The Eremites

"I am a disciple to this universe which spawned the race called Man, a place in which all other immortals are aliens and interlopers. There is a force in this universe all others have overlooked, but which Man sees with clear eyes. We seek to reach out and touch the face of God, as our father did. Even if God has abandoned this place, His Plan remains. We will take our place at His throne and stand as the army of Heaven itself."

Almost exclusively, Eremites prefer holy places as their sanctuaries, partuicularly monestaries, cathedrals and other temples which venerate monotheism.

The Eremites maintain their age old German fortress, located in present day Berlin. The creche is a small city whose walls and streets are made of gold. Jewels are set in it’s 12 gates. The mantle shines with light. There is no night in the mantle. The Eremites call their city Salem, the City of Peace. In every way, it emulates biblical descriptions of Heaven and the city of Jerusalem as it appeared under the ambitious reign of King Solomon.

Eremites have extensive holdings in modern day Germany and the United States. Cities they dominate include Berlin, Vienna (which they founded) Hamburg, Dallas, Salt Lake City and conservative cities through the American Midwest. They have been forced out of most of their Islamic holdings, but still influence Jerusalem from their great mantle fortress of Masada. The Eremites still struggle to take control of the temporal Rome and the Vatican, and maintain a mantle of imperial Rome within their borders.

The Pride wields power through Protestant religious organizations and clash with Apocrypha fundamentalist groups. They are heavily involved in human charities, the United States and Israeli militaries and conservative political movements. Much of their power has shifted in the recent years from Europe to the United States. Eremite industry is concentrated in armaments and government defense contracts.

Eremites all possess primate Himsatis. Through concentration and harsh self-discipline, an Eremite shapes his Himsati into a an angelic appearance. Eremites who do not practice this ability are considered inferior and are looked down upon by those who do. See Eremite Carnals, below, for system notes on how this transformation is induced.

Dogs are tolerated as the only animal having true loyalty to Man. Among the Eremites, those with canine Himsatis must work harder to prove their worth and loyalty. If they ever slay a human, canine Himsatis must make atonement for their crime to the Pride. Usually this takes the form of fulfilling a specific quest given them.

Eremites do not like to perpetuate the notion of angels with wings and find the Morrigan practice of appearing as winged humans vulgar and insulting. The Eremite Himsati form does utilize the growth nature, making him appear as a giant.

Eremites appear as human as possible, without a trace of unearthly origins. These they reserve for the angelic Himsati form. The more like a human an Eremite can seem, the more he is respected by his peers. As such, Eremites strive to look plain and unobtrusive.

Eremites are not, as other Prides suggest, racially intolerant. All humans, no matter what race they belong, are sacred to them. Only house Aryan, now renegades, were obsessed with creating racial purity in human stock. The Eremites wish to make a better breed of Man by combining all the best traits of all races and minorities.

Eremites dress as warriors, always. The presiding style of their attire is that of ancient Rome, their most memorable creation and the culture which their renegade Aryan’s used to inspire the Nazis of World War II.. Eremites wear special metal war insignia stripped from their enemies as a show of status. Some wear Judeo/Christian symbols.

The Eremites are the result of a breeding program initiated by the ancient Anopheles. Having discovered a human, Anath, who had become immortal through symbiosis with a shard, they bred him with the Rukshasa, a feminine entity of Light they summoned from the universe beyond. The Rukshasa bore 100 children per day. As his children grew up and became mighty immortals, Anath spoke to them of his journeys. He claimed to have gone to the Crucible itself, the first universe from which the Beast had been exiled.

There was life in the Crucible still, Anath said. He claimed to have beheld a being of great majesty and Light who looked like a Man. The majesty of the being was such that Anath fled, terrified, to his everlasting regret. Anath prophesied his own destruction and told his children to look for him in the Crucible after his death. The Eremites prevailed upon their mother, the Rukshasa, to tell them of the Crucible. After all, she and two other spirits had been summoned from that place by the Anopheles millions of years previously. Despite their overtures, the mysterious creature remained utterly silent.

Later, Anath would escape his captivity among the Anopheles, but his multitude of children, the Anathasians, would not. The Anopheles divided the children into two castes, warrior and scholar, according to the predisposition of each individual. The warriors eventually called themselves the Eremites. The scholars named themselves the Magdalen. Both of these castes became more and more the slaves of the Anopheles as time passed. Their servitude grew unbearable when Anath mysteriously disappeared.

Eventually the Eremites and Magdalen combined their forces and won freedom, a revolution which turned the tables against the Anopheles and allowed the Eremites to enslave them instead. Although it occurred to the leadership of the Eremites the battle was too easily won, the rank and file urged them to establishing their dominance over their former masters.

Anath re-emerged during this time, but he was changed. Possessed of the baneful spirit of a Sanguinary avatar, he was to perish at the hands of other immortal breeds. The Eremites never forgot this death (murder) and their hatred for other immortals other than themselves grew. Within the Eremites, a prophet rose by the name of Melchizadek. He urged the Eremites to seek their father in the Crucible as was commanded of them.

The Anopheles suffered under Eremite rule for a long while, but the news of the Eremites seeking the Crucible greatly disturbed them. They could imagine the Eremites gaining the same power once held by the Anopheles, a power they would never be able to control. Rising up in revolt themselves, the Anopheles began a conflict that eventually swallowed the majority of immortals. The Shouting War resulted. This conflict not only freed the Anopheles from the Eremites but paved the way for slavery for all immortals. The Eremites, along with other Prides, were imprisoned in the nether-world of Sheol by the only remaining strong group of immortals, the Nimrod.

Things went badly for the Eremites in Sheol. Their prison was a place of no light where all immortals were starved for life-force and beauty. The Eremites suffered even more. All the other immortals blamed them for the escalation of the Shouting War. They might well have been destroyed by the others and used as food if not for the intervention of the newly formed Banjax. Their only friends, the Eremites humbly accepted protection and fought beside the Banjax against the dark monsters that prowled their prison. The number of Eremites, following Melchizadek’s example, prayed for deliverance from this grave.

Eventually, at the edge of hope, their deliverance came at the hands of the Banjax. The dark prison was opened and the Eremites stepped into the light of a changed world. Mankind had proliferated during their incarceration. He was now living in cities and spreading civilization wherever he went. The Eremites were struck with such a beautiful sight. Their love for humanity swelled.

Unfortunately, the Apocrypha, humans and avowed enemies, were in control and persecuting the newly released immortals. Most immortals went to a safe-haven known as Atlantis. The Eremites instead settled among the tribesmen people of Mesopotamia. Living unobtrusively under the banner of Enoch, (whose descendants would go on to found the kingdom of Israel) the Eremites under Melchizadek made themselves his protector.

During the time of Abram, other Eremites, seeing Melchizadek’s power as dangerous to the unity of the Pride, challenged him. The challenge was peaceful and ended peacefully, but no resolution was reached. With their own human flock, the challengers decided to settle near the Banjax, who had befriended them in Sheol. These challengers were intrigued with the Banjax’s vision of the Ka, the One Soul, and wished to learn more about it. Still other who agreed neither with the challengers or Melchizadek, dispersed themselves through the rest of the known world. Many settled in Greece among the Magdalen.

In 1250, after the Israelites fell under the oppression of Rameses II, Melchizadek’s immortal followers distanced themselves from their human charges. Melchizadek had himself become enraptured with the beliefs of the Israelites. He believed that God would never manifest Himself to the Eremites but only to humans. Further, as long as the Eremites remained among humans, he said, God would remain remote. A peace-monger himself, Melchizadek loathed the idea that humans should suffer the loss of their God’s presence because of the presence of his own people---who he believed were the fallen angels.

His words seemed to ring true when the Israelites, led by a mortal named Moses, were delivered out of their bondage through a number of miracles which defied Eremite explanation. After Moses vanished and reappeared with Law which he claimed was given him directly by the hand of God, Melchizadek and his followers came to read the sacred tablets. The powerful Religarum in the tablets transformed them into creatures of angelic countenance. Surly, Melchizadek believed, the tablets came from the Crucible itself.

The power of the tablets, however, was painful to the Eremites. To shield themselves from it, they constructed a vessel to contain the tablets, the Ark of the Covenant. Soon afterwards, the Eremites witnessed the destruction of Jericho by the Israelites using the Ark of the Covenant. It’s power grew. Pride Nimrod, the masters of Jericho, blamed the Eremites for it’s fall.

Within the next centuries they supported a number of humans dedicated to the One God, including Samson and Saul, two of their most cherished charges. The death of King Saul gave way to the ascendancy of young David, who was in turn succeeded by his son Solomon. The Eremites came into conflict with the Anopheles over the son of Solomon, a tryst called Menelik whose mother was the immortal Makeda, the mysterious Queen of Sheba. The Eremites took possession of the boy and spirited him off to their Masada fortress be trained in the construction of mantles. Menelik’s training would create the Eremite’s Salem creche, which still survives today. With the creation of Salem, the Eremites from all walks came together as one. Despite their philosophical differences, they became unified.

The death of Solomon began the decline of the power of the Israelites and of the Eremites in that region. Desperate not to lose temporal power, the pride seized hold of Sparta, a Greek city formally in possession of the Magdalen. This was small gain for the Eremite’s as Nimrod, in revenge for the destruction of Jericho, captured Damascus, Palestine, Syria and Samaria, ending the kingdom of Israel and stripping the Eremites almost bare.

Frustrated and at the lowest ebb of their reputation as warriors, the Eremites steeled themselves for action. In 509 BC, a year after the overthrow of King Tarquinus Superbus, the Eremites seized power in the newly formed republic of Rome. Over the centuries they tenaciously held onto Rome through the meddling and machinations of the Magdalen and other bit players.

Sparta was taken from the Eremites by the Anopheles but the loss was trivial. Rome had become a juggernaut whose power grew with the centuries. Eremite coups were cutting and wide spread, elevating their status beyond what it had ever been.. Although the Magdalen managed to seize Rome during the first century BC, they could not hold it for long. The Eremite-sponsored Julius Caesar solidified their grip in the Roman Empire. During his reign the Eremites, to the shock of all other Prides, became the Scepter. They would hold this seat of rulership over all other Prides until 251 AD when the Morrigan deftly counted a shattering coup on them by revealing an immortal member of the dread Apocrypha among their ranks.

Rome endured many tribulations after the Eremites lost the Scepter, but the seed of Christianity, long nurtured by the Eremites, was thriving. Eager to destroy the worship of the Roman gods, reflections of the Magdalen which allowed them to interfere with the Eremites for so long, the Eremites supported Christian emperors. Paganism was extinguished. They enjoyed power and solidarity within their Pride throughout the coming centuries. As the Catholic faith grew, so did challenges to the Eremites who nurtured it. Expectedly, the most violent opposition came from the mortal Apocrypha. The Apocrypha used all of it’s resources in their bid to seize church power. They were successful. The Eremites were forced out of the church.

Islam immediately captured their attention. The decadence of the Apocrypha was contrasted by the pure fervor of the Moslems. The Eremites sent a small number of their Pride to enter the Middle East and to gain temporal power in the growing sect. In the Shiites, a group of Moslem fundamentalists, they found their purpose. Throughout the attempts of the Apocrypha to regain Jerusalem in the Crusades, the Eremites helped defend the forces of Islam.

For the next five centuries, the Eremites remaining in Western Europe continued a war of attrition on the Apocrypha, culminating with the Reformation and the rise of Protestantism. Their efforts to regain footing in the Catholic church continues to this day.

Always battling dissension, the Eremites lost one of their great houses in the late 1800s, House Aryan. House Aryan was bent upon a eugenics program to create the perfect human race to rule over mankind. Their plan caused the eruption of World War II, a conflict which lost much power for the Eremites and destroyed most of house Aryan itself. For more information on this time, see the history of the Cur. World War II was the last great battle of the Eremites. For the last half-century they have been quietly rebuilding their shattered Pride.

Eremites are a very spiritual people. Half the Pride seeks communion with God, redemption for their corruption by the Sanguinary. Allegorically, many see themselves as fallen angels who wish to repent for their dark nature and be allowed to return to the Crucible, the heaven of mankind. They believe God is far more concerned with the redemption of mankind. They believe that proof of this relationship between God and Man was personified by the coming of Christ and such prophets as Elijah, Mohammed, Martin Luther, and Joseph Smith.

The other half of the Eremites do not subscribe to the existence of God, per se, but do see the Crucible as a place where gods are made. They believe the Sanguinary’s powers were not innate, but bestowed upon the Beast within the Crucible. It’s violent, greedy nature, they believe, is the only reason why it was successful in the Crucible---all other beings there were pacifistic and therefore, doomed. If not for the elusive entrance of the Crucible, the Eremites believe they could enter it and assume unimaginable powers. With these, they can destroy the Beast.

Despite the fact their philosophies are skewed from one another, all Eremites agree on certain points. The Crucible is not dead, not powerless. It is a vast storehouse of Light, either in form of God or as a mantle of power

Eremites see Mankind as sacred, especially those who possess Religarum. Religarum, they believe, is the force of the Crucible, the very power of God or Heaven. Their witness of Religarum and the miracles resulting from it only cement this conclusion. Eremites do not interfere with Religarum, and deeply resent anyone who does (hence their sometimes discord with the Infernum.) The presence of all immortals, in fact, pollute Religarum and keep it from manifesting it’s true nature. Without the Sanguinary and the other immortals, the Eremites believe that either God will manifest in the world or heaven’s gates (the Crucible) will open and spill forth power to glorify Man.

Eremites are drawn to miracles of all kinds. They investigate them with a fervor unknown among all except perhaps the Arachne. Miracles, manifestations of Religarum which are not tainted by the interference of immortals, are vital to understanding what Eremites call the Plan.

Christianity teaches that God has an enigmatic plan which will ultimately lead to the redemption and deliverance of man from his inferior nature. The triumph of Light over Darkness, Good over Evil, God over Satan, is key. The Eremites believe this pattern of belief is no accident, but a divinely inspired concept implanted deep in the human psyche by the force of Good. All Eremites, whether they believe God is an entity or a force within the Crucible, respect this central principal, which they call the Plan. This is the unifying thread of the Pride.

While many sects of Christianity differ in their dogmatic teachings and practices, Eremites do not consider them different at all. It is the Sanguinary’s presence in Man that causes the disunity between Muslims, Christians, and members of other monotheistic religions. It is also the fact immortals must battle the beast that further causes this schism. While Eremites do not consider other immortals to be divinely inspired, they do acknowledge that, for now, they are part of the Plan. They are the fallen angels, beasts in human form, who are now given the chance to resist evil and work toward the victory of Light.

Eremites love all humans, period. There is no characteristic, belief, appearance, or opinion held by a human that offends an Eremite. Even the Apocrypha are loved by them, although they acknowledge they must destroy them because the Sanguinary has completely ensnared their souls. Some of the Eremites work toward the redemption of the Apocrypha, as do their quiet cultures. That this meets with little success does not stop them does not dim their zeal.

Eremites are, foremost, holy warriors, knights in service to their own ideals. They find it difficult to refuse a human cry for help. They will champion humans, even those whose paths lead to destruction. They are tireless in their work to improve the human condition and to one day open the way to paradise.

An Eremite resents manipulation of religion by anyone. Their coups often center around turning such manipulation back on it’s perpetrator.

Eremites search for the Ark of the Covenant, lost during the captivity of Israel to the Babylonians. They believe it to be in the hands of the Anopheles, yet another element of their feud with them. They also search for holy objects of all kinds to return them to hands of the pure and truly faithful, no matter what the cost to themselves. This includes pieces of the true cross upon which Christ was crucified.

Some Eremites who don’t believe in God as an entity consider it vital to know humanity, his needs and weaknesses, for the time that---having entered the Crucible---they must become his Gods. These often spend time with the Magdalen, researching the works of human scholars for insight.

Most immortals regard the Eremites as contemptuous simply because of their belief. In reality, Eremites are not overt in their dislike of the "animals" of the Perpetual Society. A few zealots are responsible for the prevailing attitude, not the Pride as a whole. Immortals with esoteric Himsatis are, by the Eremites, chosen for some unique purpose in the Plan. They are accorded more respect than the animals, but are not completely trusted. The unique purpose could be, in their mind, the testing of Man by untamed forces, possibly necessary but heart-breaking nonetheless.

Rome, the greatest achievement of the Eremites, is dead. Some Eremites believe the United States is the next Rome and are concentrating more and more of their influence there. Even so, they mourn the loss of Rome and keep it’s traditions alive. A mantle duplicating the Eternal City at it’s height under Augustus still overlays the crumbling mortal city.

The conundrum, capable of creating whole worlds, are precious to the Eremites. They see them, literally, as the keys to hell. After the destruction of the Sanguinary, they will cast its remains, and the remains of its dark minions, to the war-torn earth and create a hell with the conundrum to contain them forever. Eremites continue even now to create mantles of hell for droves they capture in order to illicit suffering in the Beast.

Legacies: Eremites gain the first rank of the following legacies at no cost:

Serenades: Eremites gain the first rank of any three of the following serenades at no cost. All other serenades on this list are at a complexity rank of 4 for Eremite characters. Ambrosia, Boon , Cassandra, Evensong, Idol, Manifesto, Marionette, Nostrum, Prism, Rave, Surge, Veil, Xenoglossia.

Eremite Secret Serenades: Kismet and Temper. See Serenades, the First Book of Powers, pages 110-111

The Ark of the Covenant, one of the most powerful Religarum objects ever made, instilled this ability in all Eremites who looked upon it. The ability is transferred via telepathic mind links between elder Eremites and newly uplifted members of the Pride. The ability allows the Eremite’s prime aspect to assume a beautiful human shape. The Eremite gains any one of the following natures added to his prime aspect’s list of natures for every 3 Visage he gains. : Beauty, Bioluminescence, Burning Essence, Growth and Terrible Countenance.

When an Eremite places all of his FI into his forte motes, he appears a completely human when scanned by another immortal, no matter his actual powers. Eremites lose the ability to hear serenades played in this form, and can only passively resist any serenade attack. Nor can he play serenades. This ability allows the Eremite to exceed the Himsati tier limit per motes if this is required to completely drain his FI pool.

An Eremite can use his oration ability to sway the masses who listen to him speak. The mortal listeners must be in his presence---the fiery oration cannot be recorded or transmitted. The Eremite rolls a ten-sided die. Any result allows him to sway the gathered crowd to his opinion, according to his own FI. The higher his FI, the more people he can sway:

a null on this roll actually works to the opposite, turning the crowd against the Eremite’s cause and possibly endangering him if he continues to speak. The roll is made at the end of the speech. This ability is tiring and can be used only once per series.

The Eremite holds a vigil, remaining awake through the night and reflecting upon his personal ethical codes and that of the Plan. He gains +1 to resist all forms of seduction or intimidation, including interrogation and torture for the remainder of the episode. Any attempt to seduce or make the Eremite afraid, even through serenades, gains this bonus.

An Eremite cannot refuse a request for help which comes from a human invoking the name of God, unless that request is the result of direct interference from another immortal. Failing to fulfill the request gains +1 ennui for the character. The request need not be life-threatening.

The following are taboos which, selected for your character, grants you +5 starting memory motes per rank instead of the normal +3.

The Eremite loses 3 motes from any 1 halo color when he has sexual intercourse with a human being, lasting for the remainder of the episode. (rank 5)

The Eremite audibly hears the prayers of everyone within the city whenever he closes his eyes. (rank 4)

The Eremite cannot harm anyone singing a hymn for as long as they sing. (rank 4)

Weapons consecrated in the name of Satan by a mortal causes +1 to +5 additional damage to Eremites when they are struck. The extra damage inflicted corresponds to the rank of taboo.

The Eremite suffers stigmata (spontaneous bleeding from the palms of the hands, the brow, or the top of the feet corresponding to the wounds dealt Christ on the cross) whenever he experiences a particular emotion. (Choose emotion) Rank 3

The Eremite’s presence causes images of Christ or the Virgin Mary to be seen in an area and can spark Religarum in the faithful humans that see it. (rank 4)

The touch of the Eremite to a human causes them to see visions of the Apocalyptic future. (rank 2.)

The Eremite must wear a holy symbol made by a human’s hands, or suffer a rank 1 pain hostile. (rank 2)

Amaranth : Inhuman creatures set upon the path of the Plan. We resent them keeping the children of the bright blood cloaked within their own mysteries. Otherwise, isn’t everyone inspired by the beauty of the rose?

Anopheles :Loathsome harlots who pollute the soul of Man with their debauchery. We suffered under their wicked appetites for too long, but have emerged strong from our captivity, Their presence is an affront to us and a sorrow for all others. What creatures are less worthy of existence than the cat and the serpent? If not for their dark power rooted in depraved hearts, we would rid the world of them.

Arachne: We teach our charges not to play with spiders and scorpions, they are dangerous. Fortunately, the Arachne are not concerned with changing the tide of man’s thought, only in subsisting on his fear. Let them search in vain to harness time. They fear Religarum and this makes them manageable. .

Banjax: The most noble of the animals. Their One Soul is a beast’s attempt to understand the Plan.

Cur : An unfortunate accident. They should be destroyed, so we act to prevent their coups and allow the rest of Perpetual Society put them down when their time is up. What supreme arrogance has such a young breed as to attempt to steal Man away from the Plan and replace guardians who have stood through all time.

Dracul :Almost trustworthy in their fairness to others. They are beneficent to our charges. They are honorable, so we accord them honor.

Infernum :The Show is a part of the Plan, but we see a darkness in them that we must yet guard humanity from. As we are angels of light, so are they angels of darkness. But all angels serve God, no matter what their activity. We curtail their meddling in human Religarum when we can, but the shadows often conceal the Infernum’s hands...

Magdalen: Meddlesome as only true scholars, and blood relatives, can be. We detest their lack of warrior spirit, but cannot turn our back on the blood that binds us. Their work, despite its pagan roots, still serves the Plan. The Magdalen have a chance to rise to our standing if they would only accept our ways.

Morrigan: They seek to make Heaven and themselves lords of it! They stand on high as if they were true angels and pass judgment on all the things that creepeth over the earth. Ah well. How sad for them to plummet from heaven a second time.

Nimrod: They exist as a contrast to Light, living parables to mankind. So interesting that they defend humans! We allow them this privilege and submit to their Silence in order to preserve man from the servants of the Sanguinary. They are right---an angel’s voice draws a demon’s ear.

Peri: Miracles, though they do not know it yet. They concern themselves with the strange underground and do not realize what it is they keep from bubbling to the surface. When the Plan unfolds, they will see their true destiny.

Phoenix : Fire purifies and tests. The Phoenix keep well to their place in the Plan. Where we oppose them is in their haughty destruction of what often seems lowly, but is majesty cloaked in humility. They also serve to inspire, like the Infernum, the imagery of hell. All pollution to the well of human belief.

Saturna: Creatures who do no deserve to walk where they do. They know more about heaven and it's occupants than they are willing to reveal to us.

Shonelkidar: Proof that immortals belong in the Dominions and can thrive there. So why do they come and disturb the winds of this world? There’s too much potential for evil in them to allow them to be given foothold here.

Tautha: Cowards who think they can make heaven on earth with the rubble of bygone ages. They tend to the garden and worship the tree as the giver of all life rather than looking up at the sun.

Terat: Aptly named monsters. We see too little of them in the waking world and know that they swarm through the dreams of Man. We must challenge them on their own ground. Their only grace is that they, like annoying insects, buzz around the snout of the sleeping beast and annoy him. If they are not careful, the snout will open and snap them up.

Sanguinary: Its destruction cannot come soon enough, but first it must be made to suffer for the misery it has inflicted on mankind.

Silence: A temporary silence we can tolerate only when the Sanguinary awakens and we destroy it. We have not long to wait.

Habitat: The last good place in creation. We must protect human civilization with our every breath.

Dominions: The rightful zoo for other immortals. One day the other Prides will be led back to it on leashes and put back in their only place. Perhaps they can tame its wildness.

Crucible: We must learn what else is in the Crucible. It is the ultimate mystery, perhaps the key to humanity’s eternal life.

Morpheum: We venture here only to reach mortals who fall under the domination of other Prides. We brave the Sanguinary’s den only to prevent mortals from becoming puppets.

Stratagem: A game we play along with because we are not yet ready to face all other Prides alone. However, the day will come when open season is declared on all animals. When it does, we will be passing out the licenses.

Profane: These breeds are no better than the animals, yet there may be those among them who are human in their soul and these are worth our efforts to save, albeit, secretly.

Ingenue: The greatest thorn in our side, for we cannot determine if they are human or animal before they emerge from Lethe. We bide our time while they pretend to be mortal and pray they do not bring the human race to ruin.

Conundrum: Priceless relics, we can reshape the world with them after we have taken them away from the servants of the Sanguinary. Ultimately, they will be the tools of our victory.

Sinning: Sometimes sacrifices within the ranks are necessary to strengthen the whole and rid the Habitat of our enemies. Still, it is better to take immaculum from animals.

Himsati: Are Himsati is not an animal. In either form, we are who we appear to be and we have been shaped into the likeness of God.

Humanity: They are our children to protect. Woe to anyone who tries to feed upon them.

Struggles between the bestial Terat and the Eremites have perpetuated many a legend about angels and demons. The male Nimrod are still imprisoned in the dark regions of Talos. The Anopheles certainly are portrayed as devils by the Eremites, especially since the Eremites were once their slaves. The Eremites (and Magdalen) rebeled against the Anopheles and ravaged their fortress-world
of Babel.

The Eremites fancy themselves to be Angels. Their himsatis can be as modern humanoid as you like. They can be beautific or terrible. By the way, the Dictionary Of Angels by Davidson is quite good. The concept of "winged" angels is perpetuated by the Morrigan, and while the two Prides get along overall, this is a point of friction between the two groups.

Ran once wrote these things direct as personal posts:

I would definitely cast Livia from "I, Claudius" as an Eremite. After all, the Eremites
controlled Rome for most of it's history and even briefly became the Scepter
Pride during it's supremacy.

On the subject of the Eremites and Magdalen. Although both these breeds came
from the same source and endured slavery under the Anopheles at one time,
they have disparaging philosophies and purposes. The Eremites have always
concerned themselves with revenge against captivity under the "animals" while
the Magdalen were much more interested in learning arcane secrets of the
earlier immortals. Neither the Magdalen nor any other Pride has "taken
control" of Catholicism. They have influenced it, but you must remember that
the church (all religions, in fact) have a number of humans with religarum
that makes it difficult to control them.

On the subject of God: A number of immortals are curious as to whether God
really does exist. They have seen evidence that this is possible, but are
overall undecided. The Eremites, however, are convinced. They seek out God
and are heavily influenced by the ancient writings that later became the
bible, much to the chagrine of the Magdalen, who consider all writing
potentially dangerous for the Sanguianry's influence. Muhammad was never
influenced by immortals---his religarum was too powerful.

The Eremites were part of the Anathasians, the sons and daughters of the first human immortal, Anath. Anath was captured by the Anopheles and placed in a breeding program with the Rukshasa, who bore him 100 children each day. (Ouch, yes, I know.) These were the Anathasians. The Anathasians eventually split into two groups. The first was the Eremites who were warriors and who favored their father, learning from him. The Magdalen were the other groups.

The Eremites broke away in a revolution from the Anopheles. The Magdalen assisted them. The Anopheles came to be the servants of the Eremites after they won their war, but the Magdalen were more interested in exploring the universe.

For uplifting rituals, the Eremites have a solemn assembly in the Judeo-Christian style, or have the initiate undergo a trial by combat (if his himsati is canine).