25 December 2015

Unidentified Wolf Lord, painted (Christmas Special, pt. 2)

I admit that "no-one knows" is something of a cop out for writing backgrounds for characters, but seeing how the Wolf Lords of the late 41st millennium are already canon, and I didn't want to start a fourth Great Company, a Wolf Lord outside the established Chapter was a necessity, and having one being general knowledge wouldn't really work, either.

I imagine the unknown, blood-soaked Astartes warlord in Space Wolves paraphernalia and with huge horns on his back being first spotted during Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade, appearing in several desperate battles to fight against the traitors. He's rumoured to be one of the 13th Great Company, though his Indomitus-pattern Terminator armour and markings from long after the Heresy speak against this theory. He's also rumoured to be one of the Jarls of the ill-fated Wolf Brothers, though his colour scheme is clearly that of the parent Chapter. He is said to somewhat resemble at least three different Wolf Lords who have vanished at various points in the Chapter's history.

Space Wolves haven't acknowledged the rumours of the unknown Jarl in any way, but according to accounts of those few non-Space Wolf Imperial troops who have fought by his side, his eyes appear to have no visible irises or pupils, suggesting blindness, yet he doesn't seem to suffer from this, and some claim to have heard him speak of his mission for the Allfather. Any tangible information is rare, as any witnesses have soon disappeared, rumoured to have been captured either by the Inquisition for questioning, or Space Wolves themselves, to prevent the Inquisition from learning too much.
I wanted to keep the theme of an amalgamation of Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Krampus and Yule Goat, so I painted the gauntlet parts of his weapons as well as the shoulder pads red. The extra redness was also the reason I wanted to use Blood for the Blood God on the model relatively liberally. The horns were drybrushed with Zandri Dust, then again with Ushabti Bone and finally with White Scar.
 I wanted the scarf (cassock? I don't know the terminology) to remind of Saint Nicholas, so I painted the Nauthiz rune on it, as it both vaguely resembles a cross and supposedly stands for approximately same sound as the letter N. The model's flesh was painted with Kislev Flesh, as I wanted his skin to be relatively pale.
This concludes this year's Christmas Special. Just as a heads up, I don't plan to make a special for every possible holiday -- I don't really have one planned for New Year, for example. Anyway, in case you missed it yesterday, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah (though I think that was already? Anyway, hope it was happy), Joyous Kwanzaa (is that what you wish?) or just have a nice weekend!

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