banner, but a collection of these Gods and cults are considered the 'State Religion' to which all residents of the Empire are expected to pay homage. Inside the state religion is the worship of The Emperor, the worship of the 'Holy Spirit', and finally the most important of the Rin Gods.

Outside the State Religion are many sanctioned Gods and cults of other nations and peoples deemed acceptable by Rin Standards. Most of these cults or Gods are later absorbed by larger cults within the Empire or are identified with one of the Rin Gods.

The Rin Religion is flexible enough to absorb other Gods, but it is highly ritualized and all rituals are almost fanatically observed with rituals reaming the same over billions of years with some being os old the meaning and purpose behind them are forgotten. An example of this are the many 'Lost Gods' who the Rin only remember their names and specific rituals all other aspects have been lost to time.

The State itself has no sacred writings (Past Sanctus Liber, but that is for Emperor worship alone) and thus for the most part the Rin are not bound by dogma the people of the Empire can think what ever they want about the Gods save anything deemed heretical or something that threatens the state some cults and some Gods have their own sacred books and passages, but the State itself neither accepts or denies them (That is up to the Ecclestum) the only form of sacred writings the Rin have are the 'Book of Prayers' and 'The Immortal Words' passages from both are used in almost all rituals in the Empire.

All religion in the Empire is managed by the Ecclestum which is split into a series of colleges (To be expanded upon in another post along with a Pantheon) the Ecclestum itself has many grand and mighty cathedrals, but they are always dedicated to three things: The Emperor, the Divine/Holy Spirit, and the traditional Pantheon of Gods. Local deities and minor Gods are given small shrines and a day long festivals at best with some local deities eventually rising to the Pantheon (By being connected with one of the Rin Gods).

With the ascension of the Emperor most if not all temples have been either solely dedicated or duly dedicated to the Emperor with his worship being paramount. Preachers preach to the masses about his divine love and mercy while fire brands warn of his wrath and divine retribution. Some preachers for minor Gods do exist, but they are not as common as they once were. 