Wolf Scouts of Fyf

Well, it's been a long time since I posted! I do apologise for that and will try to post a bit more regularly. My time was mainly taken up by replaying the entire Mass Effect trilogy (including all DLC) from start to end for the third time. Shepard won again. Those reapers are all talk.

There was also a lot of procrastination and general non-hobby-doing. Sometimes it's hard to get back to it once you break your flow. I did need a break though as I had been relentlessly painting Space Wolves and was sort of drained.

Anyway: let me introduce you to Fyf's contingent of Wolf Scouts. The first Space Wolf models I built, but not the first I painted, alas.

Storrbrandr Trolbayn

"Trolls? Do not speak to me of trolls!"

-- Storrbrandr Trolbayn when being asked about trolls

It is said that not one troll has ever escaped Storrbrandr once he has set out to hunt it, for this relentless hunter loathes all the species of troll found on Fenris with a passion. No one is sure from where this hatred stems, but it is potent and it is violent. According to Storrbrandr trolls "have no honour, unlike the other beasts of the world" and "deserve nothing but extermination". Storrbrandr seems to have taken it upon himself to personally rid Fenris of these creatures, though they are surely too great in number for one warrior to eliminate alone.

Storrbrandr can kill a troll in one blow with his mighty axe "banahogg" and this skill serves him well in battle. Hunting and stalking great beasts and felling them with a sudden deadly strike makes Storrbrandr eminently suitable for a place among the Wolf Scouts. Just as with the trolls of Fenris, the vile beasts of the galaxy never escape banahogg.

Naglhaus Wulfbitten

Naglhaus speaks not.

During his training as an aspirant, Naglhaus showed a particular talent for stealth, and for killing, but his violent rages distanced him from his fellows. He was watched very closely by the Wolf Priests. Rage is one thing, but Naglhaus was treading dangerous ground. Would his rage be controlled and honed into a potent weapon, or would it consume him?

Never let it be said that Naglhaus lacks strength of will. As feared by the Wolf Priests, the line between Naglhaus and the wolf that rages within him is paper thin and at times that wolf come to prominence. But always does Naglhaus return, at least, in part. If you were ever to look in his eyes, you would not see a man staring back at you.

That part of Naglhaus that remains remembers well his training, though he does not speak. He walks with light foot and silent tread, though he knows not where. He follows instructions from his leaders, though he knows not why. He only seems to understand his purpose when finally confronting the enemy, for then he can relax the supreme force of will keeping the wolf in check. Naglhaus is not ordered to attack; rather, he is unleashed.

In combat, Naglhaus is like two warriors fighting as one. A clinical and controlled warrior of supreme skill fights alongside a bestial creature of savage fury. Every part of him is a deadly weapon – he does not need his axe and combat knife; teeth, fists, elbows, knees, all are equally potent. And when the fight is over, and it is never long before it is over, Naglhaus's true and most grueling battle begins once more.

Nari the Grey

"Great deeds are visible, but vital deeds are never seen."

-- words uttered by Nari the Grey

Few are as capable of passing unnoticed as Nari. A master of stealth and blending into the background, Nari has been called upon many times to covertly observe enemy movements or scout out a forward position. It is said that no enemy has ever seen him, though that is probably somewhat of an exaggeration.

Nari's flowing locks are grey in colour, but he had the name of "the Grey" even when his hair was black as pitch. Instead, "grey" is a reference to Nari's knack of being unnoticed. Among a band of warriors who pride themselves on being noticed, Nari is more than content to be overlooked. There are no great stories or sagas attributable to Nari, for he tells none. He deeds are mysterious, for they go unobserved. His abilities are all that is known about him, and that's just the way Nari likes it.

Onytyrond the Untouchable

"Strike me then, pup! Just once. If you are so superior, then prove it!"

-- Onytyrond the Untouchable before the humbling of Baynfel

Being warriors, the sons of Fenris spar frequently to hone their skills, perfect their technique, and of course, earn bragging rights. When Onytryond walks into the training cages, his brothers groan, for they know they are in for a hard time. Onytyrond has perfected the art of evasion and defensive blocking to such a degree that it is virtually impossible to land a blow on him.

This skill was demonstrated to an extreme on one occasion, many years ago, know known as "the humbling of Baynfel". Baynfel was a particularly precocious Blood Claw, far too boastful and arrogant for his own good. Onytyrond has never been one to contently tolerate hubris and when Baynfel mocked him for what he felt was a cowardly style of fighting, Onytyrond bade him join him in the sparring cage and challenged Baynfel to land but a single blow. Baynfel laughed heartily and launched himself at Onytyrond who, of course, evaded the clumsy attack with ease. During the next eight hours, Onytyrond never raised a hand to Baynfel, yet try as he might, the young wolf could not connect with a single attack. Exhausted, Baynfel collapsed to his knees, hung his head in shame and vowed never again to underestimate another's abilities, or overestimate his own.

Onytyrond has built himself quite the reputation as a phenomenally slippery opponent to get to grips with. Among the more fanciful of the Sons of Russ many outlandish theories persist: that Onytyrond has no bones, that blades simply pass through him without resistance, or that he sees things before they happen. The truth is much more mundane: decades of practice combined with a natural talent.

It is untrue, however, that Onytyrond has never been struck. Some of the most talented fighters among the Rout have managed to land a blow on him. Rikkard, of course, has managed to give Onytyrond a bloody nose on more than one occasion. Still, for most foes, he is too much to handle and their first failed strike will be the last failure they ever make.

Jarnfal the Wanderer

"With the lands of Fenris beneath my feet, I am home again."

-- Jarnfal the Wanderer once spoke these words

There are stories passed among the tribes of Fenris of a giant man who walks through snow, rain, mist, and gale, never breaking stride, never staying in one place, and never stopping to rest. None have met him, and none have spoken to him as he is only ever seen in fleeting glimpses or heading towards the horizon. This mysterious figure is Jarnfal.

When on Fenris many warriors of the Rout take the opportunity to leave the Aett when they can to hunt or to just simply enjoy their homeworld after the hells they have walked through across the galaxy. Jarnfal never fails to head out into the wilds, always walking for weeks on end with no particular destination in mind. He simply walks until he decides to turn around and walk back to the Aett.

Naturally, Jarnfal was drawn away from the comradeship and bluster of the Blood Claw and Grey Hunter packs and towards the quiet and focused duty of the Wolf Scout. There is no warrior more willing to walk for miles and miles just to glimpse an enemy position before simply walking back again without attacking. This is where Jarnfal is most valuable in battle, however wandering the wilds of Fenris is where he truly feels at home.

Svanr Youngblood

"The creature took my eye, and brought me to my knees. I recognized my failing, though thought not I would have chance to correct it."

-- Svanr Youngblood on the moment that changed him

Svanr is barely older than the scouts of other Space Marine chapters and was 'fast-tracked' into the Wolf Scouts after showing exceptional promise in stealth and infiltration. He still has to keep the exuberance of the Blood Claw in check and is always itching to unleash the wrath of his meltagun.

Never was the lesson of the importance of mastering rage in the heat of battle taught better than when Svanr took it upon himself to challenge a warrior of the Eldar's dark kin in personal combat. Svanr's enthusiastic attacks were contemptuously dodged by the zenos fighter, and with each evasion came a precise, pinpoint accurate, thrust of the Eldar's finely-wrought sword. Each strike pierced an organ, or severed a tendon, and in one instance, took Svanr's left eye. So delighted in his cruelty was this vile warrior that he failed to notice the approach of the whirlwind of rage that was Naglhaus, and was well, and deservedly, slain.

Lesson learned, and long healing completed, Svanr returned to his fellow scouts with a renewed attitude. The young warrior was calmer and more measured, but, as evidenced by his striking hairstyle, an element of his youthful exuberance will perhaps always remain.

---

Thanks for checking these guys out. Hope you enjoyed them, and do please leave a comment if you wish. I will always try to respond to any questions or queries.