Kell

"Without their Kell, Houses usually turn against each other."

- Ghost.

A Kell is the political leader of a Fallen house and the commander of their House's Ketch.

Overview
The Kells serve as part of the triumvirate leadership of a Fallen House and are like Archons, in that they are large and powerful, and that their loss weakens their house. If a Kell dies, the House is vulnerable to infighting amongst the Houses Barons and nobility.

Since Fallen do not take the loss of leaders lightly, the position of Kellship is highly important to a Fallen Houses stability and should the Kell fall, the Houses become subject to civil war between bitter rivals within the houses nobility. For example, during the Reef Wars, the House of Wolves fell into a civil war after their previous Kell, Virixas was killed and three rival contenders emerged and fought each other to take his place. Only the most powerful contender or when all opposition is gone can someone assume control.

While it is possible that a House can still function without a Kell, as an Archon can assume command. But, their loss severely weakens a house and demoralizes its forces. For this reason, Kells are a prime target for enemy forces.

Prophecy
According to a prophecy by the House of Rain, the Great Machine would crown a mighty warrior as the Kell of Kells, and rule over all houses. None but Skolas has ever attempted to claim this title for themselves.

Notable Kells

 * House of Devils
 * Solkis, Kell of Devils
 * House of Judgment
 * Variks, The Loyal
 * House of Kings
 * Craask, Kell of Kings
 * House of Light
 * Mithrax, the Forsaken
 * House of Stone
 * Chelchis, Kell of Stone
 * House of Winter
 * Draksis, Winter Kell
 * House of Wolves
 * Virixas, Kell of Wolves
 * Skolas, Kell of Kells
 * Mara Sov, Queen of the Reef (temporary)

Known claimants to Kellship

 * House of Wolves
 * Irxis, Wolf Baroness
 * Parixas, the Howling
 * Veliniks, the Ravenous
 * Eramis' Faction
 * Eramis, the Shipstealer

Houses without Kells

 * House of Dusk
 * House of Exile
 * Scorn
 * The Spider's Crime Syndicate
 * Kell's Scourge

Mentioned Only

 * Drifis, the Daring mentioned in the Fallen Kingdom Anthology.
 * A Kell killed by Rezyl Azzir
 * A Kell who docked Taniks, the Scarred in the item description of Does Not Bow.
 * A Kell who died in the item description of Cloak of Five Full Moons.

Trivia

 * Kells can control the Ether supply of a House through the use of The Elder Cipher.
 * Kells have their own bodyguards in the form of Kell's Guard and Wolves' Guard for the House of Winter and Wolves, however it’s unknown if one of them are the true protector of a Kell.
 * For decades Riksis, Devil Archon and Sepiks Prime maintained authority over the House of Devils. This shows evidence that a House can function without a Kell.
 * The proper Fallen name for Kells lacks the second letter L.
 * This is most likely a Human mispronunciation, as Kel sounds like Kell.

List of appearances

 * Destiny
 * House of Wolves
 * The Taken King
 * Rise of Iron
 * Destiny 2
 * Forsaken
 * Joker's Wild