Vulkan He'stan
Two versions of him - or rather his ritual branding scars - for Marine Meat Monday.
The Forgefather leads a lonely life that constantly takes him far away from Nocturne into the depths of the galaxy, where he searches alone on his own for the artefacts that the Salamanders believe hold a key to discovering what happened to their missing Primarch.
Contrary to what was said in TTS, it is not the case that Vulkan will simply appear like Father Christmas once the artefacts are collected. The Salamanders are an incredibly independent, stubborn chapter and firmly believe that nothing is given for free. Especially not their beloved Gene-Sire. Instead, the Tome of Fire and the artefacts offer the opportunity to get clues as to what happened to Vulkan.
And unlike their predecessors during the Horus Heresy, the 40k Salamanders are not at all convinced that he is still alive! The famous war cry "Vulkan Lives!" was definitely a 30k thing. More specifically, coined by Pyre Guard Captain Artellus Numeon, a Terran Salamander who, after Isstvan V, didn't believe Vulkan had been killed and who, after the events surrounding Curze's brief reign of terror in Magna Macragge City, dragged Vulkan's "dead" body across the galaxy. And managed the seemingly impossible.
In 40k, "Vulkan Lives" is no longer the flaming sign of unshakable faith. This is no longer the time of the miracles of the Grand Crusade, after all!
Do they hope he's still alive? Sure! But they are also realists. And that's why they do what's possible with what they have.
And when inexplicable things happen now and then, like a Chaplain's destroyed Crozius still working, or a dead Psyker suddenly becoming a Living Flame and simply disintegrating a Chaos Fleet … well, obviously there is still a lot to find out then!
And Vulkan He'stan is just the man to find out!
When he then emerges from the most inhospitable corners of the galaxy every now and then, he is on the one hand very happy to see Prometheus and Nocturne again, but is constantly only too aware of how far away his task removes him from his brothers. Then he allows himself a little melancholy. Shares with the Chapter Master a little loneliness that they both feel. And then he sets off again to fulfil his task.
Because that's what Salamanders do!
It was at He’stan’s request that they’d come to one of the viewing galleries in Prometheus space port. The long chamber was dark, illuminated by brazier coals. The flickering light revealed the icon of the Firedrakes as they pulled the shadows away, only for it to be swallowed as the darkness reasserted itself again a few moments later. ‘Aye, we are humbled by her savage beauty, Lord He’stan.’ Tu’Shan clapped a firm hand upon the Forgefather’s shoulder.
For He’stan it was an odd sensation. He had been apart from his brothers for a long time. His quest for the lost artefacts of Vulkan had taken him to the edges of known space, to sights he would not describe and deeds he would never speak of. To them, his Fire-born kin, he was an enigma, a distant figure whose ways were inscrutable. It was no small thing to return.
Kyme, Nick. Salamanders: The Omnibus (Tome of Fire) (S.741). Games Workshop. Kindle-Version.
