Wolf Priests

[Union.Jack]

Can anyone tell me when our Wolf Priests painted thier armour black?

 

 

My army is based on a lost company, lost either during or just after the Horus incident ^_^. I'm making a Wolf Priest to ride alongside my Swift Claws and I've currently got him painted black, but he doesn't look quite right. The rest of the army is painted adeptus battle grey or fortress grey with quite alot rescued Chaos equipment thrown in for aesthetic feel and I'm not sure if the Wolf Priests were originally black? Or did that come after the HH?

[Hfran Morkai]

You actually pose a very good question there, I hadn't thought about whether or not the Wolf Priest Armour colour was changed after the Heresy or that was how they always were.

 

I'm going to look through my sources for you but hopefully someone can answer with greater speed.

[Growler67]

Wolf Priests are our equivalent to the rest of the Astartes Chaplains. Their armor has always been painted black as far as I've known.

[Paradill]

Wolf priests existed before chaplains. They have always served a similar purpose though. Interesting question, I will look into it and am looking forward to finding out the answer.

 

 

Paradill

[Valerian]

I believe Wolf Priest Sternhammer of the 13th Company was painted in black armour by the studio artists, so you should be good.

 

V

[Skirnir Ragefang]

I believe Wolf Priest Sternhammer of the 13th Company was painted in black armour by the studio artists, so you should be good.

 

V

 

As well as Ulrik and i think there was a Wolf Priest Artwork in our last Codex that was depicted in Black.

[Spacefrisian]

Wolfpriests perform both the roles of Apothecaries and Chaplains.

[hendrik]

and they are depicted black in the index astartes article. in the novel wolf's honour there is also quite an extensive description of a wolf priest but i can't immediatly recall on which page or if it mentions the paint

[Valerian]

I believe Wolf Priest Sternhammer of the 13th Company was painted in black armour by the studio artists, so you should be good.

 

V

 

As well as Ulrik and i think there was a Wolf Priest Artwork in our last Codex that was depicted in Black.

 

Yes, but although Ulrik is the oldest living contemporary Space Wolf, he isn't from the Heresy-era, whereas Sternhammer is. The OP asked if the Heresy-era Wolf Priests wore black armour; we already know that the modern ones, like Ulrik, do.

 

V

[Union.Jack]

I believe Wolf Priest Sternhammer of the 13th Company was painted in black armour by the studio artists, so you should be good.

 

V

 

As well as Ulrik and i think there was a Wolf Priest Artwork in our last Codex that was depicted in Black.

 

Yes, but although Ulrik is the oldest living contemporary Space Wolf, he isn't from the Heresy-era, whereas Sternhammer is. The OP asked if the Heresy-era Wolf Priests wore black armour; we already know that the modern ones, like Ulrik, do.

 

V

 

Exactly.

 

According to the HH books part of the Crusades were to stamp out religion. The Emperor thought that the human race was above the need for religion, it's why he never wanted to be seen as a deity or worshipped in anyway.

 

The Word Bearers were sanctioned for trying to make him into a God. So what was the point in having a Chaplain? I know Erebus was a major part of the HH but did the other chapters even have Chaplains? Erebus is the only one I recall being mentioned.

 

In Prospero Burns the wolf priests are seen as shadowy figures but I'm pretty sure they aren't described wearing armour at any point.

[Baba Lem]

I think they're fashionable.

 

A bleachy wolf helmet goes really well with an all black dress up.

[hendrik]

According to the HH books part of the Crusades were to stamp out religion. The Emperor thought that the human race was above the need for religion, it's why he never wanted to be seen as a deity or worshipped in anyway.

 

The Word Bearers were sanctioned for trying to make him into a God. So what was the point in having a Chaplain? I know Erebus was a major part of the HH but did the other chapters even have Chaplains? Erebus is the only one I recall being mentioned.

 

In Prospero Burns the wolf priests are seen as shadowy figures but I'm pretty sure they aren't described wearing armour at any point.

but what about the wolf priests their other job, that of an apothecary? i've not managed to get my hands on one of the horus heresy books about the SW so i can't tell but i think this leaves quite an interesting point. did we have wolf priests during the heresy who functioned like apothecaries, or didn't we have apothecaries at all?(what must be one of the dumberst ideas ever!)

[Wulfebane]

(what must be one of the dumberst ideas ever!)

 

Don't be silly!

 

 

*Apothecary Damon charges into the triage tent*

 

"I've got plasteel repair cement paste tubes for everyone! Who wants one?!"

[Union.Jack]

According to Prospero Burns the Wolf priest's are more Apothecary than Chaplains. There is a bit on page 115 that describes them as wearing leather, floor length robes and horned skulls.

 

 

I'll have to re read the whole book and see if there is any mention of them in a combat role.

[Paradill]

Wolf Priests were apothecary style in the pre-heresy era, they wouldn't have had any particular chaplain roles other than looking after the chapter cult. Currently the wolf priests choose/indoctrinate/implant the initiates on fenris and rile up the packs on the battlefield with oratory and/or acts of heroism/insanity. I think their role is similar but separate from a standard chaplain, more butcher-surgeon combined with the "follow me boys, this is how you kill a heretic!" attitude than the noble warrior-priest of other chapters.

 

As for pre-heresy, I think they would of been pretty similar, in PB they wear leather garments stitched together that resembles human skin over their own. Their is never a mention of them being on the battlefield in the book, but they are sons of Russ so the chance of them being happy sat back at the fang whilst their brothers' take all the glory is slim.

 

As for the original question about armour, most chapters/legions seem to have come to the same conclusion about their chaplains/apostles/priests, dress them in black and give them skull/demon helmets, it makes the rampaging psychopath screaming his divine hatred that little bit more terrifying.

 

Paradill

[Growler67]

Yesi the fluff they perform those tasks as Apothecaries might, however that is one facet that does not translate to the gameplay aspects. The Space Wolves do NOT have an Apothecary option like every other Chapter does. Has been discussed before so I won't stray OT. I recall reading somewhere that the black armor of Chaplains is symbolic of something but cannot remember what nor where I read it. Yes so much of Character model is "symbolic" of one or more things. I wish I could remember where I read that and reference it.

[DV8]

It represents a link to the Emperor. Consider that Sigismund, upon appointment to the role of the Emperor's Champion for the Imperial Fists at the Siege of Terra, painted his armor black, in recognition of that duty and service.

 

Similarly, Chaplains (and you see this in Imperial Commissars as well, both of which existed Pre-Heresy) have their armor painted black as an indication of their "link" to the Emperor, as His pseudo-proxies. While the Chaplain's (and Wolf Priest) role Pre-Heresy was less religious in nature, they were still responsible for maintaining the discipline and loyalty of the Legions. As a Techmarine is set apart from his brothers for his close ties to the Mechanicum, so too is the Chaplain set apart.

 

It's why, apart from the Word Bearers, almost all Chaplains in the traitor Legions were killed at the outbreak of the Heresy (these Chaplains would have never turned their back on the Emperor, and would have attempted to stamp out the traitors where they appeared). The Chaplains in the Word Bearers, of course, became Dark Apostles.

 

 

DV8

[Wulfebane]

"Their grotesque wolf skull helm represents their connection with death and the cycle of rebirth..." (p. 35, 5E Codex)

[Prot]

I could have sworn Word Bearers are currently being written up as the original 'Chaplain'?

 

Also, I don't look at a Wolf Priest as a chaplain... and thus won't be painting him black, but that's just me and creative license taking place.

 

On Word Bearers, according to current Horus Heresy writings I believe they are not only the original chaplains, but are regarded as the ones that spread the Heresy from the ground up... destroying the Imperial trust from within, and causing dissension in the ranks... splitting up the Legions.

 

I understand some of you are saying there couldn't be chaplains because the Emperor was anti-religion, but it depends on how you see the role of the "Chaplain/Wolf Priest". Personally I saw them (back then) as not being so much religious as much as 'morality' officers.... and eventually the ones that would seek out corruption within the ranks (the opposite of Word Bearers). Just my thoughts...

[DV8]

Personally I saw them (back then) as not being so much religious as much as 'morality' officers.... and eventually the ones that would seek out corruption within the ranks (the opposite of Word Bearers). Just my thoughts...

 

That's pretty much how it was. Following the Heresy it only seemed a logical step that the Chaplains, in addition to being officers of discipline and morale, would become priests of spirituality and faith; the deification of the Emperor with the rise of the Imperial Faith makes loyalty to the Emperor synonymous with faith in the Emperor, and as the decades/centuries pass, the two meld to become one, that faith equals loyalty and vice-versa.

 

 

DV8

[Sarapham]

The Chaplains must have become responsible for the spirituality of the chapters about the same time as the founding of the Ecchlesiarchy (Sp?), since the Crozius Arcanum is the badge of office for a chaplain/wolf priest and is a symbol of the link between Chaplains and the centralized dogma.

[Valerian]

The Index Astartes Book II (the same one with the Space Wolves section), has the White Dwarf article on Chaplains in it. This article details about as much as has ever been written in one single source about Chaplains, and it also describes special Chapter variations, including our Wolf Priests. It also has a head-shot of Ulrik in the obligatory pic, and a little fluff blurb on him as well. Unfortunately, it doesn't say exactly when they started painting their armour Black, but I would guess it was from their very creation, as there is nothing to hint otherwise.

 

Regards,

 

Valerian