Ragnar Blackmane

The Black Mane

Ragnar earned his cognomen — Blackmane — as an aspirant. The trial that defines the Space Wolves' selection of full battle-brothers requires the aspirant to survive certain Fenrisian ordeals; Ragnar's ordeal included single combat with a black-maned Fenrisian wolf, a beast of unusual size and ill-temperament that no aspirant had ever defeated within saga-memory.

Ragnar killed the wolf, took its hide as a cloak, and entered the chapter wearing it. He has worn versions of the same hide on every campaign since.

The Saga

Ragnar rose through the chapter at a pace that broke prior precedent. He took a Wolf Lordship younger than any predecessor. The chapter's Wolf Priests have written sagas of his deeds at a rate that makes them, by Fenrisian custom, the official record of an unfinished life.

He has fought across more campaigns than most Astartes of three times his service: the Second War for Armageddon, multiple Daemon-incursion responses, Tyrannic war engagements on the Eastern Fringe. His current Great Company is among the most active Space Wolves formations in the Era Indomitus.

I am young by your reckoning. I have outlived every wolf I ever feared.

— Ragnar Blackmane, attributed M41

Method

Ragnar fights with Frostfang — a Frost Sword formerly carried by his initial mentor Sergeant Hakon — and combines Space Wolves close-combat doctrine with an unusually patient strategic mind. He is the rare Wolf Lord who reads pre-battle intelligence reports with attention. He is also the rare Wolf Lord whose engagement decisions, in retrospect, look like deliberate plans rather than improvised brawls.

Grimnar has, on several occasions, mentioned in council that Ragnar will be Great Wolf eventually.

M42

Ragnar has been active across the Indomitus Crusade. He has accepted Primaris reinforcement reluctantly but not refused it. He has fought alongside Guilliman directly more than once.

His Great Company is now one of the most operationally consistent Space Wolves formations. The Sagas continue.