I do not own Warhammer 40,000 nor any of its characters. Those rights belong to Games Workshop. Inspired by Zahariel's Roboutian Heresy and Aurelius Rex's Dornian Heresy.

Index Astartes - The Space Wolves: The Frost Warriors Of Profligacy

Hailing from the unforgiving world of Fenris, the VI Legion embraces its sadistic and psychopathic nature. Whilst always a harsh legion that took pleasure in battle and slaughter, the Space Wolves, known in Fenrisian as the Vlka Fenryka, once held values of nobility and humanity. But any morals have been replaced by sadism, a lust for war, and depravity. Since fleeing from Terra at the head of his legion of cowards, Leman Russ has forever been a thorn in the Imperium's side, leading his sons in raids and wars to empower their patron, the Chaos God of Lust and Excess: Slaanesh. Now, as Horus returns to restore the Empire Of Man, Russ has fixed his gaze on Prospero, aiming to end the Thousand Sons once and for all…

"Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers. Lo, there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning. Lo, they do call to me. They bid me take my place among them in the Halls of Valhalla, where the decadent may live forever."

-Chief Rune Priest Kva of Fenris, inspiring the VI Legion moments before the Siege Of Terra.

Origins

The VI Legion's first recruits originated from the savage tribes that were located all across the surface of Terra. Their anger was legendary, as was their love for violence. Alongside the XVIII and XX Legions (which would become the Salamanders and Alpha Legion), the VI Legion was part of a special sect of the Adeptus Astartes known as the "Trefoil". These three legions were granted highly specialised and unique geneseed, which gave them a natural affinity and attraction to the powers of the Warp. Akin to the other two legions in the Trefoil, the VI Legion did not partake in the Unification Wars, nor in the very early days of the Great Crusade.

The VI Legion's first combat encounters came a decade in the Great Crusade, when the Emperor unleashed them on his foes. Within a few years, the VI Legion became notorious for their preference for slaughter, butchering any and all in their path, even non-combatants who had surrendered. On the world of Delsvaan, the VI Legion initiated vicious shock assaults, which became the favoured tactic of the legion. All discipline in the legion had evaporated, and the legionnaires became prone to fits of rage and extreme sadism.

Whilst the legion was small, they served often with others of the Adeptus Astartes and the Imperial Army. After only months of warfare alongside the VI Legion, many regiments of the Imperial Army refused to fight with the VI Legion, as the Astartes gained infamy for executing their allies for failure. Only two decades into the Great Crusade, the VI Legion became known as the Rout, the Emperor's tool against treachery as their reputation alone struck fear into the hearts of insurgents. After the discovery of Horus Lupercal, the first primarch to be found, the Rout, commanded by the Master Of Mankind, came to the frozen Death World of Fenris.

A Wolf Of Winter And War

Of the Emperor's twenty sons, none were as savage as the sixth. After his scattering by the Ruinous Powers, the young primarch came to the remote ice world of Fenris. He was found by a pack of Fenrisian Wolves, and a she-wolf adopted him, taking him under her wing alongside his wolf brothers, Freki and Geri. A few years passed before, one harsh winter, the wolf pack attacked one of Fenris' numerous tribes. The wolves carved their way through the villagers, and ransacked the storages of food possessed by the tribe. Watching his fellow wolves face death at the hands of the villagers, the primarch tore through the villagers, revelling in the slaughter and pain. His actions meant none of the pack died, and the entire village had been torn to shreds by the hands of the primarch. Word of the massacre spread quickly, until it came to the ears of Thengir, King of the Russ. Thengir recognised that he who had butchered the villagers would be a great asset, and so the King sent a raiding party to hunt the primarch.

Despite the primarch's strength, many of the wolf pack were killed by the raiding party. The primarch was shot repeatedly by poison arrows, before being captured, bound and gagged. The raiding party brought the primarch before Thengir, who adopted the primarch into his own household. The primarch proved himself as a great being, superior to all the inhabitants of Fenris. He learnt the way of the sword and axe swiftly, and mastered the tongue of Fenris with ease. The primarch became renowned for his status as a mythical being. Fenris' ways came naturally to him: alcoholism, hedonism and violence. For his quick integration into the Russ, Thengir gave the primarch a name: Leman of the Russ. Leman Russ secured the loyalty and admiration of many on Fenris; he was the strongest and smartest. He was capable of bringing down entire oak trees and wrestling many Fenrisian Mammoths. By the time Thengir perished, his successor was evident. Leman Russ, henceforth, became King of the Russ.

Now in control of the Russ, Leman Russ launched wars against the independent tribes of Fenris, causing pain and suffering. In fear of the coming of Leman Russ, many tribes surrendered to him, but the primarch cared not. Leman Russ still butchered them as if they were animals, skinning them and eating their flesh. In all of these despicable acts, Leman Russ took pleasure.

Months after Fenris had been united under the hedonistic fist of the primarch, the Emperor Of Mankind came to the Court Of Russ. Cloaked in runes and furs, the mortal men hid, fearful of the mystical being that came to their home. Russ, in his arrogance, refused the Emperor's demand to pay homage, and would only do so if the Emperor beat the Wolf King in a series of challenges. In the first challenge, a competition of feasting, Russ was victorious. In the second challenge, a competition of drinking, Russ was victorious. By the third challenge, Russ had become arrogant and believed that there was no being greater than he. For the final challenge, a competition of brawling, the Emperor was victorious, subduing Russ. Honouring his oath, Russ swore fealty to the Emperor, though he was spiteful at being humiliated before his court.

As the second primarch to be found, Leman Russ' only equal and companion was the great Horus of Cthonia. The two held respect for eachother for their efficiency and brutality, but Russ was secretly bitter at Horus' natural charisma and likeability, whilst Horus merely desired friendship with his kinsman. Not long after his discovery, Leman Russ was placed at the helm of the Rout, renamed the Space Wolves in honour of Russ' companions.

The Great Crusade

During the Great Crusade, the Space Wolves served with distinction, quelling the enemies of mankind with ease and without grace. The Space Wolves fought in many notable campaigns.

On Dulan, the sadism of the Space Wolves disgusted their allies in the Dark Angels, particularly their primarch, Lion El'Jonson. Yet the primarch of the I Legion assured Leman Russ of the chance to take the head of the Tyrant Of Dulan. In the middle of combat, the Lion instinctively beheaded the Tyrant, robbing Russ of his chance at glory. Enraged, Russ assaulted the Lion, attempting to cleave the Lion in half with his axe and sword. The Lion defended himself, utilising his sword to parry and hold off the Wolf King's onslaught. After many hours, the primarchs abandoned their weapons, resorting to their gauntleted fists to beat down their brother. Due to the sheer insanity of the duel and the ecstasy caused by the violence, Russ laughed, though the Wolf King was knocked unconscious by the Lion immediately after.

In a seemingly normal compliance on the seemingly normal world of Malkoya, the Space Wolves and Leman Russ lost control. The VI Legion opened fire on the civilians of Malkoya, massacring them. Reports by the XII Legion from after the compliance tell of the corpses of civilians being found dismembered and drained of blood. It is widely believed that the legionnaires of the VI Legion consumed the blood, and many corpses. News of the massacre reached the ears of the Master Of Mankind, who dispatched the World Eaters and Angron to end the crimes of the Space Wolves. The XII Legion arrived swiftly on Malkoya, and Angron attempted to negotiate with the rabid Wolf King, but Russ merely laughed and invited his comrade to partake in the debauchery. Horrified, Angron and Russ came to blows, and the two dogs of war, a wolf and a hound, duelled across the surface of Malkoya as the World Eaters and Space Wolves began a brutal engagement around their primarchs. Angron shattered Russ' sword Krakenmaw, whilst Russ broke Angron's chainaxe Widowmaker. Russ succeeded in breaking through Angron's oddly poor defence, and the Wolf King positioned a shard of Krakenmaw at Angron's throat. Leman Russ took pride in defeating a foe as skilled as Angron, only to realise the World Eaters had their bolters focused on Leman Russ. Despite his anger at being outplayed, Russ was unable to unleash his wrath, lest he be gunned down by the World Eaters. Angron then withdrew from the planet, unwilling to kill his brother despite Russ' crimes. To this day, Russ maintains the belief that the event, known as the Night Of The Wolf, was a victory for the Space Wolves: more World Eaters had perished than Space Wolves, and Russ had overcome Angron in single combat. Many Space Wolves maintain that same belief but, to the rest of the Imperium, the Space Wolves were mindless barbarians, who had been tricked due to being blinded by pleasure. The primarchs too held strong beliefs. Ferrus Manus viewed them as little more than a liability, though he respected Russ' ability, whilst Horus was disgusted by the massacre and Russ' ensuing actions.

On Ark Reach Secundus, the Space Wolves reinforced their brother legion, the Word Bearers. Despite the near full might of two legions, the soldiers of Ark Reach Secundus remained a threat, and the Space Wolves failed to penetrate their lines. At that moment, the XV Legion, the Thousand Sons, arrived to reinforce the VI and XVII Legions. The sorcerers of Magnus the Red proved to be devastating, though the battlefield inexplicably began to drain the sorcerers, rendering them near ineffective. Though with three entire legions, the Imperium's armies began to turn the tide of the war in their favour. The Word Bearers, Space Wolves and Thousand Sons proved to be a devastating combination. Ark Reach Secundus then surrendered to the Imperium, being another realm absorbed into it. Yet in the aftermath, the Thousand Sons devoted their strength to defending centres of knowledge, such as the various libraries. Leman Russ and his legion wished to utterly annihilate the libraries, leading to a confrontation between the two legions. The Space Wolves charged the Thousand Sons, and the XV Legion decimated the VI Legion with their psychic abilities. Disaster struck as one of the Thousand Sons succumbed to their geneseed's flaw: the Flesh Change. Disgusted, Russ executed the Thousand Son, enraging Magnus who prepared to combat Leman Russ. The pair were entirely ready to slay eachother, and would have, if not for the intervention of Lorgar. Russ swore a blood oath in front of both Lorgar and Magnus that he would avenge his fallen sons one day.

Prospero Burns

Despite Russ' sadomasochistic nature, he had served the Emperor loyally and did not sway from his allegiance. However, this loyalty would dissipate when Russ was ordered to bring Magnus the Red to Terra for trial. According to the orders sent from the Master Of Mankind, Magnus had violated the Edict Of Nikaea, and compromised humanity's safety. Whilst Russ was a monster in the truest sense of the word, his purpose was to defend Mankind. The Space Wolves joined forces with contingents of the Adeptus Custodes and Sisters Of Silence, before making their way to the paradise called Prospero.

Upon arrival, the Space Wolves initially made contact with the Thousand Sons, who were fully prepared to lay down their arms and journey to Terra for their trial. However, the brooding of Leman Russ led him to swear that the blood oath sworn during the campaign of Ark Reach Secundus would be fulfilled. The Space Wolves contacted the Thousand Sons again, who prepared a procession awaiting the arrival of their brother legion. Upon the Custodian Guards' discovery of the plot, they confronted Leman Russ, who had them executed by his legion. The Sisters Of Silence suffered a similar fate, before the VI Legion prepared for planetfall.

Whilst the Thousand Sons had prepared an honourable arrival for the Space Wolves, they were entirely unprepared for what was to come. The Space Wolves landed in swathes in drop pods, crashing into Prospero's surface and opening fire on the Thousand Sons. The Space Wolves initially massacred the Thousand Sons, before the intervention of sorcerers prevented the Space Wolves to continue their onslaught. Now empowered by sorcerers, the Thousand Sons mounted a fierce defence, killing thousands of Space Wolves. The dire situation on Prospero forced Leman Russ himself to land on Prospero. With a deafening howl that stunned the psykers of the XV Legion, Russ charged with his legion, engaging the Thousand Sons in close quarters combat. The arrival of a primarch and the disabling of their greatest weapon meant the Thousand Sons were culled quickly, and forced to retreat to Tizca. Leman Russ murdered Thousand Sons in the dozens, taking pride and pleasure in fulfilling his blood oath. As the Space Wolves continued their advance to end the last ten thousand of the Thousand Sons, a great storm of lightning, fire and rain descended on the VI Legion from the Pyramid Of Photep. The Crimson King had arrived.

With his unparalleled psychic might, Magnus the Red decimated the Wulfen and Space Wolves. His power was so great that the Warp began to seep into Prospero. Russ ordered his legion to withdraw from Tizca, before confronting his sorcerer brother. Magnus and Russ duelled, golden khopesh against frostblade. Strangely, Leman Russ was empowered by the cracks in realspace, and his armour began to course with violet lightning. Magnus utilised all manner of magic, igniting Russ' hair, shattering his armour with bolts of lightning, and throwing impossibly sharp shards of glass at his foe. Yet it was all in vain. Russ was too strong of an opponent, and the Wolf King grabbed the Crimson King, lifting him up high and breaking his back over his knee. Before Russ could deal a killing blow, Magnus said his last words of power, teleporting the remainders of his legion across the galaxy in a last ditch attempt to save them. The cost of this spell was Magnus' soul, as the Crimson King shattered into numerous shards that spread across the galaxy.

The Heresy

Whilst the Space Wolves had won the Burning Of Prospero, the Thousand Sons still existed, and Russ had violated the Emperor's orders and essentially declared himself traitor. Now with nowhere to run, the VI Legion was offered a deal by the Warmaster, Ferrus Manus. The Gorgon Of Medusa held no affection for Magnus the Red and his psyker so, in exchange for their allegiance, Ferrus Manus would shield the Space Wolves from the Emperor's wrath. Out of desperation, Russ accepted, and the Space Wolves joined the ranks of the traitors.

In order to unite with the traitors in the Isstvan System to launch the Shadow Crusade, the Space Wolves were required to travel through the Alaxxes Nebula. Aided by a contingent of Dark Angels, the traitors secured a route through the Nebula. However, this was a ploy by a force of Thousand Sons and Luna Wolves commanded by Tybalt Marr, who ambushed the Space Wolves in an attempt to bring down an enemy primarch, or at the very least weaken the VI Legion. The combination of the XV and XVI Legions proved to be a deadly one, and the Space Wolves suffered heavy casualties at the hands of Tybalt Marr. Yet the Battle Of The Alaxxes Nebula ended in a traitor victory when Bjorn the Fell-Handed slew Tybalt Marr in single combat, forcing the loyalists to retreat. Now unhindered, the Space Wolves could continue their journey to the Isstvan System.

The Shadow Crusade

Free of the Luna Wolves and Thousand Sons, the Space Wolves successfully reached Isstvan V, where they were informed by Ferrus Manus and Lorgar Aurelian of their plot: the Shadow Crusade. Lorgar informed Russ of the plan, to massacre and cause as much suffering possible in order to disrupt the warp and manifest it in realspace in the form of the Ruinstorm. Excited at the chance to cause suffering, Russ agreed, and the two legions journeyed to the Realm Of Ultramar.

As they neared Ultramar, the traitors separated their forces. Commanded by Lorgar, the Word Bearers ambushed Calth whilst the Space Wolves and a contingent of Word Bearers led by Argel Tal would do the same to Armatura. Upon reaching Armatura, the Space Wolves did not hesitate in unleashing hell on the Ultramarines, shredding Armatura's defensive fleet before landing on Armatura's surface.

Drop pods clad in the V Legion's iconography crashed into the planet's surface, and the Space Wolves launched their unstoppable charge. Whilst the Space Wolves were known as the masters of melee combat, the Ultramarines led by Legatus Orfeo Cassandar proved themselves as ferocious opponents. Although despite the XIII Legion's fierce resistance, they were unable to defend the entire planet from the endless horde of traitor Astartes. As portions of Armatura fell, civilians were tortured, flayed and eaten by the barbaric Space Wolves. Days after the battle's beginning, the Space Wolves fell to their bloodlust and love for pain. Leman Russ commanded the vanguard, mercilessly butchering the Ultramarines whilst Bjorn the Fell-Handed earnt many honours duelling veterans of the Ultramarines.

Whilst the Space Wolves were a menacing foe, they were unable to secure the entire planet alone, and they began to suffer heavy casualties. Numerous companies of the VI Legion were culled by both ally and enemy due to their lack of discipline. This forced Leman Russ to contact his fellow primarch, Lorgar Aurelian, and request aid. A portion of the Word Bearer legion quickly arrived to reinforce their comrades, and the Ultramarines slowly began to lose ground. After bringing down a Warhound Titan with his bare hands, Russ was forced to discard his frost axe Helwinter, which was recovered by Bjorn, who took it as his own weapon.

The Ultramarines made a last stand in the last city of Armatura, and never in the history of the Space Wolves was there a day as bloody. Thousands of the Space Wolves lost their lives to the ruthless Ultramarines, who had accepted their fate. Argela Tal and Bjorn the Fell-Handed, who had formed a close friendship in the battle, fought side-by-side, slaying any they came across. Eventually, Argel Tal was wounded in combat by a few Ultramarines, forcing him to leave the field. Bjorn the Fell-Handed launched a mad dash to the Ultramarines' commander's position, and soon the Space Wolf came face-to-face with Orfeo Cassandar. The Ultramarine Legatus clashed blades with the Space Wolf, and the pair duelled for many hours until the two mighty warriors paused for a moment of rest. It was at that moment that they realised that the traitors had won, and the Space Wolves and Word Bearers surrounded the duellists, eager to watch the duel's end. Bjorn, out of sheer respect for the skilled Ultramarine Legatus, offered him one last chance to surrender. Orfeo Cassandar, ever defiant, replied that the only surrender that would be given would be Bjorn's. The two prepared to duel once more, before Russ came behind Orfeo and impaled him on Mjalnar. From that moment on, Bjorn despised both his primarch for stealing a master swordsman's honour and his legion for their debauchery. With the death of Orfeo Cassandar, Armatura had fallen.

For the last act of the Shadow Crusade, Lorgar required a conduit to create the Ruinstorm, and Russ was aware of a suitable location: the Gates Of Morkai, a portal that reached into the Warp. The traitors travelled to Fenris, prepared to enact the ritual. However, moments before the ritual could begin, the two legions were ambushed by a combined force of Ultramarines, World Eaters, Emperor's Children and Night Lords. Led by two primarchs, Roboute Guilliman of Macragge and Konrad Curze of Nostramo, the enormous fleet caught the traitors off-guard. The sheer numbers and the strategic genius of Guilliman allowed the main force commanded by Konrad Curze to make planetfall. To the Space Wolves, Konrad Curze was a blur of black and blue, carving his way through the VI Legion with ease. Leman Russ came to confront Curze, and the Wolf King and Night Haunter came to blows. Quickly, the duel devolved into a brawl, the two primarchs grappling eachother and throwing punches at eachother. Yet the superior strength of Russ meant the outcome of the brawl tipped in Russ' favour, and Curze was forced to retreat. As the Space Wolves were occupied defending against the approaching Night Lords and Ultramarines, they were unable to defend Lorgar from Curze's ambush, and the primarch of the Word Bearers was lucky to escape with his life. The endless tide of loyalists forced Lorgar to partake in the ritual himself in order to complete the spell in less time. Eventually, Russ came across an enraged Guilliman. Roboute Guilliman on the battlefield was fury in human form, yet in the face of Leman Russ, he was the inferior combatant. Leman Russ nearly ended Guilliman's life, before multiple bolter rounds struck him in the leg, allowing Guilliman to retreat. With the growing effect of the warp from the ritual, the loyalists were forced to retreat as Russ fixed his attention to his next prey: Solomon Demeter.

Despite his wounding, Russ was able to toy with the Emperor's Children Captain, who was an adept swordsman in his own right. Within mere moments, Demeter lay on the ground, dying of blood loss. In that moment, Russ' arrogance took the better of him, and the Wolf King gloated, mocking Demeter and savouring his blood, blind to the Captain reaching for a nearby chainaxe. With the last of his strength, Solomon Demeter embedded the chainaxe into Russ' side, fatally wounding the primarch. A debilitating howl escaped Russ' lips, before he used his strength to punch his opponent's head into nothing but a gory paste. The wounds inflicted by Demeter proved to be the primarch's bane, as the blood loss began to kill the primarch. In a desperate attempt to save his brother, Lorgar devoted a portion of the ritual to saving Russ' life. And it worked. As the ritual ended, the Ruinstorm formed, and the psychic energy flooded in Russ' dying body. Blessed by Slaanesh, the psychic energy elevated Russ to something beyond the imagination of mortals: a Daemon Prince. The Wolf King had now been given entirely to his sadistic nature, as had his legion, who devoted themselves to their new patron.

In the aftermath of the Shadow Crusade, Bjorn confronted Erebus of the Word Bearers in the fighting pits of the Space Wolves' flagship, the Hrafnkel. It was revealed to the Fell-Handed by Lorgar that Argel Tal had been murdered by Erebus during the Battle Of Fenris. As such, Bjorn demanded the Word Bearer fight him. Armed with his crozius, Erebus attempted to duel the Space Wolf, but Bjorn's anger and superior skill allowed him to disarm the Chaplain with ease. Erebus attempted to obtain another weapon, but Bjorn refused his request by removing both of his hands. The crowd could only watch as Bjorn delivered Erebus a death by a thousand cuts, slowly and cruelly carving off portions of the Word Bearer's flesh and allowing him to bleed to death. Once Erebus remained as little more than portions of flesh scattered over bone, Bjorn decapitated him, giving in to his legion's cruelty. Erebus would later be resurrected by the Ruinous Powers, as the Chaos Gods deemed the Chaplain too useful for the time.

The First Great Hunt

With the Ruinstorm formed, the Space Wolves fled from the Realm Of Ultramar. Upon reaching the other side of the warp storm, Slaanesh's chosen legion was ambushed by the Eldar, specifically Craftworld Ulthwé, who intended to curb the influence of the Prince Of Pleasure. Despite Slaanesh's blessings upon the Space Wolves, the Eldar's ambush was initially devastating, killing First Captain Gunnar Gunnhilt and many Space Wolves. Yet the Space Wolves quickly counterattacked, inflicting numerous losses on the Eldar and forcing them to retreat. Seeking vengeance on the xenos, Leman Russ declared a pursuit of Craftworld Ulthwé, which became known as the First Great Hunt.

The method of travel of the Astartes proved inferior to that of the Eldar. But Russ was no fool, despite his insanity, and planned to lure them to a Maiden World and execute them. With the aid of a traitor Thousand Son legionary, the Space Wolves travelled to Tarsus, the site where Fulgrim and Magnus overcame Slaanesh's daemon and influence. On the surface of the paradise, Leman Russ discovered the shards of the Silver Blade Of The Laer, which still possessed remnants of the daemon. The primarch ordered the shards to be reforged into an axe, which became known as the Silver Axe Of The Russ. His frostsword, Mjalnar, was then given to Hvarl Red-Blade. The Space Wolves then brutalised the inhabitants of Tarsus, which sent shockwaves through the warp which were noticed by Craftworld Ulthwé. The Craftworld then hurried to reach Tarsus, in a desperate rush to save the inhabitants. Upon arrival, the Eldar were assaulted by the Space Wolves, who killed thousands of Eldar and destroyed many spiritstones. Leman Russ, at the helm of the attack, fought and destroyed the Wraithlord, Khiraen Goldhelm, before the Eldar managed to remove the Space Wolves from the Craftworld and flee into the Webway.

Leman Russ was prepared to pursue Ulthwé once more, but his plan was halted after the arrival of Alpharius Omegon and the Alpha Legion. The XX Legion was ordered by Ferrus Manus to inform and persuade the Space Wolves to hunt another foe: the Luna Wolves commanded by First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon on Yarant.

Yarant and the Siege Of Terra

The VI Legion had recovered their numbers, before launching their odyssey to Yarant. Arriving at Yarant, Russ joined forces with Corvus Corax and the Raven Guard, along with contingents from the Salamanders and Alpha Legion. With the might of multiple fresh traitor Astartes, the Luna Wolves supposedly stood no chance. Yet the tactics of Ezekyle Abaddon paired with the Luna Wolves' savagery caused many casualties, and prevented the traitors from overrunning their positions. Bjorn the Fell-Handed combatted Ezekyle Abaddon, and the Luna Wolf would've slain Bjorn if not for the intervention of his Wolf Guard.

After months of fierce fighting, the Space Wolves were shocked to see the Luna Wolves flee from Yarant despite their superior positioning and tactics. Leman Russ launched a final charge, attempting to kill as many loyalists as possible before they could flee. The Luna Wolves were unable to hold off Russ' fury, and many a Luna Wolf perished at the hands of the Lord Of Winter And War. With the loyalists fled, Russ decided along with Corvus Corax to unite with the traitors at Ullanor to before besieging Terra.

Arriving at Ullanor, the Space Wolves fit perfectly in with the debauchery and hedonism taking place in the cursed reenactment of the Triumph Of Ullanor. The Space Wolves brawled and drank, wounding many of their fellow traitors before intervention by Corvus Corax. Whilst each legion sacrificed many thousands of slaves, the Space Wolves not only butchered the majority of their own slaves, but launched hundreds of raids in disparate warbands in order to kill innocents.

On Terra, the Space Wolves were unable to assist much in the breaking of the Aegis. When the Aegis was finally broken thanks to the efforts of Lion El'Jonson, Leman Russ was disappointed to discover that the Lion's own Dark Angels would be the first of the traitors to land on Terra's surface. By the time the VI Legion landed on Terra, all sense of discipline had been discarded by the majority of the legion, and they rampaged across Terra, torturing and consuming the population whilst taking great pleasure in their actions. It is said that the Space Wolves even concocted alcoholic beverages from the bodily fluids of Terra's citizenry. Their allies, even the feral Salamanders, were disgusted by how unhinged their fellow legion was. Eventually, Bjorn the Fell-Handed, who managed to resist completely surrendering to Slaanesh, was able to convince Leman Russ to amass his legion and attack the Saturnine Gate. However, this proved to be a trap by the Iron Warriors, and the Space Wolves fell in swathes as Perturabo and Leman Russ clashed. Russ took no enjoyment in fighting the Lord Of Iron: he was analytical, patient and methodical, instead of brash, natural and instinctive. This saved the Lord Of Iron's life, as Russ sought a more desirable foe instead of ending his brother's life.

With the banishment of Corvus, the death of Sanguinius, and the abandonment of the Lion, Russ remained as one of the few traitor primarchs as news came of Horus' rapid approach. Whilst Ferrus Manus, Vulkan and Alpharius Omegon launched a last attack on the Imperial Palace, Leman Russ and the Space Wolves were ordered to counter the Luna Wolves that had landed on Terra. However, Russ recognised that the traitors' defeat was inevitable, and ordered that his legion abandon the Siege. With very few losses, the Space Wolves fled from the Sol System, and began preparations for the Great Crusade.

The Great Hunts

Ferrus Manus had perished, and the vengeful loyalists demanded blood for their fallen Emperor. The Space Wolves emerged from the Great Scouring relatively unscathed. On the world of Thessala, Russ was the one who dealt the fatal blow to Roboute Guilliman, leaving the primarch of the Ultramarines to die of blood loss, allowing Aeonid Thiel to secure his primarch in stasis to preserve his life.

After the Battle Of Thessala, Leman Russ abandoned his legion to pursue his god's ambitions in the Great Game. Suddenly lacking a leader, the Space Wolves fell into disarray, and the legion shattered into hundreds of warbands, all pursuing their own goals. Amongst these warbands, Bjorn the Fell-Handed and Hvarl Red-Blade took positions of authority. Bjorn, whilst resisting total control by Slaanesh, utilises the weapons and daemonettes of the god, though he remains uncorrupted by Slaanesh. Hvarl Red-Blade frequently engaged in warfare with Bjorn's warband, before Gabriel Santar offered the Space Wolf a position in his new Black Legion. Red-Blade accepted, and continues to serve the Black Legion to this day.

Every few millennia, Leman Russ returns at the head of a horde of Slaaneshi daemonettes. He gathers the warbands spawned from his legion, before launching an invasion of Imperial space. These invasions are known as Great Hunts, and they haunt the psyche of every Imperial citizen. Since the end of the Ferrusian Heresy, there have been four Great Hunts.

The Second Great Hunt took place in M32, when the Space Wolves invaded various worlds across the Imperium, such as Cthonia and Barbarus. The Imperium countered by sending eleven chapters to end the threat, though the entire invasion was a ploy. Leman Russ himself invaded the Thousand Sons' homeworld of Prospero once more, determined to fulfil the blood oath he had sworn all those years ago in Ark Reach Secundus. The battle culminated in Ahzek Ahriman of the Thousand Sons banishing Leman Russ with aid from other Thousand Son sorcerers.

The 41st Millenium

For much of the 41st Millenium, the Space Wolves remained dormant, until the arrival of Logan Grimnar. Logan Grimnar was originally a rank-and-file Space Wolf of the Decadent Cult warband before he would discover a Khornite axe on the ruins of Fenris in the aftermath of a Salamander raid. Grimnar's unbreakable willpower allowed him to wield the blade without falling to the Blood God's corruption. This weapon ruined Grimnar's reputation, and the leader of his warband, a Space Wolf possessed by a Slaaneshi daemon known as the Hedonist, ordered him executed. However, Grimnar and his force of elite Space Wolves succeeded into beating back their former allies, and Grimnar took his former lord's head, usurping his position as Lord of the Decadent Cult. Grimnar's strength, skill and leadership earnt him the respect of many warbands, allowing him to unite a great force on the Space Wolves' homeworld of Fenris. The amassing Space Wolf presence alerted the Inquistion, who sent the Grey Knights to end Grimnar's new army. The Grey Knights, elite daemonhunters, posed a severe threat to the Space Wolves, but Logan Grimnir swiftly boarded the Grey Knight's fleet, decapitating the Grandmaster of the Grey Knights and forcing the 666th Chapter to flee. However, the Grey Knights had damaged Fenris enough to warrant a Space Wolf retreat. Under Logan Grimnar, the Space Wolves disappeared from the Imperium, their location becoming entirely unknown to even the Thousand Sons, though it is known they fled into the Western Fringes.

Since the revival of Horus Lupercal, reports have been received from the Western Fringes of the galaxy. Those reports tell of Astartes clad in black fur and bearing Slaanesh's symbols amassing near the former location of Fenris. Many, particularly the Thousand Sons, believe that Leman Russ has returned for the first time in three millennia, and is currently preparing the Sixth Great Hunt, to finally end the Thousand Sons once and for all.

Homeworld

Never in its history has Fenris been at peace. It has been a harsh and unforgiving world since its creation, cursed with eternal frost and immortal monstrosities. The few who used to live on the planet lived in tribes, worshipping long forgotten gods merely to survive another day. Since Fenris' moving into the warp, the only inhabitants are servants and cultists of Slaanesh, those who devote their lives to serving the Prince Of Excess. It bears an atmosphere of violet, containing addictive sensations within its very air.

Organisation

There is no such thing as organisation within the ranks of the Space Wolves. Since their shattering into various warbands, the Astartes of the VI Legion follow only the strongest of their warband, the one who can lead them to warzones where they may fulfil their sadistic tendencies and lust for butchery and human flesh. Once their purpose has been served, the legionnaires cast aside their former leader, consuming him in hopes of obtaining his strength and skill. Mercy is a thing for the weak, honour for fools.

Whenever Leman Russ returns to launch his Great Hunt, the leaders of the warbands take up roles roughly equivalent to that of a modern-day Chapter Master, leading his warband against any foe that may belittle or threaten them, friend or foe. Yet after Russ' banishment at the end of each Great Hunt, there is a period known as the Culling. The Great Hunts are a time when the strongest and greatest prove their worth and, upon the Hunt's end, the heroes of the Hunt usurp command of their warband, executing their former commander for weakness.

Known Members

Ferrusian Heresy

• Primarch Leman Russ

• First Captain Gunnar Gunnhilt

• Wolf Guard Bjorn the Fell-Handed

• Jarl Hvarl Red-Blade

Post-Heresy

• Leman Russ, Daemon Primarch of Slaanesh, Winter-King Of Ferity

• Bjorn the Fell-Handed, Chosen of Slaanesh

• Hvarl Red-Blade, member of the Santarion

• Ragnar Blackmane, Jarl of the Blackmane warband

• Logan Grimnar, Uniter Of The Space Wolves

A/N: Space Wolves done. I've heard lots of people say that Slaanesh wouldn't fit the Space Wolves, but the idea of sadistic werewolves is a very cool idea in my opinion. I hope you lot enjoyed this, and I'm sorry it took so long to publish. As always, reviews and criticisms are welcome.

Torgaddon out.