Celestial Host
The Celestial Host is the largest religion in the New Merittan Empire and the primary religion in nearly every region. The adherents of the Celestial Host setup several temples in each region, typically one in each barony. The high temple in a region can employ as many as one hundred adherents, but regular temples usually have between a dozen and twenty five. Within the baronies, many shrines are built across the villages, usually one or two adherents will work the shrine, but sometimes villages simply take care of the shrine as part of their life. The High Basilica has thousands of adherents of varying levels studying theology and delivering sermons. Most who follow the celestial host do not ever lay eyes upon the High Basilica, but legends of its splendor can be heard in every corner of the empire.
Many of the followers of the Celestial Host do not choose a single member of the host to worship, but instead worship them together. As people rise in prestige in the church they become adherents, dedicating themselves to one of the gods. This does not mean they forsake the others, as they are still followers of the Host and worship all the gods, but they have dedicated their focus and study to one of the gods in particular. Not all adherents dedicate their full attention to the church. Many villages have a few adherents who are also farmers or craftsmen. Technically there is no hierarchy beyond adherent in the structure of the church but in practice there are very flexible power dynamics at play and a pecking order, while unspoken, most certainly exists.
