Rogue Trader: The Lavesgrie Exile

The Lavesgrie Exile is a Rogue Trader: Apocalypse PbP game on the RPG.net forums.

We follow the adventures of the exiled Lady-Captain Kelara Lavesgrie, once a powerful Inquisitor of the Ordos Xenos, and the intrepid crew of the Malleable Abyss, as they journey into the Maleria Expanse.

Introduction

It is a time of untold opportunity amongst the stars.

For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor of Mankind has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the vast Imperium of Man for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day so that he may never truly die.

Yet even in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battlefleets cross the daemon-infested miasma of the Warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor's will. Vast armies give battle in His name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard and countless planetary defence forces, the ever-vigilant Inquisition and the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name only a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat to humanity from aliens, heretics, mutants -- and far, far worse. To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions.

Yet to be a Rogue Trader is reject the fate the fate given to you and instead rule your own destiny. It is to carry the light of the Emperor into the darkest reaches of the cosmos. It is to be the sole lord of a miles-long starship. It is to be above the reach of the Emperor's law. There is no greater freedom imaginable.

Player Characters

Lady-Captain Kelara Lavesgrie

Rogue Trader

Kelara Lavesgrie had been born to be an inquisitor, or that's what she kept telling everyone anyway. Initially from the schola progenium, she had been recruited directly into the service of the Ordo Xenos, rising up through the ranks, first as an acolyte then interrogator. Her finest day was when she was granted the rosette of a full inquisitor.

For many decades, she traveled throughout the sector, laying the smack down on xenos and more importantly, those who dealt with xenos. Of course, this made her unpopular with various shady organisations who profitted from such things, including a couple of rogue traders who seemed happy to ignore the clauses in their warrant about resticting such activites to outside the bounds of the Imperium. One such rogue trader was Lord Idrogynus Hyvar, the head of a very ancient and powerful dynasty, who thought that gave him the leeway to do whatever he wanted. He even once stated: 'Pah the Inquisition? That's for keeping the lower classes in line. I have no reason to fear it or even respect it'.

Kelara decided to make it her personal quest to correct him on a few matters and started to lead a true crusade against Hyvar's operations. For many years the battle between them raged... but ultimately ended up with Kelara's defeat. With vast resources and influence on his side, Hyvar played dirty and managed to get Kelara discredited within the Inquisition. Perhaps sensing that this was more trouble that it was worth, Kelara's masters in the Inquisition made the decision to strip her rosette and remove her from service. They weren't completely cruel though - or rather, they thought -very- carefully ahead, and arranged for Kelara to be granted a Warrant of Trade and a ship.

Now Kelara Lavesgrie is a rogue trader with the title of Lady-Captain. She no longer had the life she had made for herself or the power she once held. Instead she has a new life and a new kind of power. Bitter about her loss, but resolved to make the most of this new life, Kelara is dutifully trying to learn how to be a good rogue trader. Byt Lord Hyvar is still out there, and neither of them are about the let their grudge end just like that...

Magos Biologis Orinoco-48

Explorator

Orinoco-48 is the latest iteration of the series of clones made from the gene-sperm of the original Archmagos Orinoco-Primus, a brilliant yet quirky elder of the Mechanicus who vanished into the reaches of the Koronus Expanse several centuries after pioneering exploration through the Maw. Orinoco-48 (Ori for short) was decanted from her Iron Womb and raised in as staunchly orthodoxical an environment as the Calixian Mechanicus could provide for her, in the hopes of grooming her heritage of tech-mastery while minimizing the borderline-heretical flesh-loving tendencies that got Orinoco Primus tapped for suicide duty in the first place.

Unfortunately, madnessgenius goes hand in hand with deviance, and the elders were resigned to sighing electronically and hoping that No. 49 would turn out better, even as they ceded Ori to a Rogue Trader's fleet to get her out of their hair. Ori, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have noticed. Or if she does, she's hiding it very well...

In general, Orinoco favors minimal and/or elegant augmentation. Not for her the beefy machinator arrays or the enhanced bionic frames of the Myrmidons! In fact, before being dumped into the Explorator fleets, she'd actually volunteered to serve with the Emissaries of the Lathe, and as a result she has received cosmetic surgery to reduce the inhuman cast of her implants and augmetics, as well as lessons on Imperial etiquette (it is not, in fact, polite to introduce yourself to a layman by looking for their dataport with your MIU sensor-tendrils. Most unaugmented people do not have dataports). Fortunately, those lessons seem to have taken, and Ori can actually pass for a functional member of Imperial society, albeit one who shakes hands with mechadendrites and doesn't seem to have heard of the concept of personal space.

Sister Theodora Cain

Arch-Militant

Sister Theodora Cain is the daughter of Hero of the Imperium Commissar Ciaphas Cain and an unknown woman when Commissar Cain was martyred for the third time. She was of course accepted into the Schola Progenium as the orphaned daughter of a hero, and raised to revere the memory of her father as well as Him on Earth. It was a little embarrassing for all when it turned out he wasn't dead after all, but that made no difference to Theodora's education as Commissar Cain was too far away, and too busy fighting the enemies of mankind, to get involved in the raising of a child.

Theodora had a troubled time in the Schola, however. She grew up learning her lessons well, true, but she was also among the children most likely to be found sneaking around after lights out, and was under suspicion of having cheated on several exams. Only the influence of an Inquisitor, Amberley Vail, kept Theodora on track for membership of the Adepta Sororitas, and on her graduating into that hallowed order, she would likely not have lasted long under it's discipline. Fortunately for her, the Inquisitor was curious to see what Theodora could achieve with her talents in a less restrictive environment, and pulled a few strings to get the young Sister accepted onto the bridge crew of a Rogue Trader's vessel. Theodora is overjoyed at the chance to see the galaxy, though she hides a certain amount of fear that she might actually have to live up to her father's reputation while she's out there.

Claudius Nero Acrisias

Dilettante

Claudius Nero Acrisias was born on Valsram, a hive world. He was raised far from the teeming masses, he was the son of the patriarch of the Acrisias family. He would have been the heir of the family fortune and the massive factories that were under their control, but that was not to be. Claudius fell in love, not like his previous loves which were nothing compared to this. He loved her with all his heart but she did not see him, ignored him even. She would soon marry the son of another dynasty and he had to do something. He created a dispute between the two which led to a duel. He cut down his beloved’s true love in front of her. She cried out against him, proclaiming her eternal hatred.

Claudius immediately understood and left as soon as he could, fleeing from his failure into a life of decadence, taking only his most important possessions with him. His beautiful power sabre, his clothing and a crystal deck of cards which he had bought for an astronomical price.

Claudius has become utterly decadent, pursuing every pleasure which he can find, as long as his looks stay good. This is what he is especially proud of, Claudius has long blonde hair and wears expensive jewelry, just to show off. Somehow he has been lucky enough to stay completely unscarred from his many fights, although very expensive surgeries also play their part. Despite his frivolous outlook on life there are things which he offers to a captain. Claudius is a highly skilled swordsman and has more than average talent for getting people to like him, and tell him their secrets.

Deacon Obadias Kaine

Missionary

Kaine is a thin, rather unassuming man in his mid twenties (strangely young for a priest) whose appearance seems at odds with the fiery spirit within him. He carries himself with a humble but slightly noble air, speaking softly but, when called for, carries a large metaphorical stick when he must. While it is clear from the sureness of his speech that he was noble born, he often places his sermons in ways that the flock can easily understand. This manner of preaching has won him many favors in the crew, as well as his belief in leading by example.

Kaine's dress lacks the large amount of ostentatious ornamentation that appears to be a requirement. Indeed, he is often seen in rather plain clothes, but always with the sign of the Aquila present. This style of dress expands itself to his chapel, which seems to bear little more then benches, a number of stained glass windows and candles, without even a pulpit for him to harp the words of the Imperial Creed. In some ways, Kaine appears to distance himself from the rest of the Ecclesiarchy and the few times when he is inebriated enough to talk about the Church shows that his words are not favorable.

Nihilus “Nil” Ceallach

Archivist

Data-Spiders of Urom are a hereditary position – there is no one amongst their ranks who is not part of the dynasty. Yet merely being born to one of the privileged servants of Magos Arda is no guarantee that one will become a Data-Spider himself. Life on a Forge World is never so lenient. Every few years, dozens of children, seven to nine years old scions of data-spider dynasties, are rounded up and put in a pitch-black room, with nothing but monochrome holo-displays and chirping consoles for company. Then endless streams of data from hundreds of sources are streamed to them to be processed. The trial lasts for days and no respite is given – one would have to catch up after any attempted sleep.

Surprisingly enough, there is no punishment for failure – other than a lifetime of mediocrity and menial service. But those who are able to keep up with the data, are set to become Data-Spiders proper.

Nihilus, of Ceallach dynasty, found himself deeply changed by the trial. He fell into a state more reminiscent of a feeding frenzy rather than a cold process of memorization, calculation and distribution. Feeling strongly that his newly acquired craving was an unnatural and frightening thing, he nonetheless was unable and unwilling to fight it. “Meme-virus” the tech-priests called it, notably pleased, if apprehensive.

But those streams of data, concerning mostly tithes and production quotas, felt too dry and monotonous – and Nil was rarely given anything else. He could have been a data-addict, yet he was also nearly a child – something that his superiors did not give any consideration. He possessed not yet the meticulous eye of an aged savant, but restless curiosity of youth that meme-virus has only served to deepen.

Which is why he escaped to the Explorator vessel. That was trivial, really, considering what he was able to learn of the ship's procedures and hierarchy in a month or so he spent planning.

Nil crossed paths with Inquisitor Lavesgrie during her ill-fated personal crusade against Rogue Traders of the Maleria Expanse. Among the Explorators crew, he was the only one able and willing to provide her with the information she sought – much to the chagrin of the tight-lipped tech-priests, who intended at least to extract some future boon from the Holy Ordos. He proved to be quite a nuisance from the moment he got aboard – unsanctioned access to the Explorators' data-vaults, spending too much time with the tech and specimens best left alone and his simply offending multidisciplinary expertise. And propensity to share his understanding with unauthorized personnel. In no uncertain terms he was informed that his company was no longer welcome. Most fortunate then that Inquisitor Lavesgrie had use of someone of his abilities. Just as planned.

Inquisitorial service changed him further. He still looks a youth, but his demeanor is nothing like it was. Just as he foolishly desired, Holy Ordos provided him with knowledge no-one else dares to harbour – and he is troubled by what he had to learn. His discipline has grown, yet he admits that he had become dependent – Kelara keeps him in line and guides him, lest he delves in the secrets no-one was meant to know. Thus Nihilus readily followed his Mistress in her fall-from-grace – but her current status may yet prove to be ripe with opportunity. After all, there is so much to learn and to discover between the stars, where the fortune of the future House Lavesgrie undoubtedly lie – and if he has to help build it from ground up, it is the least he can do for his Mistress.

Kelara

• Nil has served me well and should be rewarded.
• Ori-48 is a powerful ally but a dangerous one.
• I have to maintain the loyalty of Claudius or my dynasty (what exists of it!) may be in threat.
• I am looking forward to sharing a bottle of amasec with Theodora.

Theodora

• Nihilus has fought by my side before, I owe them my life.
• I have sworn to protect Kelara Lavesgrie.
• Ori-48 is soft and ignorant of the ways of war.
• I do not trust Claudius, for they are subtle and scheming.

Orinoco

• Claudius would make an excellent subject for my experiments. (I have no sense of humor, he says?! We'll see about that!)
• I fear that Kaine does not respect the works of the Omnissiah. (Commissar Cain had cyberpinkies! Praise the Omnissiah! Or else. )
• Kelara has seen my human side. (Well, I let everyone see my human sides... and front. And back. Hey, that guy back in the Collegium Diplomaticus said I should show flesh to build rapport with you meatbags!)
• I owe a debt to Nil for their assistance with my works. (If I could just get at his archive... he must have all sorts of juicy data in there and he's not sharing because he's selfish! Hmm... maybe I could build him a girlfriend and loot his datavault while she keeps him busy. To the drawing board!)

Nil

• Orinoco-48 envies my archive; I must not let them steal from it.
• I will record the exploits of Kelara Lavesgrie for all posterity.
  • _____ has something I desire; I must have it

Kaine

• Claudius Nero Acrisias is straying from the Emperor’s truth, I must save them.
• I have seen the sins of Ori-48, and they are many.
• Sister Theodora Cain is a faithful servant of the Emperor, and a friend.
• Kelara Lavesgrie has aided my flock in the past, and I will aid them in return.

Claudius

• I don’t think Ori has much of a sense of humour.
• I’d like to see Theodora relax a little.
• Kelara intrigues me, I must know more.
• Obadias and I go way back; they’ve got my back in a pinch.

Organisations & Influence

The Hyvar Dynasty

Kelara: Enmity +2

The Idrian Conclave

Kelara: Influence +2