Harek Ironhelm

"Here the thread is severed of Harek Eireik Eireiksson, called Ironhelm by jarls, and his debts reckoned. On the World Spine, the Father of Mountains. The humbled god comes hands stretched open - one eye, fire-ringed. And let it be said, brother, let this be recorded. The betrayer of old cripple-son of the Allfather extends his arm, his gaze Helwinter-cold. And Ironhelm, master of the Wolves of Fenris, with fangs bared, laughs like sunrise."

- Cited from the Ironhelm Saga

Harek Eireik Eireksson, also known as 'Harek Ironhelm was a Great Wolf of the Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter during the 32nd Millennium. Throughout his years as Great Wolf, Harek became obsessed with hunting down Magnus the Red the Daemon Primarch of the traitorous Thousand Sons Legion, for Magnus was able to escape him time and time again. Ultimately, Eireksson fell in battle against the Daemon Primarch during the final day of the First Battle of the Fang.

History
During the 32nd Millennium, Harek Ironhelm had risen to command the mighty Space Wolves Chapter as its Great Wolf. After the end of the Horus Heresy, Magnus the Red was determined to have his revenge for the devastation of his homeworld of Prospero at the hands of his former brother-Primarch Leman Russ and his Legion, and so, he devised a cunning plan to lure the Space Wolves into a trap in order to enact his final vengeance against them. Magnus led the Thousand Sons in a series of devastating raids on the worlds near Fenris. In response, Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm sought to bring the Daemon Primarch to battle but the Magnus always eluded him. Magnus appeared to him as vision among the ruins of devastated cities and taunted the Great Wolf for his inability to stop him. After many fruitless efforts to catch up with the Thousand Sons, Harek became obsessed, and took to searching worlds along the edge of the Eye of Terror itself. Eventually he found what he believed to be the Thousand Sons' secret base on Gangava and launched a full scale attack against it.

In this he was deceived, for though Gangava was held by a strong garrison of the Forces of Chaos allied to Magnus, they were but a distraction. Even as Harek attacked Gangava, the fleet of the Thousand Sons and their Chaotic levies appeared in orbit over Fenris. The Fang was held only by a skeleton force of Space Wolves and their thralls. For forty days and forty nights the Thousand Sons assaulted the mighty citadel. Bjorn the Fell-Handed, most ancient of the Space Wolves' Dreadnoughts, was awoken from his long slumber and took charge of the Chapter's defences. Under Bjorn's direction the Space Wolves fell back to the innermost chambers of the Fang, collapsing the tunnels as they went. Simultaneously, a force of Scouts, under Haakon Blackwing, managed to escape from the citadel and take ship to Gangava, bringing world of the siege to Harek.

Overcome with fury and shame at his folly the Great Wolve immediately took ship to Fenris, bringing the might of the Space Wolves with him. Finally, on the upper slopes of the Fang itself, the Great Wolf met Magnus in battle. The Daemon Primarch was too powerful for him and slew Harek, but not before taking a terrible wound himself. The Thousand Sons withdrew before the blood-maddened Space Wolves. Harek was buried upon the upper slopes of the Fang, and his crypt is now a shrine. It is said that when Rune Priests undergo their ordeal of initiation they must make a pilgrimage there, and be warned by the spirit of Harek Ironhelm against trusting visions granted by Chaos.