Bran Redmaw

Bran Redmaw, known as the Curs'd Lord, Wulfen-Kin and The Bloodied Hunter, serves as the current Wolf Lord of one of the Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter's Great Companies. He and his Great Company are looked upon with suspicion by the other 11 Wolf Lords, for they are regarded as tainted. More Space Wolves bearing the Curse of the Wulfen serve alongside Redmaw's company than in any other. The unspoken truth as the reason why, is that Redmaw himself has risen to become a Lord, despite being afflicted himself.

History
Bran Redmaw is one of the twelve Wolf Lords of a Great Company that lead the Space Wolves Chapter under the Great Wolf Logan Grimnar. Leading a Great Company of up to 200 Space Wolves Warriors, the character of each Great Company's lord to a greater or lesser extent influences its warriors, and Bran Redmaw's company is renowned for being a savage pack of cunning and ruthless killers, for an enemy force trapped by Redmaw's Great Company will quite literally be torn to pieces. For this reason, Bran's Great Company is looked upon with some suspicion by the other eleven Wolf Lords. They all respect the company's fighting prowess, but those that serve under the banner of the Bloodied Hunter are regarded as tainted and draw the eyes of those of the Imperium outside the Space Wolves Chapter more than they wish. The Inquisition has, within its records pertaining to loyal Adeptus Astartes deviation, accounts of terrifying feral creatures shadowing the deployment of the Great Company. These though have yet to be proved, and the Space Wolves Chapter ignores all demands to account for these allegations.

This Bloodied Hunter is the sign associated with those of the Mark of the Wulfen, and indeed there are many in Brans Great Company who bear that particular curse. Amongst the upper echelons of the Space Wolves there is an unspoken truth as to the reason why - for Bran has risen to become a Lord, despite being afflicted himself. Bran Redmaw does little to dispel the rumours, and that he has begun to take to the battlefield alone rather than leading his battle-brothers only serves to court the growing attention the Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy are paying upon the Great Company. No one has yet dared to question their loyalty to the Imperium, and its proven record combating Mankind's enemies has forced the Inquisition to so far stay its hand.

After the death of Wolf Lord Andhrimnir during the Mordrak Campaign, Bran Redmaw was promoted by Andhrimnir's retinue to replace him as leader of his Great Company, as is the Space Wolves Chapter's tradition regarding rites of succession. This was not a popular decision. Other Space Wolves Lords stepped forth, in private, to voice their concerns. Amongst them, was the venerable Wolf Priest, Ulrik the Slayer. They worried that Bran couldn't be trusted with such a position of power, for there was the possibility that he would allow his darker, feral nature to take control of his mind and soul. The Great Wolf quashed all complaints, for he could see that Bran was an extraordinary warrior and, through sheer force of will, had subdued the beast within. Logan Grimnar looked to the advice of his eldest councillor, Bjorn the Fell-Handed, in this matter. Only the ancient Dreadnought was old enough to recall that Bran would not be the first afflicted Space Wolf to reach such high office with the Curse of the Wulfen upon him.

The Great Wolf fully supported Bran's promotion to Wolf Lord, but not without caution as he ordered Ulrik the Slayer and his Wolf Priests to keep a vigilant watch over Bran and his Great Company, so that they did not stray too far and risk repeating the mistakes of the past. Knowing that the beast lurks within, Bran eschews the close company of his warriors, even on the battlefield (or perhaps especially upon the battlefield). Bran issues his orders before deployment, preferring to hunt alone or in the company of a pack of Fenrisian Wolves, leaving his trusted Wolf Guard battle leaders in direct tactical control. When the Curse of the Wulfen takes him, Bran is transformed into a huge ravenous wolf-beast; fully twelve feet tall, powerful, fast, and with claws that can rend plasteel and fangs like adamantine daggers. Consumed by a frenzied bloodlust, the Redmaw tears its foes apart in an orgy of blood. But despite the creature's bestial appearance, Redmaw is no mindless killer. The beast still retains a hunter's cunning, using stealth and patience to close with its prey before pouncing upon them in an explosion of bloody violence.

These are the same tactics that Bran instills into his warriors - patience and the opportune moment to strike. There are no headlong rushes to battle or proud boasting of their strength and battle prowess for his Great Company. Instead the meticulously plan, manoeuvre and make tactical strikes to weaken the foe before the sudden final assault, often striking from multiple directions, but always with overwhelming and pitiless savagery, tearing an enemy force to shreds. In battle, Bran is equipped as befits a mighty Wolf Lord, wearing Rune Armour decorated with wolf totems and fetishes and an ornate Belt of Russ. For his weapon, he bears the axe Langnvast, a master-forged relic Frostblade of the Chapter gifted to him by Logan Grimnar upon his promotion to the rank of Wolf Lord. This axe is an ancient and storied weapon among the Space Wolves, carried by many heroes into uncounted battles.