Religions of the Virasana Empire

There are two main religions in the Virasana Empire: three sects of one religion mostly adhered to by humans, and the N'Ptalini pantheon.

## Human Church

The three human churches are usually considered as one religion with three different main branches or sects. Historically and culturally, though, they are three separate religions which, over centuries, have found more common ground than reasons to disagree. Since the Condamnation of the Soul Eaters, the three churches see each other as quarreling siblings united by a common goal.

Those tree sects are

* The Fist: Temple Belligra
* The Mind: Temple Verata
* The Heart: Temple Jansahar

All three agree on the following theological tenets.

* God is one, but they appear in many different forms. From a single soul to the N'Ptalini gods, all are shards / facets of the same.
* Souls are reincarnated in an endless cycle, as an oppotunity to learn and grow and eventually reach a state where all negative disruptions are purged.
* We live in the worst worlds possible, and it is our duty to improve conditions for all. Concepts like 'hell' or 'purgatory' are scaremongering intended to cow people in submission.
* The free movement of souls is crucial to the deliverance of all, so everything that hinders their passing is a grave sin. See also the Ostracismo Cibi Animarum
* Slavery is a secular legal status and rightful as such. The churches allow ownership of another being's body, life and mind, but not their soul. Actions that endanger a slave's soul are considered crimes of the owner, even if the actions were those of the slave due to lack of education or misinformation.
* Next to the titles of Brother / Sister / Father / Mother, the churches accept Sibling / Parent as a gender-neutral term for priests who either do not fit into the traditional human genders or simply prefer not to use them.

All three branches venerate a veritable host of saints. Some of the most relevant are:

* Saint Barbara of Wyrmfels - a Jansahar priest who first managed to pacify a lindwyrm tribe of Wyrmfels and integrate it into the human settlement
* Saint CoCo - a Jansahar priest and acolyte of Tagore Virasana revered for her plainly worded yet deeply spiritual teachings. A former prostitute and drag performer.
* Saint Cornelius - a Belligra who fought valiantly against the N'bosoti during the Siege of Geshi N'Ptah, the only living saint.
* Saint Marpelus -
* Saint Nicodemus -  triggered the Purge of the Verata and is considered one of the most impartial and uncompromisingly just Verata
* Saint Tarquinius -
* Saint Trinity - a legendary figure among the Verata, a computer programmer revered for bridging the physical, technological and spiritual worlds.
* Saint Ulrich - founder of Temple Belligra

## N'Ptalini Pantheon

The N'Ptalini have their own, lively pantheon of gods, beginning with Y'Bathar, the Mother Ocean, and her two warring sons, luminous Cor'Garun and chthonic Nach'Tarr.

Over the last generations, particularly after the Edict of Saint Cornelius, the N’Ptalini pantheon has gained an increasing number of followers among humanity. Also, many humans consider the N’Ptalini Pantheon an addition to the human faith, not an alternative - for example many Verata sport the ritual scars and tattoos of E'Yla, their goddess of truth. Human churches frequently venerate N'Ptalini deities along their own saints, particularly so on planets with larger N'Ptalini populations or in larger cities.

## Secularity

There is a wide range across the empire regarding the importance of religion, or the lack thereof. While places like The Floor or Yaiciz can be considered basically agnostic, planets like Kismet and Qufu all but hum with prayers.

As a rule of thumb, it can be assumed that the higher the average level of technology on any given planet, the less religious its population is.

## Some noteable Church Orders include

 Order of Charitable Reclamation Saint Tarquinius Division
## Other articles on religions

 Archbishops N'Ptalini pantheon Temple Belligra Temple Jansahar Temple Verata Triecclesial Court