House Aranthus
House Aranthus (also called the Lost House) is the ruling Noble House of Necromunda, and was once one of the Fallen Houses of Necromunda's Hive Primus. After vanishing entirely several centuries ago[1][2a] in 364.M40[3][2b], being struck down by an unstoppable plague,[1][2a] they would come back to claim their power during Noctis Aeterna.[7]
Contents
History
The Plague of Aranthus
Several centuries ago, House Aranthus ruled over substantial portions of its hive city. Then a plague arrived, thought by many to be the same which left House Escher males shriveled and imbecilic derelicts through its after-effects, decimating House Aranthus's numbers.[1][2a] Rumours persist that Lady Annyr Helmawr unleashed the contagion upon Aranthus after the House slighted her during a dinner party.[3][2b] Regardless of its origins, the plague was unstoppable as it swept through Aranthus's population and left the survivors struggling. The house then rapidly became vulnerable to attacks of all kinds.[1][2a]
The lack of resources caused a spiraling debt which led the Lord Helmawr to seize all of House Aranthus' assets and territories. The few remaining Aranthus were then dispersed to other Hives or absorbed by marriage, sanctuary or serfdom into the other Houses.[1][2a] The contagion also caused the destruction of Hive Mortis, after the desperate lords of Aranthus tried medicae rituals that unexpectedly spread the disease to Mortis' population[3][2b]. Though Aranthus' ancient haunts remain, the House itself has entirely vanished.[1][2a]
"defend House Aranthus until it is time to..."
The Lords of Aranthus
According to legends, as the virus destroyed her House, one of the last scions of Aranthus fled to Hive Primus' Underhive with her Ogryn bodyguards. There she was struck by the disease and asked her loyal bodyguards to protect the House before she died. The bodyguards' Captain attempted to follow these orders and carved out a territory for Aranthus in the Underhive. The bodyguards eventually became known as the Lords of Aranthus and their land became a haven for the dead House's servants and retainers. However their growing influence with the underclasses had them destroyed by the Planetary Governor Helmawr at the time. Rumours persisted that the Captain and a few of the bodyguards were able to escape into the wastes. They are believed to be still there, searching for a true heir to the lost House of Aranthus.[4]
However, during House Aranthus's downfall, Ozostium Aranthus and his siblings were imprisoned in hidden locations by House Helmawr, who were among their house's enemies. Despite this, Ozostium was able to use his psychic abilities to influence the minds of others and began a plot to free himself, restore his House, and destroy Helmawr's bloodline.[6a]
The Lost House
Since Aranthus's downfall, many claimed lineage from the house, and it remained fashionable to do so up to the present as a badge of uniqueness and distinction. Among bounty hunters and members of the noble houses, the claim is a particularly popular one, and many of them venture to Aranthus's ancient haunts in a pilgrimage-like search for fabled remnants of the house's past.[1][2a]
When Necromunda's current planetary governor, Gerontius Helmawr, came into power, he ordered the deaths of any rebel lords claiming to be from House Aranthus. As far as House Helmawr knew, Gerontius succeeded in this task.[5]
House Aranthus Reborn
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | The Aranthian Succession - The Vaults of Temenos |
However, when the Great Rift's Noctis Aeterna occurs, Ozostium Aranthus puts his plans for freedom into motion.[6a] His servants, Lady Credo and the Prophet of Redemption, began a rebellion that successfully freed him from his centuries-long imprisonment. With the first part of his plans complete, Ozostium assumed command of the loyal House Aranthus armies his servants had gathered for him.[6b] With their might, Ozostium now sought to free his imprisoned siblings, destroy Helmawr's bloodline, and claim Necromunda for himself.[6a]
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | The Aranthian Succession - Ruins of Jardlan |
In the aftermath of his liberation, Ozostium moved to Hive Primus; supported by Enforcers and religious fanatics, he brought stability to the Palatine Cluster. With the removal of House Helmawr's influence, life began to return to normal for the hive's inhabitants, even as underground conflicts persisted between loyalists of Helmawr and Aranthus. Lady Credo led efforts to purge remnants of Helmawr support, pushing dissent into the underhive and wastelands, away from Ozostium's growing influence.[7]
His rule was legitimized to the Imperium through the Guild of Oaths, and blessed by Cardinal Ahrmund of the Ecclesiarchy. However, House Delaque remained conspicuously absent, their fate uncertain to the other houses.[7]
Trivia
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- While it is said that "There is no doubt that Houses have emerged, risen and fallen over the centuries", Aranthus' position as "the" Lost House implies that it is the most recent, and perhaps only House to have vanished in recent memory.
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See also
Sources
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- 1: Necromunda Magazine Volume 2 Issue 1, pgs. 29 — House of Iron
Fanatic Press - 2: Necromunda Rulebook (2018),
- 3: Necromunda: Underhive (2017) Updated Rulebook, pg. 36 - Necromunda Timeline: Mortis Plague
- 4: Necromunda: House of Chains, pg. 131
- 5: Warhammer Community: Apocrypha Necromundus: House Helmawr (saved archive page, dated May 2024)
- 6: Necromunda: The Aranthian Succession: The Vaults of Temenos
- 7: Necromunda: The Aranthian Succession - Ruins of Jardlan, pg. 34
| The Houses of Necromunda | |
|---|---|
| Imperial House | Helmawr |
| Noble Houses | Athenos • Catallus • Craft • Greim • Harrow • Ko'iron • Ran Lo • Ty • Ulanti |
| Clan Houses | Cawdor • Delaque • Escher • Goliath • Orlock • Van Saar |
| Fallen Houses | Aranthus • Credo • Hasbel • Helm'ayr • Mung • Olwar • Orlund |
| Other/Unknown Status | Averest • Gorshed • Hera • Jungar • Olrak • Olwyr • Vosak • Weyter • Yoranta |
