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This article, Thunder Wolves, was written by DragonsofAlbion. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
- "With these new Primaris Marines, we can rebuild our Chapter!
At such a momentous occasion, I suggest a new war cry...
Yma o hyd!""- —From the 'Arch Druid Myrddin of the Thunder Wolves', at the rebirth of the High King Emyr as a Primaris Marine.
The Thunder Wolves were a part of the 2nd Founding, after the fires of the Horus Heresy had began to fade. They mostly operate in the Eastern Fringe in the Ultima Segmentum to safeguard their home sector, keeping Xenos and Warp forces alike at bay.
The Thunder Wolves have endured a hard existence for a chapter, they endured numerous disastrous campaigns, the chapter had been reduced to under 300 battle-brothers. With these conditions, the future of the Thunder Wolves looked bleaked. However, the Chapter received aid in the form of a Torchbearer fleet in 999.M41, but that almost ended in disaster.
That fleet bore a great gift, the next stage of transhuman warriors - the Primaris Space Marines, as well as 100 of Thunder Wolves thought lost millennia ago. Utilising this new technology, the Chapter was able to quickly replace their extensive losses and within a few short years, the Chapter was back to full strength. Now they are comprised mostly of these newly advanced warriors.
Despite their isolation from the greater Imperium and ever judging eye of the Inquisition, the Thunder Wolves have stayed incredibly loyal and stanch defenders of the Imperium.
Chapter History
Founded from the 2nd Founding, the Thunder Wolves were tasked with a penance crusade, though the reason has been lost to time. They eventually found their home in Cymro, located in the Eastern Fringe. Though it is unknown which legion they hail from, due their homeworld of Cymro being one of Terran societies in the late European Iron Age, the Thunder Wolves share similarities with Space Wolves, with the emphasis on protecting the innocent and telling their tales of victory over a great feast.
Horus Heresy
The Thunder Wolves are very protective of this knowledge and no one outside of the chapter know this history, save for the Inquisition.
During the dark year of ca. 005.M31, on the planet of Istvaan III, treachery would strike. The legions of the Sons of Horus, Death Guard, Emperor's Children and World Eaters gathered to this world, to bring it back under Imperial Compliance. Unbeknownst to the loyalists to the Emperor, the Traitorous Primarchs Horus, Mortarion, Fulgrim and Angron saw this an opportunity to purge the Loyalist remnants of their Legions, and so released a barrage of Life-Eater Virus upon the planet, turning it in a dead, baron world.
One Loyalist group, within the ranks of the Luna Wolves (Who had disliked their legions name change to the Sons of Horus), managed to make it off-world under the leadership of the Captain of the 30th Company, Artorius. They fled to Terra, not just for the fear of their lives, but to warn the Imperium of the new threat.
Upon arrival, they were tested quite extensively by a group of Custodians and even held as prisoners before they were granted audience with the Emperor. All of the shamed Luna Wolves knelt before the might of the Emperor of Mankind:
"All was silent as the eyes of the Emperor scanned every single un-helmeted Astarte in the prison cell. Artorius knelt at the front, silent."
“Rise, Captain Artorius” said the Master of Mankind.
Slowly the Captain did as he was told and looked up at the face of the Emperor.
“My Lord, I ask for your forgiveness. As you are no doubt aware, our Primarch and treacherous brothers have betrayed this great Imperium, betrayed you. Spare my men, and they will fight for you, not as sons of a traitor, but as the loyal wolves they are.”
The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
“Spare your men... but not you, Captain?"
Artorius shook his head and hung it down in shame.
"I was a Captain, I should seen the signs that something was wrong. I failed as an Astartes in safeguarding the Imperium. My life is forfeit, again all I ask is that you spare my men."
A Sergeant stepped forward, Sergeant Taranis. "It was no more Captain Artorius fault that our father and brothers fell, than the rest of this companies command, if his life is forfeit, then so too is mine."
The Emperor said nothing, but a custodian stepped forward.
"That will not be necessary, our Lord has deemed it that you will indeed fight for him, all of you. You claim to be Wolves, therefore splitting the pack would be unwise. Rise and be the Thunder that will shatter those Traitorous Astartes."
As the newly christened Thunder Wolves rose, they recieved word that the traitors had entered the Sol System. They were given their weapons and armour, but with their armour, they changed the colour to red, to honour the blood their brothers had shed on Isstvan III. The Siege of Terra commenced soon after.
Siege of Terra
The Thunder Wolves fought their traitor brothers and the other legions on Terra, slicing through the traitors, but inevitably were pushed back. They fought along side the Blood Angels and saw first hand, what their father Horus had done to Sanguinius and the effect of the Black Rage had on their cousins. They held off the traitors and Black Rage afflicted Blood Angels just long enough for the seige to be broken by the death of Horus on Vengeful Spirit.
The Scouring
Following the Siege of Terra and the interment of the Emperor into the Golden Throne, the Primarch Roboute Guilliman wrote his magnum opus: the Codex Astartes. Captain Artorius seeked a meeting with the Primarch and pleaded the Thunder Wolves case for becoming a Chapter. He was succesful with one condition, but the Thunder Wolves were made a Successor Chapter of the famous Second Founding. They were give a substantial amount of thoroughly tested Luna Wolves gene-seed and a vast assortment of power armour and weapons to give to their new recruits.
That one condition turned out to for them to be the Vanguard in the event later called The Scouring, to which the Thunder Wolves agreed to and they joined in hunting their traitor brothers. 100 of the Thunder Wolves, including Taranis (now a Captain) were sent to Mars for an unknown task and were never heard for millennia.
Finding a Home (The First Howl)
After the end of the Scouring, the Thunder Wolves set out to find a planet to call their own. They were deployed to the Eastern Fringes and found in the Glwysig sector, a massive Ork WAAAAGH called Da 'Ard Horde. What was left of the 10 companies were deployed and quickly dealt with the horde, pushing them out, and finding their homeworld in the form of Cymro. What surprised Artorius, who was nearing the end of his time as Chapter Master of the Thunder Wolves, was the human tribe inhabitants of Cymro. The Orks would make their contraptions and the human would come in, destroy it with their crude weaponary and slink back just as quickly as they arrived.
After the Orks had been pushed off Cymro, the Thunder Wolves set up in what would become the Wolf Fort, Artorius seeked an audience with the planetary governor of the planet, he was shocked to be greeted by peasants who simply stated that there was no leader of such kind here, all these humans tribes had known was cruel Ork rule. Artorius simply stated "You need not fear them anymore, for the Thunder Wolves have come to protect you and shower you in the Emperor's light." Since that day, the Chapter Master or High King would rule over both the chapter and the planet.
Notable Campaigns
- Wolf Penance Crusade (M31 - M32): For reasons lost to time, the Thunder Wolves were tasked with a penance crusade shortly after being founded. They spent the first 100 years hunting the forces of Chaos, first in the Great Scouring then afterwards would be putting down chaos revolts across the Imperium. One such battle took place near the end of the penance crusade, where 3 entire companies of Thunder Wolves sacrificed themselves to seal away a Great Unclean One on a planet.
- First Wolf Howl (early M32): Not long after the penance crusade was concluded, the Thunder Wolves were deployed to Eastern Fringe to liberate the Glywysig sector from an Ork Warband called Da 'Ard Horde. What was left of the 10 companies were deployed and quickly dealt with the horde, pushing them out, and finding their homeworld in the form of Cymro.
- War of the Beast: The Second Howl (544.M32): The massive Ork WAAAGH! of The Beast rampages across the Imperium on a massive scale, growing in size until it becomes the greatest greenskin invasion that the galaxy has ever known, eclipsing even the one defeated by Horus upon the world of Ullanor during the height of the Great Crusade. Billions upon billions of Orks assaulted the Imperium, their sheer firepower and numbers crushing the forces of Mankind. The Thunder Wolves proved themselves as skilled hunters during the dawn of the war against the greenskins, effectively disrupting the orks' structure by killing key xenos such as prominent Warlords. But the orks threatened to drown out the Chapter, with the arrival of an Ork Attack Moon arrived above Cymro. However the Deathwatch which was created by Koorlund of the Imperial Fists, arrived to their aid. The High King of the Thunder Wolves sent their best battle-brothers to the Deathwatch. After the Beast was defeated, the Wolves in the Deathwatch quietly left to rejoin their Chapter when the xeno-hunters were handed to the Inquisition.
- 3rd Black Crusade (909.M32): Abaddon the Despoiler launched his Third Black Crusade, sending the Daemon Prince Tallomin against the Cadian Gate in a reckless and bloody frontal assault. The daemonic horde that followed in Tallomin's wake accounts for the destruction of millions of lives and draws in Imperial Guard regiments and several Space Marine Chapters from across the Segmentum Obscurus. The Thunder Wolves answer the Imperium's call to war and help with the defence of the Cadian Gate.
- The Age of Apostasy (M36): The Age of Apostasy was a time of horrific spiritual and political collapse across the Imperium. At its heart stood Goge Vandire, dual head of the Adeptus Ministorum and the Adeptus Administratum, whose madness and ambition ignited a galaxy-wide civil conflict known as the Reign of Blood. Being based on the Eastern Fringes, the Thunder Wolves were shielded from the brunt of it. Rogue Planetary Governors, Apostate Cardinals, and Chaos cults however, saw the Eastern Fringes as a perfect theatre for rebellion.
- Burning the Apostates Tower (M36): Not long after the Goge Vandire had been killed, a Cardinal on the planet Merthtide, claimed to be the child and heir apparent to Goge Vandire. They had managed to hold up in a tower that had been built by the former planetary governor. The Thunder Wolves deployed in force and not only wiped out the Cardinal forces, they also set the tower itself ablaze, as they saw early signs of Chaos Cults. However, when they came to deal with the Apostate Cardinal themself, they came across his decapitated head, held by a women, who offered the head and claimed that the Emperor commanded her to do it.
- Damocles Gulf Crusade (742.M41 - 745.M41): Being based in the Eastern Fringes, the entire Thunder Wolves Chapter took part in the Damocles Gulf Crusade. They unfortunately lost their 2nd and 6th companies in their entirety and their Chapter Master during this conflict.
- First Tyrannic War (745.M41): The Tyranid Hive Fleet Behemoth begins the first Tyrannic invasion of the galaxy with an assault upon Ultramar; the Thunder Wolves deployed all ten of their companies, and though the Tyranids were defeated, only half of the Thunder Wolves companies returned. Their Chapter Master, High King Emyr was placed in a stasis field after suffering major injuries and losing his right arm. Arch Druid Myrddin became acting Chapter in his absence.
- Seventh Wolf Howl (750.M41): A new Ork Warband called "Da Avengaz of Mork" had arrived in the sector, the Thunder Wolves immediately deployed their 3rd and 4th companies to combat them. Unfortunately for the Thunder Wolves, as they managed to defeat the Ork Warband at the cost of half of both companies, a renegade Tau Fleet decided to carpet bomb the planet the remainder of the companies were on, wiping them out.
- Second Tyrannic War (992.M41): The Tyranid Hive Fleet Kraken begins its invasion of the galaxy in the Eastern Fringe, the Thunder Wolves deployed their Veterans of the first Tyrannic War. The Tyranids were defeated at the Battle of Ichar IV.
- Thirteenth Wolf Howl (999.M41): Also known as the Tiny Howl due to its short duration, the Thirteeth Wolf Howl could not have come at a worse time for the Thunder Wolves. An Ork Warband was attacking the Torchbears fleet, so Arch Druid Myrddin sent out the remaining companies he could spare to save the fleet. Due to the actions of one Captain Hywel of the 3rd Company, the Ork Warband were destroyed and the fleet arrived safely at Cymro. Captain Hywel had secured the Chapters survival with the arrival of the Primaris Marines.
- Tyranid Infiltration (005-8.M42): Following the Chapter gaining Primaris Marines, the Thunder Wolves cleansed the vast tunnel system on the mining planet of Caspor at the edge of their home Sector from a Genestealer Cult uprising.
Thunder Wolves 3rd Company Bladeguard Veteran defending the worlds of Ultramar from the Death Guard during the Plague Wars.
- Plague Wars (ca. 012.M42): The Thunder Wolves were deployed against Death Guard.
Chapter Homeworld
The homeworld of the Thunder Wolves is known as Cymro, which is a feral world of great beauty and prosperity, however the system is constantly on the defensive due to the increasing expansion of the Tau Empire, and after the opening of the Great Rift would be further isolated and situated rather close to the Rift.
Fortress-Monastery
The fortress-monastery of the Thunder Wolves is called "The Wolf Den" and was build inside the largest mountain on the surface of Cymro. Its entrance is shaped like a gigantic Wolf's head.
Chapter Organization
Unlike other chapters, the Thunder Wolves do not have companies, they have Llwyth, which roughly translates to tribe, this is due to the culture of Cymro being similar to Terran societies in the late European Iron Age. Similar to the Emperor's Spears, the Thunder Wolves have "Druids" as their Librarians, Chaplains, Techmarines and Apothecaries. Their warrior-priest are able to harvest the gene-seed of their fallen brothers as well performing their normal duties that can be found in more Codex-Compliant chapters.
Officer Ranks
- High King - Chapter Master, currently held by Emyr.
- Captain
- Lieutenant
Senior Specialist Ranks
- Arch Druid - Chief Librarian equivalent, currently held by Myrddin.
- Reclusiarch
- Mastersmith - Master of the Forge, currently held by Wilelmus.
- Master Apothecarion - Currently held by Lord Aneurian.
- High Chaplain - Master of Sanctity, currently held by Lord Dewi.
Specialist Ranks
- Druids: Librarian, Techmarine, Chaplain equivalent.
- Wolf Champion - Chapter Champion equivalent.
- Metal Wolf- Dreadnoughts and Terminators honoring legendary warriors of the chapter, revered as Old Dragons.
Line Ranks
- Long Tooth - Veteran equivalent, hardened warriors representing the strength of the inhabitants of Cymro.
- (Add Rank) - Sergeant equivalent.
- Wolf-Brother - Battle Brother equivalent.
Welp - Neophyte equivalent.
Specialist Units & Formations
Order of Battle
Headquarters
Companies
| Companies
| |||
| Battle Companies | |||
| 2nd Llwyth
"The Wolf Knights" |
3rd Llwyth
"The Wolfguard" |
4th Llwyth
"The Fallen Wolves" |
5th Llwyth
"The Cwn Annwn" |
|
Battle Company Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Battle Company Captain Hywel (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Battle Company Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Great House Battle Company↵Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reserve Companies | Scout Company | |||
| 6th Llwyth
"The War Wolves" |
7th Llwyth
"Fangs of the Wolf" |
8th Llwyth
"The Luchthonn" |
9th Llwyth
"Sons of Cymro" |
10th Llwyth
"Squires of the Wolf" |
|
Battle Company Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Battle Company Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Great House Battle Company Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Great House Battle Company Captain (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
Great House
Battle Company Captain Iolo (Lieutenants) Command: Ancient Wolf (Company Ancient) (Chaplain) (Apothecary) (Librarian) (Company Champion) (Veteran Marines) (Battleline) Squads (Close Support) Squads (Fire Support) Squads (Dreadnoughts) Rhinos Bike Squads Repulsors Land Speeders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Chapter Recruitment
Due to homeworld of Cymro being filled with tribes, recruitment for this Chapter is knightly focused. They hold a tourney every couple of years, people from all over the planet come to area in front of The Wolf Den for two weeks of challenges and revelry. The economy in the local area always receives a boost, so the Chapter moves the location around the planet. The requirement for participation were 5 copper coins, so both nobles and peasants alike could partake.
The tourney has a variety of challenges, from typical jousting, to more uncommon challenges such as forging weaponry. All participants are required to partake in these tasks, and can have no assistance, they must be self-sufficient. If anyone is caught cheating, they are removed from the tourney and whipped publicly.
Boys of the age of 9 but no older than 14, who showed exceptional skill were taken to become Space Marines. They are then go through grueling tasks, such as weapon training in the morning, studying Imperium history in the afternoon and learning to forge weaponry in the evening.
The next phase of recruitment is just as gruelling, with Aspirants being dropped randomly on the other side of the planet, and told to make their way on foot back to the Wolf Den, but they must not be empty handed.
They must travel to the Dragon Mound, the second largest volcano and take from it a stone from inside the volcano. The Astartes know if the stone came from that volcano, as when it is crushed, it contains a gem that can only be found in that volcano. The place is also home to the dragons and where they leave their eggs. The stone they bring back with them (if they even survive), will be made a heirloom that the aspirant will craft and wear as an Astartes.
Chapter Beliefs
Chapter Gene-Seed
The Thunder Wolves are very secretive regarding who their primarch was, and have been known to get quite aggressive to any that investigate. Only the highest members of the Inquisition know the Chapter origins, and always has their eye on them to make sure they stay loyal to the Imperium.
Combat Doctrine
Due to their homeworld being one of early bronze terran society, Thunder Wolves are more likely to use swords, axes as well as hammers.
They are quite adept at hit and run tactics also, destroying their enemies quickly and leaving just as fast.
Deathwatch Service
Being situated in the Eastern Fringes, with constant threats from Xenos, such as Tau and Ork Warbands, the Thunder Wolves often treat the Deathwatch as a right of passage. If they are not killed in their service, most if not all Thunder Wolves return to their Chapter after their service with the Deathwatch has concluded.
Notable Members
- High King Artorius: Artorius was the first High King of the Thunder Wolves and of Cymro. He fought in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. After setting up the Thunder Wolves on Cymro, Artorius would lead the Chapter for 50 more years, until the day where, during an Ork Warband attack, he suffered great injuries and was brought back to Cymro, he was placed inside an older designed dreadnought. He still slumbers even now, in the deepest Armourium halls of the Wolf Fort, resting in his Saturine Dreadnought.
- High King Emyr: Current High King of the Thunder Wolves, he took the mantle after the previous Chapter Master fell in the Damocles Gulf Crusade and was put into a dreadnought. He was placed into a stasis field after being badly injured in the first Tyrannic War, losing his arm in the process. He was revived and made the first Primaris Marine of the Thunder Wolves. He leads the charge against the constant battlegrounds that have engulfed the Glywysig sector.
- Taranis: [Current First Captain of the Thunder Wolves.] WORK IN PROGRESS
- Arch Druid Myrddin: Work in progress. He became acting High King when Emyr was put into a stasis field. He was seen as the sage advisor to the High King.
- Captain Hywel: The Hero of the Third Wolf Howl, Hywel has led many campaigns against the enemies of the Imperium and saved his chapter from extinction with his slaying an Ork Warboss and leading the Torchbear fleet safely to Cymro.
- Master Owain Dreadnought: A dreadnaught of the Thunder Wolves, he was the previous High King before Emyr. He was believed to have fallen in Damocles Crusade, but was found with his left arm and both legs gone, surrounded by dead Kroot and a flamer in his remaining hand. He was then taken back to Cymro and turned into a Dreadnought. He now fights on the front lines of the constantly under seige Glywys Sector from the forces from The Great Rift.
Chapter Fleet
- The Pride of Demetae (Battle Barge) - The Pride of Demetae is the capital ship of the Thunder Wolves fleet.
Chapter Relics
- Fangs of the Wolf: The Chapter Master and his honour guard all wield the Fangs of the Wolf, the flaming swords of Cymro. Caledfwlch is the one wielded by the Chapter Master.
- Caledfwlch: A flaming sword forged in Cymro largest volcano and the flame is said to have come from the biggest Drake that originating from Cymro.
- Wolf Claws: Often worn by the champions of the chapter, the Wolf Claws are a pair of Lighting Claws and are often seen diving into hordes of enemies and ripping them apart.
- Blaidd Metel Dreadnought: The sacred and extremely rare relic Saturnine pattern Dreadnought of Artorius remains sealed in the Wolf Fort Reliquary, a tomb-like vault deep within the Chapter's fortress on Cymro. Known as the Blaidd Metel, this tactical dreadnought armour radiates heat and power. Legends claim that the armour will stir upon all the sons of the Emperor returning to the Imperium. The armour is said to be visited by new High Kings and great heroes of the chapter, and psychically offers advice in times of dire need, acting as a watchful ancestor.
Chapter Appearance
Chapter Colours
The Thunder Wolves Space Marine Chapter are forged in fire and tempered by the trials of the dark millennium. Their appearance is unmistakable - a bold fusion of ancient Terran Tribal iconography, translated into warplate and warcry alike. The Thunder Wolves' power armour is a deep, crimson red, reminiscent of blood spilled during the Horus Heresy, and embossed with tribal markings across the plating - a nod to the Chapter's harsh, fire-born rites of passage as well as their planet.
Chapter icon of the Thunder Wolves.
The Thunder Wolves are visually defined not just by their colors, but by the aura of primordial myth they carry into battle - ancient beasts clad in red ceramite, bearing tooth and claw in the Emperor's name. From their appearance alone, one can see that these are not mere soldiers of the Adeptus Astartes - they are living legends, shaped by the bestial wrath of their own making, and driven by the legacy of Emperor's burning will.
Chapter Badge
The Thunder Wolves' Chapter icon takes the form of a a Celtic wolf's head with lightning bolt markings on its fur, encircled by a knotwork border, with feral eyes and a Celtic shield behind it. It's typically painted white to contrast the black pauldron.
Relations
Allies
| Name | Iconography | Notes |
|---|
Enemies
| Name | Iconography | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Forces of Chaos |  |
|
| Black Legion |   |
The Thunder Wolves have a deep hatred of the Black Legion. They target the warband specifically when they are within the same campaigns and whenever their fleets ever cross paths. |
| Orks |   |
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Notable Quotes
By: Thunder Wolves
- "Heretics die in the flame, while we are uplifted by it."
- —Captain Iolo of the 7th Company, To new Neophytes at Initiation.
About: Thunder Wolves
Gallery
