Iron Priest

Space Marines Portal Space Wolves

This article is about the Space Wolves title; for the short story by Chris Wraight, see Iron Priest (Short Story).

Space Wolves Iron Priest^[1]

The Iron Priests are part of the Space Wolves chapter and their duty is that of a Techmarine but with additions.

Overview

An Iron Priest is required to keep the equipment of his Great Company in working order, maintain the machine spirits of its vehicles in addition to all other duties of a Techmarine. He is also required to tend to the spirits of the Dreadnoughts in the depths of the Fang, and it is his duty to rouse them from their deep slumbers if they are needed in battle.^[1] Similar to their Techmarine cousins, Iron Priests usually pilot Space Wolves gunships and aircraft.^[5]

Amongst the natives of Fenris, each tribe’s smiths will worship the Gods of Iron, legendary figures said to reside within the volcanic islands adrift in the Boiling Sea. A particularly gifted young Fenrisian smith may make a pilgrimage to the Isles of Iron, where they do indeed meet with living gods, for this is the guise the Iron Priests maintain when dealing with mortal men. Should a pilgrim pass the Test of the Iron Gauntlet, he may become an apprentice and be initiated into the Space Wolves. Later he will journey to Mars, the Red Planet, where he will learn the ways of the machine under the tutelage of the arcane and insular Adeptus Mechanicus. Only once he has fully embraced the mysteries of the Omnissiah will he be allowed to return to Fenris and take his rightful place amongst the Iron Priests, bringing growling engines of war to life in the service of his Chapter.^[2]

Following the return of the new Iron Priest to Fenris his final test is undertaken. He places his right hand into lava as a sacrifice to the spirit of the Iron Wolf. To conclude this rite his hand is replaced by a bionic replacement and his induction into the Iron Priesthood is complete.^[6]

Beyond the standard Servo-Arm, in battle Iron Priests wield mighty Thunder Hammers and Helfrost Pistols^[3] and wear ancient suits of Runic Armour.^[4]

Notable Iron Priests

• Aldacrel
• Anvarr Rustmane
• Bjorksten
• Bjurn Isenfyr^[7b]
• Bodr Silverscalp^[7a]
• Corus Redsmith^[8]
• Hengis Blackhand
• Horgan Steelsoul^[9]
• Hrothgar Swordfang
• Skvarl Cogfang
• Ulf Blackbrow

Images

• 

  Iron Priest miniature (2nd Edition)

• 

  Iron Priest (6th Edition)^[3]

Sources

• 1: Codex: Space Wolves (5th Edition), pg. 38
• 2: Codex: Space Wolves (7th Edition) — Iron Priests
• 3: Games-Workshop (last accessed 14 March 2016)
• 4: Warhammer: Visions 26, pg. 12
• 5: Death From the Skies (7th Edition) — Fangs of the Tempest
• 6: Warhammer Community: 500 Facts for 500 Stores! (Posted 19/10/2018), fact #163, (Last accessed on 23 September 2019)
• 7: Codex Supplement: Space Wolves (9th Edition):
  • 7a: pg. 8
  • 7b: pg. 77
• 8: Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf
• 9: White Dwarf 359 (UK), pg. 49 — Battle for the Fang, 'Warhammer 40,000 Apocalypse: The Battle for Fenris'