Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader - The Colony of Rain

Started by LisztesFerenc, December 14, 2014, 12:03:50 PM

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LisztesFerenc

  When I read the core rulebook for Rogue Trader I really liked the idea of the game, and browsing over the various sample plot hooks they offered one stood out to me: the colony of Rain. Something about the set up just inspired me, and I instantly had an idea for what happened, that I have been able to work on. I was thinking it would make a good first Endeavor for a group of explorers, something along the lines of:

  First Endeavor - Rain: A Colony of Grass

  With vast tracks of grassy wetlands, sparse forests of yellow trees with flailing, pointed branches, and expansive, shallow lakes JD - 582 is the perfect agricultural world. That was the belief with which the colony of Rain was set up there, nearly a century ago. Now a new Rogue Trader vessel is being task with tapping into the planet's potential for food production.

  The last colony was short lived. They found the air and water seemingly clean, and briefly studied the local plant life, finding them inedible, but the terrain was perfect for a more consumable crop. The planet received plenty of rainfall, yet they were not quite sure how, given the mild temperature of the atmosphere.

  Then an astropathic message was received from the colony:

  "There is no hope; I have heard the voice calling. It is calling to me from the storm in the sky, and spoke of trespass and blood, and hearing it I know it is the truth. The storm will claw its way out of the clouds, and glowing figures shall descend of the trees, tempting us with insanity from their eye. They want us to draw, to decorate their lairs. Our broken bones shall be quills, filled with sacred blood, a most noble gift for the masters of the storm. Hark, they come. I must go greet them."

  Two years later a merchant vessel was persuaded to investigate. It got no response to its vox transmissions and found no signs of intelligent life, then swiftly resumed its original route. Now, your ship is being sent with the intention of discover what happened, and fixing the issue, whatever it may be.

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  The idea would be that the reclaiming of Rain would be the first mission, after which I would try and make Endeavors more of a sandbox thing with multiple options for the crew to pursue. For character generation I would use all source books, Xenos are welcome (as long as you can make them fit in with a mostly human crew), and stat generation would be rolled, but the results would then freely be assigned. Since you would be somewhat experienced Explorers you would start with an additional 1000XP and two rolls to attempt acquisitions.

  Would anyone be interested in such a game?

AndyZ

It's all good, and it's all in fun.  Now get in the pit and try to love someone.

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Pumpkin Seeds


ChaoticSky

I

A DE maybe, Ive had a idea for one for a long time but i never get to use her.

Wargtass

Once more into the breach my friends. Count me in!
O/O

Pumpkin Seeds


Wargtass

Never tried an Arch Militant, Navigator or Voidmaster before, so any of those would be fun to try out.
O/O

Jaded


LisztesFerenc

  Okay cool, so far we have:

  A Seneschal
  An Arch Militant/Navigator/Voidmaster
  A Dark Elder (Kabalite Warrior or Wych?)
  Two more currently unspecified roles

  That should be enough for a group, although I'd say there is room for another one or two players. That happened a lot quicker than I imagined it would.

Jaded

Rogue Trader, Arch Militant, or Missionary would be my thought for a character.

deadmanshand

I might be up for trying my hand at another W40K game here. I could work up an Astropath Transcendent.

LisztesFerenc

  Well if we already have a Seneschal, Astropath Transcendent and Dark Elder, then Navigator and Rogue Trader seem like the best fit, plus whatever AndyZ decides to play (although he may choose one of those two). Of course that is just the most optimal choice, which you should never let dictate your character concept entirely. I'm sure I can fill any gap with NPCs, the rule book has some suggestions for how to handle a group without a Rogue Trader.

AndyZ

I've always wanted to try a Rogue Trader, but I can't guarantee I'd be very good at it.  My knowledge of 40k is decent but nowhere near as fantastic as your average 40k player.
It's all good, and it's all in fun.  Now get in the pit and try to love someone.

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Pumpkin Seeds

I'd say I'd give the Rogue Trader a try, but I don't think anyone has shown any interest in Seneschal.

AndyZ

I guess my question should be if there's some equivalent to the Common Sense merit that I could take, or just get somebody to nudge me if I do something very off for that universe.
It's all good, and it's all in fun.  Now get in the pit and try to love someone.

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If I've owed you a post for at least a week, poke me.

LisztesFerenc

  Well there is the Logic skill, but I don't think its meant to be used that way. I'm sure players will nudge if you go too far off-course, I may need some nudges myself. You could try working the inexperience into your character concept, have your character be a Hive or Imperial Worlder, perhaps Battlefleet origin from Into the Storm, have your character be someone who wasn't meat to be Lord-Captain of the ship until many years later, but a family tragedy pushed up the event. Just an idea, you don't have to use it.

Pumpkin Seeds

If you need some help Andy, let me know.  My Seneschal can always use another pa..err..foll..err..umm..she is always there to help wayward adventurers!  Yeah!

ChaoticSky


Wargtass

The Rogue Trader could be a young and inexperienced noble after all, with the Seneschal teaching them the proper ways of trade and negotiations. I am sure the Navigator would be delighted to teach them the proper conducts of true nobility.

And yeah, I am going with a Navigator. :P
O/O

Pumpkin Seeds


Jaded

So AndyZ is going Rogue Trader?  Has Wargtass decided on which he is going?

LisztesFerenc


Jaded

I'll probably go Arch-Militant then.  Unless maybe a Tau Fire Warrior is an allowable option. 

LisztesFerenc

 I'd consider the option. I had already looked into Tau homebrew and found this:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide
Characteristics
Roll 2d10 and add...

WS15
BS 25
S 15
T 20
Ag 20
Int 25
Per 20
Wp 20
Fel 20

Traits
For the Greater Good
Tau have an overarching belief in "The Greater Good", a concept that all should be equal, and everyone has their place within the Tau Empire.

This sets them at something of a disadvantage when dealing with others - they suffer a -5 penalty to any Fellowship tests against those who hold another strong religious belief (so, Kroot would listen to them, but an Emperor-Fearing Human would be hard pushed to listen to the heathens).

Being "Space Commies", they are also somewhat less concerned with money than most races - meaning that they cause any group they are part of to suffer a -1 to their Profit Factor.

Small-Souled
Tau have a very small Warp presence - so much so, they seem to be absolutely naive about the workings of the Warp. Tau can never become Psykers, of any sort. They also suffer a -10 penalty to any Forbidden Lore skill which relates to the Warp (so, Daemonology, The Warp, etc.) However, they are also far less likely to gain the attention of such beasts - they gain a +10 bonus to attempts to resist possession by a Warp entity, and GMs should ensure that the creature has either a specific plan to target the Tau, or no other choice.

Tau and Insanity and Corruption
Tau gain Insanity points and the ensuing complications as normal - after all, the horrors of war and the strangeness of the Warp affect anyone who thinks about them too long.

Corruption is somewhat different - instead of representing their fall to the Ruinous Powers, it represents their removal from The Greater Good. As they lose some of their "innocence" regarding the universe, Tau begin to waver in their faith in the Tau Empire.

A Tau who gains Corruption points does not roll for mutations though malignancies (where appropriate ) should still be used. As they move away from the Greater Good (and the Ethereal Caste in particular), Tau begin to revert to a more "feral" state, becoming quick to anger, prone to infighting, and somewhat more vicious and sadistic in their violence. The presence of an Ethereal can negate some of these effects - when an Ethereal is present, a Tau does not gain Corruption points, and their current Corruption point total is considered to be half its actual value.

Castes

Choose your Caste wisely - this will affect your stats, and also limit your choice of Careers:

Air : +10 Ag, -5T, treat any one Pilot skill as a Trained Basic Skill. Gain a choice of 2 of the Catfall, Leap Up, Rapid Reaction, and Weapons Training (Tau Basic). Talents.
Earth: +5 WP, treat any two "occupational" skill (frex, Tech-Use (Tau), Wrangling etc) as Trained Basic skills. Gain a choice of 2 of the Foresight, Iron Jaw, and * Talents.
Fire: +5 BS, gain Weapons Training (Pistol, Basic, and Heavy Tau Weapons). Gain a choice of 2 of the Quick Draw, Combat Formation, Marksman, and Disarm Talents.
Water: +5 Fel, treat Barter and one of Commerce or Charm as Trained Basic Skills. Gain a choice of 2 of the Air of Authority, Polyglot, Total Recall, and Paranoia Talents.

  Would that work? It seems like it may be a bit weak, but not terribly so, and it would presumably take the Arch-militant career. Do you have a alternative homebrew option?

Jaded

#24
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130005/Rogue-Trader-Tau-Character-Guide

Was what I was going to use, though if you don't have it I can stick with the Militant.

EDIT:  Would we be allowed to take any unlinked choices on the Origin Path?  Or would there be a free choice row?