Rogue Trader: Conquest of Paradise

This is the Rogue Trader RPG play by post game run by Elemental.

There's obviously a great deal of information that can be added here, and everyone should feel free to do so.

Characters

Armistan Valcor, Explorator. Player: rabidredneck
Anastasia Regina Margarathea von Wulfenbach, Rogue Trader. Player: Silent Wayfarer
Valentius ("Val") Rafmagnus, Seneschal. Player: Ripley
Terents Killian, Voidmaster. Player: NewtonPulsifer
Dieter Skohl, Arch Militant. Player: CrazyIvan
Zygmund Orthesian, Astropath Transcendent. Player: Mr Adventurer

The Decisive

Note: This writeup does not include the +10 maneuver -4 Hull Points from the Machine Spirit Oddity

Journal Fragments

Cauchemar

A most profitable world indeed. Apart from the habitable zone, many structures have been found underground, apparently of ancient human origin. They appear to be designed as self-sufficient vaults, including advanced logic engines that interact somehow with a tank designed to contain a human—given that these examples are decayed and partially looted already, it is hard to tell what exactly they were for. The Magos and Confessor may argue over whether this technology is heretical or not, I am happy to merely forbid the zones of the vaults to the colonists as “archaeological sites” while they are emptied into my own purse. Apparently, hundreds more may exist across this world, though getting to them under the ice caps may be a problem.

There are no traces of the builders, and no sign of any of their constructions upon the surface, however. Did they flee before they could complete their constructions? Were their habitations erased by ice or Exterminatus? I feel there is a mystery here that goes back to the turbulent times of the Heresy. If I find an inhabited, intact vault, that will shed some light on it. Perhaps such a structure lies under the deep ice of the polar caps?

(image: A globe, with several dozen dots highlighted.)

The colony thrives, at any rate. Perhaps it thrives too well—the governor seems to funnel most of his wealth into his palace, content to let the whalers, oil drillers and farmers toil while he reaps the rewards. Was he a wise appointment? He seems the kind who will either drive his subjects to rebellion or get tiresome ideas about being above tributes. Best to monitor him closely, or I fear he may squander much of the potential of this world or touch on some unfortunate secret of the vaults, without the wisdom to handle it correctly. Vast wealth is a privelege few can manage responsibly, after all.

Marsyas

The structures used some kind of gravity generator to maintain their formation and avoid collision. However, each is well-defended by automatic defence systems. Telling which of the structures and statues contained traps and which contained treasure was not easy. When we arrived, the tomb resembled a giant statue, a highly stylized amphibian-like xenos posed as if sleeping.

(image--a composite of several carvings, done in a very stylised manner. They appear to tell the story of a crowned salamander-like creature, who wages war upon gaunt humanoid creatures, sits upon a throne of severed limbs, dies to the grief of many other salamander-like creatures, and is entombed, before finally exiting his tomb, which lies upon a new world)

A maze-like interior laden with more traps made progress slower. It is hard to decipher the carvings in the walls, but they seem to tell a story of a “king of land and sea”, who will be reborn with the “white sun” to govern a newly created people. Perhaps these xenos believed that their leaders would be reborn when the planets formed? At the centre of the labyrinth lay the tomb, from which many relics were recovered. If a reliable way can be found to sift out these tombs and disable their defences, this will be a quite profitable long-term project. Perhaps it would be worth leaking news of this “treasure trove” to my rivals, but leave out the information on the defences....

Penetralia

A hold full of salvage and the beasts of this world. And impressive beasts they are—I can see a settlement being formed here, but it will need high walls! And even that will not thwart the “Vapor Rays” that ate one of my landing craft…..my only regret about this system is that I cannot carry more from it. Establishing a permanent colony over such a long distance will be hard, but rewarding.

(image--several men and women sitting on what appears to be the claw of some huge beast mostly out of the image, with barbs adorning the knuckles)

Of the abandoned ships, they appear to be no less than ten thousand years old. Could they be relics of a forgotten battle of the Great Heresy, or from the rebellion of the Astral Claws and their allies? Certainly, one of the hulks displayed the mark of the Ruinous Powers—and disturbingly, appeared to be wrapped in adamantine chains of colossal size. Some kind of twisted iconography? Or a symbolic measure to “restrain” or "forbid" this ship? But the augers reported the ship had had no habitation for centuries, so it seemed to pose no threat. Nevertheless, I found it disturbing.

Wanting to conserve ammunition and, superstitiously, not to disturb it, I disregarded the urging of the Confessor to destroy it, settling for salvage from the loyalist wrecks, including many valuable examples of archaeotech. Something seems to be dampening the Astronomicon’s signal as we reach this system and presumably the voids beyond—when I return, progress through the warp channel will have to be slow and careful. Either more warp storms or xenos malice, I fear. Anything could lie on the other side, or emerge through it. And I would have it no other way—I can imagine no worse fate than to live in a universe where everything is known.

Introduction

A planet sits under your feet. At the base of Elixir Station, a transparent floor gives the impression of walking on space. From the nightside of Galimatius Delta, thousands of pinpoints of light glitter, forming a web over the great southern continent. In the background is not the blackness of space that less favoured regions behold, but rather the radiant glow of millions of stars. The core of the galaxy, magnificent and the colour of gold.

The centerpiece of this chamber contains an enormous star-shaped dining table, rendered in black wood. Around the sides are displays--visitors could inspect the holo-puppets salvaged from a Cauchemar archeotech cache, the great-saber of a warlord of Fell, bluemetal chunks from the beaches of Caora, and most impressively of all, the great beasts bought back from the far reaches of Penetralia. In a posed display that towers twenty feet overhead, the armoured bulk of the toraton is lumbering round to bring its horns to bear against the pouncing urwurm, which seems to be mostly made of spikes, with everything else being an afterthought.

Though the feast has not yet started, the finest cuisine of ten worlds has been bought to this table—nvorak eggs, volcano fruit wine, and roast fiveleg. Soothing background music drifts across the room from the quartet clustered upon a small stage and their exotic stringed instruments. Rumour has it that the musicians had been deafened as children, and gained their sensitivity through training with archaoetch bodysuits that allowed them to actually feel the sounds. Less savoury rumours had it that they were a specially bred family of mutants, born with the talent naturally.

The Galimatius movers and shakers are gathered here. Free traders, hoping to ally with a heavily armoured protector who will show them the way to worlds of wealth. A representative of a fallen Navigator house, seeing an opportunity to revitalise their dynasty. Moguls of the world below, anxious to discuss trade routes, and markets for Galimatius goods. The high Cardinal of the local faith, concerned that the souls of those in the lost reaches would be just as high a priority to the explorers as their wealth. This is part celebratory banquet, part business meeting and part unrivalled opportunity. Nearly any resource a Rogue Trader could desire, someone in this room is anxious to provide....for the right price.

And, of course, there is the Planetary Governor himself. Looking almost spry for a man in his second century, Lord Geled Mandamus is the overseer of this event, a jovial, fatherly character who seems oblivious to the high stakes, and the tensions in the room. He is most anxious to ensure that everyone gets what they want…and that it all flows through him.

But these people are not the focus of this occasion. That distinction belongs to two men and two women in particular, as well as their entourages. From the moment you docked, there has been an almost worshipful attitude from the Galimatius natives, and anyone looking to recruit crew or colonists from this world would be spoilt for choice. Presented as the bringers of a bright new future for Galimatius, you and the other Traders have become celebrities on the world below even before your arrival, lionised by the state media. This event is a prelude to your departure into the shrouded reaches of Pschent.

Three Rogue Traders have already arrived, and make small talk and size each other up suspiciously as they wait for the last arrivals.

There is only one set of guests yet to arrive, probably the most famous name and the group upon the highest expectations have been laid. As the doors of sculpted obsidian smoothly open, all eyes turn to the doors, as the newcomers enter the grand chamber. Some gazes hold admiration, some envy, some suspicion and some hatred. One way or another, nobody is unimpressed.