Cult of the Emperors

The Cult of the Emperors is a current of worship in the Empire of Mankind. It is a sort of religious believe, in which the inhabitants pay respect and tribute to the Emperor and the past emperors of the Nation in Temples built all over the planets of the Country.

Contrary to popular believe, they do not revere the Emperors as Gods, but rather as all mighty powerful leaders that ensure the continuity and stability of the Empire. By profesing its respects, they worship the Emperor as a state figure or representation of the state itself.

People don't pray to the emperor as a deity but rather as a form for the universe to guide the emperor and give him power and wisdom in his decisions while commanding the nation. Rather than a cult to the Emperor himself as a deity, is a cult to the nation, represented in the figure of emperors a direct personification of it.

Imperials think that by worshipping the past emperors, they can guide the current one to success and not intervene in a negative way towards bad decisions. This a syncretism taken by the influences of the Aldorian Ancestors Religion, that became widespread in the Empire in the next millennia..

The Cult of the Emperors, gave birth later on to the Cult of the Eternal Flame. This worship was also a cult to the Empire as a State. The Center of that cult is based on Planet Hestias.

## Temples and Shrines

Usually the temples are made of marble and differ in it's disposition greatly. Shrines are circurlar or a square in a very small size. Usually with a pyre of fire in the center and surrounded by several inscense burning around. The walls on square ones might be decorated with relieves if the shrine is in a wealthy area.  Temples on the other hand are always carefully decorated and might vary in size, being the core worlds the ones with the largest temples (apart from Hestias).

* **Personalized Emperor Temples**: This are the least common. Those dedicated to an specific emperor are split into two areas. The main prayer area which is rectangular usually very much decorated with collums and incense crowding most of the hinter spaces. The second area is round and elevated and holds the main Statue of the Emperor. It is very much iluminated by natural or artificial light and has pires of fire around. This temples usually are constructed during the reign of an emperor to "support him" spiritually on his decisions. However,  when they pass away, the temples are simply kept. People still go there to worship as if the spirit of the deceased Emperor could still bring peace and prosperity to the Empire from the other side.

* **Temples dedicated to Several Emperors**: The Temples dedicated to several emperor usually are made of one big area in a rectangular shape. They are with the Temples to the Tarnos dynasty, among the biggest, largest and most monumental temples found of this Religion in the Empire. The sides are covered in columns and in between the collums are the statues of each of the emperors for which the Temples is dedicated to. Usually when more than two are represented. The area on the other side of the entrance, is made for offerings and prayer and usually has several small pyres with flames.

* **Tarnos Dynastic Temples**: The temples dedicated to the Tarnos Dynasty consist of a circular area with many small pyres which usually represent the kings and queens of the Tarnos dynasty. In this temples, the walls are decorated with engravings and relieves of the history of the Tarnos dynasty. They are among the biggest temples in the Empire and represent most of the historical events of the empire on it's walls.

* **Normal Temples**: This is, as the name states, the most common temples found across the Empire. This temples are dedicated to the Entire Empire as a whole and the state well being, it is shaped may vary. However, the most common are large two space areas. One rectangular with relieves of the Emperors  on the walls, incense and fire pyres in between the colums, and the second space which is circular is also surrounded with pyres and sometimes collums too. In this space a statue representing the Empire in the shape of a woman is usually seen but sometimes and usually in less well off places, the round space has a large altar to lay offerings, the altar might be a larger Pyre and the Priests usually perform the burnings in a celebration (usually the Emperor's birthday, or the founding of the nation).

## Notable Worlds

Most of the planets do have small shrines dedicated to the nation and the Emperor. As explained before, this people might seem to worship the emperor as a God, but in reality they worship the figure of the State. They prey for the well being of the nation, so that the Rulers are wise and compassionate, making the Empire thrive. Due to this, personal shrines to specific emperor is rare.

Nevertheless, some worlds indeed have shrines dedicated to some of the best rulers of the nations or even a group of them. On planet Isolda, there is the Great Temple of the Twelve Emperors, on Memphis, there is a huge shrine dedicated to Hannakon I Tarnos, the first emperor or in Alma dedicated to the Tarnos Dynasty as a whole.