House Catallus
History
Once a large and proud, prosperous House, pre-eminent among the elite Noble Houses of Necromunda, second only to House Helmawr itself, it had large stakes in most Hives on the planet. Then, over two-thousand years ago, civil war broke out in what is still remembered as the most vicious conflict in the archived history of the Noble Houses. What triggered the war or even why the factions disagreed is not known, but for over a hundred years House Catallus was torn apart by assassinations and embroiled in open warfare between House factions and bloodlines in internal power struggles for the House's wealth. The ancestors of what is now House Catallus emerged as the victorious faction, exiling their defeated relatives into the Ash Wastes in what was supposed to be a death sentence, never to return to the protection of the Hives. Some outcasts survived in the wasteland beyond the safety of the Hives, and their resiliency underestimated by the victors. Though now polluted, the air was then still breathable, and they thrived in the desert, becoming the Nomads gangs that wander the toxic wastes, doomed by their forefathers, and still living with the shame that their ancestors cast them out from the safety of the hive.2, 3
Spyre Hunters
While House Catallus sends out its young men and women in Spyrer teams to prove themselves ready to rule like the other Noble Houses, they are not sent into the Underhive. Instead they are sent to the Ash Wastes to hunt the Nomads descended from their ancestors' enemies in what is more traditional ritual than genuine revenge. In practice, Nomads, Shanty dwellers and even Guilder caravans are all hunted as vermin, hating and fearing the Spyrers in return.2
Double-Bladed Knife
The double-bladed knife was a ritual weapon traditionally carried by members of House Catallus dating back to the House's prominence. Since the exile it has become a common weapon of the Nomads and other Outhivers, and a symbol of the Nomads' struggles. The double-blade allows a fighter to parry with it like a sword even though it is just a knife.3, 4
Notable Catallii
- Yolanda Catallus, daughter of Lord Catallus, Underhive outlaw "Outlands Annie"5
Sources
- 1: Necromunda: Sourcebook, pp. 8-10
- 2: "The Ash Wastes", Necromunda Magazine 3, pp. 5, 9
- 3: "Ash Waste Nomads", Fanatic Online 31, pp. 1, 4, 5
- 4: "Ash Wastes Nomads", Necromunda Magazine 3, p. 16
- 5: "Yolanda", Kal Jerico (Graphic Novel Series)
- Necromunda: Underhive, pp. 60-62, 63, 68
- "The Ash Wastes", Fanatic Online 93, pp. 6, 48
The Houses of Necromunda | |
---|---|
Imperial House | Helmawr |
Noble Houses | Athenos • Catallus • 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 |