3 - Religion
Religious beliefs on Yiphra come in many different shapes and forms. The biggest religion on the planet, and in most of the core empire, is the Deepsky faith and its various sects. Their main gods, Turina, Kirada, Curito, Uuyita, Yiphra, Etreha, Jeryna, Hevvro, Urla, Tyuva, Pivida, Yrvina, Dedeka, and Deite. Respectively, each of them has their own ‘church’ within the faith, such as the Church of Turina catering to red-born Ñezyeki, the Church of Etreha to every Ñezyeki, and the Church of Dedeka to all ground-born Ñezyeki. The list is as follows:
Church of Turina: Red-born Ñezyeki, who are taught the way of the flame.
Church of Kirada: Teal-born Ñezyeki, who are taught the way of the cold.
Church of Curito: Light-born Ñezyeki, who are taught the way of the light.
Church of Uuyita: Dark-born Ñezyeki, who are taught the way of the dark.
Church of Yiphra: Green-born Ñezyeki, who are taught the way of nature.
Church of Etreha: All Ñezyeki, who are taught the ways of flight.
Church of Jeryna: Ñezyeki born and raised in the interstellar/intergalactic void, taught to confront the void, not fear it.
Church of Hevvro: Ñezyeki born and raised on extremely hot planets, who are taught how to ward off the heat.
Church of Urla: Ñezyeki who choose to enter the church on their own, who are taught the ways of love and kindness.
Church of Tyuva: Ñezyeki born and raised not upon the surface of a planet or moon, who are taught how to adapt to the harsh environments they live in.
Church of Pivida: Ñezyeki born and raised under a scientific environment, taught to understand and manipulate the way the universe works.
Church of Yrvina: Ñezyeki who choose to enter the church on their own, who are taught to ‘read between the lines’ of the universe, and use it in a constructive manner.
Church of Dedeka: Ñezyeki born on planets who choose to enter, learning how to use the resources they find all around them.
Church of Deite: Ñezyeki born and raised on extremely cold planets, who are taught how to stave away the cold.
Church of the Old Ones: Ñezyeki who choose to enter the church on their own, more like a religious education of old mythology than a sect in itself.
Church of the Void: Ñezyeki who choose to enter the church on their own, and are taught about extrayiphran religions and beliefs from other alien species, often incorporating them into their own belief systems.
Some parts of all individuals born into a church, may be colored in accordance with the church they are born into, this applies to all churches. The color does not come from the church they are born into, rather, it is the other way around- for example one with more reddish colors on their body and features may be born into the church of Turina.
Rather obviously, atheism is an option, as are other religions. The oppressive imperial government did its best to force Deepsky upon its subjects, but often failed due to personal freedom outweighing religious unity in the minds of the people. Those who do not believe, or who follow a different faith, only had to come up with a rather bland excuse in order for the government to leave them alone, as they had figured out that it is not worth it to try and control so many dissenting people who, rather obviously, wish to simply have freedom of choice over their own beliefs.
The only unique upside is that Deepsky is the only known religion catered directly to the minds and bodies of the Ñezyeki, able to harness deeply innate abilities hidden in their genetics, unlocking abilities anywhere from acidic blood to the ability to freeze air to the ability to swim through the darkness as if it were a liquid.