Watch Pack

A Watch Pack was a specilist formation utilised exclusively by the Space Wolves Legion during the opening days of the Horus Heresy in the early years of the 31st Millennium. Even as the VI Legion brought sanction to Prospero, a handful of Packs were despatched by their Primarch Leman Russ, under direct authority of Malcador the Sigillite, the acting Regent of Terra, speeding through the Warp on the Imperium's fastest ships. They had been given the duty by the Wolf King to link up with the remaining sixteen Space Marine Legions and take up position as bodyguards, and potential executioners, of the remaining sixteen Primarchs. By the time these "Watch Packs" were assigned, however, most of the Traitors had already chosen to side with Horus. Those Watch Packs who linked up with Traitor Legions almost certainly met a grim end. The Pack that reached the Alpha Legion Primarch Alpharius managed to kill the first officer who presented himself as the Primarch, but did not last much longer and they were run down and slain. The Watch Pack that met with the Blood Angels Primarch Sanguinius was lost during the chaos of the Battle for Signus Prime. The Watch Pack that joined up with the Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman wound up crossing blades with the Night Lords Primarch Konrad Curze on Macragge and shed blood to protect Guilliman's adoptive human mother. Ultimately the fate of many of these Watch Packs remain unknown, and their duty was a thankless one, but it shows the unquestioned loyalty of the VI Legion and the esteem in which the Legion was held that they were given such a dire task in the first place.

Officers

 * Watch Pack Leader Faffnr Bludbroder - Hailing from the Sesc (Sixth) Great Company, Pack Master Bludbroder was despatched to the Realms of Ultramar to observe the Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman, under orders of Malcador the Sigillite himself, in the wake of the events of the Razing of Prospero. Departing on the zeta-class courier ship Waning Crescent, Bludbroder and his Watch Pack successfully arrived at Macragge, but by that time the Horus Heresy had erupted into a massive galaxy-wide conflict. Following the Battle of Calth and the Word Bearers Legion's maleficent summoning of the massive Warp Storm known as the Ruinstorm, the Realms of Ultramar were cut off from the rest of the Imperium and unable to firmly establish whether or not the Emperor of Mankind still lived, or if Terra and the Imperium of Man had fallen to the Traitors. Guilliman instituted the ultimate contingency plan -- to create a second Imperium in order to ensure the survival of the Emperor's dream of a united Mankind, known as Imperium Secundus. The XIII Legion had discovered the means to help navigate their voidships through the Warp without the beacon of the Astronomican through the use of recently discovered xenos-technology on the world of Sotha. The artificial light from the artificial beacon on Sotha, guided many vessels, both civilian and Legiones Astartes, to the Realms of Ultramar. Upon their arrival from the Thramas Crusade, the Dark Angels Legion were one such Imperial military force to arrive. During the welcome parade for the I Legion, led by Primarch Lion El'Jonson at the front, the Primarch was confronted by Bludbroder, who demanded that the Lion honour the ritual duel that had become standard operating procedure, since bad blood occurred between the Dark Angels and the Space Wolves during the Dulan Campaign. Bludbroder attempted to strike the Lion with his frost-axe, and very nearly succeeded in landing his strike, but was soundly defeated by the Lion. Later on, it was Bludbroder and his pack who protected Guillman's adopted human mother, Tarasha Euten and battled the psychotic Night Lords Primarch Konrad Curze when he was let loose upon Macragge. Though Bludbroder was grievously wounded by Curze he managed to survive. After recovering from his wounds, Bludbroder was later seen keeping vigil over both the Lion and Guilliman as they discussed how best to run Curze to ground and capture him.
 * Watch Pack Leader Kargir - Kargir was the Sergent of the 19th squad of Tolv (Twelfth Great Company), or as a native Fenrisian would say Thirteen Stars Falling, then of Howl of the Hearthworld, the most veteran squad of Tolv. Thirteen Stars Falling was a remnant of a forgotten age, the last of the first generation of Fenrisians to have stayed a squad-commander and fought hard to remain so. When Leman Russ selected Kargir's squad as a Watch Pack, to act as bodyguards and watchers over Rogal Dorn, the Primarch of the Imperial Fists Legion, Kargir voiced his discontent with this decision but dared not disobey an order from his own Primarch.
 * Watch Pack Leader Helik Redknife - Dispatched to the Blood Angels fleet to keep watch on the Primarch Sanguinius for signs of treachery or deviancy following the Council of Nikaea, Captain Redknife and his command linked up with the Blood Angels just before the Signus Campaign. During the final epic battle on Signus Prime while fighting against a vast horde of daemons, Redknife and his command were inadvertently slain by the berserker warriors of Blood Angels Captain Nassir Amit and his warriors of the 5th Company when they fell into the depths of the Red Thirst and set upon Redknife and his Wolves, slaughtering all of them. Following the battle, Amit submitted himself to First Captain Raldoron for punishment. He revealed what had occurred to the Space Wolves, but Azkaellon, the Commander of the Sanguinary Guard, revealed to Amit that he had already lied to their Primarch about how the Space Wolves had died. Enraged, Amit nearly came to blows with Sanguinary Guard Commander, but Azkaellon explained that if their lord knew the truth, he would blame himself for what had happened. He would then tell his brother, the Wolf King, the truth. This would risk the bonds between their two Legions, a bond at a time when unity was sorely needed.
 * Watch Pack Leader Theodore Strong-grin - Theodore served as Einherjar Champion of the Nine Eastern Tribes, formerly of Tra (Third Great Company). His Watch Pack was returning to Fenris from a campaign when they received orders to diver and rendezvous with the Night Lords fleet. While some packs were hand-picked for their assignment it is possible Pack Theodore was chosen for the simple expedience of their location. If so, it was such ill-fate that sent the pack to their certain deaths. After arriving aboard a Night Lords vessel, the Space Wolves were ordered to depart their transport with no weapons. After meeting a delegation of Night Lords and their Primarch, the Watch Pack were treacherously set upon by the Traitor legionaries who drug them down by the weight of their numbers and slew them with blades and fists. Watch Pack Leader Theodore was kept alive after his pack-mates were slain, his body cut and tortured by the Night Haunter and sent back to the Sol system, barely alive, aboard the Shuttle Rohja, as a message to the Sigillite and the Loyalists. Theodore was recovered by the Knight-Errant Ison, who chose to do everything in his power to keep Theodore alive and restore his body without internment in a Dreadnought sarcophagus. It is possible Theodore survived and joined the ranks of the burgeoning Knights-Errant, but his ultimate fate is unknown.
 * Watch Pack Leader Torbjorn - Torbjorn formerly served as the Wolf Guard Company Champion of For (Fourth Great Company). He was later assigned to lead a Watch Pack to the Alpha Legion and stand as wardens or executioners over Alpharius. However, after making contact with the XX Legion fleet the Space Wolves were betrayed. When they met with 'Primarch', who in actuality was an Alpha Legion officer who was standing-in for his Primarch as a proxy, Torbjorn suspected their treacherous intent and stuck down the warrior he believed to be Alpharius. With their treachery revealed, Trobjorn and his pack were hunted down and slain by the traitorous Alpha Legion.
 * Watch Pack Leader Arvan Woundweaver - With the treachery of four Primarchs confirmed at the beginning of the dark days known as the Horus Heresy, Leman Russ and Malcador the Sigilite decided to despatch several squads of "honour guards" of the fiercest warriors the Space Wolves could offer to ensure the remaining Primarch's loyalties. Arvan Woundweaver was one of those tasked with this mission, he and his pack were charged by the Wolf King himself to join the XIX Legion and watch over Corvus Corax; however the Raven Guard being famed for their stealth, Woundweaver and his pack could not locate the Primarch for five long years aboard his ship. The VI Legion had established a series of well hidden and well-defended outposts in several dead systems that were being used as armouries and it was during one of their resupply stops that the enemy reared its ugly head in the form of a Cruiser of the heretic Sons of Horus, the Warmaster's own scum. With three members of his squad choosing this ill-fated moment to fall prey to the curse of the Wulfen, Woundweaver had no other choice than to put them down and seclude himself in the outpost's central keep. Sending his abandoned ship on an automated course as a bottle into a fathomless ocean, the seven remaining Space Wolves entrenched themselves in the station's keep and battled the Sons of Horus which had landed their own troops. Fortunately for Woundweaver, his drifting ship was discovered a few weeks later by the Fearless, a Raven Guard Light Cruiser commanded by Lieutenant Navar Hef of the Raptors-contingent. Arvan Woundweaver's saga was abruptly cut short when the plan he had devised to slay the besieging Sons of Horus backfired. He and his squad are believed to have become locked down in combat and thus unable to evacuate the compound before its Plasma Reactor went critical and vaporised Traitors and Space Wolves alike.

Line Legionaries

 * Watch Pack Brother Vaegr Echo of Three Heroes - Named after the ancestors of the Vakreyr tribe. Vaegr was a member of Pack Kargir.
 * Watch Pack Brother Ordun Kin to the Night - A killer in the shadows, brother Ordun served with Pack Kargir.
 * Watch Pack Brother Brandwyn Storm's Son - Born on a longship in the middle of a raging storm, such a birth is an extremely ill-omen on Fenris. To counter the ill-luck of his birth shamanistic rune-tears were tattooed onto Brandwyn’s face, curling from the corners of his eyes. Member of Pack Kargir.
 * Watch Pack Brother Herek Iron Song - Possessing an augmetic lower jaw and metal teeth, Herek gained these injuries through an incautious head butting of a helmeted foe. Member of Pack Kargir.
 * Watch Pack Brother Rykath No Foes Remain - A stern and soft spoken member of Pack Kargir brother Rykath fought with a painstakingly maintained chain-axe.
 * Watch Pack Brother Rutvald Yevi - White of hair but keen of eye brother Rutvald served with the Watch Pack of Theodore Strong-grin assigned to watch the Night Lords. Realizing what was about to happen brother Rutvald rushed towards Kurze, smashing his way past the wall of Night Lords armour in an attempt to get to the traitor Primarch. He made it to within five meters before he was dragged down and slain.
 * Watch Pack Brother Hraidisson - The youngest member of Pack Theodore Strong-grin. Brother Hraidisson was the second of his pack-brothers to die to the Night Lords treachery, his armor torn off and his body pummeled and kicked into a pile of meat and bone fragments.
 * Watch Pack Brother Annek - A veteran of almost two hundred wars, brother Annek was the first of Pack Theodore to be slain by the Night Lords.
 * Watch Pack Anders Drackenvolk - The third member of Pack Theodore to fall to the Night Lords. Brother Anders disobeyed the order of his Pack Leader to leave all weapons aboard their shuttle, choosing to conceal a Combat Blade beneath his furs. This foresight and stubbornness allowed him to slay three attackers before they were able to land blows against him but faced with such odds his success could not last.
 * Watch Pack Brother Egil Formerly a Wolf Guard of For (Fourth Great Company), Brother Egil served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Grimnir - Formerly a Wolf Guard of For, Brother Grimnir served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Hengist - Formerly a Wolf Guard of For, Brother Hengist served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Salagrim - Formerly a Wolf Guard of For, Brother Salagrim served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Engal - Formerly a Wolf Guard of For, Brother Engal served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Gunir - Formerly a Wolf Guard of For, Brother Gunir served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Holdar - Formerly a Wolf Guard of For, Brother Holdar served with the Watch Pack of Torbjorn and was slain in the Golan system by the Alpha Legion traitors.
 * Watch Pack Brother Malmur Longreach - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Shockeye Ffyn - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder. Brother Ffyn was killed fighting Konrad Kurze in the Residency of Macragge Civitas on Macragge.
 * Watch Pack Brother Kuro Jjordrovk - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Gudson Allfreyer - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Mads Loreson - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Salick the Braided - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Biter Herek - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Nido Knifeson - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Bo Soren the Axe - Member of the Watch Pack of Faffnr Bludbroder.
 * Watch Pack Brother Valdin - Member of Captain Redknife's command during the ill-fated Signus Campaign. He was slain by blood-mad Captain Nassir Amit and the warriors of his 5th Company when they had fallen into the throes of the dreaded Red Thirst.