View source for Vulkan

{{QuoteBox
|quote = '''''"The flesh is weak, but deeds endure"'''''
|source = - Vulkan to [[Ferrus Manus]]{{Fn|18}}
|}}
{{Character
|Portal              ={{SalamandersPortal}}
|Name                =Vulkan
|Image               =VulkanArtHH.jpg
|Caption             =
|Title               =The Lord of Drakes{{Fn|1}}<br>Unbound Flame
|Homeworld           =[[Nocturne]], [[Nocturne System]]{{Fn|1}}
|Birth               =c. Late [[M30]]{{Fn|1}},
[[Terra]], [[Sol System]]
|Active Period       =[[M30]] — 546.[[M32]]{{Fn|12}}
|Species             =[[Human]]
|Type                =[[Primarch]] [[Perpetual]]
|Gender              =Male
|Relatives           ='' ''
*[[Emperor of Mankind]]{{Fn|1}}<br><small>(Genetic Father)</small>
*[[Erda]]<br><small>(Genetic Mother)</small>
*[[N'bel]]{{Fn|1}}<br><small>(Adopted Father)</small>
*The [[Primarch]]s{{Fn|1}}<br><small>(Genetic Brothers)</small>
*[[Leetu]]<br><small>(Genetic Brother)</small>
*[[Salamanders]] & Successors{{Fn|1}}<br><small>(“Sons” via [[Gene-seed]])</small>
|Occupation          ='' ''
*Ruler of [[Nocturne]]{{Fn|1}}
*[[Primarch]] of the [[XVIII Legion]]{{Fn|1}}
|Preceded by         =
|Succeeded by        =
|Faction             ='' ''
*[[Nocturne]]{{Fn|1}}
*[[Imperium of Man]]{{Fn|1}}
**[[Salamanders]]{{Fn|1}}<br><small>(XVIII Legion)</small>
**[[Grand Council of Reconstruction]]
|Notes               =
}}
'''Vulkan''' was one of the twenty [[Primarch]]s created by the [[Emperor of Mankind]] to lead his [[Great Crusade]] and reunite the scattered peoples of humanity. His [[Space Marine Legion]] was re-named the [[Salamanders]] in his honour. As with all the Primarchs, Vulkan inherited an aspect of his father. However for him this was the unique ability of being a [[perpetual]], making him essentially immortal. Vulkan was able to regenerate fully from any injury, including a death that would vaporize him completely. This ability was unknown to him until the [[Horus Heresy]], and during the [[Great Crusade]] he gained a reputation for his empathy towards average [[human]]s as well as his craftsmanship abilities.{{Fn|4}}

==History==
[[Image:YoungVulkan.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Young Vulkan{{Fn|21}}]]
===Youth===
When the Primarchs were scattered from the Emperor's laboratory, '''Vulkan''' arrived on the planet [[Nocturne]] during the Time of Trial as an infant and was soon taken in by the blacksmith [[N'bel]]. N'bel raised Vulkan, naming him after the first king of the salamanders, and the young Primarch considered him his father. The people of his home town [[Hesiod (City)|Hesiod]] were astounded by this child, for within the space of three years, he was stronger and bigger than any man in his town. In addition to his massive physical size, he was the quickest mind, and the greatest blacksmith anyone knew of. Indeed, it was not long before Vulkan himself was teaching forging techniques to the people that had not yet been discovered.{{Fn|1}}

The people of Nocturne were frequently raided by [[Dark Eldar]]. They were so used to this common occurrence, that each person in town had developed their own hiding place to avoid capture. When the Dark Eldar raided again in Vulkan's fourth year on Nocturne, the Primarch refused to hide and instead stood out in the centre of the settlement, his two smithing hammers crossed over his shoulders. The people of Vulkan's town were so inspired by his example that they joined him and prepared to defend their town. With a Primarch leading the defense, the people of the town decisively defeated the Dark Eldar. Vulkan alone killed a hundred Eldar that day. Within weeks the leaders of the seven largest towns on Nocturne had traveled to meet Vulkan, and they soon swore never again to hide from the raiders.{{Fn|1}}

In celebration of the Primarch's victory over the Eldar raiders, a tournament was decided to be held. Unexpectedly, a stranger arrived in the middle of the festivities. Of pale complexion and wearing outlandish clothing, the stranger asked only to be allowed to compete. When he announced that he could best anyone in the town, the people laughed at this outlander. Who could possibly beat Vulkan in any feat of intellect, strength, craftsmanship, or endurance? Nonetheless, Vulkan and the stranger wagered that whoever lost the tournament would forever serve the victor. Lasting 8 days, the contest included many tests of strength and endurance such as the anvil lift (in which the two held anvils above their heads for a half-day before the contest was called a tie). The number of contests is unimportant, however, for by the end of day 8, Vulkan and the stranger were tied.{{Fn|1}}

In the final event, both contestants were given 24 hours to construct a weapon, before using said weapon to hunt down and slay the largest [[Salamander (Creature)|salamander]] they could find. Climbing a high mountain, the two each went out to find a drake. Vulkan quickly found and killed a very large Fire Drake. However, on his way back, the mountain he was standing on - which coincidentally was a volcano - erupted, casting Vulkan over a cliff. Hanging for dear life over the precipice, Vulkan was determined to hang on to his massive Salamander. Thus, he found himself hanging by one hand from a cliff with his other hand clutching the tail of his drake.{{Fn|1}}

Hanging there for hours, Vulkan's strength eventually ebbed away until he knew he must decide between the drake and his life. At that moment, however, the stranger arrived, carrying his own drake. Even from the edge of the cliff, the Primarch could tell that the outlander's drake was indeed bigger. Seeing Vulkan in distress, the stranger acted quickly, tossing his drake into a lava flow that separated them and using it as a bridge to cross to the Primarch. After hoisting Vulkan out of his mortal predicament, the stranger walked with him back to town, leaving his own drake to burn in the river of molten rock.{{Fn|1}}

Though the Outlander's Drake had been superior in size, he had thrown it away to save Vulkan, and when he returned to town with the Primarch empty-handed, Vulkan was declared the victor. To the amazement of his people, however, Vulkan kneeled before the stranger and said that any man who would value life over pride was worthy of his service. At this moment, the Outlander cast off his illusionary disguise and revealed himself to be the Holy [[Emperor]] of humanity. Thus it was that the Primarch, Vulkan and his father were reunited.{{Fn|1}}

===Great Crusade===
[[File:VulkanArtHH.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Vulkan]]
It is believed that at first Vulkan did not become unified with his own Legion for some years after his rediscovery, instead staying alongside the Emperor under his tutelage and fighting by his side. When Vulkan was eventually reunited with his Legion, it was at the head of a fleet of 3,000 new recruits which saved his forces from a massive [[Ork]] horde.{{Fn|5}} Eventually it was decided that Vulkan's legion of Space Marines would henceforth be known as the [[Salamanders]], in honour of the beast that had united him with his father. The Primarch continued to serve loyally throughout the Great Crusade and become renowned as an excellent craftsman of technology.{{Fn|15}}

At some point during the Great Crusade, Vulkan and his sons participated in reconquest of a world designated One-Five-Four-Six (locally known as [[Kharaatan]]) together with the [[Night Lords]] led by their Primarch, [[Konrad Curze]], and Mechanicum Titan Legion [[Legio Ignis]] and several Imperial Army regiments. During this [[Compliance of Kharaatan|campaign]], Vulkan became enraged by how Curze and his Legion waged war after he found out that the Night Lords had killed the inhabitants of a whole city in order to seed fear amongst the population. This confrontation between Vulkan and Curze resulted in a brief but fierce argument between the two primarchs. After conclusion of this campaign, Vulkan reported Curze's behaviour and actions to Warmaster [[Horus]] and primarch [[Dorn]] of the [[Imperial Fists]]. However, during the battle against Kharaatan's ruling [[Eldar]] coven, Vulkan flew into a rage when the [[Remembrancer]] [[Seriph]] was killed, and killed a surrendering Eldar child. This incident would haunt the Primarch deeply.

On the world of [[One-Five-Four Four]] Vulkan and his army came into contact with tribes of primitive humans living alongside [[Exodite]] Eldar. Surprisingly, the humans did not welcome the Imperial invaders. Vulkan was guided by a mysterious Remembrancer (later discovered to be a psychic projection of the Emperor) to a Webway Portal. After a vicious battle the Portal, Vulkan came across human tribals preparing to sacrifice a Dark Eldar woman. The humans had learned to fear the [[Dark Eldar]] raiders, and sought to sacrifice her to ward off their return now that the Exodites had been defeated. Moreover, Vulkan realized that the Dark Eldar woman was from the raiding parties that terrorized Nocturne in his youth, and these humans were descendants of Nocturne captives liberated by the Eldar. Vulkan realized the Emperor had guided him here and understand that these humans would never accept the Imperium over their Eldar liberators, ordered the planet cleansed. He sought to erase any trace of human-xeno coexistence.{{Fn|13}}

Later, when Vulkan gave his protest to Horus, he sensed a great darkness within him. This caused Vulkan to decline giving Horus the hammer [[Dawnbringer]].{{Fn|4}}

===Horus Heresy===
[[Image:VulkanArt.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Vulkan on [[Isstvan V]] ]]
====Captivity====
Vulkan was present alongside [[Ferrus Manus]] and [[Corax]] at the [[Isstvan V]] Dropsite Massacre. During the battle the majority of the Salamanders Legion was killed by nuclear missiles fired from the [[Iron Warriors]]. Due to his [[Perpetual]] regeneration abilities, Vulkan survived the explosion but found himself surrounded by hundreds of warriors from the Iron Warriors and [[Night Lords]]. Fighting to what he thought was his death, Vulkan was stabbed, shot and bludgeoned in unconsciousness. Seeing a chance to torment his brother, [[Konrad Curze]] took Vulkan prisoner. The Primarch of the Night Lords spent the next several months trying to both break Vulkan's spirit and trying to kill him. Curze personally cut Vulkan's head off, ripped out his throat with a fork, stabbed him through the chest and tore him limb from limb. Separately he had Vulkan eviscerated, shot with hundreds of bolters at close range, left in the venting shaft of a starship's engine and even thrown in empty space completely naked. Each time Vulkan died his body would regenerate completely, leaving Curze furious.{{Fn|4}}

Eventually, frustrated and bored with his inability to kill Vulkan, Curze decided to get Vulkan to admit he was no less a monster than himself. Curze had several [[Davinite]] Priests ensnare Vulkan's mind and run him through trial after trial, ensuring he failed each time and innocents died. When Vulkan would not break, Curze decided to end things in a duel. He made Vulkan navigate a maze designed by [[Perturabo]], at the center of which lay [[Dawnbringer]], Vulkan's personal hammer, as well as the corpses of several of his comrades. When Vulkan retrieved his hammer he managed to overpower Curze and activated a teleporter built into the head of the hammer. Vulkan was transported across the Galaxy into the upper atmosphere of [[Macragge]] and burnt up during reentry, confident he would wake up in the care of the [[Ultramarines]]{{Fn|4}}

====Vulkan Lives====
[[Image:VulkanOldEarth.jpg|thumb|right|300x|Vulkan]]
His charred body was later recovered by the Ultramarines, who at first were unable to identify the corpse as anything more than a grotesque statue - all living matter having burned up on reentry. Over a series of days Vulkan's body began to regenerate, eventually returning to life and shocking the Ultramarines [[Apothecaries]] he had been entrusted to. Realizing who it was, the apothecaries summoned their Primarch, [[Roboute Guilliman]], who was at first furious that no one could give him any answers as to how or why Vulkan had suddenly fallen from the skies. To Guilliman's horror he found that Vulkan was broken mentally, violent and incoherent, attacking anything and everything he could. {{Fn|6}}

Unknown to everyone, a bond of sorts had formed between Curze and Vulkan, the later being able to sense when the Night Haunter was nearby. Curze was indeed on Macragge, having been trapped aboard the [[Invincible Reason]] but eventually breaking out of the [[Dark Angels]] flagship and stealing a [[drop pod]] to the surface. Vulkan broke free of his bonds and pillaged Guilliman's private armoury before setting off to hunt Curze. The two fought across an entire city, Vulkan finally realizing his regenerative abilities and using them to his advantage; by focusing his will, he could regenerate much quicker. At one point Curze shot Vulkan's head off, causing the primarch to fall from a cliff. Vulkan was back alive before he hit the ground.{{Fn|6a}}
[[Image:VulkanReborn.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Vulkan is reborn on Nocturne]]
Their rolling duel was eventually stopped by the perpetual, [[John Grammaticus]], who had been charge by the [[Cabal]] to permanently kill Vulkan with the [[Fulgurite]], a petrified bolt of the Emperor's own psychic abilities. The Cabal had ordered Grammaticus to give the Fulgurite to [[Konrad Curze|Curze]], as only a Primarch could kill another Primarch. But before he could complete his mission, [[Eldrad Ulthran]] appeared to Grammaticus, convincing him that if he himself used the Fulgurite to kill Vulkan, he would give up his perpetrual nature forever, but in exchange completely restore Vulkan's mind. The presences and abilities of another Primarch in the Emperor's armies would tip the balance against [[Horus]]. Grammaticus stabbed Vulkan through the heart, killing both of them in a psychic explosion. Grammaticus regenerated, as he always did, but was aware this would be his last life. Vulkan never recovered. {{Fn|6b}}

Later, Vulkan's corpse was reclaimed by the Primarchs [[Guilliman]], [[Lion El'Jonson]] and [[Sanguinius]]. Vulkan was placed in a stasis-capsule, hand-crafted by Guilliman himself, with the words '''[[Unbound Flame]]''' carved into the side. The few remaining Salamanders who had made it to Macragge were allowed to stand guard over their fallen Primarch until such time as he could be returned to Nocturne. During their vigil, the Salamanders thought they heard a heartbeat coming from the casket, but dismissed it.{{Fn|6c}} Convinced he could be resurrected, an expedition back to Nocturne led by [[Artellus Numeon]] eventually was able to bring Vulkan's body back to Nocturne and with Numeon as the final sacrifice, Vulkan was restored from the Unbound Flame at [[Mount Deathfire]].{{Fn|10}}

====Journey to Terra====
Upon his resurrection, Vulkan was in a condition similar to a [[Wikipedia: Fugue State|fugue state]] and remembered little. He found himself in the depths of Mt. Deathfire, conversing with an old man calling himself Deathfire personified. The man urged Vulkan to travel to Terra and led the Primarch to two items that he had no memory of forging: the [[Thunder Hammer]] [[Urdrakule]] and the [[Talisman of Seven Hammers]]. When Vulkan awoke, he was at the steps of Mt. Deathfire and discovered by three of his legionaries: [[Atok Abidemi]], [[Barek Zytos]], and [[Igen Gargo]]. Vulkan ordered the three to return in three days and forbade them to speak to any else that the Primarch had returned to Nocturne. When the three returned, now dubbed Vulkan's ''Draaksward'', the Primarch used his talisman to open a [[Webway]] portal deep below Nocturne.{{Fn|16}}

What followed next was an arduous journey through multiple Webway tunnels and exists to reach Terra. Vulkan and his Draaksward found themselves in a satellite realm of [[Commorragh]], battling [[Dark Eldar]]. They next found themselves with the fleet of [[Shadrak Meduson]], still engaged in a guerrilla war against Horus. Vulkan found Meduson's fleet in the midst of upheaval, with the [[Cult of the Gorgon]] claiming that it had resurrected [[Ferrus Manus]]. Upon meeting the supposed reborn Ferrus, Vulkan discovered it to be little more than a mechanical puppet with one of Ferrus' metallic arms attached. Saddened that his brother would be shamed so, Vulkan shattered the puppet with his hammer. Vulkan refused to take part in Meduson's war and during the [[Battle of the Aragna Chain]], left for [[Caldera]]. On Caldera, Vulkan was greeted by [[Eldar]] who guided him to a new Webway portal on the orders of [[Eldrad Ulthran]].{{Fn|16}}

Inside the Webway once more, Vulkan and the Draakswaard ventured upon [[Calastar]], long since abandoned since the [[War Within the Webway]]. In Calastar the companions were beset by [[Daemon]]s and Vulkan became engaged in a battle with the [[Great Unclean One]] [[Aghalbor]]. Using the Talisman of Seven Hammers, Vulkan was able to not only slay the Daemon but give it a [[True Death]]. Still beset by Daemonic hordes, the companions were saved by Eldrad, revealing himself as the Old Man of Mt. Deathfire. Revealing that the way into the [[Imperial Dungeon]] had been sealed by the Emperor, Eldrad opened up a new portal that took Vulkan and his warriors to the front of the [[Imperial Palace]]. Vulkan was reunited with a visibly relieved [[Rogal Dorn]], but promptly led by [[Custodes]] to the [[Golden Throne]] to meet with the Emperor himself.{{Fn|16}}

The Emperor, now trapped on the Throne, revealed that he had not only been expecting Vulkan but had been guiding him this entire journey and had been the force that compelled him to construct Urdrakule and the Talisman of Seven Hammers. The Emperor told Vulkan that the Primarch's purpose had always been intended for this moment, for he was designed to construct the Talisman and oversee its true purpose. The Emperor revealed that the Talisman was a weapon of unprecedented power, a [[Wikipedia: Dead man's Switch|dead man's switch]] that would consume all of Terra should [[Horus]] succeed in the [[Siege of Terra|coming struggle]]. It would be Vulkan's duty to press the switch that would destroy Terra but deny the world to the powers of [[Chaos]]. Vulkan was horrified by the prospect, but the Emperor told him that he must be the one to oversee the device for the Primarch has always been the most hesitant to use the weapons he forges. With that, Vulkan installed the talisman into the Golden Throne and took up position by the [[Eternity Gate (Imperial)|Eternity Gate]].{{Fn|16}}
[[Image:MagnusVsVulkan.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Vulkan battles Magnus inside the Webway during the [[Siege of Terra]]{{Fn|20d}}]]

====Siege of Terra====
Keeping his existence a secret save for a select few during the [[Siege of Terra]], Vulkan next saw action when [[Magnus the Red]] and a group of his [[Thousand Sons]] infiltrated the [[Imperial Dungeon]] to kill the Emperor. Vulkan blocked a lethal blow by Magnus' staff that had been intended for the Emperor's form upon the Golden Throne{{Fn|19a}}, but quickly backed down and alongside their father bid Magnus to return to the Imperial's fold. Vulkan became disheartened when Magnus refused the offer to return to the loyalists after the Emperor told him that he would have to purge his [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]] due to its rampant mutations. Vulkan himself admitted he would have made the same choice as Magnus, but nonetheless again defended the Emperor against the Crimson King's assault. Vulkan and Magnus then engaged in a furious duel, but was saved from a piercing blow thanks to the sacrifice of [[Barek Zytos]]. Horrified by his sons death and taking up his [[Thunder Hammer]], Vulkan wielded twin hammers to seemingly beat Magnus to submission. However, before a visibly despairing Vulkan could deliver the final blow Magnus fully gave himself to the powers of [[Chaos]] and vanished from the throne room.{{Fn|19b}}

With Magnus now inside the [[Webway Project|Imperial Webway]] and enacting a psychic ritual to sap the Emperor's remaining strength, Vulkan was dispatched by Malcador to put an end to his brother as the Eternity Gate itself was besieged. As he moved through the Webway he ignored Magnus' lies and goadings along the way{{Fn|20a}}. After journeying to the Impossible City to the Webway, Vulkan finally came before Magnus. Again ignoring his brothers manipulations including a vision of the [[Burning of Prospero]], the two came to blows.{{Fn|20b}}

Initially in their battle, Vulkan seemed to hit nothing but smoke and it became apparent he was swinging his hammer at smoke. The real Magnus was behind a psychic barrier, steeped with his own ritual to weaken the Emperor. Vulkan took advantage of this by smashing through the already-stressed Magnus' barrier, forcing the Crimson King to try and kill Vulkan directly so that he may be allowed to complete his work. Magnus tried every method conceivable to kill his brother. He beheaded him with his khopesh, suffocated him by turning his lungs to amber, drained him of his blood, and immolated him with psychic fire. However, nothing worked, and each time the [[Perpetual]] Vulkan would regenerate and continue to hammer away at Magnus. Attrition took hold, and Magnus grew increasingly desperate. He entered Vulkan's mind as the noble he had once been, attempting to explain his actions. Vulkan had none of it however, scolding Magnus for his arrogant and reckless use of sorcery that had turned him into a slave to Chaos. In the Webway, Vulkan stood above Magnus ready to deliver the killing blow. However, he hesitated despite the Emperor's own voice ordering the Salamanders Primarch to kill his brother. Magnus used this moment to unleash the spell he had been working on, undoing Vulkan at a genetic level in a desperate bid to finally kill him. As Vulkan crumbled apart he nonetheless was able to swing his hammer, smashing off Magnus' head with [[Urdrakule]] and banishing him into the Warp. Later, Vulkan's regenerating form was seen slowly making it back to the Palace's Webway portal, Urdrakule in hand.{{Fn|20c}}

Vulkan eventually made it back into the throne room through the Webway Gate, only to be greeted with the news that the ''[[Vengeful Spirit]]'' had lowered its [[Void Shield]]s and the Emperor Himself was preparing to lead an assault on the vessel.{{Fn|22a}} However, Vulkan was told by His father that he would not take part in this last-ditch effort, instead he would look after the [[Golden Throne]] as [[Malcador the Sigillite|Malcador]] took his place on it in the Emperor's stead. Should the traitors breach the palace, Vulkan was instructed to activate the [[Talisman of Seven Hammers]].{{Fn|22b}} Mere hours later, Vulkan met with [[Ollanius Persson]], [[John Grammaticus]], and [[Argonauts|their group]] finally reached the Palace. There, he learned from [[Actae]] of the prophecy that foretold Horus as The Dark King and the potential fifth [[Chaos God]].{{Fn|22c}}

As the Emperor battled Horus board the ''Vengeful Spirit'', the traitors advanced to within pounding on the door into the throne room. Thinking all hope was lost, Vulkan began to activate the Talisman of Seven Hammers as Malcador, dying upon the Golden Throne, could only watch helplessly as he knew that victory was not yet lost.{{Fn|23a}} However, Vulkan was ultimately convinced to back down from activating the doomsday weapon after hearing the message being broadcast across Terra from [[Actae]] that the Emperor still lived and was fighting on against Horus.{{Fn|23b}} He is later present when Dorn, Valdor, and the others bring back the broken body of the Emperor and place Him upon the Golden Throne.{{Fn|23c}}
[[Image:HHLVulkan.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Vulkan{{Fn|25}}]]

===Post-Heresy===
====The Scouring====
After the enthronment of the Emperor a furious Vulkan personally led a vicious counterattack from the Palace Throneroom all the way outside the outer districts of the Imperial Palace, striking down all traitors he came across and relishing in their annihilation. He would slowly torture and kill Traitors he came across, leaving behind fields of body parts and carnage. He then encountered [[Ultramarines]] [[Chief Librarian]] [[Titus Prayto]], who had been dispatched by the newly arrived [[Roboute Guilliman]] to gather him for the coming [[Grand Council of Reconstruction]]. Caught up in the desire for vengeance against the Traitors, he initially refused Prayto requests before relenting.{{Fn|26a}} In the subsequent Grand Council, Vulkan spiritually supported Dorn, [[Leman Russ (Primarch)|Russ]], and [[The Lion]] in launching a Punitive Crusade against the fleeing Traitors rather than adopting Guilliman's more cautious strategy of consolidation. However in the end, after the [[High Lords]] had made their stand for Guilliman, he issued his support based on rationality over satisfaction, and came to reluctantly support the Ultramarines Primarch.{{Fn|26b}} To support Guilliman, he deployed [[Atok Abidemi]] alongside a small force of Salamanders to help in the [[Retaking of Luna]].{{Fn|26c}}

It is claimed Vulkan was one of the Primarchs to oppose the [[Codex Astartes]]. This, however, would not be for lack of courage or loyalty, but rather due to the crippling losses sustained at Isstvan V, where his Legion was cut down in size to but a few. During the [[Great Scouring]] he became furious at the tales of the horrors visited upon Terra's population by the [[Emperor's Children]] and attempted to [[Hunt For Bile|find and kill Fabius Bile]].{{Fn|17}} Sometime later, Vulkan chose to leave the Salamanders, claiming that, like [[Space Wolves]] Primarch [[Leman Russ (primarch)|Leman Russ]], he would return in the End Times. That is the last anyone saw of Vulkan for the next 1,500 years.{{Fn|1}}

====War of the Beast====
1,500 years later, during the [[War of the Beast]], Vulkan reappeared, single-handedly defending the Imperial world of [[Caldera]] from a massive [[Ork]] invasion. Though he died many times against the Greenskins, he would regenerate and appear again at the forefront. Vulkan's one-man-war on Caldera was unveiled by the [[Inquisition]], and [[Lord Commander of the Imperium]] [[Koorland]] led an expedition to the world to recruit him for a counteroffensive against the mighty [[Warboss]] known as [[The Beast]]. Vulkan was eventually discovered by the expedition but refused to lead it until Caldera was saved, citing a vow long ago he made to the world to never again let it fall to flame. With the aid of the Imperial forces, Vulkan was able to save Caldera from destruction by destroying the [[Attack Moon]] construction generator.{{Fn|11}}

After saving Caldera, Vulkan returned to [[Terra]] with Koorland. He took command of the frantic Imperium, scolding the High Lords for their squabblings and inefficiency but stating he would not purge them for the sake of unity. He then proclaimed that he would lead the might of the Imperium to [[Ullanor]], the homeworld of The Beast. Vulkan made clear that his return was temporary, for he was destined to reappear for another war in another time.{{Fn|11}}

Vulkan officially led the subsequent crusade to Ullanor to find and slay the Beast once and for all, but in truth left most of the details to Koorland who he gave his full support to. Instead, Vulkan tinkered with [[Doomtremor]] and remained isolated in his chambers aboard the [[Fists Exemplar]]s [[Battle Barge]] ''Alcazar Remembered''. Though this discouraged many at first, Vulkan lept into the fray of battle directly when the Imperial forces reached the "capital" city of Ullanor, Gorkogrod. Vulkan eventually led the final charge into the Beast's massive temple-[[gargant]] and confronted the warboss directly. Realizing that Vulkan had always intended to fight the Beast alone and knowing he could do little in the fight, Koorland ordered an evacuation from the temple as the two giants clashed. The ten meter-high Warboss revealed he spoke perfect Imperial Gothic, gloating that humanity was on its knees and he would be its end. Vulkan tackled the warboss and they both fell into the temple-gargant's power generator, where the primarch became imbued with massive amounts of Waaagh! energies. Rather than be consumed by the energies as so many other men had, Vulkan used his primal and savage essence to become one with it and launch one last attack. He slammed Doomtremor into The Beast's face and detonated the generator, causing a chain reaction that shattered the temple-gargant and seemingly obliterated them both.{{Fn|12}}

Vulkan was presumed dead by the Imperium and Koorland stated that his sacrifice would be forever remembered.{{Fn|}} However, the Salamanders still hunt him in the [[41st Millennium]]. They believe that he will return to them after they have found all nine of the [[Artefacts of Vulkan]]{{Fn|2}}

==Description==
Like his brother Primarchs, Vulkan has a characteristic that sets him apart: his patience and humanity. Though possibly gene-bred into his temperament, this was also likely influenced by his upbringing in a small village. He demonstrates this characteristic many times on [[Compliance of Kharaatan|One-Five-Four-Four]]. Vulkan constantly gives commands in the heat of battle that cause the least amount of casualties to the native population against the advise of [[Ferrus Manus]] and even his own men. It is spoken of among his brothers that Vulkan is the most suited to their Father's vision of a peaceful [[Imperium]].{{Fn|3}}

Vulkan was renowned for his craftsmanship and technological prowess, constructing a great many [[Artefacts of Vulkan|artefacts]], some of which he felt were so dangerous that he later ordered them either sealed in the [[Wrought]] or destroyed outright.{{Fn|15}} During the latter part of the Great Crusade he was also able to recover and revive the previously lost [[Saturnine Pattern Terminator Armour]] and [[Saturnine Dreadnought|Saturnine Pattern Dreadnought Armour]]. Ever the dutiful brother, he then shared the Saturnine designs with the rest of the Space Marine Legions.{{Fn|24}}

Vulkan is the largest and physically strongest of all the primarchs. He is said to be as tall in his power armour as Horus is in his own, much larger [[Terminator armour]], and is capable of overturning Space Marine battle tanks with his bare hands. During sparring matches with his brother Primarchs, Vulkan deliberately held back out of fear of hurting them.{{Fn|4}}{{Fn|7}}{{Fn|8}}

==Words of Vulkan==
During his lifetime, Vulkan left prodigious philosophical writings, particularly those recorded in the Tome of Fire, a vast series of writings that, amongst other more mundane teachings, are said to hold glimpses of the future and prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Yet even the more mundane of his writings held profound lessons, many of which have gone on to become key tenets of the Promethean Creed.

''‘Ours is a violent calling, but as adherants of the Promethean Creed we believe in the Circle of Fire. None can come back as they once were, but in death we are returned to the ash from whence we came to be born anew, our blood and bone bonded with the earth. Through fire are our remains made protean, through fire and the reunion with earth do we experience rebirth. After death, after our duty is ended, we give ourselves to these elements and in so doing become a part of them. This is the nature of the Circle of Fire.’'' — '''Words of Vulkan.'''{{Fn|9}}

''‘On the Anvil of War are the strong tempered and the weak made to perish, thus are men's souls tested as metal in the forge's fire.’'' — '''Words of Vulkan.'''{{Fn|27}}

==Wargear==
Vulkan was equipped with many finely crafted weapons built by his own hands. Most notable of these was the massive [[Thunder Hammer]] [[Dawnbringer]] and the [[Plasma Pistol]] ''[[The Furnace's Heart]]''. Before forging ''Dawnbringer'' (originally intended as a gift for [[Horus]]), Vulkan used the Hammer ''[[Thunderhead]]''. For protection he wore the baroque [[Power Armour]] known as ''[[The Draken Scale]]'', which included the [[Gauntlet of the Forge]] and [[Kesare's Mantle]].{{fn|14}} After his resurrection following the [[Battle of Nocturne]], Vulkan wielded the Hammer ''[[Urdrakule]]''. 1,500 years later during the [[War of the Beast]], Vulkan wielded the hammer [[Doomtremor]].{{Fn|11}}

He forged thousands of unique and dangerous artefacts in his lifetime, but charged the first [[Forgefather]], [[T'kell]], with destroying them as he departed for [[Dropsite Massacre|Isstvan V]].{{fn|14}} He conceded to allow T'kell to spare seven, which were to be locked away in the [[Wrought]] if Vulkan fell at Isstvan.{{fn|15}} These seven, along with the Gauntlet of the Forge and Kesare's Mantle worn by Vulkan at Isstvan, survived to become known as the nine [[Artefacts of Vulkan]], and are still sought out today.{{Fn|5}}

==Images==
[[File:Vulkan mini.jpg|center|450px|thumb|Vulkan miniature]]

==Trivia==
{{Trivia}}
*The name Vulkan is derived from [[Wikipedia:Vulcan (mythology)|Vulcan]], the Roman god of fire, volcanoes and smithing.

==Related Videos==
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==Sources==
{{Citation issues}}
<div style="column-width:24em;column-count:2;font-size:85%">
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Index Astartes IV]], pgs. 114-116 — ''Promethean Warriors: The Salamanders Space Marine Chapter''
*{{Endn|2}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition)]], pg. 93
*{{Endn|3}}: [[Promethean Sun (Novella)]], {{Cite Marker End}}
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Vulkan Lives (Novel)]], {{Cite Marker End}}
*{{Endn|5}}: [[The Horus Heresy Book Two - Massacre]] pg. 117
*{{Endn|6}}: [[The Unremembered Empire (Novel)]], {{Cite Marker End}}
**{{Endn|6a}}: Chapter 23
**{{Endn|6b}}: Chapter 24
**{{Endn|6c}}: Chapter 25
*{{Endn|7}}: [https://www.youtube.com/user/ForgeWorldVisualFeed/ Forge World Video Feed - Genesis of a Primarch: Vulkan] ''(site accessed 2014.09.03)''
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Scorched Earth (Novella)]], {{Cite Marker End}}
*{{Endn|9}}: [[Salamanders: Rebirth (Novel)]], {{Cite Marker End}}
*{{Endn|10}}: [[Deathfire (Novel)]]
*{{Endn|11}}: [[The Hunt for Vulkan (Novel)]] Chapters 5–9 (needs splitting - too imprecise a reference)
*{{Endn|12}}: [[The Beast Must Die (Novel)]], Chapter 18-Epilogue
*{{Endn|13}}: [[Promethean Sun (Novella)]]
*{{Endn|14}}: [[Artefacts (Short Story)]]
*{{Endn|15}}: [[Sons of the Forge (Novella)]], Chapter Three
*{{Endn|16}}: [[Old Earth (Novel)]] {{Cite Marker End}}
*{{Endn|17}}: [[Codex Supplement: Salamanders (8th Edition)]], pgs. 24-25
*{{Endn|18}}: [[Deeds Endure (Short Story)]]
*19: [[The Fury of Magnus (Novella)]]: 
**{{Endn|19a}}: Chapters 13-14 (needs splitting - too imprecise a reference)
**{{Endn|19b}}: Chapter 15
*20: [[Echoes of Eternity (Novel)]]:
**{{Endn|20a}}: Chapter 7
**{{Endn|20b}}: Chapter 27
**{{Endn|20c}}: Chapter 34
**{{Endn|20d}}: Chapter 30
*{{Endn|21}}: [[Echoes of Eternity (Novel)]] - Limited Edition
*22: [[The End and the Death: Volume I (Novel)]]:
**{{Endn|22a}}: 2:xii
**{{Endn|22b}}: 3:ix
**{{Endn|22c}}: 4:xxi
*23: [[The End and the Death: Volume III (Novel)]]:
**{{Endn|23a}}: 9:xv
**{{Endn|23b}}: 10:x
**{{Endn|23c}}: 10:xx
*{{Endn|24}}: [https://archive.ph/cmWXh Warhammer Community: Saturnine: What is Saturnine-pattern Terminator armour?] ''(archived from [https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/8awupwvv/saturnine-what-is-saturnine-pattern-terminator-armour/ the original] 23 May 2025, last accessed 23 May 2025)''
*{{Endn|25}}: [[The Horus Heresy: Legions]] - ''Vulkan''
*{{Endn|26}}: [[Ashes of the Imperium (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|26a}}: Chapter 7
**{{Endn|26b}}: Chapter 17
**{{Endn|26c}}: Chapter 29
*{{Endn|27}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two]] : pg. 73
</div>
{{Primarchs}}

[[Category:Characters (Great Crusade)]]
[[Category:Characters (Horus Heresy)]]
[[Category:Characters (Primarchs)]]
[[Category:Characters (Salamanders)]]
[[Category:Nocturne]]
[[Category:The Beast]]

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