Revision 11

Overview

House Celeste is the ducal house that governs the Duchy of Hernand. As the highest-ranking noble family in the region, they carry the weight of defending the duchy and protecting its people from the many threats that have emerged across the continent of Pywel. The family traces its lineage back to the wandering knight Canta, whose descendants settled in Hernand and built the duchy into the prosperous territory it is today.

While House Celeste handles diplomacy and the broader defense of Hernand, they delegate internal governance to their most trusted partners, House Serkis. This division of responsibilities has been the foundation of Hernand's political structure since the duchy's founding. The arrangement allows House Celeste to focus on external affairs, military readiness, and relations with neighboring regions like Calphade and Pailune.

Details

History and Lore

The story of House Celeste begins with the wandering knight Canta, a figure whose travels eventually brought him to the lands that would become Hernand. Though the details of Canta's journey are scarce in surviving records, his descendants established themselves as the ruling family of the duchy and took on the name Celeste. Over the generations, the family built Hernand Castle as the seat of their power and expanded the duchy's borders to encompass a large stretch of fertile territory.

House Celeste's approach to governance has always centered on a clear division of labor. The ducal family handles diplomacy with foreign powers, manages military operations, and represents Hernand's interests abroad. Meanwhile, House Serkis manages the everyday administration of Hernand's cities and settlements. This partnership has endured since the duchy's founding and remains the backbone of Hernand's political stability.

By the time the events of the game begin, Hernand faces growing threats from multiple directions. The Black Bears have become bolder in their operations, bandit groups like the Bleed Bandits have spread across the region, and the arrival of the displaced Greymanes has added a new variable to the political landscape. House Celeste must balance its duty to protect the duchy's citizens with the reality of these mounting pressures.

Controlled Locations

House Celeste controls more territory than any other noble house in Hernand. Their holdings span castles, outposts, ranches, and beacon towers across the duchy.

Quests

House Celeste runs the bounty notice system in Hernand. Players who align with the house receive bounty quests that task them with hunting down specific targets across the duchy. These quests focus on eliminating dangerous individuals who threaten Hernand's stability.

Relationship with Other Houses

House Celeste sits at the top of the hierarchy among the noble houses of Hernand. Their closest ally is House Serkis, which has served as their right hand since the duchy's earliest days. House Lanford governs the Calphade region on their behalf, acting as a shield against threats from the border with Pailune. The count's houses (House Grace, House Roberts, and House Felix) manage commerce, technology, and culture within the duchy, while House Alfonso contributes military strength through their tradition of spearmastery.

Tips

• House Celeste's bounty quests are available once you reach the city of Hernand and can be picked up from bounty boards.

• Completing bounty notices increases your standing with House Celeste and your overall Hernandian Contribution.

• Some bounty targets may appear in locations controlled by hostile factions, so be prepared for additional resistance.

Position in the Lightningblade Quest Chain

House Celeste is the anchor house in the long chain of faction quests that eventually unlocks the Ruined Chapel boss fight inside the Hernandian Parish of Solumen, whose Blooded Sanctum reward delivers the Greedy Lightningblade, the Goldbranch Plate Crown, and the Shadow Gloves. Players who skip Celeste content will find themselves locked out of House Felix, House Grace, Beggars' Alliance, and the Troll Alliance unlocks later, because Celeste quests are the gates that open every subsequent house.

The chain begins with three of the nine Outlaws in Hernand bounties for House Celeste (just three of the nine are needed to trigger the next step). If a player is stuck at eight of nine bounties, clear the Vilcom Outpost on the northern map edge, then patrol the posting boards in Hernand until the ninth bounty spawns on a random post.

Celeste Mission Sequence

1. Complete at least three of the nine Outlaws in Hernand bounties to set the chain in motion.

2. After the Alfonso and Circus chain culminates in Hooves Through the Wind, return to House Celeste and pick up Queen of the Silk-Spun Citadel, a large spider boss fight that opens the Solumen parish.

3. Progress the Solumen Where Land Meets Sky opening mission, then return for Celeste's Missing Relic quest.

4. Accept How Hands from Celeste; this hands control off to the Valua Fisherman's Guild for Beyond the Silent Waves.

5. Continue with Girl Lost in the Mists, then Celeste's Abandoned Factory, then fast travel to force the Legendary Wolf mission to appear on the map.

6. After Legendary Wolf resolves, House Felix unlocks with Family Concerns.

7. Much later, once the Troll Alliance Sleeping Heart quest resolves, fast travel back to Hernand to trigger Celeste's Frozen Elder Tree mission.

8. Travel to Lion Crest Manor outside Hernand and speak with the Wandering Freesword to begin Celeste's Legendary Animals chain, the final Celeste prerequisite before the Ruined Chapel trigger.

Contrary to a common Reddit assumption, finishing Legendary Wolf alone does not unlock the chapel boss. The full Celeste track (Legendary Animals included) plus every subsequent house must be completed before the Hernandian Parish of Solumen mission updates to Ruined Chapel: Blooded Sanctum.