Editing TAND:Mordecai

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''"Mordecai enters the room last, seemingly unarmed - but for the fact that he is Navis Nobilite, the triclops, guide of a hundred thousand souls through the roiling chaos of the void, his pineal eye alone capable of flaying a man down to the bones and incinerating the wicked without fail. He too bears an icon commending his success in the Titan Quest, a marked friend of the Adeptus Mechanicus. A dashing figure with eyes as dark as the void and a smile that any Imperial citizen would call unnerving, all in all."'' - the GM, as Mordecai prepares himself for a meeting with a potentially hostile power.

==Background==
'''Navigators of the Fleet'''<br>
House Aulus is a small House, as the Navis Nobilite go, and a relatively new one, being an off-shoot of House Gorgonius for a mere four hundred years. Rather than its' ancestral house's tendency to spend their lives until their mastery on a handful of Imperial core-worlds (and returning to the House's holdings after a century or so of service on the ships of the Imperium), member of House Aulus spend their whole lives on ships of the Imperial Navy; family units of navigators are kept together on the same ship while the young are raised, and are responsible for education and training - the young go from ship to ship to further their education until they are ready to assist in their elders' job of navigation through the Empyrean. All members, without exception, serve on Naval vessels for their entire lives, save for only a few who are dedicated to the management of the House.

'''An Inconvenience to the House'''<br>
Mordecai was born on the fleet battleship "Saint Alestine" to two navigators of little consequence - at least, that's how he remembers it. He spent the first half-dozen years of his life under their tutelege and care, and then moved on to a series of other teachers, none of whom he stayed with for more than a handful of years. By the age of 12 he had developed what was seen as moderately promising talent... and an unfortunate reputation for causing trouble for other members of the House. Whether it was by forging love letters between a particularly strict teacher and the chief gunnery officer (the latter of which was horrified and spent much of her time over the next dozen years seeking solace in the ship's shrine) or whether it was his delving into some of the less desirable deeds of his ancestors, he had made a name for himself as something of an inconvenience.

'''Free Thinker, Free of Responsibilities'''<br>
Perhaps the most appalling for the dignity of the House was his views on the Imperial Cult and the Ecclesiarchy, which he was quite fond of expressing in ways both subtle and anything but. "Shepherds..." (which clerics sometimes liked) "... shearing the flock" was the least of his views. Corrupt, decadent, next to useless, pedantic, dull, slack-jawed fools - Mordecai thought of the members of the Ministrorum as all of these and more; a view that hasn't yet changed. The Emperor is, of course, holy (about the only thing the cassocked asses got right) - anyone who can see the eternal beacon of the Astronomicon can agree with that. But if He were to waken today (and he had to be sleeping - else He would no doubt have torched all those self-righteous pricks in a moment... Emperor knows Mordecai sometimes wished he could do so), simply seeing what the Ecclesiarchy had done to Humanity in His Name would probably put Him right back to sleep... permanently. It probably hasn't helped that most clergy he's interacted with see him as less than human, of course.

After he reached his majority at 14 (in a Navigator House, such comes early; the sooner one starts working, the more profit to the House), he served as one of the relief Navigators upon the frigate "Light of Heaven", and there he stayed for nearly a decade.

'''A Dismaying Post'''<br>
At about this time, the pirate raider "Widowed Mother's Tears" came across a rather hard-to-explain set of documents penned perhaps a dozen decades ago by a young Navigator by the name of Titus Aulus, who had since become the head of the House. Desiring that the unfortunate documents not fall into the hands of the Inquisition, the Ministrorum or (worst of all) a rival House, Titus arranged a trade - a moderately inconvenient member of his house for the pirates, and peace and tranquility for Titus in the form of burnt parchment.
This arrangement, while imminently suitable both to Titus and to Arsen, captain of the Tears, was most definitely not to young Mordecai Aulus' liking at all. He spent several years chafing at the "contract" and plotting both escape and revenge (whether upon Arsen or Titus he was most undecided).
His chance came when the Tears took on a Naval logistics vessel that was carrying several smaller scouting vessels and fighters - including two warp-capable vessels little larger than shuttles. While the loot piled up and gathered dust, he carefully acquired and studied piloting manuals, systems' records and even such things as the habits and patrol patterns of the fighters that guarded the hollow asteroid where Arsen kept his findings.
Taking advantage of a layover to drop off the cargo of an unfortunate free trader, he slipped through the guards patrolling the inside of the base, killing them with his deadly eye whenever he could, seized the small vessel and drove out a hole in the hanger bay door made with a torpedo from the small craft. He escaped the patrolling fighters and immediately entered the warp as soon as he could, making it all the way to Footfall, where he quietly looked for a ship that would take him on.

'''Never Again'''<br>
To Mordecai, what will bring him out of his trials and above his enemies is knowledge; both of the power of the Navigator genes and of whatever he can find to wield against them. He desires to know more of ancient legends and hidden treasures not just for the lust for discovery, but for the power and wealth they can bring... power he can use to protect himself or even, one day, to topple those who have wronged him.

==Profile==
{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center"
! Character Name !! Player Name !! Career Path !! Ship's Role !! Rank !! Experience !! Age
|-
| Mordecai Aulus || Sunhawk || Navigator || Navigator Prime || 4 || 15200/15500 || 33
|-
|
|-
! Home World !! Birthright !! Lure of the Void !! Trials and Travails !! Motivation !! Crossover
|-
| Battlefleet || Vaunted (Renown) || Renegade (Free Thinker) || Press-Ganged || Knowledge || Shipmates
|}
{| class="wikitable" border="0" style="text-align:center"
! Weapon Skill !! Ballistic Skill !! Strength !! Toughness !! Agility !! Intelligence !! Perception !! Willpower !! Fellowship !! !! Wounds !! Fate Points !! !! Insanity !! Corruption
|-
| 25 || 30 || 30 || 55 || 35 || 55(x2) || 60 || 55 || 37 || || 9/9 || 2/4 || || 0 || 0
|}
<b>Aptitudes:</b> <i>Ballistic Skill, Strength, Toughness, Agility, Intelligence, Perception, Willpower, Fellowship, Defense, Exploration, Knowledge, Psyker, General</i><br>
<b>Advances:</b> <i>Toughness (+5/+10), Intelligence (+5), Perception (+5/+10), Willpower (+5/+10), Fellowship (+5)</i>

==Skills==
=== Active Skills ===
* '''Acrobatics''' (Agility -20, ''Movement'') '''[15]:''' Considered 'Known' when contorting.
* '''Athletics'''* (Agility +0, ''Movement'') '''[35]:'''
* '''Awareness''' (Perception +20) '''[80]:''' +30 (Equipment: Augur Array), can re-roll (Equipment: Augur Array)
* '''Charm''' (Fellowship +0, ''Investigation/Interaction'') '''[37]:''' +10 (Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Navy), -10 (Ecclesiarchy).
* '''Command''' (Fellowship +0, ''Interaction'') '''[37]:''' +5 (Officer on Deck),  +10 (Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Navy), -10 (Ecclesiarchy).
* '''Commerce'''* (Intelligence +0, ''Investigation/Interaction'') '''[55]:''' +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS (Unnatural Intelligence).
* '''Deceive''' (Fellowship +0), ''Investigation/Interaction'') '''[37]:''' +10 (Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Navy), -10 (Ecclesiarchy).
* '''Dodge''' (Agility +0, ''Combat, Movement'') '''[35]:'''
* '''Inquiry'''* (Fellowship +0, ''Investigation/Interaction''): '''[37]''' +10 (Equipment: MIU), +10 (Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Navy), -10 (Ecclesiarchy).
* '''Intimidate''' (Strength/? +0, ''Investigation/Interaction''): '''[35/?]''' +10 (Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Navy), -10 (Ecclesiarchy).
* '''Logic''' (Intelligence -20, ''Investigation'') '''[35]:''' +20 (Equipment: Cerebral Implants), +10 (Equipment: MIU)
* '''Psyniscience''' (Perception +20) '''[80]:''' +10 (Talented)
* '''Scrutiny''' (Perception +20 '''[80]''', ''Investigation/Interaction''):''' 
* '''Sleight of Hand''' (Agility +0) '''[35]:'''
* '''Stealth''' (Agility +0, ''Movement''): '''[35]''' Gains +20 (Equipment: Armour Coating).
* '''Tech-Use''' (Intelligence + 0, ''Crafting/Investigation'') '''[55]:''' +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS (Unnatural Intelligence), +10 (Equipment: MIU).
''All others can be considered untrained (-20) and have no bonuses.''

=== Specialist Skills ===
* '''Common Lore''' (Intelligence, ''Investigation/Interaction'') '''[55]:''' Considered 'Known' in all specialties/+10 if trained, +20 (Cerebral Implants), +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS (Unnatural Intelligence).
** Imperial Navy, Koronus Expanse, War
* '''Scholastic Lore''' (Intelligence, ''Investigation/Interaction'') '''[55]:''' Considered 'Known' in all specialties/+10 if trained, +20 (Cerebral Implants), +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS (Unnatural Intelligence).
** Archaic, Astromancy, Legend, Navis Nobilite, Occult
* '''Forbidden Lore''' (Intelligence, ''Investigation/Interaction'') '''[55]:''' +20 (Cerebral Implants), +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS. (Unnatural Intelligence).
** Mutants, Navigators, Pirates, Psykers, Warp
* '''Linguistics''' (Intelligence) '''[55]:''' +10 (10 minutes prep), Gain +1 DoS,  Can roll 'Untrained' Skill Tests.
** High Gothic, Low Gothic
* '''Navigate''' (Intelligence) '''[55]:''' +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS (Unnatural Intelligence).
** Stellar +10 [65], Warp +20 '''[75]
* '''Operate''' (Agility) '''[35]:''' +10 (MIU).
** Spacecraft
* '''Trade''' (Intelligence, ''Crafting, Interaction'') '''[55]:''' +10 (10 minutes prep), +1 DoS (Unnatural Intelligence).
** Archaeologist, Astrographer, Explorator*, Scrimshawer, Voidfarer

(*) means that this skill is newly-purchased, and thus still needs to be worked into the character's fluff.

==Talents==
===Mundane Talents===
* '''Enemy (Ecclesiarchy):''' -10 to Interaction Tests with members of the Ecclesiarchy.
* '''Foresight:''' Can gain +10 to Intelligence Tests with ten minutes of analysis.
* '''Jaded:''' Does not gain Insanity Points from non-warp events and visages.
* '''Meditation:''' Can restore fatigue with extended concentration.
* '''Peer:''' Gain +10 to Interaction Tests with members of the Mechanicum.
* '''Talented (Psyniscience):''' Gain +10 to Tests with this skill
* '''Total Recall:''' Has perfect memory.
* '''Warp Sense (Improved):''' Psyniscience Tests are now Free Actions to perform.
* '''Weapon Training:''' Low-Tech, SP, Las, Shock

===Traits===
* '''Dark Vision:'''
* '''Double Jointed:''' Gain +10 to Acrobatics Tests that involving contorting.
* '''Jealous Freedom:'''
* '''Mutations:''' Eyes as Dark as Void, Strangely-Jointed Limbs, Strange Vitality, Teeth as Sharp as Needles
* '''Natural Weapons (Teeth):''' 
* '''Navigator:''' Has a pineal (forehead) eye and can purchase Navigator Powers.
* '''Officer on Deck:''' Gain +5 to Command Tests.
* '''Regeneration:''' 
* '''Ship-Bound Fighter:'''
* '''The Eye is Open:''' Does not suffer Corruption Points from Warp Shock.
* '''Unnatural Intelligence (x2):''' Intelligence Bonus increased by 1, gain +1 degree of success on any Intelligence-based Test.
* '''Void Accustomed:'''

===Navigator Powers===
* '''(Novice) Disrupting the Empyrean (Willpower):''' ''The boundary between Materium and Immaterium is the Navigator's to pierce.  Likewise, if he so wills it, it is an impenetrable barrier to his enemies.''
** Upset ships entering/leaving the Warp; -10 to Piloting Tests to do so for each degree of success - an unsuccessful transition does 1 Hull Damage and, of course, leaves the vessel where it is (either in the Materium or Immaterium).
* '''(Master) Gaze into the Abyss (Perception +20):''' ''Mordecai's vision pierces earth, sky, warp and flesh to perceive the underlying truth of the universe.''
** Determine if a target holds the tain of the warp (psy-rating, 20+ corruption, posessed, etc).  Can be used for psychic Tracking of such.
* '''(Master) Held in My Gaze (opp Willpower +20):''' ''Honed against daemonic beings and used to lock a captured Chaos Space Marine in place, Mordecai's eye can force immobility upon a target's body and soul.''
** Target within 120m, on a success target is locked and will remain so until another power is used and must beat Navigator to use powers.  Daemons take 2d10 damage from Warp Instability and, if actually damaged, get instantly banished.
* '''(Master) Immolate the Soul (no Test):''' ''The soul of the righteous scorches that of the corrupt; nowhere is this more evident when Mordecai unleashes the heat of his rage through his pineal eye upon those in his path.''
** (acts as a flamer) Range 30m, Damage 2d10+4E, Penetration 4, Flame quality, does +4 damage per 10 Corruption Points a target has.
* '''(Master) The Lidless Stare (opp Willpower +20):''' ''A dangerous and fatiguing ability, Mordecai rarely unleashes the full force of his warp powers for fear of collateral damage.''
** Attack against all within 15 metres, any who fail take 2d10 + WB Energy damage (ignores non-warded armour and toughness), is Stunned for 1d5 rounds and suffer 1d5 Insanity Points.  Costs 1 Fatigue.
** Intelligence 20+ targets that suffer damage make a Toughness -10 test or perish (gain 1d10 Insanity Points instead of 1d5 on a success).
* '''(Novice) Stripping the Husk (opp Willpower):''' ''Practiced as a method of narrowing the focus of the lethal pineal eye to a single target; a whiplash of warp-borne energy rips apart flesh and bone.''
** On a success do 1d10 R damage that ignores non-warded Armour; target is automatically Knocked Prone.
* '''(Master) Void Watcher (Perception +20):'''  ''The eye of a skilled Navigator is hard to evade indeed; even uncounted kilometers from his ship, Mordecai can detect ships and asteroids and knows far too much about their contents for anyone's comfort...''
** Detect objects within 30 VU (600k km) and be able to observe them.  Willpower +10 Test to gain information about the nature of the object (minerals, nature of crew, etc).
** Can detect major disturbances in the warp (such as a ship entering/exiting or a warp portal) within 100km * PB, or within Perception Bonus in VU in Starship Combat.

===Mutations===
* '''Eyes as Dark as Void:''' ''Almost all Navigators are born with a third eye, but all carry some sign of the stable mutability of their ancestors.  Since the very first, Mordecai's eyes were naught but iris-less ebony orbs, although there is a red ring that resembles dancing flames that appears in his pineal eye.''
* '''Teeth as Sharp as Needles:''' ''After probing strange ape-like xeno creatures that appeared to possess no eyes for signs of Warp contamination, Mordecai collapsed, waking up with a mouthful of shark-like teeth very like the ones the bizarre creatures themselves had, as well an enhanced ability to examine the gravitic impressions of space around a vessel, which can even allow him to examine a planet's surface (albeit with difficulty).''
* '''Strange Vitality:''' ''Delving into the transformation of raw warp energy into purifying flame caused Mordecai significant agony as, time after time, his form sizzled and burned with uncontrolled energies.  Perhaps as a defensive measure, his body learned to quickly heal broken and burned skin and bruised organs.''
* '''Strangely-Jointed Limbs:''' ''The unleashing of warp-fire upon a group of servitors summoned forth an inferno like unto a sun, scouring them down to scorched components and sizzling flesh, but there were consequences other than the dancing tongues of flame that lingered for a few minutes in front of Mordecai's face.  While his ability to call forth cleansing fire upon his foes broadened to forever after contain a hint of that sunfire, his bones liquified and re-solidified in the backlash, sending him to the ground in agony and leaving his joints unnaturally pliable.''

==Equipment==
===Armour===
* '''(Best) Cadian-Pattern Storm Trooper Carapace w/ Hexagrammatic Wards:''' ''A prize from a pirate station, this immaculate silver-on-purple armour has been inscribed by the servants of the Ordo Malleus with countless hexagrammatic warding symbols and with a modified helmet for Mordecai's pineal eye.  It's ability to shift colors and patterns is useful not only in combat, but when attempting to make an impression''
** AP 7, all locations, 7.5 kg, implanted devices (wrist auspex, rebreather, photo-visor, encrypted micro-bead).
** Possesses a Cameleoline cloak-type covering, which gives Mordecai +20 to Concealment Tests and, if he is stationary, he counts as one range bracket further away when targeted by ranged weapons.
* '''(Best) Conversion Field:''' ''Replacing a refractor field seized from a pirate station, this exquisite device was acquired on nu-alpha after the defeat of Ignatius.  Formerly in the shape of a rosario and belonging to a series of missionaries, it now takes the shape of a collar embeded with a stylized pineal eye containing a flame; Mordecai's personal device.''
** Protection Rating 50, overloads only on a 1 on d100, 1 kg, effect of a photon flash grenade if more than 12 damage is absorbed from a single attack.

===Weapons===
* '''(Common) Inferno Pistol:''' ''A worn but extremely valuable pistol Mordecai acquired during his escape from pirates.''
** Pistol, 10m range, S/-/- RoF, 2d10+8 E damage, 13 penetration, 3 clip, full reload, 2.5 kg, +10 to Ballistic Skill Tests on single-shot fire (Red-Dot Laser Sight)
* '''(Best) Hellpistol:''' ''A sidearm that was given to Mordecai as a hiring gift when he began his service to House Tremlett.  While rarely used, he cherishes it for the ornate inscriptions and symbols representing his contract with the Rogue Trader.''
** Pistol, 35m range, S/2/- RoF, 1d10+4 E damage, 7 penetration, 40 clip, 2 full reload, 4 kg, never jams, +10 Ballistic Skill Tests on semi-automatic fire (Motion Predictor sight)
* '''(Best) Power Maul:''' ''Acquired on nu-Alpha after the destruction of Ignatius, this blackened alloy power weapon takes the form of a staff chased with golden and brass flames up and down it's length.''
** (High/Low) Melee, 1d10+6/1d10+2 E damage, 4/2 penetration, power field/not, shocking, +10 to Weapon Skill Tests

===Cybernetics===
* '''(Good) Cortex Implants:''' <>
* '''(Good) Augur Array:''' <>
* '''(Good) Mind-Impulse Unit:''' <>

===Other Gear===
* '''Psycrystal:''' ''Found in a rather shady emporium on Port Wander, this crystal embedded in a piece of jewelry glows a soft purple if psychic powers are used in the vicinity.''
** Glows when psychic powers are used within a 5 metre radius or against Mordecai or someone that close to him.
* '''Almanac Astrae Divinitus:''' ''An arcane arrangement of hololithics that tracks stars, celestial phenomenon and the changes thereof in space and time.''
** Provides +10 to Navigation, Pilot, Scholastic Lore (Astromancy) and Trade (Astrographer) Tests.
* '''Clothing:''' ''Mordecai's fashionable navigator robes and scarf is made from shifting fabric, which reacts to ambient light to create a stylized pattern of flames and more esoteric shapes.''
* Charm, Emperor's Tarot
* Void Suit

===Extras===
* '''Refractor Field:''' ''A prize from a pirate station, this basic defensive field is implanted in a small gorget embossed with the sign of the aquila.''
** Protection Rating 30, 2 kg

=== Navis Nobilite Charts ===
* '''Nu-Alpha to Port Wander (Own, Detailed):''' +20 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Stable Route.  Base time 31 days.
* '''Port Wander to Nu-Alpha (Own, Detailed):''' +20 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Indirect Route.  Base time 18 (36) days.
* '''Viridian Fall to Nu-Alpha (Own, Basic):''' +10 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Stable Route.  Base time 36.5 days.
* '''Nu-Alpha to Viridian Fall (Own, Basic):''' +10 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Stable Route.  Base time 34.5 days.
* '''Bixib to For Reasons Unknown (No Chart):''' +0 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Surly Route.  Base time 9 (18) days.
* '''Ordu to Urjuk (Own, Detailed):''' +20 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Stable Route.  Base time 11 days.
* '''Urjuk to Chuluut (Own, Detailed):''' +20 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Stable Route.  Base time 3.5 days.
* '''Chuluut to Viridian Falls (Own, Detailed):''' +20 to the Psyniscience Test for Warp Navigation (Stage One: Divining the Auguries).  Stable Route.  Base time 3 days.

==Underlings==
'''Under-Navigator Ritzin Damos:''' Mordecai's assistant among the Navigators of the ''Shadowless Shark''.  An adequate, if not spectacular Navigator, he's usually placed in charge of routine off-shifts; Mordecai prefers to take the most challenging parts of the duties himself.
'''Vigilator Alexis:''' Tankbred, as a number of Aulus servants are, this bald green-eyed woman is a lieutenant in the Aulus House Guard, and seconded to Mordecai personally after the wave of assassinations of House Aulus Navigators.

==Experience==
* Starting Point: 4500
* Characteristic Advances: 1300
** Toughness +5/+10, Intelligence +5, Perception +5/+10, Willpower +5/+10, Fellowship +5
* Skills, Active: 3600
** (see skills list)
* Skills, Lores: 700
** (see skills list)
* Talents, Mundane: 2500
** (see talents list)
* Talents, Navigator Powers: 2600
** (see powers list)
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