Religion of the Thousand Skies

Most races of the Thousand Worlds follow some variation of the ancient Annunaki religion, though it is not uncommon for the gods of the Annunaki and the gods of a specific planet or country to be worshiped side by side. in many cases, the religions have actually been interwoven. Because of this, religious practices throughtout the Thousand Worlds often have similarities, along with differences that canmake them seem like different religions altogether. And the same deity can go by many different names on different planets.
One common belief - held on most planets - is that the universe was created by four siblings: An, Enlil, Ninhursa, and Enki.
Others believe that Nammu (the primeval waters) created An (the sky) and Ki (the earth). An and Ki then had a son named Enlil. Enlil separated heaven from earth and claimed earth as his domain. He then created the Annunaki. Ereshkigal was the goddess of Kur, the underworld, and her origin story varied widely even amongst the Annunaki. In later centuries, it was believed that she ruled alongside her husband Nergal, god of the dead.
For much of the Thousand Worlds, the official pantheon might look something like this:
An – god of heaven
Enlil/Marduk – god of wind and storm
Enki – god of water and human culture
Ninhursag – goddess of fertility and the earth
Utu – god of the sun and of justice
Nanna – god of the moon, father of Utu
Inanna/Ishtar – goddess of sex, beauty, and war
The Annunaki serve Marduk as the prime deity, while also worshiping Enki, Utu, and Ishtar. Ishtar is preferred by soldiers, prostitutes, and criminals. Utu is the patron of the court system and supposedly the ancestor of the royal family. Merchants and craftsman serve Enki, and Marduk is considered lord of all. Ereshkigal is believed to be a witch from the time of the Five Kings, and is not part of the pantheon.
The Uro tribes believe that Enlil is the creator, but primarily serve Enki, believing that while Enlil created the universe, Enki created the Uro. Utu is a demigod, who serves as a bridge between this world and the next, judging the dead and sending them either to Enki or Ereshki, goddess of the underworld. The other gods of the Annunaki are acknowledged, but not widely worshiped.
The Palarians actually worship Ereshkigal exclusively, believing her to be the goddess of warriors. All who die in battle go to meet her in paradise. Inanna is the opposite of Ereshkigal, tempting men to neglect their duty and give in to their weaker emotions.
The Kildaroth worship Ashteroth (Inanna) calling her the Queen of Heaven. According to their beliefs, when Ashteroth descended into the Underworld she met and married Nergal, God of the Underworld. These two gods form the core of the Kildaroth pantheon. The fringe Cult of the Eternal Scepter believe that the High Priest of the Kildaroth should be the leader of the Thousand Worlds, rather than the Empress of the Annunaki. They have begun infiltrating Kildaroth institutions, such as the Sword of Ashteroth, in order to change the balance of power.
These are just a few examples of the many variations found in what is described as a "unified, central religion".

Structure

Due to the many variations of the central religion, any sort of alliance-wide structure is impossible. A few of the orders dedicated to the more popular deities have connected temples throughout the Thousand Worlds, but most temples are operated by local orders with little reach beyond their own planets or star systems.

History

The basics of the Religion of the Thousand Skies developed from the ancient beliefs of the Annunaki, the primary race of the Thousand Worlds. During the Third Age, various cults were dedicated to the individual gods and localized pantheons. over time, the various gods and beliefs of the different Annunaki and Kildaroth tribes coalesced into a central religion. With the founding of the Thousand Worlds, the joint Annunaki/Kildaroth religion became the official religion of the new alliance. Over thousands of years, it split, evolved, and changed as it incorporated elements of the many other races in the Thousand Worlds.

Founding Date

2

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

Annunaki Pantheon, the Gilded Gods

Demonym

Annunaki, Kildaroth, Uropesh, Palarians