House Griffith
| Colour Scheme | House Info | Symbol | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Name: | House Griffith |  |
| Affiliation: | Imperium (Adeptus Terra)[1d] | ||
| Knight World: | Dragon's End[1d] | ||
| Colours: | White/Red | ||
| Motto: | Honour and Fury, Courage and Strength[9a] | ||
House Griffith are a Knight House of the Imperium based on Dragon's End. They are sworn to the Adeptus Terra.[1d]
Contents
Overview
House Griffith is based out of Bastion Armentes, a stronghold on the planet Dragon's End.[1a] The Knights of House Griffith are a fierce and proud warrior caste who value courage and skill at arms above all else. Duels of honour are commonplace amongst Griffith’s hot-headed Knights. A regular jousting tourney, the Field of Adamantium, dictates the standings of each family in society; a Knight can be preeminent one day, but overshadowed the next, should one of his rivals emerge triumphant.[1c]
The Knights of House Griffith use Errant armour almost exclusively, the exo-suit’s powerful thermal cannon befitting these close range specialists. Such is their aggressive nature, however, that many of Griffith’s Knights eschew the use of ranged weaponry in battle unless absolutely necessary, preferring instead to charge forwards and strike down their foes with reaper chainswords in glorious combat.[1c]
House Griffith maintains the Order of the Hound, which is a specialist sub-order of favored retainers who serve as Armiger Knight Bondsmen.[9c] The House's Knights are also known to serve within the Padah March alliance of Knight Houses and Freeblades.[11a]
In a centuries-old tradition, House Griffith Knights that slay an enemy High King carry a weapon painted bloody red. What constitutes such a "high king" is debated, but enemies such as Gargants and a Lord of Skulls have qualified in the past.[16b] This encourages the culture of heroism in the House, with even the commoners all seeking to emulate glorified heroes of the past and ever-training in bladework in order to strike down a worthy foe. Outside of battle, these skills are put to use in a variety of martial tournaments held on Dragon's End where not only the ruling Nobles of Dragon's End take part, but also Vassal Houses.[16b]
These Vassal Houses are sworn to House Griffith, and share elements of its heraldic insignia.[16a] And when Griffith goes to war, the Vassals do so as well.[16a] Their Knights will use Griffith's tournaments to increase their standing and prestige though. Those who display great feats of foe-slaying in battle, can be allowed to join House Griffith's hereditary ranks.[16b]
Forge World Incaladion have sent at least a Kill team of Skitarii to watch over Griffith's Knights in battle, and Lord Bryce have assigned the gifted skitarii to his Sacristan Guard, his personal retinue of infantry. Unknown to Lord Bryce have the skitarii also been ordered by their Tech-priest master to, if possible, get their metal hands on any technology unattended.[17]
History
Legend states that early Human colonists arrived on the bleak world of Dragon's End and were assailed by ferocious creatures of indeterminate origin. At first, these desperate colonists wielded simple weapons carved from the beast's bones and wore armour forged from minerals. Only after a desperate period of loss did the most skilled fighters develop Knight Suits, and soon enough the nobility of House Griffith was born.[16b]
Every branch of House Griffith has its own variation of the legend of this conflict, which has been dubbed the Dragon War. Though it took decades, the creatures were finally driven to extinction. The period is viewed with a high degree of romanticism and heroism by the modern Nobles of the House.[16b]
Known Battles
- 400.M35 — Defeat of Waaagh! Starsmasha.
- 993.M41 — Defence of Yorvith against Hive Fleet Kraken during The Dragon Slain.[1e]
- ???.M42 — The Saviours Hunt.
- ???.M42 — The invasion of Ordex-Thaag, as part of the Padah March.[11c]
- ???.M42 - The Wars of Steel against the Necrons[15]
- ???.M42 - The Charadon Campaign.[12]
- ???.M42 - Destruction of Warboss Grazzgha's Gargant by High King Bryce.[16b]
- ???.M42 - The Battle of Bastior during the Fourth Tyrannic War[14]
- Date Unknown — Battle on Lorix with Orks.[3]
- Date Unknown — Defence of Frontis.[10]
- Date Unknown - The countercharge of the stone-blood Companions that broke the back of the mutated Knight Rampager Sevenseed.[16b]
- Date Unknown - The heroic sacrifice of Baroness Kadrion when she ruptured a Necron Obelisk and triggered a catastrophic explosion.[16b]
Heraldry & Nomenclature
The Knights of House Griffith wear white armour.[1d][4a] One notable facet of Griffith's heraldry is that a Knight may paint their armour's melee weapon in red, but only if that Knight has slain an enemy High King (although whether a particular enemy counts as a High King or its equivalent is sometimes a matter of debate amongst the House's nobles).[4a]
The crest of House Griffith was heavily based on the personal coat of arms of Nathaniel, the first ruler of the House.[1d] It depicts the dragon Alvirax, clutching the broken dragonbone lance that Nathaniel used to slay it, both of which are rendered in black on a white background.[1d][4a]
The ruler of House Griffith bears the title Grand Master of the Lance.[1b][1d] The Grand Master's Knight suit features a stylised lance emblem, in honour of the House's founder, Nathaniel.[1d] Griffith's heraldic scheme is considered unusual amongst those used by the Knightly Houses in that the High King's Knight is not denoted by a band on its carapace (which is normally traditional).[4a]
House Elements
Known Knight Suits
- Bane of Iron — Valiant.[9b]
- Fires of Valour — Errant.[4b]
- Dragon's Lament — Errant.[4a]
- Lance of Flame — Paladin.[4a]
- Hound Dextra — Warglaive.[9a]
- Hound Sinistor — Helverin.[9a]
Known Named Other Vehicles
- Dragonfire — Taurox of the supporting household forces[7]
Known Knights
High Monarchs
- Bryce — Current ruler of House Griffith and pilot of the Fires of Valour.[4b]
- Nathaniel Griffith — First ruler of House Griffith.[4a]
Exalted Court
- Tossun Griffith - Baron and Gatekeeper[16a]
- Yannos Griffith - Baron and Herald[16a]
- Ellian Griffith - Baroness and Kingsward[16a]
- Maeryn Griffith - Baroness and Master of Justice[16a]
Barons
- Rhodoks — Pilot of the Knight Warden Unending Glory.[3] Led the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Kadrion - Baroness
Other Knights
- Sir Balianis — Pilot of the Knight Lancer Spear of Light.[6] Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Sir Brannach — Took part in the defense of Yorvith, against an invasion of Hive Fleet Kraken.[1e]
- Brom Griffith[1a]
- Sir Draekos — pilots the Knight Paladin The Last Dragon Slayer. Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Herolus — Killed by the Shadowseer Sh'kira of the Masque of the Shattered Mirage.[5]
- Iyap Grothelgaard — Huntsmaster[13]
- Sir Jhedine — Pilot of Wyrmspear[11b]
- Lady Karina Griffith[11]
- Sir Mikael — Pilot of the Knight Crusader Defiance.[8]
- Lady Mikaela — Pilot of the Knight Crusader Defiance. Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Natanya — Pilot of the Bane of Iron[9b]
- Sir Rarthanis — Pilot of the Knight Errant Dragon's Lament.[4a] Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Sir Reynald — Pilot of the Knight Errant Vengeance of the Lost[8]. Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Sir Richter — Pilot of the Knight Warglaive Inferno's Legacy. Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Sir Tarthin[9a]
- Sir Theodric — Pilot of the Knight Helverin Dragonfire. Among the Knights sent to aid the world Frontis.[10]
- Tristor — Pilot of the Knight Paladin Lance of Flame.[4a]
- Sir Vedran — Guardian of the Lost Keep and pilot of the Tyrant's Doom.[2]
Bondsmen
- Edmane — Pilot of the Knight Helverin Hound Sinistor.[9a]
- Saris — Pilot of the Knight Warglaive Hound Dextra.[9a]
Courtly Advisors
- Sorel Khierofund - Master of House Griffith's Astropaths[16a]
- Allobius Renfell - Ecclesiarchy Deacon-Dispensatus of Caertrex's Synod[16a]
- Kaesenestra Gull - Adeptus Mechanicus Axion Alphik from the Forge World Anvillus[16a]
- Euphenie Harg - Navis Imperialis Commodore and Aide-Militant to Navis Imperialis Sector Command[16a]
Other Personnel
Minor House Griffith Branches
- Griffiths of Gorval (cadet branch)[16a]
- Solon-Griffiths (third lineage)[16a]
- Gryffs at White Peak (matrilateral)[16a]
Known Vassal Houses
- House Brugannis[16b]
- House Ca Ffol[16b]
- House Grothelgaard[16a]
- House Onnelis[16a]
- House Nostrus[16a]
- House Theyran[16b]
Images
Tyrant's Doom, the Knight of Sir Vedran.
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Imperial Knights (6th Edition):
- 2: Warhammer: Visions 7, pgs. 166–167
Warhammer: Visions - 3: White Dwarf 66 (2015) — Parade Ground
- 4: Codex: Imperial Knights (7th Edition):
- 5: White Dwarf 72 (2015) — Parade Ground
- 6: Warhammer: Visions 19 — In the Spotlight Warhammer: Visions
- 7: Warhammer: Visions 16, pg. 115 Warhammer: Visions
- 8: Warhammer: Visions 24, pgs. 66–67 — Imperial Knights Warhammer: Visions
- 9: Codex: Imperial Knights (8th Edition):
- 10: White Dwarf July 2018 — Battle Report: A Gauntlet Thrown Down
- 11: Conquest 73 — Forces of the Imperium: Imperial Knights
- 11: Psychic Awakening: Engine War:
- 12: War Zone Charadon - Act I: The Book of Rust, pgs. 40-41
- 13: War Zone Charadon - Act II: The Book of Fire, pg. 38
- 14: Leviathan (Box), pgs. 247-253
- 15: Forgebane Rulebook, pg. 6
- 16: Codex: Imperial Knights (10th Edition)
- 17: White Dwarf September 2016, pg. 122
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