House Volkov

The Volkov-Majids of Midsummer

Originally known as House Volkov-Majid, the House has its origins as mere planetary nobility - a cadet branch of the major House Majid, set by its parent House to rule over the verdant agri-world of Midsummer.

From its instatement in the late 200s.M41, the House ruled peacefully over the Sector's most bountiful agri-world. With a minimum of Sector influence, and far away from the petty politics of the Great Houses, the Volkov-Majids had no reason to engage in the usual internecine struggles of their more powerful fellows; the same line of succession has persisted since the first Regent of Midsummer, and the current Regent is the grandson of the first planetary Governors.

Considered 'backwards' by most of the Sector, Midsummer is nevertheless astonishingly fertile - and this has led to immense agricultural surplus year on year, even after Imperial tithes. This made the Volkov-Majids wealthy beyond belief, capable of trivially keeping their planetary population well-fed and healthy - but also capable of engaging in trade across the Sector, using their parent House's vessels to spread the bounty to other worlds.

The Rise of House Volkov

Folllowing the destruction of the House Majid fleet in Midsummer's orbit in late 593, the once-vassal House's fortunes took a sudden and dramatic turn for the better. Governor Emrys, the Regent of Midsummer, agreed to risk the entire planet's orbital shuttle assets in order to effect repairs on Lady-Captain Khadija Majid's flagship, the Torchbearer, and enable her to pursue her renegade Scion, Erydia. In exchange, the Volkovs were emancipated from their vassalage and left with the remnants of House Majid's fleet and personnel; lacking a choice, the marooned nobles swore fealty to the planet’s leaders, becoming the vassal House Majid-Volkov.

Autokrator Hermione Durovera, unwilling to risk food production by seizing control of the crippled Majid fleet, made an agreement with the new House to maintain the free flow of supplies from the agriworld. In the resulting trade she gained control of the disabled Majid fleet, leaving the Volkovs with thirty vessels to act as defence and trade vessels for Midsummer. This sudden growth in power and prominence saw House recognised as a new Primus house of the Prosperitas Sector, and, thus, a new Major Noble House.

The Harvest Cult, the local sect of the Imperial Cult that is prominent on Midsummer, declared this to be the first Plentiful Bounty festival in celebration of the planet’s good fortunes. The Volkovs have a reputation for fervent if rustic piety, expressed through the Harvest Cult, revering the Emperor-in-Terra. Frequent Ecclesiarchy investigations have found their practices to be legitimate, and no trace of heresy has been detected on the planet - albeit the rituals of the Harvest Cult stray a little towards the heterodox side of the Imperial Creed.

Notable Nobles of House Volkov

Lord-Governor Emrys Volkov is the hereditary “Lord of Midsummer”, titular Regent of that planet and the head of the local Ecclesiastical sect the ‘Harvest Cult’, Emrys has a reputation as a plain and just ruler, and a steady and reasonable voice when called upon. The Lord of Midsummer was catapulted to unexpected power in 593.M41 when the near destruction of House Majid resulted in his House gaining the vast majority of the Majids’ abandoned assets and being declared a major House in its own right.

Cafall Volkov is Emrys’s only surviving son after tragic events on Midsummer in 593.M41, Cafall is a renowned huntsman known previously amongst Sector nobility for arranging hunting-lodge stays on his homeworld for others. He has been catapulted to prominence alongside his father as the sole heir of the House; he shares the spotlight with his youngest sister Morwen, of whom he is famously defensive. Boisterous and rugged, he cuts an unusual figure amongst Sector nobility.

Morwen Volkov is Emrys' only daughter. Morwen was raised as a sheltered child; however, after the traumatic events of 593.M41 where she lost two of her brothers, the young Scion took to the fields of her homeworld, seeking to heal the damage done by the riots. A landskeeper of some talent, she is revered by the local peasantry, despite not seeking temporal power in her homeworld's Harvest Cult.

Boyar Angharad Volkov is Emrys’ youngest sister. Perhaps the most outward-looking of a family known for being somewhat technophobic, Angharad has taken readily to control of the House’s new trade fleet granted by House Durovera and spends a goodly amount of time on Duroverum representing the House in political matters at the court of the Lady-Captain Autokrator.

Boyar Bronwen Volkov, Lady of Firstlanding, is Emrys’ sister. Said to have a fascination with agricultural experimentation and environmental planning, she is the Boyar of the culturally significant settlement which acts as the spiritual home of Midsummer and a popular site for pilgrims.