Gunnlaugur
Gunnlaugur, known as Skullhewer, was a pack leader of the Space Wolves Chapter. He was the leader of Járnhamar Pack, in the Blackmanes Great Company.[1b]
Contents
Biography
As a mortal, Gunnlaugur was the chieftain of a Fenrisian tribe known as the Gaellings.[1b]
Gunnlaugur served in Járnhamar Pack under the Wolf Guard Hjortur Bloodfang.[1c] When Hjortur died, he had not named a successor but it was known that he had two in mind: Gunnlaugur and Gyrfalkon.[1a] Ordinarily, the two would have competed to determine which would ascend to the rank of Wolf Guard and become the new pack-leader. However, the Great Company's Wolf Lord at the time, Berek Thunderfist, chose around that time to second Gyrfalkon to the Deathwatch. As a result, Gunnlaugur's promotion was uncontested.[1b]
Shortly into Gunnlaugur's tenure as Pack Leader, his former rival Ingvar returned from the Deathwatch.[1b] The two had a tense relationship at first, but after many arguments and confrontations learned to work together during the battle on Ras Shakeh.[1c] After the battle, Gunnlaugur learns to trust Ingvar's advice and stops attempting to sideline him.[1e]
During the subsequent battle with the Sorcerer Mycelite aboard the Space Hulk Festerax, Gunnlaugur led the assault alongside Njal Stormcaller.[3a] Afterwards, he worked with Ingvar and the rest of Járnhamar Pack in rescuing Baldr from execution after he was condemned as a Witch, becoming fugitives from their own Chapter in the process.[3b]
Gunnlaugur continued to lead the Pack during its time as renegades aboard the Amethyst Suzeraine, seeking the "Fulcrum" as a chance of redemption.[4a] They were eventually able to track the trail of Fulcrum to Ojada VII, revealing it to be the traitorous Cardinal Leon Chirastes.[4b] This led them to Cadia to rescue their Wolf Lord Ragnar Blackmane from Chirastes' agents, but during the search Gunnlaugur stayed behind to help a group of Cadian Shock Troopers amid the 13th Black Crusade. In the subsequent fight against Chaos Space Marines, Jorundur was killed while Gunnlaugur was severely wounded.[4c] However, he was able to be evacuated into orbit and given medical treatment, reuniting with Ingvar and the surviving members of his pack aboard Ragnar's Frigate Dawnrunner.[4d]
Wargear
Gunnlaugur's favoured weapon was a thunder hammer that shared his epithet, named skulbrotsjorór.[1c]
Notes
- Note 1: In Black Library's webpage for Blood of Asaheim, Gunnlaugur's name is spelled Gunnlaugr.[2] In the novel itself, however, it is consistently spelled Gunnlaugur.[1a]
Sources
- 1: Blood of Asaheim (Novel):
- 2: Black Library - Space Wolves:Blood of Asaheim (last accessed 02 April 2020)
- 3: Stormcaller (Novel):
- 4: The Helwinter Gate (Novel):
