Anchorite

Anchorite

(Creature)

Type

Outsider
(evil, extraplanar, lawful, velstrac)

CR

4

Environment

Any (Shadow Plane)

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Source: Alien Archive 2, pg(s). 128

Anchorites are a class of low-ranking velstracs, directly transformed from mortals, who dedicate themselves to pain and serve other velstracs as workers and rank-and-file soldiers.

Ecology

Anchorites were originally mortals that somehow survived being tortured by velstracs and were transfigured into velstracs themselves. The exact methods of this change can vary greatly, but always involve exquisite pain and suffering. A newly-transformed anchorite must always willingly mutilate itself to demonstrate its dedication to velstrac philosophy.

Society

Anchorites are responsible for the creation of most velstrac equipment, which they design to be macabre and ornate. They also serve as grunts in exploration teams and starship crews. In battle, whether directly fighting or piloting a starship, anchorites seek to inflict as much pain as possible on themselves and their foes, sometimes even using the escape pods of their corvettes to breach the hulls of enemy ships.

Anchorites share pain in order to guide each other in their evolution. Few velstracs refuse to telepathically pair with and taste the pain of an anchorite, while refusing to do so with another velstrac is a rare, disgraceful act from the anchorite's part.