History

Although Ariston and Calanthe of Celestica's wedding happened years prior to their coronation as the archons of Sinnoh, historical documents from that time have the Imperial House of Ariste's founding set as their coronation date, to align with the founding of the other four Houses of Sinnoh. The other four Houses, Prometheus, Themis, Gracidea, and Zelos, swore loyalty to the House of Ariste, and pledged to give them their full support.

Downfall

With the death of Ariston in 00, and the earlier death of Calanthe in 00, Caedan ascended to the throne as archon and head of the family in 00. However, his younger sister Calanthe, spurred on by her husband Daron of House Zelos, challenged for the throne, and in 00, civil war broke out. Various houses, clans, and families took sides, and there was heated fighting for a number of years before both siblings died in 00 in the Battle of Sonoo, modern-day Floaroma Town. The youngest sibling, Princess Cordilla, would have been Caedan's heir presumptive, but according to historical records she was escorted to safety and did not reappear to take the throne. The line of Ariste was lost, and the region was divided and severely weakened by infighting.

Re-emergence

In 00, a warlord by the name of Cerauneia claimed lineage to the House of Ariste by way of Cordilla's bloodline, and rallied armies under her banner, attempting to reunite Sinnoh. While some flocked to her forces, drawn by the promise of another golden age, many also derided her and called her a false pretender. There are no remains to test her lineage, and sources give conflicting information varying on the perspective of the writer. However, her charge failed in 00, when she died to what modern historians suggest was an infected wound, and the movement broke apart. By the time Sinnoh was reunified again, it was under the banner of Johto in 00.

Members of the House of Ariste

Contemporary descendents

With the reappearance of House Ariste's mythical sword Artemiel in the hands of Champion Cynthia of Sinnoh, it is clear that the line of Cordilla has resurfaced. While Cynthia admits her lineage is very likely, and is on record saying her family is matrilineal, much like the Celestica people, both she and her living grandmother Professor Carolina refuse to lay claim to the House of Ariste. In 00, Cynthia married Lucian Adrasteia of House Prometheus, and they have a daughter, Cassia (born 00).

Champion Cynthia of Sinnoh

Cynthia's daughter, Cassia

Symbols of House Ariste

Both the Celestica people and Michina placed Arceus in high esteem, and it is no coincidence that it is the ring of Arceus that appears on their crest. Stories about House Ariste claim that they were especially favoured by them, and were able to call Arceus' judgement down on battlefields via an object gifted to them by Arceus themselves. Historians suggest that if this item did exist, it was likely inherited from the vaults of Michina. There is no historical evidence for the claim that Arceus was at their beck and call, and most historians believe this to be an exaggeration or an embellishment regarding Calanthe's favoured method of sending dragonriders from the sky as shock troops.

Artemiel

Artemiel was the sword of House Ariste, said to have been forged during the coronation of Ariston and Calanthe through a Celestica ritual lost to time. Grouped with the other weapons created at the ceremony where the four Houses of Sinnoh swore blood oaths of loyalty to House Ariste, it is one of the Aristeian Relics. Most historians believe this creation story to be fabricated, and suggest the Aristeian Relics were forged by House Themis via a method that is no longer remembered. Closer examination of both Artemiel and House Themis' sword Dike reveal metals that bear no match to the metals found in the earth today, though geologists suggest there are some similarities between the mysterious alloys used to make the swords and the metals found in the meteorites in Veilstone City.

Artemiel was the favoured weapon of Ariston, who is often depicted holding it. While Calanthe did on occasion take it into battle, she preferred her axe. When Ariston died, Artemiel is said to have passed into the hands of his son, Caedan. It vanished after Caedan's death at the Battle of Sonoo, and was thought lost until it appeared in the possession of Champion Cynthia during her championship winning battle against Champion Eltan. Due to that new development, historians have suggested that the sword was retrieved after Caedan's death and sent to safety with Cordilla, where it was passed down through her family.