House Krast

House Krast is a Loyalist Knight House with strong ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus. House Krast hails from the Knight World of Chrysis, and was the first of its kind to be rediscovered by the Imperium at the outset of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium. The proximity of Chrysis to the Sol System saw it quickly fall under the jurisdiction of Mars. However, Krast was the only knightly house on Chrysis to survive the calamitous events of the Horus Heresy, forcing its ruler to rely heavily on that Forge World's support to recover his losses. Thankfully, Mars was happy to oblige, for it was desperate for resources and Chrysis still had them in abundance.

House History
The Knight World of Chrysis was the first to be rediscovered at the outset of the Great Crusade by Rogue Trader Militant Jeffers. Its proximity to Mars meant that the knightly houses of Chrysis were able to swiftly resupply their Knights with new weapons and equipment. Foremost amongst these knightly houses was Krast, and their strength at arms was bolstered further still by their new alliance with the Mechanicum. Gladly did the full might of House Krast set forth at the bidding of Mars to fight in the Emperor's wars, leaving the lesser houses to consolidate the alliance with the Mechanicum on Chrysis. However, the Knight World's proximity to Mars was to ultimately prove its undoing when the full might of Horus' Traitor forces descended upon Chrysis as he carved a bloody path across the galaxy towards Terra. The Knights of House Krast returned to their planet only to find it devastated and the lesser houses all but erased from existence. Ever since the Horus Heresy, the Knights of House Krast have vowed that whenever the threat of Chaos rears its malformed head, they will be there to sever it at the neck.

The Headtaker Titan Hunters
Of the bitter betrayals that led to the destruction of all but one of the knightly houses on Chrysis, House Krast holds the base treachery of the Legio Mortis to be the worst. As one of Mars' own Titan Legions, the Death's Heads fought alongside the Knights of House Krast on many occasions during the early years of the Great Crusade. However, after siding with Horus during the ensuing galactic civil war, the Death's Heads were reborn in the image of the Plague God Nurgle, and led the assault that devastated Chrysis and annihilated the planet's lesser houses. The Knights of House Krast have ever sought to avenge their fallen kinsmen, and seek out the Titans of Legio Mortis above all others in battle. Should a Knight claim a Titan kill, his deed will herald many celebrations on his return to his homeworld. However, such revelry will pale in comparison to that on Chrysis should a Knight of Krast fell one of the Legio Mortis. The noble will be treated to a triumph in his honour and he will henceforth be known as a Headtaker. Each Headtaker bears a broken Death's Head symbol on his Knight suit or tabard –- a battle honour reminding all of his heroic deed and celebrating the destruction of a hated foe. Rumoured sightings of the Traitor Titans of Legio Mortis amongst the Chaos forces besieging the Cadian Gate during the 13th Black Crusade has led to House Krast redeploying to that war zone in great force.

Notable Campaigns

 * Battle of Herald's Fall (Unknown Date) - House Krast has been involved in a number of great victories over the Forces of Chaos, though they never shirk their responsibilities to their Adeptus Mechanicus allies should the Tech-priests of Mars summon them to war. During the Battle of Herald's Fall, four household detachments of House Krast's Knights fought the invading Ork forces of WAAAGH! Spleenrippa alongside the Cockatrices Titan Legion. Though they lost fully half of their number over the course of the fighting, the three survivors above earned what passes for acclaim from the Fabricator-General himself after bringing down Spleenrippa's Great Gargant in a combined assault before it could smash apart the irreplaceable war machine, Ordinatus Mars. In the wake of the battle, Headtaker Forillus, the Knight who gutted the Warlord's Gargant with his Reaper Chainsword, was seconded to the Legion.
 * Not Even In Death...(854.M40) - A trio of Knights from House Krast join Space Marines from the Ultramarines Chapter to defend the mining world of Gorvax against a host of Eldar Ghost Warriors from Iyanden Craftworld. A Knight suit's Throne Mechanicum takes control after its pilot is slain by a xenos sniper, the echoes of spirits long dead guiding the unmanned Knight into battle once more. The Knight carves its way through countless wraithbone constructs before two Wraithknights, the largest and mightiest of the xenos walkers, finally bring it down in an epic duel of giant war machines. Though the Eldar are eventually defeated, victory on Gorvax does not belong to the living.
 * A Blade in the Void (512.999.M41) - A Chaos wolf pack attacks the Imperial heavy transport Penitent Blade while en route to the war zones of Heloeum. When the vessel is boarded, the nobles of House Krast mount their Knight suits and prepare to repel the Traitor Space Marines. In the vast vaulted cargo halls of the ship, the Knights crush the Traitors underfoot and blast apart their vanguard of Terminators and Helbrutes. When a fresh wave of Chaos boarders are sent against the Penitent Blade, the nobles order the cargo hall doors opened, so they might engage the incoming assault boats. Their craft scattered and destroyed, the Traitors retreat into the void.
 * The 13th Black Crusade (995.999.M41) - Houses Krast and Arokon join the Imperial forces rushing to reinforce the Cadian Gate against the Chaos hordes spewing forth from the Eye of Terror. The inbound Knights of House Arokon are feared lost amid the fierce etheric tides of Warp Storm Baphomael. However, news soon filters back to the Imperium that four household detachments of Knights bearing Arokon's colours have been seen taking the fight to the Forces of Chaos, shattering two large formations of Iron Warriors siege tanks with righteous fury.

Notable Knights
None listed in current Imperial records.

Notable Personnel
None listed in current Imperial records.

House Colours
With such strong connections to the Forge World of Metalica, House Krast has ever borne the red of the Adeptus Mechanicus as its livery.

House Arms
In the wake of the Horus Heresy, the house crest was changed by the unanimous consent of its nobles. Instead of the lion rampant, the crest now depicts an iron fist squeezing the life from the serpent of Chaos. Each noble then swore a mighty oath of vengeance against the Traitor forces of Horus. Ever since the bitter wars of the Great Scouring, House Krast's Knights have been in the forefront of the fight against Chaos.

Heraldic Devices

 * The Gauntlet - The symbol of an armoured gauntlet crushing a serpent symbolises House Krast's hatred of Chaos. The warriors of House Krast are violent opponents of the Forces of Chaos. Historically they were the first knightly house to join their forces to the Great Crusade, and they took great honour in their part of the Emperor's galactic conquest. But when the Horus Heresy reared its head, they suffered terribly. Chrysis, the home planet of House Krast, was utterly ravaged by the Traitors, and left as little more than a husk, reduced to a poisonous wasteland by the virus weapons unleashed upon it. Even 10,000 standard years later, the nobles now live in Void-Shielded enclaves, and look out at their ruined world and feel a burning hate. Their icon is now the embodiment of their quest for vengeance, and they proudly tally the many Chaos worshippers they have defeated. Prosecuting this endless battle against the forces of the Dark Gods has become their driving motivation. Such is their venom that there is a secret place on their homeworld, known as the Hammer of Traitors. Here they carve the names of Chaos worshippers they have destroyed -- and, rumour has it, bring prisoners to die terrible, gasping deaths in the poisonous air.
 * Knightly Honours - Glorious kills are celebrated by Imperial Knights with icons to be worn on their personal banner or suit of Knight armour. These take many forms, from targetting symbols or small skulls to rings around weapon barrels. House Krast's greatest hate is for the Traitor Titan Legion of the Legio Mortis, who they hold accountable for the horrors unleashed on Chrysis. The broken death's head symbol utilised by the Knights of House Krast is a modified badge of the Legio Mortis, with a crack in the skull which denotes a Titan kill of their most hated enemies.

Gallery
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