Erlking
The Erlking is a Fenrisian deity known as the lord of wights and death, or Nettagangr.[1]
Overview
The Erlking and his followers appear as hulking bipedal shadow wolves. The Erlking, the largest of these man-wolves, is sometimes referred to as the Great Wolf.[1]
The Erlking oversees the Muspjall, the hall of those who die a coward's death or of old age. His halls consist of savage Wulfen feasting on barely-cooked human meat like barbarians. The floor of the great hall is iron-hard ice. In these halls they feast, drink Mjød, and make mirth.[1]
In front of the Erlking's granite throne is a beast in the form of a huge Fenrisian Wolf. The creature sleeps at the foot of the dais and is nearly the size of a battle tank, stretching 4 meters from nose to rump and paws as big as feasting plates.[1]
Visitation of Leman Russ
During the Horus Heresy, Leman Russ journeyed into the Warp and encountered the Erlking, who gave Russ a series of challenges to complete in exchange for information on how to wound Horus. The first challenge was to drink the damned soul Amarok's bowl dry, next to wrestle an old crone, and finally move the Erlking's great sleeping wolf. Russ failed in the first three, and his soul rested on completing the fourth which was to explain what the Erlking challenged him to complete. Russ explained that the first challenge symbolised the changing of the seasons on Fenris, the old woman represented the inevitability of age, and the unmovable wolf inescapable death. The hall crumbled, replaced by a finely dressed, civilised version of Russ that was revealed to be his fate had he never landed upon Fenris. This Russ revealed the nature of the Spear of Russ, that it held a portion of the Emperor's power and could illuminate the truth to those it pierced. With that, the false-Russ impaled the Wolf King, revealing to him the truth regarding the nature of the Primarchs. Russ despaired, and the false-Russ revealed that this knowledge would one day see him leave Fenris.[1]
Hel-kin
- Amarok - One of many Hel-kin man-wolf guests of the Erlking.[1]
- Mother Erla - The dam of the Erlking. The den mother, Erl-mother, far hunter and worst killer of men. She is the embodiment of Bad Wyrd (ill-fate). Her form is that of an old, hunched crone. Muspjall is her domain and staffed by her victims.[1]
- Morkai - Greatest wolf of all and lord of the lowest of death’s halls.[1]
See also
Trivia
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- In European folklore, the Erlking is a sinister elf who lingers in the woods. He stalks children who stay in the woods for too long, and kills them by a single touch.
- Leman Russ' visit to the Erlking and his trials takes inspiration from Prose Edda book Gylfaginning (chapter 44). It tells of Thor's journey to Utgard and trials while a guest of Utgarda-Loki. These 3 trials consist of a contest of strength, a race, and a drinking challenge.
Sources
- 1: Wolfsbane (Novel) Chapter 13
