House Bellmere

The sigil of House Bellmere

Knight Warden

**House Bellemere** is a loyalist house of Imperial Knights founded during the Age of Strife, having rejoined the Imperium after the rediscovery of the Gurges Sector in the 38th Millennium. Since its discovery House Bellemere would go on to serve within honor through various campaigns, mostly focused within the Segmentum Pacificus. With the opening of the Great Rift however House Bellmere found itself divided as a third of the house was on campaign outside the Gurges Sector, causing them to be lost with no way back to their homeworld. Those that remained however would gather once more on Onkion III in en effort to defend their home from any threat that was to come. Alone they would stand until after a standard decade a joint fleet from the space marine chapter the Cobalt Leviathans and Forge World Vulmas would rediscover their long lost allies. Within another standard year the remnants of the Xanov 502nd and 275th guard regiments would be found and added to their forming alliance, the Pacificus Shield

## History

### Rise of House Bellmere

Not long after the onset of the Old Night did Onkion III find itself at a crossroads of a crisis. The native creatures that called the world home were no longer being kept in check by the once compliant Men of Iron leading to countless deaths of the settlers and their own livestock. Taking control of mechanical suits a group of more technically savvy individuals banded together and began to fight off the monsters that sought their extinction. People from across the world fled to the safety provided by these mechanical pilots offering them their life's possessions in return for protection. Over the next few generations the notable Clans of House Bellmere took shape, having sprung up from the various families of those first pilots.

### Saving a Way of Life

Being home to various types of reptilian beasts Onkion III proved to be the perfect training grounds for the Knights of House Bellmere. Offering a wide variety of contest against their steel mounts it became a rite of passage to be chosen to lead a hunt. As the decades progressed however the creatures once abundant across every surface of the world became scarce, with those that still lived being small, young or sickly having been passed over in the thousands of hunts that had come before. This depletion in their hunting stock lead many to believe that for their way of life was coming to an end, with bitter civil wars being fought over the last few areas still in possession of challenging prey. It was clan leader Skila Reiton who recommended that instead of fighting over these remaining creatures that they should be captured and bred. Refusing to ask permission on this course of action dozens of Knights under her leadership were formed into hunting parties. Setting about bringing back alive as many of the once mighty beings that they could find.

Brought forth for her crime of poaching before the Lords of Bellmere, Skila calmly presented her case. Explaining to the other Lords and Ladies of the court that it was a Bellmere's birthright to hunt the creatures of Onkion III and by squabbling like children over the few remaining trophies that hardly deserved the name they were denying this right to the future members of the House.

"*A Onkion III without monsters is not our home. Should this council decide to stay this current course it is better to put a round though my eyes now, before I go and do it myself. For I refuse to live in a world without honor.*"
—Skila Reiton, addressing the Council of House Bellmere
However by saving these creatures now they could be bred to regain their former glory, to populate the planet once more and provide the required right for squires to gain full Knighthood.

The deliberations carried on for more then a week, all the while Skila stood in the main atrium refusing to move save for the occasional drink of water. Inspired by her dedication to her beliefs as well as swayed by her words the Council of House Bellmere agreed to Skila's course of action. Declaring half of Onkion III to be abandoned to the beast they bestowed upon Skila the title of Beastmistress, charging her with the restoration of the native life of the world so that the House could continue to grow strong.

### Return of the Hunt

Taking with her Clan Reiton Skila set about forming a breeding ground within the Southern Hemisphere of the world, tasking thousands of peasants to construct the required buildings to house themselves, her knights and the forming horde of monsters. Three standard decades would pass without very little word from the South, with the news that did filter North being filled with stories of monsters returned to life under the guiding hands of the Beastmistress.

This would change however as without any fanfare or announcement a steward for Clan Reiton appeared at the steps of the Council bearing a scroll of invitation, offering the Chieftains of each clan a hunt not seen in centuries in three weeks time. Word spread like wildfire as all Clans rallied their best Knights and set forth to the South to see what sort of contest awaited them.

### The Beastmistress

As the various Knights marched South they were greeted by a jarring sight, a seemingly content spanning wall fifty feet high and twenty feet thick blocking entry onwards. Most alarming however were the half dozen Knight heads impaled on spikes along the wall the rotted corpses of their former masters still inside. Seeing the looks of horror and revulsion on the other Clans faces the steward explained that his mistress booked no poaching within her lands. That the men and women before them had attempted to gain access to the hunting grounds early and had paid the price for their insolence. Walking under a gateway designed to allow for even the tallest of Knights the Clans of House Bellmere entered the Beastmistress' fortress proper.

Standing at attention within the arming courtyard of the keep stood the two dozen knights of Clan Reiton saluting their kindred welcoming them to their home. At the far end of the grounds however stood the *Grey Claw* noble steed of Beastmistress Skila. This Knight castellan bore little in the way of resemblance to the rest of the Clan, bearing a similarity more in line with the draconid of House Bellmere's sigil. Two femurs replaced shin armor, scales overlapped and covered every exposed surface, the pauldrons were wings chained in place and the faceplate had been replaced with that of a draconid skull. Bellowing a challenge more akin to a beasts roar the *Grey Claw* took two steps forward and inclined his head to its gathered kindred. Over growling vox-speakers Skila's voice welcomed the other Chieftains to her sanctuary and bid them to ready themselves for the hunt of their lives.

## Home World

The world of Onkion III can be described in one word, verdant. Home to vast marshes, mores and swamps the majority of the planet is given over to vast nature reserves, where the peasant class is tasked with breeding monsters.

## Notable Knights

* ***Grey Claw***: Knight Castellan, the Grey Claw is the mount of the Beastmaster/Mistress the Chieftain of the Hunting Grounds. Forgoing the usual colors of the house the *Grey Claw* is covered in bone and scales making it bear a resemblance to a draconid of old myth and legend. Alone among the Knights of House Bellmere it can stride through the Hunting Grounds without fear of being preyed upon, for the creatures of this land know and respect the might he brings to bear.

## House Livery

### House Colours

Being tan in coloration the colours of House Bellmere stand in stark contrast to the world that they call home. While not ostentatious the tan coloring shows clear when placed to the backdrop of the verdant lands of Onkion III. This declaration is intentional, for it serves as a bold declaration enticing the creatures that lurk on and below the surface of the world to attack.

Complementing the tan that forms the majority of their colors

### House Iconography

Legend holds that in ages long past the monsters of Onkion III were not bound by gravity and could soar through the air as easily as they do through water. Though these creatures were some of the first to be driven extinct by the Knight House their legacy lives on in the sigil of House Bellmere.

## Relations

### Allies

Aligned with the Imperium of Man, House Bellmere is loyal to the God Emperor and his representatives of the High Lords of Terra.

Ever since the opening of the Great Rift House Bellmere has been a stalwart ally of the Pacificus Alliance, alongside the Cobalt Leviathans. Forge World Vulmas, and the regiments of Xanov.