[Interest Check] Rogue Trader: How the Void Was Won (System, NC)

[The Great Triangle]

I'm interested in running a game set in the warhammer 40,000 universe using the Rogue Trader system.  If you're unfamiliar with the setting, it's the year 40,000 and humanity is at the center of a vast galactic empire, surrounded by enemies.  In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.  Spaceships the size of cities travel through hell to get between the stars, and unleash armies of half human monstrosities who have become the guardians of mankind.  To survive in such a harsh universe, humanity needs to constantly find and colonize new habitable worlds, which is where you come in.  Within the Imperium of man, there are rare individuals granted a warrant of trade, a rare and powerful document that grants the right to own a spaceship, and take over whatever outside the Imperium you can lay your hands on. 

This particular game will focus on the crew of a starship granted the exclusive right to explore and colonize a particular region of space; the enigmatic Mextil Cluster, a stellar nursery filled with newborn stars and worlds full of opportunity.  Your crew has been granted the exclusive right to colonize those stars, but they're crawling with alien menaces and psychotic Reavers that were once human.  The game will focus on the challenge of overcoming the threats in the Mextil Cluster and establishing a thriving stellar empire there.  Tone wise, I'm going for something along the lines of Battlestar Galactica meets Firefly.  Much of the gameplay will be about scouting new systems, shooting down enemy ships, and maintaining colonies for prestige and profit. 

The game won't include sexual content as a basic component, but sexuality is reasonably common within the setting.  Whether it's getting it on with the native of some unknown planet, being ravaged by kinky demons, or gradually warming up a frosty space nun, you should be able to find it in the setting.  The game's primary antagonists will be the Reavers, humans who worship the ruinous powers and engage in incredible amounts of violence and depravity, and the Dark Eldar, a species of aliens who feed on pain and humiliation.  Naturally, PCs who want to engage in nonconsent will be permitted.

Rogue Trader is a system based game, but you don't need familiarity with a system to play it.  If you wish, you can simply narrate your character's actions normally, then let me use the system to resolve the success or failure of your actions.  You will need to be aware of how many actions you can perform in combat, but Rogue Trader is fairly simple in that respect.  To create a character, you will need to use the origin path system used in the game, but doing so should be fairly painless.  The origin path is a chart that details your character's background.  To create a character, you begin by selecting either a home world or a career, then moving up or down the chart.  For example, if you began by selecting your home world, you would select your birthright next.  The choices you may make are determined by the choices that have come before.  When selecting something on your lifepath, you may only select the option directly above or below the previous option, or options next to the one above or below your last choice.  The choices may need some translation, which you can feel free to ask me about, but basically, they tell a story of who your character is and what happened to him and her before he or she joined the crew of the ship. 

Link to the Origin Path chart:
http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/rogue-trader/support/PDF/rogue-trader-origin-path-web-quality.pdf

I will design the ship used in the game myself, but I will take input from players on what kind of ship they want.  I'll likely give the group a heavily modified transport ship essentially similar to the Millennium Falcon; really fast and awesome, but somewhat tempermental.  The ship itself will be a mile long and studded with hundreds of weapon systems, with a crew of thousands.  With these resources, you will conquer the galaxy.  I will also be giving increased starting equipment, including allowing players to start with secondary spaceships, so that the flagship of the group can be joined by a small fleet. 

So, anybody interested?



For players familiar with the Rogue Trader system, the expanded origin path choices from Into the Storm will be allowed, as well the alternate career ranks and elite advances from that supplement.  Xenos career paths will be permitted, but should be discussed carefully if other PCs wish to play puritan characters who despise aliens.  I have created custom Battle Sister, Death Cult Assassin, and Eldar Harlequin career paths for players who are interested in them.  The converted dark heresy careers have been designed to work better within the rogue trader system, and follow the same guidelines as Rogue Trader classes.  Since this campaign will feature a lot of Xenos, the Deathwatch Kill-Marine is a viable character choice, but the possibility of allowing a character that starts with significantly more power than the other PCs needs to be discussed carefully.  The Kill-Marine is unstoppable in close combat, but almost useless anywhere else.  I think this balances the character, but including a Space Marine could potentially throw off the tone of the game.

[Tagan]

Color me interested...

I don't know the system, though I once played a bit of Warhammer 40K, so I know a little bit of the history.

Thinking about character conception right now...

A noble born lady fallen on hard times, then finding a new path in life sounds about right, so...

Tell me about this... Noble Born, Savant, Duty Bound, Calamity, Fortune, Void Master.

Does that sound like a background?  Tell me what it all means precisely, and I'll flesh it out.

[Cal1496]

Very interesting concept!  Nice twist on the classic 40K idea, very nice!

Will get started right away!

[The Great Triangle]

Nice to see you around, Tagan.

Your concept Sounds pretty cool.

Basically, that set of choices implies that your character was born into a noble house, then went to a good collage and became a petty academic of some kind, then was pulled away from her home by duty, either to her family, the Imperium, or to humanity itself, and suffered a great calamity that rent her family apart.  Afterwards, she became a master of some aspect of running a starship, like the helm of a ship or a starfighter pilot.  Your character is motivated by the desire for profit, likely to restore her family, or perhaps just to live a comfortable life. 

A Void-Master can specialize as the helmsman of a starship, the chief gunnery officer, a starfighter squadron ace (the weakest choice), or the chief sensor operator (a surprisingly strong choice)

[Cal1496]

Triangle, will you be purely running the game have an actual character as well?

And right now I am actually looking more stuff up on Rouge Trader so might take me a bit longer to get a character up than I thought lol  I like to be informed...

[The Great Triangle]

I'm going to be purely running the game.  My main motivation is to play a rather extensive set of campaign notes I've been writing, so the group will be exploring a fully developed area of space with 18 systems and a wide variety of worlds.  There are a couple of problems in the general area that can threaten the entire star cluster, and possibly even the galaxy, for the PCs to have fun with.

[Crovonovin]

Hello TGT, good to see another one of your games going up!

My knowledge of the Warhammer 40k universe is rudimentary at best, but the concept of the Rogue Trader has always been significantly more appealing to me than the setting as a whole.  I won't be able to begin working on a proper character until tomorrow, when I'll have access to all my pdfs, but I figure I'll ask some questions anyway.

Is it possible to be a Techpriest in Rogue Trader?  I know you stated that space marines might be difficult to work into the scenario you have in mind (what with the rabid KILL ALL XENOS ON SIGHT mentality that is ingrained in most of them), but I'm not sure if this extends to their mechanized compatriots.  Regardless, I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule.  The steady, nigh-unavoidable loss of humanity that comes with the class could be very interesting to work with.

Will Psykers be allowed?  I'm not asking because I want to be one (Emperor forbid!), but because shit always seems to hit the fan when one of them is around and let off their leash.

[SomeGuy]

Oh man, I was actually just saying to myself earlier today "I'd really like to play Rogue Trader".

I'm seriously interested, I have almost all the books too. I'd like to hear what others are considering before picking a career, but possibly Void Master or Arch-Militant. I honestly think Ork would be loads of fun, but not sure how well that would work.

@Shihong- That would be Explorator, one of the careers in the main book

[Creeper]

I'd be interested. Probably as a navigator or astralpath.

Explorators are like the Indiana Jones' of the Machine Cult. They're pretty awesome.

[Tagan]

I think she'd be helmsman or sensor operator... depends a bit on the situation I suppose.

[The Great Triangle]

We still do need someone to play the Rogue Trader, of course.  (trust me, you don't want the rogue trader to be an NPC)

The Psykers in the Rogue Trader setting are Astropaths.  They're basically walking telepathic internet servers, and generally too distracted to be very threatening.  (If there's no PC astropath, long range communications will simply be done by a supply of astropaths who have their heads explode every time they send a long range message.)  PC Astropaths do have telepathy and mind control skills, which can be problematic, but I think a simple "No using your mind mojo on other PCs if you don't want a bolter shell in your skull" house rule should cover things. 

I'm excited about all the response, though I may need another person to help me run the game if more than 7 characters are being run in it.  The PCs could also be divided on multiple ships, and engage in various adventures within the Mextil cluster under the Rogue Trader's warrant of trade. 

I'm also willing to allow multiple Rogue Traders, but only one will actually have a warrant of trade.

[SomeGuy]

I figured Tagan with that character concept so far would be the Trader, probably with low Profit Factor but a kick-ass ship.

Semi-related- I love the newer Battle Fleet Koronus book

[The Great Triangle]

At some risk to the integrity of the game, I'll reveal the house rule I'm using for starting equipment.  The group will begin with 32 profit factor (plus or minus any adjustments for PCs) and each PC may begin with anything that could be acquired in a single acquisition roll.  The rules for acquisition can be found on page 271 and 272 of the rogue trader core rulebook, and commerce, barter, etc. tests may not be applied to assist the starting acquisition.  Remember the rules for combining multiple acquisitions.  Equipment from Into the Storm other than starship upgrades may be selected.  Items from Dark Heresy: Ascension may be selected with GM approval. 

To make it easier to assemble a fleet, each starship hull purchased by the group at the start of the game comes equipped with a full suite of essential components, provided that each of them cost 0 SP.  This explicitly can include poor quality +1 SP components.  Starship components from any book may be selected, and thunderstrike, mars, and mezoa pattern macrocannons, as well as gryphonne pattern torpedo tubes reduce the penalties to acquire them by 10.


Players who don't want to bother with all of this nonsense can either give their starting acquisition to other players, or allow me to select an appropriate suite of equipment to start with.

[SomeGuy]

Sorry, asking for clarification: is that starting gear + acquisition roll(s) or starting gear + one item of choice + acquisition roll(s)?

[SomeGuy]

Bah, still can't edit. Forgot to ask- what about characteristics? Are we using point-buy or rolling?

Also- I'm currently thinking Arch-Militant or Harlequin, which I'd like to hear about.

If I do end up going non-xenos, I'd go with Unnatural Origin, Hand of War, and Fortune and I'm undecided about the others.

[Winterborn]

Gah! Someone always snags Arch-Militant before me! I want my Imperial gun porn!

Interest achieved, lemme dig through my Core for a career concept.

[SomeGuy]

Gah! Someone always snags Arch-Militant before me! I want my Imperial gun porn!

Interest achieved, lemme dig through my Core for a career concept.

Hey, go for if you want it as far as I'm concerned.

[Winterborn]

Hey, thanks! To return the favor, if you go Xeno, I'll make my AM singularly open-minded. Meaning that he'll refrain from fragging the Xeno filth at the earliest opportunity with his awesome, unnecessarily large arsenal.

Just a question though, why not go for the Rogue Trader? You seem to have the know-how of the setting for it. I've just got the Core.

[The Great Triangle]

I haven't actually statted up the Eldar Harlequin yet, but I'll be working on it over the next couple of days.  The class will rely heavily on the perform skill, various interaction skills, and have many abilities to enhance mobility.  The career will be able to get the Signature Wargear talent from Deathwatch, to represent equipment loaned to the Harlequin by the worshipers of the Laughing God.

Death Jester, Shadowseer, and Troupe Master will be alternate career ranks for the shadowseer, though I'm not quite sure what the starting character background decisions will be.  Probably for determining what sort of Eldar the Harlequin has been traveling with before going aboard an Imperial ship.

[Crovonovin]

Glad to see so much interest!  I've definitely decided on the Explorator path, but will be ironing out all the details tomorrow.  I'm sure by then most of the relevant character-building requirements will have been set anyway!

I'll have to do some extra research into the Tech-Priest creed and the Omnissiah, as they're not exactly my area of expertise (though I could say the same thing for any class at this point).  A cyborg tech-archaeologist with a serious case of wanderlust sounds right up my alley!

[Winterborn]

Okay, I've got Forge World, Stubjack, Criminal, Hand of War, Fortune, Arch-Militant.

I was thinking that I could take Wanted Fugitive with Enemy (Cult Mechanicum) rather than Enemy (Adeptus Arbites), just to shake things up a bit. How 'bout it?

EDIT: Er, to make it more clear to those not savvy with the Origin Chart: Born on a world dedicated to churning out war materiel, he became something between a gangbanger and a mercenary, then did something that got the Cult that owned the planet hacked off at him. He ran, and now they're after him. Somewhere between then and now, he fought against Chaos worshippers, giving him a serious hate-on for those guys. Now a long-time merc, he's in it for the money and the protection from the Mechanicum that being in a Rogue Trader's entourage gives him.

[Tagan]

I wish I had access to the books.  I love ship design, both from aesthetic and tactical standpoints.

I was kinda thinking something along the lines of a great central scanner system in the main ship,  tying in every ship in the fleet, each ship having a heavy torpedo system that would be hard to lock on alone, but can be linked to the central ship's powerful system for major threats.

Probably just pie in the sky thinking, but it's an idea I've had.

[Winterborn]

Actually, from what I know of the setting, it's very likely to have a setup like that. The IoM likes its tactical/strategical situation to be locked in at a central command area. Since the flagship (our ship) would be the largest and thus the most powerful in terms of astropathic/technologic processing, it's very likely that the RT's hand picked Void Mistress would have overall command.

Did I throw in enough military-type buzzwords there?

[SomeGuy]

Hm, rogue trader might work well actually. Thanks for the suggestion.

As for ship design- we need to get a nova cannon, melta and vortex torpedoes are pretty damn awesome too.

[The Great Triangle]

I wish I had access to the books.  I love ship design, both from aesthetic and tactical standpoints.

I was kinda thinking something along the lines of a great central scanner system in the main ship,  tying in every ship in the fleet, each ship having a heavy torpedo system that would be hard to lock on alone, but can be linked to the central ship's powerful system for major threats.

Probably just pie in the sky thinking, but it's an idea I've had.

That's a pretty cool setup, yes.  The ship I designed as an example ship uses a similar setup, but since it's built for speed, it can't equip torpedoes, so it uses short range weapons instead.  :-)

As for ship design- we need to get a nova cannon, melta and vortex torpedoes are pretty damn awesome too.

According to my files, you can get a clutch of melta topedoes to start with, but if you want a nova cannon, you'll basically have to build a ship which is just a flying nova cannon.  Vortex torpedoes are right out, though. 

Okay, I've got Forge World, Stubjack, Criminal, Hand of War, Fortune, Arch-Militant.

I was thinking that I could take Wanted Fugitive with Enemy (Cult Mechanicum) rather than Enemy (Adeptus Arbites), just to shake things up a bit. How 'bout it?

That would be perfectly fine.  It would likely come up a bit more often, but that would be enjoyable anyway.


Here's an example starship:

The Kobras Aquairre  An Orion Class Star Clipper   

Speed 13  Maneuver +33, Detection +30
Hull Integrity 43  Armor 12  Turret Rating 1
Crew Population: 100   Morale: 100   Crew Quality: Regular (30)
Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 1

Complication: Xenophilious   Machine Spirit Personality: Blasphemous
Shuttle Capacity: 12

Background: The Legendary Rogue Trader Kobras Aquairre was instrumental in establishing the Calxis sector by defeating the Cabal of White Sorrows, an Eldar pirate fleet that made the sector nearly unlivable.  Somehow, Aquairre located the secret anchorage of the fleet and assaulted their base with the full might of the Imperial Navy, boarding the Eldar flagship and personally killing their leader in single combat.  After the lore was won, Aquairre took the spine of the Eldar flagship as a trophy, and used it to construct an Orion Class Star Clipper.  The eponymous ship is one of the fastest human vessels in the galaxy, capable of traveling through both the warp and the void with frightening speed.  The ship was used by the Aquierre dynasty for over a millennium as a fast courier, carrying messengers to deliver secure messages that couldn't be trusted to astropaths, and running blockades during wars.  A few decades ago, the ailing patriarch of the Aquairre dynasty, Zoren Aquairre, became frustrated with the low risk missions that the war trophy and crown jewel of the family had been reduced to, and bestowed it as a gift upon a newly minted rogue trader, hoping that the namesake of the dynasty would live up to its legacy...  At least, that's the story.  More than a couple of reliable sources indicate that the inquisition had issue to take with the ship's massive amounts of xenotech. 

Description: The hull of the Kobras Aquairre has the sleek lines of an Orion class clipper, but with a frighteningly pristine hull, and embellished with a massive set of gravity sails.  The ship's lines are considerably more organic and rounded than most Imperial ships, but seem to come to spikes and points more often than would be expected.  The ship's hull is stark white, striped with the bright green heraldry of the Aquairre dynasty.  Instead of the typical broadside of guns on an Imperial ship, the Kobras Aquairre has Eldar-style laser blisters studded all over the hull, focusing a barrage of pulsed laser fire to overcome enemy ships.  The prow of the ship is studded with holes that resemble torpedo tubes, but the ship is too small to mount proper torpedoes, and incorporates a short range missile battery instead to fulfill the same tactical function. 

Starship Components:

Modified Lathe Pattern 2a Drive: The central drive of the Kobras Aquairre is a piece of technology that the tech priests who maintain it refuse to explain.  All that is known is that its power output is about twice what it should be for a reactor of its size, and the majority of that energy gets shunted to its engines.  The plasma drive itself it surrounded by extremely thick bulkheads, and a maze of passageways, many of which are dark passages taken directly from the ship's previous incarnation.
Miloslav G-666.c Warp Drive: The warp drive of the ship is of a model so fast and dangerous it is now considered heretical.  The ship can move between systems at insane speeds, but stirs up the warp as it goes, making warp incursions considerably more dangerous.
Omnissiah Pattern Emergency Gellar Field: Thanks to the unreliability of the warp drive, the Gellar Field of the Kobras Aquairre has multiple ranks of backup generators, and automatically turns on if the ship is exposed to excessive warp energies, protecting the ship from demons.
Repulsor Shield: The void shields of the Kobras Aquairre are constantly active and actively push against small particles, enabling the ship to effortlessly glide through nebulas and asteroid fields with no reduction in speed. 
Explorator Bridge: The bridge of the ship sits atop a massive cross shaped structure at the back of the ship which looks almost anachronistic.  The bridge tower is studded with dozens of antennae and complex sensor arrays, while the tower itself is flanked by a half dozen laser turrets in a circular pattern, intended to prevent enemy fire from getting through.  Inside, the bridge is covered in display screens and navigation consoles, designed to quickly and rapidly map out whatever the ship happens to be orbiting and analyze tactical options.
Vitae Pattern Life Sustainer: The life sustainer of the Kobras Aquairre is built right into the spine of the ship, and many of the ratings who maintain the system report increased stress thanks to the hideous alien murals carved into the walls of the chambers.  Invariably, they depict nubile young women being raped in increasingly imaginative ways.   One wall of the central life support control chamber is the name plate of the Eldar ship Altar of Torment.
Voidsmen Quarters: The crew quarters of the ship are very well appointed compared to most imperial ships, with each four crew members getting their own bunk.  Petty officers have private rooms, while senior officers (the PCs) have grand suites the size of ordinary houses, often spanning multiple decks.
Deep Void Auger Array: The Auger antennas of the Kobras Aquairre's bridge are supplemented by a vast collection of antennae and augur dishes running down the length of the ship's decks, enabling the ship to detect opponents from extreme range.

Main Cargo Hold: The ship's main cargo hold is somewhat cramped by Imperial standards, but still capable of carrying about 10,000 passengers or thousands of tons of inanimate cargo.  If the PCs wish, the cargo hold may be converted into a hangar deck for attack fighters, turning the ship into a carrier vessel.
Gravity Sails: The gravity sails of the Kobras Aquairre stick out hundreds of meters from the ship, and harness celestial energies to enable the ship to move even faster.  The ship has suffered about 6 incidents of friendly fire thanks to being mistakenly identified as an Eldar vessel over the years.
Auxiliary Plasma Banks: Despite the incredible power output of the ship's plasma reactor, it requires several additional small plasma reactors located just underneath the spine of the ship in the center of the vessel.  The plasma reactors help power the field bracing and the powerful weapons systems of the ship.
Field Bracing: Because of the ship's small size, it cannot mount the heavy armor usually used to keep a ship functioning in combat.  To compensate,  the ship has a network of internal force fields that help prevent crew members from being sucked into space during normal operations.  Unfortunately, in combat, the fields are too busy keeping the ship from falling apart to reduce the effects of depressurization.
Xenos Habitat Towards the aft of the ship, a section of the original Eldar crew quarters have been perfectly preserved, including the bridge of the Altar of Torment which is now a conference room with a xeno garden.  Inexplicably, these quarters include massive amounts of exotic alien sex toys and pornography, which have led to serious problems for crew morale over the years, but Eldar seem to be comfortable in them.
Luxury Passenger Quarters Forward of the Eldar quarters, and just below the bridge are several decks of absolutely fantastically luxurious quarters, complete with multi deck promenades, zero gravity energy beds, and an integrated monorail system.  Many of the deck officers make their quarters in the theme park like luxury quarters, having little contact with the regular crew as they simply ride the monorail to the bridge to be with the other officers.
Observation Deck: The very front of the ship is a large, open chamber with spectacular views into the void on three walls.  A number of specialized sensor arrays in the room provide even more exotic views, and sources of vital intelligence.  Depending on the captain, the observation deck has usually been either a bar and nightclub, a military ready room, a restaurant, and in one memorable occasion, a single ludicrously gigantic bedroom for the captain to have epic orgies in.
Dorsal Starcannon Laser Battery: The compact laser blisters of the ship make life for the gun crews much more pleasant than on most Imperial ships, though the strange xenotech often makes them hard to repair when the ship gets damaged.  Unlike most ships, the Kobras Aquairre doesn't have any standard defensive turrets, but simply uses its starcannons to shoot down incoming threats.
Prow Jovian Missile Battery: Studded around the observation deck is the missile battery, a fairly unpleasant section of the ship which tries to use sheer volume of missiles to make up for the fact that they're only 3 meter long medium range rockets instead of 60 meter long torpedoes of doom.  The armor of the missile tubes is all concentrated behind the missile launcher to protect the observation deck, which the shipwright who built the ship valued much more than the missile tubes.  Working in the missile tubes is considered the worst assignment on the Kobras Aquairre, and the button on the bridge to vent the missile battery to space shows signs of heavy wear.

Modifier Summary:
Navigation Tests to pilot the ship through the warp gain a +15 bonus. 
Halve the duration of warp voyages.
Does not suffer maneuver penalties from Celestial Phenomena made mostly of small particles.
+225 points towards trade objectives
+100 points towards criminal objectives
+100 points towards exploration objectives
+50 points to objectives involving peaceful interactions with Eldar
+10 bonus to interaction tests with Eldar
+10 to BS tests to fire the Starcannon batteries
-30 to tech use rolls to repair the ship.  (only -10 if the character doing repairs has forbidden lore (xenos)

Weapons:

Dorsal Starcannon Laser Battery  Strength 4, Damage 1d10+2, Crit Rating 3, Range 4  Superior Accuracy
Keel Jovian Missile Battery  Strength 5, Damage 1d10+2, Crit Rating 5, Range 6

[SomeGuy]

According to my files, you can get a clutch of melta topedoes to start with, but if you want a nova cannon, you'll basically have to build a ship which is just a flying nova cannon.  Vortex torpedoes are right out, though.

What about a ship that's a flying torpedo?  >:)

Hm, think I'm gonna go with RT after all. How does Child of a Dynasty -> Vaunted -> Chosen by Destiny (Fated for Greatness) -> Dark Voyage -> Prestige sound?

[The Great Triangle]

What about a ship that's a flying torpedo?  >:)

Hm, think I'm gonna go with RT after all. How does Child of a Dynasty -> Vaunted -> Chosen by Destiny (Fated for Greatness) -> Dark Voyage -> Prestige sound?

That sounds quite alright.  By the way, we're using point buy to determine stats, for simplicity.


And here's a second example ship, to provide a contrast to the first:

The Anemone , a Turbulent Class Heavy Frigate

Speed 6   Maneuverability +18, Detection +20   
Hull Integrity 48  Armor 22 prow, other sections 20, Turret Rating: 2
Crew Population: 100,  Morale: 95, Crew Quality Regular (30)

Complication: Emissary of the Empire   Machine Spirit Personality: Resolute

Background: The Anemone is a turbulent class heavy frigate dating from the Horus Heresy, recovered from a space hulk 650 years ago, and commissioned as a warship for the ecclesiarchy.  It performed with distinction for over half a millenium before beingtransferred to the control of the Imperial navy by the administratum.  The navy held the Anemone for a while before performing a half assed refit on the ship, bolting an overweight prow to the ship, and hastily installing barracks with hellish conditions that sometimes leak their entire air supply into the void.  The ship was designated as a capital ship attacker and received a jamming system which produces an electronic hum that causes headaches throughout the crew.  After a near mutiny led to the death of the ship's captain, the Navy kindly gave the ship to a Rogue Trader, so that it wouldn't have to deal with a ship that simply wasn't designed to be a navy ship in the first place.


Description: The Anemone is a massive, incredibly well armored ship, essentially a flying Gothic cathedral.  The side of the ship bears the Fleur de Lise of the Adeptus Soriatas, and most of the ship is painted in the white and black of the ecclesiarchy.  The reinforced prow is done up in Imperial red, and bears the regulation navy Aquila.  The interior of the ship is more like a monastery than a starship, filled with stone and uncomfortable, cramped, severe corridors.  The Navy sections of the ship are all crudely bolted together steel, often with loose rivets and exposed electrical conduits. 


Ship Components:

Jovian Pattern Class 2.1a Plasma Drive: The plasma drives of Turbulent class frigates always burn hot, but this particular frigate includes nephium fuel pumps to bring its plasma drive to incredible levels of power.  The mechanicus priests who maintain the plasma drive are a reclusive tribe who have been aboard the ship for thousands of years, even when it was a space hulk, and seem to have some kind of mysterious wisdom.
Strelov I Warp Engine: The warp engine of this ship is a mere 75 years old, thanks to a lucky torpedo hit from an Ork vessel.  The panels are gleaming, but the cult which maintain the plasma engine refuse to go near the warp drive, forcing independent techpriests to maintain the engine with the help of a servitor team.
Warpsbane Hull: Instead of a conventional Gellar field, the hull of the Anemone is covered in holy sigils and anti warp materials.  The hull is almost incomprehensibly ancient, and will likely be around for millenia after the last crew of the ship is lost in the void. 
Mars Pattern Void Shield Array: The void shields of the Anemone are tucked deep inside the hull, near the warp engine and just as new, maintained by the same servitor team.  The ratings scrupulously avoid the area, their genetic memory telling them that if the hull section was hit with a torpedo once, it could be blasted open again.
Command Bridge: The bridge of the Anemone is a squat structure that looks very much like a bunker, topped by the vast sensor dish of the Auger array.  The command bridge is a severe, humorless room which looks like a medieval dungeon, but with crew stations instead of torture devices... mostly.  Many of the lower priority sections of the command bridge are lit by torchlight instead of more artificial lighting, for the focusing effect it has on the minds of the crew.
Vitae Pattern Life Sustainer: The life sustainer of the ship is also the office of the ship's chief confessor, and is a honeycombed maze of confession booths and wooden closets in which the various life support systems of the vessel lurk.  Several interrogation/torture chambers are also concealed within the ship's confession booths.
Pressed Crew Quarters: The crew quarters of the Anemone are large, open chambers with cathedral ceilings and scores of 3 high bunks that are hard as stone.  Crew are kept in gender segregated dorms, and often engage in regular self flagellation.  It is said that the whips and scoridas of the crew quarters can mark each watch on the Anemone better than the ship's bells can.
Mark 201.b Auger Array: The bridge tower of the Anemone is topped by a large sensor dish, capable of extremely efficient active scanning and absorbing enemy fire in combat.

Dorsal Infernus Pattern Melta Cannons:  The main armament of the Anemone is a set of massive gun turrets that fire extremely destructive melta shells, capable of turning enemy ships into blazing infernos.  Most crew members who work in these turrets are covered in burn scars, thanks to the heat generated by simply firing such weapons, and the inevitable misfires.
Cathedral Repentia: A relic of the ship's ecclesiarchy days, the prow of the ship just behind and on top of the ramming prow has a Repentia convent, which maintains an honor guard of Sisters Repentia.  By sacred contract, at least 50 Sisters Repentia and a Repentia Mistress must serve on the ship at all times, though on prolonged voyages, the Repentias will convert sinners into Arco-Flagellants to bolster their numbers.
Broadband Hymn Casters:  Surrounding the Cathedral Repentia are several dozen broadcast antennae capable of transmitting the sounds in the middle of the Cathedral.  During battle, the Repentias and/or the crew are gathered to sing extremely loud battle hymns which are then spammed on ever frequency, jamming enemy voice communications.
Flak Turrets: The hull of the Anemone is studded with hundreds of rapid firing assault cannons, designed to help shoot down attacking starfighters and torpedoes threatening the ship.  Each assault cannon is a small shrine to the Emperor, maintained with deep reverence by the portion of the crew assigned to it.
Reinforced Prow: The front of the ship is a crudely bolted on armored prow, with a number of plasma cutters for use in boarding operations.  The crew finds the poor craftsmanship of the prow offensive, and often makes long petitions to the junior officers to have the prow removed, since it just tends to lead to the ship engaging in unnecessary ramming attacks.
Barracks: Located just behind the ramming prow, the barracks have a simple function, yet somehow manage not to do it properly.  The ship's frequent ramming operations have done serious damage to the barracks, which were never well maintained in the first place.  The end result is an over-sized maze of narrow corridors, in which about 25% of the rooms are depressurized deathtraps.  Not only do the barracks tend to lose pressure frequently, they also sometimes get blocked air vents, causing crews to suffocate without realizing.  The unfortunate guardsmen who live in the barracks generally tend to be convicts, and riots are a regular concern.
KL-247 Jamming System: Located amidships between the port and starboard Melta cannon batteries, the jamming antennae fill the void with "white noise" making detecting enemy ships almost impossible.  The enemy will know that something is coming, but be unable to pinpoint from where.  In battle, the Anemone typically jams enemy sensors and communications, then charges at full speed towards enemy capital ships, setting them on fire before ramming and boarding them. 
Reinforced Bulkheads: In an attempt to fix the problems with the barracks, the Navy bolted dozens of extra bulkheads into the ship.  The extra bulkheads didn't really help, but it does make the job of damage control easier, and provide another buffer against damage to critical systems.

Modifier Summary:
+40 to command tests on hit and run attacks and boarding actions
+15 to intimidate tests against people not part of the crew
+10 to tech-use rolls to repair ship systems
+5 to ballistic skill tests to fire the weapons
Inflicts 1d5 additional damage when ramming
+50 achievement points to military objectives
Can select which critical hit is inflicted during a hit and run attack

Weapons:
2 Infernus Pattern Melta Cannons: strength 4, Damage 1d10+4, Crit Rating 3, range 4  Inferno

[SomeGuy]

Well, I'm headed off. Got a fair bit of my character done, any suggestions/concerns?

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Ferrus Cortez
Player: SomeGuy
Career: Rogue Trader
Homeworld: Child of a Dynasty
Birthright: Vaunted
Lure of the Void: New Horizons- Seeker of Truth (100 XP)
Trials and Travels: Darkness- Warp Incursion (100 XP)
Motivation: Prestige
Gender: Male
Age: ?

Earned XP: 5000
Spent XP: 5000

Insanity: 1d5
Corruption: 1d5+1+1d5

Wounds: 8+1d5
Fate:

-Armor-
Head: 7
Body: 7
Arms: 7
Legs: 7
TB  : 4

Characteristics:   Total
WS   25+5      30
BS   25+5      30
S   25      25
T   25+20-3      42
Ag   25+10      35
Int   25+20+3+3   51
Per   25+10-3      32
WP   25+10-5      30
Fel   25+20+5+3   53

Skills---
  -Free-
Command
Commerce
Charm
Common Lore: Imperium
Evaluate
Literacy +10
Scholastic Lore: Astromancy
Scholastic Lore: Cryptology
Speak Language: High Gothic +10 & Low Gothic
  -Purchased-
Awareness (100 XP)
Dodge (100 XP)
Pilot: Space Craft (100 XP)


Traits/Talents---
  -Free-
Talented: Commerce
Resistance (Psychic Powers)
Light Sleeper
Air of Authority
Pistol Weapon Training (Universal)
Melee Weapon Training (Universal)
  -Purchased-


Gear:
Plasma Pistol
Power Sword
Micro-Bead
Void Suit
Set of fine clothing
Xeno-Pelt cloak
Best-Craftsmanship Storm Trooper Carapace Armor

I rather like both examples you have besides the lack of Warpsbane on that first one, that's about as close to a requirement as it gets without actually being in the rules. With Child of a Dynasty and the +3 SP that gives, 2 of them are reserved for Warpsbane.

Roll twice on the Warp encounters then get to pick which one, and +10 to any Navigation test to pilot the ship for 0 space and 1 power? Probably my favorite component overall, easily my favorite among the components with no restrictions.

[NotoriusBEN]

wow, this exploded out of nowhere!

ooh~ choices! imperial psyker from dark heresy, or the senechal...  :-\
a main reason I like imperial psykers in rogue trader is that they finally begin to be awesome what with the 5000xp to put them on par with starting rogue trader characters.

[Tagan]

I love the Kobras Aquairre!  Seriously, that ship makes me happy.  Though an escort wing of heavy missiles would make me even happier.  ;)

I do volunteer to be the Rogue Trader... or at least the Rogue Trader's mistress who has wrapped the silly fool around her little finger.  (Your choice.)

[The Great Triangle]

wow, this exploded out of nowhere!

ooh~ choices! imperial psyker from dark heresy, or the senechal...  :-\
a main reason I like imperial psykers in rogue trader is that they finally begin to be awesome what with the 5000xp to put them on par with starting rogue trader characters.

Unfortunately, I won't be allowing Dark Heresy characters in this game, particularly Imperial Psykers, because I don't like converting rules for psychic powers between rogue trader and dark heresy and have concerns about balance.  Senechal is quite fine, though. 

Well, I'm headed off. Got a fair bit of my character done, any suggestions/concerns?

I rather like both examples you have besides the lack of Warpsbane on that first one, that's about as close to a requirement as it gets without actually being in the rules. With Child of a Dynasty and the +3 SP that gives, 2 of them are reserved for Warpsbane.

Roll twice on the Warp encounters then get to pick which one, and +10 to any Navigation test to pilot the ship for 0 space and 1 power? Probably my favorite component overall, easily my favorite among the components with no restrictions.

Your character looks just fine, though you should remember to put the Rogue Trader's Exceptional Leader ability on your list of traits.  I appreciate the character sheet being dissected and simple to read, which makes it very easy to approve your character.  I'll likely not post a character sheet thread until around 1AM tonight, but your character looks ready for approval.  (I'd just have to double check the xp spent on unusual origin path selections, since I'm not hugely familiar with those rules)  I'd go ahead and let you exchange "Speak Language (High Gothic) +10" for a talented talent of your choice, since I am NEVER going to make you roll a language check.  As for the warpsbane hull, I'd normally say no, but your background choices justify stripping out the emergency gellar field and installing a warpsbane hull instead.  (Since you survived a warp incursion and would be understandable paranoid.  You'll need to buy a best quality warpsbane hull though, or the crew will be upset.  The SP work out the same after selling the best quality emergency gellar field.)

I love the Kobras Aquairre!  Seriously, that ship makes me happy.  Though an escort wing of heavy missiles would make me even happier.  ;)

I do volunteer to be the Rogue Trader... or at least the Rogue Trader's mistress who has wrapped the silly fool around her little finger.  (Your choice.)

After double checking the rules, a Loki class Q ship with a set of Gryphonne pattern torpedo tubes and a macrocannon battery is a valid piece of starting equipment.  Such ships are transport ships designed to hold their own in a fight.  I would rule that they simply travel inside the same "warp pocket" as the flagship for warp jumps, though in battles, they would pretty much hang back far from the engagement zone and snipe enemy ships with torpedoes while the flagship does all of the heavy lifting. 

[NotoriusBEN]

As sweet as the Kobras Aquairre is, should we try to upgrade it to a frigate class hull?
I've had bad experiences (aka fucking lucky GM rolls) that would pop a transport.

I also know what my Senechal is going to look like, at first I was like guy with sunglasses
Then I came across pics of the Negotiator so yea, this is the guy.

[The Great Triangle]

A frigate hull would be a lot of paperwork, though it would allow you a bit of extra hull integrity and armor.  The main trade off is that you lose a lot of speed and maneuverability, which will suck really hard if you end up fighting the Eldar.  (which you will)  If the group is willing to take the Evasive Maneuvers action frequently in combat, they should be pretty good at getting out of trouble.  Later on, you can try and cut an Eldar cloaking device out of a defeated ship and mount it to your own ship, which should render the Aquairre more or less invincible. 

Don't underestimate the value of a main cargo hold either.  +125 points to trade objectives is really handy, and converting it into a hangar deck is fun too.  (though your ship gets pushed towards an avoiding combat niche if you take a hangar deck, even with field bracing to hold the ship together.  On the other hand, if you've got 2 squadrons of interceptors constantly engaging in carrier void patrols, you need not worry much about ever being boarded)

[Tagan]

Honestly, the speed was the selling point for me.  High speed, great sensors and a fleet of long range middle carriers, plus fighters for protection against small targets, makes for a wonderful tactical combination, with many possible tactical combinations.

As Mr. Myagi said.  "Best defense?  Is no be there."

[Cal1496]

Love that ship!

Working on character now.

[Tagan]

To help me decide, I've run in my head several different battles between the Kobras Aquairre and the Anemone, taking into consideration similar escort vessels, or no escort vessels at all.

Even not understanding exactly what the numbers mean, if I translate them into equivalent speeds and damage capacity, plus ranges, the Aquairre wins each time.

The Anemone doesn't even work better against a more powerful vessel, except in cases where the more powerful vessel has greater effective weapon range than either ship.  In this case, the Anemone would end up doing more damage, though in that sort of match up, the Aquairre would most likely detect the larger ship, and be able to avoid even being noticed, and if noticed, would easily stay out of reach.

((And if the Aquairre's escort vessels had sufficient long range torpedoes, would win such a battle from a distance.))

The only other fight that would be to the Aquairre's disadvantage, would be with a great number of faster vessels, who could wear down the Aquairre's defenses by attrition.  In such a scenario, the Anemone would be able to last much longer, and hurt the enemy much more, it's flack guns doing much of the hard work.

However, considering that the name of the game is Rogue 'Trader', and not Rogue 'Warrior', I think the Aquairre's advantages in trade outweigh that consideration immeasurably.

Once again, my two cents.

[NotoriusBEN]

Ok, you've sold me on the Aquairre, Tagan. I'll trust our mad navigator and hot-shot helmsman to keep us safe.

As for me, here's my Senechal. He's pretty much the know-it-all with all that starting Lore and Total Recall. He can survive combat if it comes to that (but he's gonna be hiding behind cover most of the time). Due to his thirst for knowledge, he broke into many locked bookcases and cabinets. Physical security is gonna be relativly easy to bypass. And he's a good schmoozer with authority and high-bornes, maybe even criminal noteworthies if the others can get him past the thugs and strong-arms.

I think I tallied up everything correctly. Im so spoiled with Wizards Character Builder for DnD, now. I hate thumbing through books. Character Builders should be mandatory products of game companies now.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Avan Baromir... Negotiator
Player: NotoriusBEN
Career: Senechal
Homeworld: Noble-born
Birthright: Vaunted
Lure of the Void: New Horizons Seeker of Truth (100xp)
Trials and Travels: Ship-Lorn
Motivation: Knowledge is Life, Life is Knowledge (300xp)
Gender: Male
Age: 28

Earned XP: 5000
Spent XP: 5000

Insanity:
Corruption: 1d5 +1

Wounds: 8 +1d5
Fate: Roll 1d10, 1-3: 2Fate, 4-9: 3Fate, 10: 4Fate

-Armor-
Head: 0
Body: 3
Arms: 3
Legs: 3
TB    : 4

Characteristics:              Total
WS      25                         25
BS       25  +15                 40
S         25    +5                 30
T         25  +15                 40
Ag       25    +5                 30
Int       25  +20 +3            48
Per      25  +20  -3            42
WP      25          -5            20
Fel       25  +20 +5+3        53

Skills---

  -Origin Path-
Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int) untrained
Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis) (Int)
Scholastic Lore (Philosophy) (Int)
Scholastic Lore (Cryptology) (Int)
Survival (Int)

  -Free (from Career Path)-
Barter (Fel)
Commerce (Fel)
Common Lore (Underworld) (Int)
Decieve (Fel)
Evaluate (Int)
Forbidden Lore (Archeotech) (Int)
Inquiry (Fel)
Literacy (Int)
Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int)
Speak Language (Trader's Cant) (Int)
 
-Purchased-
Security (Ag) (100xp)

Traits/Talents---
  -Origin Path-
Peer (Nobility)
Peer (Government)
Decadence
Total Recall

  -Free (from Career Path)-
Basic Weapon Training (Universal)
Pistol Weapon Training (Universal)

  -Purchased-

Gear:
Common Inferno Pistol (Mars-pattern)
Best Hellgun (Lucius-pattern)
Xeno-mesh Armour
Autoquill
Dataslate
Micro-bead
Multikey
Robes, Two sets
Synskin
Chrono
Cameleoline Cloak

Notes:
Legacy of Wealth: +1 Profit Factor
Etiquette: +10 bonus on Interaction Skill Tests when dealing with high authority and in formal situations.
Vendetta: A powerful rival, enemy, or group (Discuss with GM)
Against All Odds: Whenever you spend a Fate Point to regain Wounds, you may re-roll and accept the 2nd result instead.
Ill-starred: -1 Starting Fate Point, -5 Fellowship Tests when interacting with void born, Rogue Traders and other voidfarers who are not personal friends, if they have heard of your background and reputation.

Ability:
Seeker of Lore: Spend a Fate Point to automatically succeed at any Ciphers, Lore, or Logic Test. It is resolved in the minimum time required. In addition, add one bonus Degree of Success to any successful Commerce, Inquiry, or Evaluate Test.

[Cal1496]

Still preferring the Kobras Aquairre!  Nice two cents.

And could I have a void-master character as well?  He starts at the opposite end of the spectrum of Tagan's in that he is...

Forge World-Scapegrace-Criminal-Calamity-Fortune-Void Master

So while they have ended up in the same career, their way of getting there is greatly different and it can maybe be a source of conflict between the two.  Each advising Cortez in different ways.

I have part of his Characteristic's and such filled out, but just wanted to clear the idea before pressing on.

[TheGlyphstone]

Hey, is there still room to get in on this? TGT's been a great GM in the past, I'm a gigantic 40K geek, and if RT is a tiny fraction of the awesome included in Deathwatch, I'm absolutely game.

For characters, the first thing that jumps to mind is a Kroot Mercenary, rules found in Into The Storm - Kroot are the bee's knees (though it'd mean I've built myself another character unlikely to get in on the smexyness). Second choice would be a Navigator, if we don't already have one. In either case, I'll assume stats are being rolled as normal, and not the weird point-buy method.

[NotoriusBEN]

we are actually using point buy.

all stats, are base 25, then you distribute 100pts to them.

[TheGlyphstone]

Okay, cool.

[Tagan]

Cal, would you prefer Helmsman or Sensor Operator?

[Cal1496]

Oh...I don't know...Helmsmen! lol

Only if you're cool with that though?  You threw in your hat first so I say it's up to you.  I can make my guy fit either or.  This is all of course assuming are GM is fine with having two Void Masters however.

[TheGlyphstone]

A bit confused on how we start with gear.

By the rules being used, would I be able to get, say, a power sword? Our profit factor is 32, the items are Rare (-20), but I only want one (Negligible, +30), and assuming Common craftsmanship (+0), is a total of 42. A Best-Quality Power Sword would be another -30 for a total of 12, but if we automatically start with anything that a single Acquisition roll could obtain, is that master-crafted sword within reach?

[Ironwolf85]

I have no idea how to play!
but I like wharhammer 40k

[NotoriusBEN]

@Glyph.

For starting equipment, you get to pick from your choices in the little starting block of the career path, to make sure you have the basic loadouts. Myself, Im waiting to roll on my free pick.

Aquisition is a bit confusing, but I like it more than tallying up thrones or gold pieces in other games. Scale is a tricky thing however, and is usually decided by the GM, but you have the gist of it. If you want that Best-Quality Power Sword, your going to have to roll *under* 12 on a d100. Failing doesnt mean you *wont* get it, but your going to have to jump through a lot of hoops to get it (courtesy of the GM)

[Tagan]

I would be happy to be sensor operator... as it fits the concept fine.

Helmsman (woman) would be nice, but as I don't have the books, narrowing down the concept will help TGT create the character for me without thinking too hard.

[Thorn14]

I always been looking for a reason to play in the Dark Heresy line.

Any room left?

[Winterborn]

Hey, since there's so much interest and I really don't need another game to keep up with, I'm gonna bow out.

Arch-Militant is open, y'all have fun!

[The Great Triangle]

I would be happy to have two Void Masters on the ship, but Tagan already has helm called, so you'll need to either be a chief sensor operator, starfighter ace, or master of gunnery.  Alternatively, you could be the chief helmsman and/or captain of the fleet's head escort vessel.  ('Da Kaptin!)

I still have 1-2 slots left in the game, though players just coming in should select classes that haven't already been picked. 

Here are the picked classes:

-Rogue Trader (Someguy)  (Kirk, Mal Renolds, Adama)
-Void-Master (Tagan, possibly cal) (Sulu, Wash, Apollo)
-Sensechal (NotoriusBEN) (Spock, Inara, Tom Zarek)
-Explorator (Shihong) (Scotty, Kaylee, Chief Tyrol)
-Navigator (Creeper) (Wesley Crusher, Dr. Simon Tam, Gaius Baltar)
-Kroot Mercenary (TheGlyphstone)  (Worf, Jayne, Sharon "Boomer" Valerii)


And here are the unpicked classes:  (in order of priority)

-Astropath Transcendent (Lt. Uhura, River Tam, Laura Roslin)
-Missionary (McCoy, Rev. Book, Caprica Six)
-Arch-Militant (Chekov, Zoe, Starbuck)
-Kill Marine
-Battle Sister
-Death Cult Assassin
-Eldar Harlequin
-Ork Freebooter

@Glyph.

For starting equipment, you get to pick from your choices in the little starting block of the career path, to make sure you have the basic loadouts. Myself, Im waiting to roll on my free pick.

Aquisition is a bit confusing, but I like it more than tallying up thrones or gold pieces in other games. Scale is a tricky thing however, and is usually decided by the GM, but you have the gist of it. If you want that Best-Quality Power Sword, your going to have to roll *under* 12 on a d100. Failing doesnt mean you *wont* get it, but your going to have to jump through a lot of hoops to get it (courtesy of the GM)

There are no rolls for starting equipment.  You won't be getting the normal single acquisition listed in the rules, but instead you will be getting an enhanced acquisition.  You may make any single acquisition which could have any possibility at all to succeed, as if you automatically rolled a 01 on your acquisition test.  Therefore, if you got the power sword, you could also get two additional items or sets of items with equal or lower rarity to the power sword.  If you decided to get only a common quality power sword, you could have 10 items or sets of items of equal or lower rarity to the power sword.  The acquisition difficulty of the rarest item in your acquisition sets the base modifier, then each additional item or set of items inflicts an additional -5 penalty. 

Hopefully that clarifies things for people! 


At any rate, character sheet thread is up:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=103946.msg4512689#msg4512689

Here's a map of the cluster you'll be taking over.  Your crew will start from the Ares system, getting into the cluster via a warp portal.  The Mextil Cluster was once an outlying sub sector of the greater Calaxis sector, but got absorbed by the Koronus passage over 2,000 years ago when the agitated warp storms expanded.  The Mextil Cluster remains shrouded in the Koronus passage, but five years ago, the region was changed forever.  A warp portal opened just outside Port Wander, the largest permanent Imperial settlement in the Koronus Expanse, and an Eldar fleet stormed out.  An Imperial navy flotilla in the area intercepted and routed the Eldar fleet, but then decided to pursue them into the warp portal.  Surprisingly, instead of being lost in the warp, the flotilla rediscovered a subsector previously lost to the warp. 



The official Imperial chart is 2,000 years out of date, so not all of the information on it will be accurate.  There are 31 charted planets within the Mextil Cluster, and a very high probability of more.  The region is free of astropathic signals, but that's not surprising for an area cut off from holy Terra for millenia.  Imperial astronomers have noted a supernova from the cluster 1,680 years ago,  though they can't pinpoint which star exploded, due to the stellar density of the area.  The Mextil cluster is known to have a significant Eldar presence, as well as a massive number of chaos worshiping Reaver pirates. 


As a quick note, to determine character ages, keep in mind that noble born humans and members of rogue trader Dynasties typically live about 500 years.  (though they age noticeably after the first 400)  Those born on Imperial Worlds or Void Born typically live 200 years, if they have access to the best available medical care.  Hivers and forge worlders usually live around 100 years (with good medical care), and those born on Death Worlds and other less advanced worlds are limited to a normal human life expectancy of about 75 years. 

[TheGlyphstone]

Okay, that helps a lot. Thanks, TGT. Time to go shopping...

Clarification: Say I want to get a Long-Las Rifle with a Red-Dot Scope, a Melee Attachment, and a Mono-blade upgrade to the melee attachment (Kroot Rifle Lite, yo!), a Chameoline Cloak, and a set of Preysense Goggles (modified to fit a Kroot, +1 rarity step). Does that cost me:

62 base
-20 for the goggles (Very Rare)
-5 for the cloak (Rare)
-5 for the tricked-out rifle (total cost on its own is -15, so less than the goggles)

or

62 base
-20 for the goggles
-5 for the cloak
-5 for the rifle
-5 for the scope on the rifle
-5 for the melee attachment on the rifle
-5 for the mono-blade upgrade on the melee attachment


If I wanted a Good-quality Long-Las instead, the first option would make the gun package cost a total of 25, so it'd become the most expensive item, but with the second set, it'd still cost -5 due to each component counting independently. It's very confuzilating.

Wait, I have to be Worf? Aw......... :-\



(though I think it's good no one wanted to be a Kill-Marine. A rank 1 DW character 'clocks in' at 12,000XP compared to our 5,000, they'd be unstoppable in a fight simply from being a Space Marine...a UltraTac would beat out any of us in social situations with raw Fel score, and if we needed to be sneaky, they could just take their power armor off and rely on their 8 toughness and 20-odd wounds. To extend the character analogies, it'd be like adding Q, Imaginary Six, or The Operative to our party.)

[SomeGuy]

Only 2,000 years out of date? We must have one of the newest ones. (Yes, slight exaggeration, I know)

Also, thought- with a kroot in the party at least we have a beakie without resorting to Space Marines.

Finally, a quick reminder to everyone doing acquisitions that you don't get scale for near unique or unique items, you always get 1 base to a max of the GMs choice, and it's at +0 (or more if you manage to find 2-3 somehow)

[TheGlyphstone]

Eh, Graviton Guns are overrated anyways. ;D

[Cal1496]

Oh I will so take Captain of the fleet's head escort vessel!  had I known that was in the running, would have taken that spot way first lol

Does that mean I get my own mini ship made for me?  cause while with enough time I'm sure I could spin something up, I think it is best(and more efficient) if left in our GM's more than capable hands.  And I don't wanna be Wash like!  He dies!*cries all over again*

[The Great Triangle]

Oh I will so take Captain of the fleet's head escort vessel!  had I known that was in the running, would have taken that spot way first lol

Does that mean I get my own mini ship made for me?  cause while with enough time I'm sure I could spin something up, I think it is best(and more efficient) if left in our GM's more than capable hands.  And I don't wanna be Wash like!  He dies!*cries all over again*

I could go ahead and spin out a mini ship for you, yes.  Just decide whether you'd prefer to be commanding a Q-ship (armed transport), a Viper Class scout sloop, or go fancy and put guns on a refinery ship. 

There is one category of items that I won't let scale modifiers apply to, and that's cybernetics, to limit the availability of best quality upgrades.  I do recommend that you look into cybernetic upgrades, since they're often a major source of power for Rogue Traders.  Explorators may also purchase the servo arm from Deathwatch as an extremely rare cybernetic upgrade. 

As for the 2,000 year out of date map, nobody from the Imperium has ever been past the Chiconahui nebula for that length of time.  Once you get out there, you'll be the first explorer in the new land, trying to establish your empire in an unknown and potentially hostile sector.

Okay, that helps a lot. Thanks, TGT. Time to go shopping...

Clarification: Say I want to get a Long-Las Rifle with a Red-Dot Scope, a Melee Attachment, and a Mono-blade upgrade to the melee attachment (Kroot Rifle Lite, yo!), a Chameoline Cloak, and a set of Preysense Goggles (modified to fit a Kroot, +1 rarity step). Does that cost me:

62 base
-20 for the goggles (Very Rare)
-5 for the cloak (Rare)
-5 for the tricked-out rifle (total cost on its own is -15, so less than the goggles)

or

62 base
-20 for the goggles
-5 for the cloak
-5 for the rifle
-5 for the scope on the rifle
-5 for the melee attachment on the rifle
-5 for the mono-blade upgrade on the melee attachment


If I wanted a Good-quality Long-Las instead, the first option would make the gun package cost a total of 25, so it'd become the most expensive item, but with the second set, it'd still cost -5 due to each component counting independently. It's very confuzilating.

I'd rule that the modifications to your rifle count as a trivial scale weapon modifications acquisition, so the three components (plus a hot shot pack, if you wanted to add one) would be only a single -5 modifier.  Ask my permission before lumping similar items together like this, but it makes life easier and helps better represent your wealth.  So if you decided to go with the good quality rifle, the math would look like this:

62 base  (32 profit factor + 30 negligible acquisition scale)
-20 for the goggles
-5 for the rifle
-5 for rifle upgrades
-5 for the goggles
-5 for the cloak

so you would still have another 4 items or sets of items you could get.  Probably a nice fancy melee weapon, and/or a bit of cybernetic chrome.  However, if you buy items with a total final acquisition modifier of +0 or less, you'll have to recalculate the most expensive item.  (For example, if you bought an Omnissian axe, the first entry on the list would change to "-30 for the axe" and you could only get one more item. 

[TheGlyphstone]

Okay, let me try my hand at this:

62
Conversion Field (Extremely Rare): -30
Chameoline Cloak: -5
Preysense Goggles: -5
Best-quality Long-Las: -5
Rifle upgrades: -5

12 points left?

I won't be buying any cybernetics, since Into The Storm very strongly discourages it physically and culturally, but I can get some monoculars or something.

[The Great Triangle]

yup, that's how it works!  You can get 2 more items of your choice.

[TheGlyphstone]

Alrighty, then I'll get a Mesh Cowl (Rare, upgraded to Very Rare for Kroot) and Xeno Mesh armor (ditto). It's only +1 over Kroot Leathers, but every bit counts if something gets through my force field.

All done.

[SomeGuy]

I'm not sure what rule you're referring to, but that's not how acquisition of unique and near unique items works in my game.  Unique items are beyond the reach of starting characters, but near unique items apply a -50 rarity modifier to the acquisition, with appropriate scale modifiers factored in.  Therefore, a PC could start with up to five copies of a near unique item.  I'm willing to let this apply to atomic weapons, although starting with such devices would have to be discussed and cleared with me.

Unique and Near Unique Scale, 276

[The Great Triangle]

Unique and Near Unique Scale, 276

Ahh yes...  I suppose I'll just go and edit my previous post then!   (darned fantasy flight games and putting important rules in sidebars!)

[SomeGuy]

Yeah, they seem to be fond of that for no apparent reason.

[NotoriusBEN]

ok then...

62 base (32 Profit Factor +30 for negligible acquisition scale)

-40 Good Conversion Field (Extremely Rare, Good Quality)      (-40 tallied) Into the Storm, p131
-5   Good Calculus Logi Implant  (Very Rare, Good Quality)      (-30 tallied) Rogue Trader, p149
-5   Good Pain Ward (Rare, Good Quality)                                (-20 tallied) Into the Storm, p141
-5   Good Vitae Supplacement (Rare, Good Quality)                 (-20 tallied) Into the Storm, p141
-5   Common Storm Bolter (Extremely Rare, Common Quality) (-30 tallied) Rogue Trader, p118

2 leftover

is this done correctly? or is this overpowered?
I'll add it to my character sheet when/if it's approved

[SomeGuy]

With 7 left over you should find another item to get. You have a good BS and universal basic weapon training, so I'd recommend a common craftsmanship Storm Bolter.

[TheGlyphstone]

Shi, I think you forgot to list Unnatural Toughness on your character sheet - it is a Trait.

[NotoriusBEN]

eh, why not... it'd give me another type of damage... adding that common storm bolter to my above post.

[Creeper]

So, want to coordinate character backgrounds anyone? How did we all end up on the SS Elf Porn And Rollercoasters?

[Crovonovin]

Actually Glyphstone, the high Toughness Bonus is from the Death World background, which doubles the base score.  But thanks for giving it a look over, I appreciate it!

[TheGlyphstone]

Actually Glyphstone, the high Toughness Bonus is from the Death World background, which doubles the base score.  But thanks for giving it a look over, I appreciate it!

Okay, you misread it. Death Worlders get +5 Toughness as a stat. For the purposes of starting wounds (as noted by the preceding bold header Starting Wounds, they get 2x their Toughness bonus +1d5+2. Your TB is still 5, you just have starting wounds of 12+1d5. Which can't total 18, now that I look at it...you've got 10 (2x TB) +4 (the 1d5?) +2 (Deathworlder) +2...where's this last +2 coming from?

So, want to coordinate character backgrounds anyone? How did we all end up on the SS Elf Porn And Rollercoasters?

I'm here because the Rogue Trader pays well. The important question is, how do you guys rationalize or deal with the xeno in your midst (when you can see him, with his +80 Concealment under scrutiny ;D).

[SomeGuy]

I'm here because the Rogue Trader pays well. The important question is, how do you guys rationalize or deal with the xeno in your midst (when you can see him, with his +80 Concealment under scrutiny ;D).

Talent is talent, doesn't matter what race. And talent is the most valuable resource.

[Crovonovin]

Oh, thanks for clearing that up for me!

And the +2 comes from Sound Constitution x2, which I also misplaced in my jumble of notes!

[Crovonovin]

So, want to coordinate character backgrounds anyone? How did we all end up on the SS Elf Porn And Rollercoasters?

I figure we may as well all start debating just that before things get underway!

As for Thraxius, he's the sort of guy to worm his way onto whatever crew he thinks will get him as far away from civilized worlds as mechanically possible.  Perhaps he's been aboard the ship for some time, particularly if our Rogue Trader is prone to exploring the deeper parts of space.  That's something to think about, and I'm fully open to any suggestions.

The important question is, how do you guys rationalize or deal with the xeno in your midst (when you can see him, with his +80 Concealment under scrutiny ;D).

Tolerated.  Barely.  Xenos are inherently inferior to any Emprah-loving member of the Imperium, but so long as their goals and ours coincide and they make themselves useful without interfering in our affairs (or putting their grimy mitts on any human archeotech), they won't have to worry about their faces being melted off.  For the time being, anyway.

[Tagan]

So, want to coordinate character backgrounds anyone? How did we all end up on the SS Elf Porn And Rollercoasters?

Sarah has been onboard, trying to regain her family's position and fortune, for the last 241 years.  She's worked some in every department on the ship, and has worked her way up to chief helmsman, a position she's held for the last 23 years.

When the ship changed hands, she went with it, like one of the components, as the Aquairre has become her home.  She defends it, and all on board, with all the skill in her agile fingers.

((How's that?))

[NotoriusBEN]

Ok, Tagan here's the start of your Void Mistress

Im sorry, but this is ALOT of info to throw at you. I hope it is all concise. I've left choices for you to decide with your character.
The numbers and abilities already on the sheet are 'hard coded' from your Origin Choices and the Career Path (ie, when you allocate your stats, you already have +5 to Fellowship and can add another 20points for a total of 50 fellowship.)

If you need explainations for things, go ahead and post them in the threads so we can all help you with definitions and such. After we get your lady created, it will be alot less heavy lifting, I swear!  XD

You need to:

Allocate 100 points to your Stats, but no more than 20 per stat. (best done in groups of 5 or 10)
--Career Core Stats are Ballistic Skill, Agility, Willpower.
--Career Secondaries are Weapon Skill, Strength, Toughness, Perception.
--Career Tertiaries are Intelligence, Fellowship

Choose: Peer (Academics, Adeptus Mechanicus, Administratum, Astropaths, Ecclesiarchy, Government, Mercantile, Military, or Underworld)
Choose: +3Int  -or-  +3Fel
Choose: Logic (Int) Skill  -or-  Peer (Academic) Talent

Choose ONE Duty:
              -Duty to the Throne:    +3WP and if you have 40WP, recieve Armor of Contempt Talent.
                                                   -10penalty to Interaction Skill tests with any source outside the Imperium (eg. aliens, traitors)
              -Duty to Humanity:       Choose +3Per -or- +3Int. -1 starting Profit Factor.
              -Duty to Your Dynasty: +1Profit Factor. Gain Rival (Rogue Traitor family) Talent, -3 Tough

Choose Gear:     
              -Best Mono Sword -or- Common Power Sword
              -Best Hand Cannon -or- Common Bolt Pistol
              -Imperial Navy Uniform -or- beggar's cloak

Choose ONE Void Master Ability:
              -Mastery of Space: can re-roll all failed Tests with Manoeuvre Actions aboard a space ship.
              -Mastery of Gunnery: can re-roll all failed Tests with Shooting Actions aboard a starship.
              -Mastery of Augurs: can re-roll all failed Tests involving Detection aboard a starship.
              -Mastery of Small Craft: can re-roll all failed Pilot Tests with small craft (shuttles, lifters, guncutters, starfighters, bombers, etc)

Finally, you have 500xp to spend:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Characteristic Advances. Each advance adds +5 to the stat, and must be bought sequentially.
Advance Step     1         2            3         4
--Weapon Skill  250     500       750     1000
--Ballistic Skill    100     250       500       750
--Strength         250     500       750     1000
--Toughness     250     500       750     1000
--Agility             100     250       500       750
--Intelligence    500     750     1000     2500
--Perception     250     500       750     1000
--Willpower      100     250       500       750
--Fellowship     500     750     1000     2500

Rank 1 Advances.
100     Skill         Awareness (Per)
100     Skill         Dodge (Ag)
100     Skill         Drive (Ground Vehicle) (Ag)
100     Skill         Gamble (Int)
100     Skill         Literacy (Int)
100     Skill         Scrutiny (Per)
100     Skill         Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader) (Int)
100     Skill         Trade (Voidfarer) (Int)
100     Talent     Melee Weapon Training (Primitive)
200     Talent     Sound Constitution (can be purchased twice at this Rank)

Caculate Wounds (Take your Tough Bonus, multiply by 2, add 1d5)
Roll Fate (Roll 1d10, on 1-3 you get 2Fate, 4-9 you get 3Fate, 10 you get 4Fate) add 1 Fate to your Starting Amount

Character Sheet

Name: Sarah Yrysriac
Player: Tagan
Career: Void Master
Homeworld: Noble-born
Birthright: Savant
Lure of the Void: Duty Bound
Trials and Travels: Calamity
Motivation: Fortune
Gender: Female
Age: ??

Earned XP: 5000
Spent XP: 5000

Insanity:
Corruption:

Wounds: (Toughx2) +1d5
Fate: 

-Armor-
Head: 0
Body: 0
Arms: 0
Legs: 0
Tough Bonus    : 0

Characteristics:              Total
WS      25     
BS       25         
Str       25   
Tough  25     -3
Agi       25   
Int       25 
Per      25 
WP      25      -5
Fel       25     +5

Skills---
Common Lore (Imperial Navy) (Int)
Common Lore (War) (Int)
Forbidden Lore (Xenos) (Int)
Literacy (Int) untrained
Navigation (Stellar) (Int)
Pilot (Space Craft) (Ag)
Pilot (Flyers) (Ag)
Scholastic Lore (Astromancy) (Int)
Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int)
Speak Language (High Gothic) (Int) untrained

Traits/Talents---
Peer (Nobility)
Hardy
Light Sleeper
Nerves of Steel
Pistol Weapon Training (Universal)
Melee Weapon Training (Universal)

Gear:
Guard flak armour
Micro-bead
Void Suit
Blessed Ship Token
Re-breather
Amasec, 2 bottles
Pict-recorder
Vox-caster

Notes:
Legacy of Wealth: +1 starting Profit Factor
Echo of Hard Times: -1 starting Profit Factor
Etiqutte: +10 bonus on Interaction Skills when dealing with high authority and in formal situations
Vendetta: Gain an enemy, rival, group that means to inconvienience, harm or kill you. (Discuss with GM)

Ability:

[TheGlyphstone]

heh. I just noticed that even the Techpriest has a higher Fellowship than I do. Must be from my fresh-corpse-breath.

Yeah, Arkhah probably doesn't talk much to anyone except Ferrus Cortez, and generally just skulks about the ship being creepy when we're not planetbound. Speak Not Unto The Alien (-20 penalty on Fellowship tests vs. strangers) means I have an effective Fel of 0 versus anyone who's not comfortable hanging around me, I suppose people need to decide for themselves if that'd apply or not individually.

[NotoriusBEN]

maybe if you brushed yo teef... beak... mouth-hole, you'd be more ameniable.

Plus, it'd be hilarious with intimidation checks with a talking birdman that has minty breath :P

[TheGlyphstone]

But scrubbing away the taste of those I honor by eating their flesh would be sacreligious!

[Crovonovin]

I just noticed that even the Techpriest has a higher Fellowship than I do.

Now that's a helluva feat.  I'm sure the crew will just love having two creepy guys wandering around the ship at all hours.  But at least I will be performing routine maintenance rituals!  When I'm not scrutinizing people for weaknesses, anyway.

[SomeGuy]

But scrubbing away the taste of those I honor by eating their flesh would be sacreligious!

Remind me to never bring you to a funeral or anything.

[TheGlyphstone]

Now, will it be more or less comforting that they at least always know you're there, while I could be along any wall or in any corner in 'plain sight' without a hint of my presence?  ;D

Remind me to never bring you to a funeral or anything.

Hey, at Kroot wakes, the recieving/viewing line is also the buffet line. That's only for other Kroot though - if the corpse isn't nice and fresh (and preferably someone I killed), you're welcome to let it rot in a box or whatever you do with your wasted meat.

[SomeGuy]

Now, will it be more or less comforting that they at least always know you're there, while I could be along any wall or in any corner in 'plain sight' without a hint of my presence?  ;D

That likely depends a lot on if you've eaten someone recently, and if they know you did.

[Crovonovin]

'Ole Thraxius will just have to up his game, is all!  Coerce some of the speakers into chanting ominously at his approach, flickering lights--maybe even a few skeletons popping out of closets!  Atmosphere is everything these days.

[TheGlyphstone]

That likely depends a lot on if you've eaten someone recently, and if they know you did.

Well, consider me a walking circumstance bonus to your Intimidate checks, then. :D When I'm not scouting/sniping generally making life miserable for people who want to hurt you, at least.

[SomeGuy]

'Ole Thraxius will just have to up his game, is all!  Coerce some of the speakers into chanting ominously at his approach, flickering lights--maybe even a few skeletons popping out of closets!  Atmosphere is everything these days.

Drop lots of hints of wanting a servitor reclamation facility.

[Creeper]

Hey Ben, noticed Avan and Delila are both Ship-lorn. Maybe they both were on the same ship that got blown up and she followed him onto the new one.

Delila doesn't really care about Xenos as she missed out on much of the Emprah indoctrination. That's what happens when your navigator house figures the best way to teach your children is to dump them on a planet full of carnivorous murder and death.

Also she's got you all beat with 17 fellowship. Dumpstats ftw!

[Crovonovin]

Looks like the crew is shaping up to be a bunch of ornery malcontents!  Excellent!

Drop lots of hints of wanting a servitor reclamation facility.

"My glorious, wise, and most esteemed Rogue Trader, have I ever told you how fleshy your skin looks in this light?  Now, as you know, we've been having to deal with some sorry louts down in engineering whose hands are scarcely worthy of holding a wrench, let alone laying a single finger upon any work of the Omnissiah.  It would be much more efficient if they didn't have all those unpleasant human needs slowing them down all the time, wouldn't you agree?  Thankfully, I have just the solution..."

[TheGlyphstone]

You had your stats out of order, so I missed it. That's cheating. ;D

But yeah....a Fel 17 Navigator, a Fel 21 Techpriest, a Fel 20 Xeno Mercenary (with -20 on most tests, to boot, so I think I technically still have you beat on actual rolls for fail)....good thing we have the Seneschal and Rogue Trader to do the talking for us three social misfits.

[Crovonovin]

I have a feeling those two are going to wind up as our babysitters whenever talking is involved.  One big happy dysfunctional family!

[NotoriusBEN]

well, thats why we brought you guys along. Toss you into the room of chaos traitors, wait for the screaming and shooting to stop, then follow after.

[TheGlyphstone]

I think you mean take the Navigator's hat off, throw her in the room of chaos traitors, and wait for the insane gibbering to stop.

[SomeGuy]

With that kind of fellowship, they won't even need guns to get the screaming to begin. Seriously, one of the energy criticals melts your face off , and if you have 10 or lower fellowship no one notices.

[Cal1496]

Hey folks, just wanted to give a heads up that I'll be dropping out.  Sorry to Triangle if you already got started on my characters supposed ship, but I was thinking with want rather than sense.  Good luck to ya's, and sorry for the trouble again.

[Tagan]

Ok, A sheet, thanks to my many helpers, has been posted!

Feel free to come in tell me what I did wrong everyone!

What's next?

(Could the Vendetta be against an unknown?  IE, she has no idea who ruined her family, but seeks that knowledge... and they know who SHE is...)

[NotoriusBEN]

oh, by the way.

My favorite cybernetic has got to be the Pain Ward. I've played other games and they've always just deadened the pain, you still had to worry because you wouldn't know how badly you *were* maimed. With the Pain Ward, if you suddenly start tasting the color purple, you know your in trouble and can act on it.

[Tagan]

You had your stats out of order, so I missed it. That's cheating. ;D

But yeah....a Fel 17 Navigator, a Fel 21 Techpriest, a Fel 20 Xeno Mercenary (with -20 on most tests, to boot, so I think I technically still have you beat on actual rolls for fail)....good thing we have the Seneschal and Rogue Trader to do the talking for us three social misfits.

... and a Fel 40 ettiquite trained Void Mystress... mamma's lessons never forgotten.

Guess I'm babysitting.

[The Great Triangle]

The OOC thread for the game is up!  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=104036.new#new

Within an hour, I hope to have the XP system written up and a rough draft of the starting endeavors.

As for the first topic of conversation in the OOC thread, I'd like you guys to decide if you're going to be starting in Port Wander before leaving the Koronus expanse, at Ares planning your first mission, or in the Chiconahui Nebula completing your first endeavor.  I'm busy designing Tagan's escort ship, and my current idea is a ship from Ultramar commanded by a Servitor.  It'll be ever so blue and loyal.

[CmdrRenegade]

Is there room for one more?

[The Great Triangle]

Is there room for one more?

There should be, if you want to commit to playing.  :-)

[NotoriusBEN]

Here are the picked classes:

-Rogue Trader (Someguy)  (Kirk, Mal Renolds, Adama)
-Void-Master (Tagan) (Sulu, Wash, Apollo)
-Sensechal (NotoriusBEN) (Spock, Inara, Tom Zarek)
-Explorator (Shihong) (Scotty, Kaylee, Chief Tyrol)
-Navigator (Creeper) (Wesley Crusher, Dr. Simon Tam, Gaius Baltar)
-Kroot Mercenary (TheGlyphstone)  (Worf, Jayne, Sharon "Boomer" Valerii)


And here are the unpicked classes:  (in order of priority)

-Astropath Transcendent (Lt. Uhura, River Tam, Laura Roslin)
-Missionary (McCoy, Rev. Book, Caprica Six)
-Arch-Militant (Chekov, Zoe, Starbuck)
-Kill Marine
-Battle Sister
-Death Cult Assassin
-Eldar Harlequin
-Ork Freebooter

quoting Triangle, this is the current make up of players and careers. I'm guessing while we would like certain classes, you can pick any career you want.

[CmdrRenegade]

I'll go with the Astropath Transcendant.  I have both the main book and Into the Maw.  I understand that there it's base score of 25 plus 100 points to allocate to the nine characteristics as I choose.  I also get to roll on the Acquisition Table.  Anything else I need to know? I'll probably have a character up sometime tomorrow.

[TheGlyphstone]

You don't roll on the table, it's more like this:

Our profit factor is 32. Assuming you only want personal gear, +30 makes your base number 62.
Whatever item you want with the highest rarity/craftsmanship penalty is subtracted from 62 as your first 'purchase'.
Each additional item with a rarity/quality mod equal to or less than that is another -5 from the remaining total.
You can't drop below 0, but everything you can 'afford' with the above rules is free starting gear.

[1SAZ]

I was wondering if I could throw my hat into the ring. I'm not as read up on 40k lit as I was when I played my Tau group back in the day, but I do have access to the Rogue Trader books and I wouldn't mind learning the system. I'll probably have a better idea of what I'll play after I read up a bit more, but from what I did read, I am leaning towards Arch-Militant for simplicity sake.

[The Great Triangle]

I'm unfortunately at the limit of players I can really manage, but you can feel free to read the threads and post to the OOC thread in NC Exotic-System.  If players drop out, you could be incorporated into the game

[1SAZ]

Fair enough. Thanks though.