House Terryn

House Terryn, also known as the "Marshalls of Serenity," is an Imperial Knight house of the Questor Imperialis that is aligned with the Imperium of Man. The Knights of House Terryn are renowned for their skill at arms and ferocity in battle, each one a master of knightly combat.

Ruled over by Patriarch Tybalt on the tropical world of Voltoris, detachments of the house range across the battlefields of the Eastern Fringe, from the cursed edges of the Ghoul Stars to the hellish warzones of the Damocles Gulf.

Rumours speculate that the Knights' ferocity in battle and penchant for long off-world campaigns is a reaction to the tedium and oppressive peace of their homeworld, where convoluted ritual and endless ceremony permeate society. True or not, House Terryn boasts some of the finest Nobles ever to fight for the Emperor. Its house motto is "Glory in Honour."

House History[]

Terryn Colour Scheme — House Terryn colour scheme as displayed by a Knight Paladin.

House Terryn was founded in the 25th Millennium at the end of the Age of Technology and in the early days of what would later be called the Age of Strife by Maximillian Terryn. At a certain point of his life, Maximillian experienced visions of a mysterious white stallion that appeared to warn him of danger. Ever since, the white horse's head on a blue field has been the house's emblem.

According to the records transcribed by the 6^th Expeditionary Fleet, the rediscovery of the Knight World of Voltoris by the Imperium in the 30th Millennium 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 first 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 standard millennia, the world of Voltoris knew no war and the coming of the Imperium changed little, save to bring further prosperity to a world already 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.

Horus Heresy[]

House Terryn Knight Warden — House Terryn colour scheme during the Horus Heresy, as displayed by the Knight Warden *Glory of Voltoris*.

The golden age of the Great Crusade was to be cut short by the supreme act of betrayal known as the Horus Heresy, during which the galaxy was gripped by the most bitter civil war Humanity had ever seen. The peace Voltoris offered, though well-suited to the prosperous centuries of the Great Crusade, left its people ill-prepared for the outbreak of this galaxy-wide conflict. Across the nascent Imperium, rebels clashed with Loyalists for the fate of Mankind. Space Marines fought Space Marines, Titans fought Titans and, alongside them, Imperial Knights fought Imperial Knights.

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 Horus 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 peaceful 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.

As Horus led his armies to Terra, he left a trail of destruction in his wake hundreds of light years wide. His forces seemed unstoppable as garrison after garrison fell before his might, or changed allegiance and sided with the traitorous commander.

As the events of the Horus Heresy neared their tragic conclusion nine standard years after the fateful betrayal at Isstvan III, Horus was confronted and defeated by the Emperor aboard his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, though the Master of Mankind was mortally wounded and had to be interred within the cybernetic life support mechanisms of the advanced psychic augmentation technology known as the Golden Throne.

Though Horus lay dead at the hands of the Emperor, so high was the cost of victory that many sought solace in hounding the fleeing Traitors across the stars rather than face the task of rebuilding the shattered Imperium. This campaign of vengeance is known as the Great Scouring.

The surviving knightly houses with the strength to fight unanimously joined in this crusade of retribution. Believing the honour of the many to be stained by the treachery of the few, the Imperial Knights hunted down the Renegade Knights that sided with Horus with extreme prejudice, seeking to redeem their tarnished reputation.

Filled with righteous indignation, a combined strike force of Knights from Houses Terryn, Cadmus and Borgius annihilated the turncoats of House Devine as Imperial forces reclaimed the lost Knight World of Molech. But there were rumours that some of the traitorous Knights of House Devine went unaccounted for.

Ten millennia after his house's founding, in 239.M35, Seuitonius Thucidides Terryn took the oath of allegiance to the Emperor of Mankind and his world became a formal part of the Imperium and a house of the Questor Imperialis. Under his auspices, Terryn Knights often fought alongside the Ultramarines Chapter of Space Marines.

Voltoris, An Oppressive Peace[]

The Knight World of Voltoris is a tranquil place, largely covered in glittering emerald seas and dotted with jungle-covered islands. Despite its location close to both the T'au Empire and the encroaching Tyranid hive fleets in the 41st Millennium, it has remained largely untouched by war for thousands of Terran years since the end of the Horus Heresy. Even its predators -- the carrion vendell or the betentacled kroktars -- are little danger to a Knight. This freedom from strife or ceaseless assaults from xenos raiders has led to the development of a society of tedious ceremonies and tiresome customs.

Under the light of their binary stars the Nobles of House Terryn hold endless court, the expectations heaped on young Nobles driving many to yearn for the call of battle where problems can be solved at the end of a Reaper Chainsword's blade. From the moment they awaken to the moment they return to their sanctum, the Nobles of House Terryn must observe the ancient traditions of their family; ancestors must be honoured, observances spoken and rituals performed. To ease the burden on their children, most families have oathsmen that shadow a Noble wherever they go, standing in for them when they are called upon to make an observance.

An oathsman will perform such tasks as offering up a drop of blood to each of the Noble's ancestors, opening their palm over barely healed scars so the Noble can keep their own hands unblemished. By this same token, it is not permitted for a Noble to finish eating before their guests, and an oathsman might find themselves choking down ale and fermented vendell flesh long after their lord has taken leave. Oathsmen also suffer punishments, and deliver them, in place of their lords, leading to all-too-common situations where servants play ritualistic castigation upon one another in the name of their masters.

Far from being an unwelcome position, becoming an oathsman is a proud achievement for the family of the one so blessed. To be forced to honour the ancestors of a Noble is to touch the glory of the knightly houses. In fact, many oath-servants have begun lineages of their own, generations of men and women bound to a single Noble family. It is a life of sacrifice lived in the shadow of greatness, but is the closest most common folk will ever come to the nobility that rule over them.

Beneath the tedium of House Terryn's reliance on ceremony and ritual is the ancient weight of the law, and though many lords chaff under the complication inherent in their daily life, the house does not hesitate to punish those that stray from the binding traditions. Men have been lashed to dead animals and set adrift to face the kroktars for mere breaches of protocol, but such a sanction will seldom affect the Noble themselves; rather, their oathsman will obediently take their place.

Wandering Warriors[]

It is little wonder that with such a ritualistic culture the young Nobles of Voltoris are drawn to the danger and freedom that comes from piloting a Knight suit into war. Once a Noble has completed the Ritual of Becoming they will find more and more excuses to be in their Knight. Regular "training" missions are fundamental to the daily routine, with the lord likewise finding reason to help his sons to master their Knights in the jungles and shallow seas around their keeps. Younger brothers can only look on jealously as their older siblings laugh and brag about days spent crashing through the forest canopies hunting for vendell, or using derelict voidships as target practice for their cannon.

When Seuitonius Thucidides Terryn forged the formal alliance with the Imperium, he was canny enough to ensure that Voltoris law was changed so that any Knight under arms in the service of the Emperor was exempt from his ceremonial obligations to house and home. Since that time the Knights of House Terryn have sought off-world conflict across the galaxy, pursuing their foes with an aggression born of years of unrequited yearning for war. From the time he reaches adulthood to his twilight years a House Terryn Noble will spend much of his life on campaign, returning to Voltoris only to ensure the continuation of his line and to show his fealty to the Patriarch.

Even Tybalt, ruler of House Terryn, still leads detachments in wars against the Imperium's foes, though he is over a standard century old. The keeps of Voltoris as a result are often quiet and empty places, populated by industrious servants and petulant young sons, overseen by jealous wives and daughters. Furion Peak, House Terryn's vast keep, echoes to the sound of song and revelry only when Tybalt and his Nobles are between campaigns. Then, as quickly as they arrived, the lord and his warriors will depart, leaving the servants to clean the feasting halls and restock the larders for the next time he should grace the keep.

The Long Hunt[]

In the 41st Millennium, the T'au Empire entered into its Third Sphere Expansion, and the war across the Damocles Gulf flared again into terrible life. Voltoris itself came under attack from the T'au Commander Shadowsun. Though the forces arrayed against them were vast, the Imperium was able to lay a deadly ambush for the T'au in the shadow of Furion Peak, and the combined might of the Astra Militarum and knightly houses eventually defeated the xenos, driving them back from the world.

In the aftermath, the T'au tried to extract as much of their forces as possible from Voltoris. Those T'au that could not reach the landing zones around the peak were forced to retreat into the jungle or make for the open oceans in an attempt to find respite from the Imperial assault. Tybalt personally led households of Knights in pursuit of these xenos remnants, hunting them down before they could muster their strength once again.

While many of the alien units scattered, Tybalt eventually ran a regiment-sized formation to ground in the Weeping Reefs, the crimson-stained waters becoming a battleground for Knights and T'au Battlesuits. Rending their foes to scrap with their Reaper Chainblades, the Nobles made a bloody example of the T'au. Tybalt was granted the honour of slaying the final alien, cracking open its suit and crushing it between the mighty foot of his Knight and razor-sharp coral.

Though the battle had been won, Voltoris would never be the same. It was stained by the presence of the aliens and their foul ambitions, while scores of its favoured sons lay dead in the twisted remains of their proud Knight suits. Tybalt vowed revenge upon the Tau as he stood tall over the corpses of their dead, promising much blood to come for this gravest of insults against his house.

The Honourable Company[]

Many House Terryn Nobles spend extended periods away from Voltoris, fighting wars on distant worlds under alien suns. These protracted sojourns into the void can sometimes go beyond what is considered dutiful to the house and stray close to the way of the Freeblade. More than one Noble has become lost in the duty of his quest, his single-minded devotion to pursuing a foe or honouring a vow taking him far into the wilds of the Imperium. Patriarch Tybalt accepts that sometimes a Knight's journey will take him beyond the battlefields and banners of House Terryn and to a place where he must forge his own destiny.

This was the case with the Honourable Company. The company was a detachment of five Knights fighting alongside the Forlorn Crusade in the southern wilds of the Eastern Fringe, that chose the path of the Freeblade to complete an honour-debt for a fallen brother. The crusade had been fighting for centuries to reclaim the Storlar Sector from xenos empires and Heretic overseers when the Knights of House Terryn joined their campaign.

The Knights played a vital role in dozens of engagements across the sector, from the destruction of the Ork scrap-hive on Orbalok II to leading the breakthrough of the Imperishable Line during the Battle of Bluefire. Each of the Nobles earned a reputation for honour and courage among the crusaders, Imperial Guardsmen and Space Marine battle-brothers saluting the huge Knight machines as they thundered past on their way to the front line.

It was in the closing days of the War of Ashes, against the Swords of Khargoth Renegade Space Marine warband, that the Knights turned Freeblade. The Renegades had been fighting a war of scorched earth against the Imperium, falling back across the Laimean System, burning worlds in their wake and throwing armies of mutants, Chaos Cultists and worse against the crusaders. Khargoth, the warlord of the Traitor armies, had noted the prowess of the Knights and had singled them out for retribution. Khargoth's daemonic assassins infiltrated the Imperium's forward camp and murdered one of the House of Terryn Nobles while he slept in his pavilion, dissecting his body and laying it out in pieces for his lance-brothers to find.

Not only was this perceived as a vile act of treachery by the Nobles; it was also a terrible insult. For a member of the house to die outside his Knight suit was to dishonour him in the most fundamental of ways, a slight that could not be ignored. As one the other Nobles vowed to slay Khargoth and destroy his warband at any cost. In the final battles of the war, the company strove to hunt down the Renegade Space Marine, often placing themselves or their allies in great danger. When the Swords of Khargoth escaped from the system the Knights followed, choosing the path of the Freeblade in order to fulfil their vow, and set off into the void after their hated quarry.

Notable Campaigns[]

Battle of Voltoris (Unknown Date.Early.M31) - When the galaxy was split asunder into open insurrection, the Knight World of Voltoris found itself lightly protected, its vast resources left to the mercy of predatory forces loyal to the Warmaster Horus or the Emperor. With the majority of their Scions deployed amongst the expeditionary fleets, only three dozen Knight armours were left to defend Voltoris against all who sought to pillage their world's bounty. Those who believed the isolated Knight World was ripe for the taking were sorely mistaken. Their hubris saw them committing only a token force. The valiant Knights of Voltoris met their enemies in battle, fiercely defending their world from the interlopers who were unable to claim victory in the face of the merciless Knights.
Fall of Niadronus IV (012.M31)
Battle of Beta-Garmon, "The Titandeath" (006-013.M31) - House Terryn took part in the long and savage Beta-Garmon campaign, which included hundreds of war zones across dozens of worlds. During this conflict, House Terryn provided Knight support to the Legio Astorum. Even before the greater armies of the Warmaster Horus reached the star cluster, the battle lines had long since been drawn, and fighting had been going on for many Terran years. It was a cauldron of battle that would consume millions of lives before its end and see the demise of entire Titan Legions, earning this campaign the dire moniker of the "Titandeath." The Beta-Garmon Cluster, also known as the gateway to the throneworld of Terra, was the last hurdle that the Warmaster Horus' forces had to overcome before they reached the Imperium's capital world. Heavily fortified by the Loyalists, Beta-Garmon would become one of the greatest and bloodiest battles of the Horus Heresy, as well as one of the longest-lasting.
Great Scouring - The Death of Traitors (014-021.M31) - Horus lay dead at the hands of the Emperor. But so high was the cost of victory that many sought solace in hounding the fleeing Traitors across the stars rather than face the task of rebuilding the shattered Imperium. This campaign of vengeance is known as the Great Scouring. The surviving knightly houses with the strength to fight unanimously join in this crusade of retribution. Believing the honour of the many to be stained by the treachery of the few, the Imperial Knights hunt down the knightly houses that sided with Horus with extreme prejudice, seeking to redeem their tarnished reputation. Filled with righteous indignation, a combined strike force of Knights from Houses Terryn, Cadmus, and Borgius annihilates the turncoats of House Devine as Imperial forces reclaim Molech.
Battle of the Six Swords (776.M30) - Lord Brutus Terryn leads his house in the war against the Great Kroktar, a beast that has plagued his people for a solar decade, finally slaying the monster.
Daemon Tide (529.M33) - Three Imperial sectors are overrun by a vast army of the Immaterium referred fearfully to as the "Daemon Tide." Deploying into the daemons' path, five knightly houses -- led by the renowned Nobles of House Terryn -- form an adamant bastion to halt the rampage. Using swift-loping packs of Armiger Helverins and Warglaives, High Queen Desmadara Terryn channels the daemons through the shattered valleys of Godsmote. As the Warp-born creatures spill onto the Hollow Plain they are subjected to thunderous bombardment by two dozen Knights Castellan. The daemons' casualties are phenomenal, yet with no concept of fear they surge onward to exact revenge. Over six hundred Questoris-class Knights storm out to meet them, enduring barrages of sorcery, flame and filth that send towering Knight suits toppling in ruin. With Queen Desmadara and her Exalted Court at the lance-point, the Knights slam into the still-vast daemonic horde. They carve a path of annihilation to its heart, the ground shaking beneath their tread, unclean ichor drenching their legs. Though empyric fiends and coruscating Warp energies tear down one Knight after another, their momentum is unstoppable. At last, with Reaper Chainswords howling and Thunderstrike Gauntlets crackling, the Exalted Courts of three knightly houses engage the masters of the Daemon Tide. The battle that follows is so grandiose and cataclysmic that it spawns a hundred songs, tales and tapestries. Several heroic Knights are slain by the enormous Great Unclean One Bolothrax, before the Knights Valiant known as Master of Iron and Fellbreaker successfully pinion the foul abomination with their Thundercoil Harpoons. With their quarry unable to move, the Knights hack the mighty daemon apart. Bolothrax's banishment spells the end for the Daemon Tide, though they wreak much more destruction before they finally fade back into the Warp. It is on that day that Bolothrax's unending grudge against House Terryn and all its descendants is born.
Fall of Agrellan (757.999.M41) - The T'au Empire's Third Sphere Expansion surges through the Damocles Gulf before striking hard and fast upon the Hive World of Agrellan. Though the Imperial forces are hard-pressed to counter the brilliant tactics employed by Commander Shadowsun, the timely arrival of several household detachments of Knights from House Terryn soon stems the tide. Time and again, the Knights sally forth from the hive city of Agrellan Prime, breaking through the xenos lines to take a heavy toll on formations of Broadside Battlesuits and Hammerhead gunships, using their Ion Shields to counter the devastating impacts of the T'au's rail weaponry. Only the mass deployment of prototype XV104 Riptide Battlesuits forces the Knights to cease these attacks, a course of action that ultimately changes the course of the war.
Indomitus Crusade (Unknown Date.M42) - On the world of Ashloth II, Baron Hrothwyn of House Terryn led just six Knights of the crusade's Fleet Quintus to crush a force of fifteen hundred Heretics and carry the Jade Span.

Notable House Terryn Knights[]

Fury of Voltoris - Imperial Knight Warden of High King Tybalt, Patriarch of House Terryn.
Glory of Voltoris - A Questoris Knight Warden depicted above during the Fall of Niadronus VI in 012.M31, that served at the forefront of the Great Crusade for over half a standard 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 solar 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.
Intolerant - Imperial Knight Warden, piloted by Baron Darius, current Master of Justice of House Terryn.
Wrath Incarnate - Imperial Knight Warden of Sir Erasmus.
Unbowed - Imperial Knight Crusader of Baron Artemidorus, Herald of House Terryn.
Ever-Stalwart - Imperial Knight Paladin of Baron Balthazar, current Kingsward of High King Tybalt.
Scythe of Light - Imperial Knight Paladin of Sir Myrcor.
Spear of the Righteous - Imperial Knight Paladin of Baron Yorac.
Unending Victory - Imperial Knight Paladin of Sir Orpheron.
Honour Intractable - Imperial Knight Errant of Baron Taurus, Gatekeeper of House Terryn.
Vermilion Shield - Imperial Knight Errant of Sir Capulan.
Voltoris Undaunted - Imperial Knight Errant of Sir Monteryn.
Honoured Vigilance - Imperial Knight Gallant of Sir Alarbus.
Knight Undeniable - Imperial Knight Crusader piloted by Sir Hortensio.
Adamant Wrath - Imperial Knight Valiant piloted by Sir Mercutane.
Ancient Oath - A Cerastus Knight-Castigator that served during both the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras, depicted below. It remains uncertain if the name Ancient Oath was 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 standard 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.
Carnivore - Imperial Armiger Helverin piloted by Lady Hester.
Unknown Knight - Imperial Armiger Warglaive piloted by Sir Selwyn.

Notable House Terryn Personnel[]

Maximillian Terryn - Founder of House Terryn, Maximillian raised the knightly house in the 25th Millennium.
Lord Brutus Terryn - Lord Brutus lead his house into war against the Great Kroktar and succeeded in slaying the beast in the 30th Millennium.
Seuitonius Thucidides Terryn - Seuitonius Thucidides Terryn took the oath of allegiance to the Emperor of Mankind, forging a formal alliance between House Terryn and the burgeoning Imperium and transforming his house into a member of the Questor Imperialis.
Patriarch Tybalt - Tybalt Terryn is the current Hight King and Patriarch of House Terryn. He is well over a century old and still leads his house into combat against many xenos enemies in his Knight Warden Fury of Voltoris. It is said that the full telling of High King Tybalt's triumphs takes well over twelve days to complete, and it is a tale that is still growing. The High King is ever eager to add whole new chapters to his ongoing glory. Recently he had to defend his homeworld of Voltoris against a T'au invasion lead by Commander Shadowsun. Though the battle was won, Voltoris was stained by the presence of the aliens, which was the gravest insult to his house. Therefore he vowed a mighty revenge upon the Tau.
Baron Artemidorus - Pilot of the Knight Crusader Unbowed, Baron Artemidorus was chosen by High King Tybalt to join his Exalted Court, and named in long ritual as the Herald, which in House Terryn also carries the titles of the All-hailer and Executor of Orders. In House Terryn a Herald's duties are plentiful, but mercifully streamlined upon the battlefield. The Herald ensures the fanfare -- trumpet-blasts blared through his Vox-grilles -- befits each Knight who enters the battlefield. It is the Herald's role to issue the first warning of enemy attacks, and the Ion Shields of the entire Exalted Court pivot upon his alerts. Finally, from a central position, he also relays Vox orders and lays down supporting firepower.
Baron Taurus - Pilot of the Knight Errant Honour Intractable, Taurus is a Baron of the Exalted Court and serves as the current Gatekeeper of House Terryn. The Gatekeeper is tasked with the solemn duty of protection. To him falls the sacred honour of defending the strongholds of Voltoris, a tradition that stretches back to the Long Night. Long ago it was realised that it mattered little if Knights marched out to protect their world only to return to find their strongholds in ruin. Without the irreparable equipment and mechanisms of the Chamber of Echoes and the Sanctuary, no new Rituals of Becoming could take place, nor could Knights be repaired. Taurus was tasked with assuring that the stronghold of Furion Peak would forever welcome back the Knights of House Terryn.
Baron Balthazar - Pilot of the Knight Paladin Ever-Stalwart, Balthazar serves as the Kingsward of High King Tybalt. To be Kingsward is a great honour and burden, given not just to a superlative warrior, but to one whose loyalty is more firm than adamantium. The clear choice for High King Tybalt was that of Baron Balthazar. Balthazar's forefathers have protected the rulers of House Terryn for seven generations. All have done their duty with distinction, honouring the quartered tilting plate that is the symbol of office. In battle, Balthazar matches King Tybalt stride for stride, always angling his Knight and his Ion Shield to best protect his liege lord. It is also Baron Balthazar's task to guard Tybalt when the High King is in court and not protected by his Knight suit.
Baron Darius - Baron Darius is the pilot of the Knight Warden Intolerant. With the death of Lord Grundle, there was no question about who would take up the position of Master of Justice in Tybalt's Exalted Court. Promoted to such a lofty rank, none were more deserving to bear that symbol of military strength and fortitude upon their tilting plate, for Darius exemplified the rigorous discipline and military honour that every Noble in House Terryn aspired to emulate. As Master of Justice, Baron Darius is the High King's Blade, the executor of his military might. He leads his own Baronial Court upon missions at Tybalt's command, bringing justice in his lord's stead. In addition to his role as chief military advisor, Darius is styled the Executioner of Terryn, an unmerciful station that punishes wrongdoing both in the courtrooms and on the battlefield. Ever stern, none have crossed Baron Darius and lived to tell the tale.
Baron Yorac - Pilot of the Knight Paladin Spear of the Righteous, Yorac has lived a charmed life, cheating death at the hands of countless foes. In the scrap-harvest of Scouros IX, Yorac was one the few survivors of a Dark Mechanicum ambush, his Knight, covered in the broken remains of his enemies and allies alike, climbing out of the waste reclamators to crush the armies of the Grand Dark Magos. Over time a Knight's heraldry will change as its pilot is tempered in the fires of war. On the Spear of the Righteous, Baron Yorac has added a single white strip over his starboard salvation hatch. This indicates that he escaped after his Knight was crippled, climbing free from its wreckage. Far from a mark of disgrace, this shows both a Noble's tenacity and the skilled repair work of their house's Sacristans.
Baron Erasmus - Although it's certain that he's seen more winters than he has ahead of him, Sir Erasmus Krag of House Terryn has never lost the battlefield impetuousness that is often the hallmark of younger, greener Nobles. Some believe that it is this occasional rashness that has prevented the otherwise revered Baron from entry into High King Tybalt's Exalted Court -- a veneration surely due him, given his age, experience and battlefield honours. Few can boast of slaying a Hierophant Bio-Titan, however -- and Krag has a near-legendary seven such kills to his name. None, then, can gainsay the prowess Sir Erasmus displays on the field of battle, and if any would dare to denigrate the butcher's bill Krag delivers on the field, then their whispers are too quiet to be heard in the labyrinthine halls of Furion Peak. In the unimaginable event that such a voice would raise itself to be audible, Krag's oaths-men -- who number far beyond those a Noble would normally be expected to retain, a sure sign of the esteem in which he's held -- can be counted on to silence the dissent with startling swiftness.
Baron Hrothwyn - Hrothwyn commanded the House Terryn Knights that were seconded to the Indomitus Crusade's Fleet Quintus. On Ashloth II, he led just six Knights to crush a force of fifteen hundred Heretics and carry the Jade Span.
Sir Alarbus - Pilot of the Knight Gallant Honoured Vigilance Sir Alarbus has already begun to forge a name for himself amongst his house's many heroes and veterans. To earn the blue and red stripes that honour both House Terryn and the Imperium, a Knight must single-handedly slay a Titan-class foe. Although still reckoned young, the Noble Alarbus has already done so twice, earning stripes for both his Reaper Chainsword and his Thunderstrike Gauntlet. He earned the first by felling a mountainous Gargant when his lance was sent to halt the rampages of WAAAGH! Grazguts. Hard pressed by the Gargant's guns, the intrepid Knight hacked through the Ork machine's protective plates before hoisting himself into the beast's iron belly, carving his way through and out the other side of the behemoth just before the Gargant's damaged engines exploded catastrophically.
Sir Mercutane - The stern Sir Mercutane is as unyielding as the gates of an armoured fortress. He is fortified in mind, body and soul by his unshakeable faith in the Emperor, and would gladly give his life in defence of the Imperium. Of course, Mercutane's enemies would not find that life easy to take, especially while he sits within the indomitable Knight Valiant known as Adamant Wrath. This Dominus-class war engine is infamously stubborn, its Machine Spirit refusing to yield no matter how much damage it suffers. At Gallows Ridge, Adamant Wrath absorbed the fire of an entire Renegade artillery company, weathering their punishing salvoes long enough to annihilate them with its own fearsome array of close-range armaments. Such a pairing of resolute Noble and stalwart Knight has only served to magnify the strengths of both, and Adamant Wrath is currently known as House Terryn's most unshakeable defender.
Sir Monteryn - A notable Knight of Voltoris, Monteryn has long been the pilot of the Knight Errant, Voltoris Undaunted, and his personal heraldry appears in numerous places on the Knight, including its left knee plate. So agile is Monteryn with his Reaper Chainsword that other Knights halt in battle to watch his swordplay. At the Battle of Durgan IV, Monteryn swung the enormous blade so deftly that he decapitated the Ork Warboss Zaglutz and his entire bodyguard, effectively ending his WAAAGH! with a single sword stroke. Due to his prowess and skill in battle, Monteryn accompanied Patriarch Tybalt to the Hive World of Agrellan to fight the invading T'au forces of Commander Shadowsun. During the course of the conflict, Monteryn and his lance-brothers Myrcor and Capulan became known as "Tybalt's Triumvirate," for they fought at the side of the ruler of House Terryn in every sortie from the capital city's gates. During the Battle of Agrellan, Tybalt's Triumvirate were in the heart of the fighting. Monteryn's moment of glory came when a Razorshark strike fighter lined up an attack run on Patriarch Tybalt's Knight, its course taking it directly over Voltoris Undaunted. With a scything blow from his Reaper Chainsword, Monteryn hacked the aircraft's tail from the fuselage, sending it spinning into the ground to an explosive end in a cloud of flame and shrapnel.
Sir Capulan - Pilot of the Knight Errant Vermilion Shield, Capulan has won acclaim and glory for his household. In addition to commendations of valour given to him personally by Ultramarines Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, Capulan won the Golden Arrow -- the highest knightly honour of Voltoris -- for his fighting prowess in the Ghoul Wars. On the world of Oranos, Capulan fought in the Ghoul Wars after the machine-dream awoke thousands of metallic Necron warriors from their ancient slumber. In a rare alliance, he sided with the Aeldari to defeat a near-endless tide of recently awoken Necrons. The Knight defended the Aeldari psykers while they closed the Necron's eldritch portal, emptying his Battle Cannon into endless waves of the undying foe. Because of his many feats of honour, Lord Capulan was selected by High King Tybalt to join the household for their revenge attack upon the Tau invading Agrellan. Capulan accompanied Patriarch Tybalt to the Hive World of Agrellan to fight the invading Tau forces of Commander Shadowsun. During the course of the conflict, Capulan and his lance-brothers Myrcor and Monteryn became known as Tybalt's Triumvirate, for they fought at the side of the ruler of House Terryn in every sortie from the capital city's gates. At the Battle for Agrellan Prime, Tybalt's Triumvirate were in the heart of the fighting. There, with deadly thermal cannon blasts, Lord Capulan earned further renown until unusually accurate fire from a Hammerhead tank damaged his weapon systems and forced an honourable retreat.
Sir Hortensio - Pilot of the ancient and venerable Knight Crusader, Knight Undeniable.
Sir Myrcor - Pilot of the Knight Paladin, Scythe of Light. Although he only recently completed his Ritual of Becoming, Myrcor has already campaigned off-world several times, earning many battle honours and the hard-won esteem of his peers. His greatest success was on Tormark, where he pushed ahead of his fellows to undertake the daring rescue of the Tormarkian governor from out of the jaws of an oncoming Tyranid invasion. The Hive Mind unleashed a torrent of Tyranid creatures against the Knights, and only Myrcor made it back to his lander, the terrified governor clinging to the undercarriage of his Knight. Myrcor accompanied Patriarch Tybalt to the Hive World of Agrellan to fight the invading Tau forces of Commander Shadowsun. During the course of the conflict, Myrcor and his lance-brothers Monteryn and Capulan became known as Tybalt's Triumvirate, for they fought at the side of the ruler of House Terryn in every sortie from the capital city's gates. At the Battle for Agrellan Prime, Tybalt's Triumvirate were in the heart of the fighting.
Sir Orpheron - Sir Orpheron is a notable Voltoris Knight and pilot of the Imperial Paladin Unending Victory.
Sir Selwyn - Though but a minor Noble, Sir Selwyn is a renowned duellist, using the Reaper Chain-cleaver of his Armiger Warglaive to great effect.
Lady Hester - Lady Hester is known for her rapier wit and keen aim. Her Armiger Helverin, Carnivore, responds swiftly to her commands.
Knight Scion Mallinda Barissus - A noble of House Terran that piloted the Questoris Knight Warden Glory of Voltoris during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras.

House Strength[]

The unusual 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 was capable of fielding no more than three score 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 ancient 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 the 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 Knights. This marked House Terryn as a Primaris-grade household.

By stroke of fortune, House Terryn was gifted a shipment of Acastus pattern armours only solar 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.

House Allies[]

Titan Legios[]

Legio Astorum

House Appearance[]

Evolution of Terryn Heraldry — The development of House Terryn's current iconography over the millennia.

House Colours[]

The proud heraldry of House Terryn incorporates the rich blue of their oceans, the white of their pure lineage and the gold of their wealth, both in resources and might.

It is believed that when the knightly house of Terryn was first founded, the Nobles chose the sapphire hue of their livery from the beautiful azure oceans of their homeworld. However, over the many thousands of Terran years since House Terryn was established, microscopic algae found within the seas of Voltoris have gradually reacted with the system's twin suns to turn its waters an emerald green.

Regardless of this natural phenomenon, the Knights of House Terryn proudly continue to bear the cobalt blue of their ancient ancestors.

House Arms[]

In the 25th Millennium, Maximillian Terryn, founder of House Terryn, experienced visions of a mysterious white stallion which appeared to warn of danger. This stallion was incorporated into the original coat of arms of House Terryn, which was a simple blue shield with a white horse's head. The image of the white stallion's head has been a staple icon of the house since shortly after its inception. It is the preeminent symbol of the house and embodies the spirit of the dream horse that guided the first Terryn Nobles when they came to the then-Frontier World of Voltoris.

EvolutionofTerrynCrest — The history of the House Terryn crest.

The meaning of the chain around the stallion's neck is not known for sure, though some Nobles see it as symbolic of the control and mastery they have over their destiny. The facing of the stallion's head is also important, and must always be presented on the shoulder facing forward, showing that the Knight is embracing his destiny.

In 776.M30, Lord Brutus Terryn led his house in the war against the Great Kroktar, a beast that had plagued his people for a solar decade, finally slaying the monster in the Battle of the Six Swords. The Terryn coat of arms was changed to reflect this momentous event, which now included a Knight's helmet above the shield, the house's name on a scroll centred below the shield, and six swords and four spears behind the shield, representing this famous battle.

In 239.M35, Seuitonius Thucidides Terryn took the oath of allegiance to the Emperor of Mankind. Under his auspices, Terryn Knights fought alongside the Ultramarines Chapter. Without having any formal ties to a Forge World of the Adeptus Mechanicus like the houses of the Questor Mechanicus, House Terryn's crest is dominated by a pair of stylised wings to acknowledge its allegiance solely to the Imperium of Man.

On one side of the shield, the house emblem of a white stallion's head is proudly emblazoned upon Terryn's traditional field of azure blue, and on the other side an ebon-coloured Imperial Aquila is displayed on a field of crimson. This same dual-split is used throughout most Knight House heraldry, in this case, symbolising House Terryn's loyalty to be equally divided between their house and the Imperium.

House Terryn Personal Heraldry[]

Each Terryn Knight bears both the colours of its house and the personal heraldry of the Noble who commands it. Each of the families within the household wear differing black and white patterns on their cloaks, a reminder of the clans among the first settlers, before the rise of House Terryn as the dominant power on Voltoris.

Over time the heraldry of a Terryn Knight will change, growing as the Noble gains experience and is tempered by the blood and fire of war. Most notably this will be on his banner, as he accrues badges and icons denoting his many victories and campaigns. However, the Knight suit hull will also bear marks left by the exploits of its Noble.

Sources[]

Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Loyalist Legios (Specialty Game), pp. 38, 44-47
Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Titandeath (Specialty Game), pg. 93
Codex: Imperial Knights (8th Edition), pp. 20-25, 52-53, "Daemon Tide"
Codex: Imperial Knights (7th Edition), pp. 5, 10, 19-24, 28-39, 76-77, 84-85, 92, 103, 107-108, 112-113, 120
Codex: Imperial Knights (6th Edition), pp. 19-20, 31, 42, 47-51, 103, 107-108
The Imperial Knight Companion (6th Edition), pp. 7, 9-10, 11, 18, 20, 22-33
White Dwarf Weekly Issue #66 (02, May 2015), "Parade Ground," pp. 52-53
White Dwarf 39 (November 2019), "Dawn of the Era Indomitus," pg. 49
Games Workshop Online Webstore - Legio Astorum Transfer Sheet
Warhammer Community - Pre-Order: Titans, T'au & Tiny Collectibles (08 Feb 2020)
Warhammer Community - New T'au, New Titans, and More! (02 Feb 2020)