Youth When the Primarchs were spread throughout the galaxy by the forces of Chaos, one came to land

in the far north west of the galaxy on a remote ice world named Fe nris. He was adopted by a Fenrisian she-wolf and raised among the wolves, with h is two wolf brothers Freki and Geri.[7a] One harsh winter, the wolves attacked a village and stormed the food storage fac ilities. The villagers fought off the wolves, but Leman Russ fought them off so viciously that all of his brothers escaped alive. Thengir, King of the people of Russ, sent a raiding party of hunters and villagers to remove this menace for g ood with poisoned arrows and knives sharp enough to slice through oak.[7a] The raiding party killed many members of the pack, including the she-wolf and on e of his wolf brothers. Leman Russ was shot many times, and then captured, and b rought, bound and gagged before King Thengir. Leman Russ proved himself to be mo re than just another wolf, and was eventually taken in by the king himself.[7a] Among men for the first time, Leman quickly learned their skills, showing a natu ral aptitude for the way of the warrior. He learned to speak, and mastered their weapons - iron axes and swords. He was quick to roar with laughter or sing tune lessly and he slowly realized that he was more human than wolf, but superior to both. Eventually, Leman Russ became sufficiently civilized to warrant a true nam e. The King named him Leman (Leman of the Russ).[7a] Later in his life, he is said to have been able to turn back whole armies of the king's enemies by himself without a scratch, to tear whole oak trees from the g round and snap them over his back, and to wrestle Fenrisian Mammoths to the grou nd. When King Thengir died, there was no question as to who should succeed him. Therefore, King Leman Russ took to the throne.[7a] He was said to have been the best leader, no one could stand against him and it was not long before the tales came to the Emperor's notice. The Emperor recogniz ed this figure as a Primarch and travelled to Fenris. He entered Russ's court, c loaked in runes of disguise and confusion. The natives shrunk from this new pres ence. Russ refused to pay him homage as the Master of Mankind.[7a] Russ challenged the Emperor to a series of tests. The first challenge was an eat ing one, this the Emperor lost.[7a] The second challenge was a drinking one. Thi s the Emperor also failed.[7a] For the third challenge Russ boasted he could def eat the Emperor in combat. This time, the Emperor defeated Russ, felling him wit h a blow from his power glove. Leman admitted defeat and swore to serve the Empe ror.[7a] Just weeks later, Russ was placed at the head of his Legion (newly named the Spa ce Wolves) and joined the Great Crusade. He was armed with a thrice blessed suit of armour and a new sword forged from the maw of the Great Kraken Gormenjarl an d reputably, the blade could cleave the ice mountains of Fenris in half.[Needs C itation] Great Crusade Leman fought well during the Great Crusade, gaining the reputation as a cunning and fierce, as well as slightly unstable, warrior and leader. During a conflict on the word of Duran, Russ and his Wolves fought alongside the Dark Angels Legion. The leader of this particular planet had insulted Leman Rus s's honour, and so he wanted to defeat the leader personally for the insult. The two Legions, each led by their Primarch, assaulted the rebels' fortress. Leman Russ burst into the throne room just in time to see Lion El'Jonson beheading the enemy leader. Angry that the honour was not his, Leman Russ marched up to the L

ion and punched him in the jaw. This led tto a battle that lasted a week or more , until finally Russ saw how immature their squabble was and started laughing. L ion El'Jonson took this as Russ mocking him and punched Leman Russ into unconsci ousness before leaving the planet with his legion. This led to a bitter feud bet ween the Legions (and subsequent Chapters), which lasts to this day - although r ecent events may finally have led to an end to the rivalry, though it is still c ustomary for selected champions from both sides to engage in a (usually) non-let hal duel.[7a] Later, when Angron refused to end the Butcher's Nails surgery on his World Eater s Legion, the Emperor dispatched Russ and his Wolves to bring Angron back to Ter ra to answer for his insubordination. However what resulted was a brief but bloo dy clash between the World Eaters and Space Wolves, and Russ engaged Angron hims elf in single combat. In the duel, Russ was defeated by the Red Angel but Russ' true stratagem soon became apparent when it was revealed that Angron had allowed himself to become distracted by Space Wolves forces during the duel. Russ tried to convince Angron to stand down, explaining to him that while he had bested hi m in single combat, Angron was nonetheless trapped and that this was a result of his own bloodlust and failure to lead his Legion. Infuriated, Angron refused to stand down and Russ realized his brother was a lost cause. With a howl, Russ or dered the Space Wolves to withdraw.[10] Leman Russ leading his Legion into battle[7b] Horus Heresy Main article: Battle of Prospero Leman Russ fighting a Thousand Sons Space Marine[Needs Citation] Leman Russ leads the Wolves of Fenris on Prospero.[8] Many years passed, and many more battles. Thousands of worlds were reclaimed by the Imperium, but eventually the golden age came to an end. The Emperor sent Lem an Russ and his Space Wolves to deal with Magnus the Red and the Thousand Sons l egion, who the Emperor believed to be the true heretics; Magnus had used sorcery to warn the Emperor of Horus after being told not to. Prospero was assaulted an d bombarded. Thousands died within days. In the final battle between Russ and Ma gnus, it is said that Russ blinded Magnus and then broke the Cyclops's back over his knee, and just as Russ was about to deliver the final blow, Magnus used his sorcery to escape.[Needs Citation]. Post-Heresey Years passed after the Horus Heresy. Russ, at a great feast with his Legion in a ttendance, stood and said: "In the end I will return. For the final battle. For the Wolf Time." He then left the Fang and embarked into the Eye of Terror accomp anied by his personal retinue bar one - Bjorn the Fell-Handed, who remained on F enris in the role of Great Wolf. The tale of his disappearance is retold every t housand years by Bjorn, now the oldest dreadnought alive. Every once in a while, the Space Wolves embark on what is called the Great Hunt to search the galaxy f or their missing leader. Though they have searched far and wide, they still have n't found any sign of their Primarch. Apparently The Wolf Primarch's Arch-nemesi s Magnus knows the Wolf King's whereabouts, but keeps it secret. [5]: Quotations "You strive for victory. That is obvious. What may be less obvious is the na ture of victory. There are circumstances in which you can destroy the enemy utte rly, without loss to your own forces, and yet the victory may be his. In all sit uations, you must first decide on the nature of victory, and then take steps to secure it. Avoid the instinct of fight first and think later." (Meditations, Boo k VI) "A fortress circumvented ceases to be an obstacle. A fortress destroyed ceas es to be a threat. Do not forget the difference." (attributed)[2]

"A fortress is built with blood and toil. Only by blood and toil may it be t aken." (attributed)[2] "Beat your thoughts to the mould of your will." (attributed)[3] "Listen closely Brothers, for my life's breath is all but spent. There shall come a time far from now when our Chapter itself is dying, even as I am now dyi ng, and our foes shall gather to destroy us. Then my children, I shall listen fo r your call in whatever realm of death holds me, and come I shall, no matter wha t the laws of life and death forbid. At the end I will be there. For the final b attle. For the Wolftime." (last words of Leman Russ)[4] "Only in the Space Marines of the Legiones Astartes are courage and expertis e perfectly blended. In other troops they are present in varying degrees and pro portions, and many scholars have debated their relative merits. For my own part, I come down on the side of courage. For courage can sometim es make a virtue of inexperience. I myself have commanded Imperial Guard troops whose probitor units have achieved great things, because they were too inexperie nced to realise that their goal was impossible." (Leman Russ on the military use of Whiteshields, De Natura Belli, Book XIV)[1] "There are those who undervalue the Penal Battalions. But they should consid er this: should a man who has wronged the Emperor be allowed to wrong Him furthe r? For each man executed is a man who can no longer serve, and to fail in servic e to the Emperor is the greatest of sins." (Meditations on Imperial Command, Boo k XXI)[1] "Do not underestimate the Squats. They survived for millennia cut off from t he Imperium and assailed from all sides. Their determination and resilience is a n example to all." (Meditations on Imperial Command, Book XVI)[1] "Harden your soul against decadence. But do not despise it, for the soft app earance of the decadent may be deceptive. One need only consider the Harlequin d ancers of the Eldar to see the truth of this proposition." (A Book of Admonition s for the Legiones Astartes)[1] "Here I am and here shall I die." (attributed to Leman Russ at the Battle of Rising Fell)[3] Sacred Objects Wolf Helm of Russ Spear of Russ Mjalnar