Rogue Trader Interest Check [Full]

[Jaded]

I’m curious if there would be any interest in a Rogue Trader game run by an (admittedly newbie to the system) GM.  I am thinking that the bulk of the human characters would be children of one of three members of a Rogue Trader dynasty (each a Captain of a large ship in the fleet), sent off into the Imperium to make their own way until they were needed.  They recently have received a summons from an old family servant summoning them to Port Wander.

The basic (initial) plot would be that their dynasty’s fleet was ambushed and all but a single ship destroyed.  The ship returned to Port Wander, but without any members of the dynasty still alive and onboard.  To make matters worse, the physical Warrant was lost, and is believed to still be on the wreckage of one of the other ships.  The initial goal of the characters would be to recover the Warrant and salvage what they can from the fleet.  After that it will go more sandboxy.

I would be using the Ship Roles from Into the Storm, though I don’t expect to fill them all.  I would also be willing to accept multiple Rogue Traders, though obviously only a single one could be Lord-Captain.  If I get enough players I might be willing to allow the group to have multiple ships fairly early on.  I don't have a specific number of players in mind, but would like to have a maximum of 4-6 per group/ship.  I would be willing to accept some xenos with approval, the assumption being that they were members of the old crew.

I would probably be placing the game in Extreme, and would like some smutty content, but what type of content and how much would largely come down to the individual player.

If I ran the game I would not be going first come first serve, especially to decide roles.  I would be basing it on submitted concepts and hopefully a discussion among the players.

I would be using the Allocating Points method for generating characteristics.

Ship and Warrant Path

I an open to discussion on this, as well as the specific details of the Warrant's history.

The Forging
Fallen From Grace
Reward
Age of Plunder
Battlefleet
Famous

SP: 68
PF: 20

Roles

Lord-Captain

First Officer
Enginseer Prime
High Factotum

Master-At-Arms
Master Helmsman
Master of Ordnance
Master of Etherics
Chief Chirurgeon
Master of Whispers
Choir-Master Telepathica
Warp Guide

Ship’s Confessor
Drivesmaster
Omnissianic Congregator
Chief Bosun
Infernus Master
Twistcatcher
Master of the Vox
Purser
Caro-Artifex
Ship’s Steward

Any interest?  Any comments or suggestions for improvement?

[Pumpkin Seeds]

:: scrambles over:: ME! ME!

[ArcherCC]

I would be more then interested, I'm gooing through the book now to figure out what I would want to play.

[deadmanshand]

Consider me interested.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Kind of thinking Seneschal at this point.

[eBadger]

Is there any good open source for rules online?  I'm somewhat familiar with the setting from my old 40k days, but I've never done Rogue Trader....

[deadmanshand]

Maybe a Death Worlder Arch-Militant. A former Catachan jungle fighter could be fun but if someone else wants to be an Arch Militant I could make a Psyker.

eBadger: Not really. You pretty much have to just have the rules.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

My thoughts are leaning toward a Seneschal from a Penal World.  I like the idea of a woman born and raised among criminals who has a “takes one to know one” sort of attitude.  Always keeps her eyes on the books and the money, willing to put a bullet in the head of anyone that crosses her or her Captain.

[Muse]

Ooh.  I'd love to apply. 

I can play someone from the Rogue Trader household.  :)

[ArcherCC]

I have a concept in mind after reading one of the motivations, but it relies on rolling the right heirloom. Unless the gm would just allow us to choose instead of rolling for it.

[Jaded]

Is there any good open source for rules online?  I'm somewhat familiar with the setting from my old 40k days, but I've never done Rogue Trader....

Unfortunately not.  You can buy a PDF, but I don't know that I recommend that for an online game.

Maybe a Death Worlder Arch-Militant. A former Catachan jungle fighter could be fun but if someone else wants to be an Arch Militant I could make a Psyker.

eBadger: Not really. You pretty much have to just have the rules.

Come up with a brief bio when you decide. :-)

My thoughts are leaning toward a Seneschal from a Penal World.  I like the idea of a woman born and raised among criminals who has a “takes one to know one” sort of attitude.  Always keeps her eyes on the books and the money, willing to put a bullet in the head of anyone that crosses her or her Captain.

Sounds interesting. :-)

Ooh.  I'd love to apply. 

I can play someone from the Rogue Trader household.  :)

Any preferences on career?

I have a concept in mind after reading one of the motivations, but it relies on rolling the right heirloom. Unless the gm would just allow us to choose instead of rolling for it.

What did you have in mind?  Which heirloom were you looking at?




Just to try and expand on the dynasty a bit.  Comments and suggestions are welcome. 

The Caffarel Dynasty

Velaz, Pearle, and Bilye were the three children of Sartak the Bold.  Velaz, born first, spent much of his life in the Imperial Navy.  He rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral before he retired to take up his family’s Warrant.  Pearle, the second child, spent her life building a merchant empire, before returning to aid her brother in his mission.  Bilye was born last, and spent some time in the service of the Inquisition before returning to lend her skills to the family business.

All three of them travelled widely, and were in their thirties to fifties when they returned to their family’s fleet.  Velaz had the most children, it was always whispered among the crew that he had a noblewoman at every port, and there is no telling how many bastard children he left out in the galaxy with little to no knowledge of their true lineage.  Others may have been aware, but none were raised on the fleet.  Pearle and Bilye both had multiple children at various ages, several of whom were raised within the fleet before being sent out to make their way in the galaxy.  There is no way to know exactly how many children all three had, even the records that were kept in case a heir was needed are incomplete at best.

The Caffarel Dynasty had a fleet comprised of nearly a dozen ships, the three most prominent of them being the Dark Forgotten, the Watcher of the Honoured, and the Lonely Lion.

Velaz was 72 at the time of his death.  Pearle was 60.  Bilye was 49. 

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Do you want us to use the Origin Paths?

[ArcherCC]

I was looking at the chainsword, I laid out my character using the origin path and if I go with it, he is a militant high confessor

[Muse]

I do have some knowledge of this system, but not total yet.  Would you rather someone with more experience play the Lord Captain? 

[AndyZ]

Going to keep an eye on this.

[ArcherCC]

Ok I have my base bio an concept here, what do you think Jaded?

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Haddon Emil
Rank: Ship’s Confessor
Bio: Haddon was born on the shrine world of Maccabeus Quintus in the Calixis Sector.  On a world where devotion to the Imperium and he on the Throne is the strongest corruption can run deep. The Emil family had been loyal servants of the God-Emperor for many generations, until the foul slaves of the Ruinous Powers tried to corrupt the entire world.

In the grand scheme of things the ritual performed by the cultists was tiny and insignificant. But for baby Haddon it would change his world. He would never remember the night, he was too young, but he would be told the story later in life.

It was just after 0100 Local time when Markus Emil and his wife were awoken to the screams of their children being drug out of their beds.  Leaping from his bed Markus bolted from the room he shared with his wife only to be struck down by the blow from the stock of a lasgun. The last thing he saw before the light faded was his wife being drug out of their bed by the hair.

Several days later Markus awoke to find he was bound, gagged and hung naked by his ankles over some arcane marking in s massive cavern. To his horror his wife and children were also bound and hung along with more than 70 others.

Markus could only watch in horror as a large group of cultist began to slip through the room in some arcane pattern slice throats seemingly at random until he felt the bite of demonic steel at his own throat, and then he only knew agony as he too was sacrificed to the ruinous powers.

What he didn’t see was only minutes later the arrival of a unit of the Sisters of battle, holy Flamers roaring as they burnt cultist and sacrifice alike. No quarter was given as all present were destroyed.

Back only a few miles from the family home, sequestered in the infant care unit of an Adepta Sororitas hospital was little Haddon hooked up to tubes and a ventilator recovering from a harsh chest infection. News would come to the hospital of the death of his entire family and he would be placed in the Schola Progenium.

Over his years at the Schola Progenium he would hear rumors of his past but never know the truth. During his training he was selected due to his faith in the God-Emperor to study for eventual entry into the Ecclesiarchy.

Upon his 18th birthday he was taken aside by the head abbot of the Ministorum and told the truth of what had happened to his family. Haddon’s only response to this news was
“ The will of Him on The Throne brought me here to bring His light to the unbeliever, the truth has only strengthened my faith. ”

He would spend the next several years traveling the void bringing the Light to unbelievers through word or weapon until the day he found himself on the Rogue Trader ship bound for a new planet. During his voyage though he found he enjoyed the company of the crew, and felt a new place as their guide to the Light. He choose to stay on the ship an guide his new flock, in prayer and in battle.

[Landshark]

Ok i guess the question that needs answering is.
If this will be sandbox down the line do we really need to stick to the game system or just use it as a guide? Sure youll need to know what your class and backgrounds are but are actual stats going to matter? Will dice rolls be actually used?
Ok so that was more than one question...sorry :P

[Primarch]

I'll pull out my copy of the core book and start writing up a Navigator =D

Possibly to take the role of First Officer.

[HairyHeretic]

I'm interested. If no one has expressed a desire for the role, I'd go for the Rogue Trader.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Kind of angling for the Purser myself.

[Life on Mars]

WOW! A thousand times interest. I love Rogue Trader but have only ever had one chance to play. Would be highly interested in an Astropath Transcendent with the role of Choir-Master Telepathica. I'll get to work on a bio.

[deadmanshand]

Bio time! For position I am guessing Master-At-Arms but I need to sit down and really read the ship roles before I decide that.

Records of the Quarantine Ship Panacea by Flame, Confession #461

The vox file clicks on but is silent for several seconds before a rough voice echoes from it, "Guardsman Mord Barker. Catachan XVIII Regiment. Day 612 of our Imperial quarantine. Day one of my proscribed confessions."

"I was 17 when we set foot on Koralkal VIII. Distress call went out about an arm of a Hive Fleet hitting the sector. The planet was what these Hive Worlders would call jungle so they dropped us surface side. It took an hour for the first man to die. We have playgrounds back home with a higher death rate," Mord said almost laughing. "It took us six hours to find the first Tyranid. Then it started to feel like home real quick. Monsters coming out of the trees. Things belching spores and plasma. Hell."

"The 18th laughed but the other regiments broke. Cowards," he paused to spit. "They died and barely took a thing with them. Most useless sacks of Grox shit to ever pretend to serve the Emperor. By the time we realized we were alone the Hive had cut off communications and left us alone to face the Tyranids. 5000 guardsmen against that."

"The war lasted for 7 years. Brutal fighting from jungle to city. With bolter, lascannon, and fire we fought them. It was Colonel Gator who came up with the idea that turned the tide. Something that we'd do sometimes back home to deal with the Mamorphs. Cover ourselves in their blood. Cover our scent and help us get used to their toxin at the same time. It was a damned good idea no matter what that fool Commisar Breck says."

"The tides changed and finally we exterminated every last thrice damned trace of them from the planet. Not an egg or Genestealer escaped us. Then we called for pickup. 5000 men went down. 942 came up. 30 more would never fight again but we won. Out numbered, cut off from resupply, and surrounded by a horde of the foulest Xenos we'd ever seen - we still won. Scarred and bloody and poisoned by their fluids - we still won."

"Our ride off was supplied by Commisar Breck who read one report, condemned us for heretical methods, and handed us off to the Panacea By Flame. They commanded two years of quarantine for our efforts. Then went over us with the strictest medical auspex. That's when my problems started. Declared me tainted. A mutant. Damaged by the Lictor's blood. Said my nerves will never be right again. That I'll never feel pain again."

Here Mord goes silent for a long moment before speaking again, "Breck wants me executed as a heretic and a mutant. More than a few of the Magos agree with him. My own men speak up for me but it's easy to ignore quarantined men. I think I would already be dead if it weren't for that Rogue Trader. Apparently Breck was less than happy when he used that Warrant to requisition my services once the quarantine was ended."

"I can live with that. End recording."

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Mord Barker
Formerly of the Catachan XVIII "Swamprats"

Home World: Death World (Catachan)
Birthright: Contaminated Environs (100xp)
Lure of the Void: Tainted - Mutant (200xp - Feel No Pain)
Trials and Travails: The Hand of War
Motivation: Endurance
Career: Arch Militant

WS: 35    Int: 25
BS: 50     Per: 40
S: 40       Wp: 35
T: 53        Fel: 17
Ag: 35

Wounds: 21
Fate Points: 2

Traits:

Jaded, Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Paranoid, Survivor, Peer (Mutants), Resistance (Poisons), Weapon Training (Flamer), Hatred (Tyranids), Basic Weapon Training (Un), Pistol Weapon Training (Un), Melee Weapon Training (Un), Thrown Weapon Training (Un), Sound Constitution (1), Iron Jaw

Skills:

Survival, Common Lore: War, Dodge, Intimidate, Scholastic Lore: Tactica Imperialis, Secret Tongue: Military, Speak Language: Low Gothic, Awareness

Equipment:

Hellgun (Good Craftsmanship), Catachan Fang (Good Craftsmanship Knife, Mono Upgrade), Enforcer Light Carapace, Void Suit, Micro-bead, Medkit, Manacles, Arms Coffer

XP:

100xp for Advanced Origin (Contaminated Environment)
200xp for Mutation (Feel No Pain)
100xp for Awareness
100xp for Simple Advance (Ballistic Skill)

2014-09-17 18:28:24   At 2014-09-17 18:28:24, deadmanshand (uid: 54173) rolls: 1d5 Result: 2
2014-09-17 18:43:49   At 2014-09-17 18:43:49, deadmanshand (uid: 54173) rolls: 1d10 Result: 2

[Jaded]

Is anyone opposed to having multiple of each career, and potentially multiple starting ships (34/34 SP)?

There are options on page 290 for multiple Rogue Traders, though we would probably have to figure out which character would be the official holder of the Warrant (when it is recovered) and who is the heir.  Though we could potentially go with both being 'shareholder' types.  Thoughts?



Let me know if I missed you below.

Pumpkin Seeds: Seneschal (Purser)
Muse: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
ArcherCC: Missionary (Ship's Confessor)
Primarch: Navigator (First Officer)
HairyHeretic: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
Life on Mars: Astropath Transcendent (Choir-Master Telepathica)
deadmanshand: Arch-Militant (Master-At-Arms)

Do you want us to use the Origin Paths?

Yes, unless there is an alternative method I missed somewhere.

I was looking at the chainsword, I laid out my character using the origin path and if I go with it, he is a militant high confessor

The concept looks good, and the chainsword is fine.  You are looking to be an Arch-Militant and not a Missionary?

I do have some knowledge of this system, but not total yet.  Would you rather someone with more experience play the Lord Captain?

I'm fine with someone who isn't an expert playing the Lord Captain.

Ok i guess the question that needs answering is.
If this will be sandbox down the line do we really need to stick to the game system or just use it as a guide? Sure youll need to know what your class and backgrounds are but are actual stats going to matter? Will dice rolls be actually used?
Ok so that was more than one question...sorry :P

Hmm?  By sandbox I mean I don't intend to have an overarching plot unless it comes from the characters or their actions (though I may occasionally provide hooks they can choose to follow), not that the rules won't be used.  So rolls will be used.

I'll pull out my copy of the core book and start writing up a Navigator =D

Possibly to take the role of First Officer.

Sounds good. :-)

I'm interested. If no one has expressed a desire for the role, I'd go for the Rogue Trader.

Muse was interested I believe.  Though I'm not opposed to having two Rogue Traders, and would be willing to even start the group with two smaller ships instead of one larger one depending on the number of players we end up with.

WOW! A thousand times interest. I love Rogue Trader but have only ever had one chance to play. Would be highly interested in an Astropath Transcendent with the role of Choir-Master Telepathica. I'll get to work on a bio.

Sounds good. :-)

Bio time! For position I am guessing Master-At-Arms but I need to sit down and really read the ship roles before I decide that.

Looks interesting. :-)

[AndyZ]

Shouldn't the Confessor be a Missionary?

[ArcherCC]

What I meant by militant was a very zeolot combat missonary, charging at th fore of combat screaming littanies of hate, he will be a base class missonary.

[deadmanshand]

Multiples of careers and ships is cool with me. I could even be persuaded - if there isn't quite enough for a second ship - to make a character for the other ship.

[TheGlyphstone]

I don't see anyone looking to play an Explorator yet, so count me in for that.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Looks like I have some reworking to do.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

So..a bad noble will have to suffice.

[Life on Mars]

Looks like I have some reworking to do.

Do you have Into the Storm? The expanded Origin path adds "Penal World" as a homeworld were Imperial World stands on the origin path.

[Jaded]

Please post your characters here: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=213788.0
For discussion: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=213789.0 (to figure out the ships, for any sort of interlinked character backgrounds, and general chatter).

Ship 1: Wrothful, Emissary of the Imperator
Ship 2: A Nose for Trouble, Reliquary of Mars

Pumpkin Seeds: Seneschal (Purser)
Muse: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
ArcherCC: Missionary (Ship's Confessor)
Primarch: Navigator (First Officer)
HairyHeretic: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
Life on Mars: Astropath Transcendent (Choir-Master Telepathica)
deadmanshand: Arch-Militant (Master-At-Arms)
TheGlyphstone: Explorator

So..a bad noble will have to suffice.

Hmm?  Are you not going with the Penal World idea anymore?  I think it just replaces Imperial World on the Origin Chart.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

The -5 Fellowship kind of stings since many of the things dealing with a Seneschal are Fellowship based.  Ideally I will be taking noble and pretty much keeping to the same path since the two aren't far apart on the table.  She will be the daughter of a Governor that makes his money dealing with the underworld and the underhanded, from which she picked up quite a bit.

[AndyZ]

Seems like we have more than enough people.  I'll step aside.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

I'm seeing that there are a lot more roles to have filled.

[Life on Mars]

The -5 Fellowship kind of stings since many of the things dealing with a Seneschal are Fellowship based.  Ideally I will be taking noble and pretty much keeping to the same path since the two aren't far apart on the table.  She will be the daughter of a Governor that makes his money dealing with the underworld and the underhanded, from which she picked up quite a bit.

Aw, I wouldn't let something like a little ol' -5 get ya down. Remember, you would be surprised how big a fellowship bonus you can get when you're holding the gun!

[ArcherCC]

-5 isn't a biggie Pumpkin, I have a total of -5 toughness, and -3 to weapons.

[TheGlyphstone]

So, I think I'm going to go with a Tainted Explorator from an Unnatural Origin (Contaminated Environs). Riddled with mutation, and driven to join the Mechanicus as a way of replacing his corrupt, unclean flesh with holy and blessed metal.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Honestly, I did like the idea I was going with but this one is turning out pretty well.  I decided just to dive into the charmer aspect of the class and so far I do like what is emerging, so we'll see.  Hopefully with her Fellowship and her skills, she'll be a smart and charming woman that can also gain that bonus for being the one with the gun.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Salem Scrye Character Picture

Salem Scrye Clothing Style

Salem Scrye Character Sheet

Salem Scrye
Fifth Daughter to Lord-Governor Bethor Scrye of Coraari, Second wife to Commodore-Captain Czeka Vistor

Home World: Noble
Birthright: Savant
Lure of the Void: (100xp) Seeker of Truth
Trials and Travials: (150xp) Decadent
Motivation: Renown

WS: 25    Int: 48
BS: 40     Per: 35
S: 25       Wp: 38
T: 25        Fel: 53
Ag: 45

Wounds: 8
Fate Points: 3
Corruption: 1
Insanity: 0

Traits -

Etiquette (+10 to interaction tests with high authority figures and in formal situations), Vendetta, Legacy of Wealth (+1 Profit Factor), Charming (+5 to Charm Tests)

Talents -

Basic Weapon Training (Universal), Pistol Weapon Training (Universal), Decadent, Peer (Nobility), Peer (Underworld), Peer (Mercantile)

Skills -

Barter (Fel)
Charm (Fel)
Commerce (Fel)
Common Lore (Underworld)(Int)
Deceive (Fel)
Dodge (Ag)
Evaluate (Int)
Forbidden Lore (Archeotech)(Int)
Inquiry (Fel)
Literacy (Int)
Logic (Int)
Scholastic Lore ( )(Int)
Speak Language (High Gothic)
Speak Language (Low Gothic)(Int)
Speak Language (Trader's Cant)(Int)

Roll Result: Pumpkin Seeds rolled: 1d10
Result: 9

Roll Result: Pumpkin Seeds rolled: 1d5
Result: 4,

Interview with Salem Scrye

I have always held a fascination with numbers.  To quantify the world in which we live requires a studious mind and a depth of understanding the numerical value of things.  Each item, every person and numerous details of this world tucked into easily defined and seen numbers.  Then each properly placed thing can be placed into the proper formats and equations so that their truth is known.  The order of numbers from the chaos of life, such beautiful marvel that I create with a stroke of my pen.  Since a child I have had this fascination and I dare say that I will not let go anytime soon, Lord-Captain.

My father first showed me the brilliance of numbers.  Economics was my first introduction to equation and mathematics, the business of money made into neat numerals for the consumption of my mind.  One of many children I had to gain my father’s attention in some manner and he appreciated a fine intellect and sharp mind.  From me he witnessed such a thing if I might be so bold, from me he found an equal mind to match.  Perhaps you have heard of him in your travels my Lord-Captain, Planetary Lord-Governor Bethor Scrye.  Maybe not then, but regardless our family has served the Emperor well throughout our history as leaders and noblemen and women.  Such an ancestry is not maintained on our laurels I assure you and though I knew my time to take the governorship would never come, I strived to advise as best I could whichever of my siblings might take my father’s place.

Pity really that my father was not so smart as he thought.  Numbers do lie my Lord-Captain, they lie quite well in fact but never on their own.  You see it is us that inject into them the lie, which give them the powers of deception that they wield so well.  So when I detected the lies of my father’s numbers, I knew that they were also his own lies.  Shuffled accounts and manipulated estimates, interest rates and statements that did not align as they should in a number set without deception.  My poor family had their dealings all set out before me and I knew that our fortunes were not simply from the revenues of taxes and family investments.  Well, in a way I suppose these were family investments.

Shocked Lord-Captain?  Speechless that I would say such things out loud before a prospective employer?  Please do not be as these secrets are of little consequence to you or in truth my family.  I know when to open my mouth Lord-Captain and when to quietly let my lips close.  Now as I said there was quite evidently some shuffling of accounts and when I approached my father there was quite the fury.  Still my numbers were absolute and my calculations without flaw.  So from five to one I rose.  Pleasant how those numbers are so simple to say yet carry so much weight in our eyes.  From fifth to first."

[LuciusLeche]

OI! What Say yah to da Ork rules frum Into The Storm? Say fer a minnit dat one of da boyz wanted to be tagging along this here grunty little jaunt through the void, eh? Its got me might curious it does.

[Landshark]

Would love to play but i gave all my books to friend and cant work up a character unless someone knows of a generator online somewhere.

[Muse]

I'll get a lord captain concept brewing after lunch.  :) 

[HairyHeretic]

Would it be permissiable to take the Agent of the Throne elite advance package from Into the Storm?

[Jaded]

Salem Scrye Character Picture

Looks good from a quick glance, please post her in the character thread. :-)

OI! What Say yah to da Ork rules frum Into The Storm? Say fer a minnit dat one of da boyz wanted to be tagging along this here grunty little jaunt through the void, eh? Its got me might curious it does.

Hrm.  I'm not sure.  I am not entirely opposed to a xeno, but at the same time I'm not sure how well he would get along with ArcherCC's character (as well as the others).  Anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

Would it be permissiable to take the Agent of the Throne elite advance package from Into the Storm?

I need to look over the rules for elite advances better when I have time, but from the look of it it costs 600xp to take?  Which is more than a starting character would have available?  Though admittedly the base xp of 500 but bid how much you want bit is confusing me at the moment and I don't have time to fully dig through it.

[Primarch]

Name: Spartacus Aurelius
Rank: First Officer
Career: Navigator

Attributes:
Weapon Skill: 40 [40 ]
Ballistic Skill: 30 [30 ]
Strength: 35 [35 ]
Toughness: 45 [45 ]
Agility: 33 [30 +3Vaunted]
Intelligence: 30 [30 ]
Perception: 32 [35 -3Vaunted]
Willpower: 45 [45 ]
Fellowship: 35 [35 ]

Wounds: 10
Fate: 3

Corruption: 3
Insanity: 5

Skills:
Common Lore (Imperial Creed) (Int)
Common Lore (Imperium) (Int)
Common Lore (War) (Int)
Common Lore (Navis Nobilite) (Int)
Forbidden Lore (Navigators) Int
Forbidden Lore (Warp) Int
Literacy (Int)
Navigation (Stellar) Int
Navigation (Warp) Int
Intimidate (Str)
Psyniscence (Per)
Scholastic Lore (Astromancy) (Int)
Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int)
Speak Languge (Low Gothic) (Int)

Talents
Dark Sight
Decadence
Resistance [Fear]
Peer (Inquisition)
Navigator
Pistol Weapon Training (Universal)
Melee Weapon Training (Primitive)

Gear
Best Craftsmanship Hellpistol - 35m S/2/- 1d10+4 Pen: 7 Clip: 40 Rld: 2 Full
Best Craftsmanship Metal Staff (Mono Upgrade) - 2d10+1 Pen: 2 Special: Unbalanced
Best Craftsmanship Xeno-Mesh Armour - Arms, Legs & Body 3
Emperor's Tarot Deck
Silk Headscarf
Nobilite Robes
Charm
Micro-bead

Powers
Foreshadowing
The Lidless Stare

Mutations
Eyes as Dark as the Voice
____________________________________________________________________________
Origin Path
Imperial World
Hagiography: Common Lore (Imperial Creed)
(Int), Common Lore (Imperium) (Int), and Common Lore (War), (Int) as untrained Basic  Skills.
Liturgical Familiarity: Literacy (Int) and Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int) as untrained Basic Skills.
Starting Wounds: Imperial world characters double their starting Toughness Bonus and add 1d5 to the result to determine their starting number of Wounds.
Starting Fate Points: Roll 1d10 to determine an Imperial world character’s starting Fate Points. On a 1–8, he begins with 3 Fate Points; on a 9–10, he begin with 4 Fate Points.

Vaunted
Gain Decadence Talent
+3 Agility
-3 Perception

Chosen by Destiny
Fated for Greatness: You gain +1 Fate Point, but you also suffer 1d10+1 Insanity Points.

Dark Voyage
Things Man Was Not Meant to Know: Resistance [Fear] talent.
Marked by Darkness: 1d5 Insanity Points

Prestige:
Gain Peer (Choose One) Talent

Magisterial House
Warp Focus: Once per game session force a single opponent to re-roll a successful test when testing to resist the effects of The Lidless Stare power.
Pure Genes: Whenever testing for mutation, treat as routine (+20)
Exalted Lineage: +10 bonus to interactions with members of Imperial Nobility
Initial Mutation: Eyes as Dark as the Void
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XP Expenditure

Starting 500xp
Intimidate (100xp)
Secret Tongue (Navigator) (100xp)
Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) 100xp
Sound Constitution (200xp)

Bio Coming Soon

[Tackyhillbilly]

Do you have room for a Voidmaster?

[TheGlyphstone]

Hrm.  I'm not sure.  I am not entirely opposed to a xeno, but at the same time I'm not sure how well he would get along with ArcherCC's character (as well as the others).  Anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

No one has Hatred (Orcs), so I suppose it'd be no worse than any other Sanctioned Xenos...though that is important to keep in mind. An Ork who's joined a Rogue Trader's retinue will have a Mark of Sanctioning - effectively a sort of slave brand that identifies the Rogue Trader who 'vouches' for him in Imperial Society. It's not really something the Ork will care about one way or another, just another weird scar the 'oomies want to be able to see, but it puts the Rogue Trader as responsible for any crimes the Ork might commit - deliberately or accidentally. So whoever's playing the RT should definitely be able to at least voice their opinion.

[ArcherCC]

No one has Hatred (Orcs), so I suppose it'd be no worse than any other Sanctioned Xenos...though that is important to keep in mind. An Ork who's joined a Rogue Trader's retinue will have a Mark of Sanctioning - effectively a sort of slave brand that identifies the Rogue Trader who 'vouches' for him in Imperial Society. It's not really something the Ork will care about one way or another, just another weird scar the 'oomies want to be able to see, but it puts the Rogue Trader as responsible for any crimes the Ork might commit - deliberately or accidentally. So whoever's playing the RT should definitely be able to at least voice their opinion.

The problems would arise from the whole Gork * Mork thing. If the Ork was a devote servent of the God-Emp, there isn't a problem, but a Imperial Creed violating Xeno, sounds like a call for the rightous flamer and good book.

[TheGlyphstone]

The problems would arise from the whole Gork * Mork thing. If the Ork was a devote servent of the God-Emp, there isn't a problem, but a Imperial Creed violating Xeno, sounds like a call for the rightous flamer and good book.

That's what the Mark of Sanctioning is for. No one cares what foolish lies a filthy xenos believes, because it's a filthy xenos, but being Sanctioned means it has been certified by a member of the Ecclesiarchy or Administratum as being a filthy Xenos whose service benefits the Emperor. It's actually a special Trait - Sanctioned Xenos - that costs 800 XP to buy, but means the character can wander off on their own as long as they keep their 'registration' papers close at hand. Without the trait, they're a (literal) illegal alien who's basically shipbound at all times unless they have a handler to speak for them.

Orks only get one Career anyways, Freebootah. There aren't any Ork Missionaries, so their lack of belief in the Emperor is about as relevant as their hair color.

[ArcherCC]

I will admit I haven't read that part over yet, but if thats how the mark works My character would be more accepting of his (her, it, all Orks are sexless) presence, even if he does spend time trying to convert the Ork. And hey ya never know maybe the Missonary ends up keeping the Ork around as a bodyguard type.

[TheGlyphstone]

Pretty much. It's kind of hilarious just how much Rogue Traders are actually allowed to get away with, as long as they don't rub it in people's faces and force the Inquisition to drop a hammer on general principle. Keeping xenos soldiers/bodyguards is one of those things - in particular with the mindset that if when Xenos fights Xenos on the Emperor's behalf, the Imperium wins either way.

I'm just a little concerned with Lucius getting bored, since it'll be a long time before he can afford the Sanctioning, and until then he's stuck along while the rest of us go on shore leave or whatever.

[LuciusLeche]

Bwahahaha alright since there aren't too many problems and no outright opposition for it (yet) unless the Rogue Traders object? Then I'll put some work into a bio (or two incase one will mesh with the group better than the other) and have it in after the weekend. Going out of town for a few days with Lidian so I haven't disappeared. And there are career paths for Orks, its just ork specific and spread out through different books but I don't want to be 'that guy' trying to have his Squig and eat it too so sticking with Freeboota, as opposed to like Big Mek or wyrdboy is fine with me. (*Coughcoughunlesspeopledon'tmindcough*)

Also when it comes to being ship-bound I don't entirely mind. Especially if the Big Mek option is open for some sort of ork-kan-icus they teleport into other ships engine rooms to "Fix Fings" and do more damage to enemy ships than anything else.

[TheGlyphstone]

You stay out of my damn engine room, you greenskinned thug. :D

[LuciusLeche]

You stay out of my damn engine room, you greenskinned thug. :D

"Oi! Whar is tha Big Red Button? Kaptin wants ta go fasta!" 

"Thish right hurr is In-e-Fisshant. Whots we needs iz a Gargant whot looks like a pushpin. Dat way da boyz will nevah be surprised! 'cause theyz always under a tack."

also, at mention of the crazy amount of power a rogue trader has, I repost an example of a canon Warrant of Trade

"And to all of his line, from now until the end of time. The Bearer of this Warrant of Trade is granted the inalienable right to go fourth beyond the sacred borders of the blessed Imperium, to contact such benighted civilizations as he may encounter, and to make war for the glory of the Emperor as he deems necessary. By the authorit of the Senatorum Imperialis, this Warrant placed the Vearer as a peer to the great powers of the Imperium, Inter alia: Imperial commanders, Chapter Masters of the Adeptus Astartes, and the masters of the Holy Orders of the Emperor's Inquisition. The authority this Warrant grants begins where the Imperium ends. Beyond the extent of Imperial rule, the bearer of this Warrant speaks with the voice of the Emperor Himself. It is the bearer's right and his responsibility to claim whatever worlds, resources, or privileges he may obtain in any manner he chooses. 

By writ of Seal of Holy Terra."

[ArcherCC]

That is a beautiful amount of power, but I would want one of the Warrant's signed by the Primarchs, big E on the Throne, or Malacore, those ones let the Trader do whatever they want even beyond the normal Warrant.

[TheGlyphstone]

Indeed. Beyond the official borders, a Rogue Trader IS the Imperium. He can do anything up to and including declaring war and/or negotiating treaties with other powers, both human and alien.

The problem is that when he returns to Imperial space, he needs to be able to make those decisions stick, and not get arrested/executed. That's where it becomes useful to have A) powerful friends, B) lots of money, C) really big guns, or D), All of the above.

[LuciusLeche]

A) Orks is Strong!
B) Ork got lots o' teef but Green is besht, roight?
C)DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA
D)Stronk gunz wot shoot lots o' Teef. IT CAN'T FAIL.
T)????
Q)How does ork into letters?
$)Proffit.

Deez hurr are words of Wisdum. You have good ideas Glyphstone.

[TheGlyphstone]

For an Ork, it's even simpler than that. Imperial politics? 'oomie squabbling cause none of them are Green. In-Kwa-Zishon? Cranky 'oomies who fight Kaos and 'fings. Rogue Tradah? Dat's da Boss. He ain't Green, but he's close enough - gives an ork shiny guns that make a lot of Dakka (and replaces them when they break, for free!), tells an Ork what needs fightin' and killin' and then lets them get about it, and doesn't bother with long boring speeches about gods who aren't Cunningly Brutal or Brutally Cunning.

[Jaded]

Pumpkin Seeds: Seneschal (Purser)
Muse: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
ArcherCC: Missionary (Ship's Confessor)
Primarch: Navigator (First Officer)
HairyHeretic: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
Life on Mars: Astropath Transcendent (Choir-Master Telepathica)
deadmanshand: Arch-Militant (Master-At-Arms)
TheGlyphstone: Explorator
Tackyhillbilly: Voidmaster




I assume an ork starts with the same 500xp as everyone else?  That would make the mark too expensive unless I made him pay it of before spending xp elsewhere, hrm.  I'll wait to hear from one of the Rogue Trader players before approving or denying, as it would come down to them to at least a degree. 

Spartacus Aurelius

Looks good from a quick glance.  Post him in the character thread please. :-)

Do you have room for a Voidmaster?

We should, we are at the level I will want two ships, and I don't believe we have one yet.

[TheGlyphstone]

Exactly, which was why the Ork would be confined to quarters during port visits, and was hence my concern of the Ork player getting left out of things.


You can add me as the Enginseer Prime, by the way.

[ArcherCC]

I would say since we start with 500XP, and the Mark is 800XP, allow the player to pay 300XP towards it now, and the next 500XP have to go towards it. That way they have 200XP to play with at the begining, but still are paying heavily for it. Just my two cents.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Could even say the ork is on like a probation period with the rogue trader as the overseer and pay for the sanction as we go if he behaves.

[TheGlyphstone]

The partial payment sounds like the best way to represent that. Without the mark, he's kill-on-sight for any Imperial authority. Once he spends 800 XP and passes a Very Rare Acquisition test (-20 for rarity, +30 for Single quantity, so Profit Factor +10), he's officially Sanctioned and permitted to wander around.

[Eobelle]

I am definitely interested, if there is still room.

[Muse]

*waves*  I got my lord captain started before heading to my tabletop.  I'll go link what I have so far. 

He's a fairly typical adventurous, lecherous, glorious bastard who loves to duel.  He's also devout. 

(Not to be confused with fanatical.  Fanatical is normal in this game.  The lord captain, on the other hand, actually prays.  :P 

[Jaded]

Pumpkin Seeds: Seneschal (Purser)
Muse: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
ArcherCC: Missionary (Ship's Confessor)
Primarch: Navigator (First Officer)
HairyHeretic: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
Life on Mars: Astropath Transcendent (Choir-Master Telepathica)
deadmanshand: Arch-Militant (Master-At-Arms)
TheGlyphstone: Explorator
Tackyhillbilly: Voidmaster
Eobelle: ?

I am definitely interested, if there is still room.

You can join if you like. :-)  Then we'll call it full.  What type of character did you have in mind?

*waves*  I got my lord captain started before heading to my tabletop.  I'll go link what I have so far. 

He's a fairly typical adventurous, lecherous, glorious bastard who loves to duel.  He's also devout. 

(Not to be confused with fanatical.  Fanatical is normal in this game.  The lord captain, on the other hand, actually prays.  :P 

I can't access your character sheet.  Also, any comment on the ork discussion?

[Muse]

That's odd... 

It says anyone with the link can view? 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17xu1j6TiuoT2GElaizqEK8Fc-a3YxBjtWEDG6QW0r6c/edit

Can  anyone else see it? 

[Muse]

Oh, the orc discussion. 

My knee jerk reaction is that it makes me nervous, but I really don't know enough about cannon to have an informed one. 

That said, I trust Lucius, so bring on the orc.  :) 

[Eobelle]

Honestly, I like playing strange characters (which is one of the reasons I LOVE rogue trader).  There are a couple that immediatly spring to mind

a Rouge psyker false-man Arch-militant Master of Whispers (who gets into very sexy trouble, and gets out of it in equally sexy ways)
Dark Eldar Chief Chirurgeon (Insert teenage enema nurse in bondage joke here)

[HairyHeretic]

I need to look over the rules for elite advances better when I have time, but from the look of it it costs 600xp to take?  Which is more than a starting character would have available?  Though admittedly the base xp of 500 but bid how much you want bit is confusing me at the moment and I don't have time to fully dig through it.

Brain fart on my part then, I had the figure of 1000 in my head, rather than 500.

If you have no objections, I'll add the advance into the character background and pay the XP out once I have it available.

We can just say it's the Imperial bureaucracy moving at it's usual pace ;)

[Tackyhillbilly]

As for rank, Master Helmsman is a pretty obvious choice for my Voidmaster.

[Jaded]

Okay, I will approve the Ork then.


Pumpkin Seeds: Seneschal (Purser)
Muse: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
ArcherCC: Missionary (Ship's Confessor)
Primarch: Navigator (First Officer)
HairyHeretic: Rogue Trader (Lord Captain?)
Life on Mars: Astropath Transcendent (Choir-Master Telepathica)
deadmanshand: Arch-Militant (Master-At-Arms)
TheGlyphstone: Explorator (Enginseer Prime)
Tackyhillbilly: Voidmaster (Master Helmsman)
Eobelle: Arch-Militant (Master of Whispers)
LuciusLeche: Ork

That's odd... 

It says anyone with the link can view? 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17xu1j6TiuoT2GElaizqEK8Fc-a3YxBjtWEDG6QW0r6c/edit

Can  anyone else see it? 

It seems to be working now.

Honestly, I like playing strange characters (which is one of the reasons I LOVE rogue trader).  There are a couple that immediatly spring to mind

a Rouge psyker false-man Arch-militant Master of Whispers (who gets into very sexy trouble, and gets out of it in equally sexy ways)
Dark Eldar Chief Chirurgeon (Insert teenage enema nurse in bondage joke here)

Are going with the Arch-Militant?

Brain fart on my part then, I had the figure of 1000 in my head, rather than 500.

If you have no objections, I'll add the advance into the character background and pay the XP out once I have it available.

We can just say it's the Imperial bureaucracy moving at it's usual pace ;)

That's fine.  Is he going to be obvious or subtle about it?

As for rank, Master Helmsman is a pretty obvious choice for my Voidmaster.

Sounds good. :-)

[ChaoticSky]

Alas, i missed this and im at my limit for games.

But i did want to point something out that i have said elsewhere. Sanctioned Xenos is a pointless trait. It exists as nothing more than a punishment for xenos players that provides little in the way of benefit other than removing like, -10 fel mechanically.

Rogue Traders are basically above the law (seriously read HS, its basically a list of laws and then a list of why none of them apply to RTs) and very specifically, they are not subject to the normal imperial prohibition against Xenos. While imperial citizens are forbidden any kind of interaction with aliens that doesnt involve the business end of a lasgun, RTs have carte blanch to deal with xenos as they see fit; talking, trading, even hiring. The sole caveat is that they must be acting for the good of the imperium; knocking a alien empire into economic ruin for a quick buck? Just fine. Hiring alien underlings? Also fine. Selling out Imperials to aliens for a buck? not okay. Couple this with the massive amount of respect that having a private ship full of macrocannons in orbit grants :P

A RT's personal retinue isnt likely to be challenged, even xenos, because A) they can employ then legally and B)no one with two brain cells to rub together wants to piss off a Rogue Trader. The only situation where the aegis of the Trader wouldnt be enough would be when dealing with zealots who are more interested in killing the xeno than heeding imperial law on the subject, or situations where the alien and trader are separated.

Now consider a sanctioned xenos; They has fancy papers that say they are okay-xenos, signed by imperial institutions. Who do fancy papers not protect you from? Zealots who are more interested in killing the xeno than heeding imperial law on the subject. Whats more, the papers themselves are worthless without the signatory present to affirm their veracity, so they are worthless in situations where the alien and trader are separated.

Now, you may have noticed, theres some serious echoing on there, it almost sounds like they do nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all. And youd be correct. Both ICly and OOCly, Sanctioned Xenos is nothing more than a pointless tax. For what its worth, i would posit that you shouldnt punish someone for wanting to play a xenos character, allow or refuse, but dont force them to burn hundreds of exp for little gain they wouldnt have had anyway.

Thought for the day  ;D

[HairyHeretic]

Assuming the expanded paths from Into the Storm are okay to use, this is what I'll be going with

Homeworld - Battlefleet
Birthright - Service to the Throne (Born to Lead)
Lure of the Void - New Horizons (Xenoarcanist)
Trials and Travails - Dark Voyage
Motivation - Prestige
Career - Rogue Trader

I'll hold off on writing everything up til I get an okay on these.

[Jaded]

Those are fine HairyHeretic, though it looks like it eats a good chunk of your start xp.

[Tackyhillbilly]

Career: Voidmaster
Origin: Battlefleet
Birthright: One Among Millions (-100 XP)
Lure of the Void: Duty Bound (Duty to the Throne)
Trials and Travails: Dark Voyage
Motivation: Loyalty (-100 XP)

Current plan. Imperial Navy Officer/Pilot. His ship got lost in Warp Storm... and reappeared 90 years later. The Voyage was... unpleasant. The Navy, rather then trying to deal with massive Bureaucratic Mess of bringing back to life a whole mess of people declared dead almost a century ago declared them discharged (the ship was not. People are replaceable, Voidships are not.) He joined up with the first available vessel (for a dude who has spent almost his entire life in the military environment, civilian life is terrifying.) He is quite happy aboard the vessel.

[Jaded]

Did you mean "One Amongst Billions" for your Birthright?  That costs 200xp if so.

Otherwise, sounds good. :-)

[HairyHeretic]

Those are fine HairyHeretic, though it looks like it eats a good chunk of your start xp.

Yeah, it will, but it fits the characters backstory so I don't mind so much. :)

[Tackyhillbilly]

Very likely.