Dusk Howlers

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*Some ambient music for you to enjoy while you read - "Domadagr" by Danheim.*

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**This article, Dusk Howlers, was written by Algrim Whitefang. It may be linked to any page without asking for the author's permission.**

## Dusk Howlers

Dusk Howlers armorial with Chapter iconography

A Dusk Howlers Grey Slayer Kurgvan Ravnvrak, 'Fierce Hunter of the Black Rune', assigned to Great Company Tra (Three), "The Berserker Wolves".

## Space Marine Chapter

### **Allegiance**

Imperium of Man
(*Fidelitas Scindere*)

### **Fortress-Monastery**

Útgarðar
(Utgard) - 'Wolves Hould'

### **Allies**

-Space Wolves
- Sons of Russ Chapters
(Unofficial Collective)

### **Specialty**

Shock Assault, Search & Destroy, Pursuit Operations, Punitive and Excoriation Campaigns

### **Battle cry**

"ᚠᛟᚱ ᛚᛖᛗᚨᚾ ᚱᚢᛊᛊ!"
("Øjar Va Russ!")
or
"ᚺᚨᛁᛚ ᚺᚱÍᛗᚷᚨᚱᛞ!"
("Hrímgard Hjolda!")
(Translated from Hrímgardian Juvyk, "For Leman Russ!" & "Hail Hrímgard!")

### Successor Chapter(s)

None.

"*Our enemies may be many, but so long as there remains even one Son of Russ still fighting, one who still rages in the name of justice and truth, then by the Allfather, the galaxy shall yet know hope.*"
— Draugoloth Einar Nighthowler, upon the inception of the Dusk Howlers Chapter, ca. 000.M42.
The **Dusk Howlers**, known as the *Vlka Hrímherjar* (translated as the 'Wolves of Hrímgard'), is an Ultima Founding Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the mighty Space Wolves. This ferocious Chapter is comprised entirely of Primaris Space Marines -- the next stage of the evolution of the Space Marines -- to help offset the severe losses sustained by the Adeptus Astartes. Their inception took place in the wake of Abaddon the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41. The Dusk Howlers were created as a shock-assault force, to take back those worlds lost to the Traitor Legions in the wake of the formation of the galaxy-wide tear in reality known as the Great Rift, which has essentially rent the Imperium of Man in half, allowing the vile servants of the Ruinous Powers to run amok across countless Imperial worlds.

Following their creation, the Dusk Howlers quickly garnered a reputation as tireless pursuers and peerless hunter-killers of those enemies of Mankind who attempt to flee the Emperor's wrath. Since their inception, the Dusk Howlers have remained a Chapter apart from its fellows, content to prosecute the Imperium's wars on their own. Though unexpectedly violent and unsubtle, their campaigns are brutally swift. Despite their aloofness, the Dusk Howlers would later go on to form an unofficial collective, alongside three other Ultima Founding Space Wolves Successor Chapters, forming the 'Sons of Russ', which are charged with standing eternal vigil over the hellish realms of the Eye of Terror.

There are few amongst the Ultima Founding Chapters whose tally of victories is as numerous as the Dusk Howlers. Like their genetic forebears, this Chapter continues to pride itself on being fiercely independent, answering to no one save the High Lords of Terra themselves. Their tenacity in the pursuit of their foes and the ferocity displayed in battle is legendary, as they aim to tear and rend their foes until they lay in ruins or are driven to their deaths. In the latter years of the M41, such brutal and bloody-handed Space Marine Chapters are all that stand as a bulwark between the numerous enemies of Mankind and total ruination.

## Chapter History

The Dusk Howlers are a Space Marine Chapter that was created in the latter 41st Millennium as one of the few Successor Chapters of the Space Wolves. Following the catastrophic events of the Horus Heresy and the dark years of the Great Scouring, Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman decided to enact the ultimate contingency plan, to create new legions of superior transhuman warriors - the Primaris Space Marines - to serve as Humanity's last line of defence. Even then, Guilliman foresaw a time of encroaching darkness when Chaos would threaten the galaxy itself. These gene-crafted warriors were intended to protect the Imperium of Man against the gathering darkness from Chaos, xenos and the myriad threats that assailed the Imperium on all sides. Following the destruction of the Fortress World of Cadia and the formation of the Great Rift, a small contingent of loyalist Imperial forces managed to escape the destruction of the doomed Imperial world and made their way to the Realm of Ultramar. Through the genius of Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl, combined with the power of Ynnead, the Aeldari god of the dead, they were able to resurrect the Primarch Roboute Guilliman from his millennia-long, deathless slumber.

### Ultima Founding

Guilliman had anticipated the need for a new breed of hero for this, the darkest age in the Imperium's history. He knew that the galaxy would need warriors resilient enough to stand against the Forces of Chaos as the Imperium found itself poised on the brink of annihilation. To that end, for 10,000 standard years, Archmagos Cawl had been working on improving the Adeptus Astartes themselves. The result was the Primaris Space Marines, a more powerful corps of transhuman warriors, more potent than even the original Astartes. New armies were raised in breathtaking numbers and new and terrible weapons were developed whose fury even the worshippers of the Dark Gods would be unable to withstand. This host of newly created transhuman warriors was not only created just as reinforcements to existing Chapters, for Guilliman had decreed that new Chapters should be created as well, composed entirely of Primaris Space Marines. The warriors of these new Chapters were created entirely through the new processes discovered by Archmagos Belisarius Cawl and established with all the necessary weapons, armour and equipment that they would need to conduct their defence of the Imperium. These Chapters still trace their genetic lineage back to the gene-seed of the First Founding, and scions of all nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions emerged from the vaults beneath the Red Planet.

### Indomitus Crusade

With Roboute Guilliman re-installed as the Lord Commander of the Imperium, the resurrected Primarch wasted no time in enacting his plans to take the fight to the Forces of Chaos. Guilliman called for action and ordered the mustering of a mighty armada. With elements from the Adeptus Custodes, a contingent of the Silent Sisterhood as well as several Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes as well as newly created Chapters of the Ultima Founding, Guilliman launched his Indomitus Crusade. As the Crusade pushed outwards from Terra towards their many destinations, their ranks were swelled with ever more Imperial forces eager to join the Crusade led by the only known living son of the Emperor. As the Indomitus Crusade pushed ever deeper into the galaxy, Archmagos Cawl awoke thousands of Primaris Space Marines from stasis deep within the labyrinthine holds of his Ark Mechanicus *Zar-Quaesitor*. Some of these superior transhuman warriors were designated to be reinforcements for existing Chapters, while others comprised entirely new Chapters. One of these newly formed Primaris Chapters was named the 'Dusk Howlers', proud inheritors of the legacy of the feral and powerful Leman Russ, led by its first Great Wolf, Bjorn Grimjac Ragnarsson.

Once deployed, the new Chapters made their way towards their designated sectors and immediately took the fight to the enemy. Following their victories in the Kaeriolis System, the Dusk Howlers sought to consolidate their gains and established their fortress-monastery upon the newly discovered death world of Hrímgard, a planet of ice and fire. Hrímgard was a comparable world to their genetic forebears, mirroring the Space Wolves' own deadly world of Fenris. Located on the outskirts of the galactic west of the Segmentum Pacificus, Hrímgard is also dominated by extremes of climate and is a deadly and turbulent world inhabited by mankind. The extreme geography of Hrímgard had resulted in the human population of this world in becoming one composed largely of primitive, nomadic, pre-industrial barbarian tribes. The tribes constantly sought to secure territory, and as a result skirmishes and feuds over land between rival tribes were common. The Hrímgardian people were hardened to the changes in temperature and environmental extremes, and so was the fauna.

Claiming the untamed world as their own, with the help of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Dusk Howlers' Iron Priests oversaw the construction of their mighty fortress-monastery of Útgarðar, the '*Wolves' Hould*', built within the tallest peak of the mountains of Helgard. The Dusk Howlers had been granted everything they needed to establish themselves as a fully functioning Space Marine Chapter including -- newly forged ships for the foundation of their Chapter fleet as well as new armouries and several Space Wolves' Priests. The Dusk Howlers also had the Adeptus Mechanicus import all matter of Fenrisian fauna, including -- drakes, elk, and great white bears to their new Chapter home world.

Once the Dusk Howlers had firmly established a working foundation for their Chapter and a fully functioning base of operations, they began sending individual Great Companies, or small task forces comprised of several Great Companies, on multiple campaigns to assist several besieged Imperial systems. Though the Dusk Howlers have achieved many notable victories and triumphs, their achievements are but a sliver of light piercing the vast darkness that now covers most of the known galaxy. But despite the odds stacked against them, the Dusk Howlers continue to bring sword and flame to the enemies of Mankind, endeavouring to live up to the legacy of their genetic forebears as true Scions of Russ.

#### The Múspellsheimr Excoriation

As the Dusk Howlers prosecuted their campaigns during the Indomitus Crusade, they encountered another cousin Chapter created from the lineage of Russ - the Crimson Prowlers. This particular Ultima Founding Chapter had eschewed the establishment of a Chapter home world, preferring to take the fight directly to the enemies of Mankind aboard the vessels of their mighty war fleet. During their many sojourns into Chaos-occupied sectors, they encountered their fellow cousin-Chapter - the Dusk Howlers. The two Chapters immediately formed a bond of kinship, as they both found one another of like-mind and similar mien. For nearly a decade the two Chapters fought alongside one another during several campaigns, taking back those worlds lost to the Traitor Legions or enslaved by the Neverborn.

Forming an alliance with several knightly houses and Astra Militarum regiments, this formidable Imperial coalition led a Crusade across several neighbouring systems in the Segmentum Obscurus. During this time, the two Sons of Russ Chapters encountered yet another Chapter that hailed from the get of Russ - the Bloodied Hunters. This Ultima Founding Chapter hailed from the feral and inhospitable world of Múspellsheimr, located in the isolated Helheim System. Following the destruction of Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade, the warp storms that emanated from the formation of the Great Rift darkened the whole system, and in the ensuing maelstrom, a large Khornate warhost comprised of several infamous Chaos Warbands - Battleforged, Bloodborn Wolves and the Shackles of Khorne - materialise within the system to slaughter and enslave the worlds' dense populations. Despite the odds arrayed against them, the Bloodied Hunters stood steadfast, ready to sell their lives dearly for the sake of their people.

The ferocious Astartes were heavily engaged with the bloody-handed Berserkers and their daemonic allies. Though the Bloodied Hunters fought bravely and made the Forces of Chaos pay dearly for every iota of the system they took control of, it was a losing battle. Falling back to their homeworld, the Bloodied Hunters prepared to make their final stand, determined to acquit themselves as true Sons of Russ, but inevitably, they would be surrounded and massacred by the overwhelming forces of the Blood God. Smashing through the ranks of the Khornate warhost, the Sons of Russ and their Imperial allies fought their way towards the ninth planet of the system, to relieve their beleaguered cousins. Only the timely arrival of the Dusk Howlers and Crimson Prowlers Chapters was the abattoir rituals halted.

The wolf-brethren fought with the same ferocity and passion as any son of Fenris, driving the blood-maddened berserkers on their heels. Soon the tide of battle turned, as several Imperial Knights and multiple Astra Militarum regiments added their strength to the Sons of Russ. Despite their tenacity, the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Imperial forces soon turned their attack into a desperate last stand. Eventually, they were forced to make a fighting withdrawal or risk annihilation. Grudgingly, the majority of the Khornate warhost withdrew from the surface of the planet, although no small few refuse to retreat, and instead were slaughtered by the fury-driven Sons of Russ.

### Formation of the Great Pack

In the aftermath of their victory, the Great Hunter Ásbjorn Kveld-Úlfr (the 'Nightwolf'), Lord of the Bloodied Hunters, extended an invitation to his counterparts from the Crimson Prowlers and Dusk Howlers. The two Great Wolves, escorted by a large entourage of their Chapter's finest warriors, met within the great Feast Hall of the Bloodied Hunters' fortress-monastery. When they arrived at their destination, much to their astonishment, they found that their cousin Chapter's formidable fortress was comprised of a half-buried, ancient Space Wolves strike cruiser. After much feasting and drunken revelry, the three Chapter Masters came to an accord. They agreed to form the 'Sons of Russ' - an unofficial collective of Space Wolves Successor Chapters that would forever more stand as eternal sentinels over the Eye of Terror. Each Chapter would henceforth come to one another's aid when the need arose, without hesitation. Following the events on Múspellsheimr, the Sons of Russ departed one another's company to continue prosecuting the wars of the Indomitus Crusade in other Chaos-held regions.

The Sons of Russ continued to wage their wars against the Great Enemy and their Neverborn allies, to free beleaguered Imperial worlds from their foul ilk. They worked their way sector by sector, planet by planet, freeing those who could be liberated and avenging those who could not. Nearly a century of fighting culminated in the epic Battle of Raukos - a major engagement between the forces of the Imperium commanded by the Lord Commander of the Imperium, Roboute Guilliman, and the Forces of Chaos around the strategically important Pit of Raukos, an ancient and isolated Warp Rift. Already reeling from the Guilliman's campaigns, the Forces of Chaos were delivered a decisive killing blow and were utterly decimated by the Imperial forces. In the aftermath of this monumental victory, Guilliman decided to disperse the Indomitus Crusade by holding a triumph much like the one the Emperor of Mankind had held in the wake of the Ullanor Crusade during the final days of the Great Crusade.

It was at this time that the majority of the remaining legions of the Unnumbered Sons were disbanded and dispersed to already established Space Marine Chapters, while the remainder were formed into new Primaris Space Marine Chapters. One such Chapter was the newly created Dawn's Wolves, another Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the Leman Russ. Over the course of the Indomitus Crusade, these Sons of Russ proved themselves to be extremely competent in guerrilla tactics as well as consummate hunters, pursuing their foes relentlessly and tearing them apart at close-quarters.

Following their inception, the Dawn's Wolves decided to eschew establishing a Chapter home world. They did not waste time consolidating defences on a world which would tie them down, for they wished to pursue the enemies of Mankind in their places of power, bringing them swift death in the form of their bolters, blades and sharpened incisors. Setting course for the Eye of Terror, the Dawn's Wolves carved a bloody-path as they slew the enemies of Mankind in righteous anger - purging pirates, Chaos cultists and all manner of xenos. Only when they met with the ferocious Bloodied Hunters and the Crimson Prowlers did the Dawn's Wolves First Hunt end. The latter Chapter had fought alongside the as-yet unnamed Dawn's Wolves when they still count themselves amongst the legions of the Unnumbered Sons, on a number of occasions during the early years of the Indomitus Crusade. The Dawn's Wolves would later meet, yet, another cousin Chapter - the Dusk Howlers.

The discovery of these three fellow Space Wolves Successor Chapters who were never a part of the Unnumbered Sons was a time of trial for the Dawns. Their wild brothers were at first dismissive of what they perceived as congenial restraint from the younger Chapter. Only when a Chaos fleet emerged from the Eye of Terror, and the Dawn's Wolves immediately rushed to confront it ahead of their cousins, did the other Sons of Russ change their opinion of them. Spearheading the assault upon the vile forces of the Great Enemy, the Dawn's Wolves were quickly joined by their fellow wolf brothers. Once their foes had been crushed, each Chapter making up for the blind spots in the others' favoured tactics, the Bloodied Hunters, Dusk Howlers and Crimson Prowlers extended an offer to formally join their collective known as the Sons of Russ. The Dawn's Wolves eagerly accepted their cousin Chapters' invitation. The next six years were spent refining their alliance and learning how best to combine the tactics favored by the Chapters in a well-oiled war machine. Since this auspicious occasion, the Sons of Russ have continued to protect the realms of Mankind from the forces of the Ruinous Powers, carving their own legends in the annals of Imperial history.

### The Kraken and the Wolf

When the Kraken Reavers' flagship *Kraken's Roar* exited the warp in a system of space known only as Zeta-401A on a routine hunt and patrol, Harwyn Bloodyhand, the Lord of the Kraken Reavers, had no idea that what he would find would change the course and fate of the Reavers forevermore. As the battle barge made its way through the system her auspex picked up the signal of multiple ships, seeing this Harwyn made the necessary orders to prepare for whatever they might encounter. With the ship ready Harwyn had *Kraken's Roar* make her way towards the source of the signal what he found was a single Space Marine strike cruiser,it'ss colour and markings unknown to him but what he was more focused on were the other ships. Ork Kill Kroozers, 4 of them and some escorts all showing the clear markings of Freebooters, they had surrounded the Cruiser and were firing from all sides and launching boarding craft at her. Seeing this and realising that the strike cruiser wouldn't hold out much longer Harwyn ordered the *Kraken's Roar* to make full speed towards the cruiser and to call to it and let them know that salvation had arrived.

The Orks, too focused on the cruiser, didn't notice the battle barge making for them until she was right on top of them. Firing a broadside into one of the cruisers and crippling it and allowing the Strike cruiser to escape the trap and Harwyn and his Astartes soon dispatched the Ork vessels. As the *Kraken's Roar* inspected her bloody work the cruiser sent a communique, the commander of the ship identified himself as Engaldr, of the Dusk Howlers Chapter and of the Draugoloth's Great Company, he conveyed his thanks for the assistance and that he and his brothers owed the *Kraken's Roar* a debt of honour. Harwyn responded by introducing his ship and his Astartes and asked what the cruiser had been doing alone.

Before the Howlers could reply the *Kraken's Roar* auspex detected some ships fleeing the area, realising that some of the escorts had survived and were making for an asteroid cluster the veteran Reaver realised the Orks were heading back to their hideout, Harwyn gave orders to follow the Orks back to their hideout. He offered the crusier the chance to follow and join in the attack if they so wished, to which Engaldr accepted and the cruiser followed the battle barge. The Kraken Reavers initial opinion of these Dusk Howlers was not entirely favourable, the fact they had been ambushed by Ork Freebooterz so thoroughly, although this was tempered from their experience with the Orks, that they were far more cunning than given credit for. As the ships followed the escorts into the cluster they soon saw the Freebooter hideout, Harwyn gave the order to attack and get within boarding range, relaying his command to the Dusk Howlers so they may fight shoulder to shoulder in the melee.

The Howlers followed the Reavers and as soon as both ships were in range they boarded the hideout, the boarding parties of both chapters were ordered to gather around Harwyns party, and as they cut their way through the orks both chapters revelled in the melee that ensued, once the entire boarding contingent was assembled Harwyn gave orders to attack and seek out the high-value targets, the Howlers were seconded to each of these groups. The Krakens as ever fought like bloody Reavers in their element, cutting down Orks in droves and masterfully navigating the confines of the Hideout, taking trophies as they saw fit and boasting constantly to one another especially the younger Reavers, the Howlers by contrast fought like wolves confined, brutally hunting down the Orks and dispatching them with the ruthless and savage skill of a Hunter.

Soon Harwyn and Engaldr's contingents made it to the Freebooter Kaptin's command room, a bloody fight ensued with Engaldr slaying no less than 6 Nobz as Harwyn decapitated the Ork leader, soon the battle was over and the hideout cleared. As was the norm all items deemed valuable or good trophies were taken before the hideout was destroyed to deny the enemy, the Reavers had once again comported themselves well, but the Howlers had also fought well and Harwyn and the Kraken Reavers found their previous misgivings of the Dusk Howlers forgotten, replaced with respect at their nature and skill. Harwyn invited the Dusk Howlers to join the Kraken Reavers aboard *Kraken's Roar* for their ceremonial Reavers feast, where the survivors of an attack gather to feast and present their trophies taken from their enemies, boast of their deeds and honour their fallen. The Dusk Howlers accepted and joined the Kraken Reavers.

The Dusk Howlers mixed well with the ceremony, boasting as well as any of the Reavers and managing to consume just as much Mead, for his deeds as well as his rank, Engaldr was granted a seat of honour next to Harwyn Bloodyhand and they soon talked at length, during this Engaldr told of how his cruiser was to regroup with his chapter's leader, Draugoloth Einar Nighthowler, and he revealed that the Dusk Howlers were scions of Leman Russ, like the Kraken Reavers and that they had formed an unofficial collective called the Sons of Russ alongside four other chapters, the Crimson Prowlers, Wild Wolves, Bloodied Hunters and the Dawn's Wolves. Hearing all this and wishing to meet this Einar Nighthowler, Harwyn asked to join Engaldr to which the Dusk Howler, himself impressed with the Kraken Reavers' skill agreed, Harwyn then declared to the gathered Astartes they were heading to meet the Dusk Howlers leader and that he would see what he was made of and if they could reave together and whether or not this Sons of Russ was worth joining.

The *Kraken's Roar* thus made for the location of Einar Nighthowler, Harwyn sending orders to any ships not engaged and near enough in range of the location to join him. As the two ships made their way they picked up 3 more Strike Cruisers and their escorts belonging to the Kraken Reavers. Soon the fleet found itself in the Katand System, where the first great company of the Dusk Howlers were mustering, at the centre of this assembly stood the *Hróðvitnir*, a Gloriana-class Battleship and flagship of the Dusk Howlers. Sufficiently impressed with the fleet assembled before him Harwyn made for the battleship and soon he was aboard the mighty ship, where he came face to face with Einar Nighthowler. The two warriors measured each other up at first, not a word was spoken until suddenly Harwyn Bloodyhand asked boldly how many trophies and ships would it take for Einar Nighthowler to give him the *Hróðvitnir*. At first the *Draugoloth* said nothing, and some within the chamber anticipated the two would come to blows, but to the surprise of all assembled the *Draugoloth* laughed and asked how much he had, to which the Jarl Vikan listed off all his trophies and ships before Einar stopped him and said he wouldn't trade it but he liked Harwyn's attitude. The two warriors seemed to almost immediately form a bond as they both listed off their deeds and skills, each boasting and both respecting and seeking to out-boast the previous boast.

#### Reaving of the Prideful Blades

Eventually Harwyn, sufficiently impressed with Einar and liking the sound of his skills offered the *Draugoloth* and his company the opportunity to join the Kraken Reavers on an attack they had planned for a space fortress belonging to a ruthless Chaos Warband called The Prideful Blades. The Prideful Blades were a collection of Slaanesh-aligned warbands that had come together under the leadership of Luscak the Indulgent to raid and pillage the Imperium having finally escaped the Eye of Terror, these piratical Astartes had already slaughtered uncountable thousands of innocents and had destroyed more than their fair share of imperial ships. Einar Nighthowler accepted and bid the Kraken Reavers lead him and his company to these traitors so they may hunt down and slaughter them, the assembled fleet soon made for the fortress, with the Kraken Reavers leading the way joined by an Imperial Navy fleet that had close ties to the Kraken Reavers.

When they arrived they found the Prideful Blades assembled in full, for their leader was about to undergo ascension to a daemon Prince of Slaanesh, realising despite their impressive naval assets that engaging the assembled fleet beyond the range of their fortresses defences was folly, Luscak gave orders for the fleet to remain near the Fortress. Unfortunately, the pride of a number of the commanders got the better of them as two-thirds of the Prideful Blades fleet made straight for the Imperium fleet. The combined fleet following the Reavers lead and command, managed to skilfully engage and destroy the Slaaneshi fleet with minimal losses and soon they made straight for the Fortress, Harwyn wishing to get to the boarding ordered the Imperial Navy to engage the remaining fleet with some strike cruisers seconded to them to counter any attempts by the traitors to board them and to act as a reserve to board if needed, Einar agreed also wishing to get into the melee as soon as possible.

Harwyn and Einar issued their orders and targets to their boarding parties, whilst their elite bodyguards would join together and make for Luscak. As soon as they were in range the Kraken Reavers and Dusk Howlers launched their boarding teams, breaking into the fortress the teams cut through Slaaneshi Pirates and Astartes to regroup before heading for their chosen objectives. Soon Harwyn and Einar's contingents met and made for the command chamber, the elites of both Chapters cutting down their enemies mercilessly. The Reavers fought as master marauders, hitting the enemy hard and fast and engaging in brutal navalclose-quarterss combat cutting down those who face them, whilst the Dusk Howlers fought like master hunters, savaging and stalking their prey and striking with a single deathly blow that cut off throat of the enemy before easily butchering the body in its death throes. Soon Harwyn and Einar found themselves in the command chamber, Luscak halfway through his metamorphosis, realising they had to slay him before his apotheosis was complete the two forces clashed in a brutal and bloody struggle, the elite of both forces gave no quarter and fought with skill and savagery unmatched.

A bloody stalemate ensued that both Harwyn and Einar knew they could not win once Luscak ascended, thus the two warriors made straight for the fledgling Daemon Prince, cutting a bloody path to reach him and soon the three champions were engaged in a brutal duel, the outcome of which would decide the battle. Whilst the two chapter masters fought with skill and savagery, Luscak fought with the fury and skill of a birthing demigod, his blows powerful and strong holding his own against the two Astartes and only growing stronger with every minute, soon the 2 astartes realised they had to do something soon or they would lose, Luscak then bellowed in laughter and contempt stating how pathetic these apparent scions of Leman Russ were, and how he would be ashamed to call them his sons.

This insult combined with the unholy things mere utterance of the name of their gene-father stoked in all the Scions of Russ assembled a fury and rage that gave them new strength and a greater desire than ever to slay these heretics, the Reavers and Howlers redoubled their attacks and Harwyn and Einar attacked with a renewed fury. The Daemon Prince and his bodyguard were taken a back and found themselves on the back foot, when Einar savaged the Daemon Prince's right leg, bringing him to his knees, Harwyn made for a killer blow but was knocked aside. Luscak made for the Dusk Howler with fury and soon brought him to the ground, declaring he would slay the wolf in the name of Slaanesh, but before his blade could come down Harwyn Bloodyhand came from the side and with one powerful blow embedded his axe into the left side of the Daemon Princes neck and brought the screaming champion to the ground as Einar retrieved his weapon and with the two Astartes with one simultaneous blow cut through the both sides of Luscaks neck, decapitating him before his ascension was complete, denying him the immortality he had so craved.

After the death of their leader the Prideful Blades' resistance crumbled, and the fortress was scoured of all life, as the fleet wiped the last remnants of the warband's navy. Only those who had been slaves to the warband were spared and freed, the rest put to the blade and bolter, the fallen dead were collected and charges were set on the reactor causing the fortress to be obliterated like most attacks on chaos forces the Reavers took only a few, non-corrupting trophies. The price the Dusk Howlers and Kraken Reavers had paid had not been cheap, but in exchange they had slain well over 700 traitor Astartes and a would-be Daemon Prince, ending a potentially major threat to the Imperium before it had been allowed to grow. Once again the Kraken Reavers invited the Dusk Howlers onto their Flagship for a Reavers Feast, which the Dusk Howlers accepted, the two chapters revelled together and boasted of their deeds and honoured their fallen. Einar was granted the seat of honour and he and Harwyn spent a long time speaking, drinking and boasting, the two chapters through battle and bloodshed had forged a deep bond of brotherhood and the Kraken Reavers and the Dusk Howlers had both earned the respect and kinship of the other, the closest bond the Kraken Reavers had ever formed with any Astartes.

Einar Nighthowler then suddenly rose from his seat and bellowed all be silent so he may speak, and the assembled Astartes fell silent and the *Draugoloth* spoke, he declared that the Kraken Reavers had earned the respect and admiration of the Dusk Howlers, now and forevermore, and that the Reavers had done the name of Russ proud, and that the Sons of Russ would be honoured to have the Kraken Reavers amongst them. A cheer was raised and soon the assembly began to cheer before Harwyn arose and bayed them be silent, he then thanked Einar for his words and told of how the Krakens had believed life alone was their way and that they had been destined to always be so, but the Dusk Howlers had proven that in fact kinship and brotherhood was the better way forward and so the Kraken Reavers would gladly accept the honour of joining the Sons of Russ.

## Chapter Home World

Hrímgard is a Death World located in the westernmost reaches of the Segmentum Pacificus near the borders of the Segmentum Obscurus, not far from the warp rift known as the Eye of Terror, from which the Forces of Chaos come forth from, to raid and pillage. This world of fire and ice serves as the Chapter homeworld and recruiting ground for the '*Vlka Hrímherjar*', the Dusk Howlers Chapter. Hrímgard is the location of Útgarðar, the Dusk Howlers' massive fortress-monastery, considered by Imperial savants to be one of mightiest bastions of Imperium of Man, almost on par with their progenitor's formidable citadel, The Aett, known by the wider Imperium as 'The Fang'. From their homeworld the Dusk Howlers maintain their vigil that began during the dawning of the 42nd Millennium and watch over a hundred other worlds besides. Their demesne stretches far and wide across the scattered stars that girdle the Hrímgardian Sector.

Hrímgard is dominated by extremes of climate, listed in official Imperial Cartigraphicae records as one of most deadly and turbulent worlds inhabited by humanity. Early Great Crusade expeditions by Rogue Traders deemed this world inimical to life, but as always, the early human settlers of this frozen outpost found a way not only to survive, bu to thrive. Before Old Night, this world was originally settled as a mining colony. The world of Hrímgard was rich in many of the ores used in the construction of space-faring vessels and technology used at the time. But with the advent of the horrendous warps storms and the Age of Strife, the stranded settlers were cut off from the outside world and were barely able to survive the harsh environment. Only the hardiest survived.

Over the following millennia, the forgotten technology of that era was irrevocably lost and the world became overrun by the denizens of Chaos. The survivors reverted to a barbaric state. This was the state of Hrímgard when this world was rediscovered by Adeptus Mechanicus Explorators in the latter years of M41. They saw a world that reflected the Space Wolves' own savage homeworld of Fenris. They knew almost immediately, that their search was over, and that the Space Wolves' successors would easily adapt to a similar environment.

The native tribes of Hrímgard prefer to live in the frigid, arctic lands with glaciers and heavy snowfall. Living in a very hostile and isolated region, the Hrímgardian warrior tribes are forced to rely on their resourcefulness and their unwavering courage to survive. They survive the harsh and unforgiving hell-winters by hunting amongst the icy tundra of the Frozen Wastes. They mostly eat meat, which they can hunt or kill for themselves. During the long, cruel winter months the days are short and the nights are unbearably long and snowy. Game becomes scarce, making the Hrímgardian hunter's task of foraging for food a race for survival. But during the long summer months when the snow caps melt and the fjords are free of ice, the Hrímgardian tribes take to their longboats and raid other settlements, plundering them for sustenance and wealth. Despite their savage reputation the Hrímgardians also survive by farming and herding, spreading to colonize faraway lands as opportunities present themselves. Where their intuitive natures and wanderlust takes them, they engage in trade; when other tribes encroach into their territories, they exact tribute. For millennia, the Hrímgardians have dominated the sea lanes and the few lands that possess forests, where wild game is plentiful.

### Hrímgardian Culture

For millennia, the image of the Hrímgardian warrior has engraved itself in the minds of those who have come in contact with this feral society; the image of the bloodthirsty barbarian with axe, sword and hide-covered armor. They are the epitome of savage fighters and terrifying raiders, sweeping across the continents of their frigid world and the water lanes of the turbulent seas. Although they are considered uncultured and primitive, these fierce people have developed a highly ritualistic and distinctive culture. The Hrímgardian people resemble Vikings from ancient Terran history. According to ancient legends, Hrímgard's original space-faring ancestors mixed their blood with that of the Frost Giants, thereby producing a robust and hearty race of humans who possess a near immunity to the cold and an affinity for battle. The origins of these tales are dubious at best, and the veracity of such claims is highly disputed by Imperial scholars as to the identity of this mysterious race of so-called 'giants'.

The Hrímgardian males build is robust; somewhat sinewy and very muscular. They have well-defined and rough-hewn features due to the constant exposure to the extreme elements of the harsh Hrímgardian winters. Most of the males possess long unkempt hair (sometimes worn braided), and they grow long, course beards. Hrímgardian males also have somewhat pale skin like those of their supposed distant Frost Giant cousins. The Hrímgardian females' builds are somewhat smaller; athletic and well-proportioned. They possess a frontier beauty that can only be found amongst such a hardy race of women. Their beautiful locks of hair are often worn in long, braided tresses. Hrímgardians can generally live to 100 years of age or older, although the males generally have shorter life spans than their female counterparts. If they are lucky they may survive to the ripe age of fifty years old if they are fortunate enough not to be killed in battle, by wild beasts, or the notoriously foul weather of their home world. It is a rare thing indeed to meet a Hrímgardan male of venerable age. An elder Hrímgardian is a warrior without peer, who has literally survived hundreds of battles and decades of Hrímgardian hell-winters, due to their fortitude, strength, cunning and intelligence. It is these venerable warriors who become a tribe's chieftain or *Jarl*.

Hrímgardians are robust and outspoken, unafraid to speak or act on impulse. They are somewhat boastful and known to be braggarts, but they will back up their words with either their fists or the sharpened edges of their battle-axes. *Einvig*, a duel to the death with no restrictions, are quite common when there are slights of honour. To a Hrímgardian, action literally speaks louder than words. Honour is another concept that the Hrímgardians have high regard for. Whether it is upon the field of battle, or defending one's pride when someone sullies their family name, honour must be maintained. The warriors of Hrímgard are brought up on the heroic sagas of the *Einherjar*, the mythical 'Sky-Warriors', maintaining a proud martial tradition. Even amongst the hardy Hrímgardian women, there are those individuals who wish to earn honour and glory in the heat of battle, thereby, securing themselves a place within the sagas. These female warriors are known as *Skjaldmær*, or 'Shieldmaidens', who fight alongside the men in battle with shield, sword, axe and spear.

To prove one's worth as a warrior to the other members of their tribe, a Hrímgardian warrior must constantly meet any challenge bestowed upon them by the venerable elders and senior warriors within their tribe. A young warrior must prove their battle prowess by acquiring numerous war trophies and battle scars if they are to be judged worthy. Some warriors are so dedicated to achieving this goal that they strive for nothing less than the chance to be immortalized forever in the form of a Hrímgardian epic saga. Years after their death, they will be remembered when the sagas are recited by the old shamans of their tribes during the 'The Feast of The Great Hunt', held every twenty years during the rising of the Hunter's Moon.

When a Hrímgardian has proved his worth or is slain in glorious battle they believe that they will earn a place amongst the honored ranks of the *Einherjar*. These are the fell-spirits of the warriors who died in glorious battle and were raised from the dead; chosen to continue fighting by the side of the Emperor, (whom Hrímgardians refer to as the 'All-Father') against the enemies of Mankind. According to the ancient Hrímgardian sagas the 'All-Father' will face Hel, the Goddess of Death and the underworld, and her other three aspects (lust, wrath, and transformation) and her daemonic hordes during the final days of all of creation, known as the *Ragnarøkkr*, or the 'End-Times'. It is every Hrímgardian's fondest wish to be judged worthy enough to join their God-Emperor in eternal battle. These fanatically devout warriors are constantly trying to prove their worth in battle through insane acts of bravery or by slaying the most enemies.

### Útgarðar

At the center of the planet's largest continent, Jǫtnarheim, the great citadel of Útgarðar, the 'Wolves Hould', hewn into the cliff face of the tallest mountain, within Hrímgard's highest peaks. Against the gathering dark of the dwindling atmosphere, tiny lights shine at the distant summit. The Hrímgardian tribes mark this habitation of the '*Einherjar*' - the 'Sky Warriors' - as the abode of the demigods, itself a tiny fraction of the bulk of that vast peak. Lesser summits are clustered around the formidable citadel in the shadow of the mighty peak, '*Forn einn*', the 'Ancient One'. The ways between the peaks are treacherous and known only to those who have trodden its paths as Aspirants. All are scarred with precipitous drops and deep crevasses. Some hunt-ways were built on solid stone, whereas others are on bridges of ice that will crumble to nothing with the first application of weight. Some lead true, taking the hunter from the clefts in the shadow of the summits down to the plains where their prey dwell; others lead nowhere but into darkness, to the caves that riddle the bowels of the ancient landscape, full of nothing but ice-gnawed bones and despair.

Over the long history of its existence, many times has Útgarðar stood inviolable while the Forces of Chaos have dashed themselves against it. Útgarðar is clad in armour of immense thickness and strength and is cloaked by void shields more powerful than those found on even the most mighty of the Imperial Navy's warships. The mountainside conceals potent defence lasers hidden within miles of dark shafts cut into the mountain itself. These ancient weapons, powered by geothermal reactors within the citadel's core, are capable of blasting apart even the most heavily armoured spacecraft from orbit. Even a ground assault would be considered suicidal, as Útgarðar possesses two external gates, known as the Sunrise Gate and the Wolves Heads Gate, built high up on the sheer sides of the mountain. These two gates connect at opposite ends of the internal region of the fortress known as the Vanirhould. The two gates were built to overlook entirely bare approaches, made up of huge causeways of stone, each kilometres wide and worn smooth by the endless gnawing of stone by the Helgard's high winds. If a mass advance upon these approaches was undertaken, they would provoke a slaughter. Even if an enemy were, by some miracle, able to reach one of the gates, which in themselves, are colossal structures comprised of adamantium, granite and ceramite, they bristle with all manner of deadly weaponry - twin-linked bolters turrets, static plasma cannons and missile launchers.

### Chapter Recruitment

The Dusk Howlers Chapter recruit from Hrímgard and the surrounding worlds of other systems occupied near their star system. Most of the colonists who settled the Hrímgard System came from the nearby systems of Novaya Zemlya and Norwegia. On Hrímgard and the other worlds in the surrounding systems, strangers clad in armour as black as shadow, stalk the lands. In the Jarl's long halls, tales are told of these strangers known as the Choosers of the Slain - who watch silently from the hills overlooking the battlefield, choosing those who show true valour and commit the most insane acts of courage. These warriors, though mortally wounded, are taken by the ebon-armoured 'Sky Warriors' to join the ranks of the Einherjar, never to be seen again. These mysterious strangers are the Wolf Priests of the Dusk Howlers. The youths they pick are tested to the extreme, to see if they are worthy to have the legacy of Leman Russ implanted into their bodies, and eventually become one of his chosen sons.

Those selected as potential Space Marines must undergo several initiation rights, the first of which is the Trial of Morkai. After partaking in a sacred ceremony where they imbibe the Canis Helix, the 'Spirit of the Wolf', the genetic cocktail drawn from the genome of Leman Russ is used as a catalyst to activate the genetically-engineered viral machinery of the Aspirant's gene-seed implants. This mixture is drunk from an ancient Chapter relic of the Dusk Howlers known as the *Cup of Russ*. After drinking from the *Cup of Russ*, the Aspirants are then taken through the Gates of Morkai, a mystic portal deep within Útgarðar, where every Aspirant's mind is picked and probed by the Chapter's Runecasters (Librarians) for signs of corruption or mental weakness that will make them easy prey for the blandishments of Chaos. These Aspirants are then taken by Thunderhawk gunship and dropped naked on the shores of the southern continent armed with only a combat knife. The Aspirants must then make their way through Niflheim, the inhospitable tundras and hinterlands that surrounded the foot of the mountains of Helgard. If the Aspirant returns to Útgarðar from this Trial of Morkai, he is implanted with the remaining components of the Dusk Howlers' gene-seed, which stabilise the effects of the Helix. Although this procedure is extremely hazardous, the remaining components of the Dusk Howlers' gene-seed will prove ineffective at initiating the metamorphosis into an Astartes unless the Canis Helix is implanted first to serve as a catalyst for the transformation.

## Notable Campaigns

* **The Múspellsheimr Excoriation (010.M42)** - Following the destruction of Cadia and the formation of the Great Rift, warp storms emanated from the massive tear in reality, engulfing nearby systems as the shadow of the Archenemy fell upon them. The isolated Helheim System was no exception, as the various worlds of the system were forced to struggle to survive against the encroaching denizens of the Warp and their Chaos cultist allies that had remained hidden, but now emerged from the shadows, to help bring about the corruption of their worlds and have them subjugated by their dark masters. After nearly a decade following their inception, the Archenemy finally turned its eyes upon the home system of the Bloodied Hunters (another Space Wolves Successor Chapter) as a large Khornate warhost materialised within the system to slaughter and enslave the system's worlds. Despite the overwhelming forces arrayed against them, the Bloodied Hunters refused to back down from a challenge, standing steadfast in the face of imminent destruction. The various Great Companies currently engaged on their own separate Hunts were recalled back to their home system, to help take part in its defence against the forces of Khorne. Heavily engaged with the crazed Berserker forces and their daemonic foes, the Bloodied Hunters were determined to make the Forces of Chaos pay dearly for their temerity, but inevitably, they were pushed back to their home world of Múspellsheimr, where they would make their final stand. Surrounded on all sides by the forces of the Blood God, the Bloodied Wolves were determined to sell their lives dearly and earn a beautiful death, as they faced annihilation. Only with the timely arrival of additional crusading Imperial forces, spearheaded by Dusk Howlers and Crimson Prowlers Chapters, was the Bloodied Hunters' imminent slaughter halted. The triumvirate of Sons of Russ Chapters fought with all the ferocity and passion inherent in their savage genetic lineage, acquitting themselves as true inheritors of the Wolf King, and driving the blood-maddened berserkers on their heels. Quickly, the forces of Khorne were subdued as the tide of battle turned in the Imperial's favour, forcing the Khornate warhost to withdraw or face destruction at the fury-driven Sons of Russ. In the battle's aftermath, the Great Hunter invited the Chapter Masters of both cousin Chapters to the Bloodied Hunters' fortress-monastery to feast and revel in their victory. During this auspicious occasion, the three Chapters came to an accord and agreed to form an unofficial collective - the Sons of Russ - to stand eternal watch over the Eye of Terror, and stand as permanent allies to one another.

## Chapter Organisation

The Dusk Howlers Chapter is known across the galaxy for its martial exploits. Of all the Space Marines, the Dusk Howlers, like their progenitors, the Space Wolves, are most like their Primarch in character. Uncouth, undisciplined and barbaric by comparison to the other Chapters, the Space Wolves were nonetheless a powerful force of arms, admired by their allies and feared by their foes. Leman Russ was never one for following rules; as long as his Space Marines were prepared to fight and die for him, he was satisfied. He knew his troops had superb battlefield instincts and he trusted them to achieve their objectives without being burdened with a host of what he regarded as petty regulations. Because of this, the organisation and structure of the Dusk Howlers are quite different from that of other more *Codex*-oriented Chapters. Like their forebears, the Dusk Howlers Chapter is organised into twelve Great Companies, each one a sizeable army numbering many hundreds of warriors. The Great Companies are more akin to barbarian warbands than to formal military organisations, each led by a mighty Wolf Lord.

The Dusk Howlers is a close-knit brotherhood and there is a great deal of respect and comradeship between the Space Marines from Hrímgard and the warriors of Fenris. The Chapter's first officer corps and elite Wolf Guard were initially drawn from the populations of both Terra and Fenris.

### Formations

"*A party of armed men numbering less than seven are thieves;
between seven and thirty-five are a band;
more than that is an army.*"
— Traditional Hrímgardian saying in regards to the organisational structure of their fighting forces.
* ***Ngaurhoth*** - *Nagaurhoth* is a Hrímgardian word for a 'Wolf-Horde'; Chapter equivalent.
* ***Naurohoth*** - Hrímgardian word that means 'Great Company'; Company equivalent.
* ***Gaurhoth*** - Hrímgardian word that means 'Wolf-Host', also referred to as a 'Pack'; Demi-Company equivalent.
* ***Kló*** - Hrímgardian word that means 'Claw'; Squad formation equivalent.

### Officer Ranks

* ***Draugoloth*** - Hrímgardian word that means 'King Wolf', the *Draugoloth* is the Dusk Howlers' equivalent of a Chapter Master. The *Draugoloth* is chosen by acclamation from amongst the Chapter's Wolf Lords upon the death of his forebear, and he will remain the King Wolf until his own death.
* **Wolf Lords** - A Wolf Lord ('*Jarl*') is the Dusk Howlers' officer who is the equivalent of a standard Space Marine Captain and who commands one of the 12 Great Companies that comprise the full Dusk Howlers' military force. A Wolf Lord may be accompanied by the huge Hrímgardian Wolves and is always protected by a contingent of Hearth Guard specifically loyal to him. The Chapter's Great Companies are led by the 12 current Wolf Lords, a number that includes the current Draugoloth, Einar Nighthowler. Much of the time the attrition rate for Wolf Lords is fairly significant because of the Chapter's preference for close combat.
* **Pack Leader** - A Pack Leader ('*Thegn*') is the Dusk Howlers' equivalent to a standard Primaris Marine Lieutenant. They often act as the right hand of the Wolf Lords by providing flexibility and helping to direct their battle-brothers in engagements. They will often lead part of a Great Company when it is divided into two 'Packs' (also called a '*Gaurhoth*' or 'Wolf-Host'; Demi-Company equivalent) in order to spread their forces across multiple combat zones.

### Specialist Ranks

"*Even in the sheath the sword must be sharp – so too must the mind and the spirit be within the body.*"
— Deathspeaker Harald Freysgothi ('Spirit Champion of the Wolf Spirit') of Fyf (5th Great Company).
* **Goði** - Collectively, the various Chapter specialists of the Dusk Howlers are known as goði or 'priests'. There are number of priests within the Chapter, including:
	+ ***Skaði Talare*** - '*Skaði Talare*', which means 'Deathspeakers' in Hrímgardian Juvyk, are a unique officer class within the Chapter. A combination of the roles of Chaplain and Apothecary found other Chapters, the Deathspeakers administer to the physical and mental well-being of the Chapter's warriors and also choose the Aspirants for the Chapter from among the feral barbarian tribes of Hrímgard.
		- ***Banamaðr*** - '*Banamaðr*', which means 'Bane Executioner' in Hrímgardian Juvyk, are a unique officer class that fulfills the role of a Primaris Judiciar. These warriors are selected for their steadfastness in their duties, and who have demonstrated the strongest loyalty to the spirit of the Wolf King and the Allfather. Following the acceptance of their new role, these individuals assume a vow of silence, their valiant deeds preaching a litancy of righteous fury. In battle they wield an arcane device known as a *Tempormortis*, an hourglass-shaped device that is used to slow the progression of time in a limited area around an enemy unit, allowing them to kill their foes contempuously easy. They make short work of their prey with immense Executioner Relic Blades, decapitating their foes with powerful swings. Only by proving their worth in battle will they be chosen to become a Deathspeaker proper, doing so through acts of devotion and the slaying of many enemies.
	+ ***Spákona*** - The Dusk Howlers do not possess Librarians as such because of their great abhorrence of psychic abilities, which they equate with foul sorcery; instead the Chapter maintains a number of warrior-mystics known as '*Spákona*', which means 'One who sees' in Hrímgardian Juvyk (known commonly as 'Æther Seers'). Like the Space Wolves' Rune Priests, these potent psykers consider themselves a breed apart from the Librarians of other Chapters. They manipulate the powers of the Æther through little-understood runic matrices and adopted the ritualistic practices of Freyan shamans. They provide the Chapter with prognostication and shield it from Empyreal threats. They are also responsible for the important task of examining the minds of all Aspirants of the Chapter for any sign of Chaotic taint or treachery. Armed and equipped differently from Librarians, Æther Seers wear ancient runic artificer armour gifted to them by their genetic forebears. When they call upon their unique abilities, they are aided by a unique lattice of psycho-memetic pattern field technology incorporated into the armour which helps safeguard their person against outside forces as well as preventing them from drawing too much power from the Warp. Uniquely, Æther Seers do not wear psychic hoods and do not always carry force weapons, what the Dusk Howlers prefer to call Runic Weapons. In battle, Æther Seers are actually quite potent psykers in their own right and are as fierce as any man born of Hrímgard.
	+ ***Járnsmiðr*** - The Priests of Iron are the Chapter's equivalent of Techmarines. Known by their brothers as 'Iron-Thanes', they are formally referred to as '*Járnsmiðr*', which means 'weapon-smiths' in Hrímgardian Juvyk. Sent off for training at Mars with the Adeptus Mechanicus like all Techmarines, they possess an iron mask of vast technological lore behind their outwardly barbaric show of tech-mysticism. Their role is not simply to supply their Chapter with arms and maintain their wargear, butto ensure it is as self-sufficient as possible. They also stand guard over certain troves of weaponry and schematic patterns gifted to them by the Iron Priests of Fenris and uniquely developed by these ancient artificers. Priests of Iron are traditionally attached to the King Wolf's Company and re-assigned to other fighting forces on a situational basis. Iron Priests also have a place in the transformation and initiation of new recruits.
* ***Einheri*** - Equivalent to a Chapter Champion, '*Einheri*' means 'Great Champion' in Hrímgardian Juvyk. This individual is hand-picked by the Draugoloth himself; chosen for their skill-at-arms and personal valour, rather than rank. Only those who commit the greatest acts of extreme personal valour are even considered. However, these are not the only factors. An *Einheri* is also selected based on their demonstrated record of humility where others strive for personal glory. Their loyalty and extreme devotion to the protection of the Draugoloth is their primary duty, even when matching blades with the deadliest of foes in the heat of battle. This chosen warrior is further trained in the arts of duelling by the Chapter's various champions of each Great Company until their very body is a weapon and their every instinct is honed to a razor's edge.
* ***Kæmpe*** - Equivalent to a Company Champion, '*Kæmpe*' means 'Champion' in Hrímgardian Juvyk. The chosen champion is a consummate warrior and is a Great Company's finest warrior, charged with engaging warlords and champions of an enemy in single combat. Their primary function is to act as their Jarl's personal bodyguard and lay down their life if necessary. It is the role of a *Kæmpe* to engage the deadliest foes, to leave their Jarl free to conduct the wider battle, rather than engaging in a series of personal combats. These superlative duellists are ready to challenge any enemy leader to single combat in his commander's stead at any given moment.
* **Sons of Múspel**- The Dreadnoughts of the Dusk Howlers are generally ancient and wise warriors, who spend a great deal of time in dreamless sleep beneath Útgarðar. These were the first Terran and Fenrisian Aspirants of initial candidates who were inducted into the Primaris Project and eventually became the first Primaris Space Marines. Many of them can still recall when Russ still walked amongst men and of his powerful presence when they first boarded the transports that ferried them to the flesh labs beneath the surface of Mars. These venerable brothers are only awakened from their deep slumber in times of great need.
	+ ***The Eldthursar*** - The '*Eldthursar*' are the most violent of the Sons of Múspel, as the Dusk Howlers style their Dreadnought cadres. Most often these warriors have suffered terribly before being placed within the Dreadnought's sarcophagus and the pain of their death drives them to bouts of killing mania when left conscious. Rarely are they awoken unless the Chapter requires the utter annihilation of the enemy, for these war engines are not subtle weapons.

### Line Ranks

* **Claw Leader** - A Claw Leader is the Dusk Howlers' equivalent to a standard Space Marine Sergeant, who leads a 'Claw' (Squad).
* **Wolf-Brother** - Battle-Brother equivalent.
* **Ulfr Húnn** - Translated as 'wolf pup'; Neophyte equivalent.
* **Skó-sveinn** - Translated as 'page'; Aspirant equivalent.

### Wolf Packs

Like their genetic forebears, the Dusk Howlers form their Battle-Brothers into Packs. Each Pack will generally be made up of Astartes who have fought together for some time and will work together as a pack of Hrímgardian Wolves do on the hunt. For the Dusk Howlers their finely honed senses of smell and hearing are just as important to them as their keen eyesight. Packs will work together to sniff and sound out their foes, hunting their prey like the wolves of Hrímgard, identifying the locations of their comrades as much by their enhanced sense of smell as by any technological means. The Dusk Howlers have four primary types of Packs in the Chapter, including; the Blooded Claws, Grey Slayers, White Beards, and the Hearth Guard. There are also Wolf Scouts, who are an oddity amongst the Adeptus Astartes.

"*When they go into battle, it is a disgrace for the chief to be surpassed in valour, a disgrace for his followers not to equal the valour of the chief. And it is an infamy and a reproach for life to have survived the chief, and returned from the field. To defend, to protect him, to ascribe one's own brave deeds to his renown, is the height of loyalty. The chief fights for victory; his vassals fight for their chief.*"
— Hrímgardian traditional rights and responsibilities from ruler to warrior and from warrior to his lord.
* ***Vaerangi*** - On Hrímgard, a Jarl will often choose those closest to him to be his boon companions, a Hrímgardian tradition carried over from the hirð warbands. In return for their loyalty throughout their lives, the hirð receive special consideration. If the leader is a Jarl or other reaver, then the hirð receives the first choice of the spoils. If the leader is a petty king, then the hirð sits at the head of his table, drinking mead as well as ale, and their Lord gifts them with arm rings of silver, coats of fine mail, weapons, food and lodging. So long as the leader can fulfil his side of the bargain and bring them glory and riches, the hirð are pledged to stand at his side, be his men in all things, and die with him in battle. Similarly, a Wolf Lord will hand-pick a core group of Dusk Howlers who are utterly loyal and have achieved feats of exceptional valour and martial prowess, to serve as his *Vaerangi* or '*Hearth Guard*'. These mighty Astartes can lead smaller forces of Dusk Howlers drawn from other Packs, serve as the Dusk Howlers' version of an Honour Guard for the most experienced warrior in a deployed Dusk Howlers force or serve as the Pack leader for a Great Company's squads, imparting their knowledge and experience to their younger charges and serving as the equivalent of standard Space Marine Sergeants.

In true Hrímgardian tradition, in addition to access to the best suits of power armour and the most advanced wargear available to the Chapter, the Hearth Guard have earned the right to wear Terminator Armour. Unlike other Chapters, entrance into the elite ranks of the Hearth Guard is not the result of seniority or Veteran status but is an honour earned directly through merit, through the display of extraordinary acts of courage and heroism under fire. Eventually, it is possible for a Hearth Guard to rise to the position of Wolf Lord, the mighty officer equivalent to standard Space Marine Captains who command one of the 12 Great Companies that comprise the entirety of the Chapter. Because a position in the Hearth Guard is so rewarding and envied by the warriors of the Chapter, there are always those who are eager for glory and a chance to be forever remembered within the Chapter's sagas. This can lead to some friendly rivalry between competing warriors, eager to draw a Wolf Lord's attention to their martial prowess in the heat of battle. But sometimes rivals will choose to settle a dispute of honour through *holmgang* - a ritual trial by combat. But on rare occasions, there is such bitter resentment and ire between competing rivals, that the only way to settle the dispute is through an *einvigi* - a duel to the death.
	+ ***Húskarls*** - Each Wolf Lord maintains a cadre of elite Hearth Guard, comprising the very finest of the warriors under his command. Einar Nighthowler is no exception, and maintains perhaps the largest Hearth Guard of all the Wolf Lords, counting among its number many of the greatest warriors in the entire Chapter. Einar's Hearth Guard is so large that it is split into several smaller Packs, many of which have earned great renown for their deeds, yet when they gather for war at the Draugoloth's side they are collectively known as '*Húskarls*' or the 'Kingsguard'. These Champions of Hrímgard, the "Fangs of Nighthowler," are always at the King Wolf's call, accompanying him into every battle and commanding his armies when the needs of war call him away. Nighthowler's Kingsguard defend him with their lives and slay without mercy those who would raise blades against the master of the Dusk Howlers. They are the shield and sword of the Draugoloth, fending off enemy attacks before landing the killing blow. To face the Kingsguard of Hrímgard in battle is to face death itself.
	+ **Ursine Cavalry** -      Ursine Cavalry units are a sub-group of the Wolf Guard. According to official Imperial records, the Ice-Bear Cavalry doesn't exist and the Dusk Howlers keep them as a closely guarded secret. Ursine Cavalry is composed of a sleuth of giant Hrímgardian Ice-Bears that stand about the height of over fifteen feet, and are used as mounts by the most elite members of the Hearth Guard. These ice bears are often augmented with adamantium jaws, Imperial bionics, and black-jointed metal limbs that end in razor-sharp blades. The havoc that these creatures are capable of wreaking is said to be startling to even a hardened Veteran Astartes. The taming of an Ice-Bear is often used as a ritual trial for a Dusk Howler Astartes who wishes to rise into the ranks of the Hearth Guard.

* **White Beards** - Within the Dusk Howlers Chapter the White Beards form a cadre of elite veteran warriors. Wisened and hoary with age, these proud and stoic warriors quite literally possess 'white beards', for as they age, their hair will grow course and grey, and eventually turn snow white. They are also endowed with long fangs, for as a Dusk Howler ages his canines lengthen. After centuries of long wars, their esteem stands as a mountain, commanding awe and respect from those of lesser years. There are relatively few White Beards within the Chapter, for many warriors die in battle due to their violent lives and taking part in ceaseless conflict. Only a small minority manage to survive to reach a venerable age. Their saga is almost complete.

These veteran warriors are the oldest living members of the Chapter outside those sorely wounded kindred who are entombed in the chassis of a Dreadnought. They are some of the most ancient members of the Chapter, often being a part of one of the earliest inductions into the Chapter sometime after the Great Scouring millennia earlier. They are renowned for their disciplined and steady demeanour even in the heat of battle and hence are entrusted with the Great Company's heavy weapons. They are the equivalent of a Primaris Chapter's Aggressors and Hellblaster Squads. Some of these venerable warriors are arrayed in modified suits of Mark X Gravis pattern power armour refitted to carry shoulder-mounted missile launchers, they are tasked with heavy long-range fire support. In battle they are also armed with Flame Gauntlets that allow them to unleash blazing streams of promethium, mowing down any foes foolish enough to get in close proximity of these deadly warriors.

Having fought and survived so many wars the White Beards are rarely unsettled even by the most serious setback. There are many accounts within the Chapter's history that recount the deeds of the stalwart White Beards, who have held the field against overwhelming odds, even after all others have fled or been slain. Others go into battle armed with Mark III Belisarius pattern Plasma Incinerators, their mission - to provide covering fire to their battleline and close support brethren - usually in the form of the assassination of prime targets, counter-battery volleys or the destruction of enemy armour. Through their use of target selection, superior marksmanship and the timely application of firepower, the White Beards have achieved many victories in the face of overwhelming odds during countless battles.

* **Grey Slayers** - If Blooded Claws survive long enough to mature into seasoned Astartes, they are promoted to the ranks of the Grey Slayers. These veteran Astartes are the equivalent of a Chapter's Tactical Marines. The Grey Slayer packs form the greater mass of the Dusk Howlers' warriors. They are strong and resolute fighters, tempered by battle but as hungry for honour as any proud warrior of Hrímgard. They are experienced warriors, dour and sombre, proud of their skills, and rightly honoured by their younger brethren. In battle, they function as all but autonomous units in the field and are largely exempt from the reliance on direct commands from their senior command. They are expected to deal with myriad challenges on their own if need be, and above all to close with the enemy on their own terms; to seek and destroy.
* **Blooded Claws** - A Blooded Claw is a newly inducted Astartes of the Dusk Howlers Chapter and the equivalent of a Chapter's Neophytes or Scout Marines. Still struggling to control the spirit of the wolf within, Blooded Claws are notoriously savage and fiercely aggressive. These hot-headed young warriors cannot wait to prove themselves, charging in howling packs at the front lines of the enemy in their efforts to garner personal glory. They prefer to fight at close quarters and are armed with melee weapons such as chainswords and bolt pistols. The Blooded Claws are the shock troops of the Dusk Howlers and spearhead the majority of assaults. If they survive to become mature and capable warriors, they will eventually be elevated to the veteran ranks of the Grey Slayers.
	+ **Lightning Claws** - A subset of the Blooded Claws, the Lightning Claws are culled from the ranks of the Blooded Claws when the Chapter needs a swift, hard-hitting assault force comprised of bike squads or land speeders. The young and ambitious Blooded Claws are well suited to this role. In addition to forming a lightning assault force, Lightning Claws are also responsible for performing scouting missions and conducting guerrilla attacks deep behind enemy lines. These specialised troops operate as the eyes and ears of their Chapter in the field. Utilising their chief advantage, which is speed, the Lightning Claws' all-Terran armoured ground bikes are able to cover ground far quicker than infantry and go where heavier vehicles cannot. Occasionally they are tasked by a Wolf Lord with a dangerous quest to track down and slay a particularly powerful foe. Given the opportunity to show the maximum amount of carnage and disruption possible, these young warriors apply themselves with particular relish in the performance of their duties. Some Blooded Claws are so taken by this role -- not to mention the opportunities for raising havoc that come along with it -- that they demand the right to a permanent position as a Lightning Claw.
	+ ***Vindthursar*** - The *Vindthursar* ('*Wind-Giants*') are a subset of Blooded Claws. This specialist unit is composed of the most headstrong troublemakers from each Blooded Claw pack and is often "rewarded" by reassignment to a *Vindthursar* Assault Pack and thus serve as the Chapter's equivalent of Primaris Inceptors. These heavy assault units are entrusted with variant reinforced Mark X Gravis power armour and equipped with heavy jump packs, which feature duel cylindrical main thrusters, lateral manoeuvring jets and in-built grav chutes to help control low-orbit drop speeds. Equipped with such formidable wargear, this provides the young warriors with the opportunity to indulge in their desire of breaking the back of any foe, cracking open their lines and sending the remnants of their army fleeing in sheer terror.

	Heedless of the inherent dangers, *Vindthursar* are well-suited for this dangerous role, as they must be fast, aggressive and hard-hitting in order to make such breakthrough attacks. It is said amongst the more experienced Battle-Brothers of the Chapter that if these youngsters wish to slake their reckless bloodthirst, let them, and if they die in the process then they will still learn a valuable lesson. Though considered a dubious honour by their more mature brethren, the *Vindthursar* are bound and determined to prove themselves in the eyes of their elders. Unafraid and uncaring, they drop from the very edge of a planet's atmospheric envelope and leap from the assault bays of low-orbiting attack craft. Once they lock their jump coordinates on their primary targets, they jet towards their objective like living missiles. The *Vindthursar* take great joy in watching the enemy crumble beneath the reckless fury of their airborne assault as they land with ground-shattering force and open fire immediately with their bulky but rapid-firing assault bolters in a hail of deadly fire. Truly the most rebellious and free-spirited of all the Dusk Howlers, the *Vindthursar* constantly try to prove themselves. They are known to compete against Packs of Blooded Claws through friendly contests of combat prowess and achieving the highest number of foes slain in battle.

"*Where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.*"
— *Vargar* Olaf Nightmane ('Apex Hunter of the Bloody Stalker Pack'), Grey Slayer, 2nd Pack of For (4th Great Company).
* ***Vargr*** - For some Dusk Howlers Astartes, the close-knit and boisterous brotherhood of a Pack (Platoon) is not well suited to their personality, as they yearn for the open spaces and isolation of the Hrímgardian tundra. Preferring to operate in small, elite cadres known as Claws (squad-sized formations), these warriors are selected to become part of a Great Company's *Vargar* ('*Wraith Wolves*') force. This unique combat specialist formation is tasked with performing rapid infiltration and lightning assaults. They are akin to the standard Primaris Reiver Squads of other Primaris Chapters.

As elite assault specialists the *Vargar* are given further specialised training and the finest wargear. Arrayed in Mark X Reiver pattern power armour which has been modified to display a lupine-skull helm, they are the embodiment of the hunger of death that lies in the heart of their inherited genetic heritage of Russ. Their battle-plate is forged with lighter ceramite and a streamlined design, which allows for greater mobility, and its servo-motors are engineered to be completely silent. Unlike other Scions of Russ, the *Vargar* are masters of terror tactics, utilising their fearsome appearance and vox-amplified roars to stun their enemies, as they scythe down whole enemy units in a cacophony of bolt carbine fire, grenade detonations and deadly blades. The resultant slaughter sees their fallen enemies strewn about the battlefield - broken and lifeless - a perfect psychological tool that sows fear and confusion in the ranks of their still-living foes.

* ***Björndrengr*** - A martial tradition taken from the native people of Hrímgard, the *björndrengr* (translated in Low Gothic as 'Bear Warrior') is a lone warrior who seeks his own skein of fate by cementing his legend through individual feats of great battlefield prowess, to be told in the warrior sagas in the drinking halls of longhouses throughout Hrímgard. The totem animal of the *björndrengr* is, as the name implies, the bear. This Hrímgardian term is a reference to the practice of dressing in a ritual costume made from the hide of the totem animal, an outward reminder of the wearer's having gone beyond the confines of his humanity and become a divine predator. To become a *björndrengr*, a warrior must undergo a process before being admitted into this elite group of warriors. They spend a period in the wilderness, living like their totem animal and learning its ways, obtaining their sustenance through hunting, gathering, and raiding the nearest towns. The bond with the savage world is indicated not only on the geographic plane – life beyond the limits of the civilized life of the towns - but also on what many civilised Imperial scholars would consider a moral plane. The *björndrengr*'s existence is assured by the law of the wilderness. The candidate ceases to be an ordinary human being and becomes instead a 'bear-man', more a part of the forest than of civilization. Henceforth, the *björndrengr* has the ability to induce a state of possession by his kindred beast, acquiring its strength, fearlessness, and fury.

This ancient shamanistic practice is still venerated and observed by the Astartes of the Dusk Howlers. Within their ranks, such warriors are usually young and gifted Astartes who undergo a similar right. They go into the wilderness to seek out and slay a fearsome Hrímgardian Ice-Bear that roams the vast tracts of Niflheim - the inhospitable tundras and hinterlands that surrounded the foot of the mountains of Helgard. Upon slaying their quarry, these warriors forever after clad themselves in the pelt of the ferocious ice-bear. Like their totem animal, *björndrengr* are known to congregate into a group, known as a 'sleuth', and seek to do battle with the most fearsome of foes.

Armed with a variety of melee and assault weaponry, the *björndrengr* seek to emulate their totem animal, and unleash their calculated brutality and savagery upon their foes. Performing the roles of Assault Intercessors of other Primaris Chapters, these berserk warriors are usually placed within the ranks of the Chapter's most formidable shock assault elements of a Great Company. Whilst in the throes of a berserk frenzy these battle-brothers seek nothing more in battle than to rush into close quarters with the enemy and tear them apart in a hail of blood, seeking to accomplish great deeds of heroism and valour upon the field of battle, so that they will be remembered in the Chapter's sagas for all time. Some of the older Dusk Howlers see these warriors as blowhards and impetuous, while their younger brethren in the Blooded Claws see them as inspirations to aspire to.

* ***Úlfheðnar*** - Over time, as a Dusk Howlers Pack takes casualties and gains experience, they pass through the ranks, and eventually the last few survivors make it into the vaunted ranks of the Hearth Guard. However, sometimes a Pack will suffer particularly harsh casualties, leaving a lone survivor who has not yet earned a place in the Hearth Guard. Úlfheðnar (pronounced "oolv-HETH-nahr" with a hard "th" as in "the;" Hrímgardian Juvyk for "wolf-hides") are the last standing warriors of a pack. Like their *björndregnr* kin, the lone warrior will undertake a Lone Hunt into the unforgiving wilderness of Niflheim - to seek out and slay a mighty Hrímgardian Dire Wolf. These powerful lupine predators are descended from the infamous Fenrisian Wolves that were originally brought to Hrímgard from Fenris when the Chapter was Founded and later settled upon their home world. Once they successfully find their quarry and slay the beast, the lone warrior will then don the pelt of the slain wolf - in effect, he'll ritualistically take on the spirit of his chosen animal totem. These lone warriors are known to possess an air of vengeance and doom.

An Úlfheðnar is vengeance incarnate - who will stop at nothing to avenge his fallen kinsmen, hurling himself into the thick of the fighting without hesitation so that he may win great glory or earn a magnificent death in battle. Úlfheðnar vow to seek out the most monstrous foes they can find and slay them. The Dusk Howlers hold true to the belief that only through deeds of incredible heroism or sacrifice can such a warrior atone for his survival and restore the honour of his dead packmates. So does every Úlfheðnar swear a mighty oath to seek out the mightiest foes and slay them in glorious combat, or die in the attempt. Those who succeed in their quests to seek out and slay dangerous or potent enemies and survive are accepted into the Hearth Guard, while the rest have at least earned an honourable death in combat like their packmates.

### The *Harmrammir*

* **Were-Kin** - The so-called 'Were-Kin' or '*Hamrammir*' ('Shape Shifters'), are those warriors of the Chapter who walk beneath the shadow of the 'Curse of the Wulfen' more keenly than their fellow Wolf-Brothers. The potent genetic trait, known as the Canis Helix within their gene-seed, is responsible for investing the Get of Russ with acute predatory senses of Fenrisian Wolves native to the Space Wolves' homeworld of Fenris. However, some warriors are more susceptible to the dark spirit of the beast that rages within all those that descend from the lineage of the Wolf King. Those affected by this genetic mutation will transform into savage, malformed lupine mutants. Those brothers who succumb to the curse degenerate into savage, malformed parodies of their brethren, in most cases during their training, but in others many years later in the heat of battle. These brothers that are touched by the curse are banded together into Great Company Tra (Three), the so-called 'Berserker Wolves', led by their Jarl, Wolf Lord Bulveye Bloodaxe. Here, their feral ferocity can be brought to bear en masse, as well as contained for the safety of the rest of the Chapter.

These 'Were-Kin' packs are often led into battle by the Chapter's Deathspeakers, and it is theorised that these individuals play a vital role in controlling the excesses of the Wulfens' curse. Deathspeakers are the keepers of the genetic lore passed down to them in a direct line from Russ, and appear to be the only men able to control a Wolf-Brother when the Were is upon them. The Deathspeakers obviously act as guardians, leading these packs of Were-Kin in combat, and ministering to their charges between conflicts.

These packs often fight independently on the battlefield, often acting as a spearhead or a shock assault force. Most theorise that the reason for this is due to the Were-Kin's nearly uncontrolled savagery when they are loosed upon the foe. However, the real reason they are kept apart from their fellow wolf-brothers is that it appears that being in close proximity to or having contact with an unaffected warrior can be sufficient to infect their uncorrupted brethren. The exact reason for this is unclear. Though the Wolf Priests of the Space Wolves had hoped that the Primaris could be the key to a cure for the affliction, it appears that their new brothers are also susceptible to the Curse.

### Order of Battle

The Dusk Howlers maintain the organisation structure in accordance with Great Wolf Logan Grimnar's 'Kin-Pack Declaration', following the formation of the Sons of Russ collective. The Dusk Howlers have made every attempt to abide by the letter of the declaration, maintaining the proscribed weapons loadouts and tactics assigned to the various packs, however, like all sons of Russ, they too possess a fiercely independent spirit, and have applied the declaration in their own way. Though similar in organisation and structure, the Dusk Howlers maintain their own unique ranks and titles in accordance with the cultural traditions of their adopted homeworld of Hrímgard.

However, like their progenitors, the Dusk Howlers also do not abide by the structures laid out in the *Codex Astartes*, preferring to organise themselves with the same Chapter structure consisting of 12 Great Companies of warriors of varying and often irregular strengths. The Great Companies are fully self-contained, autonomous military forces able to meet a variety of threats head-on in almost any environment. Self-reliant and headstrong, these autonomous formations maintain their own forges, traditions and customs. The size of each Great Company varies in size and fluctuates rapidly due to attrition or extensive long-range deployments.

Each of these Great Companies is commanded by a Wolf Lord (known alternatively as a '*Jarl*'), which is equivalent to the Captains of other Chapters. They are the supreme rulers of their brotherhood of warriors and are masters of their respective armouries that contain their powerful wargear, master-crafted weapons as well as powerful war engines. They also command a fleet of warships in which to ply the Sea of Stars, to take the fight directly to the enemies of Mankind in their own domains, if need be. Upon the death of the previous Wolf Lord and the elevation of his replacement, the new Wolf Lord will select a sigil from Fenrisian or Hrímgardian myths to represent both the Wolf Lord and his Great Company.

Beneath the Jarls are the Pack Leaders (or '*Thegns*'), champions possessing great tactical acumen and leadership. These junior officers serve as the right-hand of a Jarl and are equivalent to a Primaris Lieutenant of other Chapters. Pack Leaders are hand-picked from amongst the ranks of the *Vaerangi* ('Hearth Guard'). Acting as mentors and leading forces of their own, the most aggressive and impulsive often choose to ride to war on the back of a great Hrímgardian Ice-Bear as a part of the Chapter's Ursine Cavalry, at the head of ferocious charges. In battle, they often divide a Great Company into two demi-companies called Packs (also called '*Gaurhoth*' or a 'Wolf-Host')

#### Draugoloth's Great Company

The Great Company of Einar Nighthowler is the greatest company within the ranks of the Dusk Howlers. Heroes all, none are more so than the stalwart and fanatically loyal warriors of Einar Nighthowler's own Great Company. For over a century, the 'King Wolf' has commanded his warriors into battle on war-torn worlds across the width and breadth of the galaxy, in some of the deadliest warzones. The Nighthowler's '*Húskarls*' (or 'Kingsguard') accompany the Draugoloth wherever he may go, especially into the thickest of the battle, slaying the enemy without mercy and willingly laying down their lives if necessary. Amognst these Champions of Hrímgard, known collectively as the "Fangs of Nighthowler", number some of the Dusk Howlers' greatest warriors and boast the largest Hearth Guard in the Chapter, each one a renowned fighter and skilful leader.

As of 111.M42, this is the current disposition of the Draugoloth's Great Company:

**Personal icon of the King Wolf**
**Draugoloth Einar Nighthowler**
***Einheri* Wulfgar Umberclaw**
**Chapter Champion**
**5 *Húskarl* Claws (Squads)**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**4 White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**6 Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**3 Blooded Claws (Squads)**
**2 Lightning Claws (Squads)**
**1 *Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claw (Squad)**
**2 *Björndrengr* Sleuths (Squads)**
**1 *Úlfheðnar* Claw (Squad)**
***Jarskaði Talare* Ulfrich Thunderhowl**
**Chief Deathspeaker**
***Jarspákona* Halvar Stormstrider**
**Chief Æther Seer**
***Vini Járnsmiðr* Vorlund Ironaxe**
**Master of the Forge**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeakers)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seers)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Weapon-Smiths)** | **Wúlfrich Bloodfang**

#### Great Companies

**Wolf Lord Einar Redclaw**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe* Brynjar Hammerhand**
**(Company Champion)**

***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Bulveye Bloodaxe**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Were-Kin Packs (Squads)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Sigurd Helsdawn**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Steinar Icewind**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Erik Fyrebeard**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Grimjac Blutwyrm**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Halvard Fellpaw**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Ivar Krakenbane**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**

**Wolf Lord Bran Direhowl**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Gunnar Bloodiron**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**
**Wolf Lord Jorin Red-Blade**
**Thegn**
**Thegn**

***Kæmpe***
**(Company Champion)**
***Vaerangi* Claws (Squads)**
**Honour Guard**

**Command Squad:**
***Skaði Talare* (Deathspeaker)**
***Spákona* (Æther Seer)**
***Járnsmiðr* (Iron-Thane)**
***Merkiberar* (Standard Bearer)**

**White Beard Claws (Squads)**
**Grey Slayer Claws (Squads)**
**Blooded Claws (Squads)**
***Vindthursar* (Primaris Inceptor) Claws (Squads)**
**Lightning Claws Packs (Squads)**

***Vindthursar* Claws (Primaris Intercessors Squads)**
**Landayvan Packs (Fire Support Squads)**
***Vargr* Claws (Wolf Scout Squads; Scout Marines, Reivers, Vanguard Marines)**

**Sons of Muspel (Redemptor Dreadnoughts)**

**Repulsors**
**Impulsors**
**Gladiators**
**Land Raiders**
**Invader ATVs**
**Storm Speeders**
**Overlords**
**Stormwolfs**

## Chapter Combat Doctrine

"*We are the monsters now. The time of heroes is dead. The Wendól has killed it, leaving humankind with nothing but weeping martyrs, fear and shame.*"
— Vaerangi Gunnar Red-Axe, of Twa (2nd Great Company; 'The Spirit Wolves')
Like the VI Legion of old, the Dusk Howlers have garnered a reputation as hunters amongst the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes - as they favour the tactics of pursuit and the killing blow. The Dusk Howlers value speed and the surety of their strike, but tend to favour more the bloody, relentless wearing down of a foe, much as the ancient Terran wolf. No mercy or honour is offered to the prey, for their fate is of remorseless cruelty after which death seems as a blessing to many. The Dusk Howlers do not shy from the gore-drenched demands of the all-out frontal assault, but in this, as with other facets of their way of war, their unique character and controlled savagery shapes much of what they do when faced with such a dire prospect. To them, such battles rest upon a single, terrible moment: the breaking of the line, where one side shatters the other's strength in a single act of unstoppable violence, and all that comes afterwards for the forces of the foe is little more than the living body's death after its heart is ripped from it by a bloodied claw.

As the Dusk Howlers have inherited their progenitors' ferocity they cannot be counted upon to be near as organised as more disciplined *Codex*-oriented Chapters. As they live for the honour of battle, it is almost certain that younger Dusk Howlers warriors will abandon a standard tactical structure in favour of simply rushing headlong at the enemy, howling like ravenous wolves that have caught the scent of their prey. Their behaviour has been known to aggravate many allied Imperial commanders. However, they are far from being uncontrolled berserkers, as the Dusk Howlers relish the thrill of close combat above all else. Nonetheless, their battle tactics are undeniably effective; the Dusk Howlers have fought in this manner on hundreds of battlefields since their conception, and are unlikely to change or conform to the precepts of the *Codex Astartes*.

## Chapter Beliefs

"*Lo, there do I see the All-Father.
Lo, there do I see the Wolf King and all our fallen brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning.
Lo, they do call me, they bid me take my place among them.
They bid me take my place in the halls of the All-Father,
Where the brave..may live...FOREVER!*"
— Dusk Howlers *Rite of Battle*

The Dusk Howlers revere the Emperor, known in Hrímgardian culture as the 'All-Father', above all - even above their own Primarch Leman Russ. It has been theorised that this display of loyalty to the God-Emperor above even their own genetic father is a direct result of the actions of the Primarchs during the Horus Heresy. It was the Primarchs who willingly followed the Arch-Traitor Horus into damnation - who spat on their oaths of fealty to the Emperor and his Imperium, and who corrupted their own sons to follow their path of wrath and ruin. This might explain the Wolf Brothers' tendencies to display bitterness and paranoia. Though they revere their own Primarch as their genetic father and one of the most stalwart defenders of the Imperium, above all else, they display an almost fanatical loyalty to the All-Father, who created the Primarchs, and by extension, the Legions of Astartes that followed.

The warriors of the Dusk Howlers have inherited much of their beliefs from their home world's native culture. Much of their martial traditions are still maintained by the Dusk Howlers, even after their induction into the ranks of the Chapter. Dusk Howlers Astartes constantly vie with one another, yearning to achieve the most victories or the highest kill tallies, in order to impress the Legion's more venerable members, constantly striving to earn a place within the Wolf Brothers' sagas. Like the feral tribesmen they recruit from, the Dusk Howlers value personal honour and physical strength at arms overall. Many Dusk Howlers Astartes prefer to challenge enemy commanders to single combat in order to test themselves against the mightiest of enemies. Dusk Howlers often seek out single combat with a foe they consider worthy of the honour, although more than a few Veteran Gray Slayers and Wolf Lords have fallen against particularly dangerous opponents this way.

Thus, the Battle-Brothers of the Dusk Howlers Chapter are known to exhibit a fierce resolve in the face of overwhelming odds and display an unstoppable drive to test themselves against all who would stand before them. Perhaps this feature of their character is a result of the beliefs instilled in each before he has even joined the Chapter, for the warrior tribes of Hrímgard are fearsome and resolute indeed. Others say that the need to test their limits is a result of the bloodshed and atrocities committed during the Horus Heresy, by both sides of the inter-Legionary conflict, for the Legiones Astartes themselves committed numerous fratricidal actions against one another, bringing much woe and misery to the galaxy at large. The Dusk Howlers feel an inherent need to right the wrongs committed by the Heretic Astartes of the Traitor Legions and to earn redemption in the eyes of the All-Father and His people, who suffered unimaginably during the galaxy-wide civil war.

## Chapter Gene-Seed

"*Somewhere, deep in your memory, you know the ancient ways. This is why you find yourself drawn by a deep-seeded 'urge'. An urge so powerful that you don't even question it. Or fight it..you long for it!*"
— Deathspeaker Flóki Blóð-Wyrm ('Deadly Hunter of the Icewind Spirit') to a group of Blooded Claws
The Dusk Howlers claim to be blessed with the most potent of all gene-seeds as the heritage of Leman Russ is as unique as it is deadly. The so-called Canis Helix is a particular genetic sequence which endows the Scions of Russ with their unusual feral traits. But the first stage of an Aspirant's transformation would often be their last, for many were killed, or worse, transformed into slavering beats. The Horus Heresy had revealed weaknesses in the gene-seed of several Space Marine Legions. These defects had been exacerbated by the accelerated gene-seed cultivation techniques needed to keep the huge Space Marine Legions up to strength during the centuries between the start of the Great Crusade and the outbreak of the Heresy. With the Imperium of Man expanding so quickly across the galaxy during the Great Crusade, the need for fresh recruits in the Space Marine Legions was great. So much so that some Legions had not been as particular in their gene-seed screening practices and recruit selection processes as they should have been.

### Heritage of Russ

During the time of the Great Crusade, the Imperium's most brilliant gene-wrights and fleshcrafters were tasked with building the numbers of the Space Marine Legions and to expunge identified genetic weaknesses. Many genetic engineering technologies were put into effect, reducing the processing time required to create a battle-worthy Astartes. But removing the genetic deficiencies of the *Canis Helix* identified within the Space Wolves' gene-seed proved a much more difficult prospect. While studying the various Legions' gene-seed, the gene-wrights soon discovered that certain samples had gene sequences deliberately deleted from the base Primarch genome, while other samples showed the addition of clearly non-human DNA. Intriguingly, the genome of the Primarch listed as 'Subject VI' had added canine-like DNA. Although it is not clear whether the sample numbers corresponded to the actual Primarchs of the numbered Space Marine Legions, this could explain the wolf-like affinity of Leman Russ and the unexpected feral mutation of many Space Wolves Astartes into the Wulfen.

Before the transformation of a Space Wolves Aspirant could begin, they had to first imbibe the Canis Helix. Unfortunately for many, the genetic coding of the helix contained a number of substances that were not synthesised by the human body, and they had a dramatic effect on the potential Space Marine. The ravages of this unique gene first take effect during the aspirant's indoctrination. Ultimately, he is cast out into the wilderness to make his own way back to The Fang - the Space Wolves' mighty Fortress-Monastery. The gene works its hideous changes upon the warrior's mind and body; he would revert to a primal state where his bones split and buckle, hair sprouted across his body, and his only desire was to gorge on fresh meat and blood. His body mass would grow by almost eighty percent, many of his bones fused, and vestigial fangs would sprout from his gums as he underwent the transformation. Whilst his body was wracked with pain, the warrior had to overcome the gene, lest it overcame him. If the aspirant found his way back to the Fang across the chasms and glaciers populated by snarling predators and blasted by freezing winds, he was implanted with the remainder of the Space Wolves' gene-seed, stabilising the Canis Helix and completing his genetic indoctrination into the ranks of the Sons of Russ. A minority of these warriors do not entirely conquer the gene-seed's effects, however, and in times of great stress would revert to the hulking, bloodthirsty state that haunted their genetic structure. This was the Curse of the Wulfen, and it was rightly feared.

### Primaris Project

The Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman, always an optimist, but never a fool, had learned from the mistakes of the Horus Heresy. He had foreseen that the Forces of Chaos would never relent in their aim to bring the Imperium of Man low. He anticipated that the threats Chaos and the xenos presented to Humanity would engulf the galaxy and knew that warriors resilient enough to stand against them would be needed as never before. Therefore, he set a task for the Priesthood of Mars: to develop a new legion of transhuman warriors - the Primaris Space Marines - who were bigger, more physically powerful and possessed faster reaction times than their original Astartes counterparts. Following the Great Scouring, Guilliman tasked Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl with this most important of projects. It was the Sangprimus Portum, a device containing potent genetic material harvested from the Primarchs and entrusted to Cawl shortly after the Second Founding in 001.M32, that allowed for Cawl's breakthrough in creating the genetically superior Primaris Astartes. It is also known that in addition to the general advancements in their gene-seed, Primaris Space Marines possess three additional gene-seed implant organs compared to their standard brethren and that their gene-seed is far more genetically stable than that of their forerunners. Primaris Space Marine gene-seed has only a .001% chance of genetic deviancy from the original baseline with the passage of each generation, which makes it nearly immune to the severe genetic instability suffered by Chapters such as the Blood Angels and Space Wolves over the course of their existence.

In the pursuit of his attempt to improve upon the original Space Marine template, Archmagos Dominus Cawl collected samples of the genomes of all twenty of the original Primarchs, including those deemed Lost or Traitors, though Roboute Guilliman made clear to his overeager servant that Primaris Astartes were to be created only from the lines of those of his brothers who led the nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions. In regards to the Space Wolves' gene-seed and the creation of new Successor Chapters, Archmagos Dominus Cawl was able to refine the gene-sequences of the *Canis Helix*, altering it to deliver the supernatural strength of a Space Wolf Astartes without unleashing the ravages of the Wulfen within. The products of these experiments created within the flesh labs of Mars with the altered *Canis Helix* were as powerful as a true Space Wolf, as quick in the hunt and as skilled with a blade, but they did not degenerate into the Wulfen, nor did their personalities take on bestial characteristics. They possessed the qualities that made the Space Wolves superb warriors and purged the genetic factors that would have prevented them from creating successors. Thus, the path was laid to forge anew, Chapters derived from the genetic heritage of Russ.

Surprisingly, for a Chapter founded from the genome of Leman Russ, the Dusk Howlers tend to be stoic and more disciplined than their progenitors. Imperial genetors theorise that this might be a byproduct of the events that occurred during the Horus Heresy. Created as they were, from the surviving stock of Space Wolves' gene-seed, these Scions of Russ also tend to display a propensity for bitterness and paranoia - a result of the betrayal perpetrated by so many of the Primarchs of the original Space Marine Legions - who led their sons down the path of damnation and ruination. Many believe, that because of this, the Dusk Howlers have a tendency to see themselves more as the All-Father's true warriors - fervently loyal and dedicated - rather than as an extended pack of their Primarch Leman Russ. Though they still acknowledge the Wolf King as their genetic father, they hold their loyalty to the Emperor above all else.

## Notable Dusk Howlers

* ***Draugoloth* Einar Nighthowler** - Einar Nighthowler is the reigning *Draugoloth* ('King Wolf') of the Dusk Howlers Chapter. As a youth, he was inducted as a Space Marine Legionary shortly before the Horus Heresy had ended, standing in the presence of the Wolf King himself on the field of battle. He was a part of the newest generation of Space Marine Legionaries who had never known the glory of the bygone days of the Great Crusade when the Imperium had reached its zenith, instead, he had known only neverending war and conflict, as the galaxy burned in the fires of insurrection. Einar gained his battlefield experience fighting against other Space Marine Legionaries of the Traitor Legions. During these early years, Einar and his fellow packmates had never known any other foe.

When the Horus Heresy finally ended and the Traitor Forces were driven from the Imperial Throneworld, the Space Wolves gave chase during the wars of reciprocity, which became known as the Great Scouring. Following the end of the Scouring and subsequent breaking of the Space Marine Legions into smaller, more manageable Chapters, Einar and many of his fellow packmates were to be reassigned to a new mission. Though the details were purposefully obfuscated, Einar never questioned his gene-sire's orders and diligently carried out the Wolf King's will. Russ was present as the younger Space Wolves were loaded aboard Adeptus Mechanicus transports to be taken to the Red Planet. Einar and his fellow Legionaries were taken to the labs beneath the surface of Mars. Here, Einar become a part of the Primaris Project, becoming one of the earliest successful Primaris Space Marines created by Archmagos Dominus Cawl, and would spend ten millennia in and out of cryo-sleep as he was further experimented on and slept in prolonged hypno-indoctrination.

As the 41st Millennium drew to a close, the Imperium faced it's darkest hour, as it was set upon by the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade. In order to aid the Imperium, the Primaris Space Marines were finally revealed to the galaxy at large and unleashed against the enemies of Mankind. The legions of advanced transhuman warriors quickly joined the resurrected Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman, now the newly-elected Lord Commander of the Imperium's military forces, joining his Indomitus Crusade. Some of these forces were chosen to become new Space Marine Chapters comprised entirely of Primaris Space Marines, as a part of the newly authorised Ultima Founding.

Groomed from the beginning to become a leader, Einar Nighthowler was chosen for the high honour of becoming the first Chapter Master of the newly incepted Dusk Howlers Chapter. An ancient warrior, Einar has garnered a reputation as a dourly humourous and often choleric-temperamental warrior, whose greatest skills are to be found in the din of war and whose battlefield cunning has already become something of a legend amongst the Successor Chapters from the line of Russ.

Einar is a veteran warlord as renowned for his scourging tactics as he is for encouraging the taking of heads from the enemy fallen as a form of competition among his warriors. Though considered a volatile and bellicose commander, the King Wolf's striking insights into a foe's plans and motivations have led to hundreds of victories in the face of inevitable defeat.
* **Wolf Lord Einar Redclaw** - Current Wolf Lord of Great Company Twa (Two), 'The Spirit Wolves'.
* **Wolf Lord Bulveye Bloodaxe** - Current Wolf Lord of Great Company Tra (Three), 'The Berserker Wolves'.
* **Wolf Lord Sigurd Helsdawn** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company For (Four), 'The Krakenwolves'.
* **Wolf Lord Steinar Icewind** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Fyf (Five), 'The Sea Dragons'.
* **Wolf Lord Erik Fyrebeard** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Sesc (Six), 'The Fire Howlers'.
* **Wolf Lord Grimjac Blutwyrm** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Sepp (Seven), 'The Thrice-Fanged'.
* **Wolf Lord Halvard Fellpaw** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company For-Twa (Eight), 'The Windhowlers'.
* **Wolf Lord Ivar Krakenbane** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Tra-Tra (Nine), 'The Sea Wolves'.
* **Wolf Lord Bran Direhowl** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Dekk (Ten), 'The Rmapant Wolves'.
* **Wolf Lord Gunnar Bloodiron** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Elleve (Eleven), 'The Devourer Wolves'.
* **Wolf Lord Jorin Red-Blade** - Current Wold Lord of Great Company Tolv (Twelve), 'The Wrath Wolves'.
* ***Jarskaði Talare* Ulfrich Thunderhowl** - Current chief Deathspeaker.
* ***Jarspákona* Halvar Stormstrider** - Current chief Æther Seer.
* ***Vini Járnsmiðr* Vorlund Ironaxe** - Current Master of the Forge.
* ***Einheri* Wulfgar Umberclaw** - Current Chapter Champion.
* ***Kæmpe* Brynjar Hammerhand** - Current Company Champion of Great Company Twa (Two).

* **Son of Múspel Wúlfrich Bloodfang** - Wúlfrich Bloodfang, a distinguished member of the Primaris Space Marines, holds a unique status among his brethren. He was among the first wave of recruits taken from Fenris as a Bloodclaw, participating in the grand Primaris Project over eleven millennia ago. His long tenure as a battle-brother has granted him vivid memories of that bygone era, including the Great Scouring, where he fought under the command of the mighty Wolf King himself, pursuing the Traitor Legions to the very edge of the Eye of Terror.

Upon awakening at the dawn of the 42nd Millennium, Wúlfrich was filled with an eagerness to prove himself worthy of the sagas and carry the fight to the Dark Gods. For several decades, his tale was one of revenge and bloody retribution, as he demonstrated his mettle against the followers of the Ruinous Powers. However, his valorous exploits came at a price, as he was mortally wounded in a harrowing encounter with a Daemon Prince of Khorne.

Despite his grievous injuries, the indomitable spirit of Russ burned fiercely within Wúlfrich. Enduring unimaginable suffering, he was eventually interred within the sarcophagus of a Redemptor Dreadnought, becoming one of the Chapter's first to receive such an honour. After nearly another decade in stasis, the ancient warrior was reawakened to once again take part in battle.

Marching on the battlefield in his new Dreadnought body, this Son of Múspel wields a pair of deadly relic Great Wolf Claws, mercilessly mauling and eviscerating their enemies until nothing remains. As the eldest among the Sons of Múspel, Wúlfrich serves as a living memory for the Dusk Howlers Chapter. Many seek him out for advice, eager to hear of ancient times and listen to his tales of their Primarch and the legendary events of the past. His wisdom and experiences make him a revered figure within the Chapter, embodying the legacy and heritage of the Space Wolves and their Primarch.

* **Son of Múspel Skarvek Murderclaw** - Skarvek Murderclaw, 'Proud Warrior of the Snarling Totem', 'The Wolf that Rages', 'Murderclaw' and 'Rageborn', and many names besides, is a legendary and feared figure within the halls of *Útgarðar*. In life, he was a fierce and aggressive warrior who possessed a war-like mien, known for his excessive violence on the battlefield and his relentless pursuit of bloodshed. Skarvek's actions were fueled by the darkness of the Wulfen spirit within, which stained his soul and earned him a repuation for savagery.

His formidable combat skills and ferocity caught the attention of Wolf Lord Bulveye Bloodaxe, who enlisted him into Great Company Tra, also known as 'The Berserker Wolves'. Skarvek's placement among these berserker warriors suited his nature perfectly, allowing him to continue his relentless quest for blood and death. He became a symbol of unwarranted excess on the battlefield, showing no restraint in his pursuit of victory.

Skarvek was among the first of the Chapter's Wolf-Brothers to be mortally wounded and subsequently interred within the sarcophagus of a Brutalis pattern Dreadnought. The '*Eldthursar*', as they are called, consists of Redemptor Dreadnoughts that have been modified into pure assault weapons designed for maximum shock and carnage. Skarvek, armed with a pair of terrifying Brutalis Talons, often iss assigned to lead spearhead formations, charging into the enemy ranks and tearing through both tanks and infantry alike.

Those who have witnessed the ferocity of the Son of Múspel known as 'Murderclaw' describe him as a blood-splattered killing machine, leaving destruction and mangled bodies in his wake. His brutality and relentless pursuit of the enemy have resulted in countless casualties, earning him a fearsome reputation. However, his unwavering desire to seek out and slay enemies, regardless of the tactical cost to his comrades, makes him an unpredictable and untrustworthy ally.

A thousand times a thousand dead can be heaped at the feet of this notorious *Eldthursar*. Despite his proclivities, Skarvek is greatly admired by his fellow warriors for his exceptional combat prowess, and he is respected as one of the Chapter's ancients. However, the cautionary whispers spoken around the hearth fires serve as a reminder of the inherent danger in trusting a warrior driven by unquenchable bloodlust and a thirst for battle.

## Chapter Fleet

* ***Hróðvitnir* ('*Fame-Wolf*'; Maelstrom-class Galleass of War)** - This vessel is the recently forged and the mighty flagship of the Dusk Howlers Chapter and is based upon the ancient Great Crusade-era Grand Cruiser design - so-called 'pocket battleships' - something of a halfway house between a battleship and a cruiser in size and firepower. This class of vessel is one of many such classes of warships that were recently commissioned for construction by the newly returned Primarch Roboute Guilliman to take part in the Indomitus Crusade.

The Galleass of War is intended principally to be capable of operating on their own rather than as part of a larger fleet, however, they are often further specially designed either for range (which is to say duration of deployment without significant resupply or refit) or to mount a specialised weapon system which requires particular tactics to utilise. The *Hróðvitnir* is the latter type, however, its exact weapon system remains classified to those outside the Chapter. The Galleass of War is much larger physically than its Grand Cruiser counterpart, much of whose fabric is given over to freight and transport capacity, while still maintaining formidable armaments and defence.

The Galleass of War had been out of commission since the days of the Heresy, however, with the advent of the Primarch's return and the Lord Commander's orders to build several new massive fleets for the ongoing Indomitus Crusade, several such ancient patterns of warships were re-constituted. With the recent fall of Cadia and the formation of the Great Rift, never has there been a dire need for such mighty vessels, to take the fight to the myriad enemies that assail the Imperium of Man from all corners of the galaxy.

Granted to the Dusk Howlers following their inception, they were tasked to carry out their wrath against the Forces of Chaos and various xenos threats. Serving as the newly commissioned flagship of their substantial warfleet, the Dusk Howlers now eagerly take the fight to the enemy, bringing their unfettered wrath down upon the daemonic, heretic, apostate and the xenos.

* ***Blóðughófi* ('*Bloody Hoof*'; Warspite-class Battle-Barge)**
* ***Einvigi* (Mortis-Rex-class Battle-Barge)**
* ***Jótunagandr* ('*Monster of Jótun*'; Warspite-class Battle-Barge)**
* ***Ragnarøkkr* ('*The Doom of the Gods*', Ironclad-class Battle-Barge)**
* ***Valdrklær* ('*Wolfclaws*'; Legatus-class Battle-Barge)**
* ***Kaerisúlfr* ('*Wolf of Kaeriol*'; Bellerophon-class Heavy Assault Cruiser)**
* ***Rjóðr Muðr* ('*Red Maw*'; Armiger-class Lance Cruiser)**
* ***Svartrmǫn* ('*Blackmane*'; Hades-class Lance Cruiser)**
* ***Vargrbani* ('*Wolfbane*'; Crusade-class Strike Cruiser)**
* ***Sköll* ('*Mockery*'; Cobra-class Destroyer)**
* ***Hati* ('*He Who Hates*'; Cobra-class Destroyer)**

## Vehicle Armoury

* ***Sleipner*-Pattern Grav-Bike** - Based upon ancient and rare patterns of Grav-Bikes rarely seen outside the Chapters of Russ, these archaic jetbikes were forged by the Priests of Iron within depths of the *Aett* during the opening years of the Indomitus era. The *Sleipnir*-Pattern Grav-Bike was developed to allow outriders to operate over the very harshest of terrain, able to match the versatility of the grav-tanks upon deployment. The Chapters of the Rout favour this pattern over the wheeled predecessor variant, unhindered by rugged terrain. Upon their inception, the Dusk Howlers were graced with an unknown number of these highly prized jetbikes. Operating as outriders, the Dusk Howlers' mounted-warriors operate in an armoured role, harrying and running down enemy forces, much like their *Vlka Fenryka* forebears.
* **Mk III *Valr*-Pattern Grav-Skiff** - Forged alongside the *Sleipnir*-Pattern Grav-Bikes by the Priests of Iron in depths of the *Aett*, the *Valr*-Pattern Grav-Skiff is a mobile gun platform. The additional fast-moving firepower supports outrider packs directly or operates in tandem to bring down larger prey. Archmagos Dominus Cawl's repulsor plate technology allows the Grav-Skiff to operate over the very harshest of terrain, able to match the versatility of the Chapter's grav-tanks upon deployment. The Rout favoured this pattern over the wheeled predecessor variant, known to *Codex* Chapters as the Invader ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle). Ratified by Cawl, the pattern has been shared and the Mk III *Valr*-Pattern Grav-Skiffs are seeing action across the All-Father's beleaguered Imperium.

## Chapter Appearance

### Chapter Colours

The Dusk Howlers primarily wear dark blue/gunmetal grey battle-plate with black coloured shoulder pauldron insets and gold trim. Like their genetic forebears, the Dusk Howlers tend to adorn their battle-plate with tokens taken from the alpha-predators of their inhospitable homeworld, including Hrímgardian Wolves and Ice-Bears. These fetishes take the form of pelts, tails and teeth. Also, as a non-*Codex* Chapter, the Dusk Howlers do not utilise the usual *Codex*-standard markings, instead utilising their own unique symbols to represent each Great Company, taken from Hrímgardian mythology. The Chapter's warriors usually bear Pack markings on their right shoulder pauldrons and their Chapter icon proudly born on the left. However, within these guidelines, there is much variety, as no two battle-brothers' markings are alike. These pack markings may also be repeated on one of their poleyns (knee guards).

### Chapter Badge

The Dusk Howlers Chapter badge was taken from the ancient VI Legion formation known as the '*Deathsworn*' or the "Black Cull". This symbol takes the form of a large stylised lupine skull, representing the wolf-spirit known as the Wolf of the Red Moon. This fell creature is said to be a terrible stalker of the seven halls of Fenris, a skeletal apparition that claims the bodies of the fallen unworthy of entrance into the halls of Morkai - the Fenrisian psuedo-deity of death and the dead. This central symbol is centered upon a red circlet and surrounded by Hrímgardian runes of death and destruction.

## Hrímgardian Glossary

* ***Adjarr*** - Blood.
* ***Æsir*** - Gods or spirits.
* ***Aett*** - Clan hold, hearth or den.
* ***Annelsa*** - Foreboding.
* ***Anzviti*** - Gunship.
* ***Banisvatr*** - A Hrímgardian term that means 'Black Death' or the 'Black Cull', that refers to those individual warriors who seek a glorious death in battle against the mightiest foes and to attain glory in the name of their slain kinsmen, thereby regaining their lost honour for the 'sin' of survival.
* ***Blóð Móðr*** - A Hrímgardian term that means 'blood rage', this is when a warrior enters an enhanced state and stirs themselves up to such rage and madness that they will boldly attack any foe without being hampered by thoughts of their own or others' safety. This term is used by the Dusk Howlers when referring to those Astartes (*Úlfheðnar*) who are overcome by the *blóð móðr*, especially when fighting against the Forces of Chaos.
* ***Björndrengr*** - Hrímgardian term that means 'Bear Warrior', these are lone warriors who seek out their own skein of fate through individual feats of great battlefield prowess. Their totem animal, as their name implies is a bear. These warriors dress in the hides of their totem animal, to signal to all that they have stepped beyond their lives as mere mortals, and have become divine predators. The Dusk Howlers have adopted their home world's practices and several of their members that have undergone the rites to become one of these fierce predators and stalk the battlefield seeking out the most powerful and dangerous foes, unleashing their ferocity and wrath in a brutal display of savagery in emulation of their totem animal.
* ***Domra*** - Doom.
* ***Drakk*** - Drake.
* ***Drakkar*** - A longship smaller than a knorr, usually used for raiding or piracy.
* ***Draugoloth*** - Hrímgardian word that means 'King Wolf', the *Draugoloth* is the Dusk Howlers' equivalent of a Chapter Master.
* ***Einherjar*** - In Hrímgardian myth, the spirits of the slain warriors who reside within the long-hall of the All-Father, awaiting the day they will fight at *Ragnarøkkr*. This term is commonly used to refer to those who are selected to join the 'Sky-Warriors', to fight on behalf of the All-Father. They are the blood-sworn, a general reference to the warriors of Russ.
* ***Einvigi*** - Unlimited personal combat, a duel to the death with no restrictions.
* ***Fara tíl Hel, svikari!*** - Go to hell, traitor!
* ***Fekke*** - A Hrímgardian curse that means 'Fuck'.
* ***Fengr*** - The wolf within.
* ***Gann*** - Death; the Rune of Death.
* ***Gaurhoth*** - 'Wolf-Host' (also referred to as a 'Pack) a term utilised by the Dusk Howlers when referring to a Demi-Company size formation of one of the Sons of Russ Chapters.
* ***Gmorl*** - Fate; the Rune of Fate.
* ***Gothi*** - On Hrímgard, this is a shaman or medicine man. An informal title for an Æther Seer.
* ***Goði*** - The closest Hrímgardian equivalent to a *jarl*. Goði have certain rights and responsibilities in Hrímgard's southern continent, acting as patrons to smallholders, but are not nobles as the wider Imperium would understand them. With in the Dusk Howlers Chapter, collectively Goði (or 'priests') make up the Chapter's various Chapter specialists.
* ***Heidur Rus!*** - Battle cry.
* ***Hel*** - In Hrímgardian culture, Hel is the Goddess of Death and the underworld. She epitomises the aspect of evil itself (Chaos Undivided), and often appears in one of her four aspects (lust, wrath, plague and transformation). This term is utilised by the Dusk Howlers when referring to Chaos or Chaos Undivided.
* ***Hersir*** - A veteran, core soldier of the Hrímgardian clans.
* ***Hirð*** - The boon-companions of a lord. They eat at his table, sleep in his hall, take his gifts of weapons, armor and wealth, and derive their positions from him. So long as he can feast and gift them, they must stand beside hi1n to the death, both on and off the field of battle. A term commonly used amongst the Dusk Howlers when referring to members of their Chapter's elite Hearth Guard.
* ***Hiljah kah uhtganjen mev tarvahettan.*** – Greet the end with courage.
* ***Hjá*** – Exclamation of triumph and greeting.
* ***Hjarz*** – The Ice-rune.
* ***Hjolda*** - Hail.
* ***Hjammar*** - A hammer.
* ***Holmgang*** - A highly stylized ritual that can be described as either a duel or a trial by combat, depending on your point of view. Combatants exchange sword or axe blows until one is unable to continue.
* ***Hrímgard Faerir Mord*** - Battle-cry. Unknown meaning.
* ***Hrímgard Hjølda!*** - Hrímgard endures/persists/survives/resists!
* ***Huskaerls*** - Officers of the Chapter's armed serfs.
* ***Huskarl*** - A member of the hirð, a warrior who makes the bargain of mead and glory for loyal service to a lord. Amongst the elite members of the Hearth Guard, this term is used when referring to a Veteran Sergeant.
* ***Jarl*** - A noble of unspecified holdings, usually between those of a landed knight and a baron or earl. Unlike a *huskarl*, a jarl does not derive his position from his lord, but from his hereditary holdings. While there were formal differences, the mark of a jarl was the ability to keep a hall and men, and the line between jarl and freeholder was often blurry. This term is used by the Dusk Howlers when referring to anyone in a leadership position, usually a Wolf Lord (Space Marine Captain equivalent rank). High Wolf and Packmaster are other alternate titles.
* ***Juvjk*** - Hearth-cant or casual spoken Low Gothic language of the Space Wolves when not in battle.
* ***Juvykka*** – Native dialect of the Low Gothic language of the Hrímgardian tribes.
* ***Kaerls*** - Armed Chapter Serfs.
* ***Kjaalhalla*** – Realm of ghosts who fight for the glory of Leman Russ.
* ***Kló*** - Hrímgardian word that means 'Claw', this term is utilised by the Dusk Howlers when referring to a Squad size formation.
* ***Knorr*** - A longship larger than a *drakkar*, usually used for trade.
* ***Koldt*** - Cold.
* ***Lanx*** - Drinking bowl.
* ***Maleficarum*** - Bad spirits or daemons. Also means bad luck or a bad omen.
* ***Mijagge Kovness An?*** – May I enter?
* ***Mjod*** - Hrímgardian mead.
* ***Morkai*** - In Hrímgardian mythology the Deathwolf, is the giant two-headed wolf guardian of the gates of the underworld.
* ***Ngaurhoth*** - 'Wolf-Horde', a term used by the Dusk Howlers when referring to a Chapter size formation of one of the Sons of Russ Chapters.
* ***Naurohoth*** - 'Great Company' (Company equivalent), a term used by the Dusk Howlers when referring to a company size element of one of the Sons of Russ Chapters.
* ***Øjor Hjøld*** – Oath of acceptance.
* ***Øjor va Russ! Leman Russ!*** - Glory to Russ! Leman Russ!
* ***Oververse*** – Realm of the living.
* ***Ragnarøkkr*** - The 'End-Times' or the 'Fate of the All-Father', when a long foretold series of future events, including a great battle between the Forces of Order against the Forces of Chaos, foretold to ultimately result in the death of the universe.
* ***Rhozan*** – Rune to ward against Maleficarum.
* ***Riven*** - A unit of Kaerls (500 personnel).
* ***Rivenmaster*** - A mortal Captain of a military unit.
* ***Rjalka*** - Maw.
* ***Russvangam*** – Hrímgardian battle-cry.
* ***Sálskjoldur*** – Soul-ward.
* ***Sammekull*** – Summons.
* ***Sava gudt, hell'ten*** – A benediction for a hero to rest in peace.
* ***Seax*** - Knife.
* ***Sfar*** – Rune to ward against Maleficarum.
* ***Sforja*** – Hrímgardian rune.
* ***Skemmdarvargur*** – Word of power used in the summoning of the Jaws of the World Wolf.
* ***Skjald*** - Storyteller, bard, keeper of the sagas.
* ***Skjaldmær*** - Known as 'Shieldmaidens', these fierce female warriors fight alongside the men in battle with shield, sword, axe and spear.
* ***Skjoldtar*** - Heavy, armour-piercing solid shot weapons favoured by the Chapter's armed serfs.
* ***Sklja Odda?*** - How many?
* ***Skira Vordrotta*** - Translated roughly as 'System Kill', the term means total war or total annihilation.
* ***Skíthof*** – Hrímgardian curse for 'shithead'.
* ***Skítja*** – Hrímgardian curse for 'shit'.
* ***Skitnah*** - Dirty, foul, tainted.
* ***Skjoldtar*** - A Hrímgardian firearm with great punch.
* ***Skó-sveinn*** - Translated as 'page', a term utilised by the Dusk Howlers when referring to an Aspirant.
* ***Skulbrotsjór*** – Skullhewer.
* ***Stormurstjórn*** – Stormcaller.
* ***Svellbrandr*** – Fangsword of the Ice Wolf.
* ***Sverdhjera*** – Blademaster.
* ***Thegn*** - The lesser partner in the Hrímgardian equivalent of a feudal contract. A king's *jarls* are his *thegns*. Thegn or Thane is a title for Pack Leaders of the Chapter holding the equivalent rank of Sergeant.
* ***Thing*** - (Pronounced *ting*), a *thing* was a local assembly of a district, known as a *thingstead*, the *thing* manages affairs of justice and various other issues of local interest.
* ***Thralls*** - Chapter Serfs.
* ***Trysk*** – Ice; the Rune of Ice.
* ***Turza*** – Hrímgardian rune of destruction.
* ***Úlfheðnar*** - Hrímgardian term for 'Wolf-Hides', these are lone warriors who are the last remaining survivors of their Hirð, and take on an air of doom and vengeance. Seeking out and slaying one of the deadly wolves of Niflheim, those that survive don the hide of a slain creature and effectively take on the spirit of their totem animal. These warriors fight in an uncontrollable, trance-like fury, fighting without their mailcoats and are as mad as hounds or wolves. They are known to spit and froth at the mouths and bite their shields, slaying men by the score. It is said that neither fire nor iron has any effect upon them. With the ranks of the Dusk Howlers, this practice is utilised by those who are the sole remaining survivors of their Pack. Once they take on the spirit of their totem animal, they will seek out the most monstrous foes on the field of battle and hurl themselves unhesitantly at the enemy, until either they slay their chosen prey or are themselves, slain in battle - freeing their spirit to join their fallen boon companions at the side of the All-Father. In battle they are often overcome by the *blóð móðr* (or 'blood rage') and enter an enhanced state, stirring themselves up to such rage and madness that they will boldly attack any foe with suck bloodthirstiness and savagery without being hampered by thoughts of their own or others' safety.
* ***Ulfr Húnn*** - Translated as 'wolf pup', a term utilised by the Dusk Howlers when referring to a Neophyte.
* **Underverse** - Afterlife (*usually referred to in a bleak sense*)
* **Uppland** - Afterlife (*usually referred to in a positive sense*)
* ***Útlægr*** - Known as 'The Outlawed', these criminals are beyond the law. This is a punishment for certain serious crimes. An útlægr has no right to *wergild* if slain, and his killer need not announce the deed.
* ***Vaerangi*** - Hrímgardian term that means 'Hearth Guard', the boon companions and personal protectors of a Jarl. Within the Dusk Howlers Chapter, this term is utilised when referring to the elite Honour Guard that serves and protects the 'King Wolf' or one of the Chapter's several Wolf Lords. The Draugoloth's personal Hearth Guard is so large, it is also referred to as the Kingsguard.
* ***Valdelnagh*** – A misunderstanding.
* ***Vargr*** - Hrímgardian for 'wolf', this term is often used when referring to outlaws and bandits, as well as more mundane wolves. This term is also used by Hrímgardians when referring to corsairs or pirates. Within the ranks of the Dusk Howlers, Vargr (or 'Wraith Wolves') serve in the role of standard Primaris Reiver Squads.
* ***Vindthursar*** - Hrímgardian term for the mythical 'Wind Giants' of local lore. Within the ranks of the Dusk Howlers Chapter, Vindthursar is a subset of Blooded Claws that are the equivalent of Primaris Inceptors and serve in a close combat role for the Chapter.
* ***Vlka*** - Warband of a tribe.
* ***Volda*** - The world.
* ***Wargeld*** - Loot taken from battle or conquest.
* ***Wendól*** - The *Wendól* or 'Twisted Ones' are evil spirits given physical form. This is a term utilised by the Dusk Howlers when referring to the Daemonic servants of Chaos.
* ***Wergild*** - The amount of compensation paid by a person committing an offence to the injured party or, in case of death, to his family.
* **Wight** - Corpse.
* ***Wurgen*** - War-cant or battle language of Hrímgard.
* ***Wyrd*** - An individual's fate.
* ***Wyrm*** - Dragon.
* ***Zhaz*** - Rune to ward against Maleficarum.

### Hrímgardian Numbers

* ***Onn*** - One.
* ***Twa*** - Two.
* ***Tra*** - Three.
* ***For*** - Four.
* ***Fyf*** - Five.
* ***Sesc*** - Six.
* ***Sepp*** - Seven.
* ***For-twa*** - Eight.
* ***Tra-tra*** - Nine.
* ***Dekk*** - Ten.
* ***Elleve*** - Eleven.
* ***Tolv*** – Twelve.

### Allies

 Wild Wolves |  | Hailing from the icy death world of Fjörgyn the Wild Wolves are a particularly savage and bellicose chapter of Astartes, created during the Ultima Founding, descended from the venerable and potent lineage of the feral Space Wolves. The Astartes of this Chapter believe they are deeply touched by the Wild Wolf, the Fjörgynian God of the Hunt. Like their namesake, the Wild Wolves are savage and fiercely aggressive, their blood burning hot with the potent genetic legacy of the *Canis Helix* within their veins. These warriors prefer to fight at close quarters and are armed with a variety of melee weapons such as chain weapons, power axes and bolt pistols. Notoriously violent and short of temper, they eagerly rush into the fray, slaying their foes in a hail of blood and gore, battering through the deadliest foes and the direst situations to emerge triumphant, time and again. The Dusk Howlers first encountered their savage cousins nearly decade after their inception, when the Wild Wolves once again fought their hated foes - the Sons of Torment Chaos warband - the Chapter soon found themselves overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the traitors and their daemonic allies. Facing imminent defeat, they found their salvation in the form of the timely arrival of their fellow Space Wolves Successors, the Bloodied Hunters Chapter, which came to aid their fellow cousin Chapter win against the heretics. However, the Bloodied Hunters had not come alone, for they had three other Chapters with them - the Dusk Howlers, Crimson Prowlers and the Dawn's Wolves. Together, these three Chapters formed the unofficial collective known as the Sons of Russ. Joined together, these Scions of Russ fought against the servants of Timor, proving to be an unstoppable force. Impressed by their fellow wolf-kin, the Sons of Russ extended an invitation to their savage cousins to join their collective. Since this occasion, the Sons of Russ and the Wild Wolves have formed strong bonds as warriors and fellow scions of the Wolf King, and have willingly answered one another's call for aid, when the need arises.

*Feel free to add your own*

## Notable Quotes

### By the Dusk Howlers

*Feel free to add your own*

"*Be slow to anger and deliberate of action. However, when moved to violence, strike hard and win at all costs.*"
— Grey Slayer Jørin Nighthowl ('Savage Killer of the Grey Bastion'), giving advice to a Pack of Blooded Claws before battle
"*Though they appear congenial and friendly to outsiders, make no mistake..the beast inside is merely sleeping, not dead.*"
— Atr. Grey Slayer Fafnír Jørmungand ('Trophy Taker of the Black Sigil)' of For-twa (8th Great Company), giving his personal insights on his fellow warriors of the Dawn's Wolves
"*Only a coward waits to be taken like a lamb from the fold or a fox from a trap. Fear not death! For the hour of your doom is set and none may escape it.*"
— Claw Leader Ranulf Blackclaw ('Legendary Huntsmaster of the Deadly Wilds') of Tra (3rd Great Company), speaking to a frightened platoon of surviving Astra Militarum troopers during the Siege of Greyfell.
"*No one is a total fool if he knows 'when' to hold his tongue.*"
— Thegn Hrafnkel Blackthorn's advice to an impetuous Blooded Claw.
"*Do not turn away when the world is burning, for who shall stand against the Wendól if the Sons of Russ do not?*"
— Claw Leader Sweyn Grimbrow ('Raging Hunter of the Bloody-Wyrm Bastion')
"*These Skitnah are fools for standing before us with no fear in their hearts. Their foolhardiness is born in ignorance, for they know us not. We are Sons of Russ! Forged by ice and fire. Tempered by battle. Follow me, brothers! Let us teach these Útlægr what we are made of and let us teach them fear.*"
— Deathspeaker Asbjorn Icestalker ('Untiring Hunter of the Frozen Saga'
"*Often times it is not numbers that win the victory, but those who fare forward with the most vigour.*"
— *Úlfheðnar* Thrond Balewulf ('Dominant Pack Leader of the Lost Gate'), White Beard of Tra-tra (9th Great Company).
"*Cut off a wolf's head and it still has the power to bite.*"
— Unknown Dusk Howlers Grey Slayer
"*I am a warrior of the Vlka Hrímherjar. I fear the Allfather and my Draugoloth. You are neither.*"
— Thegn Wulfgar Axesmote ('Fearsome Huntsmaster of the Blood-Ice Nebula') threatening an overzealous Inquisitor investigating rumours of alleged atrocities committed by the Dusk Howlers' Great Company Tra ("The Berserker Wolves").
### About the Dusk Howlers

*Feel free to add your own*

"*The warriors of the Dusk Howlers are one of the noblest Chapters that I can speak of. Their fearlessness and duty in battle always make me envy them.*"
— Imar Doon, 'Ten-Bears', Captain of the Bears of the Claw Chapter's 3rd Sleuth, 'Ursa Guard'
"*They are loath to trust and quick to vengeance. Good. Only in the Emperor can we trust. Not in men, not in the lords of Terra, not even in Roboute Guilliman. Only the Emperor is the truth. All else is clouded with obscurity and doubt.*"
— Lord of Knives, Chapter Master of the Obsidian Blades
"*Hmmm...More reserved than their elder cousins. Pity.*"
— Eulitus Ephrain, Chapter Master of the Wings of Salvaxes
"*You think you have overcome your curse? Your...defect? Others thought they had overcome their burdens too - the Lamenters, the Templars, the Thousand Sons. There is always a cost, little wolfling, and all pay the Gods due in the end.*"
— Valkyura Warpschild
"*Newborn young of vicious seed, bloodied sons in direst need. Gone they think their sins to be, but hidden within, they will soon see. Bargains were struck and deals made, their future balanced, on heresy's blade.*"
— Unknown Mortarchs Serpentia Astartes.
"*We speak well of the Sons of Russ, for they too are borne of the Emperor's Thunder, and bring His light to the stars beyond. Still, their barbarity and lack of discipline is unbecoming, for while it may make one a fine tavern brawler, such boorish behaviour is ill-suited for a soldier of an Astartes' status.*"
— Khan Gazryn Khamt of the Storm Riders, 4th Brotherhood
"*They may be even less subtle than an Ork, but when you really need an enemy to be broken, you'll be hard-pressed to find better warriors.* "
— Common saying among the Dawn's Wolves Dawn Fangs
"*This Hrímgardian language that these Scions of Russ speak is most interesting. The sound is rough, but there is an underlying tone of nobility in this tongue. I would be delighted to learn it.*"
— Viceroy Pyotr Valko of the Lightning Wraiths
"*You may explore the texts but know that they are the latest and most ruthless breed of Imperial wolves the stars have seen. Even we, the zealous Sin Seekers, oblivious as we are, have heard of and acknowledged their superior skills in the search and destruction of the enemies of Man. Were we endowed with their keen senses, our tracks would rarely last long and ever be successful.*"
— Yagi Farluthian, Chief Librarian of the Sin Seekers Chapter's 4th Company
"*Finally someone who can keep up!*"
— Alpha Wolf Björn of the Moonlight Stalkers.

[Source]

 Renegades

[Source]

 White Scars Successors
 Space Wolves Successors
 Imperial Fists Successors
 Blood Angels Successors
 Iron Hands Successors
 Ultramarines Successors
 Salamanders Successors
 Raven Guard Successors
 Unknown Lineage

[Source]

## Gallery

Dusk Howlers *Banamaðr* (Judiciar), Vandrad Fellblood ('Stalking Predator of the Blood-Wyrm Rune').Dusk Howlers *Vindthursar* (translated from Hrímgardian *Juvjk* as '*Wind-Giants*'), Haldor Skyblood ('Swift Hunter of Icewind Pyre'). This formation is a sub-set of Blooded Claws that perform the role of Primaris Inceptor Squads. Assigned to Great Company Dekk (Ten), "The Rampant Wolves". Wielding twin Plasma Exterminators.Dusk Howlers White Beard (Primaris Hellblaster), Frodar Bale-Eye ('Keen Trophy Hunter of the Frozen Fortress'), assigned to Great Company Fyf (Five), "The Sea Dragons". Note: This venerable warrior is wielding a deadly Plasma Incinerator.Dusk Howlers White Beard (Primaris Heavy Intercessor), Einrid Deathfang ('Merciless Huntmaster of the Winter Hall'), assigned to Great Company Sepp (Seven), "The Thrice-Fanged". Armed with a Hellstorm Heavy Bolter. Note: Wearing Great Company iconography in lieu of the Chapter's icon on the left armorial, while pack markings are prominently displayed in the right armorial.Dusk Howlers White Beard (Primaris Aggressor), Gunnulf Death-Herald ('Ruthless Destroyer of the Slaughter-Fire Fortress'), assigned to Great Company Sesc (Sixth), "The Fire Howlers", armed with a pair of Flamestorm Gauntlets. The warriors of this particular Great Company have a preference towards the use of flamer weaponry.Dusk Howlers *Vargr* (Primaris Reiver), Hengir Redbrow ('Vengeful Huntmaster of the Snarling Fang'), assigned to Great Company Twa (Two), "The Spirit Wolves".Dusk Howlers *Vargr* (Primaris Incursor), Jormund Falthjalm ('Resolute Wolfkin of the Untamed Bastion'), assigned to Great Company Elleve (Eleven), "The Devourer Wolves".Dusk Howlers Blooded Claw (Neophyte), Skvarl Redsoul ('Mighty Survivor of the Abominable Hunting Grounds'), assigned to Great Company Fyf (Five), "The Sea Dragons".Dusk Howlers Astraeus Super-Heavy Tank, *Gunnar's Wrath*, named for the Space Wolves legendary Wolf Lord Gunnar Gunnhilt, the 'Shieldbearer of Russ'.Dusk Howlers Gladiator Reaper tank, *Víðarr*, assigned to Great Company For-twa (Eight), "The Windhowlers".A Dusk Howlers Grey Slayer of Great Company Tra (Three), "The Berserker Wolves", mounted upon a Sleipner-pattern Grav-Bike.