Rune Priest

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Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Space Wolves Librarian; for the Adeptus Mechanicus Rank, see Rune Priest (Adeptus Mechanicus)‎.

The Rune Priests of the Space Wolves are the equivalent of the Librarians of other Space Marine Chapters. They practice the Tempestas psychic discipline.[28]

Overview

A Rune Priest[27]

Rune Priests are often referred to as gothi amongst the Vylka Fenryka, as well as sometimes being referred to as pagan shamans or ice-shamans[10b] or Casters of Runes.[8] Rune Priests are combat psykers using their psychic abilities to aid their brothers on the battlefield; off the battlefield, they are the keepers of the chapter's librarium and store of knowledge. The major difference is that Rune Priests do not believe their psychic abilities are derived from the Warp, but rather from the animistic spirits of their homeworld, Fenris, channelled through totems and runes on their armour.[2][3][4] These traditions are descended from the shamanistic rituals of Fenris's native tribes, and have remained unchanged for countless centuries.[3][4]

In a way, the Rune Priests do not consider themselves to be psykers at all; during the Great Crusade, Leman Russ, the primarch of the Space Wolves, was among the voices in favour of disbanding the Librarius in each Space Marine Legion and prohibiting the use of psykers in any of them. Yet after the Emperor of Mankind issued his Decree at the Council of Nikaea, the Rune Priests continued to serve among the Space Wolves, stubbornly insisting that their powers had nothing to do with psychic ability.[7] Much like the Stormseers of the White Scars, Rune Priests channel their power through the natural powers of Fenris and this serves as a limiting intermediary to protect them from the malign influences of the Warp.[10a]

Rune Priests preserve their Chapter's entire history not in written form, but memorize it in great sagas.[3][4] A Rune Priest who begins his training as a Skald is usually assigned to a single Great Company where he is taught its tales. With every new Great Year he joins another Company until he has learned the Chapter's full history and can be sent to whichever Rune Priest needs an apprentice.[3]

The Space Wolves' sagas are chanted at their feast days and during the Festival of the Wolf Time which celebrates the Chapter's founding.[2][3] This festival is held every twelve Great Years and each time great contests of saga-telling and psychic duels are held to determine if a new High Rune Priest will be chosen. The High Rune Priest is the leader of the entire Chapter's Rune Priests and adviser to the Great Wolf.[3]

Abilities and Equipment

The basic weapons of Rune Priests are their psychically charged runic weapons.[4][6][17b] A common power among Rune Priests is the ability to summon storms across the battlefield which can cover the armies advance. Furthermore, they can cast runes which predict the ebb and flow of future events. These runes are usually carved from the bones or teeth of totem animals.[4][6]

Many Rune Priests are psyber-linked to ravens which are known as "Choosers of the Slain" to the Space Wolves. Their link enables them to see through the ravens' eyes and control them, thus allowing their use as scouts and messengers.[3]

Rune Priest Skjald

Rune Priest Skjald[29]

Skjalds are Rune Priests, who are deployed alongside Wolf Scout packs. They can summon powerful elemental storms to obscure the Wolf Scouts' advance and batter their enemies with wind, hail, and lightning.[29]

Due to their shamanistic nature and knowledge of the Warp, Rune Priest Skjalds are distant and mysterious figures amongst the Chapter. They are viewed with a mixture of awe and wariness. This makes them well-disposed to operate alongside the solitary Wolf Scouts.[30]

The 13th Company

Main article: 13th Great Company

Within the lost 13th Company of the Space Wolves, the Rune Priests must guide their brothers through the perils of the Eye of Terror. They have learned how to open small, temporary Warp gates. These allow the Priests to step through them in order to divine the path ahead.[5] The 13th Company has a disproportionately higher number of Rune Priests, as constant exposure to the Warp inside the Eye has endowed many of their battle brothers with psychic ability.text-middle[Help]

Notable Rune Priests

Rune Priest[16a]

Trivia

TriviaScrollTrans.png

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

Gothi or goði (plural goðar, fem. gyðja; Old Norse: guþi) was a position of political and social prominence in the Icelandic Commonwealth. The term originally had a religious significance, referring to a pagan leader responsible for a religious structure and communal feasts, but the title is primarily known as a secular political title from medieval Iceland.

Images

Sources

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Uncited

  • Grey Hunter (Novel) - The Space Wolves field one Rune Priest per company, according to the novel Grey Hunter


Space Wolves Forces
Command Great Wolf • Wolf Lord (Primaris Wolf Lord) • Battle Leader (Wolf Guard Battle Leader • Primaris Battle Leader) • Chapter Ancient • Company Ancient • Chapter Champion • Company Champion
Priesthood Rune Priest (Primaris Rune Priest) • Wolf Priest (Primaris Wolf Priest) • Iron Priest (Primaris Iron Priest)
Veterans Wolf Guard (Headtakers) • Chapter Ancients • Thunderwolf Cavalry • Great Company Champion • Veteran Intercessors
Battleline Grey Hunters • Intercessors (Heavy Intercessor) • Infiltrators
Close Support Blood Claws • Assault Intercessor • Swiftclaws • Skyclaws • Inceptors • Reivers (Hounds of Morkai) • Incursors • Wulfen • Fenrisian Wolves (Cyberwolves)
Fire Support Long Fangs • Aggressors • Hellblasters • Eliminators • Suppressors • Centurion
Scout Wolf Scouts • Lone Wolves • Wolf Scout Scout Bikers
Vehicles Dreadnoughts (Wulfen • Venerable • Redemptor • Contemptor) • Land Raider (Crusader • Redeemer • Wrath of Mjalnar) • Repulsor (Executioner) • Land Speeders (Storm) • Storm Speeder • Rhino • Razorback • Impulsor • Predator (Annihilator • Destructor) • Invictor • Gladiator • Invader • Vindicator • Whirlwind • Stalker • Hunter
Aircraft Stormwolf • Stormfang • Stormhawk • Thunderhawk • Drop Pod
Special Characters Logan Grimnar • Ragnar Blackmane • Harald Deathwolf • Canis Wolfborn • Krom Dragongaze • Arjac Rockfist • Njal Stormcaller • Ulrik the Slayer • Lukas the Trickster • Bjorn • Murderfang
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