LOYALIST KNIGHT HOUSEHOLDS
House Taranis
Title: The Ancient and Patriarchal Knight House of Taranis
Household Grade: Primaris (Maxis)
Patent: Pre-Imperial Writ of Vassalage issued by the Martian Mechanicum, ratified by the Officio Militaris College of Arms 842.M30.
Warden Domain: Mars
Cognomen: The Knight Patriarchs, Primus Inter Pares (informal, self-referential)
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Bonded to Mars and bound to the field of battle at the behest of the Triad Ferrum Morgulus.
Allegiance: Unconfirmed (Significant element Fidelitas Tenax)
House Taranis stands as first among equals amongst the esteemed and ancient ranks of the Questoris Familia, for within the veins of its Scions flows the blood of those who first strode the red sands of Mars from within the confines of a Knight armour. It was they who shaped the tenets and traditions upon which all Knight Households were once built and they who first swore allegiance to the forge-lords of Mars. From this heritage was born House Taranis and long has the Household served the Red Planet, first against the degenerate souls that sought dominion and death upon its sands and then across the stars, taking its place amongst the ranks of the Great Crusade. Through every trial, those of House Taranis strive to uphold its ancient legacy, believing that to shirk in one’s duty is to dishonour not just the Household but all Households that came after, defiling the countless sacrifices given over the millennia since the first Knight was forged.
The reputation of House Taranis is built as much upon its skill at arms and courage in the face of adversity as it is by the ancestry of its Scions. First amongst the Knight Households to take its place within the Expeditionary fleets, House Taranis has brought battle to the galaxy’s greatest threats, earning glories on hundreds of worlds from the Segmentum Solar to the distant fringes of known space. Yet all was not pristine within the ranks of House Taranis and as its number swelled and spread across the galaxy, discord grew as greater numbers of its warriors served beyond the gaze of Mars. Year by year, conquest by conquest, the loyalties of House Taranis fragmented with many amongst its ranks holding duty to the Imperium above duty to Mars. The closing years of the Great Crusade were marred with increasing numbers of issued censures from the hierarchs of Mars to many amongst House Taranis, scolded for straying from complete devotion to the Fabricator General. As the Horus Heresy began and Kelbor-Hal revealed his intentions to the Imperium, House Taranis was rife with discord and quickly torn asunder, its warriors turning against one another as each swore themselves into the service of those deemed worthy.
Those of House Taranis beyond the red sands were not spared death and destruction simply by their absence. With no guidance forthcoming from the war-torn surface of Mars, each fragment of House Taranis sought its own path. For most, this meant seeking new patrons, offering the services of the Household in return for war materiel. Such benefactors stood on both sides of the war, and elements of House Taranis fought both for and against the Imperium, each believing they did right by the heritage of their Household. Across the galaxy, the fortunes of House Taranis waxed and waned, its numbers growing as new domiciles were founded, only to be decimated once more in the fires of war. By the end of the Horus Heresy, House Taranis had died a hundred deaths and the handful of Scions that remained faced an uncertain future that spoke of a galaxy devoid of its legacy.
Materiel Strength The long heritage of House Taranis, combined with its status as preeminent Knight Household of Mars, ensured that its strength was greater than any recorded Household within the Imperium, bar perhaps that of House Raven. Indeed, long before a codified measure of Household strength was implemented, the strength of newly-discovered Knight Houses was measured against that of House Taranis to determine its worth and capability. By the end of the Great Crusade, House Taranis proved capable of fielding nearly 600 functional Knight armours of all manner of patterns and armaments. As the first among Knight Households, House Taranis was forever chosen to test innovations forged upon Mars, and it was upon the recommendation of its Scions that such developments would be disseminated amongst the Questoris Familia. This esteemed position enabled House Taranis to field considerable quantities of rarer pattern Knights, laying claim to dozens of Acastus Knight Porphyrions, Cerastus Knight Atrapos and the Knight Magaera and Styrix, where lesser Households owned but a handful.
The legacy of House Taranis proved just as valuable an asset of the Household’s martial prowess. Often, detachments of House Taranis Knights were assigned to those who Mars sought to foster bonds with, be that an Expeditionary fleet, Titan Legion or far-flung Forge World. Intended to cement the power and reach of the Red Planet, the secondment of much of House Taranis’ strength proved useful to ensure the Household’s continued survival during the Horus Heresy, the cataclysmic losses of one fragment meaning nothing to those deployed elsewhere. The loyalties of House Taranis long stood in doubt, for numerous accounts spoke of Knights bearing the livery of House Taranis marching against one another beneath different banners, the scattered remnants of the Household spilling its own blood in service to warring powers. Such livery underwent stark changes during the Horus Heresy, with the traditional blue of House Taranis eventually giving way to the red of a bonded Mechanicum Household, as the Knight House became reliant upon the largesse of numerous Forge Worlds to survive the bitter conflict.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Taranis High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Grace of the Omnissiah: The Seneschal believes themselves blessed by the Omnissiah, having survived blows that would have felled others. Whenever the Seneschal’s Banner suffers Critical or Devastating Damage, roll a D6. On a 6, the damage is reduced by one level, i.e., a Critical Hit becomes a Devastating Hit, a Devastating Hit becomes a Direct Hit. 2 Resolute Brotherhood: The Seneschal places great value in the notion of brotherhood, forming everlasting bonds with the Knights they command. When making an attack during the Movement phase as part of a Charge order, Knights within the Seneschal’s Banner add 1 to the Dice value of the weapon they are attacking with for each additional Banner within the Seneschal’s Lance within 3" of them (measure for each Knight separately). 3 Master at Arms: The Seneschal fights with precision, striking at the weakest point and overwhelming their foe. The Seneschal may issue Coordinated Strike orders to Banners within their Lance without the need to make a Command check. However, the Seneschal’s Banner does not add 3 to the result of any of its Command checks, as described on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech.
House Taranis Cerastus Knight-Lancer
Hastam Gloriae Hastam Gloriae, or ‘Spear of Glory’, seen here before the Storm of Endeavour bearing the traditional colours of House Taranis, was one of dozens of High Scions to lead the charge upon the entrenched Traitors. Though red and
silver were the colours traditionally associated with Mechanicum vassal Houses, Taranis bore their own heraldry in
recognition of the legacy of their ancestors as forefathers to all Knight Households in existence. At times, House Taranis Knights would temporarily don the colours of their liege lords when serving as protectors of distinguished
Mechanicum personal. As the Horus Heresy dragged on and House Taranis became ever more reliant on aid supplied by Forge Worlds to survive, more and more of their number decorated their armour in Mechanicum
colours in recognition of the debt they owed to their saviours.
House Taranis Questoris Knight Styrix
Mors Iram House Taranis’ standing as the first amongst Knight Households ensured that it was well-supplied by the forges of Mars with vast numbers of the more esoteric of Knight patterns. Mors Iram, depicted here shortly before the Death of Innocence, was one of the four dozen Knight Styrix pattern armours employed by the ancient Household. Though
designed primarily as an anti-infantry Knight, the advent of the Horus Heresy saw the Styrix develop a new niche
in the unfolding nature of the war. The deflagrating properties of Mors Iram’s volkite chieorovile proved effective at overloading void shields, the rapid thermal increase straining the reactors of any Titan it struck. This led to the Knight Styrix being increasingly paired with heavier Titan maniples in order to shatter the void shield of opposing
god-engines and leave them vulnerable to allied guns.
House Coldshroud
Title: The Honoured and Esteemed Knight House of Coldshroud
Household Grade: Primaris
Patent: Pre-Imperial, Issued by the Tech-Priests of Gryphonne IV, ratified by the Officio Militaris College of Arms 896.M30
Warden Domain: Gryphonne Octad
Cognomen: Gryphon Sires
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Bound in service to the Forge World of Gryphonne IV in service to the Noble Legio Gryphonicus
Allegiance: Fidelitas Tenax
From the earliest days of the Great Crusade to the dark years of the Horus Heresy, it was a rare sight for the god-engines of Legio Gryphonicus to march to war without the Knights of House Coldshroud alongside them. The Household, sworn to serve the Forge World of Gryphonne IV during the Age of Strife, drew its warriors from the sons and daughters of favoured noble families across the Gryphonne Octad, a pocket empire of eight systems ruled from Gryphonne IV. Such children were given willingly, for there exists no greater honour in the Octad than to ascend to the Throne Mechanicum and bestride the galaxy in service to the War Griffons. This lengthy history of service ensures that House Coldshroud remains one of the oldest bonded Knight Houses known to the Imperium, evidenced by the heraldry of the Household being that of Legio Gryphonicus itself. When Legio Gryphonicus departed the Octad as part of the Great Crusade, so too did the warriors of Coldshroud, sallying forth to earn glories few others could match.
In war, the Knights of Coldshroud operate as vanguard fighters for Legio Gryphonicus, ranging far ahead of its god-engines in search of foes. The disposition of warriors within House Coldshroud is founded upon noble lineage and honours earned in battle, set down before each war zone so none could question a commander’s legitimacy in the heat of conflict. Each warrior of Coldshroud was taught to respect and honour those raised above them, with the Princeps of a god-engine standing higher than even the Grand Master of the Household, except in matters that dealt solely with the workings of the House. Favouring rigid command structures, it became common for banners of Coldshroud Knights to be bonded to specific Titan or war maniples, each Scion sworn in service to nominated Princeps until such a time as they were released from service, by command or by death. This process served to forge unbreakable bonds between House Coldshroud and Legio Gryphonicus, a bond that has never faltered in the face of millennia of trials. No more evident is the unwavering sense of duty those of Coldshroud hold then in their actions during the Horus Heresy. Not a single recorded instance speaks of its warriors questioning an order to fight those once deemed allies and many warriors of Coldshroud spilt blood in service to their masters. The greatest singular loss of life amongst House Coldshroud came during the first battle for Paramar V, where dozens of its number stood firm against overwhelming Traitor forces to buy time for those of Legio Gryphonicus to withdraw, the names of those that fell forever remembered by the people of the Octad.
The close ties House Coldshroud hold with Legio Gryphonicus ensure its numbers rarely take to the field of battle in strength except in support of the War Griffons. On rare occasions, determined by operational needs, the warriors of House Coldshroud would be granted complete autonomy and deployed en masse. Under such circumstances, the Household’s Scions would serve within the bounds of strict hierarchies, with the composition of its Banners remaining fixed across battlefields rather than adapting to meet changing circumstances. It is a testament to the skill of House Coldshroud that such rigidity has rarely proved detrimental to its prowess in battle, for the determination and valour of its warriors brought victory where other soldiers of lesser quality would falter. Even the dire revelations of the Horus Heresy did little to shake the ironclad resolve of the warriors of Coldshroud, for all were filled with a sense of righteousness that, within the shadow of Legio Gryphonicus, the deeds of House Coldshroud would forever be just.
Materiel Strength As befitting its primary role as vanguards for Legio Gryphonicus, the principal strength of House Coldshroud lies in the use of Cerastus Knight patterns, favoured for its worth as vanguard fighters. According to official records submitted to the Divisio Militaris, of the 389 Knight armours in operation under the banner of Coldshroud at the onset of the Horus Heresy, 238 of those were Cerastus Knight patterns, split evenly between the three most common variants: Lancer, Acheron and Castigator. The remaining strength of the Household consisted of a standard spread of Knight patterns, including numerous Questoris patterns and several Acastus patterns, the latter of which were frequently bound to Warbringer Nemesis and Warlord Titans, to serve as a mobile deterrent against any force seeking to disrupt the firebase of the larger god-engines. Long-term assessment of House Coldshroud’s strength is more difficult, for the casualty rate of a bonded House is considerably greater than that of an autonomous Household, a fact attributed to the scale of threats such a Household faces when serving in the shadow of its masters.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Coldshroud High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Skirmisher: The Seneschal has perfected their craft of harassing larger targets over decades of warfare and uses this skill to their advantage. Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance may attack in the Combat phase if issued with the Full Stride order. They can only attack with weapons without the Melee trait, can only attack before they move, and apply a -2 modifier to the Hit roll in addition to any other modifiers. However, Banners in the Seneschal’s Lance cannot be issued First Fire orders. 2 Vanguard Leader: The Seneschal favours bold action, ranging ahead of the rest of their Household as they lead by example. After deployment but before the first round, Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance may move up to 6". This can take them outside their normal deployment zone. 3 Hunter-killer: The Seneschal has fought against Titans in numerous battles and knows where their blows will cause the greatest damage. Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance may re-roll Hit rolls of a 1 when attacking an enemy unit with a Scale of double or more than their own.
House Coldshroud Questoris Knight Magaera
Vainglory Despite the blessed technological relics employed by Knight Magaera, the piloting of such a Knight armour within House Coldshroud was used as a mark of shame. Those Knight Scions who had acted dishonourably were appointed
to the Throne Mechanicum of both Knight Magaera and Knight Styrix as penance for their actions. Much of this shame came from the sinister nature of the pattern’s machine spirit, which often displayed a bloodthirsty demeanour.
Such Knight armours were still prized relics amongst the Household despite this reputation, allowing the chastised
Scion opportunity to regain their honour through overcoming the darkness within the Knight armour while
displaying renewed adherence to the Household tenets in defiance of adversity.
House Coldshroud Cerastus Knight Castigator
Resplendent in Honour Knights of House Coldshroud, such as Resplendent in Honour pictured here, bore griffon motifs in homage
to the Titan Legion they served. Although no official edict forbade the use of decorative griffons by all,
it was deemed unseemly for a Scion of Coldshroud to do so without having first been recognised for an honourable act upon the battlefield in service to a Princeps of Legio Gryphonicus. The two stylised
griffons displayed by Resplendent in Honour were earned during the Great Crusade and represent the bond the Knight holds with the Warlord Titan Argent Monarch, having been seconded to the god-engines’
service for over seven decades by the onset of the Horus Heresy.
House Terryn
Title: The Glorious and Honourable Knight House of Terryn
Household Grade: Primaris
Patent: Autonomous, Warrant of Ancient Domain and Arms (recognised 861.M30, ratified 017.M31)
Warden Domain: Voltoris
Cognomen: Marshalls of Serenity
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: No formal bonds, reciprocal ties established with the Forge World of Lucius
Allegiance: Fidelitas Tenax
According to the records transcribed by the 6th Expeditionary Fleet, the rediscovery of the Knight World of Voltoris was hailed by the Emperor as His dream manifest, for the planet’s picturesque cities and affluent people were identical to that which He envisioned for all Mankind. The accuracy of such a tale remains impossible to verify yet serves as perfect fodder for the work of playwrights upon Voltoris who, to this day, speak of the Emperor’s coming with great reverence. However, it remains undeniable that the Knight World offered a level of peace and stability that few other worlds encountered by the Great Crusade could boast of. The circumstances of the world’s prosperity can largely be attributed to the strength and skill of House Terryn, an ancient Knight Household founded during the colonisation of the planet. It was the Scions of Terryn that scoured Voltoris of dangers, driving the great beasts that once prowled its surface into the recesses of the world. Beyond the bounds of the planet, few dangers presented themselves, for Voltoris proved well shielded from external threats during the Age of Strife, only the most desperate seeking passage through the warp storms that engulfed the planet’s star system. For three millennia, the world of Voltoris knew no war and the coming of the Imperium changed little, save to bring further prosperity to a world turned towards art and culture.
Not all upon the Knight World were eager to exist in boundless peace, for the warriors of House Terryn hungered for the glory spoken of in ancient tales and now offered by the Great Crusade. On condition of the continued protection of Voltoris by the forces of the Imperium, the warriors of House Terryn were committed to the Great Crusade. So great was the demand for a place within the Expeditionary fleets that the Household’s Scions were forced to draw lots to determine who would venture forth and who would remain as guardians to their founding world. The eagerness of House Terryn to serve upon the field of battle became well known across the Great Crusade, its warriors departing from an Expeditionary fleet should it be assigned to sedentary garrison duties to search for new conflicts within which glory could be earned. Few Scions of House Terryn returned home once they had departed, doing so only by the direct request of the Patriarch of House Terryn or when circumstance demanded a new generation of Terryn’s bloodline to be sired. Though many travelled far and wide to view the wonders of the ‘Tranquil World’ for themselves, the Scions of House Terryn held little desire to remain on Voltoris, appearing to prefer the punishing attrition of extended campaign in lieu of the endless ceremonies held upon the Knight World.
The peace Voltoris offered, though well-suited to the prosperous centuries of the Great Crusade, left its people ill prepared for the outbreak of the Horus Heresy. Given the propensity of House Terryn to depart its home, Voltoris found itself lightly protected when the galaxy was split asunder, leaving its vast resources at the mercy of predatory forces loyal to either the Warmaster or the Emperor. Only three dozen Knights stood in defence of Voltoris against all who sought to pillage the bounty of the world yet House Terryn stood amongst the greatest of Knight Houses despite the reputation of its world. Indeed, the belief that Voltoris stood ripe for conquest lent arrogance to its invaders and few were the numbers committed to securing the world. Those that did descend upon the planet found themselves fiercely matched by the Scions of House Terryn, unable to claim victory in the face of merciless opposition. Under the watchful gaze of the Knight Household, Voltoris was transformed from a peaceful world into one locked in an all-encompassing war, its people forced to raise arms against others for the first time in millennia. On both Voltoris and elsewhere, House Terryn stood firm against the forces of the Warmaster, refusing to surrender and awaiting the time that the Emperor’s light would once more return to bring peace to its world.
Materiel Strength The extended periods of peace observed by House Terryn during the Age of Strife left little need for the Household to maintain vast numbers of Knight armours. As such, upon reconnecting with the Imperium and Mars, House Terryn were capable of fielding no more than threescore working Knight armours. The remainder of its strength consisted of nearly 200 armours in varying states of disrepair having been stored away within the Household’s war vaults for centuries at a time. The condition of House Terryn’s strength drew more ire from those of the Mechanicum who laid eyes upon it and agreement was quickly reached with the Forge World of Lucius, with the latter offering the knowledge and resources necessary to restore the flagging might of House Terryn in return for the pledging of dozens of Knights in service to Legio Astorum. With the aid of the Hollow Forge, House Terryn grew greatly and, by the onset of the Horus Heresy, was capable of fielding close to 300 Knight armours, including dozens of Cerastus pattern armours. By stroke of fortune, House Terryn was gifted a shipment of Acastus pattern armours only months prior to the invasion of Voltoris during the Horus Heresy. These Knights had yet to depart from the planet due to the considerable training required to operate the esoteric design of Acastus Knights, a fact that greatly enhanced the defensive capability of Voltoris during the wars to come.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Terryn High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Glory Hound: The Seneschal is always in search of glory, dreaming of being remembered forever in the annals of history. The Seneschal may issue Charge orders to Banners within their Lance without the need to make a Command check. However, if a Banner within the Seneschal’s Lance fails a Command check when being issued with any other Order, it does not act on its own initiative; instead it must act under Charge orders. 2 Peerless Leader: It is in the chaos of battle that the Seneschal feels comfortable, their mind clear of all save where the next blow should land. Once per game, during the Strategy phase, the Seneschal can give commands. If they do so, any Knight Banner with at least one model within 8" of the Seneschal can be issued an Order without the need to make a Command check. 3 Resolute: The Seneschal believes no cause is truly lost while a single Knight Scion remains upon the field. When making a Command check to see if they become Shaken, all Banners within 12" of the Seneschal add 1 to the result. In addition, the Seneschal’s Banner can never be Shaken.
House Terryn Cerastus Knight Castigator
Ancient Oath It remains uncertain if the name Ancient Oath, depicted here following the relief of Voltoris, is linked to a deed within the Knight’s past. Indeed, much of the Knight’s history lies forgotten, for when the Great Crusade arrived at Voltoris the Ancient Oath had been sealed within the Household’s stasis vaults for six
centuries. There it was fated to remain until tragedy befell the Knight World during the Horus Heresy. With the principal strength of the Household deployed elsewhere in the galaxy, House Terryn emptied its
vaults and Ancient Oath walked once more. Though it had slumbered for close to a millennia, its machine
spirit showed no sign of degradation, exhibiting a hunger for battle sated only by the dozens of new
honour markings it bore when the Horus Heresy reached its climax.
House Terryn Questoris Knight Warden
Glory of Voltoris Records indicate that the Glory of Voltoris, depicted here during the Fall of Niadronus VI in 012.M31, served at the forefront
of the Great Crusade for over half a century before being assigned as warden to its namesake planet at the onset of the Horus Heresy. During the opening years of the Horus Heresy the pilot of Glory of Voltoris, one Knight Scion Mallinda Barissus, issued frequent petitions stating her desire to depart the Knight World and bring the fight to the Traitors. Approval
for reassignment was granted after her seventeenth request and, a month after her departure, the Traitors fell upon Voltoris.
Thereafter, Glory of Voltoris bore a red-clad Reaper chainsword in self-imposed penance for Barissus’ failures; having railed
against her assigned duty, the Knight Scion was not present as her home world suffered the footsteps of invaders. The red
colour symbolised the blood spilt upon Voltoris, a permanent remembrance of the need for duty over glory.
House Orhlacc
Title: The Dread and Wise House of Orhlacc
Household Grade: Secundus
Patent: Warrant of Imperial Immediacy issued by the Imperial Court in 833.M30. Litterae Patentes duly recorded by the Officio Militaris College of Arms under rights feudal attested and sponsored at the behest of the Ist
Legion (Dark Angels).
Warden Domain: Dark Haven (Prime), Wychval (Secondary)
Cognomen: The Knights of the Manticore
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Right of support and succour granted to the House by an act of Imperial Warrant Bellicose by Lord Commander Suleiman Grimm, 7th Expeditionary Fleet. Further lesser treaties of mutual exchange and accord ratified with deputations of the Forge Worlds of Mezoa, Kalibrax and Lucius.
Allegiance: Fidelitas Constantus
Possessed of a strange and often sinister reputation amongst other Knightly Households, the history of House Orhlacc is nevertheless well-documented by its House Sacristans. Its Chronicles of Founding speak of an isolated, shadowed world deemed suitable for settling during humanity’s expansion across the galaxy. First perceived as a paradise abundant with life, Dark Haven, as it became known, was, in truth, a benighted world inimically poisonous to Mankind. When the Age of Strife came, Dark Haven proved incapable of sustaining those upon its surface and life for the settlers fell into a cycle of violence and decay that would last for centuries, with those that survived forced to commit unspeakable acts to do so.
This cycle was broken by the Scions of House Orhlacc, aided by an enclave of Magos Biologis stranded upon the planet. Taken in by the Household when others had sought their death, the Magi wrought great changes upon the flesh of its Scions, adapting humanity to Dark Haven rather than bending the world to their will. So prepared, House Orhlacc rose to become stewards of Dark Haven and stood as its defenders when the Great Crusade reached them. Shielded from many horrors during the Age of Strife, thanks largely to the isolation offered by their home, the House numbered several hundred Scions, a strength that captured the interest of the emissaries of the Great Crusade. A third of this strength departed with the 7th
Expeditionary Fleet following a bloodless Compliance and the rest were to follow in the decades to come, serving across the Great Crusade alongside a diverse array of forces, conducting themselves with honour and glory on innumerable battlefields.
When the Warmaster moved against the Imperium, the relative independence House Orhlacc had cultivated proved beneficial in it remaining free of the conflicts that tore across the galaxy. Because of this, they were prepared for the arrival of the Warmaster’s emissaries who had travelled to Dark Haven seeking their allegiance, first eradicating the visiting delegation and then seizing the fleet. Their new spoils were utilised in the evacuation of Dark Haven, all but a concealed garrison fighting the remainder of the Horus Heresy as a nomadic Knight House, loyal to the Imperium yet fighting its cause on its own terms, with an eye on its own survival and an eventual return to its shadowed home.
Materiel Strength Decades operating in the outer reaches of the Great Crusade served to strengthen House Orhlacc, not weaken it. Its Scions gained a wide experience in warfare, while benefiting from an influx of weapons, technology and wargear from the Expeditionary fleets with which it served. This strength was further augmented by gifts of new Knight armours from the Mechanicum and an increase in Dark Haven’s own independent production abilities. By the onset of the Horus Heresy, House Orhlacc stood at the higher end of the Secundus rank, with an estimated 300 Knight armours, most of which were of Knight Questoris and Knight Cerastus pattern. Further growth was limited by the relatively low population of Dark Haven, which led House Orhlacc to maintain a number of unique servo-automata type military retainers; originally intended for use in harvesting the dangerous life forms on Dark Haven, they performed exceedingly well on the battlefield in support of the Knight House.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Orhlacc High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Shadow Fighter: The Seneschal’s armour is fitted with a strange piece of archaeotech that generates a shadowy field which mimics the atmosphere of Dark Haven. For the duration of the first round, attacks made against the Seneschal’s Banner suffer a -2 modifier to Hit rolls. 2 Indecipherable Commander: The Seneschal is a master of warfare, hiding their plans from their foe until the time is right. After both players have finished deploying their forces but before rolling to determine the First Player, Banners in the Seneschal’s Lance may be redeployed, following all deployment rules as normal. 3 Independent Warriors: The Seneschal has instilled a measure of autonomy within their subordinates, allowing them to act independently upon the battlefield. Banners in the Seneschal’s Lance do not have to maintain Lance coherency (see Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, page 35) and as such suffer no penalties from being outside Lance coherency. However, during the Strategy phase, any Banner from the Seneschal’s Lance that has not maintained Lance coherency cannot be issued Orders via Lance orders.
House Procon Vi
Title: The Honoured Enfeoff House of Procon Vi
Household Grade: Primaris
Patent: Concurrent Warrant of Ancient Domain and Arms and Vassalage Accord to the Forge World of Tigrus
Warden Domain: Procon
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: The Forge World of Tigrus and its servants the Legio Solaria
Allegiance: Fidelitas Constantus
The histories of House Procon Vi and Legio Solaria, the Titan Legion to which it is bound, are intrinsically linked, for though the Knight House now stands as vassal to the Imperial Hunters, it is also, in many ways, the Titan Legion’s progenitor. The circumstances of the founding of Legio Solaria are based within the patriarchal traditions of House Procon Vi, for it was those ancient rules that forbade Mohana Mankata VI, noble daughter of the Household, from assuming the Throne Mechanicum. In rebellion against such ideals, Mankata claimed victory in a competition between House Procon Vi nobles despite being forbidden from participating. Her reward for such a rebellion was banishment by her people, yet in turn she found a new home upon the Forge World of Tigrus, its Tech-Priests so impressed by the noble’s skill that they instructed her to form a new Titan Legion to guard the planet. The newly-appointed Domina Princeps of Legio Solaria soon intertwined the fate of her Titan Legion and House Procon Vi, forging a concord between the two entities so that the latter would serve as vassal for the other.
Though such a move appears intended to show the dominance of Mankata over the House which had cast her out, the new circumstances proved rewarding to both parties. Bound to the Imperial Hunters by shared lineage, House Procon Vi found great wealth and strength in its partnership with Tigrus while retaining a great deal of its original independence, bound implicitly to the Forge World but bequeathed the freedom of an Imperial Household. In honour of the pact they held with Legio Solaria, it was deemed that half of Procon Vi’s numbers would serve alongside the Titan Legion, while the remainder would function according to the whim of its Grand Patriarch. In both roles, House Procon Vi earned a fearsome reputation, noted both for its skill in close-quarters combat and the boundless courage of its Scions. At the onset of the Horus Heresy, House Procon Vi boasted a number of victories equivalent to the most ancient of Households and quickly proved themselves a firm ally of the Imperium following revelations of the Warmaster’s treachery. In accordance with its vows, the Scions of House Procon Vi faced the trials of the Horus Heresy alongside Legio Solaria, throwing its strength into the chaos of the Beta- Garmon system and accompanying the Imperial Hunters in their retreat to Terra. As to the Grand Patriarch, those warriors under his direct command saw to the securing of Tigrus and its holdings, throwing back all who attempted to lay waste to the Forge World.
The culture of House Procon Vi is dictated by the vast number of rites, edicts and traditions that govern the responsibilities of every Scion of the Household, many of which revolve around the honour and respect each individual owes to those that stand above them. The family legacy of a Scion is as important to the Household as their skill-at-arms, with noble families placing the art of warfare above all other subjects when raising their children, less they grow up to shame the name they were born into. On the battlefield, courage in the face of adversity is the central tenet of the Household; death in the face of the undefeatable is preferable to a life filled with cowardice and fear. During conflicts of note, honours would be bestowed upon those Scions who slew the greatest foes, lending a fierce sense of competition to develop within the Household’s ranks. In a display of both utmost confidence and arrogance, several Scions of House Procon Vi are recorded to have pledged vows never to return home until a Traitor Primarch had fallen to their hand. That any swore such an oath, and none who did so were recorded as having returned to Procon with their lives, speaks volumes as to the dedication of House Procon Vi’s warriors.
Materiel Strength Though classified as a Primus grade Household, the strength of House Procon Vi is perhaps better categorised as two Secundus grade Households, a classification which best highlights the split deployment of its numbers. As a whole, House Procon Vi was recorded as possessing 447 operational Knight armours at the start of the Horus Heresy and showed a great preference towards the deployment of Cerastus Knight Lancers and Knight Castigators, with three-fifths of its number made up from these patterns. An estimated 215 Knight armours were in active service alongside Legio Solaria battlegroups, bound to the command of both Domina Princeps Mohana Mankata VI and the ruling Tech-Priests of Tigrus until such time as it was deemed right for them to return to Procon. The remaining strength served directly under King Rahajanan, its number standing guard over Procon and spread across at least four Expeditionary fleets during the Great Crusade. Records note that House Procon Vi possessed few Acastus or Questoris Knight Magaera and Styrix, though its war vaults contained several dozen Knight armours sporting esoteric modifications enacted upon standard Knight patterns, such as a Knight Cerastus bearing large claws while others were styled with sword and lance, in homage to artistic renderings of ancient Terran horse-borne knights.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Procon Vi High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Shared Lineage: The Seneschal is of the same blood as a Princeps of Legio Solaria and will not let their warriors falter in the presence of a god-engine. Banners in the Seneschal’s Lance can re-roll failed Command checks and cannot be Shaken while within 6" of a friendly Titan. 2 Ancient Bulwark: The Seneschal has gained the praise of Tigrus and has, in recognition of their deeds, been trusted with ancient technology to protect them against all but the deadliest of weapons. Models in the Seneschal’s Banner always have at least a 6+ Ion Shield save against weapon attacks, regardless of the weapon’s Strength or number of Knights in the Banner. 3 Swift Hunter: Bold, direct attacks are the hallmark of the Seneschal, denying their opponent a clean shot until it is too late. Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance may be issued Full Stride orders without the need to make a Command check. If a Banner is issued a Full Stride order in this way, subtract 1 from the result of all Hit rolls made against that Banner until the end of the round.
House Procon Vi Questoris Knight Paladin
Prideful Lion House Procon Vi Knights commonly bore names drawn from the Procon’s extensive species database of Ancient Terra. The creatures chosen were always those described as seasoned predators, swift of limb and the apex of the food
chain. The Scions of Procon Vi were adamant that such traits described the Household perfectly, for the Knight House perceived itself as standing amongst the upper echelons of the Questoris Familia. More restrained Knight
Households that served alongside Procon Vi were quick to note the arrogance and vanity seemingly running rife
through the latter’s ranks. Such words were deemed as jealousy by the Scions of House Procon Vi, who simply
pointed to its own extensive records of victory as evidence of supremacy.
House Procon Vi Cerastus Knight Lancer
Hunting Raptor The colony arks that settled the Knight World of Procon included preserved equine genetic material that can be traced back to Ancient Terran stocks. This material was used to breed a new generation of horses upon the Knight
World of Procon and the animals quickly became integral to the rites and traditions of the Household. Indeed,
jousting competitions were often used to settle disputes between Scions. To many amongst the ranks of House Procon Vi, the Cerastus Knight Lancer such as Hunting Raptor was the natural extension of this discipline. To reflect this, nearly three-fifths of the Household’s ranks comprised Cerastus Knights, with two-thirds of that being
Knight Lancers, resulting in House Procon Vi heavily favouring bold charges upon the battlefield.
House Col’Khak
Title: The Suzerain House of Col’Khak
Household Grade: Secundus
Patent: Imperial Writ of Vassalage issued by the Phaetonian Mechanicum, ratification pending the resolution of demurrals filed by the Martian Mechanicum.
Warden Domain: Atar-Planitia
Cognomen: The Col’Khak Collective
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Bound by edict to the Forge World of Atar-Median, to serve as retainers to the honoured Legio Atarus.
Allegiance: Fidelitas Constantus
Newly founded alongside the Forge World of Atar-Median, the Col’Khak Collective were seeded onto the frigid world of Atar-Planitia during the early years of the Great Crusade, itself newly conquered and life-stocked as an agri-world. From inception, the warriors of House Col’Khak were forever bound to Atar-Median to serve alongside its Taghmata forces and the Titans of Legio Atarus. The close ties between Atar- Planitia and Atar-Median are evident in the flawless manner with which those of House Col’Khak perform alongside the Firebrands on the field of battle. Together, the three militant arms of House Col’Khak form a fighting force of much repute capable of facing any threat in any corner of the galaxy. Such is the level of integration between the House and its Mechanicum allies that the Archmagos Prelate, or lead Princeps of a battlegroup to which Col’Khak is assigned, is treated with a measure of veneration and granted full authority over the assembled Knights.
This devotion to the ideals of the Mechanicum extends far beyond the field of battle, for the warriors of House Col’Khak have long adapted many of the rites and practises of the Cult Mechanicus for its own purposes. Many were the gifts of technology and armament bestowed upon House Col’Khak by its patrons and each was treated as precious relics and heirlooms of the Collective. Even the Mechanicum practise of augmentation was readily accepted, with many warriors voluntarily undergoing extensive levels of modification to bring them closer to the Omnissiah, though most chose to retain a measure of human aesthetic. It is said that many of the oldest Scions of Col’Khak are little more than preserved cerebral matter and life support systems that, outside of their armour, appear almost like animate statuary, their gilded and argent- plated bodies mimicking the ideal human form.
Sworn to Legio Atarus and Atar-Median first and the Imperium second, House Col’Khak looked to its masters come the Horus Heresy, trusting in the Forge World to lead the Household down the prosperous path. To this end, the warriors of House Col’Khak were deployed to Isstvan V alongside a demi-Legio of Firebrand engines and, like their liege lords, fell upon the basalt plains. This act sealed the future of House Col’Khak, its Scions clamouring to venture forth into the galaxy and claim vengeance for their brethren slain by dishonourable treachery.
Materiel Strength Upon its creation, the near-boundless industry of Phaeton provided House Col’Khak with over 100 Knight armours to form the core of its strength, with the means to produce more bequeathed upon the nascent Forge World of Atar-Median. The close ties between Atar-Median and House Col’Khak ensured the Knight House received a continuous supply of Knight armours, including several dozen Magaera and Styrix armours, of which Col’Khak were noted to field significantly greater quantities than most other Knight Households. Following the losses House Col’Khak suffered upon Isstvan V, the Household boasted a strength of 254 Knight armours, many of which were directly bound to Legio Atarus maniples deployed across the Belt of Iron. Each detachment of House Col’Khak was designed to support the composition of the battlegroup it served, each boasting several different Knight patterns within its number to ensure the capability of reacting to any threat that presented itself.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Col’Khak High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Consecrated Autosimulacra: The Seneschal has forever stood as a true servant of the Omnissiah, the quality of their wargear reflective of their high standards. During the Damage Control phase, roll a D6 for each Knight within the Seneschal’s Banner. For each 6+ that is rolled, the Banner recovers one lost Structure point. This cannot bring back a Knight that has already been destroyed. If the Seneschal’s Banner has the Blessed Autosimulacra rule, add 1 to the result of all rolls made as part of the Blessed Autosimulacra rule instead. 2 Child of the Omnissiah: The Seneschal has served first Phaeton and then Atar-Median honourably for centuries, kept alive by ancient technology and bearing the greatest artifice its world has to offer. The weapons carried by the Seneschal’s Banner are of a higher quality than normal. Increase the Strength value of any weapon in the Seneschal’s Banner with a starting Strength value of 4 or higher by 1, to a maximum of Strength 8. 3 Bombard Commander: The Seneschal favours a less direct approach, using the superior speed of their Scions to avoid enemy fire and unleash devastating volleys in return. Once per game, all Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance can be issued a Coordinated Strike, Split Fire or First Fire order without the need to make a Command check. Not all Banners need to be issued an Order in this way, but all Banners must be issued the same Order.
House Col’Khak Cerastus Knight Atrapos
Omnissiah’s Will A survivor of Isstvan V, Omnissiah’s Will was piloted by the techno-savant Scion Mechanicum Ailaedus VII. Shown here on the eve of the Cataclysm of Iron’s final campaign, Ailaedus had already sown a path of destruction across the Belt of Iron, the speed of his Knight armour and its potent weapons proving the
end of numerous Battle Titans. A favoured tactic of Ailaedus and the Omnissiah’s Will was to charge a pair of closely ranked enemy god-engines, cutting the legs out from under one of the Titans, so that it fell
burning into the other enemy machine, destroying both.
House Col’Khak Questoris Knight Paladin
Omnissiah’s Grace It was a common practice for House Col’Khak Knights, such as the Knight Paladin Omnissiah’s Grace, depicted here upon the fields of Atar-Median in 001.M31, to be permanently seconded to a Legio Atarus Titan maniple. Omnissiah’s Grace was reportedly assigned as a forward scout for the Ruptura maniple designated as ‘Blessed Fire’ during the Horus Heresy and saw
frequent battle across the Belt of Iron. A Knight assigned to a maniple in such a manner was released from its service only when the maniple rotated back to Atar-Median, which often took decades to do so, or when the maniple in its entirety fell in
battle. In the latter case, it was often the Knights that fell first, expending their own lives in defence of their betters.
House Krast
Title: The Ascendant House of Krast
Household Grade: Primaris
Patent: Autonomous, Warrant of Ancient Domain and Arms (recognised 850.M30, ratified 852.M30)
Warden Domain: Chrysis
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Treaties of mutual exchange and accord ratified with deputations of the Forge Worlds of Mars, Voss, Metalica, and Voss Prime.
Allegiance: Fidelitas Constantus
The Knight World of Chrysis holds the prestige of being the first of its kind to be brought to Compliance during the Great Crusade. Located a mere few dozen light years from Sol, the planet was quickly rediscovered by a Rogue Trader Militant who carried reports of a developed world protected by several Knight Households, news which generated much interest upon Mars. Upon contact, such enthusiasm was reciprocated, for long had the people of Chrysis battled the horrors of the galaxy unaided, and all welcomed the opportunity to join the fledgling Imperium of Mankind. Of those Knight Households who called Chrysis their home, of which the heraldry and deeds of seven are known and committed in the archives of Mars, it was House Krast, preeminent Household of Chrysis that was chosen to ascend to the stars. Those Households left behind were tasked with consolidating the alliance with Mars to ensure the warriors of House Krast were readily supplied for the battles they would face in the decades to come. Such a task was viewed as a great honour, albeit one of lesser glory than those who stood amongst the ranks of the Expeditionary fleets, and as salve to those Scions of lesser Households left beyond, House Krast issued edicts that saw lots drawn each decade amongst the remaining Knight Houses; those few Scions chosen would take their place alongside House Krast as Freeblades, earning honour for their lineage before returning home once more a decade later.
First amongst the Knight Houses to swear allegiance to the Imperium, bar those who were founded upon the Red Planet itself, House Krast benefited greatly from the forges of Mars, receiving full support in the reinvigoration of its ancient Knight armours in return for granting the Mechanicum access to Chrysis and the abundant resources it in turn offered. This mutual exchange ensured that House Krast stood independent long after its rediscovery, swearing itself solely to the larger Imperium while forging concords with numerous Forge Worlds. While the Scions of House Krast fought across the galaxy, those Knight Houses that remained upon Chrysis fought a political battle, resisting all attempts to shackle the Knight World to a singular strand of the Mechanicum. For the warriors of House Krast, the knowledge that they were the first to pledge themselves to the Imperium became a point of pride, often used to diminish others and lauded over those deemed lesser than their own. Though few bonds of brotherhood were created in such a way, House Krast cared not, preferring instead to let its long record of victories during the Great Crusade prove the Household’s greatness. Indeed, the Scions of House Krast are recorded to have shared the field of battle with no fewer than 13 of the Emperor’s Primarchs before the beginning of the Horus Heresy, a source of much pride amongst the Household. Perhaps the sole point of contention lay in the notable absence of service of House Krast’s warriors alongside Horus Lupercal, a circumstance viewed as a slight against its warriors only worsened when the title of Warmaster was given to him. That it never fought alongside the Warmaster now stands as a point of pride in the history of House Krast, given his perfidy against the Emperor and the wrath he unleashed upon Chrysis.
At the onset of the Horus Heresy, the warriors of House Krast were scattered across the galaxy and little of the Household’s strength remained in close proximity to Chrysis. Continued loyalty to the Imperium and the Emperor was never a question amongst the Knight Houses of Chrysis and the forces of House Krast fought bitterly to cast down the Traitors, content in the knowledge that its own world was adequately shielded from harm. Alas, such confidence was proven false, for the Warmaster deemed the Knight World too costly a target, in both time and numbers, to delay his march on Terra. As the defenders of Chrysis gathered to repel the anticipated Traitor invasion, they instead found the Knight World subjected to a prolonged bombardment of virus bombs, the once-verdant planet reduced to a toxic wasteland where only the broken relics of Chrysis’ Knight Houses stood in memory of all those who had fallen. When the Scions of House Krast returned to find the dead world of which its House was the sole survivor, hatred erupted within the soul of its warriors. In the years that followed, this burning vehemence saw the warriors of House Krast hound the Traitors across the stars, vowing never to rest until all lay dead. Of Chrysis itself, House Krast refused to abandon it, choosing to align itself closely to Mars in the years following the Heresy in order to rebuild the Household’s fortification on its now-dead world. The broken remains of the Households’ heritage serve as a constant reminder of the Traitors’ actions, so that no warrior may forget the vengeance they must wreak.
Materiel Strength The first amongst its kind to join the fledgling Imperium, House Krast benefited greatly from the forges of Mars, which worked tirelessly to restore the diminished industry of Chrysis and supply its Households with the freshly-forged Knight armours and armaments. In the decades that followed its rediscovery, the Sacristans of Chrysis learnt much, their skill second only to those of Mars itself. The vast increase in supplies and knowledge ensured that, by the onset of the Horus Heresy, House Krast stood 400 strong, all but a handful of which fought at the forefront of the Great Crusade. Though the Horus Heresy would bring about the death of Chrysis, and all those Knight Houses left to defend it, House Krast survived, warring across the galaxy, ignorant as to the fate of its world. By the time the death of Chrysis became common knowledge within the Household’s ranks, over a 100 Scions of House Krast still lived and all declared oaths of vengeance against the Warmaster and his allies, turning to Mars to restore the Knight House’s strength and venture forth once more.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Krast High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Vengeance Above All: Chrysis has fallen and only death, be it the Traitors’ or their Seneschal’s own, will silence the thirst for vengeance. Once per round, the Seneschal’s Banner can choose to activate a second time during the Combat phase. If they do, after resolving the effects of the activation the Banner immediately suffers a Critical Hit, ignoring ion shields. 2 Charismatic Leader: From a young age, the Seneschal has been raised to lead and their skill as a general is unsurpassed. Friendly Knight Banners within 12" of the Seneschal may re-roll Command checks to see if they become Shaken. Freeblade Banners can benefit from this rule. 3 Unwavering: The Seneschal possesses a streak of stubbornness that has seen them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and pulled them back from the gates of death. Each time the Seneschal’s Banner suffers a Critical Hit, roll a D6. On a 5+, that hit becomes a Devastating Hit instead.
House Krast Questoris Knight Warden
Fervorous Defender The duty as guardian and protector was seen as a great honour amongst the ranks of House Krast. When circumstances required the presence of Knights to watch over a disputed region of space, only the most patient and level-headed of Knight Scions were chosen and to be assigned such a duty was a mark of respect. Despite the name Fervorous Defender, its pilot, one Knight Scion Garathi Ashbrone, is noted within the Household’s records as a patient and intelligent tactician, standing amongst the finest of House Krast’s warriors during the Great Crusade. Many had marked the Scion as a potential future Grand Master had he not been slain when Chrysis was bombarded
during the final years of the Horus Heresy.
House Krast Cerastus Knight Acheron
Steadfast Honour In the honour rolls of House Krast, the Steadfast Honour is recorded as having been piloted by no less than 32 different Knight
Scions during the Great Crusade, exceeding that of any other of the Household’s Knight armours. This number is attributed
to the Knight Acheron’s frequent position at the vanguard during operations, a position of pride often given because of the storied history of the Knight’s service. Dozens of victories are noted as occurring due to the efforts of Steadfast Honour
and within the ranks of House Krast it became a portentous symbol to see the Knight armour at the forefront of battle. Household legend states that a battle has never been lost when the Steadfast Honour led the charge and, though its Scions
might fall, the Knight has always risen anew, its form seemingly impervious to long-lasting damage.
House Moritain
Title: The Imperial Knight Household of Moritain
Household Grade: Tertius
Patent: Autonomous, Warrant of Ancient Domain and Arms (recognised 854.M30, ratified 861.M31)
Warden Domain: Ceamira
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Ties to Legio Astraman through bonds of replenishment and service with the Forge World of Graia
Allegiance: Fidelitas Tenax
Perhaps the most quixotic view of the honoured House of Moritain hails from the extensive records extracted from the now-defunct Remembrancer Order, which invested significant efforts towards the study and description of the Household’s traditions and mien. Such views, though far from impartial, do much to highlight the Scions’ reputation as warriors and scholars of equal repute. Adhered to the dictum that a learned soul is the bedrock of civilisation, a Scion of House Moritain was required to prove themselves on the battlefields of philosophy and academia alongside those of warfare before ascending to the Throne Mechanicum.This devotion to scholarly pursuits ensured that House Moritain ruled over a world which had long known peace, its history carefully recorded in archives that stretched back millennia. Many a Remembrancer was quick to note the juxtaposition between the artistic and scholarly nature of House Moritain and the data-driven and cold logic of the Forge World of Graia and its people, who House Moritain were bound to following the rediscovery of the Knight World. Some spoke of the opposing demeanours as a merging of two aspects to complement one another, although other records attribute the bond more to the proximity of the world combined with the tenacious spirit that both the Knight House and Titan Legion possessed.
Within the Questoris Familia, the dual nature of House Moritain’s Scions drew much disdain, most notably from those Households infamous for their violent dispositions. Some Knight Houses proved unkeen to share a battlefield with the Scions of House Moritain, believing its warriors’ dalliances in philosophy and the scholarly arts to be a sign of weakness within the lineage of their bloodline. Little evidence exists to support such a view, for the record of conquest and victories held by the Household are extensive, its warriors having served dutifully within the Expeditionary fleets since the world of Ceamira was bound to the Imperium. It stands as public record that the central tenet of House Moritain, according to its own writ and word, stated that: ‘A death in service to the defenceless is greater than a life in service to oneself’. Indeed, many are the posthumous honours earned by warriors of Moritain, both those awarded by the Household and others who they served alongside, in recognition of the sacrifice made in their efforts to protect others.
Honoured Titles of Moritain As befitting a brotherhood that placed such emphasis on knowledge and honour, the warriors of House Moritain were known to bear many titles alongside their given name, in a manner not dissimilar in nature to the Emperor’s own noble Custodes, with each notable deed performed by a Scion of House Moritain being carefully recorded and catalogued by the Household’s Sacristans. Documentarist Kyran Padorian, when given leave to study the annals of House Moritain, noted that many of the titles borne by its warriors held poetic symbology, stating that the most lauded of warriors amongst the Household carried enough titles that, when spoken in order, wove a storied tale personal to each individual. During the Great Crusade, the most notable example of such a claim lies with the patriarch of House Moritain himself, who bore no less than 74 titles, including such monikers as: ‘He whose claws rend all to ash’, ‘The immortal strider of misremembered paths’ and ‘He that conquers gods both conjured and imagined’.
The onset of the Horus Heresy did little to change the demeanour of the Household, save that its warriors were filled with a fervour to preserve knowledge from the flames spreading across the galaxy. Much of House Moritain’s strength was deployed across the Belt of Iron, its warriors taking to the battlefield in great numbers. In the face of such strife, House Moritain was to suffer greatly, for its warriors refused to leave innocent souls defenceless against even the most impossible of odds. In some ways, the idealistic manner and beliefs House Moritain displayed proved its greatest weakness in a time of treachery and bloodshed, with dozens of its warriors lost to a naive belief that all Traitors still possessed a measure of honour. By the end of the Horus Heresy, House Moritain was greatly diminished in number yet, to this day, its spirit still stands strong, viewing its losses as worthwhile for the lives they bought.
Materiel Strength The status of House Moritain as a Tertius grade Household stems not from the Household’s inability to support a substantial number of Knight armours but rather the stringent requirements placed upon prospective Scions. Few are the number of individuals who can bond successfully to a Throne Mechanicum, and fewer still are those with the scholarly talents expected of the Scions of House Moritain. During the Age of Strife, the slow depreciation of the Household’s numbers saw a mass campaign of education overtake the world, resulting in the relaxation of rules dictating which bloodlines could serve within the ranks of the Household. Numbers taken two decades before the Horus Heresy placed the strength of House Moritain at 125 Knight armours, of which three-fifths were of Cerastus Knight design, including several Knight Atrapos in service to the Household’s Seneschals. Evidence suggests that these numbers remained constant until the Warmaster’s betrayal, with the lengthy process of House Moritain’s recruitment preventing fast growth.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Moritain High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Iron Lord of Conquered Dreams: The Seneschal is remembered as an efficient conqueror who has commanded the fall of dozens of empires. The Seneschal’s Banner cannot be Shaken. In addition, Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance add 2 to the result of any Command check made when testing to see if the Knight Banner is Shaken. 2 The Blade that Rends all who Defy: The Seneschal has yet to be matched in single combat, possessing the skill to fell any who oppose them. Knights within the Seneschal’s Lance may re-roll any Hit rolls of a 1 when making an attack with a weapon with the Melee trait. 3 One who Walks Unshackled by Reality:The Seneschal is a master hunter, capable of remaining hidden from their prey until they are ready to strike. Attacks made against the Seneschal’s Banner suffer a -2 to all Hit rolls if all models in the Banner are more than 18" away from the attacking unit or a -1 modifier if all units in the Banner are at least 12" away from the attacking unit.
House Moritain Questoris Knight
Dream of Crimson Fields The Scions of House Moritain are well-known for their flair in battle and the warrior souls of their commanders. In tiny flowing script, the war banner of Dream
of Crimson Fields tells the tale of one of the first Knights of the noble House, who fought a battle alone on the forlorn world of Avardia during the first years
of the Great Crusade. So the story goes, the Knight and its valiant pilot turned
the green fields of the world red over days of combat, eventually falling to lie
dead amongst its foes.
House Moritain Acastus Knight Porphyrion
Tormenting Echoes Fated to be Recalled At the onset of the Horus Heresy, Tormenting Echoes Fated to be Recalled was piloted by Scion Sylvarnyus Moritain. Renowned
amongst her Household as a composer of six lauded symphonies and 13 villanelles, she remained an oddity within House
Moritain for rarely taking a new name. During six decades of service in the Great Crusade she acquired only three new names, despite recording dozens of honours significant enough to be awarded a new title. Records indicate this stemmed from
Sylvarnyus’ belief that each new name should bear the weight of its deeds so future generations could see the depravity of war. Tormenting Echoes Fated to be Recalled saw frequent combat during the Horus Heresy while fighting across the Belt of Iron and,
by the time the Warmaster fell, Sylvarnyus bore 17 new names, each a more painful reminder than the last.
House Vornherr
Title: The Imperial Knight Household of Vornherr-Luhnborg
Household Grade: (Pre-Calth) Primaris; (Post-Calth) Mors Obselarus
Patent: Autonomous, Warrant of Ancient Domain and Arms (recognised 817.M30, ratified 841.M30)
Warden Domain: Luhnborg System, de facto rights to local stellar group under review.
Cognomen: (Pre-Calth) the Luhnborg Uhlanii, the Bloody Dukes; (Post-Calth) The Black Lancers.
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: Ties to Legio Tempestus and Legio Praesagius, bonds to Accatran and Konor Forges.
Allegiance: Fidelis ad Mortem
By the onset of the Horus Heresy, the Knight Scions of House Vornherr, known also as the Knights of Luhnborg-IX, were renowned across the Ultima Segmentum as honourable warriors of pristine reputation that had long served with distinction during the Great Crusade. In numbers of war engines alone, House Vornherr stood amongst the greatest of Houses within the region, and in bearing stood the most aristocratic of all their class. Chronicles penned by the hands of Vornherr scholars claim that it was through strength of arms and valorous spirit that the Household emerged from the Age of Strife greater than before. Such tales speak of a millennia-long conflict against rival Knight Houses, all of which sought dominion over the Luhnborg system from which House Vornherr hails. Records make mention of heinous acts committed by such rivals, whose names and history stand unrecorded and lost to time, leaving only the account of House Vornherr to verify if the eradication of the warring Knight Houses was truly necessary; this act is perhaps the sole black mark upon the reputation of the Household.
Upon aligning itself to the Great Crusade, House Vornherr took its place amongst the 12th Expeditionary Fleet, the skill and prowess of the Knight House proving indispensable in many of the fleet’s great victories. The most fateful action for Vornherr, one that would bring great prosperity, and eventually doom, to the House, came during the First Scouring of Jardingris. It was on that grave-world, under the baleful light of its black sun, that the Household first took to the field of battle alongside the Primarch, Roboute Guilliman. A hundred Knights were lost in that bitter conflict and, upon its conclusion, the Duke of House Vornherr bent the knee to the Primarch, pledging his House to fight alongside the hosts of the Five Hundred Worlds until death. Though circumstances would draw the warriors to battle under other Primarchs, including the Primarch Magnus upon Sophias-Mors and Dorn at the Delta-Arbuthnot Landings, the House would hold none in such high regard as the Lord of Ultramar. The oath sworn upon Jardingris would bring much recognition to House Vornherr and it was this that saw several hundred of its Knights dispatched to muster at Calth.
Such loyalty was to be unjustly rewarded. Gathered upon Calth on the muster field at Platia City, House Vornherr awaited landers to ferry the Knights to orbit and the supposed war with the xenohold of the Ghaslakh Empire. Instead, a single devastating orbital barrage rained death down upon the Vornherr, ensuring that none would leave Calth alive. All that remained of the majesty of the Household was a few dozen aging barons garrisoned within their holdings on Luhnborg- IX. When, at last, word of the fate of those of Vornherr that had joined the Calth Conjunction reached the home world of the Household, all knew it must surely spell the end of the ancient House. Though some amongst the Household’s number sought the means to rebuild its legacy, most swore new oaths – to avenge the fallen duke at any price and, in so doing, boldly go to their doom.
Materiel Strength Upon taking its place alongside the crusading hosts of the 12th
Expeditionary Fleet, House Vornherr was allotted a nominal Household grade classification of ‘Primus Belicosa’, a rating that recognised the very high number of Knight armours the House was able to field. Further investigations into the matter yielded very little, for the masters of House Vornherr would not allow the assayers to make a full account of their arsenals. All that could be estimated was that the 500 or so Knight armours fighting with the 12th Expeditionary Fleet represented the upper level of available Knight Scions, but many more armours were stasis-sealed within the House’s inner armoury vaults. The Household was able to commit a wide range of armour types to the field of battle and, unlike many other Knight Houses, the Vornherr deployed their Knights into broadly homogenous wings, the largest number of which were generally equipped with Questoris class armours. The duke himself favoured an ancient suit of Cerastus Knight Acheron armour called Surcease of Sorrow and he was ever attended on the field by a veteran Life Guard formation equipped with Cerastus Knight Castigator suits. On the eve of the Calth Conjunction, as House Vornherr mustered for review by its Grand Master, Duke Bhaevenwulf, it was numbered at almost 600 Knight armours and thus rated as the largest Knight House known to be operating along the entire Eastern Fringe. Less than a day later, the Word Bearers would erase that honour, along with the entire southern island city chain where they were mustered.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Vornherr High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Survivalist:The Seneschal and their retinue have survived countless horrors, refusing to fall no matter their injuries. Whenever a model from the Seneschal’s Banner would be destroyed due to a weapon attack, roll a D6. On a 6+, the model is not removed and the effects of the hit are discarded. Whenever the Seneschal would be removed as a result of a Targeted Attack, the Seneschal is saved by the sacrifice of one of its Knights on a 4+ instead of a 6 (see page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech). 2 Unto Death: The Seneschal has made oaths of allegiance and will honour them until their dying breath. Whenever a model from the Seneschal’s Banner is destroyed, they may immediately make an attack with one of their weapons. If a model is destroyed due to a weapon attack that dealt more than one hit, resolve all these hits first before resolving any weapon attacks from destroyed Knights. 3 Legend: The Seneschal is an awe-inspiring figure within the House whose example all Knight Scions strive to follow. Friendly Banners with at least one model within 3" of a model from the Seneschal’s Banner cannot be Shaken (this does not affect the Seneschal’s Banner). This Personal Trait has no effect if the Seneschal’s Banner is Shaken.
House Vornherr Cerastus Knight Castigator
Nepenthes Nepenthes was the armour of Knight Scion Ulas Karn, a kinsman of Grand Master Duke Sorvak
Bhaevenwulf of House Vornherr, and a senior member of the lord’s elite Lifewatch phalanx. As befitting of its station, Nepenthes was rarely seen more than a dozen strides from Surcease of Sorrow,
the Duke’s own Knight, and the remains of both were recovered in the aftermath of the Battle of lthraca. As with many suits recovered from Calth, it was painstakingly rebuilt by House Vornherr
Sacristans and daubed in black in recognition of the doom visited upon the Household.
House Vornherr Cerastus Knight-Acheron
Surcease of Sorrow One of the oldest and most potent Knight armours in the service of House Vornherr, the Surcease of Sorrow belonged
to Duke Sorvak Bhaevenwulf himself and he had inherited it from his father, Duke Khorvun. The armour bears
several key examples of Duke Sorvak’s personal heraldry, of particular note the icon of the White Scars Legion,
which the Vornherr served alongside during the First Kolarne Circle Compliance. The wounds inflicted upon Surcease of Sorrow during the Battle of lthraca were left untended and the armour itself displayed with prominence
within the Household’s fortress, a reminder of the vengeance owed to all Traitors.
House Vyronii
Title: The Ancient and Resolute Order of the Knight House of Vyronii Household Grade: Secundus
Patent: Autonomous, Warrant of Ancient Domain and Arms (recognised 891.M30, ratified 904.M31).
Warden Domain: Damaetus III/II, de facto system rights recognised upon Compliance.
Cognomen: Wardens of Felweather, ‘God-eaters’ (informal, self-referential).
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: No formal bonds, reciprocal ties established with the Forge World of Mezoa.
Allegiance: Fidelitas Tenax
One of the most ancient Knight Houses based in the Segmentum Obscurus, House Vyronii had long sacrificed the lives of its Scions in defence of Damaetus III/II against the Mitu Conglomerate during the Age of Strife. Eventually, House Vyronii stood upon the precipice of destruction, believing it was the sole enclave of humanity amongst the ruins of a galaxy overrun by foul xenos. This notion was disabused when the warriors of the Ist Legion, the Dark Angels, descended upon the world of Damaetus to bring word of the Imperium of Mankind. Before the fury of the Great Crusade, the Mitu Conglomerate was found wanting and, though House Vyronii was denied the vindication of victory against the ancient foe that had laid waste to entire generations of Damaetus, its Scions pledged allegiance to the Imperium, seeking to repay a debt of liberation they believed could never be matched.
Millennia of isolation and self-sufficiency had bred an undercurrent of distrust amongst the nobles of Vyronii and, though they fought with distinction and gained much honour for their deeds, they quickly gained a reputation for melancholy and withdrawn reserve amongst their peers. During a period of assimilation and rebuilding, where much of the Household’s warriors were away fighting, the world of Damaetus received delegation after delegation. Such envoys were from the domains of the Mechanicum, including Forge Worlds such as Mezoa, which were in close proximity to the Knight World, and distant holdings, such as the illustrious worlds of Lucius. All desired that the House swear themselves as feudal subjects and, in return, offered to replace the ancient and oft-repaired Knight armours with newly-minted war machines of more advanced and potent classes. These would-be benefactors desired more than service though, for they coveted the ancient crystal data- stacks buried beneath Felweather Keep, the principal stronghold of House Vyronii. Scornful of the undisguised avarice of some and the strange dogma of others, Grand Master Jahk of House Vyronii sent the envoys from his court on the pretext of pondering their many solicitations. Even as he considered the future of his Household, the conflicts his warriors fought in across the stars earned the House untold glories and an ever more pressing need to replace those Knight armours lost in battle. Expediency demanded that Jahk make a choice and he settled upon the Forge World of Cyclothrathe, whose offers of materiel aid had been by far the most generous of those received. Alas, the year of his choosing was 005.M31, and the galaxy would plunge into civil war.
The delegation from Cyclothrathe sent to perform the act of bonding between the Knight World and Forge World was not one bearing gifts but a strike force, loyal only to the Warmaster. If not for the desperate bravery of Gios, son of the Grand Master, who risked life and limb to bring warning of betrayal to the assembled might of House Vyronii, the Warmaster’s allies would have claimed victory through treachery and deceit. Even with warning given, the Knights of Vyronii faced the most desperate battle ever fought on Damaetus against the warriors of Cyclothrathe and House Ærthegn Knights. Nearly a quarter of the Vyronii fighting force was broken that day in a battle that claimed the life of Grand Master Jahk. Those that survived swore bitter oaths of vengeance against the Forge World, yet the depleted strength of House Vyronii stood little chance against the might of a Mechanicum holding. From the greater Imperium, aid was not forthcoming and it was only upon the Forge World of Mezoa that House Vyronii found its outrage echoed and answered. In haste, a pact with Mezoa was hastily agreed, although Vyronii would not give up their independence in formal submission even when faced with the very real threat of destruction. When war once more came to the doorstep of Damaetus, the allegiance of House Vyronii had long been decided, its warriors standing bloodied yet resolute amongst the ranks of the Loyalists.
Materiel Strength Following the betrayal of House Vyronii by the forces of Cyclothrathe, the Knight House was grievously understrength. Its numbers stood at just below 100 operational Knight armours, predominantly of the Cerastus and Questoris classes. As a consequence of the former Grand Master’s reluctance to forge bonds with the Mechanicum, few of its ancient armours had been replaced and almost every one remaining was a relic of the Dark Age of Technology and a veteran of the wars of the Age of Strife, repaired and rebuilt countless times. A limited re- armament was received after pacts were agreed with the Forge World of Mezoa, but even this did little to pull back House Vyronii from the precipice of extinction. For the entirety of the Horus Heresy, and the years of war that followed, the survival of House Vyronii was far from guaranteed, and the losses it suffered may still condemn the Household to a slow death.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Vyronii High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Independent Spirit: Though loyal to the Imperium, the Seneschal believes all should rule over their own actions to achieve true greatness. If a Banner within the Seneschal’s Lance fails a Command check when an Order is issued to it in the Issue Order step of the Strategy phase, Orders can still be issued this phase. Command checks must still be made for other Banners. Any Banner that fails a Command check cannot subsequently be issued an Order via Lance Orders. 2 Resolute: The Seneschal believes no cause is truly lost while a single Knight Scion remains upon the field. When making a Command check to see if they become Shaken, all Banners within 12" of the Seneschal add 1 to the result. In addition, the Seneschal’s Banner can never be Shaken. 3 Lord of Felweather: The Seneschal was there when their supposed allies brought betrayal in place of friendship, and holds a burning hatred for the Traitor forces. The Seneschal may issue Charge orders to Banners within their Lance without the need to make a Command check. However, if a Banner within the Seneschal’s Lance fails a Command check when being issued with any other Order, it does not act on its own initiative; instead it must act under Charge orders.
House Vyronii Questoris Knight Paladin
Artemisia A veteran of the war in the Coronid Deeps, the Artemisia, along with two dozen of its brethren, were redeployed to Ultramar during the final months of the Crusade of Iron. Owing to disruption in both communication and Warp travel, Artemisia was not to see battle until the final confrontation upon Drooth II, taking part in the landing to reinforce those
engaged upon the planet. As the Knights disgorged from their landing craft they found themselves assailed by malign
entities, and it was there Artemisia was to fall, although the nature of the foe has since been stricken from records.
House Vyronii Cerastus Knight Lancer
Apsinthos The favoured armour of the House Vyronii Scion Elsbet Vorr, Apsinthos is known to have participated in the charge against the Traitor Legio Tempestus Reaver class Battle Titan Raxvalian
at Hive Ilium during the Fall of Manachea. Though successful in laying low the mighty Raxvalian,
the fate of Apsinthos and Elsbet Vorr remains unknown, but it is likely her mortal remains are
entombed within the rubble of the shattered hive.
House Sidus
Title: The Mechanicum Knight Household of Sidus
Household Grade: Tertius
Patent: Bound, Warrant of Mechanicum Immediacy issued by the Luminaries of Ryza in early M31, ratified 117.M31.
Warden Domain: The Forge World of Ryza.
Cognomen: Scions of Ryza, The Shackled Knights (informal).
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: The Forge World of Ryza
Allegiance: Fidelitas Constantus
The exact origin and date of founding of the Household of Sidus is held in much contention amongst the ranks of both the Mechanicum and the Officio Militaris College of Arms. According to official records retrieved from the data-vaults of both Ryza and Mars, the date of House Sidus’ founding stands as 007.M31, as determined by information delivered and sworn as truthful by representatives of Ryza before the Parliament of Mars. Despite this, many amongst the Adeptus Mechanicus have since cast doubt upon the veracity of such claims. Indeed, the strength of Ryza has long been held in some contention, supporting as it did fewer numbers of warriors than a Forge World of its scale was capable of maintaining.
The original records pertaining to the strength of Ryza and its holdings noted, with some contention, that the Forge World laid claim to no Knight House. Such an assertion was met with scepticism from many amongst the Cult Mechanicus, for the Forge World contained both the means and the knowledge to construct such machines. Many questioned why, in millennia of self-rule, the hierarchs of Ryza had deemed it unnecessary to ratify the creation of such a force in defence of the Forge World against threats a Titan Legion would be ill-suited to overcome. To this, Ryza held no answer, stating only that its magi had turned their minds to other pursuits. Though some demanded further investigation, none was forthcoming and, in time, suspicions were set aside in recognition of Ryza’s considerable contribution to the Great Crusade, lest strife be caused by false accusation.
Thus it came with much surprise to many amongst the Mechanicum when reports dispatched from beleaguered Imperial forces across the Ultima Segmentum spoke of Knights decorated in the livery and iconography of Ryza lending aid to their efforts. Responses from Ryza as to the allegiance and provenance of such Knights proved slow, a circumstance which representatives of the Forge World placed upon the fractured nature of communications during those troubling times. The same communiqués stated that the formation of House Sidus, as the nascent Household was so named, had been created in the half-decade following the massacre on Isstvan V, a claim publicly derided by some amongst the Adeptus Mechanicus. As evidence for the falsehood of such a claim, critics levelled accusations that the strength of House Sidus, made up as it was by considerable quantities of Knight Styrix, Magaera and Knight Atrapos, would be impossible, even for the forges of Mars, to produce in such time.
The true origin of House Sidus may forever remain a mystery for, though great scrutiny was turned towards uncovering the truth, little but circumstantial evidence pointing towards an alternative date of creation was found. Following lengthy investigation, it was with much reluctance that the official creation date for House Sidus was enshrined within Imperial annals, despite objections to the contrary. Disagreement with such a date is noted in two amendments to the records of House Sidus, stating that many of the Household’s Knight armours bore signs of decades of use rather than years, and combat reports attesting to the first recorded actions of House Sidus noting a rigidity in their movements and tactics often associated within extensive simulation training. Nevertheless, it is impossible to ignore the significant contribution House Sidus made across the Ultima Segmentum, lending aid to dozens of worlds during the Horus Heresy. In other times, the hiding of resources may have been judged far harsher, yet such wrongdoing paled in comparison to the heinous deeds of others – thus the issue of House Sidus was cast aside in favour of more pressing concerns.
Materiel Strength In number, House Sidus stood amongst the smallest of Mechanicum Households, for records released by Ryza in the years following its invasion indicate a complement of around sevenscore Knights, a number far lower than expected for a Forge World of Ryza’s prominence. Such a discrepancy can be explained by the nature of the Knights that made up House Sidus’ numbers, for all but a decad of its number consisted of the rarest of Knight patterns, those of Knight Magaera, Knight Styrix and Knight Atrapos. Such numbers were unheard of in all but the largest of Households and even rarer was it that such patterns formed the bulk of a Household’s numbers for any reason save catastrophic losses. The presence of so many rarer Knights would no doubt offset their low numbers, for the raw power and esoteric technology wielded by the Knights of House Sidus provided them with the capability to contest Households twice their number under the command of a shrewd tactician.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Sidus High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Bombard Commander: The Seneschal favours a less direct approach, using the superior speed of their Scions to avoid enemy fire and unleash devastating volleys in return. Once per game, all Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance can be issued a Coordinated Strike, Split Fire or First Fire order without the need to make a Command check. Not all Banners need to be issued an Order in this way, but all Banners must be issued the same Order. 2 Scion of Ryza: The Seneschal has served Ryza honourably for centuries, kept alive by ancient technology and bearing the greatest artifice its world has to offer. The weapons carried by the Seneschal’s Banner are of a higher quality than normal. Increase the Strength value of any weapon in the Seneschal’s Banner with a starting Strength value of 4 or higher by 1, to a maximum of Strength 8. 3 Favoured Scion: The Seneschal is blessed by the patronage of a prominent Magos of Ryza, granted their favour so long as they bring no dishonour to their name. One model in the Seneschal’s Banner may be upgraded with the Battle Standard Mark of the Omnissiah for free (see page 104 of Adeptus Titanicus: Defence of Ryza). This model must be part of a Questoris Mechanicus Household to do so and the Household Force cannot contain another Battle Standard. However, if the Seneschal’s Banner is ever Shaken, for the remainder of the battle the Battle Standard has no effect and the Seneschal cannot benefit from the Noble Sacrifice rules (see page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech).
House Sidus Questoris Knight Magaera
Ursangshou A Knight Magaera is a marvel of lost technology and stands amongst the rarest examples of Knight armour produced by the forge-fanes of the Mechanicum. Despite its rarity, the conflict upon Ryza revealed several dozen
of their kind amongst the ranks of House Sidus, their numbers unleashed upon the Traitors during the Siege of
Endeavour and the subsequent battles. Depicted here before departing Ryza after the recapture of Conveyance Terminal Nine-Omega, Ursangshou, like all Knights of House Sidus, takes its name from the stars recorded within
ancient cartography records charted by Mankind’s first explorers. Translated, the Knight’s name meant ‘Guard of the Stars’ and in recognition of its title, Ursangshou was amongst the first of House Sidus to give chase to the
Traitors across the stars.
House Sidus Cerastus Knight Atrapos
Virealis Records indicate that Virealis, piloted by techno-savant Scion Haddeusi Unyrix, holds the honour of being the first amongst House Sidus to awaken from the stasis vaults during the Storm of Endeavour on the Forge World of Ryza. Furthermore, the Household’s first two reported engine-kills are also attributed to the Knight Atrapos, with engagement
reports showing Virealis to have emerged from concealed bunkers into the midst of a Legio Vulturum Warhound pack.
Virealis is recorded as having felled two Scout Titans by expertly severing their locomotors with its las cutter then
retreating into the streets of Endeavour before the remaining Traitor engines could move to engage the Knight.
House Zavora
Title: The Mechanicum Knight Household of Zavora
Household Grade: Secundus (Maxis)
Patent: Pre-Imperial Writ of Vassalage issued by the Martian Mechanicum, ratified by the Officio Militaris College of Arms 842.M30.
Warden Domain: Mars
Cognomen: The Wayward Knights
Allied Legions/Forge Worlds: (Pre-Horus Heresy) Bonded to Mars and bound to the field of battle at the behest of the Triad Ferrum Morgulus; (Horus Heresy) Fragmented, allegiance determined by presiding Seneschal of each Household group
Allegiance: (Unconfirmed)
The House of Zavora was not originally intended to stand guard over the sands of Mars. Indeed, the armours that would become the foundation of the Household were originally destined for a planet elsewhere in the galaxy during the Dark Age of Technology. This was not to occur, for the galaxy was engulfed by warp storms and the Red Planet fell into anarchy and war. Against the degenerate hordes of the Cy-carnivora, the fledgling Cult Mechanicus raised many tools of war and the Knight armours intended for a distant colony were instead transformed into the House of Zavora, pledged to defend the beleaguered forge-fanes scattered across the oxide deserts of Mars. Few other details relating to the history of House Zavora have survived the passage of time, save that the Household aided in the chastisement of House Morbidia for its heinous actions against the Fabricator General. When the time came for the Mechanicum forces to take their place amongst the Great Crusade, 200 Knights of House Zavora departed the surface of Mars, finally ascending to the stars as they had long been destined to do.
The long-standing ties the warriors of Zavora held with the Cult Mechanicus had done much to influence the rites and practices of the Household. Many of the Household’s practices lie unrecorded save within the sealed records of the now- destitute fortress constructed upon the plain of Syrtis Major, yet it remains common knowledge that each warrior of House Zavora would exchange a single organ for an augmented counterpart come their ascension to the Throne Mechanicum. Further esoteric augmentation would be borne by more seasoned warriors of the Household, with the greatest sign of devotion deemed the permanent entombment of a Scion within their own armour, to bring them closer to the Omnissiah and His greatness. These practices were often viewed as extreme, if not outright deviant, by the more puritan supporters of the Imperial Truth and by many outside the Mechanicum, resulting in House Zavora being stationed solely aboard Mechanicum fleets, save for the rarest of circumstances.
Both the eventual fate and true loyalties of House Zavora remain open to much interpretation, for the details of its actions during the Horus Heresy are severely lacking and prone to conflicting statements. That over half of the Household’s strength, some 200 Knight armours and supporting Sacristans, were present on Mars during this time is well known, as is the fact that none still lived upon the liberation of Mars following the Siege of Terra. Pict-captures taken within the walls of Zavora’s Martian fortress show an edifice torn asunder by war, its halls littered with the broken remains of Knights bearing the livery of House Zavora; analysis of their positioning and fragmented tactical data suggest that the warriors of House Zavora fought amongst themselves, though the reasoning behind such actions remains unknown. Those of Zavora located elsewhere in the galaxy come the Horus Heresy found their loyalty split. Many held ardent loyalty towards Mars and, upon hearing that the Fabricator General had sworn himself to the Warmaster, turned away from the Imperium. Others refused to believe that the Cult Mechanicus had turned against the Emperor and stood alongside His Loyalists. It was this latter group that was to have the greatest impact on the unfolding conflict, for it turned to Ryza for aid and in doing so found a means to replenish the Household’s numbers. House Zavora were instrumental in throwing back the tide of Traitors that sought to conquer the Furnace of Shackled Stars and those that survived that conflict earned countless honours across the Ultima Segmentum in the years to follow.
Materiel Strength By the time of the Horus Heresy, House Zavora bore the grade of Secundus, though it was known to stand at the higher end of such a grade. As the House relied upon the forges of Mars to replenish its numbers, the Scions of Zavora were regularly supplied with freshly-forged Knight armours and the latest innovations produced by the manufactoria of the Red Planet. Before the Death of Innocence, House Zavora were recorded as possessing 383 operational Knight armours, with over 100 others sealed within the vaults of its fortress awaiting Scions possessed of the skill required to pilot them. Over half this number were upon Mars when warfare broke out; logs pulled from dozens of fallen Zavora Knights suggest that the Household battled on Mars for nearly two years before falling silent. The remaining strength of Zavora split into two factions, one of which supported the Warmaster and sought to return to Mars and the other which declared loyalty to the Imperium. The former placed themselves within the Warmaster’s fleets, and several were recorded as having walked upon the Red Planet when the Warmaster reached the Sol System. The latter faction took temporary lodgings on Ryza, increasing its numbers in preparation for the war to come.
Household Specific Knightly Qualities A House Zavora High Scion or Seneschal Knightly Quality can either be generated from the table on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech, or by rolling a D3 on the table that follows:
D3 Knightly Quality 1 Progeny of Mars: The Seneschal can trace their line back to Mars itself and will honour that legacy until their dying breath. As long as the Seneschal is on the battlefield, the Seneschal’s Banner cannot be Shaken. In addition, Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance may be issued First Fire orders without the need to make a Command check. 2 Sacred Armament: The Seneschal wields deadly weapons forged during the Dark Age of Technology and advocates caution lest they fall into the hands of their enemy. Models in the Seneschal’s Banner increase the Dice value of any weapon without the Melee trait by 1. However, Banners within the Seneschal’s Lance may not be issued Full Stride or Charge orders. 3 Broken Soul: The Seneschal has seen all they love burned to ash and is now a husk of their former self, existing only because duty demands it. When the Seneschal’s Banner suffers a Direct Hit, roll a D6. On a 5 or 6, the hit is ignored. However, the Seneschal’s Banner does not add 3 to the result of any of its Command checks, as described on page 38 of Adeptus Titanicus: Doom of Molech.
House Zavora Acastus Knight Porphyrion
Immortal Numen One amongst many Households standing as protectors of Mars, House Zavora remained one of the most ardent
adoptees of Mechanicum beliefs and rituals. The Scions of House Zavora were known to bear augmentations that helped establish a deeper bond with their armours. In rarer instances, long-serving Scions, such as Gafrali Bex, commander of the Immortal Numen, pictured here before its departure from Mars during the Great Crusade,
participated in elaborate rites that saw them permanently sealed within their armour. Amongst the greater Imperium, many saw such a practice as barbaric, yet to House Zavora it was the greatest honour and the pinnacle of
their devotion to the Omnissiah.
House Zavora Questoris Knight Errant
Veiled Hunter Veiled Hunter, and its pilot High Scion Vincent Nayadayus, were seen as House Zavora’s preeminent beast slayers during the
Great Crusade. Of particular note are the articles of war written by Nayadayus’ own hand that detail tactics best suited for hunting the bio-colossi of the Gransathian Dominion, penned during the seven-year long extermination of the xenos empire.
This experience saw Nayadayus appointed Seneschal of War for those disparate elements of House Zavora not located on Mars when the time came for the Household to fight against the god-engines of the Collegia Titanica. Despite expressing
great displeasure at the circumstances of his position, he proved ardently devoted to his task, registering three engine-kills during Mankind’s civil war, as well as writing several tactical manifests that were disseminated across Loyalist Households.