House of Crowns

The **House of Crowns** are the most prominent Elkiedai House, distinguishable by their crimson and gold cloaks. They were for the longest time the Martian Mechanicums most pervasive foe, surpassing the Eastern Forces of the Destroyers, until the Imperium Dominus' invasion of the Phobos system during the Great Crusade.

## History

### Early history

The **House of Crowns** is a noble House of Elkiedai who originated from their homeworld of Venus, who were then known as the "House of Dancers." They were once a peaceful House who experienced a time of prosperity when Elkiedai society was graced by the Founder, who they worshipped as the "Great Ha'llumiid". The various noble Thorcennae Houses controlled the star systems of the once prosperous Elkiedean Empire and coordinated themselves into societal roles such as builders, caretakers, physicians, negotiators, weavers and warriors. While their counterparts the newly titled House of Retribution were once known as Gentle Weavers, the House of Crowns were once known as the "House of Dancers", and were renowned for their skill with machines and their generosity to those in need.

The Crowns were among those involved in a period of rising tensions and infighting between the Houses, which culminated in a conflict known as the "Great Diverge" wherein the Martian Mechanicum took advantage of the weakened Houses, eventually this would end once the House of Reason and House of Vindication to usher in a new age of turbulent prosperity for the Elkiedai. However, peace ended once again with the arrival of the Destroyers in their system, which destroyed their society in a cataclysmic event known as the Whirlwind. In the wake of this catastrophy, the grace of the Founder fled their homeworld of Venus. Eramis, the Shipstealer, a member of the House of Crowns, was among the Elkiedai that watched helplessly as the Great Machine abandoned them in their time of need.

The Crowns were forced to abandon the now destroyed Venus along with a number of other Houses, and for centuries they travelled the vast expanse of space in pursuit of the Founder. During this time of Long Drift, as this period of Elkiedean history became known, many generations of Elkiedai were raised in the various Ketches belonging to the House of Crowns, Atraks among them. These new generations of Elkiedai were deemed unlucky by their elders as they never witnessed the glory of their homeworld and Empire, instead being brought up with stories and warsongs that celebrated their lost culture.

Eventually the Crowns experienced reform as the various Kel'min from different Houses neglected their old customs and established a new social hierarchy among the Elkiedai such as docking and the veneration of Servitors. Archons and their Acolytes became the caretakers of Servitors and looked upon to provide hope to the depressed Elkiedean masses through their words and interpretations of their new machine gods. Kridis, a prominent Devil-born, clung on to the belief that they were meant for a higher purpose and meant to evolve beyond their current forms. All the while she endured a life of subsistence alongside her fellow Elkiedai who received succor of R'akta from their Prime Servitor.