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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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==Overview==
His path began in the [[Great Crusade]], when he was among the first [[Aspirant]]s taken from [[Colchis]], after Lorgar was discovered by the [[Imperium]]. The Anchorite would later join the Word Bearers in embracing the [[Chaos Gods]] and betraying the Imperium in the [[Horus Heresy]], after the Emperor berated their worship of him and ordered the destruction of the Legion's sacred city [[Monarchia]]. As the Heresy raged, he would go on to take part in both the [[Dropsite Massacre]] and the [[Battle of Calth]]. However it was while fighting the [[Ultramarines]] beneath the surface of [[Calth]], that the Anchorite was struck by an epiphany, as his Legion brought ruin to the world. While the Word Bearers and Ultramarines fought around him, the Anchorite realized the futility of his Legion's actions and became disillusioned with both Lorgar and the Chaos Gods. He looked back upon what caused his Legion's downfall and while the Ultramarines had broken the Word Bearers by destroying Moncharia, it had not killed them and in fact had made them stronger. Their actions on Calth would have the same result for the Ultramarines, who would then only try to break the Word Bearers once again. The Anchorite knew this would begin a never ending cycle of war between the Imperium and the forces of Horus, that would later spill across the entire galaxy. He wanted no part in causing that and though he could not stop the battle, the Anchorite immediately decided to end his part in the cycle and surrendered to the Ultramarines. Miraculously, the Primarch [[Guilliman]] ordered the remorseful Word Bearer to be spared and instead ordered the Anchorite to be imprisoned and he played no further part in the Horus Heresy. When his Legion later fought in the [[Siege of Terra]], the Anchorite sat alone in a cell and preyed prayed for their souls. As he did so, [[Daemon]]s would try to tempt him and sway him to embrace the Chaos Gods again, but the Anchorite banished them and continued his prayers in penance. He also embraced the worship of the Emperor once again and cast off his old identity to become an Anchorite, both in name and in being. He then began preaching and writing the words of the [[Lectitio Divinitatus]], which his Primarch had penned before his fall to the Chaos Gods.{{Fn|1a}}
The Anchorite continued doing so even after the forces of Horus were defeated, and he would become one of the voices that guided the newly created [[Ecclesiarchy]], as his written words were given to its members. Both the Ecclesiarchy and the [[Imperial Cult]] owe much to the Anchorite's teachings, but only a select few knew of his existence. This included the forebears of the [[Cardinal]] [[Eamon]] dynasty, who became the Anchorite's gaolers and were charged with keeping his existence a secret. However the Anchorite was plagued by the part the Word Bearers played in nearly destroying the Imperium and he came to realize that the Emperor had been secretly testing them, with the destruction of Monarchia. The fact that not only did his Primarch and Legion fail to understand this, but had instead aided in ruining the future the Emperor had for [[Mankind]], brought great despair to the Anchorite. In time, this proved to be too much for him and the Anchorite believed he would only find absolution for his sins in death. This led the Anchorite to try to commit suicide several times, though, his life was saved after each attempt. However the Anchorite nearly succeeded in his last attempt and he had to be interred within a [[Contemptor Dreadnought]], in order to save his life. This brought an end to the Anchorite's suicide attempts and, though the Dreadnought still wished for death, he instead chose to continue preaching the words of the Divinitatus. In late [[M41]] the current Cardinal Eamon, took control of the world [[Almace]], in the [[Odoacer System]], and the Anchorite was imprisoned beneath its main palace{{Fn|1a}}. Unfortunately the Word Bearer [[Chaos Lord]] [[Amatnim Ur-Nabas Lash]], became aware of the Anchorite's existence after his invasion of an Imperial world, revealed it contained copies of the Dreadnought's writings.{{Fn|1b}}
