Lone Wolves

"Dark it was. And dire of form. The beast that laid them low. Hrothgar sharpened front-forged blade. To deal a fatal blow. He stalked and hunted day and nighty. And came upon its lair. With sword and shield Hrothgar fought. And earned the name of slayer."

- The Saga of Hrothgar the Beastslayer, as told by Jaegar Brittletooth

Lone Wolves are individual Astartes of the Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter who are sole survivors of a pack that suffered so terribly that it was reduced to a single survivor; one who has lost his brothers to a man and yet has not earnt a place in the vaunted Wolf Guard. These last standing Lone Wolves will take on an air of vengeance and doom, determined to regain the honour of their Pack in combat or die trying. A Lone Wolf will swear a mighty oath of vengeance, vowing to seek out the most monstrous foe he can find. Those who succeed in their quests and survive are accepted into the Wolf Guard, while the rest earn an honourable death in combat, earning back their lost pack's honour and rejoining them in the afterlife with a final tale with which to greet his kin.

History
Sometimes Space Wolves do not always emerge victorious, despite their skill and valour. With every new campaign it is not uncommon for each pack to lose a few more good warriors, and even the rawest recruit understands that this is the natural order of things. Over the centuries most Grey Hunter and Long Fang packs, reduced to only a handful of warriors, will continue to fight at a reduced capacity. But sometimes the fates are cruel and a pack will suffer catastrophically, reduced to a single survivor. His packmates lost, the lone warrior has not yet earnt his place in the Wolf Guard. When one has no pack, one has no rank, leaving him left with nothing but bitter revenge. These fatalistic individuals are known as Lone Wolves - warriors who are utterly dedicated to a unending quest for vengeance for the honour of their fallen packmates. A Lone Wolf will swear a great oath of vengeance over the bodies of his fallen pack, painstakingly etching the names of his kin upon his blade or even into his flesh. As his oath of vengeance draws to completion, he vows to hunt down the most dire of foes he can find. He will slay this enemy in the name of his fallen brethren or die in the attempt. In this way the Lone Wolf will win back his lost pack's honour and rejoin them beyond the veil in the afterlife. Often, lone figures stalk through the mists, preceding a Space Wolves' advance, each hunting a glorious death in combat.

When a Lone Wolf has taken his oath, he shuns the company of his fellows, spending every waking moment both physically and mentally preparing for the final battle. Even the Great Wolf himself will not obstruct or countermand the destiny a Lone Wolf has chosen for himself, for the Space Wolves take matters of honour and of kin very seriously indeed. The last survivor, alone in his cell, will take up his axe and shield, prepared to meet his death with a weapon in hand. The sagas of these Lone Wolves all too often end in their death amongst a bone-strewn lair of some vile monstrosity or under the heel of a xenos warlord. But on occasion, the Lone Wolf will achieve his quest for vengeance, emerging bloodied but triumphant. He then carries the head of his slain foe back to his Great Company, vengeance having been satisfied, with a grim smile upon his lips. This valiant individuals are almost always inducted into the Wolf Guard, their new comrades welcoming their fellow warrior at the feasting table with great jubilation.

Wargear

 * Power Armour or choice of Terminator Armour
 * Close combat weapon, choice of Power Sword, Wolf Claw, Frost Blade, Frost Axe, Thunder Hammer, Chain Fist or Storm Shield
 * Bolt Pistol or Plasma Pistol
 * Storm Bolter with choice of Terminator Armour
 * Frag & Krak Grenades