Suranism is predominant in Reimar, that being the worship of the sun god Sura, who is believed to have created all humans.
The Suranic Church:
Suranism is the most common religion in human nations, and Reimar is no different. Most suranic churches are organised by nation and have some slight differences between them, and the Reimaran Suranic Church has to compete with the Riestan Church. The Reimaran Suranic Church is the official state religion and enjoys royal support, for although Reimar has no system of divine right, many nobles are eager to point out that Feudalism was proposed by Riest and is thus the will of god.
The Suranic church espouses the power of the human soul, which they claim is reincarnated after death according to an individual’s actions in life – perfect souls are instead sent to an eternal paradise in Sura’s realm. The soul is perfect and sacrosanct, and those who lead the most virtuous lives are extolled by the church’s local leaders.
In Reimar, due to competition from the Riestan Church, the Suranic Church at the Fourth Grand Assembly of Monai in C.E. 1128 decided to allow some religious art to feature Sura and Riest. However, the bodies must be presented as flawless and they must have glowing orbs for heads (no face or features are allowed).
The Suranic church’s hierarchy is lead by the Grand Warden, a respected leader who heads the Grand Assembly. This organisation decides on the church’s leadership, appointments, doctrine, and budget. The council is furthermore made up of Cardinals, one for each of Reimar’s provinces. The church’s rank and file is composed of Cantors, those entrusted with preaching the word of god in both street and pulpit; and Scriptors, literate scholars who compose the church’s literature and study the holy text of the Suranic faith, the Etmarl. Itineratn preachers are less common in the Reimaran Suranic Church than in some other nations, although they still exist. Acolytes are low-ranking clerics that assist Cantors with rituals, or Scriptors with materials, or whatever other duties are required. Neopyhtes are trainee clergy who perform the most basic of tasks while they study to become Acolytes.
The Riestan Church:
Riestism has gained widespread support in recent decades due to their support of iconography and religious art. Unlike the Suranic Church, they do not believe that depicting the faces of Sura and Riest is blasphemous (however, they do believe that to show an “imperfect” Sura or Riest is blasphemous). Their sermons focus on Riest having walked the world and appearing in human form, and on the divine inspiration of that form. Accordingly, Reistism claims that bodily adornments are sinful, as a perfect form needs no adornment. However, they accept prosthetics, although they advocate that a prosthetic should be as artistically pleasing as the original limb it replaces. The most hardline Riestans indulge in nudism where able.
In Reimar, Riestism is more popular in the south, epsecially San Seras and Surmarch. While the Suranic Church does regard Riestism as a heresy, attitudes are more relaxed now from the first days of the split. It also helps that both churches dislike the Second Dawn, and rabidly hate Whitechapel. Although there is a moderately sized cathedral in Surmarch and smaller churches in many other large cities, their preachers tend towards mendicancy.
The Riestan church mirrors the Suranic’ church’s hierarchy.
The Church of the Second Dawn:
The Second Dawn holds that they are the true revival of Suranism. Initially a heretical sect that began in Surmarch, it has gained substantial momentum and is now tolerated by the more mainstream sects (although still condemned fairly routinely by the Riestan Church). The second dawn holds that Sura is the equal of the other gods, and that all races are equal. They do still maintain that for humans to worship other gods is an abomination. Unlike Reistism, they hold that depicting the faces of Riest and Sura are blasphemy. The church maintains that Riest is the avatar of Sura, and not Sura in earthly form.
While at first the Second Dawn might seem more liberal than mainstream suranism, the opposite is true. They call for rigid separatism between races and for all non-humans to be legally denied entrance to Reimar, even though a non-human in Reimar is a scarce sight.
The Second Dawn has a Warden’s Council instead of a single Grand Warden as the more mainstream churches do. They also focus on Cantors over Scriptors, holding that the word of god needs to live as people do, not be written down when most of the populace cannot read at all.
The Whitechapel Reform:
Whitechapel is considered a deviant heresy in Reimar. It maintains that Riest, the avatar of Sura, was human and not divine (although divinely appointed). They also claim that while divine, Sura was also human once. They believe that if one is virtuous enough, one can gain a place in the celestial hierarchy. Whitechapel also holds that reincarnation is a lie, and that sinners and unbeleivers are sent to a hell where one rots unending in a shadowy realm of maggots and flies. The heresy is roundly condemned by mainstream Suranic faiths.
While not illegal, the mainstream churches persecutes Whitechapelists so thoroughly that believers or ranked members of the sect risk angry crowds, lack of friends, and a sudden dearth of gainful employment.