TEXT: ®
  ®
  DREAD MYSTERIES 
  BEYOND THE MAW
  
  ROLEPLAYING IN THE GRIM
  DARKNESS OF THE 41ST MILLENNIUM
  
  2
  Credits
  Credits
  Lead Developer
  Sam Stewart
  Written and Developed By
  Nathan Dowdell, Andy Hoare, Jason Marker, Rex Vogen, 
  Ross Watson, and Benn Williams
  Editing
  Alex Davy
  Proofreading
  Mark Pollard
  Graphic Design
  Bryan Schomburg and Kevin Childress
  Cover Art
  Matt Bradbury
  Interior Art
  BlackVolta Studio, Matt Bradbury, Victor Corbella, Wayne 
  England, Zach Graves, David Griffith, Nikolaus Ingeneri, 
  Anton Kokarev, Jorge Maese, Paulo Parente, Mark Smith, 
  David Sondered, Chase Toole
  Art Direction
  Zoë Robinson
  Production Manager
  Gabe Laulunen
  FFG Lead Game Designer
  Corey Konieczka
  FFG Lead Game Producer
  Michael Hurley
  Publisher
  Christian T. Petersen
  Games Workshop
  Licensing Manager
  Owen Rees
  Head of Licensing
  Paul Lyons
  Head of Intellectual Property
  Alan Merrett
  Special Thanks
   “You Bid Babies?!” Jordan “Milly” Millward with Keri Harthoorn, 
  Kyle Harthoorn-Burton, Kieren Smith, and Julia Smith.  “The 
  Wise Guys” David Wiley Holton, Chuck Boyer, Scott Boyer, 
  Dana Severance, Jared McGee, and Mark Belhumeur. “Furies 
  for everyone!” David R. Schumpert III esq. with Pierre 
  Wagenseil, Martin Linde, Adam Schumpert, and David Hudock. 
  ”Unrepentant,” Lachlan “Raith” Conley, Jordan Dixon, Nick 
  Maroney, and Brad Twaddell. “FFG Crew of the Golden Dawn” Tod 
  Gelle, James Hata, Kyle Hough, Mack Martin, Thaadd Powell, and 
  Ross Watson.
  FANTASY
  FLIGHT
  GAMES
  Fantasy Flight Games
  1975 West County Road B2
  Roseville, MN 55113
  USA
  Copyright © Game Workshop Limited 2010. Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer 40,000 Role Play, Rogue Trader, 
  Edge of the Abyss, the foregoing marks’ respective logos, Rogue Trader, and all associated marks, logos, places, names, creatures, races and 
  race insignia/devices/logos/symbols, vehicles, locations, weapons, units and unit insignia, characters, products and illustrations from the 
  Warhammer 40,000 universe and the Rogue Trader game setting are either ®, ™, and/or © Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2010, variably 
  registered in the UK and other countries around the world. This edition published under license to Fantasy Flight Publishing Inc. All 
  rights reserved to their respective owners. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any 
  form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
  ISBN: 978-1-58994-795-5    Product Code: RT05     Print ID: 852AUG10
  Printed in China
  For more information about the Rogue Trader line, free downloads, answers 
  to rule queries, or just to pass on greetings, visit us online at
  www.FantasyFlightGames.com
  Credits
  
  3
  Contents
  Contents
  Contents
  Contents
  Chapter I: Legends Myths and Lies
  Legends, Myths and Lies ........................................................6
  Chapter II: Islands in the Void
  Lucin’s Breath ....................................................................... 16
  The Dominion of Mazes ..................................................... 21
  The Stations of Passage ....................................................... 25
  Naduesh ................................................................................ 30
  The Breaking Yards at SR-651 .......................................... 32
  The Ragged Worlds ............................................................. 35
  The Siren Star ....................................................................... 38
  Somnium VIII ....................................................................... 40
  Illisk ....................................................................................... 43
  The Serpent’s Cradle ........................................................... 46
  Chapter III: Foes and Rivals
  The Orks of Undred-Undred Teef ..................................... 50
  The Eldar .............................................................................. 58
  The Kroot .............................................................................. 66
  The Rak’Gol ......................................................................... 70
  The Stryxis ............................................................................ 75
  Chaos Reavers ...................................................................... 80
  Chaos Powers and Psykana Maliﬁ ca ................................. 82
  Imperial Organisations ........................................................ 90
  The Disciples of Thule ........................................................ 90
  House Krin ............................................................................ 91
  The Kasballica Mission ....................................................... 93
  The Blessed Apostles of Saint Asceline ............................. 94
  The Inquisition ..................................................................... 95
  The Cortelax Confederacy .................................................. 96
  Salvatorum Laborus ............................................................. 97
  Chapter IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  Calligos Winterscale ..........................................................100
  Aspyce Chorda ...................................................................104
  Jonquin Saul ........................................................................107
  Aoife Armengarde ..............................................................110
  Sarvus Trask ........................................................................113
  Wrath Umboldt ..................................................................115
  Chapter V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  The Setting .........................................................................118
  GM’s Brief ...........................................................................118
  Egaria Omega .....................................................................121
  Part 1: Secrets of Egaria ....................................................122
  Part 2: Into the Maze ........................................................132
  Part 3: At the Heart of the Maze .....................................136
  Conclusion ..........................................................................139
  Rewards ...............................................................................141
  Further Endeavours ............................................................141
  Antagonists and NPCs .......................................................141
  
  4
  Introduction
  Introduction
  Introduction
  Introduction
  “All that you know is left at the entrance to the Maw.” 
  –Darius Xerxes, Master Helmsman
  T
  he edge of the map, the places that haven’t been ﬁ lled in 
  by the scholars of the Adeptus Terra, is where hundreds, 
  if not thousands, of Rogue Traders ﬂ ock like carrion ﬂ ies 
  upon a bloated and rotting carcass. This is the Koronus Expanse; 
  the end of space, and the proverbial edge of the abyss.
  For the past seven hundred years, this area of space has been 
  open to exploration—and exploitation—by the High Lords of 
  Terra, and is the subject of much speculation and rumour. It is 
  a place of unexplored and unmitigated danger, and treacherous 
  intrigues. This region of uncharted space within the Halo Stars 
  is home to deadly xenos races, mysterious worlds untouched 
  by humanity, and, perhaps, the doom or salvation of the vast 
  Imperium of Man. Within the Koronus Expanse lies untapped 
  wealth, adventure, danger, and slumbering beasts.
  This is the place marked ‘Here Be Monsters.” It is a realm 
  of secrets man was not meant to know, but is sure to ﬁ nd—
  one way or another.
  THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS
  EDGE OF THE ABYSS is a sourcebook designed for the ROGUE 
  TRADER Roleplaying Game, and is intended as resource for both 
  players and GMs to the area of space known as the Koronus 
  Expanse. It expands upon the material already presented in the 
  ROGUE TRADER Core Rulebook, and gives new perspective to 
  this unexplored, dangerous, and exciting area of space.
  Within the pages of this sourcebook, readers will ﬁ nd 
  background on the various legends, myths, and lies that have 
  been passed amongst Rogue Traders and their crews since 
  this area was ﬁ rst heard of during the Angevin Crusades. It 
  also contains information on several worlds the Explorers can 
  encounter in their adventures through the region. EDGE OF 
  THE ABYSS also presents new material on the various xenos 
  races that dwell within the Expanse, 
  including the Eldar, the Orks of the Undred-Undred 
  Teef, the Stryxis, and the savage Rak’Gol. In addition, 
  there’s background information on the various famous (or 
  infamous) Rogue Traders that operate in and around the 
  region, including names such as Aoife Armengarde, Calligos 
  Winterscale, Aspyce Chorda, and more. Finally, EDGE OF THE 
  ABYSS rounds out and concludes with an adventure for the 
  Explorers to test their mettle against the myriad dangers of 
  the Koronus Expanse.
  The Expanse lies just beyond the edge of the Imperium, 
  beckoning seductively to explorers and adventurers. Those 
  who beware the dangers and brave the unknown will either 
  ﬁ nd vast wealth or immense misfortune. 
  WHAT’S IN THIS BOOK?
  EDGE OF THE ABYSS is divided into ﬁ ve chapters. Chapter I 
  provides information on the various tales and voidfarer legends 
  surrounding the Koronus Expanse, in the form of adventure 
  seeds, ﬁ rst-hand accounts, and handouts.
  Chapter II presents a detailed description of some of the 
  worlds within the Koronus Expanse. This section contains 
  information such as planetary descriptions, principle organisations 
  operating on these worlds, as well as opportunities for proﬁ t and 
  endeavours regarding each of these detailed worlds.
  Chapter III provides useful insight and information on 
  the various xenos races that exist within the Koronus Expanse, 
  and the myriad organisations operating within and vying for 
  control of the region. Background information and adventure 
  seeds are provided on these xenos races to help Game Masters 
  integrate this material into their own games and campaigns.
  There are hundreds of Rogue Traders operating within the 
  Expanse, but only a few have gained the notoriety and infamy 
  necessary to be counted amongst the great. Chapter IV explains 
  and expands upon these famous (and sometimes infamous) 
  Rogue Traders along with their ships and areas of operation. 
  These famous Rogue Traders are provided as allies or rivals for a 
  crew of Explorers: to serve as friends, role models or bitter foes.
  Chapter V presents Vaults of the Forgotten, an adventure of 
  survival and horror set amongst the Egarian Dominion.
  background on the various legends, myths, and lies that have 
  been passed amongst Rogue Traders and their crews since 
  this area was ﬁ rst heard of during the Angevin Crusades. It 
  also contains information on several worlds the Explorers can 
  encounter in their adventures through the region. EDGE OF 
  THE ABYSS also presents new material on the various xenos 
  Rogue Traders along with their ships and areas of operation. 
  These famous Rogue Traders are provided as allies or rivals for a 
  crew of Explorers: to serve as friends, role models or bitter foes.
  Chapter V presents Vaults of the Forgotten, an adventure of 
  survival and horror set amongst the Egarian Dominion.
  4
  THE ABYSS also presents new material on the various xenos 
  races that dwell within the Expanse, 
  survival and horror set amongst the Egarian Dominion.
   -From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 095.799.M41
  My name is Mallachai Stern, confessor and missionary in the God-Emperor’s name, and these are my recordings of what I 
  have seen in my many travels of the Koronus Expanse. 
  This is the tenth foray I have made as Confessor aboard this mighty vessel, the Holy Word, under the flag of de Kane. 
  She is sure and fit for the journey, but I have less faith in the crew my captain has brought on during our resupply at Port 
  Wander. Are they ready for that which awaits a man inside the Koronus Expanse? We’ll know soon enough, however. I pray to 
  the Emperor that the proper supplications to our mighty vessel have been heard, and that she will bear us home again. Faith, 
  amid these dark days, is in short supply.
  I look to the stars that hang in the void as we near the transition point that will carry us from the space of our port to the 
  vast storms guarding the entrance to the Koronus Expanse-the aptly-named “Maw.” May the Emperor protect us on our journey 
  through the Immaterium as we approach the gates. Who know what wonders-or horrors-we may find once we cross into the abyss?
  
  5
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  THINGS THAT 
  MAN SHOULD 
  NOT KNOW
  •
  SHADOWS OF 
  EVENTS
  
  6
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  Chapter I: 
  Legends, 
  Myths, and 
  Lies
  “That which I do not possess, I crave. That which I cannot claim, 
  I despise. That which I should not know, I am compelled to learn. 
  That which I own, I tire of. And that which I once called mine, I 
  mourn. Is it the nature of man to desire that which we lack; a sense of 
  untamed curiosity and unrestrained greed that drives us to have more 
  than we need and need more than we have? Is it a curse, that we seek 
  the unknown against all better judgement and heedless of cost? Or is 
  it merely the darker part of ambition, the cost of our aspirations to 
  become greater? I know not... for curiosity is something I possess in 
  abundance, and thus I care not to look upon it when I can look to 
  newer things.”
  –Excerpt from the Journal of Parsimus Dewain
  T
  here are no absolute truths for those exploring the 
  Expanse, merely the whispers and misconceptions of 
  men, the legends and fragmented histories of things 
  that should, by all rights, be impossible, or at the very least, 
  highly improbable. That is, at the core of it, the nature of 
  the Koronus Expanse—a place of impossible things, some 
  wondrous and others terrible, a graveyard of dead gods and 
  the resting place of slumbering horrors amidst unimaginable 
  treasures and limitless opportunities for glory. Great men 
  and women have given their lives to see what the Expanse 
  holds, while others have found their sanity shattered or 
  once-noble intentions twisted by what they ﬁ nd. The lucky 
  and daring few who have come back more or less intact 
  bring with them tales that do nothing but inspire the next 
  generation of daring explorers. And so the cycle continues, 
  and will continue, as long as people exist who see danger as 
  merely the cost of opportunity.
  A great many things are afoot within the Expanse, from 
  the politics of Port Wander and Footfall, to the fates of distant 
  colonies that shudder beneath the light of tainted stars and 
  dread storms, to the things that lingered in the darkness before 
  Mankind ever ventured beyond the Maw, and the other forces 
  that have come to exploit the wonders and horrors that lay 
  in wait. Presented here is a small selection of those things, 
  legends ranging from the epic and world-shattering, to the 
  tall tales of voidsmen told in dank taverns over cups of 
  dubious liquor, and the footnotes of ancient historians 
  whose works gather dust for generations.
  THINGS THAT MAN SHOULD NOT 
  KNOW
  There are many plots, perils and mysteries present 
  within the Koronus Expanse, some obvious, some less 
  obvious. Within this chapter, and within this book as a 
  whole, are hints and suggestions of what those things 
  may be, many of which are intended to remain just 
  that—hints. 
  The Koronus Expanse is huge and the worlds thus 
  far explored are only the start of what might be out 
  there. Similarly, what is revealed about the worlds and 
  factions present within the Expanse represent only 
  part of their nature. In all cases, plenty of room has 
  been left for people to do as they will within an entire 
  sector of largely-uncharted space.
  This book is a guide to get GMs started, to spark 
  your own ideas and provide inspiration for endeavours 
  and campaigns for a long time to come. 
  
  7
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  Datemark: 9403528.M41
  Local Chronology: 147th day of year 528. Alpha shift.
  Alpha Shift: 4 hours, 45 minutes – Auto-Log. Translation Complete. 
  Estimated Duration of Transit: 123 days. Navigatorium Powered Down. Void 
  Shields Active.
  Alpha Shift: 4 hours, 50 minutes – Lord-Captain Gideon Herain. “My Navigator 
  informs me that there is ample reason for our emerging from the Warp two 
  weeks ahead of schedule. He proceeded to elaborate in great and needless 
  detail about ‘unexpected Aethyric crossbleed’ or some such nonsense. When 
  I finally got some sense out of him, his explanation was simple enough: the 
  Warp here is disturbed, and we must cross this sector in real space before 
  re-entering the Warp in order to proceed safely... adding perhaps as much 
  as a month and a half to our journey. What has caused this disturbance, 
  however, remains unknown.”
  Alpha Shift: 5 hours, 25 minutes – Auto-Log. Passive Augurs Have Discerned 
  Object. Distance is 4.0E+5 Kilometres in Port-side/Ventral Augury arc. 
  High Levels of Ionising Radiation Detected. High Levels of Warp Energy 
  Detected.
  Alpha Shift: 5 hours, 33 minutes – Lord-Captain Gideon Herain. “My Enginseer-
  Prime confirms the findings of the Augury systems; his electromantic 
  rituals suggest something intriguing. All the omens point to a vessel, a 
  rare and advanced one. The prospect of valuable salvage brightens my mood 
  considerably.”
  Alpha Shift: 5 hours, 35 minutes – Enginseer-Prime Arviland Maegallask. 
  “The omens are clear, yet the conclusions confusing. The vessel’s emissions 
  are not indicative of an Imperial vessel, nor of any known xenos species’ 
  technology. My initial hypothesis was that the vessel belonged to an unknown 
  xenos species, but the vessel does seem to demonstrate qualities similar 
  to certain Standard Template Construct designs I have encountered. I would 
  hesitate to define my present emotive state as one of eagerness, but there 
  is a certain anticipation that muddles the flesh-remnants of my brain.”
   Unfortunately, the Augury logs were not recoverable from the message, so we 
  cannot analyse the  findings. The ship’s log became partially unrecoverable 
  at this point.
  Alpha Shift: 8 hours, 13 minutes – Flight Lieutenant Kristof Tobar, remote 
  log from Shuttle via Vox-Link. “Boarding team departing from Glorious Aegis, 
  estimated time to arrival: 24 minutes.”
  ///Document Desc.: Ship’s Log Excerpt 
  from the Glorious Aegis///
  +++CLASSIFIED+++
  ++ The prow is armoured because the stern never faces the enemy ++
  Ask Laomyr to follow up on 
  this–
  R. W.
  
  8
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  Alpha Shift: 8 hours, 34 minutes – Enginseer-Prime Arviland Maegallask, remote 
  log from Shuttle via Vox-Link. “Upon closer inspection, my earlier theories appear 
  to have been correct; there are definite STC qualities present in this vessel. As 
  presiding Priest of the Machine-God, I am compelled by tradition to provide the 
  vessel with a designation: Praecursor. The Lieutenant has just identified what 
  registers as a docking bay, albeit a small one. We approach.”
  Alpha Shift: 8 hours, 46 minutes – Auto-Log. Alpha Shift Concluding. Commencing 
  Beta Shift.
  Beta Shift: 0 hours, 17 minutes – Flight Lieutenant Kristof Tobar, remote log from 
  Shuttle via Vox-Link. “It’s taken us longer than expected to dock. The shuttle’s 
  machine spirit didn’t seem to want to commune with the Praecursor. I’ve not seen 
  anything like it. I had to hand control over to the Enginseer so he could soothe the 
  shuttle and convince it to proceed. Something’s gotten it rattled.”
  Beta Shift: 0 hours, 19 minutes – Enginseer-Prime Arviland Maegallask, remote log 
  from Praecursor, via Vox-Link. “Omnissiah forgive my weakness, but this vessel is a 
  marvel. I have not seen such sophistication, even upon...” +Recording Lost+
  Beta Shift: 0 hours, 27 minutes – +Data Corrupted+
  Beta Shift: 0 hours, 58 minutes – Petty Officer Solom Kaneer, remote log from 
  Praecursor, via Vox-Link. +Recording Indecipherable+ “... shot the Lieutenant! I 
  didn’t realise the Enginseer was even armed! I can hear him approaching now...“ 
  +Recording Lost+
  Beta Shift: 2 hours, 22 minutes – Lord-Captain Gideon Herain. “The last report 
  I received from the boarding team was over an hour ago, and I could make little 
  sense of that. The Enginseer-Prime appears to have gone insane, though what caused 
  this, I do not know. I have summoned an Astropath to send the ship’s logs to you, 
  Inquisitor.”
  Beta Shift: 2 hours, 26 minutes – Enginseer-Prime Arviland Maegallask, location 
  unknown. ERROR. “Such things I have seen-felt-known. Such things the Praecursor has 
  shown me. It wants to go home. It wants to share its secrets.”
  Beta Shift: 2 hours, 37 minutes – Lord-Captain Gideon Herain. “The Praecursor is 
  moving. It flares with light and power and something which makes my skin crawl, even 
  at this distance. It slowly approaches us. I have ordered the ship to re-enter the 
  Immaterium. The Navigator assures me that the preparations shall take only another 
  five minutes.”
  Beta Shift: 2 hours, 38 minutes – Auto-Log. Macrobatteries Discharge.
  Beta Shift: 2 hours, 40 minutes – Lord-Captain Gideon Herain. “No effect. I’ve 
  just unloaded a full broadside to no effect, against an unshielded, derelict ship 
  barely the size of a frigate... what is that accursed vessel? My Astropath will send 
  as soon as this log is complete. I-” +Bolt Pistol Discharge Detected+
  End Log Excerpt.
   Nothing more was ever heard of the Glorious Aegis. We are unaware if the vessel 
  ever managed to translate into the Warp or not. Certainly, it never arrived anywhere 
  that we have been able to determine. We have not had any other confirmed reports of 
  this “Praecursor” either, though there have been many unsubstantiated rumours.
  ///Document 
  Desc.: 
  Ship’s 
  Log 
  Excerpt from the Glorious Aegis 
  (continued)///
  +++CLASSIFIED+++
  ++ The prow is armoured because the stern never faces the enemy ++
  
  9
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  PORT WANDER ADMINISTRATUM: 
  OFFICIO NAVIS
  Date: 4003816.M41
  Compilator: Adept Second Class Hobarn Sennic
  For The Attention Of: Commander Larius Sans
  My Lord Commander,
  Per your instructions, I have compiled a list of vessels reported missing within the last year 
  which are known to have passed through Anomaly 616/Theta, known colloquially as “The 
  Barathrum.” We have been unable to ascertain the precise location of this anomaly, as of yet, 
  and cannot justify an expedition into a region where vessels are known to vanish without a 
  trace, so to speak. Our current intelligence suggests that the Barathrum is located somewhere 
  between the worlds of Valcetti’s Salvation, Solace Encarmine, Zayth and Naduesh, but reports 
  are obviously inconsistent.
  Date Lost, Approximate
  Vessel Name
  Vessel Classiﬁ cation
  9.012.815.M41
  Nasay’s Pride
  Frigate
  9.067.815.M41
  Cypra Fulminare
  Light Cruiser
  9.212.815.M41
  In Spite of Itself
  Raider
  9.214.815.M41
  Truth and Fortune
  Transport
  9.392.815.M41
  Silent Oblivion
  Frigate
  9.434.815.M41
  Drusus’ Blade
  Cruiser
  9.550.815.M41
  Timely Retaliation
  Light Cruiser
  9.634.815.M41
  Elsabeth
  Transport
  9.688.815.M41
  Inescapable
  Raider
  9.775.815.M41
  Ex Celeritas, Proﬁ cens
  Transport
  9.788.815.M41
  Scientia Potestas Est
  Explorator
  9.852.815.M41
  Archduke Modar
  Cruiser
  9.883.815.M41
  Child of Wrath
  Frigate
  9.956.815.M41
  Price of Ambition
  Raider
  9.962.815.M41
  Armoured in Faith
  Frigate
  
  10
  10
  10
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  NAVY DEEP VOID RECONNAISSANCE MISSION 2-11-OMEGA: 
  Compiled into Battleﬂ eet Calixis Records: 798.M41
  Logs of the Aquila’s Gaze, Vigilant Class Reconnaissance Frigate, assigned to surveillance operations against the Ork menace of 
  Undred-Undred Teef. 
  4,029 Hours out of Port Wander: Successful translation from the warp at the outer edges of System Designate 702-0X0-2H. 
  Beat to quarters. Ship rigged for silent running, passive augury for potential planetary bodies commencing. 
  4,031 Hours out of Port Wander: Preliminary auguries complete. One stellar body and three planetary bodies detected. 
  Stellar body classiﬁ ed as Umber–III (corpse-star). Planetary Body Primus, telluric planet .5 AU from primary, 5,000 km diameter, 
  no observed satellites. Planetary Body Secundus, jovian planet 1.2 AU from primary, 45,000 km diameter, 8 observed satellites. 
  Planteary Body Tertius, telluric planet 14.9 AU from primary, 9,500 km diameter, 1 possible observed satellite. Preliminary 
  reports negative for hostile presence. Beginning secondary augury sweep. 
  4,034 Hours out of Port Wander: Secondary auguries complete. Primus atmosphere non-existent. Secundus atmosphere 
  helium-argon mix. Tertius atmosphere carbon-dioxide nitrogen reducing atmosphere. Auguries negative for life-signs or hostile 
  presence within system. Entering system at one-third forward, commencing tertiary (active) augury sweep.
  4,068 Hours out of Port Wander: Tertiary auguries complete.  No additional relevant information to report. Standing down 
  from general quarters. 
  4,097 Hours out of Port Wander: Signal detected from Planetary Body Tertius. Signal weak and intermittent, unable to 
  resolve. May be Imperial in origin. Beginning quartary (active-focused) augury sweep of Planetary Body Tertius. 
  4,100 Hours out of Port Wander: Potential satellite orbiting Tertius reclassiﬁ ed possible starship. Course change, approaching 
  Tertius full forward. Hailing possible starship.
  4,102 Hours out of Port Wander: No response from hails. Beat to quarters.  
  4,108 Hours out of Port Wander: Approaching to maximum weapon range. Signal decrypted as distress beacon from starship 
  Gaunt Triumph out of Footfall. 
  4,109 Hours out of Port Wander: Beginning ﬁ nal approach. Target remains unresponsive. Boarding parties to shuttles. 
  4,110.5 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding parties away.
  4,111 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding parties transmit preliminary reports. Ship exterior sustained minor damage. Ship 
  interior sustained moderate to severe damage. Damage appears to be inﬂ icted from small arms and explosive devices. Crew status: 
  missing. 
  4,112 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding parties located 11 surviving crew members. Whereabouts of remaining approximate 
  100,000 crew unknown. Interrogation of survivors inconclusive.
  4,112.25 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding party Delta does not respond to hails. Dispatching party Beta to bridge to 
  investigate. 
  4,112.5 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding party Beta and Gamma do not respond to hails. Regrouping boarding parties. 
  Dispatching reinforcements. 
  4,110.6 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding party Alpha receives vox-fragment, potentially transmission from party Beta. 
  Alpha reports three rescued survivors missing.
  4,110.65 Hours out of Port Wander: Remaining boarding parties report rescued survivors wildly attacking armsmen. Boarding 
  party Zeta does not respond to hails. 
  4,110.7 Hours out of Port Wander: Boarding parties withdrawn from Gaunt Triumph. Two survivors retrieved by boarding 
  party Alpha. Marker buoy deployed. 
  4,112 Hours out of Port Wander: All reports from boarding parties and auguries of target sealed under authority of the 
  captain. Survivors placed in stasis. Departing orbit of Tertius at two-thirds full, setting course for Koronus Passage.
  The Aquilla’s Gaze was ordered to proceed directly to the Tricorn on Scintilla, under 
  Inquisitorial Mandate, and was subsequently reassigned to operations in the Margin Crusade. Ship 
  lost with all hands in the Jericho Reach, 804.M41. 
  But who gave the orders for re-
  assignment?
  
  11
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  +++Sealed under Security Level Vermillion+++
  +++Tricorn Inquisitorial Archives, Scintilla+++
  +++Vox and Pict Fragment received during boarding of target Gaunt Triumph, System 
  Designate 702-0X0-2H+++
  [Image shows grainy footage of corridor illuminated by several stab-lights. Image appears 
  to be taken from helmet pict-corder.]
  [Voice Designated: Subject 1]...this is boarding team Beta, approaching the starboard 
  companion-ways on Deck 31. If I’m right, this should take us into the enginarium...
  [Image focuses on bulkheads. Weapon scarring apparent, consistent with las-strikes and 
  impacts from shotcannon]
  [Subject 1] This area is really shot up. Las, shot-pattern, scorching from boarding 
  ﬂ amers...
  [Voice Designated: Subject 2] Someone was putting up one damned strong ﬁ ght.
  [Voice Designated: Subject 3] But Chief, if that’s what happened, where’s the bodies? 
  Haven’t seen one yet.
  [Subject 2] Yeah...that’s what scares me.
  [Subject 1] Stow the commentary, boys... 
  [Pause, image loses focus, refocuses on bulkhead door. Individual in void suit consistent 
  with Naval armsman moves towards door.]
  [Voice Designated: Subject 4] Appears like someone welded her shut, sir.
  [Subject 1] Probably for a reason...let’s ﬁ gure out why. Chief, get it open.
  [Second suited ﬁ gure moves to door. Glare, intermittent ﬂ ashes consistent with thermal 
  lance.]
  [Image lost for 349 seconds. Resumes, new corridor. Bulkhead walls appear warped, as if 
  subjected to intense heat.]
  [Subject 3: registering heightened stress levels] Don’t like this at all...
  [Subject 2] Stow it! Did you hear that?
  [Recording does not indicate any sound.]
  [Subject 4] Sounds like someone...crying? 
  [Subject 1] Through there. Let’s check it...carefully now, boys...
  [Vid image lost. Sound continues intermittently.]
  [Subject 1]...we’re not going to hurt you, mamselle...just come out from there...
  [Subject 2: registering disgust] Look at her ﬁ ngers. The tips, they’re down to the bone. 
  What was she doing? 
  [Subject 3]...what she saying...can’t make it out...
  [Sound interference begins to gradually increase]
  [Subject 2]...wait, ‘the echoes singing’? What the Emperor does she mean by that?
  [Subject 4: registering extreme stress levels] Oh, Celestine’s blessed bones. Look at her 
  eyes—
  [High pitched scream cuts off comments. Indistinct shouting registering panic and high 
  stress, punctuated by rapid shotcannon ﬁ re.]
  [Subject 1: shouting] Kill it! Kill it! Kil—
  [Recording ends]
  
  12
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  It was vast, so vast it blotted out the stars. Drowned them out with its glow. It came up upon us, we didn’t 
  even see it. The augurs all went dead at once, the servitors going mad in their stations. Had to put them down. 
  Blind, our ship was, but we could all see it with our eyes...pale carcass like some leviathan picked clean by sharp-
  fanged creatures, so only the bones are left.
  The captain, damn his soul, was just calling for boarding parties when the power to the bridge went out. All 
  at once, the only light was that sickly glow, coming through the viewports. I felt cold, could see my breath on 
  the air. I could see frost travelling up the bulkhead walls, as I watched!
  Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Captain Dowen. He didn’t say a word, he just pulled out his boot 
  knife and slit the helmsman’s throat. The man didn’t shout or scream, just slumped to the deck, blood pumping 
  from the wound. I just watched as Dowen wiped his blade clean and calmly stepped over to First Ofﬁ cer Tirga, 
  and slit her throat as well. 
  I remember pulling out my pistol...telling the captain to stop, pointing it at the back of his head. Everyone 
  turned to look at me, I heard them whispering to me, scratching at the back of my head with their voices. The 
  captain turned around...I saw his eyes...I remember shooting, shooting, shooting! 
  Running through the ship...voices wailing in my ears, in my mind. Hanger deck...assault boat. Climbing 
  aboard, the pilot is already inside. Only it’s not him anymore. Have to shoot him. Don’t touch the body...don’t 
  touch it. 
  Space, empty space. Except it’s not empty. All around the glow, ﬁ lls space, ﬁ lls the cockpit...ﬁ lls me. It’s 
  ahead, that thing in space. 
  Somehow...I docked. Somehow, I got aboard. I remember shouting, my echo singing back. I remember...trees? 
  Silver trees? But why do trees weep blood? 
  +++Transcript Entrusted Aboard Dues Ex Omnissiah, Departing Altar–Templum–Calixis–Est–
  17 for Altar–Templum–Calixis–Est–3. Sent 34.786.M41+++
  From: Magos Koro-Om 89
  To: Magos Iranis Trosk
  Unable to dispatch reading set 28.2338423.687B due to failure  of astropathic 
  communications. All astropaths on station lost due to Scholastica Psykana conditioned 
  self-suicide within 1 hour period of 01.786.M41. Unable to obtain replacements 
  from other Mechanicus ships in Furibundus system, as Deus Ex Omnissiah and Templum 
  Praetor’s astropaths lost in same manner. Operatives on Footfall report rumours 
  of “disturbances” in area of station known colloquially as “Pit of Voices,” known 
  astropath congregation site. Dispatch additional astropaths at once to resume 
  transmission of reading sets. 
  Message Ends
  
  13
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  TRICORN INQUISITORIAL ARCHIVE: SCINTILLA
  Name: Commander Archimedes Vost, Imperial Navy (disputed)
  Known Aliases: Unknown
  Thought for the Day: “Only the guilty fear tomorrow.”
  Details: Vost appeared above Footfall, and then upon Port Wander, in 4077816.M41, aboard the Firestorm-class 
  frigate Brutal Interdiction, a vessel with a Segmentum Obscuras registry that was not known to the dock controllers 
  at Port Wander. Retroaugury determined that the vessel originated in the vicinity of Anomaly 616/Theta, the only 
  known vessel to have emerged from the anomaly. The appearance of an unidentiﬁ ed vessel required that the ship be 
  subject to quarantine and held until its identity could be ascertained. This would, normally, have been unremarkable 
  save for the fact that the Brutal Interdiction was at the time still in the shipyards at Cypra Mundi, undergoing ﬁ nal 
  consecration, and not due to be launched for another four years.
  After discovering this, a more thorough search of the vessel, and a detailed questioning of its crew, began. 
  An oddity quickly became apparent—every cogitator and chronometer aboard the Brutal Interdiction, and the 
  recollections of the crew, all claimed that the year was 998.M41, and that the vessel was en-route to Cadia as part 
  of Battleﬂ eet Obscuras, reinforcing the Cadian Gate. Further, identity checking of Commander Archimedes Vost 
  revealed that no such ofﬁ cer existed within Battleﬂ eet Obscuras, though a man Commander Vost identiﬁ ed as his 
  grandfather—Commodore Sirranon Vost, though Commander Vost claimed that his grandfather was an Admiral—
  was located.
  Judgement: Archimedes Vost was condemned for attempting to impersonate an ofﬁ cer of the Imperial Navy, 
  and remanded into Inquisitorial custody pending in-depth interrogation. His crew were summarily executed by 
  void-exposure on 4068816.M41, with the exclusion of Navigator Antalek Nostromo, and the Adeptus Mechanicus 
  congregation, who were remanded to the custody of the Navis Nobilite and the Adeptus Mechanicus, respectively. 
  Brutal Interdiction was relocated to Cypra Mundi, where it will undergo reconsecration and be renamed.
   was relocated to Cypra Mundi, where it will undergo reconsecration and be renamed.
  13
  13
  FROM THE DESK OF ALESSAUNDER 
  VIER-MENKEN
  Entrusted aboard the sprint trader Echo of Piety, en-route to Vaxanide via Port Wander, 6908811.M41
  To my friend and backer, Tomas Schott-Machenko—a missive.
  I am glad to report great success. As I write this letter my Navigator, Rurinaeus Althadé, prepares to chart 
  a course deep within the so-called Accursed Demesne. He claims, and I believe him, for he has never steered 
  me wrong in all his years of service, to have found a wondrous place that shall lead us to ever greater fortunes.
  In the moments when I understand the subject of his speech, he chatters about it incessantly, claiming that 
  it will make his house wealthy and powerful like no other, that this discovery shall mark their grand ascendance. 
  I think instead of all the treasures it shall lead to.
  But I get ahead of myself. My Navigator speaks of a place, a frozen rogue planet in the middle of 
  the Koronus Expanse, which sits so close to the warp that one can see into the depths and far reaches of 
  the Immaterium from its surface. He likes to call it “Althadé’s Vista,” a place where one can see through 
  the Warp for hundreds of lightyears in every direction with immense clarity, allowing it to be charted with 
  unparalleled precision. Think of all that could be done with that knowledge—a plethora of lost and hidden worlds 
  laid bare so that I alone might claim their riches—less your cut, of course.
  Only Althadé knows the details of where this place is located; he has shared his charts with no other, 
  and studies them intently with every waking moment. I would fear for his sanity were I not so confident 
  of his success.
  I shall send another missive soon, my friend.
   Alessaunder Vier-Menken
  
  14
  I: Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
   Legends, Myths, and Lies
  Journal Entry, 5354733.M41
  I heard tell of this most fanciful tale earlier, as I dined in the wardroom. It was the kind of myth 
  that bubbles up from amongst the enlisted men and the junior officers, old voidsmen’s tales that 
  are too bizarre to be true. Nonetheless, it amused me to listen and ponder its absurdity, and to now 
  record it for the sake of a little nostalgia in later days.
  One of the lieutenants spoke of the bazaar that gathers behind the loading cranes on the starboard 
  gun deck every twenty-fourth shift. I’d heard of it before—the cargo crews put a few containers 
  aside every now and again, and it gets distributed out to the crew that way. The captain gets his 
  cut of the profits, and it keeps morale up, so as long as it doesn’t get out of hand, nobody much 
  cares. Anyway, the lieutenant mentioned the quartermaster, Mister Garvel—an old enlisted man 
  who keeps things in line during bazaar shifts—and his stories, wild and fanciful things, as I’ve 
  mentioned.
  The last bazaar shift gone, maybe four days ago now, the lieutenant had gone below to pick up a 
  few items and trade a few of the spoils of war from a recent boarding action. He stopped to listen to 
  one of the old quartermaster’s tales, who sat near a thermal exchange talking to some of the newer 
  ratings who were off-duty at the time. Mister Garvus told this tale of a trader, millennia ago, 
  before the Maw was ever open, that somehow managed to cross into the Expanse by accident from 
  somewhere else in the galaxy. They ended up in orbit around this world, inhabited by primitive 
  xenos who had barely developed civilisation. Damaged and stranded, the ship needed time to be 
  repaired, and was lacking in supplies, so the captain decided to send down landing parties to 
  replenish their supply vaults.
  So primitive were these xenos that they literally cast themselves to the ground in worship of the 
  landing parties, seeing the men—so strange to their eyes—descend from the skies in lighters, and 
  the men soon returned to orbit, the holds of their lighters full to bursting with tribute from these 
  worshipful xenos.
  Hearing of this, the captain struck upon an idea, and set about the exploitation of this world—
  he sent men to every corner of it to gather tribute, and his most learned men would be charged 
  with teaching the creatures Gothic so as to ease communication. It seemed that these creatures 
  actually believed that the ship’s crew were gods from beyond the sky. A common enough notion, 
  really—there are many primitive human worlds who believe that of the Imperium, after all.
  After four years, using these xenos to resupply their vaults and fill their holds with treasure, 
  and to mine the metals needed to repair the ship, the captain prepared to depart. His vessel entered 
  the Immaterium, and was never seen again.
  Reportedly, this tale comes from a single, solitary lifeboat that emerged from the Warp, centuries 
  later, above an Imperial world. The Inquisition heard of the survivors’ claims, apparently, and they 
  too were never seen again. In the ages since mankind first found these creatures, the quartermaster 
  told, they have continued to worship the men from beyond the sky and their distant lord, and 
  over time had even managed to salvage parts from the ship where it had been destroyed, building 
  their civilisation up from the remains of human technology. It is apparently said that these... oh, 
  what was the word he used... “Anthropolatrists”—apparently it means “those who worship men as 
  gods”—would by now be taking their first steps into the galaxy, upon ships of human design, 
  speaking a human tongue and worshipping the God-Emperor of all things, waiting for the day 
  when they will encounter the species they believe to be divine.
  Utter nonsense if you ask me, but the men seem to like that sort of thing.
  
  15
  15
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  LUCIN’S BREATH
  •
  THE DOMINION OF 
  MAZES
  •
  THE STATIONS OF 
  PASSAGE
  •
  NADUESH
  •
  THE BREAKING 
  YARDS OF SR-561
  •
  THE RAGGED WORLDS
  •
  THE SIREN STAR
  •
  SOMNIUM VIII
  •
  ILLISK
  •
  THE SERPENT’S 
  CRADLE
  
  16
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  Chapter II: 
  Islands in 
  the Void
  “The void is like a vast ocean. Those worlds you live on are naught 
  but islands, around which circle the predators of the deep.” 
  –Caeluthin Baharrudor, the Stormchaser
  T
  here are a countless worlds in the Koronus Expanse. 
  Some have felt the tread of humans for millennia, 
  while others wait in the dark of space to be discovered. 
  Though the Koronus Expanse has been open to the Imperium 
  for a millennia, and known humanity for countless millennia 
  before, it is still ill-explored and largely-undiscovered. Even the 
  worlds charted by explorers still hold many secrets closely. 
  This chapter describes some of the myriad worlds of 
  the Expanse. Some are famous., such as the conﬂ ict-torn 
  and resource-rich world of Lucin’s Breath. Others, such 
  as the Serpent’s Cradle, are unknown to all but the most 
  accomplished Rogue Traders. All, however, have opportunities 
  for enterprising Explorers, and dangers waiting to spring 
  upon the unwary. 
  Lucin’s Breath
   “I will have worlds named for me, one day!”
   –Lucin Ruﬁ nius, former Commander of Port Wander
  D
  eep within the area of the Koronus Expanse called 
  Winterscale’s Realm is a frozen world which, were 
  it not for the resources found upon its surface, no 
  one would pay any heed. Lucin’s Breath is a planet covered 
  in methite-rich snow and other types of crystallized gas. 
  However, there is one resource on this dirty ball of ice that 
  can be found here in great abundance, and it has Rogue 
  Traders not only willing to kill for it, but to wage wars. This 
  resource, pure nephium, is sought out by the tech-priests 
  of the Adeptus Mechanicus for its unique properties. It is 
  something that they value highly, and they are willing to 
  reward those who deliver it handsomely.
  Discovered by Sebastian Winterscale in 258.M41, Lucin’s 
  Breath was named to mock Commander Lucin Ruﬁ nius of 
  Port Wander—an incompetent wretch who was posted there 
  to ensure he would never wield any real power. Nevertheless, 
  Ruﬁ nius boasted he would become so famous that his name 
  would adorn worlds across the Expanse. So disgusted by 
  Ruﬁ nius was Sebastian that he felt the name was appropriate 
  for one so cold and out of touch with the rest of the Imperium. 
  The world of Lucin’s Breath was once home to a xenos race 
  who fashioned cities from the rock and frozen gasses using 
  sophisticated and unknown technology. They were able to bore 
  
  17
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  into the surface of the world and create warrens and tunnels 
  that now stand empty, dark and cold as the void itself.
  Why the aliens chose to build their cities around the 
  bubbling and oozing pits of slushy tar-like nephium is a mystery. 
  There’s no obvious technology left behind, although the severe 
  cold eventually makes all metals brittle, and any material not 
  speciﬁ cally designed to operate within the deep voids eventually 
  crumbles and becomes totally useless. If this is what happened 
  to the remains the xenos left behind, none can say. 
  XENOS STRUCTURES
  No one knows for certain what happened to the lost xenos 
  race that dwelled upon this world. Yet, if the destruction 
  wrought upon the walls of their cities is any indication, they 
  may have been on the losing side of a great war. What their 
  fate was afterwards can only be guessed at.
  Scattered across the surface of this frozen world are numerous 
  clusters of xenos-made structures as what can only be called cities, 
  formed from the very gas-impregnated ice and snow that covers 
  this world and anchored deeply into the bedrock. Somehow, the 
  xenos race that existed long before the coming of man were able 
  to fashion the ice and snow into a transparent material that is far 
  stronger than ceramite or any other material found within the 
  Imperium. No one knows how they were able to achieve this, 
  yet the cities are (or rather were) breathtaking in their beauty and 
  design. Beneath these icy cities are warrens of frozen tunnels cut 
  by mysterious drills into the rock.
  Each city is clustered around a sinkhole where the 
  bubbling pools of nephium can be found. The wind-
  smoothed edges of the cities’ shattered walls are the only hint 
  of what became of the lost xenos civilisation that once thrived 
  here. It is whispered by those who are indentured to toil and 
  sweat within these dead buildings that the structures should 
  be shunned and feared; on certain nights when the planet’s 
  single pale moon shines down on these places and beneath 
  the light of certain stars, strange and thin shapes can be seen 
  within the pearlescent walls—writhing shadows trapped 
  within for all eternity.
  SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT
  For the better part of a century, stories have ﬁ ltered back to 
  the seedy taverns, bars, and underworld of the Calixis Sector 
  that Lucin’s Breath is a cursed world. Workers who manage to 
  complete their contracts with their patron Rogue Traders and 
  cartels (and those who spend any appreciable amount of time on 
  the world) speak about the strange writhing shadows that can 
  be seen moving within the glassy walls of the crumbling xenos 
  ruins. The stories say that the shadows appear as wraiths that 
  undulate and ﬂ ow with a humanoid appearance. Others state 
  that the shadows sometimes appear in the form of other, far 
  stranger shapes that have no human attributes at all. None 
  of the shadows appear consistently, and only seem 
  to appear when the planet’s single moon passes 
  overhead—reﬂ ecting the pale white light from 
  the system’s star.
  SURVIVING LUCIN’S BREATH
  Lucin’s Breath is an extremely hostile world to human existence. The 
  planet’s atmosphere is thin to the point of uselessness—although 
  if someone attempted to breath it their lungs might well freeze 
  before they suffocated. The following heavy-duty environmental 
  gear is a must if one wishes to walk on the planet’s surface:
  • Some form of rebreather with air canister. 
  • Survival suit, sealed and heated carapace armour, power 
  armour, or a void suit. 
  If an individual does not have the rebreather, he suffers 
  suffocation (see Rogue Trader, page 261). If an individual does 
  not have the proper clothing (but still has warm clothing such 
  as a cloak or coat), he can survive on the surface for a number 
  of minutes equal his Toughness Bonus, at which point he must 
  make a Difﬁ cult (–10) Toughness Test or suffer one level of 
  Fatigue. After another amount of minutes equal to his Toughness Bonus, 
  he must repeat this test—this continues until the individual either ﬁ nds shelter 
  or goes unconscious, at which point he dies in 1d10 minutes. If the individual does not 
  have any sort of warm clothing, the time becomes a number of Rounds equal to his Toughness Bonus, rather than minutes. 
  GEAR AND SUPPLIES
  The extreme cold also has an effect on weapons, sapping energy and causing components to warp, degrade, and deform. 
  Unless specially adapted for cold operations with wire heaters and the like, weapons can suffer these effects from 
  prolonged cold exposure (at least a day or more). Las weapons reduce their clip size to half normal as the cold drains their 
  charge packs. Flame weapons jam on a damage roll of 7 or higher, rather than a 9, as feed tubes freeze over. Finally, any 
  weapon that ﬁ res projectiles gains the Unreliable Trait. Plasma and melta weapons are unaffected by the cold.
  Melee weapons are also effected by the extreme cold. Chain, Shock, and Power weapons reduce the damage they deal 
  by 1, as charge packs falter and gears freeze up. 
  Lucin’s Breath is an extremely hostile world to human existence. The 
  planet’s atmosphere is thin to the point of uselessness—although 
   or suffer one level of 
  Fatigue. After another amount of minutes equal to his Toughness Bonus, 
  he must repeat this test—this continues until the individual either ﬁ nds shelter 
  
  18
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  What these shadows are or why they constantly appear is 
  totally unknown; most do not investigate the matter as long 
  as the precious nephium shipments continue uninterrupted. 
  While they seem to be nothing more than moving patterns in 
  the icy material of the walls (which some attest to either the 
  light of the moon or the inﬂ uence of various mind-altering 
  chemicals employed by the mining prods), they can be quite 
  unsettling. Recently, however, rumours have emerged from 
  Aspyce Chorda’s camp that workers have been going missing. 
  No one knows what happens to them, and there are no signs 
  left behind of their passing. Even the various gang-bosses are 
  at a loss to explain how able-bodied workers simply vanish 
  from sealed camps without a trace.
  NEPHIUM—FROZEN 
  TREASURE
  Nephium is a highly ﬂ ammable substance that has a number of 
  useful and unusual properties. While its most common use is as 
  an additive greatly enhancing promethium, nephium has other 
  properties that are little understood by the techno-magi of the 
  Adeptus Mechanicus. For one thing, nephium reacts violently 
  to organic tissues—to touch unreﬁ ned nephium with bare skin 
  usually results in eventual, painful death.
  On Lucin’s Breath, the greenish-black, tar-like nephium is 
  staggeringly pure. The entire planet is dotted with sinkholes 
  where the goo seeps to the surface. These sinkholes lead into 
  the depths of the planet and are thought to be a product of 
  the world’s unstable mantle. Why nephium is so prevalent on 
  this world is anyone’s guess, and if there’s any correlation 
  between the abundance of the semi-solid material and the 
  shattered cities of the missing xenos civilisation, no one has 
  yet found it.
  These days, the nephium is available for the taking by any 
  who are prepared to risk the lethal cold, toxic environment, 
  tremors, bandits, and Rogue Traders who have already 
  staked claims on the world. However, only those with the 
  resources to protect their claims can truly hold on to them. 
  Sinkholes are mostly found within the city ruins. Most of 
  them are now lost beneath tracts of vast Imperial machinery, 
  thermally shielded habconstructs, and gargantuan storage 
  tanks. These sites are often surrounded by a miasma of sickly 
  smog, pollution fumes and wastes produced by the mining 
  and extraction processes of the cold-wracked machine plants. 
  The equatorial regions of Lucin’s Breath are scattered with 
  the frozen ruins of miscellaneous construction machines and 
  storage tanks that were either abandoned or destroyed during 
  the Claimant Wars of 785.M41.
  The most productive of the nephium mining operations are 
  those sinkholes that have been capped with the prefabricated 
  standard template extraction vaults, which are heated by 
  oversized plasma generators, and have been dropped into 
  place from orbit by the Rogue Trader Aspyce Chorda. The 
  various systems and extractors are worked mainly by 
  captured pirates, renegades, and servants of rival 
  claimants to the wealth of this world.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  Scattered across the surface, and beneath the crust itself, are 
  numerous sites of interest to intrepid Explorers. The very 
  environment of Lucin’s Breath is inimical to human life. 
  The temperatures are so low that an unprotected human will 
  freeze solid in moments, and the very air condenses and falls 
  as snow. Amid this frozen hell, small squads of House Troops 
  ﬁ ght near-constant shadow wars for the rich sinkholes and 
  nephium pits, in clear violation of the Nephium Compact.
  THE MINES
  Mining heads are scattered across the surface of Lucin’s Breath, 
  from pole to pole. The mines are controlled by a number of 
  different interests, though the majority are under the authority 
  of Calligos Winterscale or Aspyce Chorda. Each mine head is 
  different, depending on the resources available to construct it. 
  However, they all follow the same general pattern. The capping 
  head itself is usually a vast steel or adamantium dome that encases 
  the sinkhole and allows the workers to operate machinery at 
  something approaching a habitable environment. Vast ﬁ ltration 
  pumps within the cap slowly siphon the viscous ooze, draw off 
  impurities, and store the raw nephium in outer stowage tanks. 
  Partially buried airtight walkways connect the caps to 
  miner habs, workshops, and genatoria facilities. The mines 
  also have landing pads for tanker shuttles, and—inevitably due 
  to the Claimant Wars—weapon emplacements and airtight 
  
  19
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
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  II: Islands in the Void
  bunkers. The average mine head may have as few as thirty crew 
  members, or as many as several hundred, depending on the size 
  of the sinkhole and the strength of the defences. 
  Beyond these similarities, however, every mine head is 
  different. The mines controlled by Calligos Winterscale are 
  ancient, sprawling complexes, some centuries old. Over the 
  years the miners built additional ramshackle constructions 
  and expansions, until the original mine buildings are all but 
  indistinguishable from the later construction. Some have even 
  turned into small communities of rough miners and their families. 
  By contrast, Chorda’s mines are STC extraction vaults, 
  dropped from orbit onto promising sinkholes, and are a model 
  of grim efﬁ ciency. However, a visitor will notice they have 
  no sealed hanger bays, just landing pads for tanker shuttles. 
  Chorda is in the habit of putting her captured prisoners and 
  slaves to work at the mine-heads, and they are dropped from 
  orbit with the vaults. There is no way to leave one of her 
  mines—new “recruits” and supplies are thrown from the 
  tanker shuttles, where their only hope is to reach one of the 
  vault’s airlocks before they freeze. If a mine crew doesn’t 
  produce, Chorda can shut off the vault’s plasma generator, 
  condemning them to a slow and very cold death. 
  VICTORY STATION
  Victory Station is an orbital reﬁ nery-station/military depot 
  constructed several centuries ago by the Winterscale dynasty, 
  and now controlled by Calligos Winterscale. It is an old 
  station, heavily armoured and battle-scarred from countless 
  conﬂ icts, in geosynchronous orbit over the nephium ﬁ elds 
  controlled by Calligos. 
  Victory station is a heavily modiﬁ ed Chasm class void-
  station, a ring construction roughly as large as a cruiser. It 
  has a small population for its size—only 20,000 souls. These 
  unfortunates maintain the leaky and deteriorating structure, 
  harvest foodstuffs from the starch-vats and protein pits, and 
  supply it to Winterscale’s mines on the planet’s surface. In turn, 
  they receive a steady stream of raw nephium from those mines, 
  which is reﬁ ned and stored, waiting for dynasty transports. 
  Victory is a cheerless place, its population ground down by 
  the unending work and the constant threat that a leak or reﬁ nery 
  malfunction could ignite the pure nephium and incinerate the 
  entire station. However, the station does have several ship-berths 
  capable of void-ship repairs, and the station also sells supplies 
  at inﬂ ated prices. This is enough to entice some ships to visit, 
  though they must deal with Winterscale or his intermediaries 
  to obtain a safe-route through the thick mineﬁ eld that protects 
  the station. Once aboard, any dealings go through Dom Daruos, 
  Victory Station’s tight-ﬁ sted and overworked chief foreman. 
  THE SKULL PIT
  The “Skull Pit” (so dubbed by the local miners, indentured 
  workers and visiting Rogue Traders of Lucin’s Breath) is 
  all that remains of a once successful nephium extraction 
  operation run by Aspyce Chorda. The facility itself was once 
  home to over three hundred indentured slaves, convicts, and 
  captured raiders who were put to work under the guns of the 
  infamous Rogue Trader.
  Roughly two years ago, in 814.M41, all contact with the site 
  ceased. It was thought that the severe cold was playing havoc 
  with the comm arrays, but when the tech-crew dispatched 
  to investigate arrived, they found the entire facility empty 
  of workers save for one man, Valsetto Haine, a former raider 
  commander who was captured and put to work in exchange 
  for his life. The entire hab was littered with clothing, tools and 
  other evidence of a routine workday. There were no signs of 
  a struggle; they had simply vanished. Half-eaten food cooled 
  on tables; bunks looked recently slept-in. The only thing they 
  could get from Valsetto, who was completely mad, were the 
  words “touch the pool...touch the pool...” over and over again.
  When investigators checked the nephium sinkhole and its 
  pool of ooze, they found a horriﬁ c scene: polished white skulls 
  arranged around the perimeter of the sinkhole, all turned away 
  from the pool with their empty eye sockets staring back at 
  those who approached. Valsetto was charged with the deaths of 
  all the occupants of the site and executed for his crimes. What 
  really happened to the other miners is anyone’s guess, but no 
  one has tried to reclaim the cursed sinkhole, nor have they 
  made any attempts to remove the skulls that ring the nephium 
  pool—skulls that match the exact number of missing workers 
  assigned to the facility...minus one.
  THE WRECKS
  When the most recent Claimant War began, both Chorda and 
  Winterscale brought massive military assets to bear against 
  one another. The site of one of the largest clashes in that 
  war is now the largest junkyard on the planet. Simply called 
  “the Wrecks,” this area near the lower equatorial region is 
  home to hundreds of wrecked and ruined mining vehicles, 
  troop transports, aircraft, and more. All of them are covered 
  in centimetres of methane ice and snow, scavenged over and 
  over in the years that following the great battle.
  A small group of nomadic scavengers, called Shrivs by 
  the locals, crawl over the frozen metal beasts like parasites, 
  removing anything of value from them and then selling them 
  back to the respective Rogue Traders or their agents. 
  The Shrivs and the Wrecks can prove a valuable resource 
  for a Rogue Trader and his crew, although getting in touch 
  with them can prove problematic. Neither of the factions that 
  controls Lucin’s Breath appreciate a third faction living off 
  their losses, and both occasionally send purge-teams into the 
  Wrecks to hunt down the nomads. In turn, the Shrivs have 
  begun relying on representatives who live in Victory Station or 
  amongst Chorda’s mining encampments. These representatives 
  remain anonymous, but approach those looking for supplies 
  or items with an offer to meet their demands. If interested, 
  they are supplied with a vox-frequency to arrange a meeting 
  with the Shrivs. Though the items they can provide are not 
  particularly rare or exotic, the Shrivs know their bargaining 
  position is weak and do not ask much in return. 
  The Shrivs can provide items with a rarity of Average 
  or lower, and all Acquisition Tests made to obtain items 
  through them gain a +5 bonus due to the Shriv’s 
  discount. If the GM wishes, he can have the 
  Shrivs provide rarer items, though in those 
  cases, the Shrivs might ask more in return. 
  
  20
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  THE CLAIMANT WARS
  “It’s a cold, icy, dirty little world, and once I rid myself of that 
  troublesome wench Chorda, I’ll wipe it clean of the vermin infesting 
  it and put House Winterscale back in control... where it belongs!”
  –Calligos Winterscale, on Lucin’s Breath
  Not only is pure nephium a valuable resource, it’s also the key 
  to gaining the favour of many forge worlds within the nearby 
  Calixis Sector and elsewhere. The tech-priests of the Adeptus 
  Mechanicus value nephium not only for its efﬁ cacy as a fuel 
  additive, but also for the other properties it exhibits. From 
  the time the world was claimed by Sebastian Winterscale, 
  his Dynasty enjoyed unrivalled control of this world and the 
  prestigious and lucrative trade that went with it. For centuries, 
  House Winterscale had been able to hold their claim to Lucin’s 
  Breath because of the power they possess. Recently, however, 
  Aspyce Chorda challenged House Winterscale’s claim to this 
  world by simply invading it. Because Lady Chorda possessed 
  the resources and power to hold on to the territory she 
  claimed, there was little House Winterscale could legally do. 
  Thus, the result of Chorda’s invasion was a series of Claimant 
  Wars fought for total possession of this world. These wars 
  have been highly lucrative to Rogue Traders outside of 
  this conﬂ ict, as they have been able to negotiate contracts 
  transporting and guarding the precious nephium shipments 
  for both sides of the war.
  The most recent of these bloody and vicious battles was 
  fought between the forces of Calligos Winterscale, the 
  current head of House Winterscale, and the Rogue 
  Trader Aspyce Chorda in 785.M41. This was 
  thought to be the bloodiest Claimant War 
  fought to date, with countless dead on 
  both sides and tonnes of machines lost; scattered across the 
  great equatorial region of the planet.
  NEPHIUM COMPACT
  As the Claimant War continued and lives and resources were 
  expended in the process, the ﬂ ow of nephium was brought 
  to a virtual stand-still. Eventually, after reaching a stalemate 
  in the conﬂ ict, both sides entered into an unprecedented 
  settlement: the Nephium Compact.
  According to the terms of the Nephium Compact, the world 
  of Lucin’s Breath is equally divided between the Houses of 
  Winterscale and Chorda until such time as “honourable writ 
  and claim can be established” over ownership of the world. 
  The signing of the compact was so wildly out of character 
  for both the mercurial Calligos Winterscale and the merciless 
  Aspyce Chorda that wild rumours circulate on occasion about 
  how some other force or organisation may have been behind 
  its signing. If this is true, there are those willing to pay to ﬁ nd 
  out just who this might be, in the effort to undermine both 
  claims on Lucin’s Breath. 
  Despite the compact, Lucin’s Breath has not seen peace 
  since the Claimant War began. Routine raids, sabotage, 
  and defection of troops from one side to the other are very 
  commonplace. Servitors are deemed to be too costly to risk 
  destruction in the cold production habs; instead the workers, 
  who are slaves in all but name, are hustled into various squads 
  and suicide-auxiliaries. They are issued armoured heat suits 
  and whenever one of the planet’s ubiquitous methite blizzards 
  arises they clash with their rivals from the other side. It’s not 
  uncommon to ﬁ nd remnants of pitched battles, corpses frozen 
  solid in the ice and snow, bearing unexploded nephium-laced 
  explosives, mining charges, and other improvised detritus and 
  weapons of war.
   ADVENTURING ON LUCIN’S BREATH
  Lucin’s Breath is an avaricious Rogue Trader’s dream come true. If he handles it correctly, he and his crew 
  have the opportunity to deal in one of the richest commodities in the Koronus Expanse. In addition, there are 
  numerous mysteries waiting to be discovered on (and beneath) the planet. Below are several Endeavours that the Game 
  Master can use to entice intrepid Explorers:
  • Establish Nephium Trade Route (Grand): The two major Rogue Traders who control Lucien’s Breath are always in 
  need of capable ships to transport the unreﬁ ned nephium to other worlds where it will be reﬁ ned and shipped abroad. 
  In addition to protecting this precious (and volatile) commodity from theft, they must secure a compact with either 
  side and haul the nephium to ports elsewhere in the Expanse. The routes that other ships take are secret, and the 
  Explorers may well have to chart their own, as well as dealing with pirates and rogues who want to prey on them.
  • Establish Nephium Station (Greater): Even though House Winterscale and Aspyce Chorda have the power to maintain 
  control of Lucin’s Breath jointly, they cannot be everywhere. The GM can devise an endeavour for the Explorers to 
  establish their own shadow operation—mining their own nephium to sell on the black market. 
  • Aid in Claimant War (Lesser): Both controllers of Lucin’s Breath are always in need of good warriors to lead raids and 
  counterattacks on their rivals. The Explorers can negotiate terms in exchange for ﬁ ghting on one side or the other. 
  Alternately, this endeavour could be a prelude to establishing a trade route for the nephium.
  • Piercing the Veil (Greater): Is there some relationship between the ruined cities of this world and the sinkholes of 
  nephium? The GM should establish what really happened to the original inhabitants, and why they decided to build 
  their cities around the various pools of ooze. Additionally, he should also determine if there really is a relationship 
  between the nephium, the empty cities, and the workers that go missing on occasion. Should the Explorers manage 
  to discover the correlation (if it does exist) what do they do with the information?
  both sides and tonnes of machines lost; scattered across the 
  need of capable ships to transport the unreﬁ ned nephium to other worlds where it will be reﬁ ned and shipped abroad. 
  In addition to protecting this precious (and volatile) commodity from theft, they must secure a compact with either 
  side and haul the nephium to ports elsewhere in the Expanse. The routes that other ships take are secret, and the 
  Establish Nephium Station (Greater): Even though House Winterscale and Aspyce Chorda have the power to maintain 
  control of Lucin’s Breath jointly, they cannot be everywhere. The GM can devise an endeavour for the Explorers to 
  Aid in Claimant War (Lesser): Both controllers of Lucin’s Breath are always in need of good warriors to lead raids and 
  Aid in Claimant War (Lesser): Both controllers of Lucin’s Breath are always in need of good warriors to lead raids and 
  counterattacks on their rivals. The Explorers can negotiate terms in exchange for ﬁ ghting on one side or the other. 
  Piercing the Veil (Greater): Is there some relationship between the ruined cities of this world and the sinkholes of 
  nephium? The GM should establish what really happened to the original inhabitants, and why they decided to build 
  their cities around the various pools of ooze. Additionally, he should also determine if there really is a relationship 
  between the nephium, the empty cities, and the workers that go missing on occasion. Should the Explorers manage 
  
  21
  The Dominion 
  of Mazes
  “There is a great darkness that exists, slumbering beneath these cursed 
  worlds! You don’t need an Astropath to ﬁ gure that out. You can feel it 
  out there...waiting for the right moment. It killed those damned xenos 
  who deﬁ led this place with their presence, and it will destroy us too.”
  –Commander Miles Everheart, commenting on translations 
  of Egarian glyphs
  T
  he dry, desert worlds that comprise the systems of the 
  Egarian Dominion were once a populous xenos domain 
  spanning a handful of stars within Winterscale’s Realm. 
  Millennia ago, long before the coming of mankind to the 
  Koronus Expanse, some unknown catastrophe befell this race 
  and left behind only empty, desolate worlds covered in crumbling 
  ruins that form vast mazes of complex intricacy. It’s these ruined 
  buildings that draw the interest of the majority of Rogue Traders 
  and those who have an interest in the Cold Trade—the buying 
  and selling of proscribed xenos artefacts. Yet, rumours abound 
  that some dark and dangerous force lays waiting, lurking, and 
  slumbering somewhere amongst these cursed worlds; and woe 
  betide any who would dare disturb its dark and alien dreams.
  Sebastian Winterscale discovered this collection of several 
  stars during the exploration of the area of space ceded to him 
  when issued his Warrant of Trade. The habitable worlds of each 
  of these systems are covered with numerous hive-like structures 
  and ruins. 
  Everywhere he looked, Sebastian found evidence that 
  some nameless and terrible apocalypse had consumed the 
  xenos population living on these worlds. So complete was the 
  destruction of their civilisation that almost nothing remained of 
  their works or culture, aside from their dormant dwellings. Who or 
  what this faceless doom was remains a mystery to this day. In fact, 
  Sebastian Winterscale only ever discovered a partial translation of 
  the ancient xenos pictographs left behind, from which he learned 
  the name of these worlds: The Egarian Dominion.
  The ruins on these worlds are all generally composed 
  of the same material, and none of it appears to be native to 
  any planet within the Dominion. The material is a luminous 
  pale stone, cool and smooth to the touch no matter what 
  the outside temperature. Somehow, this material is also able 
  to channel light from outside; even the deepest regions of 
  these places are lit by the soft white shifting glow. During the 
  daylight hours, the walls appear to glisten with a rainbow hue 
  to them, much like oil slicked on water.
  Four primary star systems have been identiﬁ ed as being part 
  of the Egarian Dominion: Egaria Alpha sits in the centre of 
  this cluster of systems, and has only one habitable world. The 
  other three systems, Egaria Gamma, Egaria Epsilon, and Egaria 
  Omega surround Alpha. Each of these systems has at least one 
  semi-habitable world circling its ancient and bloated star. 
  All of these worlds share similar characteristics: they are 
  dry and cool deserts comprised mostly of endless 
  dunes and rocky outcroppings, and are dotted by 
  sparse, shallow bodies of brackish water. 
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  The Dominion 
  The Dominion 
  of Mazes
  of Mazes
  of these systems are covered with numerous hive-like structures 
  and ruins. 
  Everywhere he looked, Sebastian found evidence that 
  some nameless and terrible apocalypse had consumed the 
  xenos population living on these worlds. So complete was the 
  destruction of their civilisation that almost nothing remained of 
  From the Journals of Mallachai Stern: A Visit to Lucin’s Breath, 235.801.M41
  Lucin’s Breath is a world that, if it be the Emperor’s will, I would rather forget. We were to meet up with another Rogue Trader 
  ship in the vicinity of that world before descending to observe the nephium extraction operations. According to the Captain, we were 
  going to help support a shadow operation that was operating right under ol’ Calligos’ nose-a suicidal venture if you ask me, but I’m 
  not the Captain; and he wanted to make sure the operation was a sound investment before making any decisions on the matter.
  After setting down during the planet’s night cycle, it fell to me to lead the shore party. Once outfitted with heated survival 
  suits and rebreathers, we set out for the pre-formed habitation dome near our shuttle’s landing. Almost as soon as we were inside 
  the hab’s airlock, I was struck by the sheer immensity of this single operation. The enterprise set up to extract the frozen, semi-solid 
  nephium from the sinkhole was massive in scope. Desperate men and women scurried all around the various pipes, pumps, storage 
  tanks, and other detritus of mining operations as they sought to suck out every last millilitre of precious nephium. 
  My attention was drawn to a side-room, built off the main operations dome. There I found ranks of beds, each with a sweat-
  stained, pain-wracked worker. They were in a sorry state, twisted limbs, visibly rotting teeth, and oozing lesions. Some leaked 
  black bile from their ears and fingertips, and their veins stood out from their pallid skin like some infernal black calligraphy. 
  Celestine’s bones, I could smell the corruption on them from the door.
  One of the workers told me these men had touched pure nephium, and it polluted their systems. Now they waited to die-there 
  was no cure. None of the other miners would approach them. When I heard this, I flew into a rage, demanding the mine foremen 
  stop work and attend me. Once they arrived, I forced them into the chamber, where I gave the God-Emperor’s benediction to the 
  doomed miners before me. Once finished, I took a foreman’s autopistol, and commended their souls to the Emperor. I only hope 
  the foremen will follow my example in the future. 
  
  22
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  THE XENOS MAZES
  Explorers and traders who have visited the Egarian Dominion 
  have noted that the extinct xenos species built massive cities 
  formed of intricate, elaborate, and maddening mazes that 
  were left behind when their builders mysteriously vanished. 
  These massive, cyclopean ediﬁ ces dominate most of the 
  Egarian landscape; many are large enough to rival even the 
  massive hives of Imperial worlds such as Necromunda and 
  others. They rise high above the desert dunes and desiccated 
  scrub, vast walls and towers covered in strange protrusions 
  and riddled with countless passages and corridors. 
  The mazes seem to be organised without any logical 
  reason behind them, but that has not stopped explorers and 
  xenosarcheologists from making the attempt. In a somewhat 
  futile attempt to comprehend the maze-cities, a few scholars 
  have attempted to quantify and analyse their structure. Any 
  attempts to map the cities have universally failed—no matter 
  how detailed the augur arrays or how exacting the surveys, 
  the maps generated inevitably do not match the maze city 
  structure when used. However, the studies have managed to 
  categorise certain types of locations within the cities.
  Curtain walls: The exterior walls of the maze cities 
  stretch as high as 500 metres, covered with boxy 
  protrusions, beams, and any number of other 
  strange constructions that gives the curtain 
  walls a half-ﬁ nished appearance. The 
  curtain walls are constructed of the same pale stone as the 
  rest of the maze-cities, though they are almost universally 
  scored and pitted by blowing sand. Despite their unﬁ nished 
  appearance, the curtain walls are incredibly dense, making 
  cutting through them impossible without massive military 
  breaching drills or ship-grade plasma cutters. 
  Ward-gates: There are surprisingly few entrances to the 
  maze cities. Access seems to be reserved for massive portals 
  at least 30 metres tall, randomly scattered along the curtain 
  walls. Each ward-gate has gigantic doors up to a metre thick, 
  with no obvious mechanism for opening or shutting them. If 
  a ward-gate is sealed, xenosarcheologists have no way to open 
  it. However, many were left partially or completely open, 
  granting explorers access to the interior. 
  Galleries: The main passages of the maze-cities—the 
  “galleries”—are towering vaulted passageways. The galleries 
  are usually level. If they rise or descend, they do so with gentle 
  slopes, and are often as wide as 50 metres and up to three times 
  as high. They split and turn at sharp, abrupt angles, dividing 
  into new galleries, or merging into single passageways. 
  Although they are enclosed, they are consistently illuminated 
  by the strange luminescence from the walls, a light that seems 
  to vary with the planets’ sun. All along the gallery walls, at 
  all heights, are countless two metre high openings, leading to 
  the cramped and claustrophobic corridors within. Many of 
  these openings are high up on the walls, far out of reach of 
  even the most adept climbers. Imperial xenosarcheologists do 
  not know how the Egarians accessed them. 
  Inner Corridors: Splitting from the main galleries, the 
  corridors are their opposite—cramped, claustrophobic 
  passageways usually no more than two metres wide by two 
  metres high. The corridors turn abruptly in every direction, 
  sometimes even going completely vertical. There are never 
  any curved passageways; all turns are made at abrupt angles. 
  Sometimes the corridors lead to rooms buried deep in the 
  maze cities, or open abruptly into new galleries. 
  It is possible many of the rooms were used by the xenos in 
  their daily existence, and if the inner corridors are anything 
  to go by, the Egarians were much shorter than the average 
  human. When walking through the claustrophobic halls and 
  passageways, explorers often have to stoop in order to make 
  their way through the crumbling structures.
  Explorers who have ventured deep into the cities report 
  ﬁ nding more items of interest the further down one goes. 
  Certain “rooms” have massive geode pillars that seem to grow 
  out of the ﬂ oor or hang from the ceiling, while some galleries 
  are lined by shards of diamantine glass geode the size of a 
  Mechanicus titan. Sometimes these geodes glow with a ﬂ ickering 
  inner luminescence, a light that fades if the geodes are cut and 
  brought out of the city. Other rooms have items of uncertain use 
  in alcoves on the walls or set on pillars. The infamous “geode 
  grenades” are one such example, although xenosarcheologists are 
  still unsure whether the items were even intended to be weapons. 
  Many of the inner corridors (and sometimes the main 
  galleries) are constructed in three dimensions, with twisting 
  passages not only set across the surface, but also rising upwards 
  as well (and in some cases, descending deep into the earth). 
  Due to the complex nature and design of the mazes themselves, 
  some explorers see their minds tortured and even fractured 
  
  23
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  in attempts to understand the maze-design. Psykers seem 
  especially susceptible to this phenomenon, with the notable 
  exception of Astropaths, and those who lack the ability to see. 
  Most xenosarcheologists believe that the maze-cities are the 
  Egarian equivalent of Imperial hives, living space for an ancient 
  race whose thought processes worked entirely differently from 
  mankind. Some suspect that they were built as a result of the 
  growing madness that gripped the Egarians as a symptom of 
  the blight they released—a catastrophe that was their eventual 
  undoing. Others speculate that the mazes were perhaps built 
  as a testimony to their race’s engineering, or as homage to the 
  dark gods they may have worshipped. Whatever the truth is, the 
  mazes themselves are maddening to navigate, and incautious 
  explorers can ﬁ nd themselves hopelessly lost within them.
  With the exception of carved pictographs located within 
  what appears to be main gathering places and strange and 
  often incomprehensible artefacts tucked away in corners of 
  the cities, almost nothing of the Egarians remains—it’s as if 
  whatever blight befell them attempted to erase their existence 
  from the very fabric of the universe.
  WHAT ARE THE MAZES FOR?
  For the past several centuries Rogue Traders and Explorators 
  from the Disciples of Thule have catalogued and documented 
  many of the major city-mazes and associated structures. As of 
  yet, they have not been able to divine a single reason why these 
  mazes were constructed or what purpose (aside from defence) 
  they serve. Some of the more popular theories posit that the 
  mazes were built for the purposes of channelling some manner 
  of energy, in much the same way that the material they are 
  made of channels light. Others claim that they are simply a by-
  product of the xenos’ dark and alien intellect. 
  A few learned adepts whisper that the mazes bear 
  some similarity to constructs of the Yu’vath that have been 
  encountered across the Koronus Expanse. Though no other 
  evidence of Yu’vath presence has been discovered, many 
  explorers and scholars from the Ordo Xenos and the Adeptus 
  Mechanicus speculate that perhaps the Egarian Dominion was 
  inﬁ ltrated and corrupted by the Yu’vath, or that its inhabitants, 
  in their hubris, attempted to study and unlock the secrets of 
  artefacts left by that warp-touched race. Perhaps the secrets 
  of the Yu’vath proved to be the Egarians’ undoing, and their 
  society was consumed by the horrors they unleashed. Perhaps 
  the maddening maze cities were crafted under dark inﬂ uences?
  THE EGARIAN COLD TRADE
  On the outpost of Footfall there is a shadowy organisation 
  who calls itself the Kasballica Mission. They are a shadow-
  conclave of crime barons from the Drusus Marches subsector 
  of the nearby Calixis Sector. From Footfall, these shady 
  individuals organise a great share of the Koronus Expanse’s 
  Cold Trade.
  The Kasballica Mission has a special interest in the worlds 
  of the Egarian Dominion, paying a great number of Thrones 
  for even something as innocuous and mundane as pieces 
  from the crumbling walls and ruins. Additionally, they 
  are willing to pay for any xenos artefacts found on 
  these worlds, or fund any expedition that has a 
  reasonable chance of unearthing or locating any 
  lost treasures within the Egarian Dominion. 
  EGARIAN CRYSTAL WEAPONS AND TOOLS
  Enterprising and tech–savvy individuals have come up with all manner of creative uses for the Egarian crystal that 
  makes up the various walls and structures of the ruins found all across the Egarian Dominion. Many of these items are 
  one–time use (such as the geode grenades found on page 125 of ROGUE TRADER), or only exist as a unique item—never 
  to be duplicated for one reason or another. 
  Game Masters are encouraged to allow Explorers to come up with unique ways to use this material. Listed below are 
  some examples of items that can be created with either the Trade (Armourer) skill or some other suitable skill that the 
  Game Master allows.
  EGARIAN CRYSTAL BLADE
  Made from the blended shards of crystal harvested from the blocks used to build the supports of the larger structures 
  of the maze-cities or cut from the diamantine glass-geodes, these blades are razor sharp. However, they are also fragile 
  and even the slightest twist in the wrong direction can cause the weapon to shatter in the user’s hands. When making 
  a Weapon Skill Test to use the weapon to attack or Parry, any roll of 96–00 causes the weapon to shatter; sending 
  splinters of crystal slicing through the air.
  Class
  Damage
  Pen
  Special Weight Availability
  Melee
  1d10 R
  5
  —
  1 kg
  Extremely Rare
  EGARIAN GEODE MESH
  By taking shards of Egarian crystal and subjecting them to specialised chemicals and treatments, the fragments can become 
  pliable; allowing them to ﬂ ex in a way similar to rope or netting. Because the crystal is able to channel light and energy, 
  once fashioned into a ﬂ exible mesh, it can then be used to supplement armour. Once bonded to the standard armour shell, 
  the suit has energy–channelling properties that allow it to bleed off heat and other forms of energy. Geode Mesh is an 
  armour upgrade that can be applied to Flak, Mesh, and Carapace Armour. It provides an additional +2 AP versus energy 
  attacks that hit the area protected by it, but adds +3 kg to the armour’s weight. It has an availability of Very Rare. 
  
  24
  II: Islands in the Void
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  The majority of the artefacts found come from the central 
  Dominion world of Egaria Alpha, as one can ﬁ nd pieces of 
  walls simply lying about. Additionally, other strange and 
  unique items have been found here; most being found with 
  a minimum amount of effort. One of the most famous items 
  found was a massive sapphire said to be a large as a full-grown 
  man. The tale says that the gem was etched with intricate maze-
  like patterns that seem to be ubiquitous to Egarian culture.
  It should also be no surprise to learn that many of the artefacts 
  and curios acquired by the Kasballica Mission eventually ﬁ nd 
  their way back into the Drusus Marches. This has caused no end 
  of concern for the Holy Ordos, and the Ordo Xenos in particular, 
  as they strive to ﬁ nd ways to cut off the lines of supply. So far, 
  they have been unsuccessful in stopping this, and many within 
  the Conclave Calixis speculate that perhaps someone within the 
  ranks of the Holy Ordos might be working for the Kasballica 
  Mission, funnelling information and resources to them in order 
  to remain one step ahead of the authorities.
  In addition to locating and transporting xenos artefacts 
  out of the Dominion, the Kasballica Mission and several 
  enterprising Rogue Traders and renegade hereteks have 
  managed to fashion instruments of destruction from the 
  various pieces of xenos ruins sent to them. Among these 
  items is the well-known Egarian Geode Grenade that sends 
  razor-sharp slivers of crystal in all directions after detonation. 
  Creative weaponsmiths have also been able to fashion a 
  variety of other items made from Egarian crystal, some of 
  which are unique creations and others which have found their 
  uses amongst other Rogue Trader crews.
  PLACES OF INTEREST
  “I ‘eard they took a few of ‘em witches into that lone tower. Know 
  what happened, then? All of ‘em pulled out their little blades of theirs 
  and each and every one of ‘em slit ‘der own throats! They all killed 
  ‘emselves! Each an’ every last one of ‘em!”
  –Drunken words overheard inside Footfall 
  Obviously, of main interest to the Imperium and Rogue 
  Traders are the xenos cities and mazes scattered across the 
  many worlds of the Egarian Dominion. However, there 
  are other, more speciﬁ c locales that Explorers may ﬁ nd of 
  interest, some of which may hold pieces of the mystery of the 
  resident xenos’ sudden disappearance.
   THE FORSAKEN TOWER
  On the solitary world of the Egaria Alpha system, there exists a 
  single tower located far away from the massive city ruins dotting 
  the rest of the world. This tower is constructed from the same 
  material as the rest of the xenos structures and stands some 
  two hundred and twenty metres tall. Within the tower there 
  appears to be no way to reach the top, save ﬂ ight or a 
  jump-pack, as no stairs or lifts exist within the structure. 
  Instead, hanging in the centre of the tower, directly 
  beneath the upper ﬂ oor, is a diamantine crystal 
  of immense size that slowly pulsates with a 
  faint glow. A faint buzzing noise can also be heard within the 
  massive chamber; a sound that is somewhat louder than the wind 
  that constantly blows across this dry region.
  The history and purpose of this tower is a mystery. However, 
  there have been rumours from visiting Rogue Traders, who say 
  that members of their crew reported having strange nightmares 
  and visions shortly after visiting it. These dreams are extremely 
  vivid and prescient, yet none can fully recall what exactly it was 
  they dreamt about. The only image they can clearly recall is 
  that of a cityscape in silhouette, illuminated by a single moon, 
  and the sky ﬁ lled with black, cloud-like tendrils. Another, more 
  disturbing tale concerning the investigation of the tower, speaks 
  of an expedition sent out by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The 
  story changes with the teller, yet they all end the same way: once 
  the psykers entered their trances, they immediately drew their 
  psykana blades and killed themselves—as if compelled by their 
  conditioning to do so.
  THE ICE CAVERNS OF EGARIA EPSILON
  Situated upon the second world of the Egaria Epsilon system, 
  there is a vast chasm that can be seen from orbit. So deep is 
  this chasm that even the warming rays of the planet’s sun 
  cannot reach; thus, the bottom is perpetually coated in frozen 
  ice and permafrost. In 750.M41, a survey team sent by Rogue 
  Trader Aoife Armengarde discovered ancient hieroglyphs 
  carved into the sides of the chasm walls and a set of ancient 
  stone doors covered in a seal.
  The team toiled for days attempting to breach the seal and 
  gain entry to what lay beyond. Auspex scanners showed that 
  an immense passageway opened up beyond the doors. After 
  several days of work with beam-cutters, the team was able to 
  burn the seal off and gain entry. The passages led the team 
  further into the living rock, yet the area was so cold that the 
  team leader ordered her members to don their heat suits lest 
  they died of exposure. The servitors they brought with them 
  eventually froze solid—dead in their tracks. The immense 
  passages were slicked with ice and it was obvious that no one 
  had set foot within the halls for millennia. The team pressed on 
  into the unknown darkness ahead.
   Seven days after entering the tunnels, a single member 
  of the team stumbled out of the caverns, frantic, haggard, 
  and half-dead from dehydration and exposure. The orbiting 
  starship dispatched a lander, and he was quickly delivered to a 
  horriﬁ ed medicae crew. The team member remained catatonic 
  until the head chirurgeon attempted to revive him, where he 
  immediately leapt screaming from the gurney, ﬁ ngers clawing 
  the chirurgeon’s throat. Medicae vid recorders managed capture 
  some of the man’s ravings—shouts of “It’s awake! It’s awake 
  and it sees us! The cold, the cold!” were heard in the shrill 
  voice of the maddened man. Attendants managed to secure and 
  sedate him, returning him to an isolated medicae cell.
   The medicae staff intended to question the man more 
  thoroughly, but would not get the chance. During the night, 
  he somehow slipped his restraints and rammed his head into 
  the wall of his cell until he cracked his skull open. Armengarde 
  chose not to send another team into the caverns, and soon 
  departed the world. 
  
  25
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  The Stations 
  of Passage
  “Don’t be fooled, the Maw is alive! It takes the measure of each man 
  passing through it and decides if you’re worthy enough to venture on.”
  –Garvel Marvollo, Rogue Trader, addressing a group of 
  Imperial Fleet cadets on Cypra Mundi
  T
  he Stations of Passage are a number of locations along 
  the Koronus Passage, better known as the Maw. Each 
  was discovered through trial and error as bold and 
  foolhardy Rogue Traders traversed the Maw to reach the 
  Koronus Expanse. Some are extremely familiar to the Rogue 
  Traders who navigate this precarious passage, while others are 
  known only to a few. Thus, nobody knows for certain how 
  many Stations exist. Each Station is different from the others—
  they are united only in that they are each a safe haven against 
  the predications of the powerful warp storms that surround the 
  Maw.
  Those who journey through the Maw consider the secrets 
  of the location of the Stations extremely valuable. Of those 
  known, some are shunned as more dangerous than the storms 
  they supposedly provide protection from. However, there are 
  four main stations that are widely regarded as “safe,” and many 
  renowned Rogue Traders claim these places have saved their 
  vessels on more than one occasion.
  The various Stations of Passage are also regarded as neutral 
  grounds, at least for most. However, there are those renegades 
  who won’t hesitate to lay in ambush at one of the various 
  stations in the hopes of preying upon damaged ships. Such 
  scum are usually found out for what they are, as 
  no “honourable” trader who traverses the Passage will stand 
  for such behaviour. In addition, within the last century the 
  Battleﬂ eet patrols of Passage Watch 27 have made piracy 
  slightly more hazardous. 
  The Stations of Passage were discovered gradually, as 
  those traversing the Maw explored its secrets. As the Maw 
  swelled and sealed with the strengthening and weakening of 
  nearby storms, ships noticed certain locations of calm that 
  remained untouched. What began as a few locations became 
  an ever-changing network as Navigators and captains made 
  discoveries. As time went on, many of the Stations fell out of 
  use, with some being used as clandestine meeting points for 
  Rogue Traders to broker deals away from the prying eyes of 
  Imperial authorities. Other stations were cordoned off as they 
  led to nowhere, or even put ships into mortal jeopardy.
  Some of the Stations of Passage are installations or 
  artefacts, while others are nothing more than dead systems 
  with shattered worlds of rock and spent cinders for stars. 
  There are even a few that are simply clear void, or streams of 
  energised plasma. 
  THE TEMPLE
  “Aah...the Temple...very auspicious, yes? Signiﬁ es that the God-
  Emperor Himself watches over you...that your mission is blessed by 
  the Master of Mankind...”
  –Astropath Kinneth Reed, casting the Emperor’s Tarot
  At the very outskirts of the Great Warp Storms, closest to 
  Port Wander, the station called the ‘Temple’ resides. The most 
  unusual feature of the Temple are the multitudes of perfectly 
  spherical rocks—several hundred metres in diametre—spin in 
  many complex orbits around the star. The star itself is simply 
  a dead cinder, a feebly glowing husk of 
  25
  25
  four main stations that are widely regarded as “safe,” and many 
  renowned Rogue Traders claim these places have saved their 
  vessels on more than one occasion.
  The various Stations of Passage are also regarded as neutral 
  grounds, at least for most. However, there are those renegades 
  who won’t hesitate to lay in ambush at one of the various 
  stations in the hopes of preying upon damaged ships. Such 
  scum are usually found out for what they are, as 
  At the very outskirts of the Great Warp Storms, closest to 
  Port Wander, the station called the ‘Temple’ resides. The most 
  unusual feature of the Temple are the multitudes of perfectly 
  unusual feature of the Temple are the multitudes of perfectly 
  spherical rocks—several hundred metres in diametre—spin in 
  spherical rocks—several hundred metres in diametre—spin in 
  many complex orbits around the star. The star itself is simply 
  many complex orbits around the star. The star itself is simply 
  a dead cinder, a feebly glowing husk of 
  a dead cinder, a feebly glowing husk of 
  -From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 200.803.M41
  Captain deKane has returned to the Egarian Dominion at the request of some members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, who were 
  studying a site they had recently uncovered. We have been to these worlds several times to take on supplies of the ubiquitous crystal and 
  samples of ore and other mundane sundries. I asked to accompany the Captain to the surface and keep watch for the men’s spirits on this 
  benighted world.
  Upon arrival, I was immediately struck by the sheer size of the monstrous tower that dominated the site. Certainly, not like the massive 
  spires of the cathedrals on Hydraphur, but an incredible feat of engineering nonetheless. Within, supported without suspensors or beams, 
  was a flawless crystal that appeared to glow with an inner flame. It seemed to pulse to a soothing rhythm and I soon found myself lulled 
  into a state of calm. Shaking off the torpor and chastising myself for succumbing to the works of the wretched xenos, I spoke with the 
  Mechanicus emissary, Orn, a decent enough fellow if rather humourless.
  Orn told me of how his team had been diligently searching for the mystery of how the crystal was being suspended, as there were no 
  obvious power sources and no supports to show how it could simply float in the air. He said that they have made many supplications to the 
  Omnissiah for clarity, but so far, the mystery eluded them. 
  Naturally, we were collected by the Captain as promised, and put the world behind us. However, I am disturbed that for the past week, 
  each night my dreams have been haunted by that crystal. I must ask the others if they’ve experienced anything similar.
  
  26
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  dense matter. Nothing else exists in this oddly serene system: 
  no gasses, no dust, and no planets. Nothing exists aside from 
  the dead star and its family of perfectly round spheres.
  SPHERICAL NODES
  No one is certain who or what created the nearly perfect rock 
  spheres that orbit the dead cinder of the Temple Station. Some 
  speculate that the warp storms somehow shaped the rocks out 
  of the remains of long lost planets that once inhabited the 
  world. Others claim some elder god placed them here for 
  some unknown reason, though few reasonable individuals 
  put stock in such tales. 
  Over the millennia, many expeditions have tried to explore 
  these void rocks. Auspex scans reveal these spheroids to be 
  nothing special; just ordinary rock, completely inert and 
  unresponsive to all scans. However, no expedition has ever been 
  able to drill more than a few centimetres into the stones before 
  the mining equipment mysteriously failed. It is said that one 
  Rogue Trader even tried to fracture a rock with lance-ﬁ re to no 
  avail. Perhaps as a result, most voidmen claim that to interfere 
  with the spheres brings ill-fortune and an untimely end. 
  TEMPLE—THE EMPEROR’S TAROT
  The Temple’s name is associated with the Emperor’s Tarot of 
  the Transubstantiates, a derivative of the Emperor’s Tarot. The 
  Temple signiﬁ es the commencement of a blessed endeavour, 
  and voidfarers often hold up within the Temple station when 
  the Maw begins to grow restless, rather than making the 
  relatively short return trip to Port Wander. Some Rogue Traders 
  even go out of their way to spend a day within the borders of 
  the Temple station, regardless if a storm has swelled or not in 
  the hopes of gaining some sort of blessing for their ventures. 
  A superstitious few even go so far as to have their senior 
  Astropaths (or some other psyker on board) conduct a casting 
  of the Emperor’s Tarot just to see if the Temple card appears 
  to them while they are within the boundaries of the Temple. 
  Should this happen, then the captain considers his endeavour 
  to be doubly blessed by the God-Emperor Himself.
  THE WITCH-CURSED 
  WORLD
  “No sir! Put me in the brig, take away my rations, ﬂ og me even! But 
  I will not go out there while we still orbit that cursed world!”
  –Philippe George, Gunner’s Mate of the raider Dagger’s Tip 
  Out among the warp passage of the Maw, there exists a single 
  planet bereft of sun, moon, and celestial brothers. Ejected out 
  from its home solar system, and thought to be destined to 
  forever wander the cosmos, this world was eventually caught 
  within the grip of the Maw. Tossed and cast by the storms of 
  the Halo Margins, this frozen world eventually settled into an 
  area of calm within the Maw. Here it was encountered by the 
  early explorers of the Koronus Expanse.
  These explorers and Rogue Traders found a planet whose 
  atmosphere had long frozen and fallen as snow and ice, solid 
  and locked in the eternal cold of the void. There was nothing 
  valuable on the world, no minerals worth mining or resources 
  to harvest. However, the storms would not touch the world, 
  and that made it valuable in its own right. 
  As time went on, however, rumours and stories began to 
  circulate about the world. Voidfarers claimed that those who 
  tarried too long in its orbit suffered ill-luck and calamity. 
  Navigators and Astropaths began to report a strange phenomena 
  when in orbit, a psychic interference like the buzzing of insects 
  far away. They also claimed that whatever this world is, it can 
  disrupt their individual abilities—especially an Astropath’s 
  ability to communicate through the warp.
  Eventually, this so-called Station of Passage was named 
  the Witch-Cursed World. Today, it is shunned by all but the 
  most desperate of voidfarers. No captain will order his ship 
  to remain in orbit any longer than he absolutely must, and no 
  crewman dares to go near it. 
  THE CURSED SHIP
  Voidfarers are a superstitious lot. Tales are often told about 
  derelicts and ghost ships making their way through the 
  empyrean, but one tale related to the Witch-Cursed World 
  tends to stand out amongst the crewmen of the ships that ply 
  the warp routes of the Koronus Expanse. Roughly two hundred 
  years ago, a ship belonging to a newly Warranted Rogue 
  Trader took orbit around the Witch-Cursed World while the 
  Great Warp Storms raged stronger than they had for several 
  decades. It was said that after the captain failed to arrive at Port 
  Wander within the designated time to meet with an agent he 
  had arranged for a cargo transfer, that an expedition was sent 
  out to ascertain the location of the missing cruiser. 
  The salvage crews eventually found her drifting intact 
  around the Witch-Cursed World, but with all power dead. 
  Upon exploring the derelict, they found no sign of the crew—
  or of any life at all. There were no signs of struggle or mutiny. 
  All the saviour pods were in place. When the team made their 
  way to the bridge, they found what remained of the ship’s 
  captain. His corpse looked like it had been dead for hundreds 
  of years, mummiﬁ ed upon his command throne. The logs of 
  USING THE TEMPLE
  The Temple has nothing of worth within it—its 
  worth is its value as a Station of Passage. It provides 
  an area of calm amongst the warp storms of the Halo 
  Margins. More importantly, it is close enough to those 
  same warp storms that Navigators can plot unusually 
  accurate jumps when passing through the Maw. Any 
  Navigator plotting a warp-trip through the Maw in 
  the Temple gains a +10 bonus to all related tests. 
  Passing into the inner regions of the Temple can 
  be extremely dangerous, however. Most ships remain 
  at least 1 AU from the star. Any closer, and the ship 
  must pass through the orbits of the spheres. Should 
  a vessel wish to do so, treat this like an asteroid 
  ﬁ eld that requires a Difﬁ cult (–10) Pilot (Space 
  Craft)+Manoeuvrability Test to navigate, rather 
  than the usual Routine Test. 
  
  27
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  the ship were completely corrupted. One fragment was dated 
  33.120.M33, another was dated 01.999.M42. The only intact 
  log-entry recovered was from a stern airlock, recording an 
  unauthorised access three days after the ship entered orbit. 
  The salvage crew ﬂ ed the ship as fast as they could and set 
  the vessel adrift to be swallowed up by the Storms of the Halo 
  Margins. Other stories such as this have surfaced from time to 
  time around the Witch-Cursed World. Some whisper that it is 
  as if the planet itself exacts some sort of dues from those who 
  take shelter within its dark shadow.
  INSTALLATION 2819-RHO
  There is one mark of Imperial manufacture on the surface 
  of the Witch-Cursed World. Long ago, when Rogue Traders 
  ﬁ rst mapped the Maw, some unknown individual built an 
  astropathic relay tower on the surface of the newly discovered 
  Station of Passage. Perhaps this unknown individual intended 
  to earn a tidy proﬁ t, relaying and boosting astropathic signals 
  through the unreliable maelstrom of the Maw. 
  No records state exactly what happened to this beacon. 
  However, the archives of the Scholastica Psykana ofﬁ ces 
  in Hive Sibellus on Scintilla refer to an astropathic relay, 
  “Installation 2819-Rho,” located within the Maw. The records 
  simply refer to when the station went operational—002.
  M41—and record that ﬁ ve astropaths and attendant minders 
  were dispatched to the site. For the next ﬁ ve years, the same 
  number of astropaths were dispatched to 2819-Rho, until 
  a ﬁ nal notiﬁ cation notes that the Psykana authorities were 
  immediately ending all dispatches “for undisclosed reasons.” 
  The notiﬁ cation also records that the Scholastica Psykana 
  in the Calixis Sector petitioned the Inquisition for a Rogue 
  Trader’s arrest and execution—the name of the Rogue 
  Trader was redacted. 
  Installation 2819-Rho remained, however, a lonely tower 
  on the surface of a deserted world, its plasma generators 
  long dead and facility deserted. However, every 17 minutes 
  the installation still broadcasts its astropathic beacon-signal, 
  detectable up to several light-years away. Nobody knows 
  how this is possible. In theory, an astropath would need 
  to broadcast the beacon, but the few who have visited the 
  Witch-Cursed World and bothered to augur the tower report 
  that it is cold, dead, and without power. 
  For the past three centuries, the Calixian Scholastica 
  Psykana has indicated they would pay handsomely were 
  someone to investigate the tower and report their ﬁ ndings. 
  Thus far, nobody has accepted their commission. 
  THE BATTLEGROUND
  “Auspex return sir! We’re getting the salvation beacon now...we have 
  conﬁ rmation! The beacon matches that of the Emperor’s Bounty, sir!”
  –Sensorium ofﬁ cer Gibbs of the Sovereign Venture
  One of the most well-known (and tragic) Stations of Passage, 
  the Battleground is a vast area of becalmed space over 300,000 
  kilometres in diameter, ﬁ lled with ﬂ oating wreckage, junk, and 
  detritus of war in orbit around a young star. According to ancient 
  legend, this area was the site of a great space battle between 
  the Rogue Trader brothers Trame and Ettimus Lathimon, 
  who fought to mutual destruction. However, other tales 
  maintain that this ﬁ eld of ship wreckage was ancient 
  before the brothers’ arrival. These theories are 
  supported by the wreckage found in the 
  USING THE WITCH-CURSED WORLD
  The Witch-Cursed World is less of a resource to be used 
  than it is an obstacle that must be overcome. Few captains 
  willingly venture here, but if a ship is forced to use this 
  “safe harbour” the Explorers must calm their nervous 
  crew. At minimum, the captain or someone in authority 
  (a Missionary would be a good choice) should make a 
  Challenging (+0) Charm or Intimidate Test. Success 
  means he keeps the crew calm and at their duties, but if he 
  fails the ship should lose one point of Morale per degree of 
  failure. Of course, should the ship linger in orbit, the GM 
  should feel free to be creative with the consequences. Half-
  glimpsed symbols in the landscape of the planet below, 
  scratching sounds outside the airlocks, ghostly returns on 
  the augur arrays, all could set the proper mood.
  Of course, a particularly bold and foolhardy Rogue 
  Trader might decide to take the commission of the 
  Scholastica Psykana to investigate Installation 2819-
  Rho, and discover what horrors may lie within. 
  
  28
  28
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  Battleground. While the vast majority of it is Imperial, there are 
  wrecked ships deep within the ﬁ eld that are not. 
  Nearly every crew that passes through these parts has 
  a tale as to what happened here, many of them regarding 
  events that occurred long before Rogue Traders began their 
  exploration of the Koronus Expanse. 
  THE BROTHERS LATHIMON
  Trame and Ettimus were always rivals. From the day they were 
  each given their own ship to expand their family’s dynasty, they 
  competed and sought to outdo one another. Eventually, insult 
  mounted upon insult, and they sought to end this tireless rivalry 
  with a duel of ships. Each brother amassed a massive ﬂ eet and 
  chose the Battleground to be their ﬁ eld. Massive munitions were 
  launched, and scores of ﬁ ghter craft and boarding torpedoes 
  crossed the silent void to collide with massive macro shells 
  and shafts of boiling plasma. Ships exploded and detonated 
  with reactor breeches, and others simply drifted off; holed into 
  lifelessness, the crew killed instantly by explosive decompression.
  Eventually, only the two brothers remained; each aboard 
  their command ships, staring out across the debris-ﬁ lled void 
  at one another. Though their ships had been damaged, they 
  could still ﬁ ght. The stories continue to say that the two paused 
  for a moment in stand-off, each daring the other to make the 
  ﬁ rst move that would be sure to end in the annihilation of them 
  both. No one can say which brother that was, but all that was 
  found when other ships visited the battleground were drifting 
  clouds of radioactive debris and munitions. It is likely both 
  brothers perished, and their ﬂ eets with them. 
  SALVAGING THE CLOUD
  There is some value to be found within the detritus of space 
  debris ﬂ oating in the region. For centuries, Rogue Traders 
  have taken up cover within the cloud to affect repairs on their 
  ships that were damaged, or to simply wait out the storms so 
  they can continue their journey across the Maw. One wonders 
  then why these great worthies haven’t sought to salvage what 
  they could from this massive ﬁ eld of materials. 
  The truth is that many have tried, and indeed some have 
  found great success in doing so. However, the wealth that can 
  be exploited from the Koronus Expanse makes the paltry debris 
  in the Battleground pale in comparison. It’s far more proﬁ table 
  to set up mining operations within the Expanse than it is to 
  simply pick over the dead bones of Rogue Traders past. Yet, 
  this doesn’t stop new Rogue Traders from trying—thinking 
  that they can recover more wealth in these parts than they 
  would be able to elsewhere. Usually, they end up becoming 
  part of the cloud themselves, either through carelessness or the 
  predations of other Battleground scavengers.
  USING THE BATTLEGROUND: SALVAGE ENDEAVOUR
  Lesser Endeavour, +1 Proﬁ t
  Game Masters can establish an endeavour for the 
  Explorers that are wishing to attempt to salvage the 
  Battleground. This is no small feat as other Rogue 
  Traders may feel that the Explorers are encroaching on 
  their rightful claim to the massive cloud of debris. The 
  Game Master is encouraged to set up the Endeavour as 
  outlined on pages 276–279 of ROGUE TRADER. The 
  GM should keep in mind, however, that this should 
  be a more difﬁ cult Endeavour than the Proﬁ t Factor 
  awards would indicate, and should require long hours 
  sifting through the wreckage to ﬁ nd valuable salvage. In 
  addition, successful Rogue Traders regard salvaging the 
  Battleground with disdain, a sign that one is either newly 
  come into his Warrant or does not know how to use it. If 
  the Rogue Trader’s Proﬁ t Factor is over a certain amount 
  (roughly 40 or so), the GM could give him the reputation 
  of a rag-picker or scavenger amongst his peers. 
  28
  28
  THE BROTHERS LATHIMON
  Trame and Ettimus were always rivals. From the day they were 
  each given their own ship to expand their family’s dynasty, they 
  competed and sought to outdo one another. Eventually, insult 
  mounted upon insult, and they sought to end this tireless rivalry 
  with a duel of ships. Each brother amassed a massive ﬂ eet and 
  simply pick over the dead bones of Rogue Traders past. Yet, 
  this doesn’t stop new Rogue Traders from trying—thinking 
  that they can recover more wealth in these parts than they 
  would be able to elsewhere. Usually, they end up becoming 
  part of the cloud themselves, either through carelessness or the 
  predations of other Battleground scavengers.
  -From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 453816.M41
  My first visit to the Battlefield was almost my last. We had ventured into the outer rings of the debris field on the Captain’s 
  whim, seeking “items of value” amongst the drifting wreckage. Our efforts yielded little of worth, however, and we had just 
  received the order to turn around when our ship suddenly came under fire. The attacker was hidden behind crudely-welded 
  bulkheads and other junk collected around a still-functioning plasma battery. The vox crackled to life with raving threats, 
  accusing us of heresy, theft, and worse crimes. 
  The Captain attempted to respond, but his words had no effect. Fortunately, the attacker’s aim was poor and our damage 
  was light, but it was clear that to remain in the area would be to invite disaster. A focused augur scan of the region revealed 
  that numerous other energy sources had powered up after the first barrage, and the Captain had no wish to fight over scrap 
  when we had important business elsewhere.
  To this day I wonder what exactly it was that we had found in the Battlefield. Was it some kind of automated defence 
  array? The vox transmissions sounded human, so it could have been some survivors of a previous battle. Perhaps it was 
  descendents of the followers or retainers of the ancient Lathimon Brothers, still not realising that the battle has been over for 
  decades. I doubt I shall ever know the truth.
  
  29
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  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  THE HERMITAGE
  “The Hermitage? A most amiable place, if I may say so, and perfect 
  for indulging in a bit of business.”
  –Captain Dante Balthazar
  Long after his ancestor Purity Lathimon opened the Maw, the 
  Rogue Trader Trame Lathimon was paid a princely sum by 
  an obscure sect of the Ministorum to carry their void station 
  and their members out towards the Halo Stars. It is said that 
  Trame, in a ﬁ t of petulance, cast forth the hermits and their 
  station from his holds at the Conclave, an even older void 
  station located in the middle of the Maw. Eventually, the two 
  stations were brought together both for mutual protection 
  and to ensure the survival of the occupants within. Trame 
  eventually paid for his misdeed (at least according to the 
  hermits of the station) when he and his brother fought 
  themselves to mutual annihilation.
  Founded in generations past, this void station was once 
  considered to be a bastion of the might of the Imperium. After 
  the annihilation of Trame Lathimon, the station became a home 
  for all manner of drifters and hermits. As time went on, the station 
  slowly became a haven for Rogue Traders gathering together to 
  wait out the nearby storms; and eventually, it became even less. 
  Today, parts of the Hermitage have crumbled and are open to 
  space. While it is still home to a few hermits, the station is mostly 
  used as a clandestine meeting place for Rogue Traders to broker 
  deals, discuss trade, and meet on neutral ground.
  OPULENT STYLE
  Aside from the appeal the station has being away from prying 
  eyes (other than the hermits), the station also appeals to a 
  Rogue Trader’s sense of style and opulence. The main transept 
  is richly decorated with murals and banners depicting the 
  many victories of Saint Drusus, and the station’s preserved 
  chapel is draped in lavish tapestries set behind a bluestone 
  altar, which itself rests in front of a platinum Aquila of the 
  Imperium. It is here that negotiating parties typically stand 
  when they broker their deals. In addition to these well-
  known locations within the station, there are other places that 
  are favoured by visitors and residents alike.
  The station houses a scriptorium where all manner of 
  records are kept on the comings and goings of the Rogue 
  Traders who visit, as well as histories and other manuscripts 
  left here by visitors for use by others who would visit the 
  Hermitage. Additionally, a crystal dome has been placed on 
  the upper levels, salvaged from a ruined ship for the purpose 
  of viewing the majesty of the God-Emperor’s domain. Few 
  stars can be seen from the Hermitage; most are lost in the 
  raging colours of the Great Warp Storms, but the vista is 
  spectacular nonetheless.
  CLANDESTINE MESSAGES
  The Hermitage is also well known by Rogue Traders as a 
  place to leave messages for their peers who visit from time 
  to time. These messages are hidden within the walls of the 
  void station, usually in pre-arranged locations throughout 
  the outer reaches of the station’s perimeter. In order to avoid 
  interception, messages are written in special ciphers that 
  can only be decoded when the reader uses the key 
  given to him by the sender. Without the key, these 
  cryptic missives appear to consist of nothing but 
  gibberish—an additional insurance against 
  prying eyes.
  USING THE HERMITAGE: SALVAGE ENDEAVOUR
  Lesser Endeavour, +1 Proﬁ t
  Rebuilding and refurbishing the Hermitage into a proper 
  station and trading post could be valuable if one was 
  to attempt it. However, the Explorers would not simply 
  need to repair the station, patching vented sections and 
  installing new generatoria to provide power. They would 
  also have to establish their claim amongst other Rogue 
  Traders accustomed to using the location as a clandestine 
  meeting place, and they may take umbrage at being forced 
  to pay for something they once had free. The Explorers 
  would also need to establish the station as a valuable way-
  point, and keep it supplied even when the Maw swells 
  and seals. However, doing this would do much to making 
  a Rogue Trader known amongst his peers. The Game 
  Master is encouraged to set up the Endeavour as outlined 
  on pages 276–279 of ROGUE TRADER.
  stations were brought together both for mutual protection 
  and to ensure the survival of the occupants within. Trame 
  eventually paid for his misdeed (at least according to the 
  hermits of the station) when he and his brother fought 
  themselves to mutual annihilation.
  Founded in generations past, this void station was once 
  considered to be a bastion of the might of the Imperium. After 
  the annihilation of Trame Lathimon, the station became a home 
  for all manner of drifters and hermits. As time went on, the station 
  slowly became a haven for Rogue Traders gathering together to 
  wait out the nearby storms; and eventually, it became even less. 
  Today, parts of the Hermitage have crumbled and are open to 
  space. While it is still home to a few hermits, the station is mostly 
  used as a clandestine meeting place for Rogue Traders to broker 
  deals, discuss trade, and meet on neutral ground.
  OPULENT STYLE
  Aside from the appeal the station has being away from prying 
  eyes (other than the hermits), the station also appeals to a 
  Rogue Trader’s sense of style and opulence. The main transept 
  is richly decorated with murals and banners depicting the 
  many victories of Saint Drusus, and the station’s preserved 
  chapel is draped in lavish tapestries set behind a bluestone 
  altar, which itself rests in front of a platinum Aquila of the 
  
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  Naduesh
  “Build a planet? A whole planet? That’s madness! Not even the God-
  Emperor, blessed be His name, would attempt something so foolish.”
  –Rogue Trader Roan Palanthas, on the stories of Naduesh
  N
  aduesh, the lone habitable planet in a small, empty star 
  system, is a feral world in the Heathen Stars region used 
  as a victualling and resupply port for passing voidships. 
  It is an arid world of broad, dusty plains and simmering deserts. 
  The world’s topography is curiously uniform, and is dominated 
  not by majestic mountain ranges or vast, rolling seas, but by 
  man-made ediﬁ ces. The crumbling remains of ancient hive 
  cities thousands of kilometres across span the entire planet, and 
  fully two-thirds of the land lies in the shadow of their shattered 
  domes. The whole planet is a single landmass punctuated here 
  and there by deep, broad, freshwater lakes. The ﬂ ora and fauna 
  of the planet seem somehow more alive, more vibrant than 
  that on other worlds. Indeed, the entire place has a vague and 
  unsettlingly artiﬁ cial feel to it, as if the planet wasn’t formed 
  from the primordial mass of the universe but built by some 
  unseen hand. Everything seems built to please the senses, an 
  idealised expression of stone or wind or beasts. 
  Among the ghostly, echoing hives and oddly perfect creatures 
  dwells a debased race of tall, lanky humans who call themselves 
  the Nadueshi. A primitive tribal people, they eke out a living 
  among the bones of their ancestors as nomadic herdsmen. 
  They live a simple life on the plains, possessing no technology 
  more advanced than a spear or harness and driving their placid 
  herbivorous beasts from camp to camp, never staying in one 
  place too long and rarely, if ever, entering the ruined hives. 
  While certainly feral, the Nadueshi are not so debased as to lack 
  language or culture. They frequently trade with the pirates and 
  Rogue Traders who come to the surface for water and victuals, 
  and there are wild and varied reports as to the hospitality and 
  folkways of these curious people. There are a few common 
  threads spun throughout the wild rumours of cannibalism and 
  human sacriﬁ ce that surround the Nadueshi, however. They 
  speak a lilting, strangely cadenced language in which some 
  listeners detect High Gothic words and structures. Their oral 
  histories carry no record of their obviously advanced forebears, 
  and there is a complacency in their ignorance of these ancestors 
  that suggests a distinct lack of interest in the subject.
  Those who have explored the abandoned cities report 
  they are covered by massive, powerfully constructed domes 
  towering three kilometres high, built of reinforced plascrete 
  and parchment-thin glass that is harder than diamond. The 
  shattered domes are supported by rusted buttresses a kilometre 
  high mounted in armoured bulwarks forty metres thick. The 
  buildings are square-shouldered, unlovely things more suited 
  to a military base than a soaring metropolis, and indeed they all 
  have a martial, fortress-like air about them. The few who have 
  braved the deadly, crumbling underhives report even greater 
  discoveries—huge arcane arrays of machinery, vast banks of 
  slumbering cogitator arrays, underground caverns a kilometre 
  histories carry no record of their obviously advanced forebears, 
  slumbering cogitator arrays, underground caverns a kilometre 
  30
  30
  -From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 128.807.M41 
  I recently received a intriguing communication from a fellow missionary operating on Naduesh. He describes it as a world covered 
  with vast empty ruins-crumbling domed hives many kilometres across-and peopled by a degenerate race of men. During his time, he 
  has wandered among the vast ruined cities. What he claims to have found is quite astonishing. 
  He writes that the cities themselves are a sort of facade, a massive mock-up like a grand craftsman’s model. Some buildings 
  are mere soundly built and thickly reinforced shells, never designed for human habitation. Instead, they house endless collections 
  of huge, slumbering machinery of unknown purpose. Other structures  contain either powerful auger arrays or retractable weapons 
  batteries which he states dwarf those on Imperial battleships. During the few days he had, he found that some of the machines 
  were still powered, but how and to what end they were unable to ascertain. They also gained access to a series of underground 
  tunnels and compartments, possibly extending across the entire city, or even further. Sadly, they were unable to fully map the 
  tunnel systems due to their apparent size. 
  My colleague claimed he felt like Naduesh is not a planet at all, but a construct like the Mechanicus would build. He offers 
  no definitive answers as to its purpose, but states that the whole place put him in mind of some kind of defensive emplacement or 
  fortress. While I would usually write such stories off as nonsense or the rambling tales of simple voidmen, the source compels me to 
  believe otherwise. I have known my colleague for years, and know him to be a level-headed, contemplative individual. And yet, the very 
  idea is absurd. 
  
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  long that look for all the world like barracks, armouries, 
  marshalling yards and immense gun emplacements mounted 
  with macrocannons large enough to hull a battleship in high 
  orbit. Some say the underhives go on forever, that they burrow 
  straight to the heart of Naduesh, that every metre is packed 
  with complex machinery, and that Naduesh isn’t even a planet 
  at all.
  A SAFE HAVEN
  For centuries now pirates, renegades, and Rogue Traders 
  alike have been stopping here to resupply while crossing the 
  spinward regions of the Expanse and the Heathen Stars. A 
  number of favourable factors have made Naduesh a premier 
  victualling world. The system is relatively isolated and free of 
  major navigation hazards. The warp surrounding the system 
  is eerily calm, with unusually stable currents and few reported 
  storms or lost ships. This makes the planet easy to get to, and 
  there are numerous sheltered anchorages scattered around the 
  system in which to hide or effect repairs.
  While the great ruins of the Nadueshi’s ancestors are striking 
  and draw their share of treasure seekers and curious tech-priests, 
  they are not the only thing the planet has to offer. Indeed it 
  possesses quite possibly the most precious of commodities for 
  passing voidships: clean, fresh water. Naduesh’s broad, deep 
  lakes provide a near endless supply of uncontaminated water, a 
  fact that has been taken advantage of by generations of voidmen. 
  Along with the water, there is also much in the way of provender 
  to be had. Nearly every fruit, nut, or root that grows on Naduesh 
  is edible, and vast herds of wild herbivorous beasts a million 
  strong wander the plains and make for excellent eating. Some 
  voidmen have witnessed this bounty and stated that it’s almost 
  as if everything about the planet was designed with the comfort 
  and convenience of men in mind.
  There is also a brisk trade here among the native Nadueshi 
  and the “Sky Men” as they call the visiting voidmen. 
  Voidships bring slaves, high-tech weapons, ammunition, tools 
  and trinkets to trade for conscripts, women, foodstuffs and 
  ancient Nadueshi artefacts. The Nadueshi also produce and 
  trade ornate metal jewellery, and a small but fervent market 
  for their tribal ﬁ nery has sprung up among the neighbouring 
  systems. There is great money-making potential here for 
  a keen Rogue Trader. The ancient, abandoned hives are 
  doubtless still full of archeotech artefacts, and most of the 
  labyrinthine underhives remain uncharted and unexploited. 
  The native herbivores are hardy and would make an excellent 
  trade commodity, especially with nearby systems such as 
  Zayth (which has little ability to raise its own foodstuffs). 
  There are also millions of heathen souls on Naduesh who 
  need to be brought into the fold and shown the righteous 
  light and power of the God-Emperor. These are but a few 
  of the opportunities to be found on Naduesh, and it would 
  be an unimaginative Rogue Trader indeed who couldn’t 
  make at least a small fortune exploiting the planet and 
  its natural resources.
  RUMOURS AND LIES
  There are as many rumours about Naduesh, its history, and its strange people as 
  there are voidmen to tell them. Here are just a few of the more common tales 
  told in shipyards and public houses throughout the Expanse.
  • Members of the Magos Biologis have reported that the beasts and 
  plants of Naduesh posses uncommonly pure genetic codes. They seem 
  to exhibit few of the mutations or genetic dead-ends typically brought 
  about by natural selection.
  • In the initial survey of Naduesh after its discovery, the survey team 
  leader reported a strange anomaly in the planet’s rotation. It is almost 
  perfectly circular around its star, and it’s axis of rotation seems very close 
  to completely perpendicular with the plane of its solar system.
  • A Rogue Trader named Keiran Haan claims to have possibly caught a glimpse of the 
  planet’s history in the Nadueshi capital of Marajur. During a tour of the city, she became 
  separated from her guide and found herself in what she took to be a chapel. Three of the 
  walls were decorated with frescoes of people resembling the Nadueshi performing various tasks. The fourth wall was 
  dominated by huge mural of four humans—one carrying the equipment of a scientist or researcher, another armed and 
  armoured as a warrior, the third bearing tools as if a labourer or engineer, and the last wearing ﬁ nery evocative of a noble 
  or government functionary. They were standing around a large globe that resembled Naduesh itself. Once reunited with 
  her native guide, he could not, or would not, elaborate on the meaning of the murals. 
  • Rumours in Footfall’s taverns say that every so often, a vessel approaching Naduesh is challenged by vox-hails in an 
  unknown language. If the ship responds, they sometimes hear a brief squeal of code, then nothing but static. This 
  is dismissed as impossible by those who have visited the planet—the natives are too primitive for vox technology.  
  • The Nadueshi have a legend that speaks of an unnamed horror attacking their ancestors from the stars, only to be 
  swallowed by a god that dwells deep within the planet and speaks through the very stones themselves.
  • Some claim that the entire planet was constructed as a trap and laid in the system for some unknown stellar foe. If 
  so, has the trap has been sprung—perhaps its prey is held deep within the planet—or is it still armed and waiting?
  There are as many rumours about Naduesh, its history, and its strange people as 
  perfectly circular around its star, and it’s axis of rotation seems very close 
  A Rogue Trader named Keiran Haan claims to have possibly caught a glimpse of the 
  
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  USING NADUESH
  Naduesh provides Explorers with a location to rest and 
  provision during their adventures amongst the Expanse, and 
  the Heathen Stars in particular. The world is habitable and has 
  a native human population, which means a Rogue Trader could 
  use it to reprovision his ship’s food stocks, or restore his crew’s 
  Morale (see pages 226-227 of ROGUE TRADER). In particular, 
  the inhabitants of Naduesh have domesticated a beast similar 
  to the Mukaali of Tallarn that can be used either as a beast 
  of burden or a food source. On occasion, enterprising Rogue 
  Traders have traded these animals across the Heathen Stars. 
  Naduesh can also be used to replenish Crew Population if 
  the Explorers are willing to recruit from amongst the tribes. 
  Of course, the Nadueshi are a feral people, unused to living 
  amongst the stars and unfamiliar with even the most basic 
  Imperial technologies, so most would only be good as low-
  decks crew. In general, obtaining crew means an Acquisition 
  Test with a Scarce modiﬁ er (see pages 226 of ROGUE 
  TRADER), and a successful test will only restore 12 points of 
  Crew Population on vessels smaller than a light cruiser, and 6 
  on ships of light cruiser size and larger. 
  In addition, there are several potential endeavours possible 
  on Naduesh, as suggested above. Each of these would likely 
  be lesser Endeavours, except for converting the inhabitants to 
  worship the God-Emperor. This would be a Greater Endeavour, 
  if a Rogue Trader could convince the Ministorum of its value. 
  The Breaking 
  Yards at SR-651
  “I’ve been from the Maw to the edge of the Rifts of Hecaton and back 
  and seen all the highs and lows of Mankind, but I’ve never seen a place 
  as desperate and squalid and truly Emperor forsaken as the Breaking 
  Yards. May the Holy One have mercy on their pitiful souls.”
  –Trade Admiral Jonquin Saul 
  L
  ocated in the Cinerus Maleﬁ cum region, near the centre of 
  the Koronus Expanse, SR-651 is a red giant star standing 
  silent watch over an empty system. Whether the system 
  ever had planets remains unclear, but the entirety of it is littered 
  with dense asteroid ﬁ elds, the shattered remains of voidships, 
  and the detritus of millennia of passing ﬂ eets. SR-651 is also 
  occasionally lashed with terrible warp storms and plagued 
  by strange gravitational anomalies that cause the ever-present 
  debris to shift and ﬂ ow like currents and pool here and there 
  in clumps hundreds or thousands of kilometres across. Despite 
  the desolation and navigational hazards, SR-651 has two 
  very important redeeming qualities: it’s located conveniently 
  near the dead centre of the Expanse, and lies directly off one 
  of the larger trade routes that cross from Winterscale’s Realm 
  to the Heathen Stars. These factors, plus the surfeit of cheap 
  labour from the surrounding systems and the constant need for 
  voidship components, gave birth to the Breaking Yards.
  HISTORY OF THE YARDS
  The Breaking Yards were founded by the Rogue Trader Iridas 
  Holden, the scion of a powerful family from the Calixis Sector 
  that was heavily invested in both shipyards and the salvage 
  trade. On a fact-ﬁ nding mission through the Expanse, Holden’s 
  ship, the Salvare, was blown off course by a particularly savage 
  warp storm and deposited, battered and limping, in the SR-651 
  system. He immediately sought a sheltered anchorage for his 
  wounded ship above one of the intact planets at the far end of 
  the system and put his crew to work. While his crew and Tech-
  priests were busy with repairs, Holden took the opportunity to 
  survey the heretofore unknown system. He scanned everything 
  within reach of his auspex arrays and sent parties out in the 
  ship’s boats to search farther aﬁ eld. One of these survey parties 
  stumbled across a small station anchored close to the system’s 
  centre, housing a small-time salvage operation breaking up 
  wrecked ships amongst the remains of a shattered asteroid. 
  After a tense negotiation, the foreman of the salvage operation, a 
  grizzled and ancient voidman named Haargoth Agamar, agreed 
  to return to the Salvare to meet with Captain Holden.
  Upon arriving at the ship, Holden and Agamar entered into 
  lengthy discussions about the history of the system and the nature 
  of the salvage operation. Apparently, numerous minor salvaging 
  organisations had been operating in the SR-651 system for 
  centuries. Rogue Traders would deposit teams of workers who 
  would operate for a while until their masters retrieved them or were 
  wiped out by some natural disaster or marauding pirates. While 
  
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  the system itself was rich in constantly renewing salvage thanks to 
  its location, steady trafﬁ c and ever-changing navigation hazards, 
  the region of space was largely deserted, and the few human 
  outposts not wealthy enough to take advantage of the situation. 
  Holden, however, felt he could succeed where his peers failed. 
  After pumping Agamar for all the information the old voidman 
  possessed, Holden immediately pressed him into service, then sent 
  impressment teams to do the same to the remainder of his men. 
  With his repairs completed, Holden returned to Port Wander to 
  muster resources and lay plans.
  One year later, Iridas Holden returned to SR-651. He had 
  crafted a plan to make himself incredibly wealthy by building 
  massive breaking yards in the system, recycling derelict ships 
  and selling the components and raw materials. He reasoned 
  that with the constant wrecks that happened throughout the 
  system, and with negotiated contracts with Rogue Traders 
  such as Saul to have broken ships sent to his yards, he could 
  build a lasting ship-breaking empire. 
  In the Imperium, it is rare that ships are broken and 
  scrapped. Each starship is a valuable prize representing 
  decades of construction and ﬁ lled with arcane and priceless 
  technology. However, through battle, disaster, or hard use, 
  some ships do become untenable. With a ﬂ otilla of ships, tens 
  of thousands of pressed men to work as ship breakers and 
  a handful of lucrative salvage contracts, Holden claimed the 
  whole of the system as his own. Once the headquarters was 
  established on a planet-sized jumble of asteroids and planetary 
  debris held together in one of the systems gravitational sinks, 
  Holden would set to building his empire.
  From the beginning however, the entire endeavour was a 
  disaster. Upon arrival at SR-651, many of the ﬂ otilla’s ships, 
  piloted by captains unfamiliar with the treacherous system, were 
  lost to collisions and asteroid impacts. Once the operation’s 
  headquarters were established and the temporary habitats were 
  built, a brutal, month-long warp storm swept through the system, 
  disrupting asteroid orbits and sending shards of rock careening 
  into ships at anchor. Many thousands of crewmen and impressed 
  workers were lost, as well as the permanent habitats and a fair 
  portion of the operation’s food and supplies. Supply shortages, 
  hunger rations and deadly working conditions led to riots and 
  work stoppages which were suppressed quickly and violently. 
  Holden attempted desperately to hold his operation together, 
  appealing to investors for more loans and stretching his already 
  thin fortune to breaking. News of the disasters and setbacks at 
  SR-651 began to get out, and Holden was undone. A rival Rogue 
  Trader clan, smelling blood in the water, took the opportunity 
  to declare war on the Holden dynasty. They reduced Holden’s 
  once-powerful family to poverty and sold the majority of them 
  into indentured servitude. Finally, in the midst of this chaos, the 
  crew of the Salvare rose up in mutiny and killed Holden and his 
  ofﬁ cers. This mutiny, bloody, violent and expertly planned, was 
  led by none other than Haargoth Agamar.
  Now in command of a well equipped voidship and possessing 
  an intimate knowledge of the system and its hazards, Haargoth 
  Agamar picked up where the unfortunate Holden had left off. 
  He brought the remainder of the doomed expedition together 
  and made them an offer. Those who would stay and work would 
  be provided shelter, food and a cut of any proﬁ ts. Those who 
  wished to leave would be given a ship and sent on their way. A 
  surprising number decided to take Agamar up on his offer and 
  stayed. They spent months in dangerous, back-breaking labour 
  preparing the installation with what few supplies that they had 
  left. The makeshift, temporary habitats were shored up and 
  made, if not permanent, at least liveable. They towed hulks and 
  scraps from around the system for salvage and building material. 
  Agamar made deals with surrounding systems, trading ship parts 
  and raw materials for food and supplies. Eventually, and much to 
  the surprise of Agamar and his followers who knew nothing of 
  them, the ﬁ rst of Holden’s contract ships arrived from elsewhere 
  in the Expanse to be broken down. They were followed by more, 
  and soon Agamar found himself in the salvage business.
  Sadly, soon after the operation was up and running, 
  Agamar and the Salvare disappeared on a passage through the 
  Maw. In response, most of Agamar’s employees disappeared, 
  ﬂ eeing to other regions with whatever equipment, goods and 
  money they could carry. The remaining employees couldn’t 
  maintain the operation, which slowly collapsed into a skeleton 
  of itself. Instead of a region-spanning ship-salvaging empire 
  or an efﬁ cient and professional scrap concern as Holden and 
  Agamar had envisioned, the breaking yards became a hellish 
  industrial prison where the poorest and most desperate people 
  of the Expanse toil away for endless hours in patched voidsuits, 
  tearing ships apart piece by piece with inadequate tools. Here, 
  life is incredibly cheap, the mortality rate is staggeringly high, 
  and everyone is sick from radiation poisoning or contact with 
  the dizzying array of hazardous materials used in building 
  voidships. It became, like many places in the Expanse, not a 
  place of hope but one of exploitation and despair.
  THE YARDS TODAY
  In the decades since their founding, the Breaking Yards 
  haven’t changed much. The complex is comprised of two 
  main areas, the Receiving Yard and the Breaking Yards. 
  The Receiving Yard is a massive, spindle-shaped 
  space station thirty kilometres long that orbits 
  the Breaking Yards. It is here that incoming 
  DEFENDING THE YARD
  The macrobatteries mounted to the Breaking Yards give 
  the structure incredible defensive coverage for what is 
  essentially a planet-scale scrapyard. From any approach, 
  an attacking ship will ﬁ nd itself facing either two lances 
  or four macrobatteries of any type (stats for these weapons 
  can be found in Table 8-5: Supplemental Components on 
  page 204 of Rogue Trader.) The scavenged defence turrets 
  give the Yards a Turret Rating of 3, and the random auger 
  arrays give it a detection of +12.
  As for its ﬂ eet of cobbled together ships, the Yards 
  should have as many ships as the Game Master sees 
  ﬁ t, and can be represented by the Wolfpack Raider 
  found on page 209 of ROGUE TRADER, usually armed 
  with macrocannons such as the Thunderstrike. In 
  general, Yard crews are no better than Incompetent, 
  although the crews running the actual Yard defences 
  are Competent. 
  
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  ships, many of which are completely unrepairable, are processed 
  and inspected before being sent into the Breaking Yards for 
  salvaging. The spindle contains the old administrative ofﬁ ces, 
  along with living quarters for the clerks along with the yard 
  foremen and their enforcers. A bustling marketplace dominates 
  the central decks of the station, where ship components from the 
  Breaking Yards are sold to anyone with the Thrones to purchase 
  them. Everything from auspex array lenses to warp drives and 
  Gellar Field generators can be had, in varying condition. Even 
  whole ship hulls can be purchased at the yards, although these are 
  a much rarer commodity. These are bare hulls, typically stripped 
  to the gunwales and lacking even engines and generators, perfect 
  for the Rogue Trader who wants to assemble a ship from the 
  keel up. 
  The Breaking Yards are built on and throughout a clump 
  of asteroids and planetary fragments roughly 3,500 kilometres 
  in diameter, loosely bound together by one of SR-651’s 
  errant gravitational anomalies. Massive chains and hundreds 
  of kilometres of ﬂ exible, semi-rigid pressure corridors connect 
  the disparate pieces of the complex. Each asteroid in the clump 
  is studded with a multitude of slapdash hangars, slips and 
  workshops bashed together from hull plates and other random 
  detritus. Leaky, unshielded pressure domes and temporary 
  emergency habitats make up the living quarters for those workers 
  lucky enough to have them. Even with their foetid, poorly 
  recycled atmospheres and tendency to de-pressurise or implode 
  without warning, they are still preferable to sleeping aboard 
  one of the space hulks in a vacsuit or in a makeshift hovel built 
  from the scavenged cockpit of a gun cutter—as so many do. The 
  entire place is full of wretched, hollow-eyed people and has the 
  look and feel of a huge, dangerous slum. It’s dominated by the 
  hulking shapes of derelict voidships and always lit by glaring 
  ﬂ oodlights and the glittering sparks of cutting torches. 
  DEFENCE OF THE YARDS
  With its wealth of voidship salvage, the Breaking Yards seem 
  a prime target for raiders and pirates. However, while there 
  have been occasional shipment hijackings or daring cutting-
  out expeditions led against the Yards’ ﬂ eet of marketable 
  hulls, large-scale attacks are rare. This is due to a number of 
  factors, the ﬁ rst being the Yards’ location. Navigating SR-
  651’s shifting asteroid belts is a dangerous proposition unless 
  the pilot follows one of the charted passages, and the Yards’ 
  have broken the hulks of numerous pirates who have tried. 
  Those who do follow the passages must contend with the 
  Yards’ not inconsiderable defences. The facilities of the Yards 
  mount hundreds of salvaged, dismounted macrobatteries and 
  lances, along with thousands of close defence turrets, bristling 
  from the rocks and asteroids. These are manned at all times by a 
  rotation of trained gun crews and co-ordinated from a salvaged 
  ship’s bridge used as a command and communications centre. 
  This allows the Yards to defend themselves and the Receiving 
  Yard at both short and long ranges. The Yards also maintain a 
  small, ragged ﬂ eet of fast defence monitors and intersystem 
  ships for interception and interdiction. While mostly 
  made from spare parts and thinly crewed with 
  poorly trained pressed men, these ships still 
  provide a decent defence force, and have 
  driven off more than one raiding ﬂ eet. In addition, any number 
  of powerful and expertly crewed Rogue Trader or pirate vessels 
  can be found in the Yards at any given time. These ships are 
  typically unhappy to be bothered in the middle of their business, 
  and are more than happy to punish any interlopers. More than 
  anything else, the power of the Yards’ macro-batteries and the 
  goodwill of its trading partners have kept the Orks of the nearby 
  Undred-Undred Teef, clearly the greatest threat to the Yards, 
  from completely overrunning the place.
  Of course, some Rogue Traders have succeeded in taking 
  over the Yards—through force or dealmaking—over the years. 
  However, ownership of the Yards proved to be the ruination 
  of each, driving them to poverty, shame, and ﬁ nancial 
  collapse. Whether poor luck or simply that the Yards are an 
  ill-conceived venture, the facility seems destined to survive on 
  its own, running on momentum and directed anarchy. 
  USING THE BREAKING YARDS
  Though the Yards have a poor reputation, they are something 
  of a rarity in the Expanse—a (mostly) functional shipyard. This 
  makes them invaluable for Rogue Traders who need to reﬁ t 
  their vessels, or simply repair damage from a dangerous run. 
  In addition, rumour has it that due to a bureaucratic mishap, 
  a perfectly serviceable cruiser, formerly the property of one of 
  the branches of the Imperium, has recently found a new home 
  at the Breaking Yards. As if that wasn’t bad enough, depending 
  on who you talk to, this ship is either equipped with some sort 
  of heretical technology, or has a hold full of deadly weapons. 
  Either way, if this is true, that ship is a danger to the yards and 
  whoever lost it is going to want it back.
  
  35
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  The Ragged 
  Worlds
  “The Ragged Worlds may not be any safer than Winterscale’s Realm, 
  or any richer, but it’s certainly easier by half to make money here 
  than anywhere else.”
  –Cornelius Argyl, semi-retired Rogue Trader
  T
  he Ragged Worlds are an isolated cluster of star systems 
  located high up in the galactic plane and spinward of 
  Winterscale’s Realm. This tiny region, once thought 
  to be the total of the Koronus Expanse during the “Mistaken 
  Age,” has been all but abandoned for centuries. Once the 
  true scale of the Expanse was realised with the ﬁ rst warp 
  routes through the Maw and the discovery of Furibundus, 
  Rogue Traders ﬂ ed the Ragged Worlds in droves. The lure of 
  boundless riches, ancient wonders and vast stretches of empty 
  space to conquer won out, and the Ragged Worlds fell into a 
  quiet obscurity that lasted for centuries. 
  The region itself is relatively small compared to other 
  charted areas of the Expanse—a few hundred star systems and 
  countless thousands of planets, moons, nebulae and asteroid 
  ﬁ elds packed tightly into an area only a few dozen light years 
  across. Thanks to this density, and the region’s close proximity 
  to the mass of warp storms that separate the Koronus Expanse 
  from the Calixis Sector, traversing the region is arduous and 
  sometimes deadly. The region is constantly lashed by storms 
  and temporal disruptions, and the warp tides created by so 
  many gravity wells in so small an area are a navigational 
  nightmare to even the most seasoned Navigator. There are a 
  few stable warp routes in and out of the region, but they tend 
  to be small and are under constant threat of collapse thanks 
  to the forces of the Screaming Vortex. 
  The Ragged Worlds are also short of natural resources and 
  exploitable assets. There are a handful of deposits of valuable 
  ores to be found among its solid planets and asteroid ﬁ elds, 
  and few, if any, of its gas giants are composed of anything 
  but the basest, most common elements. What civilisations the 
  region possesses are typically so benighted and backwards that 
  they are of little interest to anyone but press gangs or the God-
  Emperor’s missionaries. The few ancient human and xenos 
  ruins discovered were picked clean long ago, and the death 
  worlds like Burnscour are so dangerous and difﬁ cult to exploit 
  that most consider them hardly worth the effort. Despite this 
  stellar poverty, Rogue Traders fought bitterly for centuries for 
  what paltry wealth they could glean from this sparse region, 
  and the blasted wrecks and blackened bones of those unlucky 
  in their endeavours litter the systems of the Ragged Worlds. 
  Within the past few decades however, residents of 
  the Expanse have once again turned their eyes toward the 
  meagre riches of the Ragged Worlds. The steady inﬂ ux of 
  traders, pirates, scoundrels, missionaries and the Imperium 
  into the Expanse, along with the endless bloody feuding 
  in Winterscale’s Realm, has driven many Rogue Traders to 
  look elsewhere for their livelihoods. While some have gone 
  rimward toward the Accursed Demesne and the Unbeholden 
  Reaches, many have taken up residence in the formerly 
  abandoned Ragged Worlds. Despite its previous short and 
  violent inhabitation, vast stretches of the region remain 
  uncharted. Here among these quiet and isolated worlds the 
  newly arrived pioneers see decent potential for trade in the 
  undeveloped regions. They also feel that slightly reduced 
  proﬁ ts expected in so impoverished a region are a small price 
  to pay for the freedom from the constant ﬁ ghting and clamour 
  found elsewhere. This has led to the slowly-increasing 
  popularity of the Ragged Worlds, and the recent discoveries 
  of some heretofore undiscovered systems containing dead 
  hive worlds and mysterious xenos artefacts has created a small 
  but fervent gold rush mentality.
  NOTABLE LOCATIONS
  While there are myriad unremarkable worlds within the 
  region and possibly thousands more to discover, a few worlds 
  have gained notoriety and are recognised as places with great 
  potential. Burnscour is one such place, with its burgeoning 
  beast trade and lethal weather. Others have been found to 
  harbour previously unknown xenos ruins, unexplored ancient 
  human outposts and even vast, planet-scale sepulchres. While 
  none of the worlds can match the unbridled wealth of those 
  found in Winterscale’s Realm, they still generate a small but 
  respectable income stream for those with the right kind of 
  vision and enough strength.
  AUBRAY’S ANVIL
  “You see a place like this and you wonder. You wonder how it could 
  fail. What forces could pull down a people who possessed technology 
  like this? What blasphemy, what heresy could they have perpetrated 
  to make the God-Emperor turn His loving eye from them? Whatever 
  it was, you need only look to the piles of bones in the streets here to 
  see the ﬁ nal fruits of their labour.”
  –Attributed to the Rogue Trader Cort Saldanus
  Located on the far rimward side of the region, Aubray’s Anvil 
  is one of the dead worlds recently discovered among the 
  Ragged Worlds. Long bereft of human habitation and given 
  over completely to beasts and plants, the Anvil more closely 
  resembles an abandoned forge world than a typical hive. The 
  face of the planet is covered with obscure laboratories and 
  sprawling factories hundreds of kilometres long. Its great 
  hives are a twisting maze of steel and stone and unidentiﬁ able 
  composites under crystalline domes thousands of metres high. 
  Endless piles of rusted machinery and drifts of scrap materials 
  clog the streets, where the bones of men lie tangled in snarls 
  of wire or the limbs of long destroyed walking machines. 
  Above it all orbit silent stations whose corridors are choked 
  with dust and shrivelled remains, and empty shipyards, 
  some still with keels laid in their slips, waiting for 
  shipwrights who will never come.
  
  36
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  While seemingly of human design, there are precious few 
  hints as to the identity or fate of the previous inhabitants or the 
  nature and purpose of their industries. A few antediluvian vox 
  systems broadcasting repeated messages in an indecipherable 
  language through the echoing ruins and the sun bleached 
  bones piled in the streets are the only evidence that humans 
  lived here at all. 
  A relative newcomer named Cort Saldanus—praised by his 
  peers as a master navigator and voidman—discovered (and 
  named) Aubray’s Anvil. Rumours abound that he forced an 
  unknown rival to battle in orbit at this planet, his foe driven 
  into the atmosphere by the force of Saldanus’s guns. 
  Using Aubray’s Anvil
  The sheer vastness of the ruins on Aubray’s Anvil presents 
  a number of potential money-making opportunities for the 
  enterprising Rogue Trader. Obviously there is the archeotech 
  trade, as the place is littered with ancient and wondrous 
  technology. There is also the opportunity to gain or exploit 
  contacts within the Adeptus Mechanicus, who will surely be 
  intensely interested in what lies beneath the wreckage of this 
  lost world. Finally, there is the question of the ﬁ nal fate of 
  Cort Saldanus. Is Saldanus still alive and if not, what killed 
  him? Perhaps the unknown rival is part of the mystery?
  SELDON’S FOLLY
  “If you should ever need an example of the terrible power of lust and 
  jealousy, look no further. This place is a monument to those sins, and 
  thousands more.”
  –Sergeant Erist Holk
  Among the numerous reasons man has found to justify the 
  pursuit of war and the wholesale slaughter of his fellow 
  man, the love of a woman seems to be more justiﬁ able 
  than most. Once a pleasant planet known as Pastorus, this 
  blighted, war ravaged world was relatively unknown until 
  its discovery by the capricious Rogue Trader Marrus Seldon. 
  On Pastorus, Seldon found an extremely advanced human 
  society seemingly descended from an Imperial colony. They 
  had a rudimentary knowledge of the God-Emperor, a wealth 
  of ancient technologies, and even a small but well-trained 
  navy of intersystem ships. Seldon, a devout follower of the 
  God-Emperor and shrewd businessman, saw great potential 
  for both conversion and archeotech trade. He brokered 
  negotiations between the planetary governor, his dynasty, and 
  the Ecclesiarchy that were extremely beneﬁ cial to all sides. 
  It was during these long meetings that he met the 
  governor’s young wife, and they 
  began a long and passionate 
  intrigue. Upon its 
  inevitable discovery, the governor furiously and forcibly 
  ejected Seldon, his retinue, and the Ecclesiarchy delegation. 
  In his leaving, Seldon raided the gubernatorial palace, taking 
  his mistress with him and doing incredible damage. However, 
  the planetary navy intercepted his ship, and a massive battle 
  took place in low orbit. During the battle, Seldon’s mistress 
  was killed and, maddened with rage, he declared war on 
  Pastorus. He brought his not-inconsiderable martial assets 
  to bear and invaded the planet, causing millions of deaths 
  and untold destruction. Not long after the invasion, Seldon 
  was killed when his ship was destroyed by saboteurs, and his 
  forces bogged down ﬁ ghting the well-equipped and highly 
  trained professional armies of Pastorus. 
  Now, decades later, the remains of Seldon’s armies are still 
  entrenched on the planet they’ve renamed Seldon’s Folly, 
  forever ﬁ ghting the dwindling planetary defence forces. 
  Unable to stop and unwilling to surrender, these armies 
  have reduced the once-beautiful world to a smouldering, 
  crater-ﬁ lled warzone. Where the land is not poisoned it is 
  radioactive, and the skies are clouded with chemical weapons 
  and blackened by the smoke of charnel ﬁ res. Eventually, all 
  life will be destroyed on Seldon’s Folly, and it will forever 
  stand as a monument to one man’s jealousy and madness. 
  Using Seldon’s Folly
  The ceaseless war on Seldon’s Folly presents a great 
  opportunity for players to make money providing weapons, 
  men and materiel to one or both sides of the conﬂ ict. Buying 
  weapons and ﬁ ghting vehicles in bulk and selling them at 
  a steep mark-up is a time honoured tradition in the Rogue 
  Trader business, and Seldon’s Folly is a perfect opportunity 
  to take part in a little war proﬁ teering.
  REDEMPTION
  “It is the Ecclesiarchy’s purview, and theirs alone, to interpret the 
  word of the God-Emperor. Any teachings other than those sanctioned 
  by the Ecclesiarchy are to be considered heresy.”
  –Excerpt from Ecclesiarchy Memorandum DCLXVII
  This blasphemous world is a small, arid moon orbiting a gas 
  giant in the far coreward reaches of the Ragged Worlds, well 
  within sight of the seething warp storms that hem the Expanse. 
  Recently declared off-limits by the Ecclesiarchy, Redemption 
  was once the cemetery world for a long-lost cult dedicated 
  to a heretical version of the teachings of the God-Emperor. 
  What these teachings were and what befell their adherents is 
  36
  36
  the Ecclesiarchy that were extremely beneﬁ cial to all sides. 
  It was during these long meetings that he met the 
  governor’s young wife, and they 
  began a long and passionate 
  intrigue. Upon its 
  What these teachings were and what befell their adherents is 
  
  37
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  unknown, whether lost to time or suppressed by the Imperium, 
  but the Inquisition has branded them heresy so heresy they 
  must be. The moon is covered with ornate cyclopean tombs 
  engraved with heretical bas reliefs, grand necropolises, and 
  countless obscure monuments. Gigantic cathedrals decorated 
  with frescoes and stained glass proclaiming the glory of the 
  God Emperor and His saints stand shoulder to shoulder with 
  humble monasteries and vast, silent crematoria. Every square 
  metre of Redemption is covered in a strange luminescent marble 
  veined with silver that throws back the baleful, ﬂ ickering light 
  from the nearby warp storms and makes everything the colour 
  of a day old bruise.
  Beneath the broad marble avenues and numerous funerary 
  buildings is a warren of thousands of kilometres of tunnels 
  augered deep into the heart of the moon. These seemingly 
  endless tunnels link colossal, city-sized ossuaries and 
  great underground temples. Inside, the bones of 
  countless billions lie stacked in these catacombs, 
  marked with what appear to be purity seals 
  and covered in painted tapestries. Where 
  THE SECRETS OF REDEMPTION 
  As is the case with most dead worlds, the allure of Redemption lies mainly in the money-making potential of its artefacts. 
  Every Rogue Trader worth his warrant has at least a passing interest in the underground trade of heretical artefacts from man’s 
  distant past. With Redemption, the potential is increased tenfold by the nature of its ancient and heretical artefacts. There are 
  more than a few organisations and individuals in the Imperium that would pay vast amounts of gelt to posses such knowledge 
  as Redemption hides, or see it suppressed. What is actually on the moon and in its vast catacombs is unknown to the Expanse, 
  as the threat of the Ecclesiarchy’s censure and the power of Godwinne’s blockade keeps curiosity seekers at bay. 
  The oldest crypts of Redemption date back to the earliest days of the Imperium and perhaps even before, to the time when 
  the Emperor led His Great Crusade to re-conquer the galaxy. Some of the tombs may even have been raised to house great 
  heroes of that time of legends. They could contain powerful relics and valuable treasures from the Imperium’s hallowed past, 
  but such things would pale besides the wealth of knowledge of those times. Information about the ﬁ rst days of the Imperium, 
  secrets discovered about the Halo Stars then lost forever, or even knowledge of the Emperor Himself and His designs for the 
  galaxy, all may wait behind the sealed doors of Redemption. Below are three potential plots that the Game Master may use 
  with Explorers that visit Redemption.
  THE TEMPLE TENDENCY
  The Temple Tendency is the remains of a heretical and ancient cult that once held sway over the entire Imperium. Long ago, the 
  Temple of the Saviour Emperor was one of the ﬁ rst—and most powerful—sects to worship the Emperor as a deity. Its power 
  grew amongst the Imperium as it became the One Faith and evolved into the Ministorum. Eventually, with the Ministorum 
  bloated with secular power and worldly wealth, the infamous Goge Vandire took control. He unleashed the Reign of Blood, 
  throwing the Imperium into horrifying civil war. 
  An alliance between the Mechanicus, the Adeptus Astartes, and a powerful religious leader and reformer named Sebastian 
  Thor eventually overthrew the Temple of the Saviour Emperor, and Vandire died at the hands of his most loyal servants. The 
  remains of the Temple ﬂ ed to corners of the Imperium, where they became known as the Temple Tendency. To this day they 
  work against the Ecclesiarchy,  attempting to restore themselves as the “true” representatives of Imperial faith. 
  Members of the Temple Tendency masquerading as regular Ecclesiarchy functionaries charter the players’ ship to take them 
  to Redemption for “ﬁ eld work.” They have the proper papers and signals to move through the blockade, and may even contract 
  some players and crew to assist them in their endeavours on the surface. Their informants among the Ecclesiarchy have passed 
  them information about Redemption, and the Temple Tendency believes that the documents and artefacts buried here hold 
  secrets important to their cause. Of course, there is a contingency of the Adepta Sororitas on the surface, and it’s only a matter 
  of time before Lord Captain Godwinne discovers that the priest’s documents are forged. 
  THE ECCLESIARCHY
  The Ecclesiarchy has contracted the players to transport a few powerful priests and their retinue, along with a fair amount 
  of unidentiﬁ ed cargo from Redemption to Port Wander. The priests and their people keep largely to themselves, and the 
  cargo is sealed in heavy vaults and guarded by a small unit of Adepta Sororitas. Along the way, the ship is ambushed and the 
  attackers attempt to disable the players’ ship and board her. Are these random pirates? Rival Ecclesiarchy factions? Followers of 
  Redemption’s cult? Something worse? This is a good option for players interested in faith and prestige based pursuits.
  IN HIS SERVICE
  The players have been offered vast sums of money to travel to Redemption in pursuit of a particular item or artefact 
  rumoured to be there. This will entail a great amount of pre-planning, stealth, and raw luck to get through Godwinne’s 
  blockade in orbit and evade the Ecclesiarchy agents and Sisters of Battle units present on the surface. The players will 
  be given a rough description of the object to be retrieved, an estimate of where it might be found, and a hefty down 
  payment on their fee. The money is very good, more than enough to make up for the risk involved, and the deal has 
  every appearance of either a wealthy noble or high-ranking Imperium ofﬁ cial looking for something for their collection. 
  Is this a legitimate business transaction, or is it a set-up?  
  
  38
  38
  38
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  there are not bones or the statues of saints, huge stone vaults 
  with doors as strong and thick as a voidship’s armour are 
  bored into the living stone. These vaults are locked with 
  arcane locks of blasphemous technology and sealed with more 
  of the cult’s purity seals. What they hide is anyone’s guess, 
  and the Ecclesiarchy refuses to disclose any of its ﬁ ndings. 
  To ensure that Redemption remains sacrosanct, the 
  Ecclesiarchy has retained the services of a particularly pious 
  and zealous Rogue Trader named Alessaunder Godwinne. 
  With neither the manpower nor the ships to maintain a 
  blockade in a backwater system in the far off Expanse, the 
  Ecclesiarchy has contracted Godwinne to keep trespassers 
  away from the moon. Godwinne, always eager to serve the 
  Ecclesiarchy and the God-Emperor, has dedicated a small 
  number of his ships and ground forces to the blockade, and 
  has been given free reign to destroy any ships that do not 
  heed his warnings to stay away. Attempting a landing on 
  the moon is tantamount to suicide, and numerous brave or 
  foolhardy treasure hunters who have made the attempt have 
  been destroyed by Godwinne’s naval and ground forces. 
  Redemption remains shrouded in mystery to this day, with the 
  identities and crimes of its people hidden away in librarium 
  vaults by the Ecclesiarchy.
  The Siren Star
  “The song, it come through the Vox, clear as day and twice as loud. 
  It promised us easy living, plenty of amasec and freedom from our 
  bonds. Ev’ry hand aboard turned to his job right quick. We stretched 
  out, but we never made it. A solar storm blew up and smashed the 
  ship apart. Only me and a few of me messmates made it out in one of 
  the ship’s boats. I’m tellin’ you boys, there’s a star out there that sings 
  to you, and it’s the prettiest song you ever heard.”
  –Able Voidman Jak Plaice, former Gunner’s Mate of the Avarice.
  R
  umours abound throughout the Koronus Expanse 
  of a lone star in an empty system that mourns for 
  its lost children, the long-dead inhabitants of the 
  worlds it holds in orbit. It’s said that this star sings a sad and 
  deeply compelling song that can be heard through a ship’s 
  vox systems throughout the system. This song calls out to 
  voidfarers, promising them peace and leisure and protection 
  in the loving embrace of the star. It causes pressed men 
  and Rogue Traders alike to throw aside all caution and run 
  straight to the heart of the system in search of the source of 
  this song. Those that succumb to the Song disappear into 
  the void, never to be seen again. Some say that the star itself 
  swallows ships and crews whole. Others say vile xenos live 
  in the system, and they use the Song to lure in unsuspecting 
  ships for their unspeakable designs. Others say it’s daemons 
  or spirits or one of a hundred other horrors cooked up by 
  the over active imaginations of voidmen. No matter the 
  cause, some version of this story can be heard in 
  every tavern, public house and ship’s mess in the 
  Expanse. While none agree on where this star 
  lies and what danger it hides, they all agree 
  on one point. The only voidmen known to have seen the star 
  and lived to tell the tale were among the crew of the doomed 
  tradeship Avarice.
  Avarice, an extravagantly appointed Dauntless-class light 
  cruiser formerly of the Imperial Navy, was the pride of a 
  shipping ﬂ eet owned by a Rogue Trader named Graydon 
  Gekkonidae. She disappeared with all hands, including her 
  dashing captain, somewhere in the Heathen Stars region. A 
  few years later, voidmen claiming to be the sole survivors of 
  the Avarice began turning up in Port Wander and Footfall, 
  spinning tales of a system where the star sang a song full of 
  promise and hope. A song that drew their ship in and caused 
  them to be dashed apart in an asteroid ﬁ eld by a violent warp 
  storm. Being common deck hands, none could accurately 
  describe where they’d been shipwrecked, but they all agreed 
  that they were in or around the Heathen Stars region, and 
  what they heard coming over the ship’s vox was irresistible to 
  even the most jaded and stalwart voidman. Rumours spread, 
  and eventually the story passed into legend. 
  A LONESOME STAR
  As is often the case with legends, very few of the details of this 
  rumoured Siren Star are correct, but there is truth at the core 
  of the story. On the far Spinward side of the Heathen Stars 
  region, not far from the baleful light of the Rifts of Hecaton, 
  is an abandoned system charted millennia ago by an unnamed 
  surveyor and labelled on ancient charts as Devia Sirenum. 
  Aside from bare facts such as the type and size of Devia 
  Sirenum’s star, the number of planets and known navigational 
  
  39
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  hazards, the only detail included in the report of any interest 
  is the notation “Celestial Anomaly” attached to the description 
  of the star itself. No other information appears in the chart, 
  and no hint as to the nature of this celestial anomaly. Once 
  the survey was complete, it seems that the system was judged 
  unimportant and never revisited, only to be rediscovered 
  centuries later by the Avarice.
  The Devia Sirenum system is long dead, scoured of all life 
  by some unnamed calamity ages before it was charted. The 
  star itself is close to the end if its days, a dim white dwarf 
  languishing at the centre of the system, struggling to cast its 
  weak, guttering light to the outer planets. Vast asteroid ﬁ elds 
  and rings of debris orbit close to the star, the apparent remains 
  of the system’s inner planets. The outer planets, a mix of dead, 
  ice-covered rocks and massive gas giants, circle in their ancient 
  tracks, waiting out their ﬁ nal days. The only evidence that life 
  ever existed here are a handful of dead, artiﬁ cial satellites of 
  unknown and obvious xenos origin, some ruins on a few of the 
  outer planets, and a strange, lingering radiation that disrupts 
  auger arrays. The most notable thing about this system, aside 
  from its desolation, is the “celestial anomaly,” a sharp, keening 
  wail that seems to emanate from Devia Sirenum itself.
  The star emits a jumble of frequencies that are picked up on 
  nearly every wireless system used in shipboard and in-system 
  communication. What causes this star to sing and broadcast 
  its songs to passing ships is unknown; it could be a natural 
  phenomenon, or the work of some daemon or even some 
  ancient xenos technology. Whatever the cause, it is this noise 
  that gives Devia Sirenum its more common nickname, the 
  Siren Star. The star’s song drives men to distraction or 
  madness, and compels them to make all possible 
  speed toward the centre of the system and the 
  embrace of the star’s ﬁ erce glow.
  ANCIENT RADIATION
  The lingering radiation from Devia Sirenum’s ancient and unnamed cataclysm makes navigating the system fairly difﬁ cult. 
  The interfering fallout ebbs and ﬂ ows, reducing a ship’s Detection by 2d10 (re-roll each day the ship is in the system), and 
  reduces the range of all ship-to-ship vox systems to a distance of ﬁ fty kilometres. The reduction in vox range does not affect 
  a ship’s ability to hear the song of the Siren Star, for that plaintive wail can be heard everywhere in the system.
  THE DRAW OF THE SIREN STAR
  The plaintive song of the Siren Star can have such control over the minds of men that they will rush to their deaths only 
  so that they can be closer to its source. Whenever a voidship enters the Devia Sirenum system, its vox and any other 
  wireless comms systems immediately pick up the star’s song, enthralling the Explorers and damaging Morale. Upon 
  hearing the song for the ﬁ rst time, each Explorer needs to pass a Hard (–20) Willpower Test to withstand the draw 
  of the Siren Star. If he succeeds without any degrees of success, he still takes a –10 to any tasks so long as he can hear 
  the sound. If he fails the Test he feels a compulsion to travel towards the system’s center, giving orders to that effect 
  and arguing strongly if anyone disagrees. He suffers 1d5 Insanity Points and also suffers a –20 to all Tests due to the 
  enthralling star, but every 6 hours he can attempt another Hard (–20) Willpower Test to snap out of it. He can also 
  attempt the Test at the GM’s discretion if another Explorer makes a concerted effort to get through to him. 
  However, if a player fails by ﬁ ve or more degrees, he is immediately driven completely mad (suffering 1d5+2 Insanity 
  Points) and will do anything and everything in his power to reach the source, including attacking shipmates, stealing 
  ship’s boats, or even throwing himself out of an airlock. The only help for a character so compelled is to be restrained 
  by his fellows until he can be taken somewhere out of earshot of the Song, at which point he may make a Hard (–20) 
  Willpower Test every six hours to snap out of it. For every full six hours the Explorer is not exposed to the Song, the 
  Test decreases in difﬁ culty by one degree.
  Upon hearing the Song, a ship’s crew immediately loses 2d10 points of Morale, and an Explorer in a position 
  of authority must make a Difﬁ cult (–10) Command or Charm Test. Success means the Explorers shut off vox 
  communications and isolate the crew from the call of the star, suffering no further effect. For every degree of failure 
  however, the crew loses an additional 5 Morale as the men begin to clamour for the song. For every thirty minutes that 
  the ship remains in the system with the vox or other wireless comms systems active, the crew loses an additional two 
  points of Morale as the call of the star spreads throughout the decks.
  Any Explorer who succeeds on their Willpower Tests can attempt to shut down the ship’s wireless vox systems 
  to prevent the song from being heard. While shutting down the vox systems will isolate the crew from the Song, it 
  obviously makes ship-to-ship communication with any cohorts difﬁ cult short of sending ships boats back and forth with 
  messengers. If a Explorer or NPC has the skill, he can make a Difﬁ cult (–10) Scholastic Lore: Cryptology test to use 
  the ship’s running lights to send messages back and forth using ancient Naval semaphore codes. During the attempt to 
  shut down the vox systems or wrest control of the ship from those already in the grip of the song, the Explorer may very 
  well be prevented from doing so by those who have already succumbed to the compulsion. This could lead to situations 
  where one half of the crew is battling the other among the decks, or where the bridge ofﬁ cers are trying desperately to 
  wrest control of the ship for themselves to either escape or plunge further into the system to their doom. A ship with its 
  crew in the full grip of the song, barring any accidents or interdiction by the system’s pirates, will plunge at full speed 
  directly into the heart of the star. 
  
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  Aside from the star and its song, there are a multitude of 
  other threats within the system that make travelling through 
  it a dangerous proposition. Dense asteroid ﬁ elds, dangerous 
  gravitational tides, and vicious solar storms that can blow 
  up without a moment’s notice present constant navigation 
  hazards. Pirates lurk among the asteroid ﬁ elds close to the 
  centre of the system, preying on the unfortunates who are 
  lured in by the mysterious star. 
  PIRATES OF THE SIREN STAR
  The details on the pirates who live among the asteroids at 
  the centre of the system have been left intentionally vague 
  to allow the Game Master to tailor the encounter to match 
  the strength of his players and the theme of his ongoing 
  campaign. If the Game Master has no speciﬁ c idea in mind 
  that ﬁ ts in with his campaign, he is free to choose from the 
  following suggestions.
  Renegades
  The pirates are a group of human predators from somewhere 
  in the Expanse. Whether fallen Rogue Traders or career 
  pirates, these killers have found life easy and the pickings 
  rich in Devia Sirenum. They have become immune to the 
  Siren Star through either mutation, constant exposure or 
  by simply keeping their wireless comms sets turned off. 
  Game Masters should use the stats for Voidfarers, Mutant 
  Outcasts, Renegades and Void Pirate Captains as found 
  on pages 371-374 of Rogue Trader, and the ships should 
  be either Hazeroth-class privateers or Havoc-class merchant 
  raiders from pages 194-195 of the  ROGUE TRADER core 
  rulebook armed as the Game Master sees ﬁ t, or Wolfpack 
  Raiders as described on page 209 of the ROGUE TRADER 
  core rulebook. 
  Xenos
  Vile xenos pirates have set up shop in Devia Sirenum and are 
  preying on the unfortunate, misguided victims of the star’s 
  Song. They could be Eldar Corsairs, Ork Freebooters or 
  even some home-grown xenos terror that the Game Master 
  would like to unleash on the players. Whomever they are and 
  wherever they come from, due to their alien nature they are 
  immune to the song of the Siren Star. Game Masters should 
  use the stats for Eldar Corsairs and Ork Freebooters from 
  pages 376-377 of Rogue Trader, or feel free to create some 
  new race using the rules and stats found on pages 364-369 of 
  Rogue Trader. Their ships will typically be Eldar light cruisers 
  like the Memory of Lament from page 62, or the Onslaught 
  Ork Raider from pages 209-210 of ROGUE TRADER. For 
  campaign speciﬁ c xenos created by the Game Master, their 
  ships should be based on the Wolfpack Raiders as described 
  on page 209 of ROGUE TRADER.
  Somnium VIII
  “...the dreams. The DREAMS! Fire and death and blood and 
  screaming...the <garbled>...coming...coming tonight...coming here to 
  kill us. I can hear their airships... their <garbled>...they’ve found us, 
  the last of us...no escape...I won’t let them take me...<recording ends 
  with the sound of a chain weapon and screaming>.”
  –Transcript of a vox journal found in the crew quarters of 
  mining outpost 14, Somnium VIII
  L
  ocated in a distant corner of the Cauldron near the 
  God-Emperor’s Scourge is the Somnium system. 
  Centred around a bright, blue giant star, the Somnium 
  system consists of fourteen planets and hundreds of moons. 
  The planets closest to the star are small, arid balls of rock 
  baked hard by the intense heat and radiation of their massive 
  star. The rest are a mix of mostly unremarkable feral worlds 
  with little or no commercial value or worthless, lifeless rocks. 
  Aside from its planets, the Somnium system houses little else 
  of interest. There are no notable navigation hazards and the 
  few asteroids and other stellar bodies are easily avoided. The 
  one exception is Somnium VIII, a pleasant, medium-sized 
  world that houses both a great treasure and a terrible secret.
  A BRIEF HISTORY OF WAR
  Somnium is a temperate world of lowlands and rolling hills 
  with small, incredibly deep oceans ringing the equator. Its 
  forests are dense with alien ﬂ ora and fauna, and the seas of 
  sighing grasses on its plains stand taller than a man. Scattered 
  around the world are the remnants of huge, domed hive cities 
  and sprawling industrial complexes. In the dim past, this world 
  was home to two highly-advanced xenos races who lived 
  together in relative harmony. They built their towering cities 
  and graceful ﬂ oating cathedrals dedicated to their alien gods, 
  and they were the masters of all they surveyed, including the 
  stars themselves. They ruled their vast star system together, 
  exploiting its riches and building their legacy. As it is with 
  most empires, however, its star eventually began to wane and 
  both societies began to erode from the inside. Their institutions 
  became decadent, their leaders corrupt, and eventually a 
  devastating war broke out between the two races. This war, 
  fought with machines of incredibly advanced technology, soon 
  completely engulfed Somnium VIII, and after years of war, the 
  two former allies annihilated each other completely. Whether 
  they managed this through targeted biological weapons or 
  some other heretical xenos technology is unclear, but every 
  sentient being on Somnium VIII died a horrible, screaming 
  death in a matter of minutes, the echoes of which can still be 
  heard these many millennia later.
  Over the following centuries, their proud ediﬁ ces fell into 
  ruin, swallowed up by the land as if the planet itself was 
  desperately trying to cover some deep shame. The ﬂ oating 
  cathedrals crashed into the seas, and the vast hives decayed 
  and crumbled. However, even though the people were gone, 
  the effects of the great war remained. The shock of so many 
  sentients dying at once left an invisible stain on the soul of the 
  
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  planet, a kind of psychic fallout that lingers in the cities and on 
  the sites of ancient battleﬁ elds, ghostly echoes of cannons and 
  the screams of the dying. Tortured spirits roam through the 
  ruins, forever weeping for the souls of the dead and unable to 
  ﬁ nd eternal rest. Ghost armies ﬁ ght long-forgotten battles over 
  and over, and ﬂ ickering lightning or the light of the moon often 
  reveals the shapes of ghostly airships bristling with weapons. It 
  seems that the spirits of both races are cursed to relive their sins 
  for eternity, with only the beasts to bear silent witness.
  A LINGERING MADNESS
  Somnium VIII lay undiscovered and unmolested for centuries, 
  spinning in its ancient orbit with its vast domed cities turning 
  to dust and its forests reclaiming the land. It would have 
  stayed that way too, had a Rogue Trader on a survey mission 
  not stumbled across the system. During their survey, it was 
  discovered that Somnium VIII, along with an inordinate 
  wealth of precious stones and metals, held an extremely rich 
  adamantium deposit, a vein hundreds of kilometres wide 
  stretching halfway around the planet’s equator. News of 
  the discovery quickly spread, and while the Rogue Trader 
  who discovered it fought desperately to keep hold of the 
  planet, prospectors and mining concerns from all over the 
  Expanse descended on Somnium like a pack of ravening 
  hounds. Quick and violent brushﬁ re wars were fought both 
  on the surface and in orbit as rival Rogue Trader houses and 
  numerous factors representing powerful Imperial interests 
  spared for control. 
  Eventually, a loose confederation of the strongest Rogue 
  Traders and mining concerns was able to break enough heads 
  and line enough pockets to gain control over the system and 
  its resources. Plans were quickly drawn up and survey teams 
  were sent down to the planet to chart the vein and divide 
  claims among the major players. Once the surveyors were on 
  the ground, however, trouble immediately began to hound 
  them. The members of the survey teams began to complain of 
  headaches and sleepless nights. Strange voices were reported 
  whispering through vox systems, and vague, shadowy shapes 
  were seen prowling the camps at dawn and dusk. Many 
  individuals reported the sound of distant gunﬁ re, or a far-off 
  scream. A smell like burning ﬂ esh would occasionally waft 
  through one camp, and another reported a steady rain of ﬁ ne 
  ash falling from the clear sky. Then, suddenly, one camp went 
  silent, and then another. A third made a frantic, garbled vox 
  broadcast begging for help and reporting “ hostiles in the 
  sky,” before it too fell silent. 
  Investigators were sent to the surface, only to ﬁ nd scenes of 
  unbelievable carnage. People in each camp horribly mutilated; 
  burned or hacked apart or ﬂ ayed or torn limb from limb with 
  their blood soaking into the alien soil and looks of abject terror 
  or poisonous rage on their twisted faces. Most died holding 
  a weapon, and it appeared as if they’d gone mad and turned 
  on one another. There were no survivors. Dataslates and vox 
  journals found at the grisly scenes described men and women 
  unable to sleep, gripped with paranoia and delusion. The records 
  told of constant mutterings and whisperings from behind every 
  tree and plaintive weeping from within every shadow. They 
  showed how each man and woman in the camps succumbed 
  one by one to some unspeakable madness. The remaining 
  survey teams were immediately recalled to their ships, some of 
  their number already slowly drifting into madness.
  Numerous stopgap solutions were proposed. First, the 
  controlling parties attempted a series of rotations in which 
  personnel would spend limited amounts of time on the surface 
  before being rotated back to their ships. This turned out to be 
  a logistical nightmare—some could withstand the madness 
  for weeks, while others succumbed after a single night. They 
  brought in hired psykers to help shield their workers, which 
  worked until the psykers succumbed or were destroyed by 
  their powers due to the strain. One Rogue Trader sent down 
  a survey team escorted by an Untouchable, one of those 
  strangely gifted individuals with no warp presence, and he 
  reported being completely unaffected by the madness...until 
  the Untouchable was killed in an accident. It seemed that 
  no matter what was tried, luck or ﬁ ckle fate would conspire 
  against them. 
  It became increasingly difﬁ cult to operate on the planet. 
  The surveying and construction of facilities staggered and 
  lurched along. Work constantly stopped and restarted as 
  people went mad and equipment was destroyed. Eventually, 
  with the entire operation haemorrhaging gelt and the 
  dates for starting production constantly pushed 
  back, the largest of the interests cut their losses 
  and left. This started a failure cascade that saw 
  the confederation dissolved as each investor 
  took what they could and ran. Eventually, 
  
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  the half-built outposts, camps and mines collapsed into 
  ruin and Somnium VIII fell silent again, save for the 
  chattering of beasts and the mutterings of the spirits.
  THE LURE OF RICHES
  Everyone who knows the history of Somnium VIII knows 
  that operating there spells almost certain doom. The draw 
  of its wealth outweighs the risks however, at least in 
  the minds of some, and over the years everyone 
  from powerful Rogue Traders and Imperial 
  organisations to small-time strip mining outﬁ ts 
  has attempted to exploit the riches of this 
  God-Emperor 
  forsaken 
  world. 
  The 
  failures of the past are well known and well documented, 
  and every fool who makes the gamble is convinced that 
  they have the answer and the ability to keep an operation 
  running. So far, no one has managed it. Somnium VIII has 
  ruined more fortunes and killed more men than can be 
  easily counted. 
  THE MADNESS OF SOMNIUM VIII
  Prolonged exposure to the psychic fallout of Somnium VIII will drive even the strongest man mad in short order. 
  Within 1d10 days of arriving on the planet’s surface, a character will begin to experience horriﬁ c nightmares that make 
  sleep nearly impossible. The player must then make a Difﬁ cult (–10) Willpower Test to determine the effects of 
  the nightmares. Passing the Willpower test means that the character is able to process or shrug off the majority of the 
  negative effects, but still has strange and disturbing dreams. Failure means he suffers the effects of Horriﬁ c Nightmares 
  as described on page 298 of Rogue Trader and gains 1 Insanity Point. 
  If an individual remains on the planet for more than ten days after the nightmares start, he must make another 
  Difﬁ cult (–10) Willpower Test. If he succeeds, he must make a new Willpower Test at the next difﬁ culty rank in 
  two days, and every two days thereafter at increasing difﬁ culty ranks until he succumbs to the madness. Failing the test 
  means that the character has ﬁ nally snapped due to lack of sleep, the lurid nightmares and the constant muttering and 
  whispering of the spirits. A character in the full grip of the madness will become extremely paranoid, withdrawn and 
  easily agitated. He begins to have hallucinations where he sees the xenos who lived and died on Somnium VIII as ﬂ esh 
  and blood. Once the hallucinations begin, the character quickly develops a delusion that he is one of the native xenos, 
  and everyone around him is a member of the other race and intent on killing him. At this point the crazed individual 
  ﬂ ies into a rage and attack anyone and everyone near him with whatever weapons he has. 
  The effect of these nightmares can be counteracted with sleeping drugs, which reduce the difﬁ culty of the Willpower 
  Test by one rank. Psyker abilities that shield the mind or calm fear reduce the effects or even make a character immune to the 
  nightmares, but this immunity is temporary and limited by the capabilities of the psyker. The presence of an Untouchable 
  seems to be the surest protection from the madness. Untouchables, or those with powerful psychic wards or psy-blockers, are 
  immune to the madness, and offer protection to those around them as well. Of course, Untouchables are incredibly rare.
  An individual who has failed his Willpower tests will need to be sedated and restrained to prevent him from harming 
  himself and others. If he is removed from the planet and the susurrations of the dead xenos early in the process, he will 
  fall into a catatonic state which will last 1d5 days. Once he awakens, he is recovered but his experience has shaken him 
  and he gains 1d10 insanity points. If he actually succumbed fully to the madness and was then subdued and removed 
  from the planet, his catatonia will last 1d10 days and upon waking he will gain 2d10 points of insanity and will need 
  to make a Hard (–20) Willpower Test or lose 1d5 points of Willpower. 
  ON PSYKERS
  Psykers are affected differently by the madness of Somnium VIII than their more mundane colleagues. Thanks to their 
  gifts and rigourous mental conditioning it’s easier for them to resist the madness, When they are overcome, however, 
  the results tend to be more horrifying and dangerous than are typical among non-psykers. A psyker will not begin to 
  experience the nightmares brought on by the lingering psychic fallout for 2d10 days. Once the nightmares begin, the 
  psyker must make the same tests as non-psykers to determine the effects of the nightmares on their psyche. The results 
  of success or failure are identical to those for non-psykers, except once he reaches the level of madness, he does not ﬂ y in 
  a homicidal rage. Instead, a psyker maddened by exposure to Somnium VIII is driven to distraction and hears the voices 
  of the dead xenos every waking moment with shocking clarity. It becomes harder and harder to use his powers, and the 
  effort required means the psyker may only use his powers at the Push level (however, he does not gain the increased Psy 
  Rating for doing so, he simply suffers the ill effects). This effect lasts as long as the psyker is on the planet. 
  Psykers who are lucky enough to escape death on Somnium VIII suffer the same catatonia and accumulation of 
  Insanity Points as their mundane colleagues with one exception. Thanks to their association with the Warp, they gain 
  1d10 Corruption Points as well as Insanity.
  
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  Illisk
  “This world, this massive thinking machine, shows us that the 
  Omnissiah’s gifts transcend even us. If this is not proof that the 
  Omnissiah exists, I do not know what is.”
  –Magos Dakar, Disciples of Thule (declared Traitorus 
  Excommunicate, 701.M41)
  I
  llisk is a world orbiting a dying ember within the 
  Unbeholden Reaches. It’s a place known only to the 
  Disciples of Thule and a handful of trusted Rogue Traders. 
  According to most explorers and void-born operating within 
  the Koronus Expanse, this world is worthless—all of its 
  mineral wealth played out by ancient strip mining. Its resident 
  xenos culture died off long ago, the entire ecosystem destroyed 
  by their desperate ﬁ nal efforts. However, despite the apparent 
  worthlessness of this world, Illisk harbours a terrifying secret, 
  and a great discovery. A select few members from the Disciples 
  of Thule, and by extension the Adeptus Mechanicus, continue 
  to study and research the planet in an effort to unveil the secrets 
  of its creation; perhaps even bringing them one step closer to 
  the Omnissiah. Yet, the technology evidenced on Illisk was 
  banned long ago by the edicts of the holy God-Emperor of 
  Mankind. The Thuleans risk much in their quest, but they see 
  it as a small price to pay for apotheosis.
  Within the outer edges of the Unbeholden Reaches, 
  close to the Rifts of Hecaton, the planet Illisk orbits a dying 
  ember of a fuel-starved sun, one of four small planets and 
  a sparse asteroid belt. The planets neighbouring Illisk are 
  unremarkable; two worthless balls of mud and rock and a 
  dwindling gas giant. The Disciples of Thule agree that if 
  it weren’t for Illisk itself, there would be no reason to visit 
  this system, as its useful resources were exhausted ages ago. 
  Illisk is a wind scoured and barren wasteland whose only 
  native life appears to be stunted bushes of hardy scrub and 
  lichen sparsely scattered within the rocks and crags. Its entire 
  surface is blasted by powerful shatterstorms that can strip the 
  ﬂ esh from the bones of an unprotected human in a matter of 
  moments—and the most powerful of these storms can even 
  rip through steel and ceramite. 
  No mountains exist anywhere on Illisk; the now extinct 
  xenos strip-mined the entire surface for minerals and 
  wealth. Even now, in the 41st Millennium, the evidence of 
  this massive undertaking is still present. Dotted across the 
  surface of this world are massive geothermal vents that reach 
  deep below the mantle, venting their heat and vapours high 
  into the atmosphere, exacerbating the planet’s unstable 
  weather patterns. These vents are tied into a vast network of 
  geothermal power reactors used to keep the planet’s systems 
  operating. However, there is a steep price to be paid, as the 
  atmosphere barely supports any life. Shredded and raggedly-
  torn pieces of Thulean and Imperial equipment lie scattered 
  about as a testament to the tenacity of the Disciples of Thule 
  to establish their presence on the surface. Since very few 
  outside the Thuleans actually know about Illisk, not many 
  scavengers have come to pick over the debris and detritus.
  Aside from the massive open mining pits and hills, ten lonely 
  citadels built of a curiously unknown black metal jut out from 
  the sands and rock. Their echoing halls resound with the noise 
  of the howling winds, the hum of the planet’s ancient systems, 
  and the sigh of atmospheric processors. The arrangement and 
  placement of the citadels seems to have been of some importance 
  to the ancient xenos, although what the purpose is has yet to 
  be divined by the explorators of the Disciples of Thule. Eight 
  citadels are situated equidistant from one another along the 
  planet’s equator. The other two have been placed at the poles of 
  the planet. No one outside the Disciples of Thule knows why 
  these massive hives were placed at these locations. Additionally, 
  the citadels are the only structures that exist on the surface of the 
  world that have withstood the raging fury of the shatterstorms. 
  The thin atmosphere of Illisk makes it very dangerous to 
  work on the surface without some sort of breathing apparatus. 
  However, the citadels (despite being open-walled cities) 
  are sealed against the elements and maintain a breathable 
  atmosphere inside. How this is accomplished is one of the 
  many mysteries the Disciples of Thule are trying to solve.
  THE THULEANS ON ILLISK
  The Disciples of Thule discovered Illisk after following up 
  on log entries regarding contact between xenos worlds and 
  the Imperium, found within the famous Dolorium Vaults 
  in 745.M41. After collating the data from hundreds of 
  servitor-manned probes, they located what they thought was 
  the location of a possible lost Explorator colony: the planet 
  Illisk. Months of searching and research led the team to the 
  conclusion that Illisk may have been visited by the Adeptus 
  Mechanicus millennia ago, but for whatever reason they chose 
  to not establish any settlements here. It was while probing 
  the polar citadels that the Thuleans made one of the largest 
  discoveries within the Koronus Expanse.
   Magos Egan Vaughn, a devout disciple of Magos Solus 
  Kanceme, and his team were exploring the ruins of the 
  Arctic citadel in an attempt to discover what power 
  sources were being used to keep the citadels’ 
  systems operational, when they discovered 
  a shaft leading down deep beneath 
  
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  the planetary surface. Taking a lift that ran the length of 
  the shaft, they descended into a cavernous chamber with 
  dimensions exceeding the limits of their hand-held auspex 
  scanners. So immense was this chamber that it had its 
  very own ecosystem, complete with weather and unique 
  life forms. While this was noteworthy, it certainly wasn’t 
  remarkable. As the team pressed on they soon discovered 
  other rooms packed with cogitator arrays and logic-engines. 
  Soon, they uncovered more chambers ﬁ lled with an array 
  of computation devices and monitors. In fact, beneath the 
  planet’s surface rested billions upon billions of computation 
  and calculating systems of xenos design. 
  SPECIFIC LOCATIONS 
  ON ILLISK
  While the citadels are the only structures capable of surviving 
  on the surface of Illisk, there are several locations that are 
  of interest to Rogue Traders and their crews. Since the 
  Disciples of Thule do not control the entire world, it should 
  be relatively easy for a band of explorers to ﬁ nd their way to 
  the surface.
  THE CRYPTS
  As work progressed into understanding the scope and 
  function of this machine world, members of other teams 
  began ﬁ nding numerous areas that could only be described as 
  alien crypts. Walls hundreds of metres high were pocked with 
  niches; each containing a single mummiﬁ ed corpse of what 
  remained of the planet’s xenos population. More astonishing 
  still, each niche was surrounded by monitoring systems 
  and displays resembling the sensoria-beds used in Imperial 
  medicae facilities. Each and every one of the petriﬁ ed bodies 
  were inundated with tubes and cables attached to various 
  points, piercing the ﬂ esh. To this day, the Disciples of Thule 
  have no understanding of what purpose these niches—and 
  the systems they are connected to—serve. 
  Magos Vaughn is rumoured to be considering connecting 
  some test subjects to the systems once the team assigned to 
  them ﬁ gures out how to commune with the xenos machine 
  spirits within. Once that happens, he will monitor progress 
  and determine what exactly these systems are used for. There 
  is some trepidation about this methodology, as some believe 
  that whoever is directly connected to the machine spirits of 
  these devices will become possessed by them—taking on the 
  personalities of the xenos who were connected to it.
  PICKET SHIPS
  Once the signiﬁ cance of Illisk was discovered, the Thuleans 
  wasted no time in bringing in ships to protect this world from 
  scavengers and exploitation by those with interests contrary 
  to their own. With the exception of the handful of 
  Rogue Traders who have entered in a compact to 
  assist the Disciples of Thule with their project, 
  no one else has set foot upon Illisk.
  Although the Thuleans maintain an exploration outpost 
  on the world and have done so for years, there is still scant 
  evidence of human habitation. Every so often an Explorator 
  ship visits the system, but it seldom remains in orbit long. 
  So far, the system’s relative obscurity and secrecy have kept 
  it out of the way of Rogue Traders pushing their way into 
  the interior of the Expanse, but on more than one occasion 
  that peace has been disturbed by the arrival of pirates, raiders, 
  or the frightening Rak’Gol. None of these incursions has 
  managed to disrupt investigations, but the Thuleans are 
  cautious all the same.
  THE BLACK CITADELS
  Illisk has ten massive hive-like citadels arranged across its 
  surface. While all composed of the same material and all 
  have the same general layout, each one is as unique as any 
  human hive within the Imperium. The walls and corridors 
  inside each citadel are covered in mysterious hierograms that 
  resemble the traceries of circuits, along with basic symbols 
  such as circles and triangles. 
  Along with the ever-present howling of the storms 
  outside, inside the walls of the citadels is a tinnitus hum at 
  the very edge of human hearing. Many of the Thulean adepts 
  with audio augmentics are constantly adjusting them to ﬁ lter 
  this noise out, without much success. The source of this noise 
  is unknown, and Astropaths in the employ of the Thuleans 
  report feeling edgy and irritable while they are within these 
  
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  walls. Hundreds of thousands of chambers within each citadel 
  house banks of cogitators and consoles, whose purpose can 
  only be guessed at. Additionally, there do not appear to be 
  any defences protecting the outer bastions of the citadels, at 
  least none that the human adepts can ﬁ nd. Thus, several of 
  the massive complexes are being reﬁ tted with Mechanicus 
  technology and defences in the event of unwanted attention.
  THE CHAMBER OF GHOLEMS
  According to loose-lipped crewmen who claimed to have 
  worked with the Thuleans operating on Illisk, there is a large 
  chamber shrouded in shadow and lined with some sort of fog. 
  The entrance to this chamber is guarded by the largest mono-
  tasked battle servitors the Mechanicus can provide, and no less 
  than twenty elite Skitarii warriors who all stand before a pair 
  of stone doors sealed with an arcane lock.
  The stories purport that the chamber is sealed under 
  penalty of death by ﬂ ensing should any enter without the 
  express permission of Magos Vaughn, and that within the 
  chamber stand row upon row of mysterious xenos gholems, 
  constructs of metal given the form of the alien. No one claims 
  to know much more about the nature of these automatons, 
  only that rumour persists that messages and sealed shipments 
  were sent back to the Lathe Worlds of the Calixis Sector once 
  this chamber and its contents were discovered.
  THE KING OF THE DEAD
  As the data collectors and explorators of the Disciples 
  of Thule have slowly made their way through the various 
  black citadels and constructs that populate Illisk, there is one 
  chamber that they have found no other of its type. Within 
  the north polar citadel, situated at the uppermost spire, is 
  a chamber decorated in rich tapestries. Arranged in niches 
  around the perimeter of the chamber are various banks of 
  cogitators and data-looms of indeterminate purpose; their 
  lights constantly ﬂ ickering on and off with a will of their 
  own. Towards the back of this hall resting within a throne 
  made of a clear quartz-like crystal, imbedded with all manner 
  of circuitry, is a mummiﬁ ed xenos corpse. Unlike the other 
  desiccated bodies that have been found previously, this one 
  is dressed in the ﬁ nery of a king or ruler. Like all the others 
  encountered, he too is pierced with wires and tubes leading 
  to plugs attached to the throne upon which he sits. Flanking 
  the throne are what appear to be two robotic guardians, or 
  gholems, fashioned to resemble the native xenos, and armed 
  with vicious-looking melee weapons. They have stood over 
  their leader for aeons, forever guarding a corpse who will 
  forever rule over a dead civilisation.
  Working for the Disciples of Thule
  While secretive and insular, the Thuleans are not above entering 
  into compacts with the various Rogue Traders operating in the 
  Koronus Expanse. However, they are very selective in who they 
  choose and keep the number of captains who know about their 
  operations on Illisk to a minimum to avoid exposure.
  Those Captains lucky enough to ﬁ nd work with the Disciples 
  of Thule can expect to transport goods and cargo to and from 
  Illisk, ferry disciples into and out of the Koronus Expanse, and 
  other jobs of a clandestine nature. The Disciples of Thule are 
  very careful about who they select to enter into a compact with, 
  and typically choose ships with crews who have a large number 
  of worshippers of the Omnissiah. This not only ensures that 
  there will be little difﬁ culty in communication between the two 
  parties, but also makes sure that their interests are protected. 
  There is one tale, told in hushed whispers, of the Rogue 
  Trader Allandra Abaddos, who attempted to betray the 
  Disciples of Thule to the Holy Inquisition. The luckless captain 
  was ambushed by Explorator vessels at the entrance to the 
  Maw, her ship crippled, boarded, and subsequently destroyed 
  before anyone could come to her aid. The Inquisition lodged 
  protests with the Lathes, and some more militant Inquisitors 
  are said to have begun bloody investigations into the 
  Disciples. As for Abaddos, the more apocryphal tales 
  say she still serves those she betrayed as a servitor 
  on Illisk. 
  ADVENTURING ON ILLISK
  A world of lost and forbidden technology, Illisk is rich 
  for exploration. The Game Master is encouraged to 
  develop their vision of what this machine world is like. 
  There are hundreds if not thousands of lost chambers 
  and caches beneath the shifting desert sands waiting to 
  be discovered. Below are several Endeavours that GMs 
  can use to springboard the Explorers into the action:
  • Scavenging Thulean Equipment (Lesser): 
  Scattered across the wastes are numerous corroding 
  and decaying areas where the Disciples of Thule 
  abandoned their equipment for one reason or 
  another. Who knows what secrets and technology 
  lie buried in the shifting sands; or what defences 
  have been put in place to guard them?
  • Exploring Illisk (Greater): It goes without 
  saying that Illisk is a world ripe for exploration. 
  The Disciples of Thule don’t claim the entire world 
  (nor could they). The details of what the Explorers 
  may ﬁ nd are deliberately left open for the Game 
  Master to develop. However, some suggestions 
  include chambers full of ancient and proscribed 
  archeotech, lost underground cities protected by 
  ancient xenos guardians, and cyclopean tombs 
  ﬁ lled with unknown horrors.
  • Picket Duty (Lesser): The Disciples of Thule have 
  experienced an increase in attacks and raider activity 
  by xenos (especially the Rak’Gol) near the planet Illisk. 
  They are looking for ships that can help defend their 
  interests in exchange for wealth and/or technology. 
  If the Explorers assist, they may face everything from 
  ork raiders to Rak’Gol Marauders and even Eldar 
  Reavers. However, they may also discover the covert 
  forces of the Ordo Xenos who may have an interest in 
  what the Thuleans have found.
  
  46
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  The Serpent’s 
  Cradle
  “The Serpent’s Cradle? Aye, I’ve ‘eard of that cursed star system, 
  alright! Gems as big as a babe’s ﬁ st! They say a man goes plain 
  mad at just one look —all the beauty and fresh air. Forgets to feed 
  ‘emselves, they do! Just waste away smilin’ like idiots! No one ever 
  comes back from that blighted place! Not ever! Course, that don’t 
  explain how all these tales are heard.”
  –Haspshur Gray, Hive Sibellus Scum
  W
  ithin Winterscale’s Realm there is a mysterious 
  clutch of worlds orbiting a pair of ancient stars. 
  Not much is known about these worlds, aside from 
  rumours overheard in the dens of inequity and dark whispering 
  corridors of Footfall and Port Wander. These tales speak of 
  the planets of the Serpent’s Cradle; where the air is pure and 
  the water sweet, worlds that can heal any ailment. They also 
  speak of gems the size of a human’s hand that can easily be 
  plucked from the ground—virtual paradises, according to the 
  storytellers. However, they also add a dark shadow to these 
  stories. They say that those who attempt to visit these worlds 
  never return. They either waste away from hunger and thirst as 
  they live on; drooling in ultimate peace and contentment, or 
  some sinister protector of these worlds murders them before 
  they can leave. Though they claim to speak from experience, 
  none of the tale-tellers can explain how it is these stories are 
  known if no one ever leaves these worlds alive, leaving most of 
  what’s known about these worlds open to speculation.
  The system known as the Serpent’s Cradle is an unusual 
  arrangement of worlds orbiting the Serpentis Stars. These 
  twin stars, Serpentis Alpha and Serpentis Beta, are ancient 
  blue stars—resembling dazzling sapphires burning in the 
  void. The planets of this system orbit the stars in a unique 
  double-helix pattern. Every world in the Serpent’s Cradle 
  eventually passes between the binary stars, what’s referred to 
  as the ‘Cradle,’ and in the process they are exposed to massive 
  amounts of severe radiation. Despite this fact, the habitable 
  worlds remain green and lush with their own ecosystems and 
  unique ﬂ ora and fauna. The high number of worlds that can 
  support life in this system is another unusual property. This 
  has led those few adepts and savants who think they know 
  about this system to postulate that the system was somehow 
  engineered. However, until some credible data turns up, this 
  will never be conﬁ rmed.
  It is often speculated that Sebastian Winterscale visited 
  theses worlds and was the only one to ever escape them 
  unharmed. His crew often spoke of a meticulously kept journal 
  detailing his journeys and encounters. If this information 
  is true, then perhaps there’s some information to be 
  found about the Serpent’s Cradle and the worlds 
  within it. Yet, if he or his crew did indeed visit 
  these worlds, none of them ever spoke of it 
  publicly, and Winterscale’s journal has 
  never been found. Other Rogue Traders and members of the 
  Disciples of Thule have tried to explore the worlds of the 
  Serpent’s Cradle, but most were either lost or have found 
  nothing to corroborate the spacer tales about this system.
  There are twelve planets that orbit the ancient binary stars, 
  and the system is surrounded by a massive asteroid belt that likely 
  formed as a result of the tremendous gravimetric stresses the 
  stars placed on the belt when the system was ﬁ rst formed aeons 
  ago. An ancient log purported to have been recovered from an 
  automated servitor-piloted drone have reported that the habitable 
  worlds appear to be in a state of evolutionary suspension—that 
  is, the planet’s ecology has been the same for the past several 
  thousand millennia! The purpose for this can only be guessed 
  at, however, this type of stagnation is only commonly found on 
  Eldar Maiden and Exodite worlds to speed up the growth of 
  the planet’s vegetation in order to support future colonies. Given 
  the distinct lack of Eldar presence in the system (aside from the 
  occasional pirate and corsair ﬂ eet), it would appear that this 
  practise is no longer limited to their worlds alone.
  THE MONOLITHS 
  AND ELDAR
   Some of the few accurate records in the Koronus Expanse may 
  be found in the archives of the Explorator Magos Talus Zane. 
  Zane equipped his ship—The Omnissiah Ascendant—with a 
  highly sophisticated (and extremely old) multiple auspex array, 
  and spent several days studying the Serpent’s Cradle from far 
  beyond the system’s Oort cloud. The long range scans and pict-
  records of the surfaces of the worlds within the Serpent’s Cradle 
  reveal that the surface of the habitable worlds are dotted with 
  what appear to be some type of crystal structures that resemble 
  organically-grown spires. It’s also said that these objects appear 
  to be meshed with other organic materials, not unlike that used 
  by the ancient Eldar. 
  Three images of particular interest were taken of one of the 
  worlds passing through the Cradle. The images, though fuzzy, 
  show the structures apparently energised; glowing with a pale 
  purple light, presumably the radiation and energy collected 
  from passing between the two stars. Where this energy is 
  stored, or why it’s being collected in the ﬁ rst place can also 
  only be guessed at, but it is speculated that some massive 
  collector might be set deep beneath the surface of these worlds, 
  and that the energy gathered is transferred to these locations 
  for some unknown purpose. If this is the case, then the energy 
  of millennia awaits below the crust of the planets. 
   It is thought that the Eldar marked these worlds out for 
  colonisation based on ancient logs and records recovered 
  from Sebastian Winterscale. However, there is a deﬁ nite lack 
  of Eldar activity not only within the system, but the Koronus 
  Expanse as a whole. Even the members of Craftworld Kaelor 
  and Eldar Corsairs have shown no interest in the Serpent’s 
  Cradle, aside from occasionally using it to stage ambushes 
  on ships passing through the region from time to time. It is 
  likely that Zane knows more than he has thus far revealed. 
  However, should a Rogue Trader wish to learn from him, 
  they will have to track down the reclusive Tech-priest and his 
  ship—last seen deep in Winterscale’s Realm. 
  
  47
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  NAVIGATING THE SERPENT’S CRADLE
  Due to the massive gravity wells generated by the twin stars, 
  all but the most exceptional Navigators must exit the warp well 
  away from the system, leaving the dangerous and dense ﬁ eld 
  of rock and debris between the ship and the interior of the 
  Serpent’s Cradle. Thus, among those few vessels that even ﬁ nd 
  the Serpent’s Cradle, only a fraction of them ever attempt to 
  explore it. The remains of those who have tried and failed can 
  be found drifting through the detritus of rock and gasses.
  Aside from the dense ﬁ eld of rock that envelopes the 
  system’s outer reaches, there are mysterious gravity wells and 
  isolated anomalies within the system itself. Because no one 
  outside the few probes and passing vessels making course 
  corrections has ever travelled in-system and returned to tell 
  the tale, there is no concrete information on what exactly 
  lurks in the near-void of the Serpent’s Cradle.
  Naturally, the various Rogue Traders and Explorators who 
  have passed in and out of the Koronus Expanse have made 
  attempts to gain access to the unspoiled worlds of the Serpent’s 
  Cradle in an attempt to survey and exploit them. Most have 
  been unsuccessful, but those who have made attempts and were 
  not destroyed in the process have an eclectic mix of stories of 
  their attempts. It’s thought that Sebastian Winterscale was the 
  only one who actually passed through successfully and returned 
  to tell the tale; all other tales are thought to be variations on 
  the telling of the same story. Those who do actually claim to 
  have set foot on the worlds of the Serpent’s Cradle are thought 
  of as braggarts, liars or fools. Given that Winterscale explored 
  this realm over six hundred years ago, many of his reports are 
  fragmented and have succumbed to time. This leaves many 
  scholars to suspect that Winterscale may not have been as 
  truthful about his exploits as originally thought.
  On more than one occasion, Rogue Traders have reported 
  entering the outer edges of the system, only to be attacked 
  by bone-colored ships with tattered solar sails, reminiscent 
  of Eldar craft. They say that these reavers and pirates show 
  no mercy, and that the crews who do survive, barely escape 
  with their lives. Others contend that it wasn’t Eldar pirates 
  that attacked them at all, but other xenos of an unknown 
  origin—possibly the Rak’Gol, who have been plaguing ships 
  and colonies since their incursion from the Alenic Depths. 
  Whatever the case may be, the Serpent’s Cradle will prove a 
  serious challenge for any who wish to investigate it.
  WORLDS OF THE 
  SERPENT’S CRADLE
  While the exact nature of the system remains to be explored, 
  over the past 800 years since the opening of the Maw Passage 
  from the Calixis Sector, many have passed by (or through) 
  the system. Explorator ﬂ eets of the Disciples of Thule have 
  attempted to make forays into the system for their own 
  obscure purposes, and they have been willing to share at least 
  part of their ﬁ ndings—however meagre they are.
  At least twelve bodies, not including the massive Serpent’s 
  Belt of asteroids, orbit the twin stars of the Serpent’s Cradle. 
  Of these, three worlds, documented and surveyed by long 
  range auspex scans, appear to support life, although the 
  Adeptus Mechanicus and the Navis Nobilite suggest that 
  there may be more hidden from their augur arrays. The star 
  system is very large, and the augur scans of the Mechanicus 
  have only covered a small faction of it at a long distance.
  Each of these worlds supports an abundance of lush plant 
  life that thrives in the strange radiation and electro-magnetic 
  ﬁ elds of the Cradle. It’s thought that primitive animal life 
  may also exist on these worlds as well, although only a 
  landed expedition could conﬁ rm this. Naturally, spacers tell 
  tales of giant armoured lizards as big a hab block and herds 
  of herbivores wandering the plains. None of these stories can 
  be conﬁ rmed, however.
  Closest to the twin stars, on the inner reaches of the so-
  called “life zone,” a lush tropical world has been discovered. 
  Blanketed in thick jungles and craggy mountains, this world 
  is thought to hold untold secrets deep beneath its canopy of 
  verdant vegetation. Long range arrays have found images of 
  strange structures on the surface, but nothing to show that 
  anything beyond the primitive jungle fauna exists—nothing 
  to show who built them without getting a closer look.
  The second world, perhaps the most Terra-like world in the 
  system, is covered in a wide variety of vegetation and stable 
  tectonics. In the last century, Magos Paulius Strennus of the 
  Adeptus Geologica, has taken on the task of compiling the 
  scattered and fragmented reports from voidsmen and various 
  other “reliable” sources. Magos Strennus postulates this world to 
  be millions of years old, though it appears to be held in a state 
  of geological stasis. What is causing this or why is unknown, 
  but the planet does show tell-tale signs of being engineered. 
  Thick forests of evergreen plants and whispering plains can 
  be seen from the preliminary surveys taken. Additionally, 
  structures similar to the other two worlds have also 
  been noted here as well.
  
  48
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  II: Islands in the Void
  The last world identiﬁ ed is one that is dominated by 
  deep oceans. Small chains of islands are scattered across the 
  water in groups of archipelagos. Some of these islands have 
  been identiﬁ ed as being ecosystems unto themselves—self 
  contained worlds within a world. Naturally, like the other 
  worlds located, this third planet also has structures and ruins 
  on several of the islands. However, unlike the other two 
  worlds, many of these structures and buildings appear to be 
  tribal and occupied. That the probes and scans can reveal 
  no more detail about the inhabitants has proven very 
  disconcerting for the magos of the Adeptus Biologis 
  aboard Altar-Templum-Calixis-Ext-17.
  PSYCHIC PHENOMENON
  Aside from the other strange phenomena concerning the 
  Serpent’s Cradle, many of the psykers and diviners of the 
  Koronus Expanse and the Imperium have noted that there 
  is something psychically “unnatural” about this system. 
  Astropathic communication within the reaches of the 
  Serpent’s Cradle seem to be muted somehow, as if there is 
  some kind of background noise interfering with the sending 
  of messages. Castings of the Emperor’s Tarot, both within and 
  without the system, all point to some ancient force waiting 
  and watching over the system. 
  THE NATURE OF THE SERPENT’S CRADLE
  The nature of the Serpent’s Cradle and the threat it presents has been deliberately left open for the Game Master to 
  interpret. An excellent source of adventures and endeavours, the Serpent’s Cradle system offers a wealth of possibilities 
  for a group of intrepid Explorers. As no one is certain what actually waits within the Serpent’s Cradle, the GM is free to 
  devise whatever he feels would be appropriate for the Explorers to encounter. Naturally, the asteroid belt presents its own 
  unique challenges, but there are other decisions that need to be made concerning the planets themselves.
  Since every campaign is unique, there is no one “right” or “wrong” decision. In fact, there are several suggestions 
  listed below to help the GM customise the Serpent’s Cradle for his campaign. Some of the areas that should, at the very 
  least, be decided upon are the nature of the worlds, what type of guardians protect them, and the types of endeavours 
  that can be created for the Rogue Trader and fellow Explorers to capitalise upon.
  Rumours and tales told since the initial discovery of the worlds within the Serpentis system by Sebastian Winterscale have all 
  spoken of planets whose waters can heal, where gems can simply be plucked off the ground, and a man could want for nothing. 
  While exaggerations to be sure, there is a grain of truth within them. The GM should decide where tales end and truth begins.
  An important mystery of the Serpent’s Cradle is the system’s “guardians.” The rumours told state that those who set 
  foot on these pristine paradise worlds never leave them again—but this leaves open any number of possibilities. Below 
  are several example forces that the GM could pit the Explorers against: 
  • The sinister forces of Slaanesh tainted this world. It is a “Venus ﬂ ytrap” that lures explorers to their death with its 
  irresistible beauty and tales of inﬁ nite wealth and healing, a garden of forbidden delights to seduce the unwary. 
  • The worlds of the Serpent’s Cradle are actually Eldar Maiden Worlds; they have set out mysterious guardians to skill any 
  who dare set foot upon their virginal soil. These guardians might be Rangers, or a far older and more dangerous protector.
  • Though the surfaces of the worlds are a mystery, the Eldar known as the Crow Spirits maintain a secret fastness 
  amongst the complex planetary orbits that complicate the system. Anyone who discovers the Crow Spirits’ secret will 
  ﬁ nd his life forfeit as the hostile Eldar will expend every resource to destroy them.
  Needless to say, the possibilities are only limited by the imagination of the GM and his players. One other item to 
  consider is the nature of the crystal vanes that lie scattered across the surfaces of the inhabitable planets. The GM should 
  consider their function and purpose, even if it’s nothing more than helping to bleed off the incessant radiation that 
  bathes the worlds as they pass through the “Cradle” between the stars in order to keep the worlds liveable.
  Once he has these details ﬁ gured out, no matter how preliminary, the GM can then move on with creating Endeavours 
  that the Explorers will use to gain wealth and fame throughout the Imperium. The following are sample endeavours a 
  GM can make use of, or combine into a single larger Endeavour. 
  • Walk on the worlds of the Serpent’s Cradle (Lesser): Since the only reliable Rogue Trader to have ever set foot 
  on the worlds of the Serpent’s Cradle was supposedly Sebastian Winterscale, the Explorers will need to repeat that 
  feat and be able to not only return to tell the tale, but also prove their story. What mineral wealth or other rewards 
  (and dangers) await the Explorers is up to the GM, but even ﬁ nding a route beyond the treacherous asteroids is a feat 
  in and of itself. The Explorers must negotiate the dangers of the asteroid belt surrounding the system, and preferably 
  ﬁ nd a route that others can use (and pay for the privilege).
  • Discover the terrible secret that lurks behind the facade (Greater): Something malign awaits the Explorers within this 
  system; some dark and sinister secret that doesn’t want to be found, and is worth protecting at all costs. Some possibilities 
  include an ancient xenos war world ﬁ lled with terrible weapons and dark technology, a staging point for some conquering 
  xenos armada, or perhaps a stable warp gate exists that leads deep into the raw immaterium—waiting for the stars to align 
  before a mob of daemon-infested hordes spills forth ready to wreck havoc upon an unsuspecting (and unaware) sector. Or 
  perhaps it is as the scholars and adepts postulated: this is a forgotten Eldar world, lost to the sands of time. 
  
  49
  49
  49
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  THE ORKS OF 
  UNDRED-UNDRED 
  TEEF
  •
  THE ELDAR
  •
  THE KROOT
  •
  THE RAK’GOL
  •
  THE STRYXIS
  •
  CHAOS REAVERS
  •
  IMPERIAL 
  ORGANIZATIONS
  
  50
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  Chapter III: 
  Foes and 
  Rivals
  “The only problem with these xenos scum is that they do not 
  acknowledge our Emperor-given right to rule these stars.”
  –Rogue Trader Hadarak Fell
  B
  eyond the Imperium’s borders, the untamed wilds of 
  space hold myriad threats and inﬁ nite dangers. Few 
  are more treacherous and more resilient, however, 
  than the threat of the xenos. Long forgotten alien empires 
  lurk trapped within the darkest reaches of the Koronus 
  Expanse, waiting to for some unlucky Rogue Trader to 
  stumble across them. Deadly as they are, however, they can at 
  least be conquered by humanity’s superior knowledge of star 
  travel, righteous hatred, and nigh-inﬁ nite resources. 
  Worse are the races who have mastered the secrets of 
  interstellar travel. The destructive Ork hordes, the mercenary 
  Kroot, the capricious Eldar, and the ravenous marauding 
  Rak’Gol are all threats within the Expanse that wise Rogue 
  Traders heed. Of course, they are not the only dangers one 
  may face. Myriad human interests h a v e 
  travelled into the Expanse 
  in the wake of Rogue 
  Traders, 
  and 
  many are just 
  as 
  likely 
  to 
  become 
  an 
  Explorer’s foe 
  as an alien 
  warship. 
  The Orks of 
  Undred-Undred 
  Teef
  “...Ork ships everywhere. Throne, there’s so many. Hundreds, maybe 
  thousands of vessels of all shapes and sizes, just ﬂ oating around. 
  Emperor’s Teeth, look at the size of that one! It must mass more than 
  a hundred million tonnes... oh no. It’s headed towards us! Evasive 
  Manoeuvres! Full power to the Voids! We’ve got to get out of...” 
  –Last log entry of the Rhadamanthine, after approaching 
  the Ork-dominated world of Tusk.
  M
  ankind has, for an age longer than the 
  endurance of any one empire, warred 
  against the Orks. It has been said that the 
  greenskin menace was the ﬁ rst alien species humans 
  ever encountered amongst the stars, and that when Man 
  and Ork ﬁ rst met, war was inevitable. Nobody, except 
  perhaps the Emperor, knows if this is true, but 
  few question its veracity, so widespread and 
  prevalent is conﬂ ict between these two 
  species.
  So it is within the Koronus 
  Expanse. Ever since humans ﬁ rst 
  ventured into the Expanse to 
  ﬁ nd and exploit what lay within 
  it, the Orks have been there to assail 
  the efforts of man. In 108.M41, after the 
  number of reported encounters had became intolerable, 
  the Administratum within the neighbouring Calixis Sector 
  commissioned a search of the Koronus Expanse to seek 
  out and eliminate this Ork threat. The Imperial Navy light 
  cruiser Rhadamanthine found them, more than a century 
  later. Its ﬁ nal log entries, sent by the ship’s Astropath with 
  his last breath, told of a cluster of worlds dominated by the 
  TOUCHED BY THE FATES
  Some of the adversaries presented here are extremely 
  dangerous individuals, meant to be rivals or even nemesis 
  to Explorers. Therefore, some may have this Talent.
  TOUCHED BY THE FATES (TALENT)
  Prerequisites: Non-player Characters only, must have 
  free will, may not be applied to Daemons or other non-
  living creatures.
  The NPC has a number of Fate Points equal to half 
  his Willpower Bonus (rounding up). He may use these 
  Fate Points in the exact same way as an Explorer, and 
  may even “burn” a Fate Point to survive death and 
  destruction. In addition, the rules for Righteous Fury 
  apply to this character.
  50
  50
  Rak’Gol are all threats within the Expanse that wise Rogue 
  Traders heed. Of course, they are not the only dangers one 
  may face. Myriad human interests h a v e 
  travelled into the Expanse 
  in the wake of Rogue 
  Traders, 
  and 
  many are just 
  as 
  likely 
  to 
  become 
  an 
  Explorer’s foe 
  as an alien 
  warship. 
  “...Ork ships everywhere. Throne, there’s so many. Hundreds, maybe 
  thousands of vessels of all shapes and sizes, just ﬂ oating around. 
  Emperor’s Teeth, look at the size of that one! It must mass more than 
  a hundred million tonnes... oh no. It’s headed towards us! Evasive 
  Manoeuvres! Full power to the Voids! We’ve got to get out of...” 
  –Last log entry of the 
  –Last log entry of the Rhadamanthine
  Rhadamanthine
  the Ork-dominated world of Tusk.
  M
  ankind has, for an age longer than the 
  endurance of any one empire, warred 
  against the Orks. It has been said that the 
  greenskin menace was the ﬁ rst alien species humans 
  greenskin menace was the ﬁ rst alien species humans 
  ever encountered amongst the stars, and that when Man 
  ever encountered amongst the stars, and that when Man 
  and Ork ﬁ rst met, war was inevitable. Nobody, except 
  and Ork ﬁ rst met, war was inevitable. Nobody, except 
  perhaps the Emperor, knows if this is true, but 
  perhaps the Emperor, knows if this is true, but 
  few question its veracity, so widespread and 
  prevalent is conﬂ ict between these two 
  species.
  So it is within the Koronus 
  Expanse. Ever since humans ﬁ rst 
  ventured into the Expanse to 
  ﬁ nd and exploit what lay within 
  it, the Orks have been there to assail 
  the efforts of man. In 108.M41, after the 
  number of reported encounters had became intolerable, 
  number of reported encounters had became intolerable, 
  the Administratum within the neighbouring Calixis Sector 
  the Administratum within the neighbouring Calixis Sector 
  commissioned a search of the Koronus Expanse to seek 
  commissioned a search of the Koronus Expanse to seek 
  out and eliminate this Ork threat. The Imperial Navy light 
  out and eliminate this Ork threat. The Imperial Navy light 
  cruiser Rhadamanthine
  Rhadamanthine found them, more than a century 
  Rhadamanthine found them, more than a century 
  Rhadamanthine
  later. Its ﬁ nal log entries, sent by the ship’s Astropath with 
  later. Its ﬁ nal log entries, sent by the ship’s Astropath with 
  his last breath, told of a cluster of worlds dominated by the 
  his last breath, told of a cluster of worlds dominated by the 
  
  51
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  Greenskins, uncovered at the cost of a vessel that had served 
  proudly for millennia and had been part of the ﬂ eet of the 
  Angevin Crusade. These Orks were no simple pirate raiders, 
  but a growing menace that could escalate into a dire threat.
  In spite of the successes of a small but growing number 
  of Rogue Traders traversing the Koronus Passage, the Imperial 
  Navy could not easily or swiftly muster a force through the 
  Maw sufﬁ cient to destroy so large an Ork domain. The Maw 
  was simply too unstable for so large a ﬂ eet to pass through. 
  Worse, the Imperial Navy could not spare the ships to even 
  attempt such a thing, as much of Battleﬂ eet Calixis was 
  embroiled within the Meritech Wars elsewhere in the Sector. 
  In the early decades of the ﬁ fth century M41, a ﬂ eet consisting 
  of hundreds of vessels burst from the Maw, laying siege to Port 
  Wander for two years until Battleﬂ eet Calixis and the Adeptus 
  Mechanicus shattered the Ork forces—later identiﬁ ed as a part 
  of Waaagh! Gulgrog—and reclaimed the starfortress.
  Their forces broken and slaughtered, the Ork survivors 
  slunk back to their worlds. Most believed that the threat 
  had now passed, that the remaining greenskins were too 
  few and too demoralised to pose more than a trivial threat. 
  For a time, they were correct—Ork raids upon ships in the 
  Expanse dropped dramatically in the following centuries. The 
  relative peace, however, could not last, for Orks are not easily 
  discouraged from acts of brutality and senseless violence. By 
  the early eighth century M41, the Ork menace had regained 
  much of its strength and was as great a peril within the 
  Expanse as they had been more than four centuries before, 
  drawing in Rogue Traders in greater numbers to combat the 
  escalating threat with the promise of handsome reward.
  Yet still the threat grows, and now the Koronus Expanse 
  stands on the brink of something terrible—a second invasion 
  preparing to burst from its depths, just over half a millennium 
  after the last.
  UNDRED-UNDRED TEEF
  Undred-Undred Teef consists of a dozen systems within the 
  Accursed Demesne. Four of these are reasonably well-known 
  to humanity through the recollections of Ork Freebooterz 
  hired by unscrupulous Rogue Traders, and survivors’ tales 
  of those who have passed nearby: barren Krakskull, smoke-
  wreathed Snagruz, the broken moons of Stompgit, and the 
  iron desolation of Tusk. 
  Perhaps ﬁ ttingly in a place where Ork pirates 
  are the dominant variety of greenskin, Undred-
  Undred Teef has little in the way of a 
  permanent population. Freebooterz travel 
  THE SIEGE OF PORT WANDER
  When Waaagh! Gulgrog attacked Port Wander in 422.M41, it struck suddenly and forcefully. With charts and observations 
  of the Koronus Expanse even more limited than they are now, warning signs of the oncoming assault were few and largely 
  unnoticed—those who did see the invasion coming either ﬂ ed to safety or found their predictions falling upon deaf ears as the 
  notably lax Port Authority busied itself with matters of proﬁ t. By the time the Ork ﬂ eet had swept past the recently established 
  port of Footfall unhindered and entered the Maw, there was little that could be done to evade the swift and reckless invaders.
  Moving at speeds that bafﬂ ed Navigators who witnessed it, the Orks traversed the Maw in mere days, striking ﬁ rst at 
  those vessels that rushed to depart Port Wander. Thirty-seven merchant haulers and transports were reduced to burning 
  wreckage, and a dozen Rogue Traders found their prized vessels torn apart by swarms of raiders and frigates, while the 
  bulkier “Kroozers” headed for the starport itself.
  Port Wander’s own defences responded admirably to the invasion, crippling and destroying innumerable vessels as the 
  Orks attempted to board and overwhelm it. On a hundred occasions in the ﬁ rst years of the war, the Orks managed to 
  land groups of warriors within the fortress, only to have them repelled at signiﬁ cant cost by the mercenaries, voidsmen 
  and Imperial Navy armsmen who defended it.
  The ﬁ rst year ware, in the estimation of those who survived, the hardest of the siege. With most ships crippled or 
  destroyed, and the outer defences bombarded to ruin, Port Wander was essentially alone amidst the Ork ﬂ eet. Their 
  momentum failing, the Orks slowly divided into factions, each squabbling to salvage the most intact of the hulks that 
  littered the Rubycon II system and competing to see which would be the one to claim the deﬁ ant fortress. After two 
  years of battle, the ﬁ rst reinforcements arrived, as Battleﬂ eet Calixis and the Adeptus Mechanicus rallied to form a 
  substantial rescue ﬂ eet. A squadron of Sword Frigates—supported by the reconnaissance of Lathe monitor-cruisers—
  launched lightning raids to clear the outer reaches of the system. Then, a combined force of Navy warships and Secutor 
  light cruisers arrived to begin the conﬂ ict in earnest, supported by the Navy warships on patrol from Passage Watch 27. 
  The resulting war of attrition may have actually extended the war—the Orks initial unity quickly fractured in the 
  face of a prolonged conﬂ ict, and while Port Wander could not hold out indeﬁ nitely, the arrival of reinforcements did not 
  have the desired effect of routing the Orks. Quite the opposite, in fact—faced with new enemies and new plunder, the 
  Orks rallied together around Gulgrog’s ﬂ agship and fought all the harder. The counterattack lasted for another year, as 
  the Orks rallied to the ﬁ ght, and was costly in terms of men, vessels and money.
  Lord Admiral Androvast Strophes is credited by many as being the hero of the war, leading fully two-thirds of 
  Battleﬂ eet Calixis in the ﬁ nal assault from his ﬂ agship, the Retribution-class Battleship Fist of Adamant, and crippling 
  Gulgrog’s ﬂ agship in a punishing broadside duel that sentenced the Fist of Adamant to spacedock for half a century. After 
  two days of conﬂ ict, the Orks were ﬁ nally routed and, wearied from battle, the Imperial Navy moved to reclaim Port 
  Wander instead of pursuing the Orks through the Maw.
  
  52
  52
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  to and from Undred-Undred Teef with regularity, with 
  Kaptins and Oddboyz using their time amongst other Orks 
  to trade and repair, while the common hordes clash on 
  the worlds below in pointless battle solely for the sake of 
  ﬁ ghting. The workshops and mines and other lingering traces 
  of civilisation change hands frequently, often abandoned 
  when an Ork seeks to see the stars again, to be taken over by 
  another some weeks or months later.
  KRAKSKULL
  A vast and barren world beneath a searing white star, Krakskull 
  only barely supports life. A complete lack of native life has 
  allowed Orkoid ﬂ ora and fauna to spring up in places, though 
  the general lack of moisture and the blistering heat make this 
  difﬁ cult at the best of times. Surrounded by a dense asteroid 
  ﬁ eld, only the smallest vessels can reach Krakskull safely, and 
  few non-Orks are reckless enough to make the attempt. These 
  asteroids hang closely enough to the world that, on occasion, 
  orbital collisions (often between two asteroids, but sometimes 
  between a ship and an asteroid) knock them deeper into 
  Krakskull’s gravity, causing them to plummet and cause vast 
  devastation. For the most part, however, the dense clouds of 
  asteroids, dust and debris cause ﬂ eeting, faint patches of 
  almost-shade, diffusing the harsh light of Krakskull’s 
  star. Much of the life on Krakskull is migratory, 
  following these patches of respite and sheltering 
  in the deepest craters to avoid the worst of 
  the sunlight.
  The settlement of Skulltown is the only lingering presence 
  of civilisation anywhere on Krakskull. Located on the walls 
  of a long, deep crater-canyon, the lower tiers of the town 
  are equal parts scrap pile, mineworks and refuse dump, all 
  tended by hordes of Gretchin who work “Da Drops” for 
  salvageable materials, edible fungus and Squigs, and useful 
  minerals. Further up are the rough workshops of Mekboyz 
  and other Oddboyz, and the huts of the common boyz who 
  frequently roam out across the surface on ramshackle vehicles 
  to do battle with one another or to carve up the wreckage of 
  a ship that didn’t survive passage through the asteroid ﬁ eld.
  SNAGRUZ
  A world choking under sulphurous fumes, Snagruz is a 
  mineral-rich, highly unstable world where volcanoes and 
  earthquakes are not only commonplace, but abundant. 
  Caught between three powerful stars, the planet is constantly 
  pulled in different directions. The gravity twists and tears the 
  crust to leave great rents and causing ﬂ oods of molten rock to 
  boil forth from below.
  Although the world is inhospitable even for the Orks, a crude 
  space station sits in orbit above Snagruz, made from the wreckage 
  of a larger “Kroozer” with its engines torn off. From there, the 
  Mekboyz build armies of Gretchin-piloted “Kans” and other 
  machines, which travel down to the surface in heavy shuttles to 
  collect metal ores and vast quantities of lava to be sifted, reﬁ ned 
  and turned into metal which the Meks then trade with others of 
  their kind from other worlds within Undred-Undred Teef.
  
  53
  53
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  STOMPGIT
  A massive, bright green gas giant orbiting a pale and ancient 
  star, Stompgit is surrounded by the shattered remains of 
  hundreds of moons and smaller planets in a vast asteroid 
  belt. When the Orks found Stompgit, they saw within it 
  a world like them, a great green monster that crushed and 
  destroyed all around it. Believing it to be a lucky place, a 
  gift from their belligerent gods, the Orks gathered around it, 
  and formed haphazard settlements amongst the belt. Having 
  established themselves, they sought out the largest asteroids 
  and converted them into Roks. These massive impromptu 
  spacecraft, little more than repurposed asteroids studded with 
  engines and guns, were soon a common sight across Undred-
  Undred Teef.
  Stompgit is not only a place of industry and worship for 
  the Orks—of all the potential warp-routes into Undred-
  Undred Teef, the ones leading to Stompgit are the most 
  stable. Further, the Warp around Stompgit allows easy access 
  to the rest of Undred-Undred Teef. All of this has conspired 
  to make the asteroid-choked system a natural gateway into 
  and out of the Ork domain, easy to reach via the Warp but 
  difﬁ cult to traverse in real space.
  TUSK
  The crown jewel of Undred-Undred Teef, Tusk possesses 
  the largest population of Orks of any world in the Koronus 
  Expanse. There may once have been an indigenous population 
  on what is now Tusk, but it is long dead, any ruins of its 
  existence ground to dust or torn apart to build the heart of 
  an enduring Ork empire. Tusk is a world of factories and 
  workshops, scaffolds and shipyards unceasing in their labours, 
  producing weapons, vehicles, and starships for the Orks in 
  vast quantities. The industry on Tusk has spread across the 
  planet like a plague of ﬁ re and iron, the only remaining open 
  spaces on the world serving only as testing grounds for new 
  inventions and battleﬁ elds for restless greenskins (or both).
  This industry is not conﬁ ned to the surface, either. 
  Hundreds of vessels crowd the orbits of Tusk, many of which 
  are being constructed or repaired. Others, such as the massive 
  and derelict space hulk Fist of Gork, sit idle above the world, 
  serving no purpose save being immense steel carcasses for 
  the Orks to plunder, salvaging scrap metal and starship 
  components to use on the ships that will function.
  Tusk’s only moon, cracked and scarred where the Fist of 
  Gork collided with it shortly after arriving, is no less polluted 
  and metal-strewn as the planet it circles, but for different 
  reasons. Constructed during the time of Warlord Gulgrog, the 
  fortress moon Slagnaz dominates the skies above Tusk. Its 
  spires and towers provide Tusk with an additional collection 
  of planetary defences, mostly weapons salvaged from wrecked 
  starships, and its great hall is resplendent with the trophies of 
  whichever Ork can claim it as his own, plus those of every 
  ruler who has come before. Currently, this is Snaga Morbad, 
  who claims to have been one of Warlord Gulgrog’s Nobz, 
  centuries before. However, Morgaash Kulgraz is rapidly 
  gathering the hordes of Undred-Undred Teef behind him, 
  and Snaga may yet be defeated.
  A GREEN TIDE OF WAR AND 
  PLUNDER
  The number of Orks within Undred-Undred Teef is growing 
  more rapidly with every passing year. As the months pass, 
  new Orks are spawned, while at the same time, new ships full 
  of grizzled Freebooterz burst from the Warp to see Stompgit’s 
  reﬂ ected glow, knowing that they’ve come to the right place. 
  The Orks do not speak of it openly, for there is no need to 
  speak of things that everyone knows. A Waaagh! is forming.
  Though not fully formed yet, it is only a matter of time. 
  Still the Orks ﬁ ght amongst themselves, raging against one 
  another for a place of dominance within the glorious times to 
  come, and the remaining few Kaptins not already subordinate 
  to a greater Ork engage in vicious battles and cunning raids 
  to see who will lead an army of billions of Orks.
  Waaaghs! have been encountered by the Imperium 
  countless times, and they are seldom easily halted. Aside from 
  the obvious orky pull of an immense green tide of destruction, 
  one thing seems to unite many of the Waaaghs! on record: 
  the presence of Gargants. Waaagh! Gulgrog was different, 
  and it appears that its successor will follow suit; originating 
  from a region where piratical raids and ship-to-ship combat 
  is the norm, the Orks of Undred-Undred Teef are primarily 
  Freebooterz, concerned with looting and stealing as much as 
  they are with butchery and war. No Gargants were sighted 
  amongst their forces; indeed, their forces never made 
  any actual landings upon inhabited worlds before 
  they hit Port Wander, and during the siege, the 
  conditions allowed for large scale boarding 
  actions at most.
  THE FIST OF GORK
  Though no longer functional, the colossal bulk of this 
  derelict vessel still hangs in orbit above Tusk, almost like 
  a second moon. Once commanded by Morgaash Kulgraz 
  before the Warlord’s arrival in the Koronus Expanse from 
  parts unknown, the Fist of Gork is now a shadow of its 
  former self. Decades ago, when Morgaash ﬁ rst arrived in 
  the Expanse, he did so aboard the Fist of Gork, its holds 
  full to bursting with valuable loot from distant places. 
  Unfortunately for Morgaash, the immense space hulk 
  emerged from the Warp far too close to Tusk, bursting 
  from the Immaterium at high speed and colliding with 
  Tusk’s moon only minutes later. The moon, much larger 
  than the Fist of Gork, survived essentially intact.
  Only the space hulk’s unnatural construction 
  prevented the collision from destroying it completely, 
  but the damage was so great that it could no longer 
  be considered anything other than scrap, and millions 
  of Orks descended upon the wreckage to salvage 
  anything of worth and loot the contents of its many 
  holds. Morgaash Kulgraz, ﬁ ghting off the lootas, had 
  his boyz haul away the best of the loot and salvage 
  and set their sights on the next biggest prize within 
  Undred-Undred Teef—Da Wurldbreaka.
  
  54
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  In place of Gargants, then, it seems that the Orks of 
  Undred-Undred Teef are more inclined to build starships than 
  terrestrial war engines. Even amongst the smaller gatherings 
  of Freebooterz, the Ork vessels encountered tend to be more 
  ambitiously designed, constructed with better components 
  (whether stolen or manufactured) and built more solidly than 
  might be expected, as if the Mekboyz are lavishing greater care 
  and attention upon their creations for some unknown reason. In 
  one case, which has plagued human efforts to exploit the Expanse 
  intermittently over the centuries, is this particularly evident—
  the infamous “battlekroozer” known as Da Wurldbreaka.
  At the heart of the Ork ﬂ eet that besieged Port Wander was 
  a colossal Ork vessel, identiﬁ ed through unclear and poorly-
  translated Vox-transmissions as Da Wurldbreaka. The same ship 
  had been seen for decades, maybe even centuries before that, 
  always slightly different than it had been before, always larger than 
  its previous sighting. As the Ork hordes have grown again since 
  Waaagh 
  Gulgrog’s 
  defeat, sightings of a ship tentatively identiﬁ ed as Da Wurldbreaka 
  have increased also, and rumours suggest that it is commanded by 
  a powerful, cunning and ruthless Ork who cannot be stopped.
  Scholars of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Inquisition have 
  theorised that this Ork society, so predicated upon combat between 
  starships, has focused its religious fervour onto a starship, where 
  other Ork empires revere Gargants. The only obvious conclusion, 
  then, is that Da Wurldbreaka is this iconic vessel, the creation that 
  represents the Ork gods. Consequently, a vast bounty exists upon 
  Da Wurldbreaka, offered by the Inquisition and Imperial Navy to 
  any who can bring back proof of its destruction, in the hope that 
  without this vessel, the Waaagh! may stall.
  THE BIGGEST KAPTIN
  It is 816.M41, and three rival Kaptins stand opposed, each 
  desiring dominance over the Orks of Undred-Undred Teef. For 
  the last thirty years, the conﬂ ict has escalated, growing larger 
  and more vicious as the number of independent Kaptins has 
  grown fewer. With his arrival in orbit over Tusk, Morgaash 
  Kulgraz swiftly crushed many of his lesser rivals and set into 
  motion a brutal conﬂ ict that will only make the Orks involved 
  stronger and stronger until one of them triumphs...and when that 
  happens, they will be the one at the head of the new Waaagh!
  SNAGA MORBAD
  Claiming to be centuries old and having fought in the last 
  Waaagh!, Snaga is really only clinging to power. Though perhaps 
  not as old as he claims—few Orks ever really care enough about 
  history to be certain of such things—Snaga is old, and while he 
  retains the massive frame and powerful physique of his youth, 
  something about him failed long ago, and the Kaptin is quite mad. 
  His insanity has taken its toll, and he is easily distracted and often 
  forgetful of simple matters, though still possessed of a fearsome 
  rage that has left piles of corpses in his wake. Clad in a colossal 
  suit of Mega-Armour, Snaga remains a terrifying opponent, so 
  long as he remains lucid enough to ﬁ ght. Snaga’s dominance of 
  the orbit of Tusk has forced both Grubskraga and Morgaash to 
  establish bases of operations elsewhere.
  GRUBSKRAGA “DA UNSTOPPABUL”
  After ﬁ fteen years of raiding Winterscale’s Realm, Grubskraga’s 
  return to Undred-Undred Teef was met with heavy ﬁ re from the 
  guns of vessels commanded by Orks loyal to either Morgaash 
  or Snaga. Since then, Grubskraga has proven to be a match 
  for both his rivals, despite lacking the sheer numbers of 
  Morgaash’s growing ﬂ eet, or the resources that Snaga controls. 
  Grubskraga is an exceptionally cunning creature, and though 
  not as belligerent or ruthless as Morgaash, his grasp of Naval 
  strategy is remarkable for an Ork, after years spent clashing 
  against human and Eldar ﬂ eets and observing their tactics. He 
  exempliﬁ es the Ork trait of “brutal kunnin.”
  Grubskraga wants to control Undred-Undred Teef. To do 
  so, he’ll have to kill Morgaash and Snaga, or possibly supplant 
  one and use his newfound resources to defeat the other. Force 
  of arms is not an option, so Grubskraga may ally with one 
  temporarily, looking for a chance to betray his “boss.” 
  GATHERING FREEBOOTERZ
  Though many Orks ﬂ ock to the coming Waaagh! 
  that is building in Undred-Undred Teef, there are still 
  countless Freebooterz across the myriad systems of 
  the Expanse, searching for loot and plunder. Some of 
  these Freebooter Kaptins see the gathering Waaagh! as 
  an opportunity, and are struggling to amass as much 
  power and resources as they can grasp before it begins, 
  to improve their own standing in the coming storm. 
  Others simply can’t stand waiting around, and every so 
  often Undred-Undred Teef vomits forth streams of Ork 
  ships ﬁ lled with excited and impatient boyz.
  No small number of Orks, however, have turned away 
  from Undred-Undred Teef and its building Waaagh! 
  Many do so out of a naturally rebellious or contrary 
  streak, the feeling that no Ork’s going to tell them “wot’s 
  wot.” A handful of ambitious Orks simply think they 
  could do a better job of piracy and mayhem on their own, 
  rather than under the claw of some Warboss. Then, there 
  are those who made their own bid for power, failed, and 
  survived the wrath of the three rival Freebooter Kaptins 
  long enough to ﬂ ee. Those Orks who have left Undred-
  Undred Teef (on their own or as part of a small band) are 
  most likely to end up working with a Rogue Trader.
  its previous sighting. As the Ork hordes have grown again since 
  Waaagh 
  Gulgrog’s 
  After ﬁ fteen years of raiding Winterscale’s Realm, Grubskraga’s 
  return to Undred-Undred Teef was met with heavy ﬁ re from the 
  guns of vessels commanded by Orks loyal to either Morgaash 
  or Snaga. Since then, Grubskraga has proven to be a match 
  for both his rivals, despite lacking the sheer numbers of 
  Morgaash’s growing ﬂ eet, or the resources that Snaga controls. 
  Grubskraga is an exceptionally cunning creature, and though 
  not as belligerent or ruthless as Morgaash, his grasp of Naval 
  strategy is remarkable for an Ork, after years spent clashing 
  against human and Eldar ﬂ eets and observing their tactics. He 
  exempliﬁ es the Ork trait of “brutal kunnin.”
  Grubskraga wants to control Undred-Undred Teef. To do 
  so, he’ll have to kill Morgaash and Snaga, or possibly supplant 
  one and use his newfound resources to defeat the other. Force 
  of arms is not an option, so Grubskraga may ally with one 
  temporarily, looking for a chance to betray his “boss.” 
  
  55
  55
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  MORGAASH KULGRAZ, KAPTIN OF 
  DA WURLDBREAKA, WARLORD OF 
  UNDRED-UNDRED TEEF
  Demonstrating ﬁ erce ambition and ruthless cunning of a kind seen 
  only in very few Orks across the galaxy, Morgaash Kulgraz has 
  slain and subjugated every Ork in his path, growing increasingly 
  massive as other “Kaptins” challenge him. The last two decades 
  have been particularly prosperous, with Morgaash ripping Uzrek 
  Mag Nazdakka limb from limb in brutal unarmed combat and 
  claiming Uzrek’s old ship, Da Wurldbreaka as his prize. 
  Morgaash is a towering monster of an Ork, larger than most 
  and physically imposing enough to back up his claims of being 
  the Warlord of Undred-Undred Teef, though several rivals 
  still claim otherwise. Few accurate records exist of Morgaash 
  himself from the Imperial vessels he has assaulted—by the 
  time Morgaash himself boards, the battle is normally won and 
  all hope of escape lost. However, occasional survivor’s reports 
  claim that the Warlord is some three and a half metres tall 
  and may weigh as much as half a tonne, carrying a massive 
  chain-axe that, wielded by Morgaash’s immense strength, is 
  sufﬁ cient to shear through deck plating and leave gouges in 
  bulkheads and blast doors. Worse, Morgaash is a bold and 
  daring leader, particularly during ship-to-ship combat, and 
  more than a few enemies have underestimated what the Orks 
  are capable of under his leadership. Morgaash spends most of 
  his time on Da Wurldbreaka, where he is plotting the downfall 
  of Snaga, whom he sees as his main opposition to power.
  Morgaash Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (14)
  (12)
  61
  35
  75
  68
  36
  37
  34
  41
  29
  Movement: 5/10/15/30  
   
  Wounds: 56
  Fate Points: 2
  Skills: Awareness +10 (Per), Barter (Fel), Carouse (T) +10, 
  Climb (S), Command +20 (Fel), Common Lore (Ork) (Int) 
  +20, Common Lore (War) (Int) +20, Common Lore (Koronus 
  Expanse) (Int), Dodge (Ag), Intimidate +20 (Str), Navigation 
  (Stellar) (Int), Pilot (Flyers, Space Craft), Speak Language 
  (Low Gothic, Ork) (Int).
  Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Primitive, SP), Berserk Charge, 
  Bulging Biceps, Crippling Strike, Crushing Blow, Exotic Weapon 
  Proﬁ ciency (Any Ork weapon), Fearless, Furious Assault, Hardy, 
  Into the Jaws of Hell, Iron Discipline, Iron Jaw, Lightning Attack, 
  Melee Weapon Training (Chain, Primitive, Power), Resistance 
  (Cold, Heat, Radiation), Talented (Intimidate), Swift Attack, 
  Touched by the Fates (2 Fate Points), True Grit, Two-Weapon 
  Wielder (Ballistic, Melee), Void Tactician
  Traits: ‘Ardest†, Brutal Charge, Enormous, Fear (1), Make 
  It Work††, Might Makes Right†††, Mob Rule††††, Sturdy, 
  Unnatural Strength (x2), Unnatural Toughness (x2).
  †‘Ardest: Morgash quite simply one of the toughest Orks 
  in the Expanse. He ignores the effects of Blood Loss, the 
  Toxic Quality, or any adverse environmental conditions not 
  powerful enough to kill him outright, such as poison, disease, 
  extreme temperatures, or even suffocation. Any environmental 
  condition he cannot ignore, such as drowning and vacuum, he 
  gains a +30 bonus to any Toughness Tests to resist, instead. 
  ††Make It Work: Unreliable Ork weapons are not Unreliable 
  in an Ork’s hands.
  †††Might Makes Right: Amongst Orks, Morgash can use 
  Intimidate whenever he must make a Command Test. 
  ††††Mob Rule: Morgash adds +10 to his Willpower for 
  each Ork within 10 metres. 
  Armour: Kustom ‘Eavy Armour (Body 7, Head 4, Arms 3, 
  Legs 3).
  Weapons: Da Rippa (2d10+20 R; Pen 5; Tearing, 
  Unbalanced), Morgaash’s Kustom Blasta (Basic; 100m; S/2/–; 
  2d10+7 E; Pen 8; Clip 13; Reload 3 Full; Blast (2) Inaccurate, 
  Overheat, Recharge, Unstable), Skatta Kannon (Pistol; 30m; 
  S/–/–; 1d10+6 I; Pen 0; Clip 6; Reload 2 Full; Inaccurate, 
  Scatter, Tearing).
  Gear: 4d10 Ork teeth (“Teef ”), shiny bitz, scavenged machine 
  components and trophies, 3 spare clips for the Kustom Blasta, 
  2 spare clips for the Skatta Kannon, crude hand vox, fancy 
  hat, Da Wurldbreaka, dozens of Gretchin.
  WAAAGH!: When Morgaash charges, he may make 
  his three attacks from Lightning Attack, rather than 
  one—all three attacks gaining the charge bonus. In 
  addition, the ﬁ rst time he charges in a combat, all 
  other Orks who charge that turn may make 
  one additional melee attack. 
  
  56
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  DA WURLDBREAKA
  Hull: Ork Battleship
  Class: Unique Ork “Battlekroozer”
  Dimensions: 11km long approx, 1.8km 
  abeam approx
  Mass: Unknown; believed to be greater 
  than 100 megatonnes
  Crew: Unknown, but likely at least 
  250,000 greenskins
  Accel: 2.4 gravities max sustainable 
  acceleration
  Nobody is entirely sure where Da Wurldbreaka came from, nor how old the vessel is. The Orks talk of it as a vessel that has 
  grown like the legend that surrounds it, commanded by dozens of would-be Warlords over the years, taken as the spoils of war 
  and rebuilt bigger and deadlier than ever each time. The oldest of tales, told by the oldest of the ship’s Mekboyz, tell that it has 
  existed for thousands of years and has fought in the biggest of wars, ravaging worlds across the galaxy. Whether or not this is 
  true, the Meks enjoy telling the story and their audiences enjoy hearing it, so it continues to be told.
  Now owned by Morgaash Kulgraz, Da Wurldbreaka has grown again, the upper decks swelling with the towers and cells of 
  enslaved Weirdboyz, who strain and thrash in the proximity of more than a quarter of a million greenskins eager for bloodshed 
  and plunder, and whose presence makes the entire vessel ﬂ icker and crackle with unconstrained power. Scores of Mekboyz 
  labour eagerly all across the vessel, even in the midst of a battle, rebuilding and replacing systems with their own inventions 
  with a manic fervour that seems almost religious, granting Da Wurldbreaka a capacity for destruction that seems limitless because 
  its weapons grow and change with every conﬂ ict.
  Speed: 4  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: –10 
   
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 2   
   
  Armour: 24 prow, 20 port and starboard, 16 stern 
  Hull Integrity: 120
  Morale: 110 
   
   
  Crew Population: 120 
   
   
   
  Crew: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Dorsal 2, Port 2, Starboard 2
  Space: 150 
   
   
  Power: 120
  Essential Components
  Looted Drive, Warp Engines, Multiple Void Shield Arrays, Air Pumps, Boyz Barracks, Armoured Captain’s Bridge, Searchy Grubbinz
  Supplemental Components
  Prow ‘Eavy Gunz Battery (Macrobattery; Strength 6; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3)
  Prow Zzap Kannonz (Lance, Strength 2; Damage 1d10+5; Crit Rating 3; Range 9)
  Port ‘Eavy Gunz Battery (Macrobattery; Strength 6, Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3)
  Port Gunz Battery (Macrobattery, Strength 1d5+4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 5; Range 10)
  Starboard ‘Eavy Gunz Battery (Macrobattery; Strength 6; Damage 2d10; Crit Rating 4; Range 3)
  Starboard Gunz Battery (Macrobattery; Strength 1d5+4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 5; Range 10)
  Dorsal Pulsa Rokkitz Battery: Too small and short-ranged to act like true torpedoes, these bizarre rockets generate concussive 
  shockwaves, gravity pulses and magnetic ﬁ elds that disrupt enemy vessels (Macrobattery, Strength 1d5+2, No damage, but 
  target suffers a –5 per hit to Manoeuvre during the next turn, Crit Rating N/A, Range 5)
  Dorsal Weirdboy Towerz (Strength 1d5, Damage 2d10, Crit Rating 4, Range 3, May be ﬁ red as either a Macrobattery or a 
  Lance, choose each time the weapon ﬁ res before rolling any dice. If ﬁ red as a lance and any single hit rolls an 18 or higher for 
  damage, this Component is immediately destroyed from a backlash of WAAAGH! energy.)
  Da Face of Gork: A huge Ork-like visage dominates the ship’s prow. In addition to being heavily armoured, (already totalled 
  into the prow armour) and dealing a total of 4d10+24 damage when ramming, the immense maw of the face is hinged and can 
  be opened as Da Wurldbreaka approaches a victim, only to close down over it, allowing for boarding parties to swarm over in vast 
  numbers through the boarding tunnels within the face. When attempting to Board an enemy vessel, if Da Wurldbreaka passes its 
  Pilot (Starships) + Manoeuvrability Test by two or more degrees, then the jaws will latch on, dealing 1d5 damage to hull 
  integrity, and granting the Orks an additional +20 bonus on the opposed Command Test to win the subsequent boarding action. 
  Loot Hole: A vast and cavernous chamber where piles of loot can be found. Often the site of vicious battles as different ship-board 
  factions ﬁ ght over particularly good bits of loot. Capturing Da Wurldbreaka—a difﬁ cult prospect to say the least—with this 
  component intact grants the captors 300 Achievement Points from the sheer quantity of plunder contained within.
  Trakta Beams: Da Wurldbreaka’s Trakta Beams impose a –20 penalty to all Pilot (Space Craft) + Manoeuvrability 
  Tests made by a single enemy vessel within 4 VU, chosen during Da Wurldbreaka’s Shooting Action.
  
  57
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
   USING THE ORKS OF 
  UNDRED-UNDRED TEEF
  T
  he Ork menace within the Koronus Expanse grows 
  greater with every passing day, and few who travel 
  the Expanse do so without occasionally detecting 
  Ork raiders on their augurs. But the Orks are not the only 
  aggressors in this escalating conﬂ ict; humans, Eldar, Kroot 
  and others all loathe the Orks sufﬁ ciently to act against them, 
  or seek to gain something by the greenskins’ destruction.
  ENDEAVOUR: PURGE THE FREEBOOTERZ 
  FROM THE REPHENID CLUSTER
  Lesser Endeavour: +2 Proﬁ t Factor
  Situated along the warp route between Footfall and Lucin’s 
  Breath, the Rephenid Cluster is an isolated collection of 
  rogue planets, gas and dust clouds and asteroid ﬁ elds clinging 
  together under the inﬂ uence of their collective gravity. No 
  life exists here naturally, but its placement makes it an ideal 
  stopping point on journeys towards Winterscale’s Realm, 
  where a ship and crew can take momentary respite from the 
  difﬁ culties of traversing the Immaterium.
  Unfortunately, as is often the case, such places quickly 
  become havens for pirates, hiding amongst the rocks and dust 
  ambushing passing ships. In the case of the Rephenid Cluster, 
  a sizeable band of Ork Freebooterz have found themselves a 
  home, prowling and skirmishing among the asteroids and cold, 
  dead worlds while they await the passage of a victim to assail. 
  The Cluster has been cleared twice already, yet each time Orks 
  return, new generations of Greenskins ﬁ nding the remains of 
  their predecessors as they search for a base of operations.
  Objective 1: Locate the Freebooter base 
  within the Rephenid Cluster
  Keywords: Exploration
  The worlds of the Rephenid Cluster orbit one another randomly 
  and uncertainly, while clouds of dust and gas cause void shields 
  to ﬂ icker sporadically and interfere with augurs, making 
  navigation into the heart of the cluster perilous at the best of 
  times. However, such is the reckless nature of the Ork that this 
  place appeals to them, and like many pirates, take pride in their 
  ability and willingness to venture into wild and dangerous places 
  where their enemies and their victims cannot pursue them.
  It takes a great deal of painstaking searching and careful 
  manoeuvring to navigate the Rephenid Cluster and locate the 
  Ork base. Those lacking the skill, luck, and daring to see it 
  through may ﬁ nd their venture ends before it can truly begin.
  Objective 2: Assault the Base
  Keywords: Military
  Locating such a hard-to-reach target is one thing, but 
  destroying it is another. Those experienced in pirate-hunting 
  (a noteworthy number of which are pirates themselves) know 
  that striking while the enemy is unaware is often the best and 
  most ﬁ tting course of action. Such battles are always swift and 
  brutal, as the pirates soon try to ﬂ ee to their ships and scatter 
  rather than ﬁ ght on another’s terms.
  Objective 3: Eliminate the Survivors
  Keywords: Exploration, Military
  An enemy that retreats shall return to avenge himself. 
  An enemy crushed utterly vanishes from all but 
  memory. Survivors from an assault upon a 
  pirate base will tend to scatter deeper into 
  USING MORGAASH AND DA WURLDBREAKA
  Morgaash and Da Wurldbreaka are meant to be extremely dangerous opponents, and many Explorers may 
  ﬁ nd them nigh-impossible to defeat. This is intentional—neither is a foe to be treated lightly! The GM 
  should only pit his players against these opponents once they are of a suitably high level and have amassed considerable 
  resources and a very powerful ship. It may be more appropriate for a suitably climatic moment in a campaign (such as 
  the culmination of a long war against the greenskins, when the Explorers can count on powerful allies of their own). 
  Of course, a GM could also use Morgaash and Da Wulrdbreaka to remind his players that not everything in the 
  Expanse is defeatable, and sometimes ﬂ ight really is the best option for survival. Needless to say, the GM should not do 
  this lightly or often, but used in this way both can become powerful plot points in a larger campaign.
  SHIP COMPLICATIONS AND SPECIAL RULES
  Orky Tek: This ship may not be piloted by a non-Ork crew. Components from this vessel will not function in non-Ork ships.
  Loadz ov Boyz: Da Wurldbreaka’s compliment of crew and warriors are all eager and deadly combatants, granting a 
  +30 bonus on all Command Tests involving boarding actions and Hit and Run attacks. 
  Armoured Kaptain’s Bridge: The bridge is heavily armoured, and if it every suffers a Critical Hit, becomes damaged, 
  or suffers power loss, roll 1d10. On a 4 or higher, the damage is ignored. 
  Da Big Red Button: If this vessel chooses not to turn, it may move an additional 2d5 VUs during its Manoeuvre Action.
  Lotsa Mekboyz: Always tinkering, inventing and customising, the vast compliment of Mekboyz on board never seem to stop 
  trying to improve the ship, even in the midst of battle. All Tech-Use Tests made by the crew of Da Wurldbreaka’ gain a +10 
  bonus. In addition, the Meks may, as an Extended Action once per turn, improve a single weapon component providing one 
  of the following beneﬁ ts: +2 Range, Re-roll the weapon’s random Strength, +1 damage, +1 bonus degree of success on attack 
  rolls. After ﬁ ring, the improved gun immediately becomes unpowered for one turn as the improvements over-work the weapon.
  
  58
  58
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  their labyrinthine domain aboard whatever ships they can 
  muster, ready to regroup and re-establish their operation 
  again elsewhere. Orks, being particularly persistent, have 
  even been known to return to old bases and reclaim them 
  rather than moving elsewhere. It typically takes some weeks 
  to track down and wipe out those scattered survivors.
  MISFORTUNE: ORK RAIDERS
  Whether raiding and extorting tribute from settled worlds, 
  assaulting ships for salvage and slaves, or simply picking a 
  ﬁ ght for the sake of ﬁ ghting, a number of Orks have set upon 
  the Explorers’ holdings or interests, or even the Explorers 
  themselves. Leaving them to raid and battle until they tire of 
  it will be costly, but it will take a concerted effort to drive 
  them off. This Misfortune can be used whenever the players 
  suffer a Misfortune during their Endeavours. 
  Nuisance Misfortune: The Orks are few, thankfully, 
  numbering only a raider or two. At this stage, they are more of 
  an inconvenience than a menace, but where Orks do battle, more 
  Orks are sure to follow behind in time. This Misfortune, if not 
  dealt with, causes the Explorers to lose 1 point of Proﬁ t Factor.
  Grim Misfortune: A squadron of raiders—ﬁ ve or six ships 
  in total—represent difﬁ cult times and a signiﬁ cant threat 
  to the Explorers’ efforts. This Misfortune, if not dealt with, 
  causes the Explorers to lose 2 points of Proﬁ t Factor.
  Calamitous Misfortune: Under the leadership of a feared 
  Kaptin, several squadrons of Ork raiders and a kroozer set about 
  plundering and ransacking the Explorers’ interests. It will take 
  considerable effort, time and bloodshed to end this menace. If 
  not dealt with, this causes the loss of 4 points of Proﬁ t Factor.
  The Eldar
  “Too often, the meddling of humanity uncovers things it should not 
  know, your kind’s base thoughts unclouded by regret and driven only 
  by reckless ambition. I think the universe would thank me if I killed 
  you now, before you can do any greater harm.”
  –Caedovir Oriosrith of Iliasanae’s Weeping
  T
  he Eldar are amongst the oldest remaining species in 
  the galaxy, with some suggesting that they may have 
  existed for millions of years before Mankind built its 
  ﬁ rst stone tools. It is thought that, at one point, the Eldar 
  ruled an empire of such size and might that it would dwarf the 
  Imperium of Man. However, for reasons none but the Eldar 
  themselves know, it collapsed, leaving the Eldar scattered 
  across the galaxy, a pale reﬂ ection of their former might. 
  For all they have lost, however, the Eldar are still powerful, 
  possessing sophisticated technology and powerful psykers 
  reputed to be able to tell the future with uncanny accuracy, 
  and graced with an ageless talent for warfare and voidfaring 
  that makes them deadly in spite of their depleted numbers.
  Within the Calixis Sector the Eldar have historically been 
  a rare sight, with artefacts scattered across the region capable 
  of projecting psychic beacons that warn others away. Many 
  have wondered if the Eldar consider the place cursed, and 
  why such an ancient and powerful species would be reluctant 
  to travel there. Nonetheless, the Eldar do pass through Calixis 
  at times, but seem to frequent the Expanse more. Several 
  distinct factions seem to call the Koronus Expanse their home. 
  For the most part, they choose not to involve themselves in 
  local matters, seldom dealing with humanity save where it is 
  absolutely necessary, and even then only for brief periods, 
  often with bloodshed rather than with negotiations.
  Yet, in spite of their typically isolationist attitude, the Eldar 
  within the Koronus Expanse are getting bolder and sightings 
  of their craft are becoming more frequent. It is whispered that 
  so long-lived a species cannot act without great forethought, 
  and that the Eldar do not do things without a reason, even 
  if that reason may not be understood by man. Something is 
  drawing them to the Expanse against their better judgement 
  and the advice of their forebears, and few would be foolhardy 
  enough to say that their presence heralds something good.
  A SUNDERED PEOPLE
  For around ten thousand years, the Eldar have been a scattered 
  and divided species, surviving within myriad Craftworlds, 
  Corsair ﬂ eets, Exodite colonies and in other places besides. As 
  time has passed, each of these groups have found their own 
  identities and become different from the others, and while 
  a common racial heritage is shared by all, disagreements 
  and differing goals can cause further division between the 
  different kindreds and factions of the Eldar.
  This is not only the case on a galactic scale, but on a more 
  local one as well. Within the Koronus Expanse, there are at least 
  four distinct groups of Eldar, in addition to those who cannot 
  be identiﬁ ed as belonging to any one of those groups. These 
  
  59
  59
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  four groups are the Eldar of Craftworld Kaelor, their pirate 
  kin the Twilight Sword Corsairs, the savage and mysterious 
  Children of Thorns, and the enigmatic Crow Spirits. While 
  these factions seldom come to blows—or at least, such 
  “kinstrife,” as the Eldar call this form of internecine warfare, is 
  seldom observed—they appear to have very different goals and 
  motivations, making cooperation just as unlikely.
  CRAFTWORLD KAELOR 
  Distant and isolated even by the standards of the Craftworlds, 
  Kaelor lingers on the edge of the galaxy, passing through the 
  Calixis Sector only once in a millennium. As that time draws near 
  once again, Kaelor sends warriors out into the Koronus Expanse, 
  for its Farseers have seen something approaching, something 
  wreathed in shadows that their sight cannot penetrate, which 
  promises only doom for those that cross its path.
  Already, several of its outposts and a number of the Maiden 
  Worlds under its protection have suffered sudden and catastrophic 
  losses, leaving them utterly devoid of inhabitants and deathly 
  silent save for the psychic echoes of something in great pain. In 
  the last few decades, sightings of Eldar wearing Kaelor’s crimson 
  and orange livery within the Koronus Expanse have increased 
  dramatically, particularly within the Heathen Stars region.
  The most prominent leader of the Craftworld is Farseer 
  Ela’Ashbel, an especially gifted and powerful psyker. Blinded 
  at a young age during a confrontation with Chaos Space 
  Marines of the Word Bearers Legion, she sheds tears of blood 
  when she manifests her potent psychic abilities. Ela’Ashbel has 
  a long history of manipulating humans and using agents of the 
  Imperium as her cat’s-paws, often drawing them into conﬂ icts 
  that inexorably lead along paths of fate she has foreseen that 
  lead towards the eventual beneﬁ t of Craftworld Kaelor.
  Craftworld Kaelor seems to have an especially close tie 
  to a band of Eldar Corsairs known as the Twilight Swords. 
  These piratical Eldar primarily operate in the Koronus Expanse, 
  occasionally assisted by Kaelor Aspect Warriors or supported by 
  Kaelor Dragonships. What Kaelor gains from this relationship 
  is an enigma, although some in the Ordo Xenos conjecture that 
  Ela’Ashbel has made a pact with the Twilight Swords wherein 
  the Corsairs serve in the role of a “stalking horse,” drawing 
  out potential enemies and scouting ahead for the forces of the 
  Craftworld. The Farseer may, in fact, be using the Corsairs for 
  her own purposes, as she has been carefully directing their 
  efforts in a search pattern throughout the Expanse. Exactly 
  what, or whom, she is searching for is so far unknown.
  SURVIVORS OF STRIFE
  The Eldar of Craftworld Kaelor are more aware than most 
  of the consequences of straying from the Eldar path of 
  discipline and control. Over three thousand years ago, the 
  Craftworld was engulfed in a divisive conﬂ ict amongst its 
  own people. Many Eldar had turned away from the paths 
  and instead sought their own pleasures, a dark echo of the 
  same behaviour that had heralded the Eldar race’s fall from 
  grace and the birth of the Dark God, Slaanesh. This conﬂ ict 
  was eventually brought to an end, and the Craftworld united, 
  but the Eldar consider this event a most recent and distressful 
  portion of their history.
  Thus, Kaelor is now home to a very pragmatic and 
  dedicated populace, each with a keen understanding of 
  their own relative vulnerability. This has led the Eldar of the 
  Craftworld to be very loathe to take risks unless forced into 
  action, their outlook upon the universe coloured with caution 
  and tempered with ruthless applications of practicality.
  METHODS OF WAR
  The Kaelor Craftworld warhost follows a doctrine of aggressive 
  defence, preferring to strike hard and fade away before the 
  enemy can gain the initiative. Kaelor possesses many shrines to 
  the Warp Spider Aspect Warriors. These Eldar wear a heavily-
  armoured suit containing a short-range warp jump teleporter 
  device. Warp Spiders follow a philosophy of war that perfectly 
  matches Kaelor’s approach, attacking and then vanishing in 
  the blink of an eye. The Kaelor warhost also contains a large 
  number of fast vehicles, including many grav-vehicles such as 
  Falcons and Vypers. It is not unknown for Ela’Ashbel to lead 
  her kin in battle, riding a custom Vyper where her psychic 
  powers can have the greatest effect upon the enemy. 
  Although the Kaelor warhost generally avoids engaging the 
  enemy with their full force unless absolutely necessary, they 
  are quite proactive and aggressive when following the visions 
  and prophecies of their Farseer, Ela’Ashbel. Under Ela’Ashbel’s 
  guidance, Kaelor’s forces do not generally seek out conﬂ ict 
  against the Imperium, preferring to use deceit and guile to 
  of the consequences of straying from the Eldar path of 
  against the Imperium, preferring to use deceit and guile to 
  59
  59
  -From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 097.816.M41
  I have heard the xenos, the effete and decadent Eldar, are a shattered and sundered people, a shadow of their 
  former power in the galaxy. I can certainly believe it-I have seen worlds with their ruins, worn down by time 
  and neglect. I have also heard that the Eldar worship many gods, an entire pantheon as if they were primitive 
  savages. Ha! If it is true, that they pray to a host of weak deities and buttress their faltering faith behind a 
  mob of gods, it’s no wonder they are in decline while humanity’s fortunes ascend. After all, we have one god, 
  the God-Emperor, and in His light, all lesser gods are less than nothing. 
  A FATEFUL MEETING
  Millenia ago on the planet Tyrine, Ela’Ashbel confronted 
  the Chaos Space Marine Kor Phaeron, a Dark Apostle 
  of the World Bearers Legion. This was to be a most 
  fateful encounter, for neither the Eldar Farseer or the 
  ancient Chaos Marine emerged unscathed. Ela’Ashbel 
  lost her physical sight, but gained a great insight into 
  both her own abilities and the Dark Gods who guide 
  the Word Bearers in their unholy crusade. Kor Phaeron, 
  in contrast, was left with a deep and abiding hatred of 
  the Eldar, a thirst for vengeance that still burns brightly 
  within his hearts centuries later.
  
  60
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  mislead such Imperial forces that they encounter. When forced 
  into battle, however, the Kaelor warhost attacks without mercy. 
  Unlike some other Eldar Craftworlds, who may see a 
  host of equal threats in a hostile galaxy, Kaelor regards 
  the Chaos powers as the most dire. The Farseers of Kaelor 
  actively oppose the forces of Chaos, and they often guide 
  the dragonships and Aspect Warriors of their kin to 
  skirmishes and assaults that serve to hinder the servants of 
  the Dark Gods.
  THE CHILDREN OF THORNS
  Perhaps unusually, the Eldar pirates known as the Children of 
  Thorns seem completely oblivious to whatever it is that has 
  the other Eldar factions so concerned—oblivious, or entirely 
  uncaring. This faction seems to stand aloof from other Eldar, 
  not deigning to involve itself in their business. However, 
  even they seem to be arriving in the Expanse with greater 
  frequency in the last century—or are simply becoming bolder 
  in their attacks and raids.
  Vicious and sadistic even by the standards of their kind, the 
  Children of Thorns are said to prize stealth and surprise over 
  all other strategies, ensuring that attacks can rarely be defended 
  against as ﬂ eets of lightning-fast black-hulled raiders appear 
  from nowhere bearing hosts of shrieking, darkly graceful beings 
  who seem to desire only to inﬂ ict bloodshed and pain.
  Few humans have faced the Children of Thorns and lived, 
  but those lucky survivors report seeing tall, gaunt ﬁ gures, 
  enclosed fully in black armour covered in barbs and blades. 
  They whimper about the capricious maliciousness of their 
  foe, how they vanish as quickly as they appear, and how 
  many of their victims seem to vanish with them. 
  Disturbingly, the Children of Thorns appear to 
  have grown bolder in recent years, appearing 
  more frequently and hiring out their services to 
  unscrupulous humans, promising ruination 
  to their erstwhile ally’s enemies in exchange for... something. 
  Nobody is entirely certain what it is that the Children of 
  Thorns accept in payment, for no man will admit to hiring 
  them, but more than a few colonists have been redirected from 
  their intended destinations, never to be seen again.
  THE TWILIGHT SWORDS
  The Twilight Swords Corsairs have always been a presence 
  within the Koronus Expanse, for as long as humans have 
  explored there. Their distinctively-coloured livery has often 
  been an uncertain omen for other travellers, as the Twilight 
  Swords are known to be as often friend as foe, though one 
  thing is always certain—they never appear for peaceful reasons.
  Many Rogue Traders have found their fortunes bolstered 
  or saved by the intervention of Twilight Swords vessels at a 
  crucial juncture, only to see the Corsairs vanish as the battle 
  is won, or to linger only to pass on some cryptic message. At 
  other times, they have appeared to cripple or crush a Rogue 
  Trader’s aspirations, taking to battle for only the briefest of 
  times before disappearing from augurs altogether.
  Many see them as being guided by some prophetic witch, 
  for the Eldar are known to employ such methods extensively, 
  overseeing some grand plan several millennia in the making. 
  Others see their attacks and assistance as little more than the 
  work of a spiteful and capricious mind, revelling in the power 
  to shape lives at a whim. The truth is both of these.
  At the leadership of Caeluthin Baharrudor and his 
  predecessor, the Twilight Swords have struck as and when they 
  desire for no reason other than that they desire it, driven by their 
  moods and their inclination towards thrill-seeking. Yet, amidst 
  this, many Twilight Swords are former citizens of Kaelor, and 
  still have some loyalty for their old home, willing to accept 
  the advice and the guidance of one of its Farseers from time 
  to time. At Kaelor’s direction, the Twilight Swords have halted 
  the advance of many human expeditions that would lead them 
  to precious maiden worlds or hidden colonies.
  The connections between the Twilight Swords and Kaelor 
  have become increasingly apparent as the latter has become a 
  greater presence in the Koronus Expanse, and Twilight Swords 
  vessels have been seen supporting Kaelor ground troops with 
  ever-greater regularity. Amidst this, the Twilight Swords have 
  worked to retain their independence, striking out at their own 
  targets with greater frequency than they have in the past.
  Over the last few decades, the traditionally gleeful nature 
  of the Twilight Swords has taken a dark turn. They, like their 
  brethren on Kaelor, have seen signs of something vast and 
  terrible coming, and desire to avert its arrival. The shock of 
  discovering so great a threat so close at hand has shaken them 
  from complacency, and now they look upon the Koronus 
  Expanse to see what is actually there, and shudder at the 
  thought that they could have missed so much. The rising tide 
  of Chaos, the gathering hordes of the Orks, and the nascent 
  menace of the Rak’Gol all pose a threat to the Eldar within 
  the Koronus Expanse, and the Twilight Swords are becoming 
  desperate to do something about it. With their brethren 
  from Kaelor, the Twilight Swords make plans to strike their 
  opponents and establish their dominance in the Koronus 
  Expanse, while preparing to face the greater threat to come.
  
  61
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  PIRATE PRINCE CAELUTHIN 
  BAHARRUDOR, THE STORMCHASER
  The Stormchaser is a legend spoken of fearfully amongst 
  many of the crews that ply the Koronus Expanse, the vicious 
  xenos pirate lord whose ﬂ eet emerges to strike vessels caught 
  within the storms and tides of the Warp, attacking when their 
  prey cannot escape, and leaving survivors enough only to 
  whisper his name.
  The truth is little different. Caeluthin was born to a life 
  of structure and discipline upon the Craftworld of Kaelor, 
  becoming a Mariner and sailing the void for many years 
  before his boredom and wanderlust became too great. Leaving 
  his home in search of something more, Caeluthin became 
  an Outcast, a willing exile from his people for so long as his 
  wanderlust consumed him. Some ﬁ ve centuries later, Caeluthin’s 
  sense of adventure is still strong, and he has risen to become 
  the leader of the Twilight Swords Corsairs, and does not feel 
  he shall ever return to the life he had upon Kaelor.
  Caeluthin is cunning, but easily bored, and prone to 
  variegated and ever-changing moods. He views humanity 
  with a sense of faint amusement at times, as a man might 
  look at an animal capable of an interesting trick, while 
  in other moods, he deems them little better than vermin, 
  worthy only of annihilation. Overall, he sees humanity as 
  worthless creatures, useless to his plans.
  This viewpoint conﬂ icts with the guidance of Ela’Ashbel of 
  Craftworld Kaelor, and is the cause of contention as the two sides 
  work together more often. It is possible that the Farseer’s council 
  may moderate Caeluthin’s views—or that her preference to use 
  humanity to further Eldar goals may have some appeal. 
  Baharrudor Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (12)
  51
  57
  38
  35
  68
  54
  50
  61
  45
  Movement: 6/12/18/36  
   
  Wounds: 20
  Fate Points: 3
  Skills: Acrobatics (Ag), Awareness (Per) +10, Barter (Fel) +10, 
  Charm (Fel) +10, Command (Fel) +20, Common Lore (Koronus 
  Expanse) (Int) +20, Deceive (Fel) +20, Dodge (Ag) +10, 
  Evaluate (Int) +10, Forbidden Lore (Pirates) (Int), Forbidden 
  Lore (The Black Library) (Int), Forbidden Lore (Xenos) (Int) 
  +20, Forbidden Lore (The Warp) +10, Gamble (Int) +10, 
  Intimidate (S), Literacy (Int), Medicae (Int), Navigation (Stellar) 
  (Int) +20, Navigation (Webway) (Int) +10, Pilot (Flyers) (Ag) 
  +10, Pilot (Personal) (Ag), Pilot (Space Craft) (Ag) +20, Silent 
  Move (Ag) +10, Scrutiny (Per) +10, Speak Language (Eldar) 
  (Int) +10, Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int) +10, Speak 
  Language (Trader’s Cant) (Int), Trade (Voidfarer) (Ag) +20.
  Talents: Air of Authority, Ambidextrous, Basic Weapon Training 
  (Las), Catfall, Counter Attack, Decadence, Exotic Weapon 
  Training (Shuriken Catapult, Shuriken Pistol), Foresight, Into 
  the Jaws of Hell, Iron Discipline, Jaded, Leap Up, Master & 
  Commander, Melee Weapon Training (Power, Primitive), Pistol 
  Weapon Training (Las), Rapid Reaction, Resistance (Fear, Psychic 
  Techniques), Sprint, Swift Attack, Touched by the Fates, Two 
  Weapon Wielder (Ballistic, Melee), Void Tactician.
  Traits: Unnatural Agility (x2)
  Armour: Best Craftsmanship Eldar Mesh Void Armour (Body 
  6, Head 6, Arms 5, Legs 5), Eldar Forceshield†
  †Eldar Forceshield: Appearing as little more than a gem-
  studded ﬁ n protruding from Caeluthin’s left vambrace, this arcane 
  device projects a powerful force ﬁ eld capable of turning aside 
  even the deadliest attacks. A Forceshield has a Protection Rating 
  of 50. When hit while the device is active, roll d100. If the roll 
  is equal to or less than the Protection Rating, the hit’s effects are 
  ignored—though the attack may still have an effect upon other 
  creatures in the vicinity, such as weapons with the Blast quality 
  (roll separately for multiple hits). If this roll is also a natural 1, 
  then the ﬁ eld has overloaded, and will not function until repaired.
  Weapons: Shuriken Pistol (30m; S/3/5; 1d10+2 R; Pen 4; 
  Clip 40; Rld 2 Full; Reliable), Eldar Power Sword (1d10+8 
  E; Pen 6; Power Field, Balanced).
  Gear: Three clips of shuriken pistol ammunition, waystone 
  gem, xenos-crafted medikit, xenos-crafted void-sealed armour 
  (grants full life support, long-range encrypted vox, auspex 
  and Dark Sight, and contains inbuilt void impellor 
  units which grant Flyer 12 in null gravity), Webway 
  Key, collection of runic talismans (charms), the 
  Memory of Lament.
  
  62
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  MEMORY OF LAMENT
  Hull: Light Cruiser
  Class: Customised Solaris-class Light Cruiser
  Dimensions: 3.8km long approx, 0.4km abeam 
  approx
  Mass: 13 megatonnes, approx
  Crew: unknown
  Accel: 9.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  A swift and deadly vessel, the Memory of Lament leaves few survivors in its wake. Faster and 
  more agile than the larger Eldar cruisers, it is more than capable of eluding even the most 
  determined pursuit or running down ﬂ eeing prey with terrifying ease, and sightings of it 
  are few and far between. First identiﬁ ed during the Battle of Agusia in 742.M41, allied to the ﬂ eet of 
  Rogue Traders as they descended upon the pirates and renegades for what would be the largest naval battle of 
  recent decades within the Expanse, the Memory of Lament is thought to have been active within the region for far longer.
  In recent decades, conﬁ rmed sightings of the Memory of Lament have remained scarce, but rumours of its presence—for 
  Eldar ships are seldom easy to conclusively identify, due to their disruptive Holo Fields—can be found all over the Expanse; 
  sometimes providing unrequested aid to humans, while at other times attacking without mercy or warning.
  Speed: 14 
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +45 
   
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: —   
   
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 50
  Morale: 100 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 3
  Space: 40 
   
   
  Power: 70
  Essential Components
  Solaris Solar Sails:, Warp-Plotter, Command Bridge, Xenos Life Sustainer, Xenos Crew Quarters, Xenos Sensor Array
  Supplemental Components
  Prow Pulsar Lance Battery x2: (Lance; Strength 1; Damage 1d10+3; Crit Rating 3; Range 6) The Eldar long ago 
  mastered the technology of laser weapons, and their lances are far superior to the crude lances used by other races. When 
  an Eldar pulsar scores a hit, roll to hit again, applying the same bonuses and penalties. A pulsar hit can score up three total 
  hits when ﬁ red.
  Prow Starcannon Cluster Battery: (Macrobattery; Strength 4; Damage 1d10+2; Crit Rating 4; Range 6) 
  Holo Field: A Holo Field is an ancient wonder of the Eldar race and the bane of Imperial gunners. The ﬁ eld disrupts and 
  distorts the image of the ship it wreathes, making it almost impossible to target. All attacks made against a ship with a 
  functioning Holo Field suffer –40 to any Test to hit in addition to any other penalties (for example, this would include both 
  a Ballistic Skill Test to hit the ship with lances, and a Pilot (Space Craft) + Manoeuvrability Test to ram the Holo Field 
  equipped ship). Macrobatteries, which ﬁ ll a large area of space with ordinance, only suffer a –20 penalty to hit. Ships also 
  suffer a –30 to any attempts to use any Extended Action against a holoﬁ elded ship that involves Detection (such as Lock on 
  Target or Focused Augury).
  Runecaster: Although the purpose the Eldar put this Component to is unknown, Imperial vessels can use the devices to help 
  plot courses through the warp. 
  Complications and Special Rules
  • Master Starfarers: The Eldar are some of the most skilled voidfarers in existence, and their ships are designed to make the 
  most of their talents. Any Eldar aboard an Eldar vessel may re-roll any Piloting Tests for Manoeuvre Actions. 
  • Starcannon Accuracy: The accuracy of Eldar gunners grants a +10 to Ballistic Skill Tests made to ﬁ re a starcannon 
  cluster batteries. This bonus does not apply to the Pulsar Lance.
  Dimensions: 3.8km long approx, 0.4km abeam 
  Accel: 9.5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Memory of Lament leaves few survivors in its wake. Faster and 
  Memory of Lament leaves few survivors in its wake. Faster and 
  Memory of Lament
  more agile than the larger Eldar cruisers, it is more than capable of eluding even the most 
  determined pursuit or running down ﬂ eeing prey with terrifying ease, and sightings of it 
  are few and far between. First identiﬁ ed during the Battle of Agusia in 742.M41, allied to the ﬂ eet of 
  Rogue Traders as they descended upon the pirates and renegades for what would be the largest naval battle of 
  
  63
  63
  63
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  MURDEROUS SPECTRES
  Alongside the Twilight Swords, the Crow Spirits have been 
  a constant presence in the Koronus Expanse since before the 
  Imperium ﬁ rst discovered it. However, where the Twilight 
  Swords have demonstrated at least some signs of benevolence 
  towards mankind, even if that benevolence is ﬁ ckle, the Crow 
  Spirits are nothing but hostile.
  Ever since humanity has ventured into the Koronus 
  Expanse, the Crow Spirits have struck at them with unerring 
  precision and a cold and calculating wrath that seems to 
  possess no source nor be directed at any individual. Not every 
  human to travel the Expanse is targeted—indeed, only a 
  minority suffer that misfortune—nor are those who voyage to 
  worlds identiﬁ ed as having signiﬁ cance to the Eldar targeted 
  consistently. Whatever guides their attacks and chooses their 
  targets, it follows an unfathomable plan.
  In particular, their priorities appear to be the Unbeholden 
  Reaches and Accursed Demesne. It is rare to encounter the 
  ghostly-pale vessels of the Crow Spirits beyond those regions, 
  though what signiﬁ cance those places hold is unknown, 
  particularly as they border the blighted anomaly known as 
  the Rifts of Hecaton. None could imagine that any creatures 
  could keep something of signiﬁ cance close to such a dread 
  place, yet the Crow Spirits seem intent to drive mankind away 
  from it. In addition, the Crow Spirits have been sighted in 
  Winterscale’s Realm, near Maleziel and the Serpent’s Cradle, 
  though they do not tarry in Winterscale’s Realm. Instead they 
  pass through it as hurrying to another destination.
  Where all the other Eldar within the Expanse have made 
  some contact with humans besides overt aggression, the 
  Crow Spirits remain a mystery, and little is known of their 
  nature or their objectives beyond the most obvious facts. 
  Many years and many lives have been spent attempting to 
  discern their goals, so that they can more easily be defended 
  against, but with little success. No signs exist of a base of 
  operations anywhere near to the Rifts of Hecaton, and given 
  so inexplicable an origin, none have ruled out that they 
  may originate from somewhere else. Interestingly, the most 
  well-thought out suggestion as to the Crow Spirit’s base of 
  operations comes from the Imperial Navy squadrons assigned 
  to guard Port Wander. In their long years ﬁ ghting Eldar 
  Corsairs, some Navy ofﬁ cers have encountered large Eldar 
  void-stations. One of these “Haven-class spires” could serve as 
  a base for extended periods of time, and be hidden in almost 
  any star system or vast nebula. 
  As with both the forces of the Craftworld Kaelor and the 
  Twilight Swords Corsairs, the Crow Spirits have become even 
  more active in the last few decades, as if some part of their 
  unknown plan was approaching a crucial point, or perhaps as 
  if some event had spurred them to greater action. However, 
  many of their recent actions have been just as perplexing as 
  the pattern of their attacks. On a dozen occasions within the 
  last thirty years, Crow Spirits ships have been sighted in direct 
  and vicious conﬂ ict with ships of other Eldar, most frequently 
  those of the Children of Thorns, but occasionally those of the 
  Twilight Swords or Kaelor as well. While such violence between 
  different factions of Eldar is not unknown, the frequency and 
  brutality of these battles is unsettling; what could drive the 
  Eldar to turn on their own kind so aggressively?
  Extensive divination, including several hundred readings of 
  the Emperor’s Tarot by Inquisitorial seers and the Astropaths 
  of paranoid Rogue Traders have proved to be of little beneﬁ t. 
  The majority simply produce no result whatsoever, while a 
  few predict what a handful of others have foreseen: an unholy 
  green light, worlds stripped of inhabitants, a great pale horror, 
  a cataclysm given form and substance, and the screaming of 
  the ghosts of those slain long ago. 
  Worse still, something unspeakable plagues the dreams 
  of psykers across the Expanse, passing from memory 
  upon waking but leaving the impression of some 
  vast and dreadful presence moving slowly 
  through the void, leaving only silence and 
  death in its wake.
  USING BAHARRUDOR AND THE MEMORY OF LAMENT
  The Pirate Prince and his vessel are intended as opponents and rivals for mid-level Explorers. Both are dangerous 
  in combat, but have ﬂ aws skillful Explorers can take advantage of. In essence, both Baharrudor and the Memory 
  of Lament can deal a great deal of damage when attacking (the pulsar lances of the Lament are especially deadly, as they can 
  land as many as six lance hits on an unlucky vessel) and have several different ways of avoiding damage (the holoﬁ elds 
  on the Lament, and Baharrudor’s Dodge Skill and Forceﬁ eld). Should they be struck, however, they are quite fragile. This 
  makes them dangerous, but managable, opponents for Explorers willing to use sound tactics and clever stratagems to defeat 
  them. However, a GM can also use both as ﬁ ckle allies for the Explorers. Perhaps both have similar goals, and are forced to 
  overcome their prejudices long enough to complete them—each side anticipating treachery from the other. 
  SHIP COMPLICATIONS AND SPECIAL RULES
  Master Starfarers: The Eldar are some of the most skilled voidfarers in existence, and their ships are designed to make 
  the most of their talents. Any Eldar aboard an Eldar vessel may re-roll any Piloting Tests for Manoeuvre Actions. 
  Dying People: The Eldar are a dying race, and their ships concequentally require extremely small crews. However, 
  this puts them at a disadvantage in a war of attrition. The ship suffers a –20 penalty on all Command Tests involving 
  boarding actions and repelling Hit and Run attacks.
  Supreme Manoeuvrability: A ship with solar sails may interrupt its Manoeuvre Action at any point to perform a 
  Shooting Action. Once the Shooting Action is resolved, it must complete the remainder of its Manoeuvre Action. The 
  limit of one Shooting Action per turn still applies.
  
  64
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  AMONGST THE CROWS
  The Eldar have long been a spacefaring race, and many ancient 
  traditions have built up over the ages. The complex nature of 
  Eldar culture, and the mingling and evolving of cultures since 
  The Fall, means that no two ﬂ eets of Eldar vessels are structured 
  in quite the same way, and though there are common themes 
  and shared elements, there are as many differences—particularly 
  where groups of Eldar are isolated from their kin.
  Within the Crow Spirits, the following is true. At their head, 
  leading each and every ship, is a Craftmaster, or Athkion as it 
  is known within the Crow Spirits’ traditions. As a spacefaring 
  culture, the role of a Craftmaster is not entirely dissimilar to 
  that of a Rogue Trader or pirate captain. Subservient to the 
  Craftmaster are several individuals of signiﬁ cance. 
  The two chief advisors of a ship’s Craftmaster are known 
  as the Bloody Hand, or Kaelamen, a deadly warrior and 
  bodyguard—who advises in all matters of warfare, and the Silent 
  Hand, or Istaurmen, who is a skilled intelligence-gatherer, spy, and 
  diplomat. Depending on the inclinations of their Craftmaster, 
  either or both may also have skill as assassins and saboteurs.
  Alongside the Hands, are Voidspeakers, powerful psykers who 
  communicate with other parts of the ﬂ eet and foretell the future 
  to better guide the Crow Spirits. Finally, are the Bonesingers, 
  who are artisans responsible for growing and shaping all kinds of 
  Eldar technology, and in the case of those aboard a starship, 
  are responsible for repairing it in battle as well.
  Above and beyond all these, however, are the 
  Inﬁ nity Circuits of each ship. Containing the 
  bound and conscious souls of past crew, each 
  Inﬁ nity Circuit, like the far larger versions 
  which form the hearts of Craftworlds, communes with the 
  living to guide and advise them, adding the experiences of 
  past generations to aid those who live now.
  With the Crow Spirits, this organisational structure is 
  mirrored to the very highest levels, with the shadowy Lords of 
  Crows ruling above all the captains and advised by the senior-
  most Craftmaster, Bloody Hand, Silent Hand, and Voidspeaker 
  within the ﬂ eet. However, it is said that the Lords of Crows 
  and their Council are not simply Craftmasters elevated amongst 
  their peers. It is said they are powerful Eldar psykers, Farseers 
  and Warlocks who guide the path of the Crow Spirits. 
  ILISTANETH ANTURIEN, BLOODY HAND 
  OF THE CROW SPIRITS
  The Crow Spirits have a long and bloody history, and much 
  of it within the last eleven centuries can be attributed to one 
  being. The deadliest and most experienced warrior of the 
  Crow Spirits, Ilistaneth Anturien has been directly responsible 
  for more death than almost any other individual within the 
  Expanse. Cold and utterly ruthless, Ilistaneth harbours a 
  profound loathing for all that is not Eldar and knows joy 
  only in the moment of triumph.
  Ilistaneth does not question the instructions given to him 
  by his masters; his hatred for the enemies of his kind dwarfs 
  any empathy he might have for the plight of his targets. A 
  master of many weapons and just as many poisons, Ilistaneth is 
  a terrifying adversary to face, and as many foes have died to his 
  blades with a look of dread upon their face, as have perished 
  at a great distance never knowing the cause of their demise.
  Ilistaneth possesses a vast and bewildering array of armaments 
  and tools. The most astounding is a Holo-Suit—normally 
  worn by the mysterious Eldar warrior-troubadours known as 
  Harlequins, gifted to him by a troupe of Harlequins as a reward 
  for slaying a target whose fate interfered with their own.
  Anturien Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (12)
  63
  58
  44
  32
  61
  44
  47
  64
  26
  Movement: 6/12/18/36  
   
  Wounds: 17
  Fate Points: 3
  Skills: Acrobatics (Ag) +20, Awareness (Per) +10, Chem-Use 
  (Int) +20, Common Lore (War) (Int) +20, Concealment (Ag) 
  +10, Demolitions (Int) +20, Dodge (Ag) +20, Forbidden Lore 
  (The Black Library) (Int), Forbidden Lore (Xenos) (Int) +10, 
  Intimidate (S) +20, Literacy (Int), Medicae (Int) +10, Navigation 
  (Surface) (Int), Security (Ag), Shadowing (Ag) +10, Silent Move 
  (Ag) +20, Speak Language (Eldar) (Int) +10, Tracking (Int) +20
  Talents: Assassin Strike, Basic Weapon Training (Universal), 
  Berserk Charge, Blademaster, Blind Fighting, Catfall, Chem Geld, 
  Combat Master, Counter Attack, Crack Shot, Crippling Strike, 
  Deadeye Shot, Die Hard, Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency (Shuriken 
  Catapult, Shuriken Pistol, Shuriken Cannon, Splinter Pistol, 
  Splinter Riﬂ e, Splinter Cannon, Eldar Longriﬂ e, Eldar Lasblaster), 
  
  65
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  Fearless, Foresight, Guardian, Gunslinger, Hard Target, Hip 
  Shooting, Independent Targeting, Jaded, Leap Up, Lightning 
  Attack, Lightning Reﬂ exes, Marksman, Melee Weapon Training 
  (Universal), Mighty Shot, Nerves of Steel, Paranoia, Precise 
  Blow, Quick Draw, Rapid Reaction, Rapid Reload, Resistance 
  (Psychic Techniques), Sharpshooter, Step Aside, Strong Minded, 
  Sure Strike, Swift Attack, Thrown Weapon Training (Universal), 
  Touched by the Fates, Two-Weapon Wielder (Ballistic, Melee), 
  Unarmed Master, Unarmed Warrior, Wall of Steel.
  Traits: Unnatural Agility (x2).
  Armour: Reinforced Eldar Mesh Armour with Advanced 
  Helmet Systems (Body 6, Head 6, Arms 6, Legs 6), Holo-Suit.†
  †Holo-Suit: These exotic devices, also known as Domino Fields 
  or Jigsaw Fields, break up the image of the wearer as he moves, 
  and blends his image into his surroundings when stationary, 
  making him difﬁ cult to target with any accuracy. Enemies suffer 
  a –20 to all Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill Tests when attacking 
  the wearer. Additionally, when stationary, the holo-suit grants a 
  +30 bonus to Concealment Tests to its wearer.
  Weapons: (note that Ilistaneth is skilled in the use of a great 
  many different weapons) Pair of Best Craftsmanship Eldar 
  Power Swords (1d10+9 E; Pen 8; Balanced, Power Field), Pair 
  of Gauntlet-mounted Shuriken Pistols (21m; S/3/5; 1d10+4 
  R; Pen 4; Clip 40; Rld Full; Reliable), 3 Plasma Grenades 
  (12m; S/–/–; 1d10+6 E; Pen 6; Blast (1) )
  Gear: Waystone gem, 3 pistol reloads, xenos-crafted medikit, 
  xenos-crafted long-range encrypted vox, Webway Key.
  USING THE ELDAR
  T
  hough relatively few in number, the Eldar are seldom 
  content to sit back and allow things to happen. 
  Instead, the Eldar remain a major force in events across 
  the galaxy, whether secretly or overtly. Within the Koronus 
  Expanse, the effects of their machinations and their attacks 
  can be felt in a great many places, and the legacies and 
  remnants of their ancient civilisation can be found scattered 
  across the void, silent and empty.
  As with a few other species, the Eldar are willing at times 
  to deal with humanity as something other than adversaries, 
  and on more than one occasion have alliances been formed and 
  agreements been made that beneﬁ t both parties. Yet, in spite of 
  this supposed common interest, the Eldar consider only what will 
  serve their ends, whether or not their erstwhile allies and partners 
  beneﬁ t. When combined with their perspective upon existence 
  and their inclination towards secrecy and deception, it can make 
  their goals difﬁ cult, even impossible to properly discern. 
  ENDEAVOUR: ESTABLISH A COMPACT 
  WITH THE CHILDREN OF THORNS
  Greater Endeavour: +4 Proﬁ t Factor
  For all their grim reputation, the Children of Thorns appear 
  oddly amenable to working with or for humans. Rumours 
  abound in places like Footfall of deals struck and favours bartered 
  for services which are seldom spoken of directly. It’s widely 
  known that the Children of Thorns are killers, remorseless 
  and inhumanly vicious in the pursuit and annihilation of their 
  targets, and many guess that this is the service they so willingly 
  trade. At what price can such things be bought? Few can say 
  for certain, and they are reluctant to speak of it.
  Objective 1: Locate and 
  Contact a Thorn-Broker
  Keywords: Criminal, Exploration
  As with all Eldar, the Children of Thorns are elusive, but 
  unlike most of their kind, they can be contacted if one knows 
  the right people. Carefully placed agents—referred to in 
  rumour as “Thorn-Brokers”—exist on Footfall and a handful 
  of other human-settled worlds in the Expanse, and these 
  men and women know how to contact the Children. Their 
  loyalty is kept through abject terror of their alien masters, 
  who are swift to punish indiscretion. That the Children of 
  Thorns seem to know so much about the activities of their 
  terriﬁ ed servants suggests an information network that is both 
  extremely widespread and incredibly pervasive.
  Locating these agents is never easy; they do not advertise 
  their role, instead using unwitting intermediaries to watch for 
  and investigate potential “clients.” Establishing contact is more 
  a matter of following rumour and hearsay until one of the 
  Thorn-Brokers spots a worthwhile client and decides to act.
  Objective 2: Negotiate 
  with the Children of Thorns
  Keywords: Trade
  Merely ﬁ nding a contact is not enough; the Children of 
  Thorns do not work on behalf of anyone without discussing 
  the matter extensively. Soon after locating a Thorn-Broker, a 
  prospective client of the Children is contacted, often using 
  some form of message device (usually a holographic projector 
  of Eldar design) which appears suddenly and without any 
  obvious signs of how it arrived.
  These devices direct the client to a pre-selected meeting 
  location—starships, derelict space stations, the surfaces 
  of dead worlds, and similar isolated places—where the 
  negotiations can begin. The intricacies of target and time 
  and place, and of cost, are debated at length, with the 
  Eldar always careful to give away only the most essential of 
  information—like the Imperium, the Eldar know the power 
  of secrets. However, some of these negotiations do not run as 
  smoothly as the Rogue Traders desire. Every so often, those 
  who seek out the Children of Thorns suddenly vanish after 
  doing so. It is likely some aspect of the negotiations failed, 
  and the Children of Thorns took their erstwhile partners as 
  compensation for the failed arrangement. 
  Objective 3: Secure Payment
  Keywords: Criminal, Military, Trade
  With a price determined, the Children of Thorns allow 
  their clients the opportunity to obtain the agreed-
  upon payment. The Children are uninterested in 
  the normal forms of wealth, and sometimes ask 
  for things of no obvious value, but one thing 
  remains constant: no price the Children of 
  
  66
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  Thorns ask can ever be paid without bloodshed. Quantities 
  of speciﬁ c, well-guarded resources, obscure artefacts, slaves or 
  secrets are all common demands, though the reasons behind 
  these demands are never given. The details of these payments 
  are always exact, demonstrating extraordinarily precise 
  knowledge of the Koronus Expanse. Those few who dare to 
  speculate on such things have suggested that the price they 
  charge for service is part of some long and intricate scheme. 
  These few claim that each payment secured is merely one 
  part of a larger puzzle, leading them to the next part, to be 
  obtained by some unwitting accomplice in exchange for the 
  horrors they will inﬂ ict.
  MISFORTUNE: 
  THE CROW SPIRITS’ WRATH
  Grim Misfortune: As if from nowhere, the Eldar appear, 
  heralded only by ﬂ ickering, spectral augur reports. Typically 
  numbering half a dozen pale frigates and destroyers, they 
  attack swiftly and ruthlessly, and then vanish as suddenly as 
  they appeared. For all their terrible fury, their vessels move as 
  if participating in some grand and lethal dance, striking and 
  withdrawing in perfect coordination.
  Only the most learned can even guess at how the Crow 
  Spirits manage to strike so quickly, without warning and in 
  any place they desire. This Misfortune, if not stopped, causes 
  the Explorers to lose 2 points of Proﬁ t Factor
  MISFORTUNE: WHISPER OF ANARIS
  Calamitous Misfortune: None can predict when or why 
  this infamous ghost-ship will appear, or its intentions 
  upon arrival, but even if its acts are benevolent—
  driving away pirates or raiders, or changing the 
  course of a costly battle, for example—
  i t 
  is an ill-omen that this deathless 
  vessel appears at all. Misfortune 
  seems to follow in its wake even 
  when it lends its aid to others; woe 
  betide those who must defend 
  themselves against it.
  This 
  Misfortune, 
  if 
  not 
  stopped, causes the Explorers 
  to lose 1d5 points of Proﬁ t 
  Factor. Stopping the Whisper 
  of Anaris may be impossible (as 
  it is likely to vanish long before 
  the Explorers arrive), so the 
  Explorers must ﬁ nd a way to 
  correct the results, instead. 
  The Kroot
  “You humans do not understand. You feed upon weak things, because 
  you think you are strong enough, because you feed only to sustain 
  yourselves. We feed upon the strong, because we know that no 
  strength is truly sufﬁ cient, because we desire to make our children 
  stronger.”
  –Chal’ka Nok, Kroot Mercenary
  T
  he Kroot homeworld of Pech lies on the far side of 
  the galaxy to the Expanse, a distance that typically 
  takes years to cross. That the Kroot have arrived in the 
  Expanse is peculiar, at least to those who know of their origins 
  and understand how far they are from the planet of their birth. 
  That the Kroot seem not to realise just how far from home they 
  are is a greater mystery—many Kroot hired as mercenaries 
  speak of Pech as if it is within easy reach of the Expanse. 
  Certain Rogue Traders who possess powerful contacts within 
  the Imperial Adeptus say there is one way the Kroot may have 
  crossed into the Expanse without traversing the intervening 
  galaxy—the Well of Night. However, if the Well exists, it is 
  likely within Zone 15, an interdicted region of the Maw well-
  guarded by the Imperial Navy. If this is true, the Kroot must have 
  entered the Expanse long before humanity rediscovered it.
  Imperial records show the Kroot originated on the world 
  of Pech, located in the Ultima Segmentum. Pech is a temperate 
  world, and its primary landmasses are heavily forested. Those 
  few areas not covered by endless forests of evergreen 
  jagga trees are rocky and inhospitable. The Kroot 
  are an arboreal race, and possibly evolved from 
  some avian species. They are also deceptively 
  primitive—Kroot clothe themselves in leather 
  hides and simple armour, and carry large-
  bore riﬂ es with wooden stocks and 
  vicious blades attached to the barrel and 
  butt. However, their archaic-looking riﬂ es 
  ﬁ re powerful charged-particle blasts, 
  a n d 
  they navigate the stars is 
  massive starships called 
  warspheres—vessels that 
  are part warship and 
  part migratory home for 
  countless Kroot. The 
  disparity bafﬂ es the 
  adepts and scholars of 
  the Ordo Xenos. 
  The Kroot are a 
  race of mercenaries, and 
  their 
  myriad 
  clans—or 
  Kindreds—travel across 
  the stars, selling their 
  talents as hunters 
  and warriors to the 
  highest bidder. It 
  is thought they 
  might do this to 
  strengthen 
  their 
  any place they desire. This Misfortune, if not stopped, causes 
  the Explorers to lose 2 points of Proﬁ t Factor
  MISFORTUNE: WHISPER OF ANARIS
   None can predict when or why 
  this infamous ghost-ship will appear, or its intentions 
  upon arrival, but even if its acts are benevolent—
  driving away pirates or raiders, or changing the 
  course of a costly battle, for example—
  i t 
  is an ill-omen that this deathless 
  vessel appears at all. Misfortune 
  seems to follow in its wake even 
  when it lends its aid to others; woe 
  betide those who must defend 
  This 
  Misfortune, 
  if 
  not 
  stopped, causes the Explorers 
  to lose 1d5 points of Proﬁ t 
  Whisper 
   may be impossible (as 
  it is likely to vanish long before 
  the Explorers arrive), so the 
  Explorers must ﬁ nd a way to 
  Imperial records show the Kroot originated on the world 
  of Pech, located in the Ultima Segmentum. Pech is a temperate 
  of Pech, located in the Ultima Segmentum. Pech is a temperate 
  world, and its primary landmasses are heavily forested. Those 
  world, and its primary landmasses are heavily forested. Those 
  few areas not covered by endless forests of evergreen 
  jagga trees are rocky and inhospitable. The Kroot 
  are an arboreal race, and possibly evolved from 
  some avian species. They are also deceptively 
  primitive—Kroot clothe themselves in leather 
  hides and simple armour, and carry large-
  bore riﬂ es with wooden stocks and 
  bore riﬂ es with wooden stocks and 
  vicious blades attached to the barrel and 
  butt. However, their archaic-looking riﬂ es 
  ﬁ re powerful charged-particle blasts, 
  a n d 
  they navigate the stars is 
  massive starships called 
  warspheres—vessels that 
  are part warship and 
  part migratory home for 
  countless Kroot. The 
  disparity bafﬂ es the 
  adepts and scholars of 
  the Ordo Xenos. 
  The Kroot are a 
  race of mercenaries, and 
  their 
  myriad 
  clans—or 
  Kindreds—travel across 
  the stars, selling their 
  talents as hunters 
  and warriors to the 
  highest bidder. It 
  is thought they 
  might do this to 
  strengthen 
  their 
  
  67
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  race, as Kroot have an ability to absorb the DNA of creatures 
  they consume, passing desired traits on to future generations 
  of Kroot. If this is true, the Kroot likely see the diversity of 
  the Expanse as an opportunity to grow stronger. Generations 
  of Kroot, born on Warspheres and worlds within the Koronus 
  Expanse, have adapted in ways unique to the region by feeding 
  upon Stryxis and other species not found near their home.
  To date, four major Kindreds have been identiﬁ ed by 
  humans exploring the Expanse, though dozens of smaller 
  Kindreds exist within the Expanse as well. The Bloodhawk 
  Kindred were those ﬁ rst encountered within the Koronus 
  Expanse, and seem to possess a particular viciousness that has 
  led them into frequent conﬂ ict with other species, and their 
  aggressive tendencies have only grown further since their ﬁ rst 
  clash with the Rak’Gol, whom they now eagerly war against. 
  The Windserpent Kindred are frequently seen working as 
  mercenaries, and are known for their knack for negotiations 
  and deal-making with potential employers, as well as their 
  odd passion for hunting the Stryxis. The Tuskbreaker Kindred 
  is a mercenary band obsessed with hunting and slaying Orks, 
  hiring themselves out to whomever makes war on greenskins. 
  Finally, the Misthound Kindred are obsessed by creatures 
  touched by the Warp. Their Warspheres are notable for being 
  able to travel the Immaterium more accurately and more 
  swiftly than most other Kroot vessels, although their Shapers 
  refuse to explain how this may have came to be.
  MASTER SHAPER ASHAK KOR OF THE 
  MISTHOUND KINDRED
  Generations ago, before the Orks and the Tau came to Pech, 
  a migrating group of Crotalid—large semi-aquatic reptilian 
  predators who migrate from world to world through the Warp 
  by instinct—found themselves amongst the ancestors of the 
  Misthound Kindred, who descended upon them swiftly, glad 
  to have found new prey to consume.
  The peculiar warp-migration ability of the Crotalid seemed 
  difﬁ cult to acquire, however, and the Kroot who carried the 
  essence of the Crotalid within them were incapable of taking 
  advantage of it. Successive generations of controlled breeding, 
  however, after the Ork invasion, led to the ﬁ rst manifestations 
  of that ability, in a young Kroot whose parents had consumed 
  Ork psykers early in the war. Over the following decades, 
  additional Kroot were born with this ability, though it appeared 
  only a handful of those who carried the essence of the Crotalid.
  Ashak Kor was the ﬁ rst to gain this talent, a limited ability 
  to travel short distances through the Warp, phasing slightly 
  out of the material universe for short periods of time. As he 
  came of age, he became a Shaper, and led his people off-
  world to ﬁ nd some way of developing this gift they had 
  acquired. When the Misthound Kindred found themselves 
  in the Koronus Expanse, Ashak felt that this was the place 
  they would achieve that goal. Since that time, the Kroot of 
  the Misthound Kindred have hunted those with a connection 
  to the Warp as a way of expanding their ability to travel 
  the Warp, so that one day, they might hunt across the stars 
  without Warspheres, prowling from world to world.
  Kor Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (8)
  52
  38
  40
  45
  54
  30
  49
  40
  28
  Movement: 5/10/15/30  
   
  Wounds: 15
  Fate Points: 2
  Skills: Acrobatics (Ag) +10, Awareness (Per) +10, Barter 
  (Fel), Climb (S) +10, Command (Fel) +20, Concealment (Ag) 
  +20, Dodge (Ag) +10, Intimidate (S), Silent Move (Ag) +20, 
  Scrutiny (Per) +10, Speak Language (Low Gothic, Kroot, 
  Tau), Tracking (Int) +10, Survival (Int) +20, Swim (S) +10.
  Talents: Assassin Strike, Basic Weapon Training (SP, Primitive), 
  Combat Sense, Crushing Blow, Exotic Weapon Training 
  (Kroot Riﬂ e, Krootbow), Furious Assault, Kroot Leap, Leap 
  Up, Lightning Reﬂ exes, Melee Weapon Training (Universal), 
  Resistance (Fear), Sprint, Swift Attack, Touched by the Fates.
  Kroot Leap: When taking the Charge action, the Kroot can 
  ignore obstacles between him and his target by making 
  a Running Vertical Jump (see page 266 of Rogue 
  Trader). This Talent may only be used if there is 
  room for the Kroot to land next to his target 
  and if there is enough overhead space for 
  KINDREDS AND KROOT EXPLORERS
  INTO THE STORM introduced the possibility of Kroot as player characters, and this section details more information about 
  the Kroot found in the Koronus Expanse. One option the Kroot players have in INTO THE STORM is to select their Kindred, 
  or the type of clan they come from. These selections were intended to encompass different types of Kindreds the Kroot 
  character might hail from. The four Kindreds presented here are speciﬁ c examples of some of the Kindreds a Kroot player 
  could come from, and this sidebar indicates what Kindreds from INTO THE STORM can be found within their ranks. 
  • Bloodhawk: This Kindred’s ongoing campaign against dangerous races in the Koronus Expanse means Bold 
  Hunters and Headhunters are most likely to originate from it.
  • Windserpent: This Kindred’s Shapers direct their fellows to pursue the Stryxis, meaning a Kroot from this Kindred 
  is likely to be a Cunning Hybrid. 
  • Misthound: This Kindred prizes stealth and ﬁ eldcraft, and possesses an interest in the warp and creatures touched 
  by it. a Kroot from this Kindred is likely to be a Stalker.
  • Tuskbreaker: The Tuskbreakers wage war against the Orks, meaning Kroot from this Kindred are commonly 
  Greenskin Hybrids, or Bold Hunters. 
  
  68
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  the Kroot to leap over the obstacles. For example, a wall that 
  goes from ﬂ oor to ceiling may not be leapt over, nor would 
  something taller than the Kroot’s vertical jump distance. If the 
  Kroot successfully strikes his target whilst using this Talent, 
  the Kroot may make a Knock-Down Action (see page 241 of 
  Rogue Trader) against the target as a Free Action.
  Traits: Fieldcraft†, Natural Weapons (Beak)††, Phase, 
  Unnatural Perception (x2), Unnatural Strength (x2).
  †Fieldcraft: Kroot gain a +10 bonus to all Concealment, 
  Shadowing, and Silent Move Tests. In addition, Kroot treat 
  forests, jungles, and similar environments as open terrain.
  ††A Kroot’s beak follows all rules for natural weapons, except 
  that it inﬂ icts 1d5 damage instead of 1d10
  †††Ashak Kor’s ability to phase in and out of reality is 
  imperfect and requires great force of will. When Ashak Kor 
  spends a half action to become Incorporeal (as per the Phase 
  Trait), he must make a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test. 
  Failure means he does not become Incorporeal. Ashak Kor 
  may only remain Incorporeal for a number of Rounds equal 
  to his Willpower Bonus. 
  Armour: Knarloc-hide Robes and Mask (Body 3, Head 2, 
  Arms 2, Legs 2).
  Weapons: Krootbow (Basic; 40m; S/4/8; 1d10+3 R; Pen 
  3; Clip 20; Reload 2 Full; Tearing, Toxic), Mono-Edged 
  Groxwhip (3m; 1d10+13 R; Pen 2; Flexible, Tearing), 
  assortment of long mono-edged knives (5m; 1d5+10 R; Pen 
  2), Beak (1d5+10 R; Primitive).
  Gear: Pouches of fetishes and talismans, the skull of a 
  Navigator, 3 clips of ammunition for Repeating Krootbow.
  THE KROOT 
  TUSKBREAKERS
  Not friendly by most accounts but effective, this Kroot 
  mercenary group takes combat prowess and especially the 
  art of Ork killing quite seriously. Though willing to hire 
  out for most jobs and to almost any employer with the 
  sufﬁ cient means to pay, the Tuskbreakers speciﬁ cally look 
  for work destroying the Orks of the Undred-Undred Teef. 
  Their animosity towards the Orks goes back to a conﬂ ict 
  many years ago during which a battle broke out between a 
  contingent of Orks and the Kroot warsphere Shek. The Kroot 
  were victorious but their warsphere was crippled, and they 
  were left to fend for themselves amongst the dark stars of the 
  Accursed Demesne. These times of conﬂ ict have since come 
  to be known as the Darkening.
  Not a forgiving people, the Kindred approached their 
  Shaper Kangak and held council to plot revenge against 
  the Orks of the Undred-Undred Teef. Through the use of 
  cunning eugenics and by assigning them the responsibility 
  of completing a decades-long spirit quest called the Great 
  Ordeal, the Shaper answered the kindred’s pleas to form a 
  war party. The arduous and all-consuming journey from ruin 
  HIRING KROOT MERCENARIES
  Rogue Traders often have a great deal of leeway in their dealings beyond the Imperium, and one of these is the opportunity to 
  hire xenos mercenaries such as the Kroot. When hiring Kroot Mercenaries, the ﬁ rst step is to locate them. Kroot do not maintain 
  ofﬁ ces or have representatives on human worlds—even outside the Imperium ingrained prejudices and suspicion mean xenos and 
  humans do not typically co-exist. A Rogue Trader should ﬁ nd someone who has worked with or hired Kroot in the past, and 
  ﬁ nd out how to contact them. Often, this turns out to be a far-ﬂ ung system in the Expanse, with perhaps a coded vox-frequency.
  Payment is relatively straightforward, although Kroot mercenaries in the Expanse tend to prefer barter to coin they 
  do have a concept of worth and value. Supplies and provisions are often welcome, as are military arms and equipment, 
  or small high-value items such as precious metals and gems that can be traded in turn.
  In return, the Kroot provide skilled light infantry—highly proﬁ cient in tracking, wilderness combat, and guerilla 
  warfare. They are at their best performing hit-and-fade attacks and raids, but are not equipped or trained in siege warfare 
  or armoured combat. In fact, Kroot are likely to turn down employment if it involves a great deal of either. Typically, 
  Kroot count as Good Craftsmanship infantry. Kroot do not generally have problems with working with non-Kroot, 
  though human soldiers and mercenaries may not feel the same. 
  The numbers and quality of the Kroot mercenaries that an Explorer can hire should be left up to the GM, although more 
  than a few thousand is fairly uncommon. As mercenaries, most Kroot in the Expanse also require the terms and length of their 
  employment to be presented and negotiated before any contracts are signed. It is usually the Shapers who handle negotiations. 
  
  69
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  at the hands of the Orks to rebirth with the ﬁ rst banding 
  of the Tuskbreakers, united these Kroot in a lasting cultural 
  heritage now legendary within the Koronus Expanse.
  THE GREAT ORDEAL
  After the battle, his kindred’s morale low, Kangak had to make 
  a decisive plan lest his people whither in the desolate Accursed 
  Demesne. He kept his mind on revenge and elaborated a spiritual 
  journey for his Kindred that would breed in them a spirit of 
  survival he thought necessary in such a home and qualities of 
  martial acumen to destroy the Ork horde—the Great Ordeal. 
  The Kindred selected from amongst themselves the strongest 
  survivors of the Darkening and sent them on quests to remote 
  and dangerous worlds. On these adventures, the warriors 
  ceremoniously devoured those they killed and collected both 
  artefacts and experience to bring to bear on the Orks.
  Many died while fulﬁ lling Kangak’s proscribed missions, 
  but the dedication to cause felt by the Kindred saw them 
  through the worst of times. After generations exploring the 
  Expanse, the Kindred enacted a massive ritual to conﬁ rm the 
  Great Ordeal’s end. The Kindred whose ancestry and personal 
  achievements set them apart from the rest stepped forward to 
  accept the Brand of the Tried, a series of primitive markings 
  burned into ﬂ esh to signify membership in the Tuskbreakers. 
  Upon receiving this promotion, each Tuskbreaker vowed to 
  leave Shek in order to continue to hone his skills and, most 
  importantly, destroy any and all Orks he came across.
  THE BROKEN WARSPHERE: SHEK
  The warsphere that spawned the Tuskbreakers ﬂ oats amongst 
  its own debris not far off from Lathimon’s Death. Those 
  few Imperial citizens who have seen the structure comment 
  on the prevalent emptiness felt while in its shadow. Though 
  still capable of supporting the Kroot population inhabiting 
  it, Shek no longer travels long distances and when travelling 
  at all, it always returns to the site of the ancient battle with 
  the Orks. This stretch of the void holds holy signiﬁ cance 
  to the Kroot who believe it masks them from their enemies. 
  Whether superstitious ramblings or the truth, the Kroot have 
  not suffered an attack since the Darkening while anchored here 
  and voidfarers ﬁ nd the location notoriously difﬁ cult to ﬁ nd.
  APPROACHING THE TUSKBREAKERS
  Only small numbers of Tuskbreakers remain on the warsphere at 
  any given time and they never do for an extended period. To do 
  so would contradict their mission in the Expanse and therefore 
  they constantly move in search of combat. One does not seek 
  them out, but encounters them when not looking and only 
  then does the opportunity present itself for the two parties to 
  negotiate. The Tuskbreaker’s reputation precedes them. In hiring 
  a cadre, one can expect to hire a few hundred loyal mercenaries 
  capable of working in a wide variety of environments. The 
  Tuskbreakers have a diverse array of Kroot beasts at their 
  disposal, including Kroot Hounds, Krootox, and Knarlocs. 
  The keen intelligence of the Tuskbreakers shows through in 
  their shrewd deal-making. They have no standard fee for their 
  services. Instead, the Tuskbreakers determine a price in Throne 
  Gelt or in trade—based on the job’s difﬁ culty, the strengths to 
  gain from the ﬂ esh of their marks, and the relevance it has to their 
  conﬂ ict with the Orks of the Undred-Undred Teef. A potential 
  employer has on more than one occasion left disappointed when 
  the Tuskbreakers decided to charge an unacceptable fee. They 
  have higher aspirations than material gain, and make sure that 
  employers with goals divergent from their own pay dearly for 
  the Tuskbreaker’s services. The key to negotiating a successful 
  contract: know the desires of all parties involved.
  There is one exception to this—should the task involve 
  attacking or preying on Orks, the Tuskbreakers will take almost 
  any pains to be contracted for the work. They will attempt 
  to hide this eagerness from potential employers (and will still 
  negotiate for the highest commission possible), but passing 
  a Hard (–20) Forbidden Lore (Xenos) Test reveals their 
  negotiating weakness. In game terms, this should grant any 
  attempts to Acquire the services of a group of Tuskbreakers a 
  +10 bonus—and the GM can grant larger bonuses if he believes 
  the task would be particularly appealing to the Tuskbreakers.
  In game terms, Tuskbreakers can be Acquired in groups 
  as small as a four Kroot squad, up to a 300 Kroot cadre, and 
  always count as Best quality (or “Craftsmanship”) mercenary 
  soldiers. They will not ﬁ ght against other Kroot, will not 
  work willingly with Orks, and generally are disinterested 
  in jobs lasting longer than six months. They are also highly 
  skilled at their job—they are disinterested in suicide missions, 
  and take great pains to hunt down anyone who betrays them.
  Like all Kroot mercenaries, they are exceptionally good at 
  tracking, scouting, and stealth. If the GM needs a proﬁ le, use the 
  Kroot Mercenary on page 377 of ROGUE TRADER, increasing 
  WS and BS by 10, and adding the Hatred (Orks) Talent.
  
  70
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  The Rak’Gol
  “They come out from beyond the light of the Emperor, savages, who will 
  skin you while you watch! There is no escape, they’ll consume us all!”
  –Hob Viech, survivor of a Rak’Gol attack
  A
  cross the Expanse, there is one race that is known 
  to all, but seldom spoken of—the Rak’Gol. When 
  their name is mentioned, the speaker may well make 
  the sign of the Aquila for protection—for to speak the name 
  of these vicious marauders is said to invite them to attack. 
  The Rak’Gol are one of the single most feared, reviled, 
  barbaric, and inhuman xenos species encountered in the 
  Koronus Expanse to date. Their excesses are only surpassed 
  by their brutality. Though they can be found throughout the 
  Koronus Expanse, these near-primal, cannibalistic hunters 
  are especially common near the ill-travelled Alenic Depths, 
  where their packs of ships lurk and wait for prey.
  THE ALENIC DEPTHS
  Beyond the God-Emperor’s Scourge, deep within the 
  Unbeholden Reaches, lies a region of clouded space—
  the Alenic Depths. Dust clouds and shadowed nebula 
  choke the region of light, wrapping a few frail 
  stars in thick black cloaks. Navigation is next to 
  impossible in this part of space, where even 
  the light of the Astronomicon grows dim and nebulous, and 
  astropathic communications seemed mufﬂ ed and indistinct. 
  The outward appearance of the Depths discourages most 
  from venturing there—even the ships of the Disciples of Thule 
  avoid that section of space. Those few who journeyed within the 
  Depths (most in the early centuries after the Maw was opened) 
  were inevitably well-armed and well-provisioned. They spoke 
  of star systems cluttered with debris and half-formed planets, 
  asteroid rings, rock ﬁ elds, and dust clouds. Those few worlds 
  capable of supporting human life were often dry and cold, 
  cloaked in the omnipresent whips of dust. By day, their feeble 
  suns scarcely illuminated the surface, while the nights were 
  completely dark—no stars can pierce the shroud of the Depths. 
   Little was discovered that encouraged expeditions into 
  the Depths, and in later centuries, most Rogue Traders 
  ventured into more proﬁ table regions such as Winterscale’s 
  Realm and the Heathen Stars. Only a few desperate or 
  visionary individuals journeyed to the Alenic Depths before 
  the Rak’Gol appeared on the edges of the Koronus Expanse. 
  Now, only the insane venture within the shrouded nebulae. 
  THE RAK’GOL COME
  None know when the Rak’Gol ﬁ rst left their accursed lairs in the 
  far reaches of the Expanse and began to maraud across it. So few 
  ships journey in to the Unbeholden Reaches that several missing 
  vessels went unnoticed by all but their close peers. Even then, the 
  Expanse is a wild and lawless space, and few could muster the 
  interest to search for a few minor missing ships. 
  
  71
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  However, in 710.M41, a vessel from the Disciples of 
  Thule stumbled across the wreck of the merchant brig Solace 
  of Dawn, drifting without power near System Designate 
  368-2VR-3D. Only the ship’s salvation beacon still operated 
  on its isolated power storage, the rest of the ship was cold and 
  dead. Inside, it was immediately apparent that the Solace had 
  been boarded and her crew slaughtered by something. Vox 
  fragments and auspex logs recovered from the remains of the 
  bridge spoke of a new, unknown xenos, something perhaps 
  from beyond the Alenic Depths.
  Uncharacteristically for their closed order, the Disciples sent 
  a message containing all information gleaned from the wreck to 
  Altar-Templum-Calixis-Ext-17. In turn, the Mechanicus gifted the 
  information to an infrequent Navy patrol travelling through the 
  Maw. Word spread—a new threat had emerged in the Expanse. 
  It would be decades and countless atrocities before anyone 
  knew more about this xenos race—the burning of Monastery 
  20, thousands dead on Savolis, the Daughter of Regals. Eventually, 
  however, the xenos had a name, the Rak’Gol—although their 
  motives remained as secret as when the Solace of Dawn was ﬁ rst 
  discovered. As they push deeper into the Expanse, more than a 
  few brash Rogue Traders have vowed to ﬁ nd their homeworlds 
  and visit on them the same destruction the Rak’Gol bring. 
  However, given how deadly the Rak’Gol have proven thus far, 
  such boasting seems idle at best. 
  PHYSIOLOGY
  The typical Rak’Gol possesses eight limbs. Normally, when not 
  in pursuit of prey, they tend to walk upright on four limbs; using 
  the other four to perform various other functions. However, 
  when in pursuit of prey, they can easily shift into using up to all 
  eight limbs for locomotion. A Rak’Gol’s upper four limbs possess 
  adaptable grasping appendages; they can change the musculature 
  to use these as hands, complete with opposable digits, instead of 
  grasping feet. These appendages are strong enough that an adult 
  Rak’Gol can actually climb and run completely upside down, 
  attached to virtually any surface. The Rak’Gol also possess 
  prehensile tails that assist in balance. In addition, the Rak’Gol 
  possess keen senses of smell and sight, and these are often 
  enhanced through their use of cybernetics and bionics.
   When standing upright, the Rak’Gol tower over humans, 
  standing at least 2.6 metres tall and weighing up to 175 
  kilograms. To humans, this xenos species appears reptilian, 
  however, their skin does not possess the tell-tale scales that 
  many reptoid species exhibit. Rather, their skin is a rough-hewn 
  texture, almost stonelike—very similar to ancient Terran lizards. 
  Non-modiﬁ ed Rak’Gol possess two eyes deeply recessed in 
  their skulls, and a tympanic-like membrane for hearing.
  SOCIETY
  The Rak’Gol are savage and brutal. They are likened to primal 
  beasts instead of an advanced xenos species, yet they have 
  progressed to the point of being able to build crude voidships 
  and bionics. Rak’Gol are very effective hunters, and they are 
  utterly remorseless killers. They are led by a caste known as the 
  Abominations—aptly named, for outsiders regard their entire 
  appearance, from their patchwork, stitched-together hides to 
  their crude bionics, as utterly grotesque. Their societal system 
  seems hierarchical in nature, with older and more powerful 
  Abominations controlling groups consisting of several vessels 
  and their attendant crews. They have never shown the slightest 
  interest in communicating with other species, or interacting 
  in any way save slaughtering all they come across. Although 
  several sects of the Magos Biologis in the Adeptus Mechanicus 
  have attempted to capture Rak’Gol alive, every attempt thus far 
  has failed. When faced with capture, Rak’Gol go completely 
  berserk, throwing themselves at any containment without 
  regard for their own well-being until they escape, destroy 
  themselves, or must be put down by their captors. 
  Surprisingly little is known about Rak’Gol society. Most 
  of what is known has been extrapolated through various 
  encounters and tales of their attacks on the colonies within 
  the Expanse. Their language is indecipherable—consisting of 
  nothing more than screeches and rasps. No one knows their 
  point of origin, or even if they originated within the Koronus 
  Expanse. It is possible that they have a homeworld (or clutch of 
  several) where they issue from and construct their warships. If 
  this is true, the world must be far beyond the explored bounds 
  of the Expanse, or hidden from prying eyes by some sort of 
  phenomena. There appears to be no explanation as to why they 
  attack the ships or colonies of the Expanse, and it might very 
  well be an inscrutable aspect of their alien psychology.
  MINDLESS SLAUGHTER?
  The Rak’Gol are pack hunters. Within their society there is 
  nothing more important than the kill, and much of their 
  society revolves around slaughter. From a young age, 
  the brood are taught to work together, meshing 
  their strengths with others’ weaknesses so 
  the pack as a whole succeeds where the 
  ++Recovered Journal Fragment from the 
  merchant brig Solace of Dawn, 710.M41++
  [RECORDING INTERFERENCE] ...ship attacked 
  by unknown xenos. We are adrift and 
  venting 
  atmosphere...Astropath 
  Talisha 
  is missing, and more than likely dead...
  days 
  out 
  from 
  Ntharis....pilgrimage 
  to Damaris. We were attacked without 
  provocation. I don’t recall much of the 
  initial attack...remember the screaming 
  and the inhuman screeching; nothing human 
  could have made that noise, nothing holy. 
  They were monsters. Oh, holy God-Emperor, 
  please help... They stormed our ship...
  crawling on the ceiling...moving like 
  ravenous hounds or strange insects. I saw 
  them grab those who got in the way. If 
  they didn’t kill them with those blades, 
  they ripped out chunks and ate them while 
  they were still alive... Now there are 
  only a few of us left alive. The rest they 
  took with them...fate awaits them. I only 
  hope that...[DATA FRAGMENT CORRUPTED] 
  [RELOAD? 
  Y/N] 
  [UNABLE 
  TO 
  RECOVER/ 
  FRAGMENT 
  CORRUPTED] 
  [CRITICAL 
  ERROR]
  
  72
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
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  individual would not. As they grow older, they are taught 
  different types of tactics and eventually they are sent out with 
  a Clutchmaster to be blooded—or die in the process. Once a 
  Rak’Gol has seen combat, they are often ‘gifted’ with bionics 
  and cybernetics by their Clutchmaster in order to make them 
  a more effective at death and slaughter. Eventually those who 
  manage to live long enough will appear to be more machine 
  than living, a brutal and remorseless killing engine of death.
  RAK’GOL MARAUDERS
  Marauders are the ‘foot troops’ of the Rak’Gol. Most of these 
  wretched xenos are modiﬁ ed with at least one type of cybernetic 
  implant, though it is far more common for them to have more. 
  These creatures have blooded themselves on hunts and survived 
  to join in others. They are crazed and bloodthirsty, revelling in the 
  destruction they wrought. Though they are capable of some level 
  of tactical cunning, Marauders usually overwhelm their opponents 
  with speed and raw ferocity. When they attack and board other 
  ships in the voids, it’s the Marauders that most face—each with 
  their own combination of weapons and gear. Marauders are also 
  rarely encountered alone; they tend to hunt in packs of ten to 
  twenty, making the most of their terror-mob tactics. 
  Marauders are unsubtle in their brutal tactics. Many 
  simply go for the direct kill, but they are not mindless brutes. 
  Those that man the various gunnery and helm stations of 
  their vessels show ingenuity and a grasp of spatial tactics that 
  belies their primitive stature.
  RAK’GOL BROODMASTERS
  The Broodmasters are the commanders of the Marauders. These 
  vicious creatures follow the directives of the leadership-caste 
  Abominations and lead the numerous raids against the other 
  races of the Expanse. The Broodmasters are also the ones 
  who captain the larger ships of the Rak’Gol forces, 
  and they tend to do most of the tactical planning 
  with input from the Abominations above them. 
  They are typically distinguished by the 
  amount of bionics and cybernetics their bodies support, and 
  by the fact that they inspire the loyalty of the other Rak’Gol 
  (especially the Marauders). These horrid xenos organise packs 
  into frenzied mobs, and work them into a wild fury, foaming at 
  the mouth in anticipation of the kill. 
  Some of the tactics employed by the Broodmasters resemble 
  those of bestial predators, yet there are some that are distinctly 
  Rak’Gol in nature. One of the most common methods employed 
  involves a single Rak’Gol ship laying in wait along a known 
  warp route. When the ships travelling that route transition from 
  the warp to change course or get a navigation ﬁ x, the Rak’Gol 
  strike, attempting to disable the other vessel. Once disabled, the 
  Rak’Gol board the vessel and kill any they ﬁ nd left alive, except 
  for a chosen few. These they leave alive, shocked and horriﬁ ed, 
  to summon rescue through vox or astropathic signal. In the 
  meantime, the Rak’Gol reinforce their position with a host of 
  other ships, laying in ambush until the rescue ship gets within 
  range. It has even been reported that the Rak’Gol leave behind 
  a few of their own brood aboard the damaged ship, lying in 
  wait for any potential rescuers. Once the leaders determine the 
  proper moment to strike, the entire mob attacks in a frenzy 
  of blood and gore; storming ships, tearing through bulkheads, 
  and leaving barren vessels open to the void in their wake.
  There is also a sub-class of Rak’Gol leaders called 
  Clutchmasters. These are the lesser leaders of the caste, often 
  acting as “lieutenants” or mob-enforcers during combat. Typical 
  packs of Rak’Gol are almost always led by a Clutchmaster, 
  who takes direction from either the Broodmasters, or the 
  Abominations above them. Clutchmasters also captain the 
  lesser Marauder ships of the Rak’Gol broods. It should also 
  be noted that there is little to distinguish a Broodmaster from 
  a Clutchmaster in close combat.
  RAK’GOL ABOMINATIONS
  The Abominations are the rarest caste of Rak’Gol encountered 
  by the denizens of the Koronus Expanse, and appear to be the 
  leaders of the Rak’Gol species—it is unknown if there are any 
  other castes higher than them. Each one’s appearance is unique 
  and heavily modiﬁ ed. Many of them possess the bionic and 
  cybernetic implants that are ubiquitous to the Rak’Gol—yet 
  they also have been modiﬁ ed by what appear to be implants 
  and devices very similar to those of the Yu’vath. In fact, there 
  has been some speculation amongst the Magos Biologis of 
  the Adeptus Mechanicus that the Rak’Gol may have stumbled 
  upon ancient Yu’vath technology and somehow formed some 
  manner of relationship with it. However, there exist no records 
  of the Rak’Gol having served the Yu’vath during the Angevin 
  Crusade. The Rak’Gol only appeared within the Koronus 
  Expanse a little over a century ago, far too late to have fought 
  with the Yu’vath in the Crusade. 
  As well as leading the Rak’Gol in battle, Abominations are 
  thought to be the their spiritual leaders—but like so much 
  of Rak’Gol society, no concrete evidence exists to support 
  this theory. It is thought that these Abominations also plan 
  all of the Rak’Gol raids, positioning their warriors across 
  the Koronus Expanse as if following some mysterious plan. 
  Should this plan reach fruition, it could spell disaster for the 
  other races of the Expanse.
  ABOMINATIONS AND THE YU’VATH 
  There are many reasons the Rak’Gol Abominations 
  have such a strong desire to locate ancient caches of 
  Yu’vath technology. They have been found throughout 
  the rimward areas of the Koronus Expanse looting 
  various ancient Yu’vath hoards. One thought is that 
  the leadership caste is drawn to the sites of the Yu’vath 
  answering some sort of instinctual need to gather these 
  ancient artefacts. Another theory is that the Rak’Gol 
  were once the foot–troops of the Yu’vath in other 
  parts of the galaxy and that only in the past century 
  have they arrived to answer their master’s long–ago 
  summons, especially as it’s unknown how they are able 
  to achieve faster-than-light travel. The last possibility 
  is that the Rak’Gol have found a kindred spirit in the 
  Yu’vath, whose appetites for wholesale slaughter and the 
  corrupting power of Chaos mirror those of the Rak’Gol.
  
  73
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  RAK’GOL TECHNOLOGY
  By the standards of the Imperium, Rak’Gol technology is quite 
  primitive. Even their implants lack the utilitarian elegance 
  exhibited by Imperium designs. Yet, this xenos race has managed 
  to merge the biological with the mechanical, and have learned to 
  construct ships that can traverse the void. Though they do not 
  possess any psykers, the Rak’Gol also manage to navigate the 
  immaterium. How this is accomplished is something the Holy 
  Ordos (and some Rogue Traders) would pay dearly to ﬁ nd out.
  Rak’Gol weaponry is as brutal as it is effective. Many 
  of the weapons employed are designed for close combat, 
  but they employ a few that are effective at range. Most of 
  their weapons are deadly mono-blades, spears, or some 
  combination of the two; all have wicked-looking curves to 
  them and deadly barbs. Rak’Gol favour simple projectile 
  weapons, ﬁ ring either oversized stub ammunition, or barbed 
  razor-shells that tear and rend on impact.
  In addition to the various weapons, Rak’Gol also make 
  extensive use of bionic and cybernetic implants. However, 
  with the exception of the unblooded, all Rak’Gol possess at 
  least one implant or prosthetic. They also possess implanted 
  ceramic plates to reinforce their already resilient hides.
  One of the most mysterious facets of Rak’Gol technology 
  is the propensity for the Abominations to seek out and capture 
  lost relics of the Yu’vath. These wretches will go to any length 
  to possess Yu’vath implants and constructs—going so far as 
  to even decorate their bodies with the silvered traceries and 
  symbols used by the decimated race of Chaos-worshippers. 
  MARAUDER STATISTICS
  Marauders are the most numerous of the Rak’Gol—making 
  up most of the species foot troops. They have been blooded in 
  battle and many have the scars and prosthetics to show for it.
  Marauder Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (8)
  (8)
  45
  35
  41
  45
  28
  28
  28
  30
  07
  Movement: 5/10/15/30  
   
  Wounds: 25
  Skills: Climb (S), Demolition (Int), Dodge (Ag).
  Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Flamer, SP), Bulging Biceps, 
  Die Hard, Fearless, Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Pistol 
  Weapon Training (Flamer, SP), True Grit, Sprint.
  Traits: Fear (1), Hunting Frenzy†, Multiple Arms, Size 
  (Hulking), Quadruped, Sturdy, Unnatural Strength (x2), 
  Unnatural Toughness (x2).
  Armour: Implanted ceramic plates and stone-like hide (5 
  Arms, 8 Body, 6 Head, 5 Legs).
  Weapons: Implanted mono-blades (1d10+12 R; Pen 4), 
  Rak’Gol Razor Gun†† (40m; S/–/–; 1d10+5 R; Pen 0; Clip 
  10; Reload: Full) or Rak’Gol pattern heavy stubber (120m; 
  –/–/10; 1d10+5 I; Pen 3; Clip 40; Reload: Full) or Rak’Gol 
  pattern hand–ﬂ amer (10m; S/–/–; 1d10+4 E; Pen 2; Clip 2; 
  Reload: 2 Full; Flame), 3 frag grenades, 1 krak grenade.
  Gear: Bionic respiratory system (Good Craftsmanship), 
  implanted vox, photo-visor, and suicide device (as bomb 
  collar, self-detonated), spare ammo drum for heavy stubber.
  †Hunting Frenzy: Rak’Gol tend to go into a frenzied 
  berserker rage once combat begins. Treat this as the Frenzy 
  Talent, except that the Rak’Gol may enter it immediately, as 
  a Free Action.
  ††Rak’Gol Razor Gun: Razor guns ﬁ re barbed slugs that 
  augur their way through ﬂ esh and other soft tissue. Roughly 
  1 in 3 Marauders are typically equipped with them, although 
  some are equipped with a Rak’Gol equivalent of a heavy stubber. 
  Anyone who takes ﬁ ve or more damage from this weapon after 
  Armour and Toughness suffers the Blood Loss Critical effect.
  RAK’GOL BROODMASTER
  Rak’Gol Broodmasters act as lieutenants to the 
  Abominations; carrying out their will. It is their responsibility 
  to lead the packs of Marauders to slaughter and victory. To 
  represent the Broodmaster, use the Marauder proﬁ le, making 
  the following changes, and add the following Skills and 
  Talents to the proﬁ le:
  • WS/BS+5; S +5; Int +7; Per +7; WP +5; Fel +8; 
  Wounds +5.
  • Skills: Awareness (Per), Climb +10 (S), 
  Demolition +10 (Int), Dodge +10 (Ag).
  • Talents: Combat Master, Hard Target.
  • Traits: Fear (2).
  PATH OF INVASION
  When one plots all of the attacks the Rak’Gol have made 
  over the past century, it clearly shows that they seem to 
  be following some manner of path or direction. From 
  the Alenic Depths, up past the God–Emperor’s Scourge 
  coreward, to the Phaineal Echoes spinward, a pattern is 
  beginning to emerge. What these xenos are looking for 
  or why they have chosen this route is anyone’s guess.
  
  74
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  RAK’GOL WAR VESSELS
  The war vessels of the Rak’Gol are seemingly primitive compared 
  to those of the Imperium of Man—crude amalgamations of 
  armour plating and other systems resembling ﬁ ns or the barbs 
  of horned insects. All are covered with numerous weapon spines 
  clustered around a central, elongated core containing propulsion 
  and navigation systems. One of the most unique features of 
  Rak’Gol vessels are their propulsion systems; they use ﬁ ssion-
  pulse drives powered by unshielded atomic piles. The radiation 
  produced by such abominable devices is extremely intense and 
  it’s unknown if the Rak’Gol are naturally resistant to the radiation 
  output, or if they are simply unconcerned with the increased 
  mortality that comes from exposure to such heavy doses.
  Like the race itself, Rak’Gol ship weaponry is similarly both 
  brutal and primitive. Their tend to favour the short-ranged, 
  rapid-ﬁ re macroweapons, compensating for smaller warheads 
  with increased rates of ﬁ re. This ﬁ ts in with their favoured tactic 
  of closing in with and crippling their opponents before boarding 
  them in savage assaults. Their vessels also bristle with many 
  short-ranged defensive turrets, designed to ﬁ ll the space around 
  the ship with clouds of high-velocity slugs. Needless to say, this 
  can be highly devastating to smaller craft, and launching attack 
  craft against Rak’Gol ships seems suicidal at best.
  A few larger Rak’Gol ships are equipped with massive beam 
  weapons that appear to run the entire length of the ship’s spine. 
  Though powerful, they are thankfully relatively rare.
  RAK’GOL MARAUDER
  Hull: Raider
  Class: Xenos Pirate Vessel
  Dimensions: approx. 1.5 km long; approx. 0.8 km abeam at widest ﬁ ns
  Mass: 7.2 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: unknown number, but thought to be upwards around 20,000–30,000 xenoforms
  Accel: 7 gravities maximum sustainable acceleration
  Marauders are the name given to the most common of Rak’Gol ships, sharing the name with the Rak’Gol warrior caste. Given 
  that no two are exactly alike, they are similar enough in size and performance to be grouped together into a broad classiﬁ cation. 
  All Marauders seem to be haphazardly constructed with little regard for layout or comfort of crew. They are all generally brutal 
  craft that are over-gunned and have impressive amounts of speed thanks to their ﬁ ssion-pulse drives. However, though they are 
  quite fast they are slow to manoeuvre, and savvy captains have been known to exploit this weakness in order to win the day.
  Speed: 9  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +6 
   
   
   
  Detection: +12 
  Void Shields: 1   
   
  Armour: 15 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 40
  Morale: 100 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 3  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 1, Keel 1
  Space: 40 
   
   
  Power: 40
  Essential Components
  Xenos Warp Drive, Warp Charms, “Stutter” Class Fission-pulse Drive†, Single Void Shield Array, Clutchmaster’s Bridge, Rak’Gol 
  Fume Sustainer, Brood-Warren, Xenos Void-Watcher
  Supplemental Components
  Dorsal, Prow, and Keel Howler Cannons: (Macrobattery; Strength 5; Damage 1d5+1; Crit Rating 5; Range 4) So-called 
  because survivors of Rak’Gol attacks described the sound of the shells impacting their hull as an “unrelenting howl,” Howler 
  Cannons ﬁ re swarms of high-velocity shells to overwhelm targets with sheer volume. When ﬁ ring a Howler Cannon, each 
  additional Degree of Success on the Ballistic Skill Test results in two additional hits instead of one.
  †”Stutter” class Fission-pulse drives are inferior the standard plasma drives employed by vessels of the Imperium; relying on 
  explosive ‘pulsed’ ﬁ ssion reactions to move their ships through the void. In general, they can accelerate to great speeds, but fall 
  short on manoeuvrability. A ship using this drive suffers a –10 penalty to Manoeuvrability, already applied to its proﬁ le. 
  
  75
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  The Stryxis
   “Yes, honoured biped, that is a strong and powerful weapon. The 
  Stryxis will sell it to you, honoured biped, and warriors as well. 
  They are strong meat, honoured biped, the best we could grow!”
  –Stryxis Weapons Merchant
  T
  he Stryxis are a xenos race of wanderers, traders, 
  merchants, 
  and 
  keepers 
  of 
  secrets. 
  Scattered 
  throughout the region in bands of nomadic tribes, the 
  Stryxis make their way across the 
  stars 
  trading 
  with those they encounter. They 
  have a reputation for being 
  untrustworthy scoundrels, yet 
  there are many who would deal 
  with them—if they could only 
  stand their hideous appearance.
  The Stryxis are a truly bizarre 
  race of xenos. No one knows 
  where they originated, and the 
  only home they seem to have 
  are caravans of ramshackle and 
  barely-operational voidships. 
  In fact, the Stryxis are widely 
  known for taking anything that even 
  remotely appears to be space-worthy 
  and converting it into a viable vessel. 
  They are a hierarchical species, 
  and their government and system 
  of laws, if they have such an 
  organisation, is either so complex 
  as to be incomprehensible 
  to humanity, or is simply 
  completely 
  nonexistent. 
  In either case, they are a race 
  for whom betrayal and double-
  dealing is the norm, especially 
  amongst their own kind. Aside 
  from buying and selling whatever strikes their fancy across 
  the Koronus Expanse, the Stryxis also deal in slaves, soldiers, 
  and vat-grown labour—which they simply refer to as “meat.” 
  One of the oddest facets of Stryxis culture is their nearly 
  irrational hatred for the Eldar. Stryxis will often go far out 
  of their way to attack the aloof xenos. Failing that, they will 
  simply avoid them at all costs. None but the Stryxis and the 
  Eldar themselves know the reason for this loathing, and 
  neither side has provided an answer to the mystery. 
  PHYSIOLOGY
  To humanity, the Stryxis appear truly hideous. They are 
  often described as gangling, 
  multi-eyed 
  creatures 
  that 
  resemble 
  a 
  human-sized, 
  skinned 
  dog 
  embryo—
  an evocative, if somewhat 
  inaccurate, portrayal.
  All Stryxis encountered 
  seem to have the same 
  general appearance. One of 
  the oddities of the race is that 
  there appears to be no gender 
  variations and no young have 
  been encountered by outsiders. 
  No one outside the race itself 
  knows how they continue to 
  breed, and the Stryxis avoid 
  discussing the topic.
  Stryxis have a pugnacious 
  face, 
  with 
  an 
  upturned 
  nose faintly reminiscent of 
  a Terran bulldog and four 
  small, beady eyes. Imperial 
  xenobiologists theorise 
  the Stryxis have a 
  terrible sense of 
  USING THE RAK’GOL
  The Rak’Gol are savage and brutal xenos, who attack in murderous hordes and strike using shock tactics. This makes 
  them a perfect adversary for “survival horror” style games or for GMs who need a relentless and “alien” opponent.
  SPECIAL RULES AND COMPLICATIONS
  Xenos Horde: Rak’Gol ships are full of horrifying nightmare abominations. They gain a +20 bonus to all Command 
  Tests involving boarding and hit-and-run attacks. 
  Cannot Be Reasoned With: Unless the GM has a very good reason to do otherwise, Explorers cannot communicate, 
  deal, or negotiate with the Rak’Gol, their utterly alien natures making them entirely disinterested to such attempts. 
  ADVENTURE SEEDS
  Yu’vath Cache: The Explorers happen upon an ancient store of what appears to be Yu’vath artefacts. However, before they 
  can remove them from their resting place, the Rak’Gol strike. These xenos will stop at nothing to gain the items the Explorers 
  now possess, and ﬁ ght with fury unseen in this species before. What is in the cache that they so desperately want?
  Drifting Ship: The Explorers come upon a ship that has been savaged by these xenos. They may have left some survivors 
  on board. However, if the Explorers investigate, they ﬁ nd that the Rak’Gol left the crippled ship as “bait,” and close the trap.
  with those they encounter. They 
  have a reputation for being 
  untrustworthy scoundrels, yet 
  there are many who would deal 
  with them—if they could only 
  stand their hideous appearance.
  The Stryxis are a truly bizarre 
  race of xenos. No one knows 
  where they originated, and the 
  only home they seem to have 
  are caravans of ramshackle and 
  known for taking anything that even 
  remotely appears to be space-worthy 
  and converting it into a viable vessel. 
  They are a hierarchical species, 
  and their government and system 
  of laws, if they have such an 
  organisation, is either so complex 
  In either case, they are a race 
  for whom betrayal and double-
  dealing is the norm, especially 
  amongst their own kind. Aside 
  often described as gangling, 
  multi-eyed 
  creatures 
  that 
  resemble 
  a 
  human-sized, 
  skinned 
  dog 
  embryo—
  an evocative, if somewhat 
  inaccurate, portrayal.
  there appears to be no gender 
  variations and no young have 
  been encountered by outsiders. 
  No one outside the race itself 
  knows how they continue to 
  
  76
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  smell, but make up for this with greater visual and spatial acuity. 
  The Stryxis have two arms ending in three-clawed grasping 
  appendages, and two canine-like feet. They have a stooped 
  posture and a bobbing gait when they walk, meaning they 
  often seem shorter than their 1.8 metres. A Stryxis is able to 
  fully rotate its hands and arms, swivelling its joints within their 
  sockets. However, their physical anatomy is not readily apparent, 
  as the aliens almost always swathe themselves in stinking, ragged 
  clothes and voluminous robes. An adult Stryxis often adorns 
  himself with all manner of trinkets it ﬁ nds appealing—often 
  without regard for the ornament’s actual meaning (or previous 
  owner). 
  SOCIETY
  The Stryxis are wanderers and nomads who skirt across the 
  Koronus Expanse in rickety ﬂ eets of ships. Their dark reputation 
  as double-dealing backstabbers, shiftless grifters, pirates, and 
  slavers mean many avoid them. Yet there are many Rogue 
  Traders who deal with these bizarre xenos, as they possess a 
  wealth of hoarded technology and information about many 
  of the goings-on within the Expanse. While they care little 
  for conquest and territory, or petty wealth, they have a unique 
  understanding of concepts such as avarice and treachery.
  It’s considered a point of pride within Stryxis culture to 
  be able to wrap subtle lies within the truth. Those who are 
  lauded as masters of this technique are able to spin webs 
  of falsehood and deception within a foundation of truth 
  to the point that the two are inseparable. The Stryxis hold 
  no loyalty for those they deal with, and the aliens will not 
  hesitate to betray an erstwhile “partner” in search of a greater 
  gain. As many have noted, the Stryxis have very little concept 
  of value as it pertains to items of worth, and will as gladly 
  buy worthless baubles as they would platinum ingots—and 
  oftentimes for amounts that have little to do with the item’s 
  actual worth in the eyes of other legitimate traders.
  DEALING WITH ROGUE TRADERS
  There are some canny Rogue Traders who see these nefarious 
  merchants for what they are: collectors. The Stryxis do not 
  seem to be overly scrupulous in what they collect. However, 
  there are often gems to be found amongst the dross they horde, 
  in the form of weapons, valuable items, and even information. 
  It’s something of an open secret among Rogue Traders—at 
  least those who don’t mind dealing with them—that the Stryxis 
  are virtual treasure troves of legends, information, and dark lore 
  concerning the Koronus Expanse. Sebastian Winterscale even 
  said on occasion that if a Stryxis merchant could not obtain an 
  item, it didn’t exist. That colloquialism is just as true for baubles 
  and trinkets as it is for the secrets they sell.
  Naturally, brokering a deal with the Stryxis is different 
  than setting up a buy from any other merchant-trader. 
  These xenos have different outlooks and apply different 
  values to items than humans do. A Stryxis may ask 
  for a seemingly worthless bauble in exchange for 
  valuable information, or demand vast sums for 
  trivial items. However, they are always willing 
  to bargain. 
  SLAVERY AND PIRACY
  The Stryxis are also known for their dealings as slavers and 
  pirates. Thankfully rare, the number of Stryxis who turn 
  to these distasteful ventures are nevertheless often highly 
  inﬂ uential within their society. However, there is often no 
  way to tell the difference between a Stryxis who wants to 
  sell merchandise and one who simply wants to take it by 
  force. In fact, most Stryxis alternate between piracy and 
  trade depending on the circumstances. However, they are a 
  somewhat cautious race in general, and will not risk piracy 
  unless they are assured of success. Therefore, they are often 
  more likely to turn to slavery.
  Depending on who is asked, the lines between a Stryxis 
  pirate, merchant, and slaver are often blurred. A known 
  merchant and arms dealer might bargain with his clients one 
  day and sell them into slavery the next. The only constant 
  seems to be that they do whatever is in their own best interests 
  at the time—which is why it is always best to deal with the 
  Stryxis from a position of strength.
  Although Stryxis slavers have no qualms about attacking 
  ships and settlements for slaves, they prefer to have others do 
  the work, and simply purchase their “meat.” To the Stryxis, the 
  slaves are simply another commodity to be traded and sold. In 
  some ways this beneﬁ ts their victims—slave pens are crowded 
  but sanitary, and overseers rarely resort to lethal measures. A 
  slave killed is proﬁ t lost, after all. However, the slave-traders 
  of the Stryxis are still reviled and shunned throughout the 
  Expanse. Once a slave is sold, a Stryxis does not care about its 
  fate, and stories abound of entire cargos being traded to dark 
  powers or vile xenos for unspeakable sacriﬁ ces or perversions. 
  Likewise, a Stryxis will not hesitate to perform surgeries 
  or behavioural modiﬁ cations on slaves to 
  make them more valuable or suited for a 
  Likewise, a Stryxis will not hesitate to perform surgeries 
  or behavioural modiﬁ cations on slaves to 
  make them more valuable or suited for a 
  
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  customer’s needs. A Stryxis will purchase almost any race as 
  slaves. The only notable exceptions are those species who can 
  easily dominate the Stryxis (such as the Rak’Gol) and the 
  Eldar—whom the Stryxis will waste no time in attempting to 
  eliminate with extreme prejudice.
  There are also those who have need of ﬁ ghting soldiers to 
  help them wage war. For them, the Stryxis can provide these 
  needs in the form of slave-mercenaries who are controlled 
  by a single Stryxis handler. The slaves are controlled by a 
  variety of means from with bomb collars and excruciator 
  devices to mental conditioning or drug-fuelled compliance. 
  The Stryxis are happy to contract out their soldiers for 
  limited engagements or lengthy campaigns, and once the 
  matter concludes, they pack up any survivors and move on 
  to the next war. Stryxis slave-mercenaries are often equally 
  desperate and brutal. Those who do well and survive to ﬁ ght 
  again and again are sometimes released from their servitude 
  to make their way through the galaxy as they see ﬁ t. This 
  does not happen often, but the mere possibility makes the 
  mercenaries utterly savage in combat. 
  However, it has been noted that on the rare occasions 
  that the Stryxis participate in conﬂ ict themselves, they do 
  not use their slave-mercenaries. Instead, they rely entirely 
  on vat-grown warriors, perhaps preferring utter loyalty to 
  convenience and low costs. 
  Stryxis pirates are really no different than Stryxis merchants, 
  save that they turn to violence more readily. The xenos pirates 
  tend to utilise better-armed and armoured caravan-ships and 
  attack targets of opportunity they come across, such as ill-
  defended ships and colonies—often demanding tribute in 
  the form of whatever strikes their fancy. Should the hapless 
  victims not have whatever these demented xenos desire, the 
  pirates attack. If, by the grace of the God-Emperor, they 
  should be able to comply with the insane depravities of these 
  aliens, then they simply send over a party to gather the items 
  and return another day.
  STRYXIS TECHNOLOGY
  Stryxis, known void-nomads, are not thought to possess any 
  type of advanced technology—instead it’s believed that they 
  simply scavenge and take nearly everything they own. For the 
  most part this is true. However, they are quite content to take 
  advantage of other species’ ignorance of their true technology. 
  The appearance of the Stryxis and their ramshackle ﬂ eets belie 
  the sinister and complex nature of their technology. As ﬂ esh–
  crafters, the Stryxis combine technology and biology together 
  to shape creations that are both functional and extremely 
  elegant, at least to those with an eye for such things.
  The Stryxis tend to favour energy weapons. Their 
  long-range armaments primarily consist of ornate 
  and archaic-looking las weapons, similar in many 
  ways to the las-weapons of the Imperium. 
  However, Stryxis melee weaponry follows 
  MAKING DEALS WITH THE STRYXIS
  If players want to make a deal with the Stryxis, the GM should see this as an opportunity for some interesting 
  roleplaying. Obtaining an item or information from a Stryxis is never a simple matter of paying a fee or 
  rolling dice. The aliens enter any situation expecting to bargain and haggle, so the GM should feel willing to open the 
  negotiation with exorbitant demands and work downwards. 
  As the same time, the Stryxis place different values on items than humanity, and the GM can really play this up. In 
  general, the players shouldn’t simply make an Acquisition Roll to obtain something from a Stryxis. Instead, the GM 
  should be creative in his demands. Some suggestions are that the Stryxis request something personal of the players’ 
  characters, such as a token or memento. An Aquila charm or personal laspistol the character has some connection to are 
  some examples of items the Stryxis might request. These are aliens, so they can do things that seem non-sensible to a 
  human. So if the players say they have a whole box of charms on the ship they’ll trade instead, the Stryxis could still 
  demand “only that one.” The Stryxis may also request more disturbing payments, such as a consignment of crewmembers 
  from the players’ own ship. This could have interesting moral complications for the players, and morale complications if 
  the crew ﬁ nds out that some of their mates are being sold to aliens!
  Alternatively, the Stryxis may request services. A psyker might be requested to perform an augury of an item, or a 
  Rogue Trader may be asked to transport some Stryxis to another caravan in another system. Again, these requests do not 
  have to be explained, in fact the more mysterious they seem, the better. Most players are likely to know of the Stryxis’s 
  unsavoury reputation, and a mysterious request is going to have them scrambling to ﬁ gure out what the “catch” is. 
   THE COST OF MEAT
  Interested Explorers and Rogue Traders might be curious to know the availability of Stryxis vat–brutes, slaves, soldiers, 
  and other labourers they have “procured” through their travels. Listed below is the suggested availability of these items 
  for Acquisition Tests (see page 271 of ROGUE TRADER):
  Table 3–1: Stryxis Labour Costs
  Labourers
  Availability
  Vat-Grown Labour
  Availability
  Labourer, untrained
  Scarce
  Vat-slave
  Rare
  Labourer, skilled
  Rare
  Vat-labourer, skilled
  Very Rare
  Stryxis Mercenary
  Rare
  Vat-brute
  Extremely Rare
  
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  a very different path. Stryxis blades, called æther blades, have 
  an ethereal-like quality to them; they are able to pass through 
  the solid material and directly attack the living being beneath. 
  However, they are highly vulnerable to psychic shields and 
  wards, and almost useless against the daemons and other warp-
  spawn. In the Imperium, they are also known as “ghost blades,” 
  and the Inquisition is very eager to apprehend anyone who 
  possesses one. 
  In addition to their unique weapons and ﬁ elds, the Stryxis 
  ﬂ esh-crafters are able to grow and create virtually any manner 
  to biological creature they need. Using the term “meat” to 
  refer to the hordes of slaves and other non-Stryxis in their 
  custody, these vile xenos will gladly trade and sell them to the 
  highest bidder; they also far outnumber the Stryxis aboard 
  many of their vessels. The Stryxis are not above taking custom 
  orders for their ﬂ eshworks, and are supposedly even capable 
  of growing small armies for those who can meet their price.
  STRYXIS MERCHANT
  The merchants of the Stryxis race are the ones who are mainly 
  encountered by the explorers and Rogue Traders of the 
  Koronus Expanse. They are reviled and distrusted all across the 
  Expanse for their shady dealings and treacherous leanings.
  Merchant Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (6)
  35
  35
  32
  39
  46
  60
  37
  40
  46
  Movement: 4/8/12/24   
   
  Wounds: 15
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Barter +20 (Fel), Commerce (Fel), 
  Deceive +30 (Fel), Evaluate (Int) +10, Common Lore (choice 
  of two) (Int), Forbidden Lore (choice of one), Inquiry (Fel) 
  +20, Scrutiny (Per)+20, Tech Use (Int), Trade (Merchant) (Int).
  Talents: Ambidextrous, Basic Weapon Training (Las, SP), 
  Exotic Weapon Training (Stryxis Æther weapons), Hard 
  Target, Hatred (Eldar), Jaded, Paranoia, Pistol Training (Las, 
  SP), Polyglot, Total Recall.
  Traits: Dark Sight, Unnatural Perception (x2).
  Armour: Stryxis Ghost-ﬁ eld† and robes (3 All).
  Weapons: Æther blade (1d5+2 E; Pen 0; Special), xenos 
  Light-pistol (30m; S/–/–; 1d10+5 E; Pen 0; Clip 30; 
  Full; Reliable, Accurate) or xenos Light-riﬂ e (60m; S/–/–; 
  1d10+6 E; Pen 3; Clip 15; Reload Full; Reliable, Accurate), 
  concealed mono-blade (1d5+4 R; Pen 2).
  Gear: various trinkets and charms, smelly robes, spare energy 
  cell for pistol. 
  †Stryxis Ghost-ﬁ eld: Stryxis merchants often equip 
  themselves with subtle devices that often appear as bionics to 
  the uninitiated. In fact, these devices can project a barrier of 
  force that saps the strength of attacks. The Ghost-Field’s 
  Armour Points cannot be reduced by the penetration of 
  any weapons except those with the Blast or Flame 
  Qualities, Æther weapons, or attacks generated 
  by psychic techniques. 
  STRYXIS VAT-BRUTE
  Vat-brutes are the massive slabs of muscle hat have been 
  created by the Stryxis ﬂ esh-crafters for a variety of tasks. They 
  are vaguely humanoid, resembling something of a proto-
  human with smooth and featureless faces, and androgynous 
  features. Their intelligence resembles something close to 
  a mono-tasked servitor, with very little creative thinking 
  outside the tasks they are created for. Vat-brutes can be used 
  for anything from heavy labour to combat.
  Vat-brute Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  30
  30
  60
  60
  20
  10
  30
  40
  ––
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
   
   
  Wounds: 18
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Trade (any one) +10.
  Talents: If the vat-brute is being used for combat it will have 
  the appropriate Weapon Training Talents.
  Traits: Auto-stabilised, Dark Sight, Machine (2), Natural 
  Weapons (brute ﬁ sts), Size (Hulking).
  Armour (Machine): All 4.
  Weapons: Brute ﬁ st (1d10+6 I; Pen 0; Unbalanced), combat 
  equipped variants also have heavy stubber (120m; –/–/10; 
  1d10+5 I; Pen 3; Clip 40; Full).
  Gear: Internal micro-bead, Stryxis controller rig.
  STRYXIS SHIPS
  The Stryxis travel the void in starships that appear as ramshackle 
  as their owners. The Stryxis will take anything capable of 
  traversing the void and mount engines and other components 
  on it. Some of their vessels are hollowed-out asteroids, old 
  space hulks, salvaged vessels, and discarded refuse that have 
  been “renovated” by the Stryxis for travel through the void and 
  Immaterium. Often, the hulls of salvaged vessels are towed in 
  long strings, forming massive caravans. How they are able to 
  do this without blowing themselves into the vacuum of space 
  is anyone’s guess.
  One might look upon such a vessel and assume it is no match 
  for a warship. However, Stryxis ships are often as deceptive 
  as their masters. Their ramshackle hulls can be protected by 
  powerful force ﬁ elds, and something about the ships defeats 
  all but the most powerful augur attempts. Finally, their ships 
  project ethereal beams of “ghost energy.” Although they are 
  no more effective than standard macroweapons at penetrating 
  armour and void shields, they have a disconcerting and utterly 
  lethal effect on the crew inside. 
  Xenographers suspect the Stryxis must equip their looted 
  vessels with examples of their own advanced technology. If 
  this is the case, this would support the theory that the Stryxis, 
  while playing the roll of simple merchants, do reserve their 
  most advanced technology for themselves. 
  
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  STRYXIS CARAVAN VESSEL
  Hull: Transport
  Class: Xenos merchant trader
  Dimensions: approx. 2.0-5.0 km long, approx. 0.3 km abeam
  Mass: 7-14 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 5,000-20,000 crew approx. (most will be non-Stryxis)
  Accel: 2.3 gravities max acceleration
  The Stryxis caravan vessel is not so much a speciﬁ c type of ship as it is a general class named by human xenographers. The 
  Stryxis “vessel” often consists of several scavenged ship hulls from any number of races, towed in a line by a vessel augmented 
  with additional engines. Sometimes the Stryxis will even sell individual hulls off their “caravan.” However, beneath its benign 
  exterior, the ships can often hold hidden dangers. 
  Speed: 4  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +0 
   
   
   
  Detection: +40 
  Void Shields: 2   
   
  Armour: 13 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 40
  Morale: 95 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Competent (30)
  Turret Rating: 1  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Prow 1
  Space: 40 
   
   
  Power: 40
  Essential Components
  Xenos warp engine, Phase-reality ﬁ eld (counts as a Gellar Field), Scavenged Lathe Pattern Class 1 Drive, Ghost-ﬁ eld Array (provides 
  two void shields), Scavenged Commerce Bridge, Stryxis environmental architect, Pressed-crew quarters, Ghost-eye scanner
  Supplemental Components
  Multiple Cargo Holds: The Stryxis make use of the holds on all their scavenged hulls. Although unlikely, should this ship 
  be involved in working towards a Trade objective, it earns an additional 100 Achievement Points towards completing that 
  objective. If this ship is attacked and looted while this Component is undamaged, it grants an additional 1d10x10 Achievement 
  Points towards any one of the Explorers’ current Objectives. 
  Dorsal and Prow Ghost-light Macroweapon: (Macrobattery: Strength 4, Damage 1d10+2, Crit 6, Range 5) Whenever 
  a hit from a ghost-light macroweapon hits a ship and is not absorbed by void shields—even if it does not do damage to Hull 
  Integrity—it does 1 damage to Crew Population. In salvos, each individual hit still does 1 damage to Crew Population. This 
  damage is in addition to all normal effects from macrobatteries.
  Augmented Retro-thrusters: The bonuses for this Component have already been factored into this ship’s proﬁ le. 
  Slave and Brute Barracks: Although unlikely, should this ship be involved in working towards a Military or 
  Trade objective, it earns an additional 50 Achievement Points towards completing that objective.
  ÆTHER BLADES
  Often confused with the elegance of Eldar technology, Æther Blades are actually quite exquisite—especially for a race 
  of vile and disgusting xenos as the Stryxis. The hafts of these weapons appear to have been grown, not manufactured, 
  and resemble some type of blue–grey alloy. The energy blade projected appears to be ghostly and ethereal; almost like 
  mist or smoke that dances and ﬂ ickers.
  These blades will pass through almost all solid matter, including ﬂ esh and bone, and leave no marks. However, these 
  blades are quite fragile when pitted against psychic barriers and blanks, shutting down for days when coming into 
  contact with them. Why this happens is a matter of much speculation.
  Table 3–2: Æther Weapons
  Name
  Class
  Damage
  Pen
  Special
  Weight
  Availability
  Æther Blade
  Melee
  1d5+2 E
  0
  3 kg
  Near Unique†
  Æther Lance
  Melee
  2d5
  0
  Unwieldy
  5 kg
  Near Unique†
  † When sold by Stryxis merchants they are Extremely Rare. 
  This blade will not damage non–living items and machines, or any creature with the Daemonic Trait or the Machine 
  Trait (5+). However, the blade is unaffected by the armour of the target or its Toughness, though the Strength Bonus 
  of the wielder is not added into the damage as it is with other melee weapons. Should the blade come into contact with 
  hexagrammic wards, untouchables, or similar psychic barriers (such as a ship’s Gellar Field), then the blade will ﬂ icker 
  and dissipate; it will remain inactive for 1d10 days.
  The Æther Lance is a slightly larger version of the Æther Blade. Due to its long haft, it can be parried, although anyone 
  attempting to do so suffers a –10 penalty (due to the blade being insubstantial). It cannot parry due to its unwieldy 
  nature. The shorter hilt of the Æther Blade means it cannot parry or be parried. 
  
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  Chaos Reavers
  “The glittering cataclysm haunts the stars; it leaves empty worlds in its 
  wake, empty worlds and the shrieking of the dead and damned. And he 
  seeks it, this ageless tyrant who dreams of rage and ﬁ re and desolation. 
  He walks the eightfold path, and hears the whispers of dark gods and 
  the laughter of dead abominations in the corners of his mind.”
  –From the Footfall Lamentations
  T
  he lure of Chaos is one that tempts many, but which 
  is seldom understood by those who have not felt its 
  pull. The idea of debasing oneself in the worship of 
  dark and terrible gods, of doing foul things in exchange for 
  dubious promises of power, is not something that most who 
  know of the possibilities ever want to contemplate. Yet to 
  swear oneself to Chaos is not so uncommon amongst those 
  who believe they have nothing else to lose, or who feel that 
  the risks are worth the reward.
  In the Koronus Expanse, these damned souls are a 
  common enough foe, for the line between bloodthirsty pirate 
  and Chaos Reaver is an uncertain one, and many cross that 
  line without ever realising it, their debauchery such that fell 
  inspiration worms its way into their minds and twists their 
  minds with new ways of thinking. Dens of these Reavers exist 
  in many places across the Expanse, hidden in asteroid belts 
  and upon moons in some cases, and running rampant upon 
  deﬁ led colonies in others. No matter how forcefully they are 
  driven back, they still seem to linger, infesting new worlds or 
  lurking in the darkness, awaiting their next chance to strike.
  THE LOST AND 
  THE DAMNED
  Chaos Reavers are a diverse group, to 
  say the least. A great many are simply 
  otherwise-mundane pirates who pay 
  lip service to the Dark Gods, seldom 
  possessing any true knowledge of 
  the beings they claim to worship. 
  A signiﬁ cant proportion of these 
  foolish pirates ﬁ nd themselves 
  forced to serve more powerful 
  masters—those who actually 
  do worship the Chaos Gods.
  For 
  these 
  damned 
  individuals, 
  atrocities 
  are 
  a way of life, their leaders, 
  and their gods encouraging 
  even 
  greater 
  displays 
  of 
  depravity, violence and excess, 
  explorations of forbidden 
  warp-lore, 
  and 
  the 
  summoning of daemons. 
  Great numbers of 
  slaves are taken 
  by 
  these 
  Reavers with every raid, claiming hundreds or thousands of 
  lives to be offered up in tribute to the Ruinous Powers.
  Within the Koronus Expanse, several major groups of 
  Reavers exist. Each of these gatherings operates with its own 
  distinct motives. Others, independent of these major factions, 
  spring up from time to time, but seldom remain independent 
  for long.
  THE SAYNAY CLAN
  Once native to Dusk, the Saynay Clan is composed of 
  bloodthirsty cannibals and sorcerers and is descended from the 
  exiled scions of a vile and depraved noble family, who were 
  driven from the Calixis Sector by Inquisitorial purges nearly 
  two centuries ago. Stealing away upon pilgrim ships and bulk 
  freighters, stripped of most of their wealth and power, the 
  Clan made their way to Port Wander, butchering their fellow 
  passengers and the ships’ crews to commandeer the ships and 
  dive into the Immaterium to pass through the Maw. How any 
  survived the passage is subject to intense speculation, but it 
  is reckoned they bound daemons into tormented, half-dead 
  Navigators and used these unfortunate wretches to guide their 
  journey and allow their escape into the Koronus Expanse.
  Since then, they have used their viciousness and sorcery to raid 
  other vessels across the Expanse, capturing crew and passengers 
  to use as food, sacriﬁ ces, and daemon-hosts, and where possible 
  stealing ships to add to their rag-tag ﬂ otilla. Saynay Clan ships 
  are almost always in a state of disrepair, as the Clan lacks much 
  in the way of technical knowledge, and are held together by the 
  sorcerous powers of their witches and bound daemons. Their 
  raids are typically unsubtle matters, simple ambushes followed 
  by a swift, barely-controlled approach and an attempt to board.
  Such was the nature of all Clan raids until just under a 
  century ago. Having managed to elude the Haarlock Purges, the 
  Navigator Ember Nostromo betrayed her new 
  master, stealing his vessel, the ancient grand 
  cruiser Monarch of Whispers, and gathering 
  other members of the Saynay Clan to 
  her side. Aided by such an old and 
  powerful ship and an experienced—
  if insane—Navigator, the Saynay 
  Clan is now able to raid far more 
  ambitiously than ever before.
  THE DAMNED HOSTS 
  OF INIQUITY
  Iniquity has long been a nest of 
  corruption, an unlovely world 
  bathed in the dull light of a 
  dying red giant that is slowly but 
  inexorably being devoured by the 
  massive black hole that once 
  was its twin. The brutal gravity 
  vortex has wrecked havoc 
  with Iniquity’s star system, 
  ﬁ lling it with shattered planets, 
  radioactive ﬂ are remnants, asteroid 
  THE LOST AND 
  THE DAMNED
  Chaos Reavers are a diverse group, to 
  say the least. A great many are simply 
  otherwise-mundane pirates who pay 
  lip service to the Dark Gods, seldom 
  possessing any true knowledge of 
  the beings they claim to worship. 
  A signiﬁ cant proportion of these 
  foolish pirates ﬁ nd themselves 
  forced to serve more powerful 
  masters—those who actually 
  individuals, 
  atrocities 
  are 
  a way of life, their leaders, 
  and their gods encouraging 
  even 
  greater 
  displays 
  of 
  depravity, violence and excess, 
  explorations of forbidden 
  warp-lore, 
  and 
  the 
  summoning of daemons. 
  Great numbers of 
  slaves are taken 
  by 
  these 
  by a swift, barely-controlled approach and an attempt to board.
  Such was the nature of all Clan raids until just under a 
  century ago. Having managed to elude the Haarlock Purges, the 
  Navigator Ember Nostromo betrayed her new 
  master, stealing his vessel, the ancient grand 
  cruiser Monarch of Whispers
  other members of the Saynay Clan to 
  her side. Aided by such an old and 
  powerful ship and an experienced—
  if insane—Navigator, the Saynay 
  Clan is now able to raid far more 
  ambitiously than ever before.
  THE DAMNED HOSTS 
  OF INIQUITY
  Iniquity has long been a nest of 
  corruption, an unlovely world 
  bathed in the dull light of a 
  dying red giant that is slowly but 
  inexorably being devoured by the 
  massive black hole that once 
  was its twin. The brutal gravity 
  vortex has wrecked havoc 
  with Iniquity’s star system, 
  ﬁ lling it with shattered planets, 
  radioactive ﬂ are remnants, asteroid 
  
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  swarms, and gravity tides. Navigating the system is next to 
  impossible—only the pirate reavers of Iniquity can plot a 
  course that does not lead to ruin. 
  Iniquity itself is a moon of the system’s sole surviving gas 
  giant, orbiting close to its parent and protected by the worst of 
  the system’s radiation by its faltering magnetosphere. In turn, 
  it is also orbited by the remnants of its own shattered moon, 
  long torn asunder by the conﬂ icting gravity of Iniquity and its 
  parent world. The planet is hospitable to human life—but only 
  just. The surface is rent and broken, towering mountain ranges 
  surrounded by acid seas. What little indigenous life that grows 
  on the surface is just as hostile as the environment itself. 
  Few remember when the world was colonised by men and 
  women loyal to the Imperium, but it was long ago. Mines were 
  dug deep into the surface, and indentured workforces set to 
  digging. It has been almost as long since some maleﬁ c force 
  stirred beneath the deep mines and corrosive seas of the world 
  to debase those who dwelt upon the surface. The legends told in 
  the Expanse say the entire population was corrupted in a single 
  night, their minds shattered and their souls befouled. Even if 
  this is exaggeration, the fall of Iniquity happened quickly, too 
  quickly for those who controlled the mines to respond. Those 
  few who did not fall prey to the Ruinous Powers were slain by 
  those who did. The souls of those who were murdered in that 
  night linger still, trapped by whatever power dwells there.
  The taint of Iniquity called to others, a scent like the smell 
  of blood to a shark. As the years passed, more and more of 
  those touched by Chaos travelled to that accursed world, and 
  they found there a place where blood mingled with acid seas 
  and the screams of the damned echoed through the mountains. 
  Whether compelled by the taint deep beneath Iniquity, or 
  driven by their own greed, the reavers and pirates who voyaged 
  to this befouled world set forth into the Expanse, snatching 
  up hundreds of thousands of unfortunates before returning. 
  In time, Iniquity has become the dark port for piracy and the 
  wolfpacks of the Expanse, a place where the fell ships of Chaos 
  Reavers can rest and rearm before issuing forth again. 
  The mortal cargo of lost souls brought to the world are 
  driven into the mines to toil unto death and sometimes 
  beyond, with some scraping minerals and metals from the 
  stone, while others labour in grand forges and furnace-pits 
  to turn the metals into starship components, weapons and 
  wargear for their masters. Others still are simply compelled to 
  dig, burrowing deeper and deeper into the rock for no reason 
  any can fathom.
  AN ACCURSED CHAMPION
  One of the three most prominent Chaos Reavers within the 
  Koronus Expanse is a man whose name is seldom spoken 
  except as a curse: Karrad Vall, the aptly-named Faceless Lord. 
  For more than two decades, Vall’s Wolfpack—as his ﬂ eet has 
  come to be known—has slaughtered its way to infamy, to the 
  point where many captains consider scuttling their ship at the 
  ﬁ rst sign of its arrival.
  Vall has never been seen in the ﬂ esh by anyone who 
  has lived to tell of it, and little is known about him. He is 
  a ruthless and effective Naval commander, skilled enough 
  to have wrought great damage to Footfall and the ships 
  harboured there during the daring attack that heralded his 
  arrival in the Expanse. While much of the man remains an 
  enigma, his voice is well-known—his ﬂ eet projects his taunts 
  and mocking laughter across a wide range of vox channels 
  during their attacks and the Inquisition has matched his 
  name and voice to a heretic who plagued the Ixaniad sector 
  a millennium ago. In all other ways, the Faceless Lord is a 
  mystery, and a dangerous mystery at that.
  His ﬁ rst attack upon the Koronus Expanse was his assault 
  of Footfall, and the ﬂ eet of Calligos Winterscale that was 
  harboured there, yet nobody can conﬁ rm where he came from. 
  All reports from Astropaths and Navigators in Winterscale’s 
  ﬂ eet state that he emerged from the Maw, yet nobody in 
  Port Wander reports ever having seen his ﬂ eet pass through 
  from the Calixis Sector. In the wake of his attack, his ﬂ eet 
  seemed to vanish from Augurs, with even the most skilled 
  of Navigators present unable to discern his route or follow 
  his trail—not that any present at Footfall was in a ﬁ t state to 
  pursue. Aside from terrible rumours and reports of missing 
  ships, nobody heard from him again for a decade, until an 
  astropathic message echoed out across the void, proclaiming 
  that Vall was willing to pay handsomely for an abundance of 
  slaves and sacriﬁ ces to “build and consecrate a new kingdom 
  of slaughter.”
  The world upon which Vall’s empire will begin remains 
  unknown and unnamed—though many suspect it to be 
  Iniquity—yet dozens of pious Rogue Traders shave sworn to 
  locate and burn it, and the sermons and diatribes of preachers 
  and missionaries across the Expanse call for Vall’s blood. 
  Amidst all this, the Inquisition watches carefully, using its 
  spies and agents upon vessels all across the Expanse to gather 
  intelligence that may lead them to this Faceless Lord.
  In the years since he sent his message from this new 
  stronghold, his Wolfpack has been seen scattered across 
  the Expanse, raiding ships for slaves and supplies, and 
  even converts to the cause—more than a few crews have 
  surrendered rather than be captured or have their vessels 
  destroyed. With every passing year, the numbers of Reavers 
  who claim allegiance to Karrad Vall has increased, seemingly 
  drawn not only from the Expanse, but from far-ﬂ ung places 
  all over the Segmentum Obscuras. All are utterly loyal to, 
  and utterly terriﬁ ed of, Vall, and hold only the Ruinous 
  Powers themselves higher than their Faceless Lord. He has, 
  so rumour suggests, been extremely vicious and creative in his 
  punishments for disloyalty. A handful of sightings of vessels 
  once associated with Vall, peeled open like a paper wrapper 
  with nothing inside but the blood and bones of the dead 
  and the ichor of daemons, have been a more than adequate 
  demonstration of his power. 
  However, Vall is rumoured to have far more sinister powers 
  at his disposal. Amongst the mines of Iniquity and the ships 
  that hang in orbit, fearful underlings whisper of hulking, 
  faceless warriors in ornate, rune and sigil encrusted armour 
  that accompany Vall wherever he goes. Nobody knows 
  who they are or what dark relationship they have to 
  Vall. If he can command their loyalty, it speaks to the 
  depths of his power. However, if they are agents 
  of some higher power that directs Vall in turn, 
  how formidable must their masters be? 
  
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  Amidst it all, and for all his claims of building a kingdom, 
  the Inquisition has found only one answer that satisﬁ es every 
  question about Vall’s motives: he is looking for something. 
  As yet, nobody has been able to determine what, exactly, he 
  is searching for. On rare occasions where Reavers have been 
  captured and interrogated, they have been unable to identify 
  the object of Vall’s apparent obsession. Only scattered and 
  inconsistent prophecies, such as the Footfall Lamentation, 
  which caused the deaths of thirteen Astropaths as they bled to 
  share their revelations, provide any clue, and even then, their 
  words are cryptic as prophecies are wont to be. They screamed 
  and spoke of the “deathly pale light,” and something ominous 
  “spat forth from the rifts on the edge of sight.” 
  Whatever it is, whatever grand horror or dark power Karrad 
  Vall seeks, all can agree that if he ﬁ nds it and survives the 
  process—and none are so naive to hope that he will perish in 
  its discovery—the Koronus Expanse will become a far more 
  dangerous place than it already is. Those amongst the Koronus 
  Cabal shudder at the revelations their seers and auto-séances 
  produce; a great darkness clouds all but the most fragmentary 
  of visions, which reveal an unholy green light, worlds stripped 
  of inhabitants, and a great pale horror, a cataclysm given form 
  and substance, and the screaming of ghosts. 
  Chaos Powers
  “Though the fruit may taste sweet, the rot within poisons without fail.” 
  –Astropath Soronis to an apprentice 
  T
  he forces of Chaos are a constant and eternal foe for 
  humanity. Though Chaos followers are debased and 
  corrupted by the dark forces they worship, those 
  forces also empower them with fell might and arcane abilities. 
  Not only does this create extremely dangerous foes, it also 
  is a seductive path that can lead even the most righteous 
  individuals to fall. 
  The following section addresses some of the dark abilities of 
  Chaos worshipers, from sorcery to fell psychic powers. 
  PSYKANA MALIFICA
  The ways that a psyker can manifest his formidable powers 
  are almost limitless. While many of them are taught by the 
  Scholastica Psykana of the Imperium and are grudgingly 
  accepted by its rulers as useful and necessary, there are other, 
  darker powers as well. The powers of a psyker can be manifested 
  in ways that are truly dangerous and profoundly disturbing. 
  The psychic techniques found in this section are not part 
  of any of the Disciplines found in the ROGUE TRADER core 
  rulebook or any supplements, as they are only known by 
  sorcerers, renegade psykers, and other deviants. In effect, this 
  means these powers cannot be taken by Astropaths as part of 
  their standard advance scheme (although a GM may allow 
  them to be purchased as part of an elite advance). Explorers 
  with the Wyrdling mutation or those who have gained access 
  to psychic powers through their Origin Path, NPC characters, 
  and those who have gained access to psychic techniques 
  through Sorcery Talents can take these powers. 
  AGONISING GRASP
  Value: 300 xp
  Prerequisites: None
  Focus Power Test: Opposed Willpower
  Range: 4m x Psy Rating
  With a simple hand gesture, the psyker seizes the target’s vital 
  organs with his mind, squeezing and twisting to cause agonising 
  pain and bleeding. The psyker selects one target within range 
  and makes an Opposed Willpower Test (the Focus Power Test) 
  with the target. If the target loses the test, it is stunned for one 
  round, plus one additional round for every degree of success 
  the psyker beat it by. If it loses by four degrees or more, it 
  also takes 1d5 R damage not reduced by armour or Toughness 
  Bonus from internal injuries. This power has no affect against 
  non-living creatures or targets with the Machine Trait. 
  DARK CURSE
  Value: 300 xp
  Prerequisites: Warp Secrets
  Focus Power Test: Opposed Willpower
  Range: 10m x Psy Rating
  The psyker opens his senses to the warp, inﬂ uencing the 
  malign energies to blight and curse a victim. The psyker 
  makes an Opposed Willpower Test (the Focus Power Test) 
  with one target within range. If the psyker wins, the target 
  suffers a –10 to all Skill and Characteristic Tests for one 
  hour, plus one additional hour for every degree of success the 
  psyker beat the target by. 
  If the psyker wins and scores three or more degrees of 
  success on his Test, he can choose to blind or deafen the 
  target in addition to the other penalties (provided the target 
  has eyes or ears). Blood wells up within the target’s eyes or 
  ears and it is blinded or deafened for one hour. 
  If the psyker wins and scores ﬁ ve or more degrees of 
  success, he can permanently blind or deafen the target (again, 
  assuming the target can be deafened or blinded). The target’s 
  eyes or ears rupture in a shower of blood, dealing 2d5 Rending 
  Chaos worshipers, from sorcery to fell psychic powers. 
  
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  damage to the head location and permanently blinding or 
  deafening the target (if it survives, it will require augmentic 
  hearing or vision). The target also takes 1d10 Insanity Points 
  due to the horriﬁ c nature of what has happened to it. 
  If the psyker fails his Focus Power Test, he takes 1d5 
  Corruption Points. 
  FLESH WARP
  Value: 200 xp
  Prerequisites: None
  Focus Power Test: Willpower
  Range: Self
  The psyker can mould his ﬂ esh like others would mould 
  clay, making himself stronger, tougher, or faster. However, 
  every change comes with a price. If the psyker succeeds on 
  his Focus Power Test, he may increase one of the following 
  Characteristics by 1d10 plus 1 additional point per Psy 
  Rating: Strength, Toughness, or Agility. However, he must 
  decrease one of the other three Characteristics by 1d5. These 
  changes only last as long as the technique is sustained. 
  If the psyker succeeds on his Focus Power Test by two or 
  more degrees, he may alter his appearance. Gender, height, and 
  body mass must remain the same, as must eye-colour. However 
  the psyker can change hair colour, skin tone, muscle tone, and 
  even apparent age—within 10 years of his actual age. 
  SERPENT’S SCALES
  Value: 300 xp
  Prerequisites: Flesh Warp
  Focus Power Test: Willpower
  Range: Self
  The psyker warps his ﬂ esh into something alien and utterly 
  terrible. His skin hardens into rough scales, his arms ripple 
  with cords of muscle, and his hands warp into sharp talons. 
  The psyker increases his Strength (not Strength Bonus) by a 
  value equal to twice his Psy Rating, and gains additional AP 
  equal to his Psy Rating to all locations that stacks with any 
  armour he may be wearing. He cannot use weapons, however 
  both of his hands count as melee weapons that deal 1d10+SB 
  Rending Damage with the Toxic Quality. 
  SUMMON DAEMON
  Value: 700 xp
  Prerequisites: Warp Secrets or Warpﬁ re, Dark Curse
  Focus Power Test: Opposed Willpower
  Range: 1m
  The psyker’s mind descends into the warp, making contact with 
  one of its nefarious denizens. Through force of will, the psyker 
  attempts to compel the creature to do his bidding, though the 
  process scars his soul. The psyker selects a Daemon to compel 
  (what Daemons may be available are up to the GM), but must 
  select one with a lower Willpower than the psyker. The power 
  takes three rounds to manifest, during which the psyker may 
  not move or take any action. At the end of the three rounds, the 
  pysker must make an Opposed Willpower Test (the Focus Power 
  Test), with the Daemon. Should he win the Test, the daemon 
  appears within one metre of the psyker, under his control. He 
  directs its actions, and it attacks targets of his choice. 
  Each ﬁ ve rounds the psyker must spend a half action to 
  make an Opposed Willpower Test with the Daemon—if he 
  fails or loses the test the Daemon breaks free from his control 
  and immediately attacks the fool that summoned it. It will 
  remain for ﬁ ve rounds before vanishing. If the psyker wins, 
  he can chose to direct its actions for another ﬁ ve rounds, or 
  banish it back into the warp. 
  Such is the nature of this power that the psyker gains 
  1d10+4 Corruption Points for manifesting it. In addition, 
  if he ever rolls Dark Summoning on the Perils of the Warp 
  Table, the daemon that appears will be one of the daemons 
  he summons or has summoned in the past, eager for revenge. 
  TIDE OF LIES
  Value: 500 xp
  Prerequisites: Warp Secrets
  Focus Power Test: Opposed Willpower
  Range: 5m x Psy Rating
  The psyker’s mind descends into the warp, whispering lies and 
  half-truths into the ears of his enemies, overcoming their senses 
  and turning them against their fellows. The psyker makes an 
  Opposed Willpower Test (the Focus Power Test) against a 
  number of targets equal to his Psy Rating within range. If he 
  wins the Test, he can choose one of the following effects. 
  83
  83
  The psyker increases his Strength (not Strength Bonus) by a 
  value equal to twice his Psy Rating, and gains additional AP 
  equal to his Psy Rating to all locations that stacks with any 
  armour he may be wearing. He cannot use weapons, however 
  both of his hands count as melee weapons that deal 1d10+SB 
  Rending Damage with the Toxic Quality. 
  half-truths into the ears of his enemies, overcoming their senses 
  half-truths into the ears of his enemies, overcoming their senses 
  and turning them against their fellows. The psyker makes an 
  and turning them against their fellows. The psyker makes an 
  Opposed Willpower Test (the Focus Power Test) against a 
  Opposed Willpower Test (the Focus Power Test) against a 
  number of targets equal to his Psy Rating within range. If he 
  number of targets equal to his Psy Rating within range. If he 
  wins the Test, he can choose one of the following effects. 
  wins the Test, he can choose one of the following effects. 
  From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 001.816.M41
  The taint of Chaos is a perversion I have dedicated my life to combating, and I continue to fight its scourge to this day. It 
  is a task I take up gladly. Over my years in the Expanse, however, I have only seen their foul scourge increase. I have seen 
  far too many savage worlds turned to the light of the Emperor, only to be burned by the barbed ships of that foul creature Vall. 
  What horrors await the survivors on Iniquity I can only guess, and prey their souls reach the Emperor when they are slain. 
  If it was in my power, I would raise a host and burn that tainted world to bedrock, and if the Rogue Traders of the 
  Expanse could put aside their squabbles long enough, they would have the strength to do this deed. Sadly, my words fall 
  on deaf ears. 
  
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  He can force his targets to believe one falsehood for a number 
  of minutes equal to his Psy Rating. This falsehood cannot be 
  something utterly ludicrous (the psyker could not convince the 
  target he was falling into a bottomless chasm if he’s standing on 
  solid ground). However, the psyker could convince the target 
  he was someone else, that the target must report to his superiors 
  immediately, or any number of other lies. If there is a debate as 
  to what this power can accomplish, the ﬁ nal arbitrator is the GM.
  Alternatively, the psyker can force his targets to spend their 
  next turn attacking one random target within range of their 
  weapons (or moving to attack one target within movement 
  or charge range, if they are equipped with melee weapons). 
  WARPFIRE
  Value: 200 xp
  Prerequisites: None
  Focus Power Test: Willpower
  Range: 5m x Psy Rating
  The psyker ignites the very air with the power of the warp, 
  hurling balls of multi-hued ﬂ ame at his unfortunate target. The 
  psyker makes a Willpower Test (the Focus Power Test) to hurl 
  warpﬁ re at a single target within range. The target may dodge 
  the attack, but suffers a –10 penalty to the Dodge Test for every 
  degree of success the psyker scores on his Focus Power Test. The 
  attack deals 1d10 E damage with +1 Damage per Psy Rating. 
  The target must also make an Agility Test or be set on ﬁ re. 
  WARP SECRETS
  Value: 100 xp
  Prerequisites: None
  Focus Power Test: Willpower
  Range: Self
  The psyker listens to the whispers of the denizens of the 
  warp, learning secrets and gaining hits of things yet to come. 
  If the psyker succeeds on his Focus Power Test, he gains a 
  +10 bonus to one WS, BS, or Skill Test every round for one 
  round, plus one additional round for every degree of success. 
  The bonus takes effect at the start of the psyker’s next turn. 
  Alternatively, the psyker can learn one secret about one 
  target within line of sight. The GM determines what 
  secret to reveal, and should moderate how important 
  the secret is based on how many degrees of 
  success the psyker scores on his Focus Power 
  Test. However, before revealing the secret, 
  the GM should roll secretly to see if the secret is true or not—
  the warp is ﬁ ckle and often deceitful. On an 80 or higher, 
  the warp lies to the psyker, and the GM should make up a 
  falsehood to reveal instead. Decrease the threshold by 10 for 
  every degree of success the psyker scored on his Focus Power 
  Test (the more important the secret, the less likely it’s true). 
  THE DARK ART OF SORCERY
  The scholarly and objective individual might describe sorcery 
  as the manipulation of the warp through arcane ritual, occult 
  formula, and intense belief in order to manifest abilities and 
  powers not unlike those demonstrated by psykers. However, 
  this clinical deﬁ nition does not address the sanity-shattering 
  dangers of such practices, or the often utterly horriﬁ c results. 
  Both sorcery and psychic powers manipulate the warp. 
  However, psychic abilities are an abnormality that manifest in 
  a relatively rare few individuals, a pure and potent connection 
  to the Immaterium allowing that person to manipulate the very 
  fabric of reality. In theory, the only limits on what psykers can 
  accomplish with their powers are the limits their own mind 
  imposes—although in actuality many facets of a psyker’s life 
  will determine what their abilities can accomplish.
  Sorcery, on the other hand, is theoretically available for 
  anyone to use. The sorcerous arts rely on formula, ritual, rite, 
  and the user’s own belief in such practices to brieﬂ y dip into the 
  bottomless well of the Immaterium. Every mind—with a few rare 
  exceptions such as Untouchables—has a presence within and a 
  connection to the warp. Sorcery works through that connection. 
  Many sorcerers claim that their practices are simply an art 
  or misunderstood science, unjustly persecuted by oppressive 
  organisations such as the Inquisition. However, what these 
  deluded souls fail to realise is that sorcery is always fraught 
  with risk. The warp is ﬁ ckle, the warp is dangerous, and 
  the warp is aware of those who would use it for their own 
  purposes. Even the most careful sorcerers are eventually 
  consumed by the powers they attempted to control. 
  SORCERERS 
  IN THE 41ST MILLENNIUM
  Sorcerers in the 41st Millennium are almost universally shunned 
  by the Imperium. Sorcery is considered a heresy of the most 
  dire sort by Imperial authorities, and the Inquisition, Arbites, and 
  other arms of the Adeptus Terra will not hesitate to hunt down 
  Table 3–3: Psykana Maliﬁ ca 
  Name
  Focus Time
  Sustain
  Xp Value
  Focus Power Test
  Agonising Grasp
  Half Action
  No
  300
  Opposed Willpower
  Dark Curse
  Half Action
  No
  300
  Opposed Willpower
  Flesh Warp
  Half Action
  Yes
  200
  Willpower
  Serpent’s Scales
  Full Action
  Yes
  300
  Willpower
  Summon Daemon
  Three Full Actions
  Yes
  700
  Opposed Willpower
  Tide of Lies
  Full Action
  No
  500
  Opposed Willpower
  Warpﬁ re
  Half Action
  No
  200
  Willpower
  Warp Secrets
  Full Action
  No
  100
  Willpower
  
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  sorcerers and purge them with ﬂ ame and bolter. Apart from a 
  rare few radical Inquisitors and misguided fools, none within the 
  Imperium tolerate the presence of a known sorcerer. 
  Even amongst Rogue Traders—a group known for their 
  lax attitude towards humanity’s laws and established norms—
  sorcerers are likely to be killed. Only the most desperate and 
  deviate of Rogue Traders employ sorcerers, and all know that 
  in the Imperium’s eyes, those who harbour such individuals 
  are as guilty as the individuals themselves. No loyal subject of 
  the Emperor will harbour a known sorcerer. 
  On the worlds beyond the Imperium’s control, sorcerers are 
  likely to be treated with equal parts suspicion and fear. Though 
  they may not know the source of a sorcerer’s powers, primitive 
  populations often recognise the inherent danger, and eliminate 
  the threat with mob justice. Only among open heretics and 
  worshippers of the Dark Gods can sorcerers ﬁ nd a true refuge. 
  SORCERY MECHANICS
  In ROGUE TRADER, the powers sorcerers have access to are 
  the same as those available to psykers, simply manifested 
  using different methods, and possibly with more serious 
  consequences. Unique sorcerous powers are fairly rare, as 
  sorcery is a more limited art in what it can accomplish than 
  psychic powers. 
  Sorcery is represented mechanically as a set of three 
  different Talents, presented here. Each has a set of unique set 
  of prerequisites, as well as a set of general prerequisites listed 
  in the sidebar Becoming a Sorcerer. All prerequisites must 
  be met before an Explorer can take the Talent. 
  Sorcerer (Talent)
  Prerequisites: Intelligence 35, Forbidden Lore (Warp or 
  Daemonology), Scholastic Lore (Occult). 
  The Explorer has mastered the basics of Sorcery. He may choose 
  any one Psychic Technique (not Navigator Power) with an xp 
  cost of 200 or less that he may now use as a sorcerous power. 
  He is not required to pay the xp cost of the Psychic Technique, 
  as this is already included in the Sorcerer Talent. However, he 
  must follow any prerequisites for the Psychic Technique. He 
  may use this power as if he was a Psyker with a Psy Rating 
  equal to half his unmodiﬁ ed Intelligence Bonus (no beneﬁ ts 
  from Unnatural Intelligence, for example). The Focus Power 
  Test for this power becomes Intelligence for the Explorer. If the 
  Test was Opposed Willpower originally, the Explorer will use 
  his Intelligence, although his opponents use Willpower. 
  Master Sorcerer (Talent)
  Prerequisites: Sorcerer, Intelligence 45, Forbidden Lore 
  (Warp or Daemonology)+10, Scholastic Lore (Occult)+10. 
  The Explorer has become a master of the forbidden arts. 
  When using his sorcerous powers, he may use them as if he 
  is a Psyker with a Psy Rating equal to his full unmodiﬁ ed 
  Intelligence Bonus. 
  Sorcerous Power (Talent)
  Prerequisites: Sorcerer
  The Explorer has mastered another forbidden sorcerous 
  power. He may choose any one Psychic Technique, paying the 
  BECOMING A SORCERER 
  Sorcery Talents are available to anyone to take, with the exception of player characters who are Untouchables or otherwise 
  completely isolated from the Warp (if there is some question as to who may qualify this, the ﬁ nal determination is up to 
  the GM). Anyone may take these Talents, even psykers, provided they meet the prerequisites listed before each Talent, 
  and the prerequisites listed below.
  A source of learning. All sorcerers must have access to some source of knowledge from which they can learn the 
  sorcerous arts. What form this source takes is a matter of roleplaying more than rules, and should be determined by the 
  GM and the player. Some likely sources include:
  • Ancient tomes and grimoires containing information on the Daemonic and maleﬁ c, preferably written by other sorcerers.
  • Another sorcerer willing to take on an apprentice. 
  • A dark pact through a fell power of the warp, such as a daemon or another warp entity. 
  It is up for the GM to determine whether the source is authentic or truthful enough to provide actual information, or 
  if it will simply lead the player’s character astray and teach him nothing of value. 
  Time for study. Each time a sorcerer takes a new sorcery Talent, he must spend a great deal of time learning to use his 
  abilities. Before he can utilise his Talent, he must spend time equal to 2d10 weeks minus his Intelligence bonus—to a 
  minimum of one week—studying his source of learning. 
  Spend Experience Points. Each sorcery Talent should always cost a certain amount of Experience Points. Since these 
  are essentially Elite Advances, the GM is the ﬁ nal arbitrator of how much these cost. However, provided here are several 
  guidelines, and unless the GM has a very good reason, the xp cost should never be less than what is listed here. 
  • Sorcerer: 750 xp
  • Master Sorcerer: 1000 xp
  • Sorcerous Power: The xp cost of the psychic power +250 additional xp. 
  
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  xp cost listed in the technique plus any additional costs (see 
  the sidebar Becoming a Sorcerer) as the cost of the Talent. 
  However, he must follow any prerequisites for the Psychic 
  Technique. The Focus Power Test for this power becomes 
  Intelligence for the Explorer. If the Test was Opposed 
  Willpower originally, the Explorer will use his Intelligence, 
  although his opponents use Willpower.
  Universal Sorcery Rules
  Sorcerers are not psykers. Abilities and powers that affect or 
  beneﬁ t psykers have no effect or beneﬁ t for sorcerers. 
  Whenever a character purchases a Sorcery Talent, he gains 
  1d5+1 Corruption Points. These Corruption Points cannot 
  be avoided by any means, even Talents designed to reduce 
  Corruption Point gain. 
  Whenever a Sorcerer is required to roll on the Psychic 
  Phenomena Table or the Perils of the Warp Table, he adds 
  his Corruption Point total to the result of his roll, before any 
  other relevant modiﬁ ers are applied. 
  When a sorcerer uses a sorcerous power, he must use some 
  sort of ritual. This can be tracing a pattern in the air, speaking 
  a few words of power, drawing sigils in blood, or gesturing in 
  a particular fashion. If he is unable to do this for any reason, 
  the power is not activated. 
  Psychic Powers that have a Focus Time of a Free Action cannot 
  be learned through Sorcery Talents. Even the most proﬁ cient 
  sorcerer must undertake at least a brief ritual to manifest his 
  power—such momentary manifestations are beyond them. 
  SAYNAY SORCERER
  The sorcerers of the Saynay Clan are among the vilest 
  practitioners of the sorcerous arts. Their rituals involve 
  sacriﬁ ce, blood, and cannibal consumption, preferably while 
  the victim is still alive to witness the feast. A sorcerer 
  usually serves the Saynay clan in the role of 
  advisor and enforcer both. They use their 
  warp-divination to plot courses for their 
  masters, and consume their masters’ foes in 
  hellﬁ re. If a member of the Saynay Clan 
  is to become a shipmaster, he must 
  have the allegiance of at least one 
  sorcerer, and the more successful 
  one of those wretches is, the more foul 
  conjurors ﬂ ock to his banner.
  Sorcerers are also known to inﬁ ltrate the 
  worlds and stations of the Koronus Expanse. 
  There they lurk in the darkest corners of 
  society, sacriﬁ cing and bleeding their victims for the 
  pleasure of their masters. More than one ship-master has 
  discovered a gore-splattered abattoir in the lowest decks 
  of their vessel, just as the planetary authorities ﬁ nd sewers 
  and alleys drenched in blood. Sometimes, the Saynay 
  sorcerer may summon fell warp-creatures to do their 
  bidding, preferring to do so in packed marketplaces 
  and other locations where helpless folk tend to 
  congregate. What this accomplishes beyond 
  slaughter is unknown, but whispered tales 
  told of the Saynay Clan say no sorcerer is allowed a position 
  of leadership—they must always advise. Whether or not this 
  is because the gore-caked masters of the Clan do not trust 
  the sorcerers, or because the leaders of the clan are powerful 
  enough to compel total obedience from the wretches, none 
  can say. 
  Sorcerer Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  40
  30
  36
  48
  43
  56
  33
  51
  13
  Movement: 4/8/12/24 
   
   
  Wounds: 15
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Chem-Use (Int), Common Lore 
  (Koronus Expanse) (Int) +10, Contortionist (Ag), Deceive 
  (Fel) +20, Dodge (Ag), Forbidden Lore (Daemonology, The 
  Warp) (Int) +20, Forbidden Lore (Pirates) (Int), Literacy (Int), 
  Navigation (Warp) (Int), Scholastic Lore (Occult) (Int) +20, 
  Secret Tongue (Dark Speech), Speak Language (Low Gothic) 
  (Int)
  Talents: Dark Soul, Heightened Senses (Smell), Fearless, 
  Jaded, Master Sorcerer, Melee Weapon Training (Primitive, 
  Universal), Pistol Training (Las, SP), Peer (Renegades), 
  Resistance (Psychic Techniques), Sorcerer, Sorcerous Power 
  x4, Strong Minded, Swift Attack, Two Weapon Wielder 
  (Melee), Whispers
  Armour: Gore-encrusted robes and chain (Body, Arms, Legs 2).
  Weapons: Obsidian long-knife (1d5+5 R; Pen 4; Balanced, 
  Tearing). 
  Gear: Runes, sigils, grimoire of sorcerer’s rites, bag of rotting 
  bits, tattered cloak. 
  Warp Sorcerer: The Saynay sorcerers are all skilled 
  practitioners of the sorcerous arts. Each has a number of 
  Psychic Techniques they can use as if they had a Psy 
  Rating of 5 (their Intelligence Bonus). They 
  use the Renegade Psykers and Sorcerers 
  Row on Table 6-1: Psychic Strength on 
  page 157 in ROGUE TRADER. Each also has 
  40+2d10 Corruption Points. 
  Sorcery Powers: Each Saynay 
  sorcerer has the Augury and 
  Psycholocation 
  Divination 
  Techniques from ROGUE TRADER. In 
  addition, they also have one of the three 
  following power sets (the GM is welcome 
  to select ﬁ ve different techniques as he 
  prefers):
  • 
  Inﬁ ltrator: Flesh Warp, Tide of Lies, Warp Secrets
  • Shadow-stalker: Agonising Grasp, Flesh Warp, 
  Serpent’s Scales
  • Daemonologist: Summon Daemon, Dark Curse, 
  Warpﬁ re
  BLADE-THING
  Those who live in the underdecks of Footfall tell tales of 
  creatures that lurk in the dark corners at the edge of sight, 
  
  87
  III: Foes and Rivals
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  III: Foes and Rivals
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  things of mist, shadows, and far too many razor-edged 
  blades. These creatures prowl in the unlit places below 
  humanity’s hives and stations, waiting and watching for some 
  lone unfortunate. Their victim’s bodies are found days later, 
  bled dry through a thousand cuts. The Ordo Malleus names 
  such creatures Daemons, but to their prey, they are simply 
  Blade-things. 
  The Blade-thing is a Daemon that thrives on fear and 
  blood. It possesses a malicious, animalistic cunning, and 
  often shows a proclivity to slay unseen, only to leave 
  evidence of its work for others to discover. The sorcerers of 
  the Saynay Clan delight in the creatures’ work, and some 
  twisted resonance between their spirit and the Daemon 
  leads to the sorcerers showing a tendency to summon Blade-
  things to do their twisted bidding. In turn, Blade-things 
  seem almost eager in their service. The rare few slaves and 
  captives who have escaped captivity from the Saynay Clan 
  tell frightening tales of the pens and pits in the bowels of 
  their ramshackle vessels, and the sharp-bladed creatures that 
  lurk and roam through unlit corridors, killing anyone—
  friend or foe—they ﬁ nd alone. 
  The rites to summon a Blade-thing and bind it in reality 
  for any length of time are a secret passed amongst the Saynay 
  sorcerers. It is likely the blasphemous rituals can only be found 
  in their sorcerous grimoires—and perhaps in the hidden 
  vaults of the Tricorn Palace on Scintilla, kept in the care of 
  the Inquisition. Beyond the paraphernalia of blasphemous 
  runes and a eight-pointed symbol of Chaos rendered into a 
  summoning circle, the main ingredients of the rite are a light 
  source (such a candle or lamp), and a sacriﬁ cial victim. The 
  key act involves extinguishing the light, then, in the darkness 
  that follows, slaying the sacriﬁ ce with a single cut, preferably 
  to the throat or other artery. If the Blade-thing is lured by 
  this offering, it will manifest in the shadows, listening to the 
  sorcerer’s whispered orders. However, tales are told that if the 
  sorcerer has any open cuts or wounds on himself, the Blade-
  thing will take his life instead, and return to the warp.
  Blade-thing Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (6)
  60
  —
  36
  30
  60
  28
  60
  40
  10
  Movement: 6/12/18/36  
   
  Wounds: 15
  Skills: Awareness (Per)+20, Concealment (Ag) +20, 
  Contortionist (Ag), Dodge (Ag)+10, Psyniscience (Per), 
  Silent Move (Ag)+20
  Talents: 
  Blademaster, 
  Heightened 
  Senses 
  (Hearing), 
  Lightning Attack, Step Aside, Sure Strike, Swift Attack
  Traits: Daemonic (TB 6), Dark Sight, Fear (3), From Beyond
  Armour: Unseen armour (All 3).
  Weapons: Far too many blades (1d10+5 R; Pen 6; Tearing). 
  Gear: None
  Thing of Smoke and Shadow: The Blade-thing lives in 
  shadows and darkness. When in a shadow or other dark area, 
  it gains the Phase Trait. It may only become incorporeal or 
  substantial in a dark or shadowed area.
  GREATER DAEMON 
  (WALKING NIGHTMARE)
  Of all the dark fates that can befall a ship is the Warp should 
  its Gellar ﬁ eld ﬂ icker or fall, the worst is the manifestation of 
  a Greater Daemon. Born of nameless horrors and inhuman 
  hatred, an entity of this magnitude is almost impossible to 
  stop by mortal hands. Powerful beyond belief, this lord of 
  darkness desires no more than to drag the screaming souls of 
  its victims back to the abyssal depths of the hell-void from 
  which it came.
  Such horrifying entities are thankfully rare, but many 
  voidsmen tell tales of such creatures manifesting aboard a 
  vessel. Such stories inevitably end with the “walking nightmare” 
  departing, leaving a drifting charnel-tomb in its wake. 
  Walking Nightmare Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (15)
  (10)
  68
  29
  55
  54
  18
  65
  65
  79
  13
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
   
   
  Wounds: 80
  Skills: Awareness (Per) +10, Deceive (Fel) +20, Forbidden 
  Lore (Daemonology, Heresy, the Warp, plus any other two) 
  (Int) +20, Psyniscience (WP) +20, Secret Tongue (Daemonic) 
  (Int) +20, Speak Language (all) (Int) +20
  Talents: Ambidextrous, Furious Assault, Swift Attack, Two 
  Weapon Wielder (Melee). 
  Traits: Daemonic (TB 10), Dark Sight, Fear 4, Flyer 8, From 
  Beyond, Size (Enormous), Unholy Aura†, Unnatural Strength 
  (x3), Vortex of the Abyss††, Warp Fire†††, Warp Instability. 
  Daemonic Presence: All creatures within 35 metres take a –10 
  penalty to Willpower Tests as the walls weep blood, metal 
  corrodes, vox systems scream with static and nightmarish 
  visions plague the waking world. 
  Weapons: Claws and fangs (2d10+15 R; Pen 0; Counts as 
  two weapons)
  †Unholy Aura: The Daemon is not protected by armour, but 
  shields itself from attacks using the raw power of the Warp.
  ††Vortex of the Abyss: Any Psychic power used within 
  35 metres of the Daemon automatically causes Psychic 
  Phenomena (see ROGUE TRADER, page 160). The Daemon 
  may vomit forth 1d5 Warp Predators as a full action, but if 
  it does so, it immediately loses a number of wounds equal to 
  twice the number of Warp Predators generated, not reduced 
  by Armour or Toughness Bonus. 
  †††Warp Fire: As a Full Action the Daemon may choose 
  to hurl a blast of warp ﬁ re. This is a ranged attack and the 
  daemon must roll to hit normally. The attack inﬂ icts 2d10+3 
  E damage with a Blast (2) and the Warp Weapon quality. 
  
  88
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  SENDAK VOLTRASSE
  A spiteful vassal of Karrad Vall, Sendak Voltrasse—whose 
  original name is now long forgotten, even to himself—has 
  fought at Vall’s command for as long as he can remember. 
  After what may be centuries of service, Voltrasse harbours 
  great hatred for Vall, but is inexplicably powerless against 
  the Faceless Lord, and cannot remember any reason for this 
  hatred. For years now, Voltrasse has journeyed across the 
  Void, seeming never to stop save to raid, plunder and destroy, 
  searching for something that his master desires. None know 
  what that thing is, save for Vall. However, his thoughts infest 
  his servant’s mind, goading him ever onwards. 
  Voltrasse’s original nature is a forgotten thing, stripped 
  from his mind until he remembers it no more, leaving him 
  unable to recall what shape his body once had. He towers 
  above all others under his command, his sickly ﬂ esh and iron-
  hard bone not truly alive. Beneath the surface of his gore-
  caked voidsuit, thin, dark veins worm across his pale skin, 
  twitching and shifting as if imbued with a life of their own; he 
  can no longer remove the suit, as it has long-since fused to his 
  ﬂ esh. Visible to all through a hole in the front of the voidsuit, 
  a sphere of obsidian covered in blasphemous engravings is 
  embedded in his chest, held in place by a twisted scaffold 
  of black iron festooned with barbed needles. His eye sockets 
  are empty, as are those of many of his crew, and his face is 
  covered in ancient scars and unnerving tattoos.
  Voltrasse Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  52
  18
  51
  58
  44
  41
  61
  51
  38
  Movement: 4/8/12/24 
   
   
  Wounds: 18
  Skills: Awareness (Per) +20, Chem-Use (Int), Command 
  (Fel) +20, Common Lore (Imperium) (Int) +10, Common 
  Lore (Koronus Expanse) (Int) +10, Common Lore (War) 
  (Int) +10, Contortionist (Ag), Deceive (Fel) +10, Dodge 
  (Ag) +20, Forbidden Lore (Daemonology) (Int), Forbidden 
  Lore (Pirates) (Int), Forbidden Lore (The Warp) (Int) +20, 
  Interrogation (WP) +10, Intimidate (S) +20, Literacy (Int), 
  Navigation (Warp) (Int) +20, Psyniscience (Per) +20, Secret 
  Tongue (Dark Speech), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int).
  Talents: Berserk Charge, Blind Fighting, Combat Master, 
  Combat Sense, Crushing Blow, Die Hard, Disturbing Voice, 
  Favoured by the Warp, Frenzy, Furious Assault, Hardy, 
  Heightened Senses (Sound, Taste, Smell, Touch), Improved 
  Warp Sense, Jaded, Lightning Attack, Melee Weapon Training 
  (Universal), Pistol Training (Las, SP), Peer (Renegades), Psy 
  Rating 6†, Swift Attack, True Grit, Two-Weapon Wielder 
  (Melee), Unarmed Master, Unarmed Warrior, Wall of Steel, 
  Warp Conduit, Warp Sense.
  †As Voltrasse is a renegade psyker, he uses the Renegade 
  Psykers and Sorcerers row of Table 6–1: Psychic Strength 
  in Rogue Trader.
  Traits: Blind (penalty negated by Unnatural Senses), Fear (1), 
  From Beyond, Regeneration, Unnatural Senses (122m).
  Prowl the Warp: Sendak Voltrasse has been gifted with the 
  ability to see into the Warp clearly, allowing him to steer his 
  ship through the Warp as a Navigator does.
  Disciplines: Telepathy, Telekinesis.
  Psychic Techniques: Agonizing Grasp, Mind’s Eye, Mind 
  Link, Mind Probe, Mind Scan, Precision Telekinesis, Psychic 
  Scream, Telekinetic Shield, Warpﬁ re, Warp Secrets
  Armour: Corrupted Armoured Voidsuit (Body 3, Head 3, 
  Arms 3, Legs 3).
  Weapons: Dual gore-caked Chainswords (1d10+7 R; Pen 2; 
  Tearing, Balanced).
  Gear: Obsidian sphere, Lord-Captain’s Baton, Stolen 
  and annotated Best-Craftsmanship Navis Prima, The 
  Promise of Sedition.
  
  89
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  PROMISE OF SEDITION
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Corrupted Murder-class Cruiser
  Dimensions: 5km long approx, 0.9km abeam approx
  Mass: 31 megatonnes, approx
  Crew: 95,000 approx
  Accel: 4.2 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Dating back to the early 33rd Millennium, the Promise of Sedition was once a proud part of the Imperial Navy, bearing the name 
  Cypra Vincere. After four centuries of exemplary service to the Imperium, it was lost in the Warp on a routine patrol towards the 
  Cadian Gate, inexplicably given that its escorts survived the voyage intact and without incident. In the 36th Millennium, a vessel 
  superﬁ cially matching the description and broadcast codes of Cypra Vincere was sighted following the unexpected rebellion of 
  the Haves-15 Agri-worlds, aiding in the resistance against Navy forces. 
  It was re-designated in Imperial Navy records as the traitor vessel Promise of Sedition, and several Battleﬂ eets hunted the 
  ship for many long centuries before it vanished again near the Gothic Sector, only to reappear in the Koronus Expanse many 
  years later. Sebastian identiﬁ ed the ship in 211.M41, when it attacked colonist transports descending upon Lucin’s Breath; 
  Winterscale’s ﬂ eet drove the tainted cruiser away, but not before the transports had been raided for prisoners. Since then, it has 
  been sighted several times, sometimes raiding for slaves or resources, while at other times it has simply disengaged from the 
  ﬁ ghting, the warp-spawned storm clouds left in its wake making it difﬁ cult for any to pursue.
  Speed: 7  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +15 
   
   
   
  Detection: +15 
  Void Shields: 2   
   
  Armour: 19 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Morale: 100 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  Space: 75 
   
   
  Power: 90
  Essential Components
  Saturnine Pattern Class 4 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Sacramentum Maleﬁ cus, Multiple Void Shield Array, Ship Master’s 
  Bridge, Vitae Pattern Life Sustainer, Pressed-crew Quarters, Mark–201.b Augur Array
  Supplemental Components
  Prow Lance Battery (Lance, Strength 2, Damage 1d10+1, Crit Rating 3, Range 11): The lances on the Promise of Sedition were 
  originally limited-traverse weapons only capable of ﬁ ring forward. The weapons have been modiﬁ ed to ﬁ re into the fore, port, 
  and starboard arcs, but rebuilding the turrets cost the weapons power. 
  Port Mars-pattern Plasma Battery (x2): (Macrobattery, Strength 5, Damage 1d10+4, Crit Rating 4, Range 8)
  Starboard Mars-pattern Plasma Battery (x2): (Macrobattery, Strength 5, Damage 1d10+4, Crit Rating 4, Range 8)
  Munitorium: The effects of this component have been included in the damage ratings listed above.
  Slaveholds: These cavernous chambers are ﬁ lled with a screaming horde of slaves, driven mad by lack of sleep, the torments 
  inﬂ icted upon them by the ship’s slavers, and a constant litany of heretical notions that blares at them through gargoyle-like 
  vox-casters. In times of need, groups of slaves can be dragged to any other part of the ship to perform manual labour or reinforce 
  boarding parties. This vessel halves any loss of Crew Population it suffers, rounding up.
  Vaults: The ill-gotten treasures of countless vessels are contained within the Promise of Sedition’s vaults. If the ship is captured with 
  this Component intact, it grants an additional 100 Achievement Points towards any one of the Explorers’ current Objectives.
  USING SENDAK AND THE PROMISE OF SEDITION
  Sendak Voltrasse and his ship, the Promise of Sedition are a cunning and dangerous foe GMs can pit their players 
  against. Sendak himself can be matched against low to mid-ranked Explorers, while the Promise of Sedition is 
  a threat to any ships smaller than another cruiser. However, Sendak is not foolish, and ﬂ ees ﬁ ghts he cannot win. The 
  GM may get the best use out of him and his ship as a reaccuring enemy for the Explorers to contend with, plaguing their 
  endeavours or attacking them until they rally the forces to hunt him down and destroy him once and for all. 
  SHIP COMPLICATIONS AND SPECIAL RULES
  Reaver Crew: The Promise of Sedition is an ancient and corrupt vessel, commanded by heretics and crewed by irredeemable 
  traitors. Such is their eagerness to kill and despoil that they gain a +10 bonus on all Command Tests in Boarding Actions. 
  They Carry The Tempest: The Promise of Sedition is wreathed in unnatural clouds of vapour that crackle with lightning, 
  trailing behind it as it moves. This storm is actually a psychic phenomenon, a sign of the universe and the Immaterium 
  alike reacting to the corrupted ship’s presence. With the exception of beings who have sworn themselves to Chaos, any 
  creature within 5 VUs of the Promise of Sedition suffers a –10 penalty to Willpower Tests and Psyniscience Tests.
  
  90
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  Imperial 
  Organisations
  “The Emperor’s Light does not shine alone, for all its power. It must 
  be carried, to dark places, in the hearts of the pious and upon the lips 
  of the devout. Only then can His will and His vision dominate all 
  the corners of the galaxy.”
  –Kalendra Asceline, Sister Palatine Famulous, during her 
  service advising the Rogue Trader Ephranin Toba.
  T
  hough vast, the Imperium is not all-pervasive. Though 
  it claims a greater portion of the galaxy than any other 
  civilisation, the dominion of the Emperor’s realm still 
  covers only a tiny proportion—fewer than one in a hundred 
  thousand star systems are reckoned to be home to 
  Imperial worlds, with those 
  that remain often uninhabitable 
  or held by one of innumerable 
  alien species that exist within the 
  galaxy.
  Beyond the reach of the many 
  organisations, departments, ofﬁ ces and 
  divisions of the Imperium, the galaxy is 
  a vast, dark and wild place, full of wonder 
  and terror in equal measure. It is these places, 
  beyond the edges of the Imperium, which 
  Rogue Traders and others explore, seeking to 
  ﬁ nd worth amongst the stars so that the Imperium may 
  expand across them. Beyond the light of the Astronomicon, 
  beyond the laws and dictates of the Imperium, the comfort 
  of familiarity is a precious thing, as is the support of those 
  who share a common purpose. For this reason, the Imperium 
  does not leave the exploration of space to one group alone, 
  instead allowing many organisations to expand outwards into 
  the darkness so that the Imperium might discover what lies 
  beyond.
  THE DISCIPLES OF THULE
  For many long centuries, the Explorator Fleet of Magos 
  Paracelsus Thule has pushed as far beyond the boundaries 
  of the Imperium as possible, never content with those places 
  already under the Emperor’s rule. It is very likely they 
  voyaged into the Koronus Expanse secretly long before Purity 
  Lathimon discovered the Koronus Passage. The scarcity 
  of contact with the Disciples of Thule makes it difﬁ cult to 
  conﬁ rm anything of their movements, and the Mechanicus 
  within the Calixis Sector states that Thule’s ﬂ eet did not 
  venture into the Expanse before the Maw was discovered.
  Quite how this is possible is unknown; while rumours 
  and legends of the Koronus Passage have existed for several 
  millennia, since Explorators and Rogue Traders ﬁ rst mapped 
  what has since become the Calixis Sector, Thule’s Explorators 
  have only rarely been seen entering it from either side, leading 
  many to suspect that the Magos and his closest followers 
  know of other, secret routes through the Great Warp Storms. 
  This alone has resulted in more than a few clashes between 
  Rogue Traders and the Adeptus Mechanicus as the former have 
  attempted to wrest these secrets from the Explorators.
  Thule’s ﬂ eet has not existed as a single coherent entity since 
  the fourth century M41, and his followers are united more 
  out of a sense of common philosophy and collective 
  respect for their nominal 
  leader. Many of the smaller 
  ﬂ eets that identify themselves 
  as Disciples of Thule are led by 
  Magi who studied under Thule 
  himself at some earlier point in their 
  careers. Others simply have adopted 
  Thule’s philosophies—for his views are 
  ones commonly and often controversially 
  aired amongst the Tech-Priests of the Calixis 
  Sector and surrounding regions—but bear no 
  speciﬁ c connection to him. In any case, few who 
  identify themselves as Disciples of Thule are ever seen 
  in Port Wander or the Calixis Sector more than once a decade, 
  and some who have been encountered in the Expanse have not 
  returned to Imperial Space in over seventy years.
  The latter group—those who follow Thule’s example, 
  rather than the man himself—are becoming increasingly 
  common with each decade that passes. The last time that 
  Paracelsus Thule was seen in Imperial space was upon Port 
  Wander, nearly two centuries ago. While rumoured sightings 
  of his ﬂ agship (a non-standard cruiser-class vessel known 
  as the Revelation) within the Expanse are numerous, nobody 
  seems able to conﬁ rm where he is, or even if he is still alive. 
  With adherents to his philosophy swiftly becoming the 
  majority within the Disciples of Thule, even those who 
  follow him have little idea as to his location or his fate.
  Amidst all the rumour and speculation, stands one man—
  already under the Emperor’s rule. It is very likely they 
  Amidst all the rumour and speculation, stands one man—
  90
  90
  From the Journals of Mallachai Stern, 095.816.M41
  Paracelsus Thule is a madman, his theories and postulations even more distasteful than the usual 
  writings of the Machine Cult. I have read some of his works (though against my better judgement, 
  as I prefer not to expose myself to the rantings of deviant faiths), and from what I can tell, his work 
  is radical even to those in the Mechanicus. Amongst his less favourable qualities, I note a distinct 
  disdain for the works of the Imperium, and a particular loathing for what he claims is the “enslavement 
  of the machine by superstitious flesh-bound fools.” His students and followers so often demonstrate an 
  unpleasant antagonism towards those not initiated into the blessed secrets of the machine.
  Were I to meet him, I would be pleased to demonstrate my antagonism in turn.
  
  91
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  III: Foes and Rivals
  Mortigen Hale. One of Thule’s oldest students and a prominent 
  member of the Disciples of Thule, Hale claims to know for certain 
  that his old mentor is still alive. More importantly, he claims to 
  know his location. Hale recently returned to the Calixis Sector 
  to repair and resupply, and brings with him news of Paracelsus 
  Thule’s greatest triumph—the supposed discovery of an intact 
  STC database, deep within the Koronus Expanse. Thule, Hale 
  claims, has spent the last few decades unlocking its secrets and 
  will soon return with the knowledge he has discovered.
  The uproar this claim has caused is considerable, with 
  many condemning Thule of heresy for presuming to delve 
  so deeply into sacred STC lore. Others claim that Thule and 
  his followers are all insane, tainted by long exposure to the 
  wilderness of the Expanse, and that this talk of an intact 
  STC database is nonsense. A few say that perhaps Thule’s 
  followers have found something far worse, something vile 
  and destructive beyond the imaginations of men.
  Thule himself is not present to answer these accusations, 
  and his last words before departing into the Koronus 
  Expanse in the 7th century M41 provide little in the way of 
  understanding as to what he sought: “I am driven to seek it, 
  this ageless artiﬁ ce. It is power and knowledge beyond any 
  I have encountered, and it calls to me more strongly than 
  anything I have ever known.” The most recent rumours of his 
  whereabouts say that his ﬂ agship is twisted and deformed, 
  a mockery of its former glory. This does not bode well for 
  Thule, if he even still lives to command the Revelation.
  HOUSE KRIN
  “I’d rather die tortured on Iniquity than end up a Throne-grasping 
  miser like the masters of House Krin.” 
  –Calligos Winterscale
  As one of the oldest and wealthiest of the Great Houses of the 
  Calixis Sector, House Krin are an inﬂ uential force in Sector 
  politics, to put it mildly. Noble families, commercial concerns, 
  even religious factions, local branches of the military and the 
  Administratum and the Imperial Commanders of dozens of 
  worlds all owe at least some of their prosperity and power to 
  the support and ﬁ nancial backing of House Krin. Rare amongst 
  its contemporaries as being one of the few remaining noble 
  bloodlines of the Sector to have remained true to its familial roots 
  rather than becoming a corporation hidden behind the façade 
  of nobility, House Krin remain quietly content in their position.
  With the discovery of the Koronus Passage, the eyes of the 
  Calixis Sector’s nobility turned towards the Expanse, expectant 
  of the wealth and prestige that could emerge from it. It was 
  at their insistence that the Lord Sector Calixis petitioned the 
  Adeptus Terra for the right to issue Warrants of Trade to explore 
  the region, suddenly granting all manner of individuals the 
  right to venture into uncharted reaches and bring back riches.
  House Krin moved subtly and slowly with this development, 
  not wanting to appear as eager and desperate as other noble 
  houses. However, since many of the newly-established Rogue 
  Traders knew of House Krin’s wealth, the banking house soon 
  invested money in a succession of Rogue Traders, and established 
  itself within Port Wander to deal with these would-be explorers.
  The Expanse is a dangerous place, however, and many who 
  invested in Rogue Traders found their money wasted as their 
  chosen explorers simply failed to return, ruining a great many 
  families and institutions in the process. House Krin was no 
  different, ﬁ nding fully half of its investments into the Koronus 
  Expanse rendered worthless by death and disaster. Those 
  that triumphed, however, brought back incredible 
  wealth; by some accounts, many of those who 
  returned were able to pay back ten times what 
  had been invested in them.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENTS
  In this section are a number of sections listed as 
  Endeavour Components. These are additional elements 
  and plot hooks that can be added to other Endeavours, 
  allowing the Explorers to gain additional Achievement 
  Points or some other beneﬁ t for performing particular 
  actions. Some of these may come with a cost or drawback, 
  however, which provide the GM with a few additional 
  plot hooks to inﬂ uence later Endeavours.
  Some Endeavour Components have requirements—
  some particular objects, abilities or resources that are 
  generally necessary to make use of the Endeavour 
  Component. These can be ignored or altered at the 
  GM’s discretion, though lacking a particular ability 
  or resource may make beneﬁ ting from the Endeavour 
  Component more difﬁ cult, again at the GM’s discretion.
  
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  The opening of the Koronus Expanse shattered as many 
  fortunes as it made, however, and many soon backed out 
  of such ventures, leaving House Krin all but alone in their 
  willingness to back Rogue Traders—few had the means to 
  support ventures that could as easily bring ruin as it could 
  immense wealth.
  In the centuries that followed, House Krin’s fortunes 
  increased further, the roll of years giving their agents in Port 
  Wander the experience needed to better judge who to back and 
  who to refuse until almost eight in every ten of the expeditions 
  they invested in return with their holds overﬂ owing. When 
  Waaagh! Gulgrog struck Port Wander, it was Istain Vanerre-
  Krin, who operated the Port Wander ofﬁ ces, who opened his 
  coffers and secured the services of every mercenary present—
  some hundred thousand men in total—for the port’s defence, 
  even as he boarded the trader that would take him to safety.
  The years have not always been prosperous, however. 
  After successfully backing the Rogue Trader Soldon 
  Vex for many decades, an ill-fated attempt to break into 
  the nephium trade on Lucin’s Breath saw him ruined at 
  the hands of Aspyce Chorda. Even as Vex attempted to 
  wage war, Krin issued privateer commissions to hunt him 
  down and claim his ship in the House’s name. The threat 
  of repossession—not to mention House Krin’s political 
  leverage—was sufﬁ cient to convince Vex to capitulate. 
  Soldon Vex was bound to their service for twenty years 
  before his debts were considered repaid. The cost to 
  House Krin for his recklessness was enormous; they were 
  forced to sell their stake in dozens of their least-proﬁ table 
  ventures across the Calixis Sector, loosening the House’s 
  hold on Calixis for the ﬁ rst time in two millennia.
  Their position weakened, House Krin worked hard to 
  reclaim what it had lost, turning its gaze back to the Calixis 
  Sector for several decades, while leaving their ventures in the 
  Koronus Expanse under the watchful eye of Justinian Krin, an 
  eager and ruthless man who accumulated enemies as quickly 
  as he did wealth. After nearly forty years of prosperous but 
  unpopular decisions, Justinian’s life was brutally ended a 
  little under a decade ago by an assassin who appeared only 
  as a “shining phantom,” reducing Justinian’s body to nothing 
  more than a slick of toxic slime in the process.
  The assassin has never been identiﬁ ed, let alone caught, 
  and House Krin offers vast sums for any certain information 
  about the assassin or those who ordered the killing. The man 
  currently overseeing the Koronus ventures, Anastis Oroday 
  Krin, is paranoid about his own fate, cautious to the extreme 
  and seldom appears in person without a platoon of hand-
  picked armed men at his side. Even so, House Krin is working 
  ruthlessly to reestablish themselves within the Expanse, and is 
  always looking for promising ventures to invest in.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENT: 
  BACKING FROM HOUSE KRIN
  Requirement: The Explorers must have a Proﬁ t Factor of 
  45, or a Proﬁ t Factor of 35 and the Peer (Nobility) Talent to 
  use this Endeavour Component.
  Every year, dozens of Rogue Traders deal with House 
  Krin for loans, using the ﬁ nances obtained to fund a planned 
  expedition. Successfully negotiating for backing of this sort is 
  a tricky matter, for House Krin’s brokers are skilled, cunning 
  AGENTS OF HOUSE KRIN
  A sector-spanning institution with wealth and inﬂ uence that eclipses that of even the wealthiest Rogue Traders, House Krin 
  can bring almost any resource to bear should it need to do so. Consequently, its agents are numerous and varied. When the 
  situation calls for the threat of violence, House Krin’s coffers can afford elite mercenaries (the Oathsworn Bodyguard on 
  page 372 of ROGUE TRADER is a good example) and even starships to convince their debtors to comply. At the other end 
  of things, House Krin employs a great many people with a talent for numbers and a knack for spotting valuable customers.
  HOUSE KRIN CLERK
  The following template is designed to be applied to the Colonist NPC on page 370 of ROGUE TRADER. It represents a relatively 
  minor employee of House Krin, the kind likely to be found in abundance within the Chamber of Gold on Port Wander.
  Char: Int 40, Per 35, WP 35, Fel 40.
  Skills: Commerce (Fel), Common Lore (Imperium) (Int) +10, Common Lore (Rogue Traders) (Int), Evaluate (Int) +10, 
  Literacy (Int) +10, Scrutiny (Per), Secret Tongue (House Krin) (Int) +10, Speak Language (Trader’s Cant) (Int) +10.
  Gear: Auto-quill, collection of data-slates, vox-recorder and Remuneration Engine
  HOUSE KRIN QUAESTOR
  The Quaestors of House Krin are a humourless and serious group, charged with ensuring that the investments of House 
  Krin are spent wisely. This is a relatively major employee of House Krin, likely assigned to a speciﬁ c Rogue Trader and 
  accompanied by two Oathsworn Bodyguards at all times.
  Char: Int 53, Per 48, WP 50, Fel 40.
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Barter (Fel) +10, Commerce (Fel) +20, Common Lore (Imperium, Koronus Expanse, Rogue 
  Traders) (Int) +10, Evaluate (Int) +10, Inquiry (Fel) +20, Literacy (Int) +10, Logic (Int), Scrutiny (Per) +10, Scholastic 
  Lore (Bureaucracy, Cryptology, Heraldry, Imperial Warrants) (Int) +10, Secret Tongue (House Krin) (Int) +10, Speak 
  Language (Trader’s Cant) (Int) +10.
  Gear: Compact Laspistol (15m; S/–/–; 1d10+1 E; Pen 0; Rld Full; Reliable), Two Auto-quills, numerous data-slates, 
  micro-bead, vox-recorder. 
  
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  and cautious, unwilling to part with their employer’s money 
  on a venture deemed too risky or insufﬁ ciently proﬁ table.
  Successful negotiations result in an immediate 200 
  Achievement Points towards the Explorers’ current Endeavour. 
  This may be increased further at GM’s discretion, but greater gains 
  should be more difﬁ cult to negotiate. However, the Explorers’ are 
  then in debt, and this will come back to plague them in future. 
  This should be resolved as one or more Misfortunes, as debt 
  collectors begin to reclaim House Krin’s money.
  THE KASBALLICA MISSION
  “The Kasballica? Cross them and you’ll end up with a blade in your 
  back, and they’ll kill your kin as well, just for the inconvenience.”
  –Jonas the Sharp, Footfallen
  It is not only the legitimate authorities who have much to 
  gain from the exploration and exploitation of the Koronus 
  Expanse. For centuries, criminal organisations have attempted 
  to beneﬁ t from the wealth and power that ﬂ ows back from 
  the Expanse, with varying degrees of success. The Kasballica 
  Mission, based in Footfall, is the latest and most successful in 
  a long line of these criminal groups.
  The Kasballica has a long and bloody history that predates 
  the Calixis Sector. Carried into the sector to settle the worlds of 
  the Drusus Marches in the aftermath of the Angevin Crusade, 
  a dozen old and established criminal syndicates from worlds in 
  Segmentum Solar warred silently even on the colonist transports 
  that took them to newly-conquered worlds. By the time the 
  transports ﬁ nally reached the Drusus Marches subsector, the war 
  was almost over, the shattered remnants of each crime baron’s 
  armies slowly rebuilt into a single, larger one—the Kasballica.
  In the centuries that followed, this singular organisation 
  fragmented again, splitting into more localised interests on several 
  worlds, communicating only through their rulers, self-declared 
  barons, dukes and princes who each ruled over a single world’s 
  Kasballican enterprises. Rivalries sprang up, and the line between 
  healthy competition and outright war became blurred as each 
  fought to obtain wealth with which to dominate their rivals.
  Then the Koronus Passage opened, and suddenly a new 
  source of wealth emerged, granting a new lease on life to the 
  fractured organisation, particularly those parts of it that had 
  made in-routes into the Cold Trade—the sale of forbidden 
  xenos items throughout the Calixis Sector. Within a decade, 
  the internecine war had stilled, the assorted factions regarding 
  the new opportunity as too great for any one crime lord to 
  handle alone, and they moved to inﬁ ltrate Port Wander.
  Their operations on Port Wander were a limited success 
  for a time, hindered by the relatively small population of the 
  starfortress and its abundance of Imperial authority ﬁ gures 
  unwilling to let an independent criminal organisation get in 
  their way. Their efforts were further set back by the siege 
  of Port Wander, which prevented them from accomplishing 
  anything for nearly a decade. After the Imperial Navy 
  reclaimed Port Wander, the Kasballicans there departed, 
  seeking a better base of operations in Dewain’s Footfall, the 
  new and more lawless settlement on the far side of the Maw.
  Unfettered by the laws of the Imperium, and able to exert 
  its power across the breadth of Footfall’s society, the Kasballica 
  Mission (a term which refers speciﬁ cally to the Kasballican 
  operation on Footfall), thrived as it had never done before, and 
  soon, Footfall’s Prince of the Kasballica was as wealthy as his 
  peers within the Calixis Sector. It was not to last; seeing their 
  investment turned against them, the other Kasballica factions 
  pressed their peers in Footfall. The end result was a resurgence 
  in the secret war between the Kasballican factions that continued 
  for well over a century, weakening the Kasballica Mission to the 
  point where its rivals in Footfall were able to hinder its efforts.
  Between the increasing presence of the Amaranthine 
  Syndicate, arms dealers hailing from the city of Gunmetal on 
  distant Scintilla, and agents of the Malﬁ an crime lord Iridan Nox, 
  the Kasballica Mission was struggling to maintain its place on 
  Footfall. The secret war between the Calixian Kasballicans and 
  the Mission on Footfall ground to a halt, as both sides realised 
  that neither would proﬁ t from being forced out of the Expanse.
  The aftermath of the secret war brought a greater degree of 
  stability, and the Mission was rebuilt to consist almost entirely 
  of trusted vassals and retainers from the other factions. With 
  rival criminal organisations from further aﬁ eld moving in on 
  Footfall, the Kasballica could ill-afford another schism. The 
  new structure of the Mission was to ensure that it remained 
  under the control of the Kasballica in the Calixis Sector, 
  which in turn would maintain stability for the organisation,
  When the Maw closed in 813.M41, this plan paid off. 
  Amidst mass starvation, it was only the Kasballica, whose vaults 
  were well-stocked with supplies, who managed to endure with 
  little loss of power or life, as all around them begged and 
  scrounged for those same supplies. When the Maw reopened 
  at the end of that year, the Kasballica Mission had not only 
  managed to hold out against the settlement’s starvation, but 
  had thrived in spite of it, gaining new ground and extending its 
  inﬂ uence across Footfall further than it had ever done before.
  With every year, the Kasballica Mission attempts to negotiate 
  better and longer-lasting deals with passing Rogue Traders. 
  Lacking the resources to venture out into the Expanse by 
  themselves, they must content themselves with trade deals, 
  dealing illicit goods for a cut of the proﬁ ts. This has always been 
  sufﬁ cient, for there are precious few routes through which one 
  may sell such proscribed items. Because of its long existence, 
  and in part thanks to its recent resurgence, the Kasballica control 
  many of the illicit trade routes into and around the Calixis Sector. 
  However, when speaking of power and wealth, sufﬁ cient is never 
  enough, and the Kasballica are not content to sit on their laurels 
  and make do with what they have already accumulated.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENT: 
  CONTACTS IN THE KASBALLICA
  Requirement: Must either have the Peer (Underworld) 
  Talent, or have dealt with the Kasballica Mission before.
  The Kasballica Mission is always attempting to deal 
  more closely and more effectively with Rogue Traders, 
  and a few of the more unscrupulous Rogue 
  Traders have seen the advantages this sort of 
  arrangement could have. With greater access 
  
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  to the web of contacts, inﬂ uence and favours the Kasballica 
  have amassed, a Rogue Trader can more effectively engage in 
  criminal pursuits. The Kasballica, however, always demand 
  their cut of the proﬁ ts when their resources are utilised.
  Arranging a deal with the Kasballica Mission is not too 
  difﬁ cult, although some may ﬁ nd negotiating with such 
  criminal types unpalatable. Once an appropriate deal is struck, 
  the Explorers can use their contacts in the Kasballica—so long 
  as they have some way of contacting Footfall at the time – to 
  earn an additional 100 Achievement Points when working 
  towards a Criminal objective. However, the Kasballica 
  demand their share of the proﬁ ts: halve the number of excess 
  Achievement Points gained during any Endeavour in which 
  Kasballican contacts were used, to represent the signiﬁ cant 
  cost of their services. Failure to do this should typically result 
  in some form of unpleasant confrontation—and maybe a 
  Misfortune—the next time the Explorers stop at Footfall...
  THE BLESSED APOSTLES OF 
  SAINT ASCELINE
  During the Angevin Crusade, which founded the Calixis 
  Sector, several Rogue Traders were called to serve the Crusade 
  ﬂ eet, helping to pave the way for the Imperial Navy and 
  Adeptus Astartes forces that comprised the bulk of the ﬂ eet. 
  Amongst these was Ephranin Toba, a pious man who was 
  already renowned for having set in motion the conversion of 
  several non-Imperial human cultures, allowing for their swift 
  integration into the Imperium.
  The Calyx Expanse, as the region was known at the time, 
  was reputed to be an ill-favoured and unholy place, and thus 
  the Inquisition laid down a speciﬁ c mandate, that all Rogue 
  Traders serving the Crusade be subject to additional moral 
  oversight, in the form of a Mission of the Adepta Sororitas 
  from the Order of the Opening Eye, one of the Orders 
  Famulous, whose numbers would be spread about the ﬂ eet. 
  Upon the success of the Crusade, the Sisters would then be 
  given leave to establish themselves within the new sector, to 
  advise the new government.
  Per this mandate, Toba was assigned Sister Palatine 
  Kalendra Asceline, who was the overall commander of 
  the Sororitas Mission. Much of the history of the Angevin 
  Crusade neglects Asceline’s admittedly-minor part in the 
  campaign, and Toba’s involvement is similarly lacking in 
  noteworthy documentation, but both are featured prominently 
  in Ecclesiarchal lore regarding the Crusade.
  During the Golgenna Consolidation, many of the attached 
  Rogue Traders were used to locate and prepare worlds for 
  the next stage of the campaign. It was during this period, 
  as Toba’s ﬂ otilla entered the Tranch system to survey it, that 
  disaster struck. Assaulted by construct-vessels of the dread 
  Yu’vath, the ﬂ otilla was all but destroyed before the Yu’vath 
  forces retreated for no discernable reason. Toba’s ﬂ agship, 
  the Stern Voice, was badly damaged in the battle, leaving 
  the vessel without its captain, Navigator or most 
  of its senior crew. With little chance to survive 
  alone, Asceline took command, sending 
  the vessel back into the Immaterium so 
  it could return to Malﬁ  for repairs. With no Navigator, the 
  decision was foolhardy, but miraculously, Asceline succeeded 
  in steering the protesting cruiser to a safe harbour, attributing 
  her success to the providence of the Emperor.
  It took a century and a half for Asceline to be canonised as 
  a saint, but from the moment of her divinely-inspired voyage 
  through the Warp, Asceline had been regarded with reverence 
  by members of the Missionaria Galaxia, who moved amongst the 
  Crusade ﬂ eet and the new worlds it had founded, ever since her 
  return to Malﬁ . Even so, her faith and resolve were rewarded by 
  Lord-Militant Angevin, who transferred Toba’s Warrant of Trade 
  to Asceline, much to the protests of Toba’s prospective heirs.
  Some ﬁ ve centuries after her canonisation, veneration of Saint 
  Asceline gained new life as Purity Lathimon—a self-confessed 
  Ascelinite—charted a course through the Great Warp Storms 
  of the Halo Margins and discovered what is now known as the 
  Koronus Passage. With a new and unknown territory opened up, 
  Missionaries from several sectors surrounding Calixis ﬂ ocked 
  to Port Wander. In the process, the veneration of Saint Asceline 
  became increasingly common amongst these Missionaries, and 
  soon a number of shrines were established within Port Wander, 
  leading to even more widespread knowledge and the formation 
  of a pilgrim movement.
  Ascelinites believe that the Emperor guides those who 
  travel into the unknown and allows the pious to prosper 
  there. Many Ascelinites seek to embark upon pilgrimages into 
  uncharted regions, and most of those do not actually care 
  where they pilgrimage to—indeed, voyaging into unknown 
  places is actually preferred.
  Unfortunately, the abundance of Ascelinite Pilgrims is 
  becoming increasingly dangerous. With many gathering to 
  travel as passengers aboard a variety of 
  Rogue Trader’s vessels, groups 
  of pilgrims can 
  travel as passengers aboard a variety of 
  Rogue Trader’s vessels, groups 
  of pilgrims can 
  
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  often contain those of less beneﬁ cent motives. More than one 
  Rogue Trader has been assassinated because his killer gained 
  entry amidst a group of pilgrims, and several more subversive 
  groups have gained access not just to ships, but to distant 
  worlds, because they posed as Ascelinites.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENT: ASCELINITE 
  PILGRIMS
  Requirement: None
  So eager are the Apostles of Saint Asceline to voyage to new 
  worlds, that they can normally be relied upon to gather in large 
  numbers, eager to aid those that would convey them across the 
  void. Carrying a pilgrimage of Ascelinites can be of beneﬁ t to 
  a Rogue Trader, helping to convert native populations to the 
  worship of the Emperor, or becoming colonists, eager settle 
  newly-discovered worlds. A cunning Rogue Trader can turn an 
  Ascelinite Pilgrimage to his advantage in a number of situations.
  Taking aboard Ascelinite Pilgrims reduces Crew Morale 
  by 1, as supplies are stretched a little bit more thinly by 
  the additional passengers, but while they remain on board, 
  they grant an additional 50 Achievement Points towards 
  completing any Creed objective.
  THE INQUISITION
  “If you think I will stop my pursuit at the Imperium’s borders, you 
  are mistaken.” 
  –Lord Inquisitor and Rogue Trader Korbras Aquairre
  Uncounted worlds, untamed, innumerable wild skies, and 
  the darkness between the stars... these are the things Rogue 
  Traders face in the Koronus Expanse. Far from the Emperor’s 
  Light and the authority of His servants, any man might be 
  led astray by the things that lurk in that darkness. Damnation 
  comes swiftly beyond the frontiers of the Imperium, to those 
  who are not wary of such peril.
  The Inquisition exists in part to combat such threats to 
  Mankind, no matter where they may originate. And, while 
  they cannot so easily wander beyond the edges of Imperial 
  space themselves, there are Inquisitors always watching the 
  ports that lay scattered across these myriad frontiers, like 
  Port Wander, waiting for a Rogue Trader to return so that 
  he might be “questioned” about his activities and discoveries.
  This is something that any Rogue Trader may face, and for 
  many of the less scrupulous, represents a signiﬁ cant threat to 
  their ability to accumulate wealth and power. For any Rogue 
  Trader, a confrontation with an Inquisitor is likely to an 
  unpleasant thing, for few Rogue Traders routinely deal with 
  other individuals as powerful or forceful as they are. That is, 
  essentially, what an Inquisitor represents to a Rogue Trader: 
  an authority that matches their own, and may even surpass it, 
  and the iron will to use that authority swiftly and ruthlessly 
  to bring low any whom they deem corrupt.
  The various threats and conspiracies that lurk within the 
  Calixis Sector alone are sufﬁ cient to support what has at 
  times seemed like a disproportionate number of Inquisitors 
  for what is a young sector on the edge of the Imperium. The 
  peril that the Koronus Expanse contains has only brought 
  more Inquisitors into the region, determined to study and 
  combat the quiescent menaces that dwell within the Expanse.
  Foremost amongst these is Linetta Res, who has in recent 
  decades moved her base of operations to Port Wander so 
  that she can better monitor the comings and goings of the 
  Rogue Traders who stop there. While she has not ceased 
  investigations within the Calixis Sector, she, as with a few 
  others in what has been collectively termed the Koronus Cabal, 
  have recruited a considerable number of new Acolytes and 
  relocated a number of existing Acolytes and Throne Agents 
  into positions appropriate for the new lines of investigation, 
  inﬁ ltrating a number of vessels, working openly upon others, 
  and moving about places like Port Wander and Footfall in 
  search of evidence of heresy or sedition.
  Inquisitorial operations within the Expanse are limited 
  by a simple lack of legal authority. Aboard a Rogue Trader’s 
  vessel, outside the Imperium, a Rogue Trader is lord and 
  master and speaks with the Voice of the Emperor Himself, 
  and is thus a very difﬁ cult person to accuse of heresy openly. 
  Many servants of the Inquisition have learned to hold their 
  tongues and compile their evidence quietly, waiting for the 
  time when their mark returns to port and their Inquisitor can 
  bring to bear the Emperor’s Wrath.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENT: 
  INQUISITORIAL ATTENTIONS
  Requirements: None
  The Inquisition or its agents have contacted a Rogue Trader, 
  demanding his cooperation and aid in a secret matter. This 
  may range from simply transporting a team of Throne Agents 
  to a far-ﬂ ung location to aiding in a full-scale military 
  campaign. Often, the Rogue Trader may not even know 
  the point of what he has been contracted to do, simply the 
  requirements he must complete.
  This Endeavour Component is unique in that the Rogue 
  Trader does not seek it out. The Inquisition chooses the 
  Rogue Trader, based on their own unknowable criteria. They 
  will request some sort of service. If the service is performed 
  satisfactorily, the Rogue Trader receives 100 Achievement 
  Points towards any objective he is working towards. If the 
  task is performed especially well, he and his crew also receive 
  the Peer (Inquisition) Talent. However, the consequences of 
  failing the Inquisition are always dire. 
  
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  THE CORTELAX 
  CONFEDERACY
  “You refuse my advice, sir? A benediction then—may your foolish 
  venture lead to the jaws of the Undred-Undred Teef and thus spare 
  you the wiles of the Contessas Cortelax.”
  –Chazez the Younger to an even younger Rogue Trader
  Many a free spirited individual—if such an individual can truly 
  be said to exist under the oppressive weight of the Imperium—
  has attempted to amass fortunes and practice freedoms 
  previously only dreamed of by man. When these foolish 
  dreams escape the cold drone of industrial production for the 
  God-Emperor, they rarely go far and later serve as cautionary 
  tales for the inexperienced and hopeful. However, on an 
  exceedingly rare occasion an individual or group might escape 
  notice just long enough to enjoy some measure of success.
  The Cortelax Confederacy has its beginnings in a cruel 
  pact between four women aboard a lost ship near the Rifts 
  of Hecaton. How they came to captain the ship and its ﬂ eet 
  as well as precisely how they managed to press their betters 
  into nigh-suicidal loyalty remains a mystery. However, several 
  high-ranking ofﬁ cers of the Imperial Navy have said they 
  believe the Contessas are remnants of the Meritech Clans, a 
  group of nomads with blasphemously advanced technology 
  that rebelled against the Imperium more than six hundred 
  years previously. Whether or not this is true, the Contessas 
  defy capture and humiliate those who attempt to rein them in. 
  Meanwhile, the four increase the size of their now-formidable 
  ﬂ eet and have drawn the attention of the Imperium.
  GOALS OF THE CONTESSAS
  To supply a ﬂ eet of ships while remaining outside the jurisdiction 
  of the Imperium requires talent and resourcefulness. They may 
  have to rend the hulls of those unfortunates they come across, 
  salvaging whatever possible from the wreckage. On the other 
  hand, if they believe they can cripple the will of an enemy and 
  make him their slave, all the better.
  When fully supplied, the Confederacy turns its sights to xenos 
  technology in an attempt to transcend the human condition. 
  Mortality, the threat of corruption, xenos invasions, back-
  breaking labour, and a nameless existence of toil among billions 
  characterise life as a human. These facts repel the Contessas, 
  launching them to the stars in exploration of forbidden artefacts 
  and knowledge, anything that might provide an escape from the 
  fate so many succumb to under the Creed of the God-Emperor. 
  This laughable cause ﬁ nds no purchase among the denizens 
  of the Koronus Expanse. However, the violence the Contessas 
  dole out overshadows any amusement those denizens may 
  possess and leaves Rogue Traders and Naval Commanders 
  alike in a state of dread. It is rumoured that the Contessas 
  have recently uncovered powerful artefacts from the world of 
  Illisk, snatching them from under the noses of the Disciples 
  of Thule who zealously guard the machine-planet. Void-
  farers whisper secrets of illicit cogitator tech, and strange 
  perversions affecting the very hearts of their vessels. 
  THE CONFEDERACY’S 
  FOUNDATION
  Woe be unto he that falls pray to the Cortelax Confederacy and 
  meets with her founders. Of the reported four contessas, only 
  two interact with voidfarers frequently: the technologically 
  savvy, combat proﬁ cient Contessa Shima and the brutal voice 
  of the Confederacy, Contessa Elise.
  CONTESSA SHIMA
  Due to a birth defect, Shima’s hands curl into her forearms, 
  making her arms twisted and deformed. Though unable to use 
  her hands, she surpasses this disability with her vast technical 
  knowledge in the realm of engines, weaponry, data systems, 
  and augury devices. In fact, she has constructed a host of 
  augmentic systems that more-than compensate for her birth 
  defect—and it is said that her back and skull is covered with 
  MIU links and cortical plugs that can connect her to a horde 
  of machine-minions. Shima prefers the reverie enjoyed while 
  tinkering with machines and escapes to the engineerium 
  for respite. Her command extends across the Confederacy’s 
  largest contingency of ships and violent encounters with her 
  ﬂ eet happen more frequently than with others.
  CONTESSA ELISE
  A tale concerning Contessa Elise best illustrates what 
  voidfarers know of her. At the end of a brief communication 
  between the contessa and the late Captain Gnaeus Macer, an 
  unknown man encased from head to foot in sophisticated 
  carapace armour appeared out of thin air on the bridge of 
  Macer’s ship, the Golden Finch (suggesting the Confederacy 
  has attained sophisticated archeotech or xenos technologies). 
  Armed with a heavy bolter on grav-suspensors, he began 
  spouting blasphemous prayers to the contessas and opened 
  ﬁ re on the crew. Elise’s hideous laugh echoed throughout the 
  bridge as the crew attempted to take the man down. He slew 
  many with the surprise attack and seemed little concerned for 
  his own life. She then gave the Golden Finch the opportunity 
  to surrender its valuables and supplies before going on its 
  way. Macer refused her and lost the following battle.
  Elise prefers to communicate on the Confederacy’s 
  behalf whenever possible. In fact, on the rare occasion an 
  Imperial ship survives a meeting, they always have to wait 
  for her to determine whether they have the freedom to leave. 
  Most likely, Elise commands a bulk of the Confederacy’s 
  leadership responsibilities.
  THE CONFEDERACY’S 
  FLEET
  Initial reports from the Golden Finch suggested that the 
  Confederacy controls dozens of vessels in a hodgepodge variety 
  including an array of capital ships and escorts. However, shortly 
  before the Finch and its crew succumbed to the Confederacy—
  becoming the ﬂ eet’s newest additions—its captain communicated 
  
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  III: Foes and Rivals
  sighting another ﬂ eet, similar in size but in another neighbouring 
  system. Spread throughout nearby systems but never far apart, 
  the Confederacy trolls about the Expanse, especially in lightly-
  travelled or relatively unexplored regions. Collected stories 
  suggest that the separate ﬂ eets maintain some distance in order to 
  appear small and less defensible, but are able to quickly mobilise 
  to each others aid, capable of amassing scores of ships.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENT: 
  COMMISSIONED BY THE IMPERIAL NAVY
  Requirement: Must either have the Peer (Imperial Navy) 
  Talent, or some other relationship with the Imperial Navy 
  (perhaps on one Explorer’s Origin Path).
  The Confederacy preys on the weak, but reserve their most 
  heated ire for anyone they come across with close ties to the 
  Imperium. Often, this means Rogue Traders feel the brunt 
  of their wrath. In response, however, the Imperial Navy 
  squadrons of Passage Watch 27 Est have been ordered to 
  eliminate this insult to the Imperium. In fact, it is rumoured 
  they are charged with this task by shadowy forces high up 
  in the Imperial hierarchy, those with a deeper interest in the 
  Contessas. However, space is large, and Battleﬂ eet Koronus 
  has paid handsomely for those willing to destroy their foes in 
  the Imperium’s name. 
  This Component can be included in an Endeavour the 
  Contessas have become involved in. Perhaps they attack the 
  Explorers in the midst of an unrelated task, or the Explorers 
  ﬁ nd a valuable system under the Contessas’ control. In any 
  case, they can make their elimination proﬁ table by dealing 
  with the Imperial Navy. Should an arrangement be settled, 
  the Explorers can earn 50 Achievement Points for every 
  vessel of frigate size or smaller captured or destroyed and 75 
  for anything larger. They can also keep the ships they capture, 
  provided they can assure the Navy they won’t end up in the 
  Confederacy’s hands. 
  SALVATORUM LABORUS
  The Missionaria Galaxia holds a presence on nearly every voyage 
  into the unknown to spread the faith of the God-Emperor to the 
  faithless and the lost. Precisely for this reason, the clandestine 
  Salvatorum Laborus presents more than a thorn in the side 
  of every expedition into the expanse. This secret society of 
  missionaries sends its members on journeys not unlike those from 
  the Missionaria Galaxia’s main creed. However, the Salvatorum 
  Laborus has taken to heart the Ecclesiarchal Proscription “Thou 
  shalt rejoice in thy Service,” believing the Imperium to have 
  made a mistake by destroying more lives than necessary as it 
  rediscovers worlds lost to the abyss of time. Should a life end, 
  it may not participate in the glorious labour of Mankind, thus 
  robbing the God-Emperor of His just reward.
  More than one venture to a heathen world has come to 
  destruction and loss due to a missionary from the Salvatorum 
  Laborus. Typical acts include harbouring “converted” cultists 
  (or worse) that should have died in a ﬂ amer’s cleansing ﬁ re. 
  These Missionaries will engage in deceits and fanatical acts in 
  order to secure ﬁ rst contact with a heathen people, practising 
  cultural imperialism like a science and sparing even those 
  who refuse to bend. Far from a humanitarian organisation, 
  the Salvatorum Laborus seeks to devastate a heathen people 
  culturally, rebuilding them in the image of the Imperium. 
  All the while, they minimise the necessary casualties in this 
  rebuilding and start the corrected humans working for their 
  God-Emperor.
  SOPHI ADRIANIS’ MISADVENTURE
  Sophi Adrianis learned too late the folly of this renegade 
  sect. Rumours tell of the head missionary aboard her ship, 
  destined for the uncharted segments of Winterscale’s Realm. 
  After making berth upon a forgotten world bearing a small 
  population of feral humans, the missionary made contact 
  and attempted an initial conversion of heathens to the right-
  minded thinking of the Imperial faith. Hearing reports that 
  the inhabitants seemed not only unresponsive but violent, 
  Adrianis determined them to lie far beyond redemption and 
  commanded them wiped from the land’s surface to make room 
  for the extraction of precious raw materials by more amiable, 
  hard-working folk.
  The missionary requested more time with the indigenous, 
  which Adrianis granted. In return for this patience, the daft 
  missionary brought a large tribe to meet with dignitaries from 
  the voyage to show their willingness not only to co-operate 
  but also to defer to the God-Emperor and the Imperium of 
  Man. Instead, they killed the unsuspecting Adrianis and a 
  portion of her crew in an ambush of the missionary’s design. 
  Later, an investigation ascertained that the missionary chose 
  to drive off Adrianis, believing her unlikely to salvage the 
  lives of the planet’s inhabitants and in hopes that a future 
  mission might have more success. 
  Meanwhile, the survivors took Adrianis’s ship and ﬂ ed 
  back to Port Wander with their tale. The Rogue Traders at the 
  port reacted with expected outrage at the news. The Rogue 
  Trader Bastille the Seventh has gone so far as to declare a 
  substantial reward for anyone willing to take the time to 
  journey to this heathen planet and provide the missionary 
  and his charges with much-needed retribution. 
  and his charges with much-needed retribution. 
  
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  THE MISSION OF JUVIAL ROSEN
  Common knowledge to every member of the Salvatorum 
  Laborus, the legend of Juvial Rosen provides a standard 
  of behaviour for those devoted to his cause. Distributed 
  in clandestine writings, the legend tells of a man who, 
  many centuries ago, lived among the toiling citizens of an 
  unknown Imperial hive world. He revelled in the massive 
  labour, seeing it as a force divine in nature. Thus inspired, 
  he managed through feats of devotion and will to travel as 
  a missionary to the Koronus Expanse, intent on increasing 
  this divine labour in service to the God-Emperor Himself. 
  Rosen’s experience aboard various vessels disappointed him 
  greatly—he experienced the cruellest the Imperium had to 
  offer to its long lost subjects. He committed himself to the 
  rescue of those whose labour consisted of the divine, seeing 
  the Imperium’s emissaries to the unknown as at odds with the 
  will of the God-Emperor.
  According to these accounts, Rosen saw the Imperium 
  as an imperfect tool in service to the God-Emperor. A 
  missionary of pure faith would, Rosen claimed, defy even the 
  Priesthood of Earth if it meant the preservation of human life 
  for maximum production. The pseudo-prophet envisioned a 
  day when, as a great working mass, humanity would elevate 
  itself to the status of the divine and join the God-Emperor 
  in His greatness. An anxiety attendant to this belief drives 
  Juvial Rosen’s disciples to acts of martyrdom—should they 
  fail, humanity can never attain its divine potential.
  Rosen spent his last days on a world among his converts. 
  Some missionaries believe that the ﬁ rst followers of his cause 
  came from this planet, but the “Mission of Juvial Rosen” lacks 
  the names of locations and persons referenced. Scholars of 
  religious matters have long debated whether or not Juvial 
  Rosen actually existed.
  MISSIONARIES IN THE 
  EXPANSE
  No Salvatorum missionaries advertise their afﬁ liation with 
  the sect except to other members. Rumours suggest that 
  they convene on Footfall more often than anywhere else 
  but the loose structure of the organisation prevents any 
  regular meetings. Each member interprets the “Mission of 
  Juvial Rosen” independently and though strategies vary, all 
  Salvatorum missionaries must see martyrdom as a tool to 
  further his cause. Once a missionary has decided to end 
  her life in this way, she makes a confession to mark the act 
  as that of the Salvatorum. Confessions might include notes 
  left for others to ﬁ nd posthumously or public declarations 
  during the martyring act. This way of introducing the 
  mission certainly makes an impact and one spoken of 
  throughout the Expanse.
  ENDEAVOUR COMPONENT: HUNT OR 
  HELP THE SALVATORUM LABORUS CADRE
  Requirement: Must either have the Peer (Ecclesiarchy) 
  Talent, Peer (Rogue Traders) Talent, or the Peer (Workers) 
  Talent, depending. Must be embarked on an Endeavour that 
  the Salvatorum Laborus has taken an interest in. 
  This Component can be included in any Endeavour 
  that the Salvatorum Laborus has taken an interest in and 
  decided to become involved in. Due to their interests, this 
  is most likely to be a Creed Endeavour, but it is not limited 
  to Creed Endeavours. The Salvatorum Laborus might want 
  to accompany a military expedition to help convert recently 
  paciﬁ ed forces, or an exploration mission in case it discovers 
  a heathen world. 
  In any case, this Endeavour Component can be added 
  once the Explorers realize that members of the Salvatorum 
  Laborus have become involved with their Endeavour. At 
  this point, they can decide how to deal with them. Some 
  Rogue Traders might decide on a simple but direct approach, 
  eliminating the Salvatorum agents and capturing their leaders. 
  It is likely puritan-minded members of the Ecclesiarchy or 
  Ordo Hereticus, or vindictive Rogue Traders such as Lord-
  Admiral Bastille the Seventh would reward the Explorers 
  handsomely to receive the leaders of a Salvatorum cell alive. 
  However, this is not an easy task, as the agents of Salvatorum 
  Laborus will ﬁ ght hard and possibly even rally members of 
  the Rogue Trader’s own crew to their cause. 
  On the other hand, the Explorers could choose to support 
  the actions of the Laborus agents, reasoning that it is better 
  to direct their actions and position ones self to beneﬁ t from 
  them. How they do this depends on the Salvatorum Laborus’s 
  goals, and the goals of the Explorer’s Endeavour. They could 
  adjust the Endeavour to beneﬁ t from Laborus’s efforts, or 
  even redirect the Salvatorum Laborus’s attentions onto the 
  Endeavour of a rival. 
  Either way, should the Explorers be able to beneﬁ t from the 
  Salvatorum Laborus, they gain an additional 50 Achievement 
  Points towards completing any objective they are working on.
  
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  CALLIGOS 
  WINTERSCALE
  •
  ASPYCE CHORDA
  •
  JONQUIN SAUL
  •
  AOIFE 
  ARMENGARDE
  •
  SARVUS TRASK
  •
  WRATH UMBOLDT
  
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  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  Chapter 
  IV: Famous 
  Rogue 
  Traders
  “Oh, I’ve seen ‘em come and I’ve seen ‘em go, lad. Your average Rogue 
  Trader, if such a thing even exists in this galaxy, he’s bigger’n life, 
  and twice as dangerous. If I had to say one thing they all had in 
  common though, I guess it’d be this. Evr’ single one, you looked at ‘im 
  and you thought to yourself that when the God-Emperor made that 
  man He said, I’ll not do this but once.”
  –Able Voidman Jak Plaice
  T
  he taming of the Koronus Expanse has always required 
  a particular kind of vision, a certain strength of will and 
  character above and beyond that of the normal Imperial 
  citizen. It has needed men and women unafraid of—indeed, 
  drawn to—the baleful light of distant stars that no human has 
  laid eyes on. It has needed individuals who could face down 
  a horde of ravening xenos or hold fast to a pitching, burning 
  deck or even withstand the horrors of a Gellar Field failure, all 
  in the name of proﬁ t and for the glory of the God-Emperor. The 
  Koronus Expanse has needed the Rogue Trader and his most 
  holy Warrant of Trade. Only the Rogue Trader, unfettered by 
  orthodoxy and convention and compelled by the writ of the 
  God-Emperor to go forth and claim all he can ﬁ nd has the will 
  and the vision needed to bring the Expanse into the Imperium.
  For uncounted centuries, Rogue Traders have prowled the 
  regions of the dreaded Halo Stars with their powerful ﬂ otillas. 
  They’ve pursued riches, waged war on xenos (and each other), 
  and brought the Light of the God-Emperor to benighted 
  heathens everywhere. They have performed great heroic deeds, 
  led vast mercantile empires and witnessed horrors—as often 
  perpetrated by their fellows as by heretics or xenos—that would 
  drive most men mad. They come from all walks of life, from the 
  halls of the Administratum to the vaunted heights of the Imperial 
  Navy. Noblemen and hivers, adherents of the Omnissiah and the 
  strange, clannish children of the Void, all have heard the call and 
  come to make their fortune. Some are brilliant tacticians, canny 
  merchants, or pious evangelists while others are scoundrels, 
  little better than pirates who would walk over the bones of 
  their closest companions for a handful of gelt. They have names 
  that are heavy with portent and ring with expectant fortune; 
  Dallactarius, Lee, Yefremova, Kim. Some, like the legendary 
  Sebastian Winterscale, have whole regions of space named 
  for them. Others have committed acts so heinous, so 
  heretical that their names were stricken from history 
  and they and their families hounded to the ends 
  of the cosmos.
  The men and women outlined in the following pages are 
  just a few of the known players in the high-stakes game of 
  the Koronus Expanse. While certainly giants in their ﬁ elds, 
  they are not alone. For every Aspyce Chorda and Calligos 
  Winterscale operating out there, there are dozens, possibly 
  hundreds of younger, hungrier Rogue Traders waiting in the 
  wings. These young men and women are always watching, 
  forever working hard and biding their time and saving their 
  Thrones until they get their turn, their big chance to sit at the 
  table and be dealt in to the biggest game around. 
  Also included with the majority of the entries are the 
  proﬁ les of the Rogue Traders’ personal vessels. Included 
  in the proﬁ les are summaries of the special ship rules that 
  pertain to combat, for ease of reference. Rules that would not 
  affect the ship in combat are not listed. 
  Calligos 
  Winterscale
  E
  ver since Purity Lathimon charted safe passage through 
  the Maw and the stars beyond opened to exploration, 
  there has been a Winterscale in the Expanse. This storied 
  line of powerful Rogue Traders has waged wars, conquered 
  planets, and written its name across the Koronus Expanses’ very 
  stars. The friends and resources of the Winterscale Dynasty are 
  legion, but so are its foes—for if there is one thing a Winterscale 
  loves more than proﬁ t, it’s a worthy enemy. 
  The Winterscale legacy began with Sebastian Winterscale, 
  the cunning and able youngest son of a minor noble house in 
  the Ixaniad Sector, neighbour to the Calixis Sector. None are 
  sure why young Sebastian was granted a Warrant of Trade, but 
  likely supposition indicates his family saw an ambitious and 
  extremely capable youngest child as a threat to the inheritances 
  THESE ARE YOUR PEERS: USING 
  THIS SECTION
  The Rogue Traders presented in this section are 
  provided for the GM’s use. In ROGUE TRADER, the 
  characters players make are limited only by their foes 
  and their own ambition. It is not just possible that they 
  will struggle to the heights of fame and power in the 
  Koronus Expanse—in reality no true Rogue Trader 
  should settle for anything less. 
  These NPCs, some of the most famous Rogue 
  Traders in the Expanse, are provided for two reasons. 
  The ﬁ rst is that they provide unique examples of Rogue 
  Traders who have “made it,” who have succeeded in 
  becoming legends. However, it is entirely expected 
  that successful Explorers will reach a level where they 
  can count these legends as their peers. Therefore, these 
  Rogue Traders can also be used as allies, rivals, or 
  nemeses for an ongoing campaign. 
  
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  (and possibly the lives) of his elders. Whether or not this was 
  true, their assessment of his abilities turned out to be correct. 
  Sebastian arrived in the Koronus Expanse with no 
  resources save a single cruiser, just as exploration of its 
  unknown reaches was beginning. He quickly proved his 
  worth, soundly defeating several more-powerful and better-
  connected opponents. Rather than crushing their dynasties, 
  he incorporated them into his own rapidly expanding empire. 
  Sebastian explored the clusters of stars spinward of the Maw 
  and Furibundus, and it was not long before his efforts bore 
  fruit. The region proved to contain many worlds and systems 
  worth vast fortunes—in raw resources, xenos artefacts, and 
  other valuable ﬁ nds. Winterscale dominated and controlled 
  his every ﬁ nd with an iron ﬁ st, and by his death, the region 
  was known to all as Winterscale’s Realm. 
  Centuries later, Calligos Winterscale is the latest of his 
  dynasty to inherit the now famous Warrant of Trade. In the 
  years since Sebastian died, the power of the Winterscales has 
  only expanded, and Calligos Winterscale has proven unwilling 
  to rest on his family’s laurels. In the last half-century, he has 
  proven himself as capable as his ancestor Sebastian, and now 
  the name Calligos Winterscale is spoken with fear and awe 
  throughout the Expanse.
  However, little is known about the upbringing of this famous 
  individual. Before Calligos, the Winterscale Warrant was held by 
  Arturos Winterscale, but when he died no heirs stepped forward to 
  claim the mantle of Rogue Trader. For many years, the Winterscale 
  Warrant was held by a succession of regents 
  and bannermen. Calligos emerged from 
  complete anonymity, and claimed 
  his prize as the rightful heir of the 
  Winterscale Dynasty.
  It was unknown if Calligos 
  was 
  the 
  offspring 
  of 
  Arturos, the child of some 
  parallel lineage, or simply 
  a talented usurper. What 
  is known is that within 
  a single week, the 
  Winterscale regents 
  had either bowed to 
  his will or vanished. 
  With his authority 
  firmly 
  entrenched, 
  Calligos 
  Winterscale 
  set about building on his 
  ancestor’s empire. 
  DEEDS AND 
  MYTHS
  Calligos Winterscale is known and 
  feared throughout the Expanse. 
  Stories of his words, deeds, and 
  ﬁ ery temper are told in taverns 
  from 
  Footfall 
  to 
  Naduesh. 
  However, it is difﬁ cult to separate 
  the facts from the legend. 
  For example, although nearly everyone has heard of the 
  man, few claim to accurately have his measure. It is well known 
  that the man is a giant, tall and broad with terrifying physical 
  strength, just as it is common knowledge that he is a man ruled 
  by his passions. Winterscale goes from good-natured joviality 
  to towering fury at a single word, and will tear into a man 
  (often literally) at the slightest provocation. However, neither 
  Winterscale’s success in securing his lineage nor the undeniably 
  effective management of the considerable Winterscale Dynasty 
  match with a man unable to control himself. It’s likely there 
  are hidden depths to the man, but few know him well enough 
  to conﬁ rm it. Or perhaps he simply knows his passions well 
  enough to direct his inevitable rage in a useful manner. 
  Likewise, it is well known that Calligos has a unique 
  rapport with hardened crew and scum. While others may 
  command such individuals, Calligos has the singular gift 
  of treating these killers as friends or equals, while still 
  demanding complete and instant obedience. It’s even said 
  that Calligos frequents the ﬁ ghting pits and gambling halls of 
  low-born scum, where he drinks and wagers like a voidman 
  on leave. However, whether the rumours that Calligos grew 
  up a common pit-ﬁ ghter in the lowest decks of Footfall are 
  true, is unknown. 
  One fact that is known is that above all else, Winterscale 
  respects strength of will. He has no interest in those who 
  concede or beg mercy; they are simply tools to be used, 
  exhausted, and disposed of. Of course, while he is likely to 
  respect those who stand deﬁ antly against him, his respect will 
  not stay his hand from crushing them should he wish to. Those 
  who wish to deal with Winterscale must walk a very thin line.
  Even if one is to separate out those stories that must be lies—
  surely it is impossible for a man of even Winterscale’s strength 
  to subdue a power-armoured adversary with only his axe and 
  bare arms—his list of known deeds are impressive. Since taking 
  control of the Winterscale Dynasty, Calligos has split his time 
  between his established interests in Winterscale’s Realm 
  and exploring amongst the stars of the Cinerus 
  Maeﬁ cum and Accursed Demense. He rammed 
  the Kroozer of the dread Freebooter Kaptin 
  Snargrash Da Burna and personally led the 
  boarding parties across to the crippled vessel. 
  When he hewed Snagrash’s head from his 
  hunched shoulders on the Kaptin’s own 
  bridge, the Orks turned tail and ﬂ ed. He 
  walked the surface of Somnium even as his 
  men grew mad and fell upon each other, and 
  the spirits there shirked from his fearsome 
  wrath. He hunted beasts on Burnscour, 
  swarmed the Eldar corsair vessel Silence 
  of Eternity with ships until the crippled 
  cruiser retreated wholly from the 
  Expanse, and even journeyed to the 
  shattered systems that mark the edge of 
  the Hecaton Rift. Winterscale’s efforts 
  have made him a legend amongst 
  his peers, feared and respected in 
  equal measure, and a man any 
  new Rogue Trader could aspire 
  to become—or defeat.
  Warrant was held by a succession of regents 
  and bannermen. Calligos emerged from 
  complete anonymity, and claimed 
  his prize as the rightful heir of the 
  It was unknown if Calligos 
  was 
  the 
  offspring 
  of 
  Arturos, the child of some 
  parallel lineage, or simply 
  a talented usurper. What 
  is known is that within 
  a single week, the 
  Winterscale regents 
  had either bowed to 
  his will or vanished. 
  With his authority 
  firmly 
  entrenched, 
  Calligos 
  Winterscale 
  set about building on his 
  DEEDS AND 
  Calligos Winterscale is known and 
  feared throughout the Expanse. 
  Stories of his words, deeds, and 
  ﬁ ery temper are told in taverns 
  from 
  Footfall 
  to 
  Naduesh. 
  However, it is difﬁ cult to separate 
  the facts from the legend. 
  respect those who stand deﬁ antly against him, his respect will 
  not stay his hand from crushing them should he wish to. Those 
  who wish to deal with Winterscale must walk a very thin line.
  Even if one is to separate out those stories that must be lies—
  surely it is impossible for a man of even Winterscale’s strength 
  to subdue a power-armoured adversary with only his axe and 
  bare arms—his list of known deeds are impressive. Since taking 
  control of the Winterscale Dynasty, Calligos has split his time 
  between his established interests in Winterscale’s Realm 
  and exploring amongst the stars of the Cinerus 
  Maeﬁ cum and Accursed Demense. He rammed 
  the Kroozer of the dread Freebooter Kaptin 
  Snargrash Da Burna and personally led the 
  boarding parties across to the crippled vessel. 
  When he hewed Snagrash’s head from his 
  hunched shoulders on the Kaptin’s own 
  bridge, the Orks turned tail and ﬂ ed. He 
  walked the surface of Somnium even as his 
  men grew mad and fell upon each other, and 
  the spirits there shirked from his fearsome 
  wrath. He hunted beasts on Burnscour, 
  swarmed the Eldar corsair vessel 
  of Eternity with ships until the crippled 
  of Eternity with ships until the crippled 
  of Eternity
  cruiser retreated wholly from the 
  Expanse, and even journeyed to the 
  shattered systems that mark the edge of 
  the Hecaton Rift. Winterscale’s efforts 
  have made him a legend amongst 
  his peers, feared and respected in 
  equal measure, and a man any 
  new Rogue Trader could aspire 
  to become—or defeat.
  
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  WINTERSCALE FLEET
  Winterscale’s ﬂ eet runs the gamut of vessels from seedy tramp 
  freighters and lurking raiders to huge mass conveyors and 
  everything in between. However, Calligos’s love of war and 
  conﬂ ict mean that his ﬂ eet has a higher number of “ships of 
  the line” than other Rogue Traders. Multiple cruisers sail under 
  his banner, led by his ﬂ agship, the grand cruiser Emperor’s Vow. 
  Calligos prefers to commission or employ “independent 
  interests” for his tasks, and thus the ship ﬂ ying the Winterscale 
  ﬂ ag that shows up at a port may or may not actually be a 
  Dynasty vessel. Therefore, the size of his ﬂ eet is constantly 
  in ﬂ ux, making it impossible to estimate Winterscale’s true 
  strength. Perhaps that is his goal. 
  CURRENT ENDEAVOURS
  Calligos Winterscale’s interests stretch across the Expanse, but 
  they are unsurprisingly focused in Winterscale’s Realm. Perhaps 
  because it bears his name, Calligos does focus his efforts within 
  this region of the Expanse. His interests and assets in this region 
  are myriad and varied; they include arms dealing, dabbling in the 
  Cold Trade, smuggling, piracy, exploration, and even “legal” trade 
  ventures. If one can think of a money-making scheme, it is likely 
  that somewhere a Winterscale agent is doing something similar. 
  It would not be fair to say that Calligos does not serve Imperial 
  interests, he is as loyal to the Imperium of Man as any Rogue 
  Trader. It is more appropriate to say that to Calligos Winterscale, 
  the Winterscale Dynasty is the Imperium, and that monolithic 
  establishment back through the Maw is simply not his concern. 
   Calligos will not rest until the entirety of Winterscale’s Realm 
  bows to his rule—as preposterous as this goal is, he seems to 
  be putting a massive effort behind it. The focus of his effort is 
  the frozen world of Lucien’s Breath. There he is embroiled in a 
  bitter war with the Rogue Trader Aspyce Chorda. In Chorda, 
  Winterscale has found an opponent he can neither cow nor 
  crush, and to his fury he has been forced to split control of 
  the world with her. All know this is only a temporary solution. 
  Already skirmishes and raids break out between the rival sides, 
  and Winterscale is openly gathering his strength and his allies 
  to crush the usurper. It is likely that Chorda’s competence and 
  danger as a worthy adversary appeals to Winterscale’s bloodlust, 
  and only encourages his desire for conﬂ ict. The inevitable war 
  between the two promises to be both bloody and massive in 
  scale, and could plunge that entire region of space into conﬂ ict. 
  However, the approaching war offers Rogue Traders a 
  singular opportunity. Winterscale is too evenly matched to 
  Chorda to be assured victory. He is willing to hire cut-throats 
  and mercenary Rogue Traders who are eager for war, and 
  reward them well for their service. 
  Winterscale Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  59
  54
  60
  62
  30
  47
  39
  63
  55
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
  Wounds: 30
  Fate Points: 3 
  Proﬁ t Factor: 101
  Skills: Awareness +10, Barter +10, Blather +20, Carouse 
  +20, Charm +20, Climb, Commerce, Command +20, 
  Common Lore (Imperial Guard, Imperial Navy, Imperium, 
  Koronus Expanse, Rogue Traders, War)+10, Demolition, 
  Dodge, Drive (Ground Vehicle, Skimmer/Hover) +10, 
  Evaluate, Gamble +10, Interrogation, Intimidate +20, 
  Literacy, Navigation (Stellar), Pilot (Flyers, Space Craft) +10, 
  Scrutiny +10, Speak Language (High Gothic, Low Gothic, 
  Trader’s Cant), Survival, Swim.
  Talents: Air of Authority, Ambidextrous, Armour of Contempt, 
  Basic Weapon Training (Universal), Battle Rage, Berserk Charge, 
  Blademaster, Bulging Biceps, Combat Formation, Combat 
  Master, Crippling Strike, Crushing Blow, Decadence, Die Hard, 
  Fearless, Frenzy, Furious Assault, hardy, Heavy Weapon Training 
  (SP, Bolt, Launcher), Into the Jaws of Hell, Iron Discipline, 
  Iron Jaw, Lightning Attack, Master and Commander, Melee 
  Weapon Training (Primitive, Universal), Mighty Shot, Pistol 
  Weapon Training (Universal), Quick Draw, Renowned Warrant, 
  Resistance (Psychic Techniques), Strong Minded, Swift Attack, 
  True Grit, Unarmed Master, Unarmed Warrior, Wall of Steel. 
  Traits: Touched by the Fates (3).
  Armour: Enforcer Light Carapace (All 5).
  Weapons: 
  Breaker—Best 
  Craftsmanship 
  Power 
  Axe 
  (1d10+16E; Pen 7; Unbalanced, Power Field, +5 to WS), 
  Hostile Argument—Best Craftsmanship Storm Bolter with 
  Tempest Shells (90m; S/2/4; 1d10+7E; Pen 4; Clip 60; 
  Rld Full; Storm, Tearing, Shocking, Never Jams), Voss 
  Pattern Grenade Launcher with Krak Grenades (60m; S/–/–; 
  2d10+6X; Pen 6; Clip 6; Rld Full; Inaccurate), Fair Point—
  Best Craftsmanship Mono-knife (1d5+9 R; Pen 2; +5 WS).
  Gear: Chrono, Micro-bead, Best Craftsmanship Uniform 
  Jacket and Clothing, Data-Slate, Multicompass, Recoil Gloves, 
  Best Craftsmanship Conversion Field (see INTO THE STORM 
  page 130), one storm bolter reload. 
  Lead By Example: Once per Round, when Calligos 
  Winterscale kills an opponent, all allies in the combat who can 
  see him gain +2 to damage rolls until the end of the Round. 
  The Man...the Legend: Calligos Winterscale may spend a Fate 
  Point to automatically succeed on any Skill or Characteristic 
  Test, gaining a number of degrees of success equal to the 
  Characteristic Bonus of the Characteristic used in the Test. 
  
  103
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  EMPEROR’S VOW—FLAGSHIP OF THE 
  WINTERSCALE DYNASTY
  Hull: Grand Cruiser
  Class: Modiﬁ ed Avenger-class Grand Cruiser
  Dimensions: 6 km long, 1 km abeam at ﬁ ns approx.
  Mass: 31.7 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 120,000 approx.
  Accel. 2.9 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Speed: 5  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
   
  Detection: +20 
  Void Shields: 3   
   
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 90
  Morale: 101 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 3  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Port 3, Starboard 3
  Space: 92 
   
   
  Power: 92
  The Emperor’s Vow comes from an earlier era of Imperial ﬂ eets. The grand cruisers straddled the line between cruisers and 
  battleships, heavier and slower than a cruiser but less armed than a true battleship. In the last few millennia the Imperial Navy 
  has moved away from grand cruisers, preferring the more agile and versatile battlecruisers. However, grand cruisers can still be 
  found in reserve ﬂ eets across the Imperium. 
  Likewise, the Avenger-class is a holdover from earlier ﬂ eet tactics. Avengers were intended to be gun-boats and line-breakers, 
  designed to race into the midst of an enemy ﬂ eet and sit, blazing away on either side with their massive broadside batteries. This 
  tactic was often effective, but the rate of attrition amongst Avenger squadrons was equally brutal, and the ship fell out of favour. 
  No one knows for certain where the Emperor’s Vow ﬁ rst originated, although the reserve ﬂ eets of Battleﬂ eet Gothic are a likely 
  possibility. Sebastian Winterscale journeyed through the Maw on its bridge, and it has called the Expanse its home ever since. 
  Each Winterscale has ruled his interests from aboard it, to the point where Calligos does not bother to maintain a stronghold 
  of operations on a planet or space station. 
  In many millenia of service, the Emperor’s Vow has undergone a great deal of modiﬁ cations. The original macro-weapons 
  have been replaced with either longer-range laser batteries or extremely powerful short-ranged macrobatteries, guaranteeing 
  the Emperor’s Vow can crush its foes at any range. In addition, the aft gundecks have been removed and replaced with Titanforge 
  lance turrets. Those foes foolish enough to ﬁ ght the Emperor’s Vow ﬁ nd a ship able to wreck havoc at long range, but as they 
  close its ﬁ re only intensiﬁ es, until they ﬂ ee or break up under the punishment. 
  The ship is utterly unsubtle, which seems to ﬁ t Winterscale’s desires perfectly. Its martial pride and legacy of Imperial service 
  are immediately obvious by the unmasked ranks of gun batteries and baroque ornamentation portraying it as an Imperial vessel. 
  Those who serve aboard her report the vessel seems to contain an aura of complete conﬁ dence and utter pride, as if the vessel 
  itself could not conceive of a challenge it could not overcome. This hubris may not be misplaced—in its centuries of service as 
  the Winterscale’s ﬂ eet, the times the Emperor’s Vow has been forced to retreat from battle are few and far between. 
  Essential Components
  Ancient Ryza Pattern Class 5 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engines, Gellar Field, Ryza-Pattern Extended Void Shield Array, Ship 
  Master’s Bridge, Vitae-pattern Life Sustainer, Voidsman Crew Quarters, Deep Void Augur Array.
  Supplemental Components
  Port and Starboard Sunsear Las-broadsides, Port and Starboard Mezoa-Pattern Macrobattery Broadsides, Port and Starboard 
  Titanforge Lances, Barracks, Compartmentalised Cargo Hold, Extended Supply Vaults, Munitorium, Teleportarium, Trophy Room.
  Armament and Ordnance
  Sunsear Las-broadsides (port and starboard): (Str 6; Dam 1d10+3; Crit 4; Range 9)
  Mezoa-Pattern Macrobattery Broadsides (port and starboard): (Str 5; Dam 1d10+4; Crit 5; Range 5)
  Titanforge Lance (port and starboard): Str 1; (Dam 1d10+4; Crit 3; Range 6.)
  Complications and Special Rules
  Martial Hubris, Emissary of the Imperator
  • The Emperor’s Vow gains a total bonus of +15 to ﬁ re any shipboard weapons, and a +5 to all Pilot and Navigation 
  Tests—but takes a –15 to any Manoeuvring Tests to escape combat. It usually has a large complement of 
  mercenary soldiers aboard, and gains a +20 to all Command Tests involving boarding actions and hit-and-
  run actions (+40 when using the teleportarium). 
  
  104
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  Aspyce Chorda
  A
  spyce Chorda, the third of six children and only 
  daughter of Rogue Trader Hamish Chorda, hails from a 
  long line of inﬂ uential voidfarers and star captains, to the 
  infamous privateer Esme Chorda, who helped defeat the space 
  hulk Cauldron of Savagery in 673.M40. Her father, a gregarious 
  rake of expansive size, tastes and personality, was the latest scion 
  of the only Chorda family line to carry an Imperial Warrant of 
  Trade. He was a charitable spendthrift and habitual philanderer 
  with dozens of legitimate and illegitimate children on both sides 
  of the Maw, rapidly squandering the dynasty’s wealth.
  From an early age, young Aspyce was a quiet, brooding 
  child given to ﬁ ts of mania, melancholy, and cruelty. Her 
  behaviour alarmed her parents. At the age of eleven, her 
  father got her a commission in the Imperial Navy, where it 
  was hoped she would either learn to control her daemons or 
  have them beaten out.
  Young Midshipman Chorda took to Navy life with 
  alacrity. She quickly gained a reputation among her superiors 
  as a competent and fearless young ofﬁ cer with a keen 
  tactical mind. Her blatant disregard for the well-being of 
  the voidmen in her division and her casual attitude toward 
  wholesale slaughter went largely unnoticed among her peers. 
  Among the voidmen she became known as a brutal tartar, 
  quick with a lash or worse. Her brutality and lack of empathy 
  only served to further her career, and she quickly attained 
  the rank of Lord-Captain, was given a vessel, and dispatched 
  amongst the borders of the Hazeroth Abyss.
  On the edge of the Abyss she became a demanding ofﬁ cer 
  who kept her passions tightly in check. While on the 
  whole she was the very model of a faithful and pious 
  Imperial ofﬁ cer, her rank and station gave her a taste 
  for power. She pursued larger and more dangerous 
  prizes, tackling pirates and privateers 
  outside her class and jurisdiction. She 
  took to extorting merchantmen, 
  demanding exorbitant sums of 
  “protection money” and turning 
  pirates on them if they refused to 
  pay. She played faster and looser 
  with her commission each day, but 
  as the ﬁ rst investigators of the Fleet 
  Commissariat were dispatched, there 
  came a summons from home. 
  Her 
  father 
  and 
  oldest 
  brother, the anointed inheritor 
  of the Warrant of Trade, had 
  disappeared along with the 
  family’s ﬂ agship and were 
  to be declared dead. After 
  gaining tacit permission from her 
  immediate superior, Aspyce travelled to 
  her home on Scintilla. Upon arrival she 
  discovered the shocking state of her 
  family’s fortunes. With the death 
  of the primogeniture and 
  her father’s constant 
  dalliances casting doubt on the legitimacy of all of his children, 
  the Chorda Warrant of Trade was temporarily suspended until 
  the question of a legitimate heir could be ironed out. Realising 
  that the succession question could take a generation to answer, 
  and that she would never wield the power and reap the much-
  needed beneﬁ ts of the Warrant no matter what the outcome, 
  Lord-Captain Chorda devised a bold plan to cement control of 
  the coveted Warrant of Trade. 
  Chorda called on powerful contacts she had cultivated 
  within the Imperial Adeptus. Within six months, overwhelming 
  evidence arose indicating the majority of Hamish Chorda’s 
  heirs—save Aspyce—were criminals and heretics. Aspyce’s 
  siblings either vehemently denied the allegations, ﬂ ed, or 
  both. In an act of “mercy,” the Lord-Captain was charged 
  with hunting her heretical siblings down and bringing then 
  to justice. One by one she found them and made an offer; 
  they could willingly renounce any claim to the Warrant and 
  be placed in cryovaults, or she would turn them over to the 
  Inquisition. Invariably they chose the former, and within the 
  space of a few short months Lord-Captain Aspyce Chorda 
  found herself holding the Chorda Warrant of Trade.
  She resigned her commission in the Imperial Navy and 
  immediately set about putting her family’s ailing fortunes to 
  rights. Her ﬁ rst point of order was to reduce the Dynasty’s 
  ﬁ nancial obligations, and to that end she employed 
  mercenaries and assassins to hunt down and eliminate all 
  of her father’s mistresses and bastard children. Then she 
  expanded her operations into the Koronus Expanse.
  Today, Lord-Captain Aspyce Chorda is one of the wealthier 
  and more inﬂ uential Rogue Traders operating in the Koronus 
  Expanse. She is a hard and dangerous woman who believes 
  that might makes right, and she will stop at nothing to fulﬁ l 
  her desires for wealth, power and acclaim. Whether 
  standing on the bridge of her cruiser Implacable Flame 
  pouring withering broadsides into a rival’s ship 
  or sitting down to negotiate a proﬁ table trade 
  agreement, she is an intense, driven opponent who 
  brooks no insult and grants no quarter. 
  She is a pale, thin woman of middle age with a 
  queer, lithesome grace that tends to make others 
  ill at ease. Everything about her, from her rare 
  complexion to her odd, graceful 
  bearing, is proof positive of both 
  her wealth and her love of form and 
  ﬁ nery. While potentially described 
  as handsome, her beauty is marred 
  by her cold, ﬂ at grey eyes and her 
  thin, bloodless lips that seem 
  unsuited to any expression 
  save frowning or sneering. 
  Inevitably, she tends towards 
  clothing that is both highly 
  stylised and highly ornate, whether 
  uniforms or formal gowns. Lavishly 
  decorated with medals, ribbons and religious 
  ornaments, her dress is tailored to convey an 
  unmistakable image of power, piety, and wealth: 
  three things to which the Lord-Captain is 
  deeply attached. 
  On the edge of the Abyss she became a demanding ofﬁ cer 
  who kept her passions tightly in check. While on the 
  whole she was the very model of a faithful and pious 
  Imperial ofﬁ cer, her rank and station gave her a taste 
  for power. She pursued larger and more dangerous 
  prizes, tackling pirates and privateers 
  outside her class and jurisdiction. She 
  took to extorting merchantmen, 
  demanding exorbitant sums of 
  “protection money” and turning 
  pirates on them if they refused to 
  pay. She played faster and looser 
  with her commission each day, but 
  as the ﬁ rst investigators of the Fleet 
  Commissariat were dispatched, there 
  came a summons from home. 
  Her 
  father 
  and 
  oldest 
  brother, the anointed inheritor 
  of the Warrant of Trade, had 
  disappeared along with the 
  family’s ﬂ agship and were 
  to be declared dead. After 
  gaining tacit permission from her 
  immediate superior, Aspyce travelled to 
  her home on Scintilla. Upon arrival she 
  discovered the shocking state of her 
  family’s fortunes. With the death 
  of the primogeniture and 
  her father’s constant 
  Expanse. She is a hard and dangerous woman who believes 
  Expanse. She is a hard and dangerous woman who believes 
  that might makes right, and she will stop at nothing to fulﬁ l 
  that might makes right, and she will stop at nothing to fulﬁ l 
  her desires for wealth, power and acclaim. Whether 
  her desires for wealth, power and acclaim. Whether 
  standing on the bridge of her cruiser 
  standing on the bridge of her cruiser 
  pouring withering broadsides into a rival’s ship 
  pouring withering broadsides into a rival’s ship 
  or sitting down to negotiate a proﬁ table trade 
  or sitting down to negotiate a proﬁ table trade 
  agreement, she is an intense, driven opponent who 
  agreement, she is an intense, driven opponent who 
  brooks no insult and grants no quarter. 
  brooks no insult and grants no quarter. 
  She is a pale, thin woman of middle age with a 
  She is a pale, thin woman of middle age with a 
  queer, lithesome grace that tends to make others 
  queer, lithesome grace that tends to make others 
  ill at ease. Everything about her, from her rare 
  ill at ease. Everything about her, from her rare 
  complexion to her odd, graceful 
  bearing, is proof positive of both 
  her wealth and her love of form and 
  ﬁ nery. While potentially described 
  as handsome, her beauty is marred 
  by her cold, ﬂ at grey eyes and her 
  thin, bloodless lips that seem 
  unsuited to any expression 
  save frowning or sneering. 
  Inevitably, she tends towards 
  clothing that is both highly 
  clothing that is both highly 
  stylised and highly ornate, whether 
  uniforms or formal gowns. Lavishly 
  decorated with medals, ribbons and religious 
  ornaments, her dress is tailored to convey an 
  unmistakable image of power, piety, and wealth: 
  three things to which the Lord-Captain is 
  deeply attached. 
  
  105
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  CHORDA DYNASTY FLEET
  The Chorda Dynasty’s mercantile ﬂ eet is the envy of most Rogue 
  Traders in the Expanse, and rivals even Winterscale’s vast ﬂ otillas 
  in number of hulls and sheer ﬁ repower. Chorda’s ships tend 
  toward small, fast frigate and raider class hulls. These are multi-
  role ships that can carry a respectable amount of cargo and can 
  either fend off or run from serious trouble with equal skill. Since 
  she tends to haul smaller, higher yield cargoes, there are few 
  capital ships in the service of the Chorda Dynasty—typically 
  used to make a show of force or impress the impressionable. 
  In her tenure as head of the Dynasty, Lord-Captain 
  Chorda has endeavoured to put her stamp on every aspect 
  of the organisation. Her well-dressed crews and ornately 
  detailed voidships engender comment, most of it envious, in 
  every port from the Maw to Naduesh. Even her underdeck 
  voidmen are required to uphold an uncommonly rigourous 
  grooming standard or face a hundred lashes. The Lord-
  Captain’s reputation for brutality and her perfect blending of 
  form and function have made her one of the more feared and 
  respected Rogue Traders in the Expanse.
  CHORDA DYNASTY INTERESTS
  Under the brutally efﬁ cient guidance of its matriarch, the 
  Chorda Trade Dynasty has become a major player in the 
  Expanse. Based largely in The Cauldron, where the location 
  of its headquarters and shipyards remains unknown for 
  security reasons, the Dynasty has interests in every major 
  region, including quite a bit of Winterscale’s Realm. The 
  assets in the Expanse are only a fraction of the wealth of the 
  Chorda Dynasty, whose homeworlds are in the Calixis sector, 
  along with the bulk of their business and investments.
  At least on paper, Lord-Captain Chorda is every bit the 
  legitimate Rogue Trader. The bulk of her legitimate business 
  is wrapped up in the arms trade, as well as buying, selling, and 
  transporting high-end luxury items. Over the course of her 
  career she has become known as the outﬁ tter of the wealthy 
  and powerful, a reputation that has provided incredible 
  beneﬁ ts, both personal and business.
  While the majority of their business is what most 
  would consider legitimate, the Chordas have never been a 
  family that would turn its nose up at a proﬁ table business 
  opportunity. True to her roots, Lord-Captain Chorda has 
  invested a not insubstantial amount of the Dynasty’s assets in 
  numerous shady activities, mostly through proxy agents and 
  front agencies, including large interests in the Cold Trade. 
  Chorda is one of the more aggressive Cold Traders in the 
  Expanse, and fully a third of her wealth is derived from this 
  dangerous business. She employs an army of well-paid scribes, 
  researchers and historians, tirelessly poring over libraries 
  full of old texts and star charts and constantly travelling the 
  Expanse, searching for hints and leads on the next big xenos 
  discovery. Certain highly-placed members of the Imperium 
  are on her payroll as well, always happy to funnel information 
  or postpone an investigation for a cut of the proﬁ ts. Along 
  with the vast amounts of gelt this has made her, with her 
  constant research she has amassed quite possibly the most 
  complete and comprehensive collection of star charts of the 
  Koronus Expanse. These charts alone would be worth untold 
  riches if they were ever released into circulation.
  CURRENT ENDEAVOURS AND 
  RUMOURED ACTIVITIES
  As with any successful Rogue Trader, it seems that more 
  rumours than truth surround the operations of the Chorda 
  Trade Dynasty. Currently, Lord-Captain Chorda is embroiled 
  with a brewing conﬂ ict on Lucin’s Breath with Calligos 
  Winterscale, and is supposedly preparing for open war. 
  There are also rumours circulating around Port Wander and 
  Footfall—saying that someone in the Expanse is paying good 
  money, very good money, for any information regarding the 
  whereabouts of Chorda’s missing siblings. Whether these 
  wild claims have any validity is under debate, but could be 
  very proﬁ table if true.
  Chorda Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  48
  42
  35
  41
  51
  39
  34
  55
  42
  Movement: 5/10/15/30 
  Wounds: 20
  Fate Points: 3 
   
  Proﬁ t Factor: 81
  Skills: Command +20, Commerce, Charm, Common Lore 
  (Imperium, Koronus Expanse), Deceive +10, Dodge +10, 
  Evaluate, Interrogation +10, Intimidate +20, Literacy, Pilot 
  (Space Craft), Scholastic Lore (Astromancy, Legend, Imperial 
  Warrants), Search, Scrutiny, Secret Tongue (Rogue Trader, 
  Underdeck), Speak Language (High Gothic, Low Gothic, 
  Trader’s Cant). 
  Talents: Air of Authority, Decadence, Disturbing Voice, 
  Exotic Weapon Training (Digital Weapons), Iron Discipline, 
  Leap Up, Melee Weapon Training (Universal), Peer (Nobility, 
  Underworld), Pistol Weapon Training (Universal), Resistance 
  (Fear), Talented (Command), Touched by the Fates.
  Armour: Best Craftsmanship Integral Mesh-weave (Body 5, 
  Arms 5, Legs, 5)
  Weapons: Digi-melta (3m; S/–/–; 2d10+4E; Pen 12; Clip 
  1; Rld Full), Discipline—Best Craftsmanship Power Sword 
  (1d10+9 E; Pen 6; Balanced, Power Field, +5 to Parry).
  Gear: Micro-bead, voidsuit, wardrobe of ﬁ ne clothing, dress 
  uniform, working uniform, charm, ﬁ ltration plugs, auto quill, 
  data-slate, multicompass.
  Acceptable Losses: During combat, the Lord Captain can 
  spend one Fate Point to make one ally within 3 metres take 
  any attack aimed at her. This could take the form of her 
  using a follower as a human shield or distraction for a sniper. 
  Attacks blocked in this way can be ranged or melee, but the 
  GM should use common sense with this ability—Chorda 
  could not grasp a man who is chained to a pillar and 
  throw him in front of a melta-shot, for example. 
  
  106
  106
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IMPLACABLE FLAME—FLAGSHIP OF 
  THE CHORDA TRADE DYNASTY
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Modiﬁ ed Ignis-Class Cruiser
  Dimensions: 5.1 km long, 0.8 km abeam at ﬁ ns approx.
  Mass: 27.5 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 95,000 approx.
  Accel. 2.9 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Speed: 4  (6 in combat) 
   
  Manoeuvrability: +3 (+15 in combat) 
   
  Detection: +10 (+15 in combat)
  Void Shields: 2   
   
  Armour: 22 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 63
  Morale: 97 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 4  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Port 3, Starboard 3
  Space: 72 
   
   
  Power: 75
  Initially laid down in M37 at the Ryza yards as Searing Light, Implacable Flame was the lead ship of her class, the experimental and failed 
  Ignis-class heavy cruisers. Designed to carry devastating plasma weaponry in large broadside batteries, the Ignus class was to be a 
  close-quarters ship that would operate in squadrons of battleship killers. Their powerful engines and thick armour would allow them 
  to weather ﬁ re while they closed with larger prey, where concentrated plasma broadsides would cripple a target. While good in theory, 
  the plasma drives could not provide power for the weapons while maintaining thrust under heavy armour. Eventually it was decided 
  that the continued upkeep of the only Ignus vessel was too expensive and she was decommissioned and sold out of the service.
  Over the next few millennia she saw service with numerous provincial navies and private shipping concerns. She even spent 
  a few centuries as the ﬂ agship of a corsair clan. She was rebuilt so often that it’s thought her keel is the only part of the original 
  ship remaining. Unwanted, unloved, and unnecessarily maligned, she bounced from owner to owner then disappeared from 
  all records for at least a thousand years. Eventually, she turned up as a hulk in the Koronus Expanse at the Breaking Yards at 
  SR-651. It was there in her pitiful state that this much-reduced ship was noticed by Lord-Captain Aspyce Chorda. Encouraged 
  by one of her closest advisors, a representative of the Mechanicus, she purchased the sad hulk and returned her to the Drystan 
  Construction Yards in the Calixis Sector world for a lengthy and expensive overhaul.
  Finally, after decades of painstaking restoration and uncounted trillions of Thrones, Implacable Flame sails the void once again. 
  Unique and slightly ostentatious in her ﬂ ashy Chorda Dynasty livery, she cuts a ﬁ ne ﬁ gure among the ships of the Expanse, and is the 
  perfect standard bearer for her elegant and dangerous Mistress and Commander. Despite the loving restoration and slavish devotion of 
  her crew and ofﬁ cers, thanks to the millennia of abuse and neglect her machine spirit refuses to be placated or appeased. Her ofﬁ cers 
  and crew note how she’s slow to respond on peaceful cruises, as if sullen and acting just a little slower to infuriate those who sail her. 
  In battle however, she becomes truly alive, sprightly even, and both her engines and plasma batteries burn hot and true.
  Essential Components
  Jovian Pattern Class 4 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engines, Gellar Field, Multiple Void Shield Array, Command Bridge, Ancient Life 
  Sustainer, Pressed Crew Quarters, Auto-Stabilized Logis Targeter.
  Supplemental Components
  Port and Starboard Mars Pattern Macrocannon Broadside, Port and Starboard Ryza Pattern Plasma Battery, Prow Titanforge 
  Lance, Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay, Reinforced Interior Bulkheads, Micro Laser Defence Grid, Luxury Passenger Quarters, 
  Munitorium, Crew Reclamation Facility, Murder-Servitors.
  Armament and Ordnance
  Mars Pattern Macrocannon Broadsides (port and starboard): (Str 6; Dam 1d10+3; Crit 5; Range 6)
  Ryza Pattern Plasma Batteries (port and starboard): (Str 4; Dam 1d10+5; Crit 4; Range 5)
  Titanforge Lance Weapon (prow): (Str 1; Dam 1d10+4; Crit 3; Range 6)
  Complications and Special Rules
  Wrothful, Turbulent Past.
  • The Implacable Flame grants +5 to all Command Tests and +10 to all Ballistic Skill Tests to ﬁ re shipboard weapons. 
  • All crew loss in combat is reduced by 3 to a minimum of 1 (out of combat it is reduced by 4 to a minimum of 1). All Morale 
  loss is increased by 1. 
  • When conducting a Hit and Run action, the Implacable Flame grants +20 to the Command Test and may select any result 
  between 1 and 6 for the Critical Hit. 
  
  107
  107
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  Jonquin Saul
  O
  f all the ways for a Rogue Trader Dynasty to make its 
  fortune in the Expanse, honest trade is possibly the least 
  respected and most derided. The House of Saul, however, 
  holds no such prejudices. The bearers of a Warrant of Trade older 
  than Port Wander, the House of Saul has been pursuing business 
  interests in the Koronus Expanse since the earliest years of the 
  41st millennium. They have slowly built their immense fortune 
  on a foundation of solid business practices, conservative investing 
  and a ﬁ ne, detailed understanding of the markets within the 
  Expanse, the Calixis Sector, and beyond. The current head is the 
  dashing, charismatic Rogue Trader Jonquin Saul, who holds the 
  ostentatious and self-ascribed title of Trade-Admiral. 
  Like many of his peers, the Trade-Admiral was born into 
  wealth and luxury. The only child of Aesteban Saul and rightful 
  heir to the House of Saul’s Warrant, he was sailing aboard his 
  father’s ﬂ agship before he was weaned, and grew up playing 
  among the decks and being catered to by the voidmen and petty 
  ofﬁ cers in his father’s employ. A precocious and highly intelligent 
  child, he was a natural autodidact and absorbed everything 
  he heard or saw, quickly outpacing his peers and many of his 
  teachers. By his early teens, he had developed a fairly nuanced 
  understanding of both the family business and interstellar 
  trade in general, and was assigned as a Purser’s Mate 
  aboard one of his trade ﬂ agships. 
  As a Purser’s Mate, Saul got an inside view of the 
  workings of a massive trade organisation that few of his 
  peers had. He discovered new joy in mathematics and 
  ﬁ gures, and gained a clear understanding of how the 
  running of a trade ship was a small scale version 
  of running an entire organisation. He enjoyed 
  life aboard ship, the hard work and hard 
  play of the voidmen and the reﬁ nement of 
  the ofﬁ cers both appealed to him in equal 
  measure. The captain he sailed under was 
  a ﬁ rm believer of discipline up front: the 
  idea that having clear rules and high 
  expectations of yourself, your ofﬁ cers and 
  your crew drove men to succeed out of respect 
  for their ofﬁ cers and themselves. Through this 
  example, Jonquin came to understand that a well-
  fed, well-exercised, and well-paid crew was more 
  efﬁ cient and easier to control than a sullen, unruly, 
  dogged mass of men. He took to heart every lesson 
  he learned about voidmanship, mercantilism, and 
  ﬁ nancial responsibility, and when he was ﬁ nally 
  called upon to take his father’s place as head of the 
  Dynasty, he was more than ready.
  When old Aesteban abdicated, Jonquin 
  inherited a vast and powerful mercantile empire 
  well into its prime. Never one to take good fortune 
  for granted, the younger Saul jumped straight in to 
  the family business. Applying what he’d learned, he 
  set the Dynasty on a course that would make it one 
  of the wealthiest in the Expanse. 
  While not a risk taker in the physical 
  sense, Jonquin did have a taste for the kind 
  of risky business ventures that most traders shied away from. 
  He could feel the ebb and ﬂ ow of markets like a Navigator 
  feels the Warp, and he instinctively knew when to buy in and, 
  more importantly, when to cash out. At ﬁ rst, his practices 
  scandalised the older members of the Dynasty, and gave 
  his father cause to worry. Rarely did his investments fail to 
  yield great returns, however, and soon the family trusted and 
  respected his business and ﬁ nancial skills. 
  Now, after years of guiding his family’s vast commercial 
  empire through both fortune and famine, Trade-Admiral Saul 
  has enviable investments, a long list of impressive achievements, 
  and can count more people among his friends than his enemies. 
  His shrewd business acumen and preternatural abilities at deal-
  making and negotiating have not only increased his fortunes, 
  but have done the same for numerous allies and business 
  partners throughout the Expanse. Indeed, more than one 
  Merchant Captain or mercantile-minded Rogue Trader owes 
  at least some portion of their success to a favourable business 
  venture sponsored by the House of Saul. 
  The Trade-Admiral himself is a broad-shouldered and 
  handsome man in late middle age. An affable, good natured man 
  with a vaguely roguish cast to him, he is always ready with a 
  witticism or a compliment for a handsome young woman. Saul 
  cherishes wit and cleverness, both in himself and others, and 
  has a full, round laugh that comes easily and has a shockingly 
  infectious nature. While some may confuse his levity and 
  good nature for frivolity, they could not be more wrong. 
  Many a rival has gone into a negotiation with the 
  Trade-Admiral swaggering and overconﬁ dent, 
  only to be blindsided by his ruthless negotiations. 
  All, of course, delivered with a smile and in 
  a self-deprecating, mildly conciliatory 
  tone that leaves most of his competitors 
  completely unaware that they’d played 
  right into the Trade-Admiral’s hand. 
  He is also a deeply spiritual man, 
  a pious and fervent follower of the 
  God-Emperor given to daily prayer and 
  spirited theological conversation with his 
  particular friend, a well respected Missionary 
  named Lucius Yorke. While his faith in the God-
  Emperor is absolute and total, in recent years he 
  has found his faith in the Ministorum wavering. 
  He has sought the answer to his concerns in 
  books of scripture and the writings of the 
  Saints. Many of the books and scrolls and 
  ancient dataslates he has collected over 
  the years are of incredible antiquity, and 
  some of their lessons and philosophies 
  are shockingly heretical by the current 
  standards of the Ecclesiarchy. His long 
  studies and spiritual searching have only 
  led him to more questions. He is loathe to 
  discuss this with his friend Yorke, and has 
  been quietly searching out more and 
  more ancient texts and scriptures in 
  an attempt to get closer to what he 
  feels may be the true message 
  of the God-Emperor.
  understanding of both the family business and interstellar 
  trade in general, and was assigned as a Purser’s Mate 
  As a Purser’s Mate, Saul got an inside view of the 
  workings of a massive trade organisation that few of his 
  peers had. He discovered new joy in mathematics and 
  ﬁ gures, and gained a clear understanding of how the 
  running of a trade ship was a small scale version 
  of running an entire organisation. He enjoyed 
  life aboard ship, the hard work and hard 
  play of the voidmen and the reﬁ nement of 
  your crew drove men to succeed out of respect 
  for their ofﬁ cers and themselves. Through this 
  example, Jonquin came to understand that a well-
  fed, well-exercised, and well-paid crew was more 
  efﬁ cient and easier to control than a sullen, unruly, 
  dogged mass of men. He took to heart every lesson 
  he learned about voidmanship, mercantilism, and 
  ﬁ nancial responsibility, and when he was ﬁ nally 
  called upon to take his father’s place as head of the 
  When old Aesteban abdicated, Jonquin 
  inherited a vast and powerful mercantile empire 
  well into its prime. Never one to take good fortune 
  for granted, the younger Saul jumped straight in to 
  the family business. Applying what he’d learned, he 
  set the Dynasty on a course that would make it one 
  While not a risk taker in the physical 
  sense, Jonquin did have a taste for the kind 
  has a full, round laugh that comes easily and has a shockingly 
  infectious nature. While some may confuse his levity and 
  good nature for frivolity, they could not be more wrong. 
  Many a rival has gone into a negotiation with the 
  Trade-Admiral swaggering and overconﬁ dent, 
  only to be blindsided by his ruthless negotiations. 
  All, of course, delivered with a smile and in 
  a self-deprecating, mildly conciliatory 
  God-Emperor given to daily prayer and 
  spirited theological conversation with his 
  particular friend, a well respected Missionary 
  named Lucius Yorke. While his faith in the God-
  Emperor is absolute and total, in recent years he 
  has found his faith in the Ministorum wavering. 
  He has sought the answer to his concerns in 
  books of scripture and the writings of the 
  Saints. Many of the books and scrolls and 
  ancient dataslates he has collected over 
  the years are of incredible antiquity, and 
  some of their lessons and philosophies 
  are shockingly heretical by the current 
  standards of the Ecclesiarchy. His long 
  studies and spiritual searching have only 
  led him to more questions. He is loathe to 
  discuss this with his friend Yorke, and has 
  been quietly searching out more and 
  more ancient texts and scriptures in 
  an attempt to get closer to what he 
  feels may be the true message 
  of the God-Emperor.
  
  108
  108
  108
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  SAUL DYNASTY MERCHANT FLEET
  The trade ﬂ eet of the House of Saul is composed mainly of 
  numerous Vagabond, Pedlar and Exchequer-class merchantmen 
  and Jericho-class colony ships. While these massive bulk haulers 
  are certainly majestic, they are also slow, wallowing, poorly-
  handling tubs with thin armour and precious little in the way of 
  ordnance. To protect his trade convoys, Saul employs a rotating 
  list of preferred mercenary captains, privateers and even Rogue 
  Traders from smaller, less powerful dynasties on retainer to act 
  as escorts. Saul also uses his House’s considerable wealth to 
  hunt down any foolish enough to prey on his shipping, leaving 
  such activities as an act of desperation.
  SAUL DYNASTY INTERESTS
  The House of Saul is the perfect example of tenacity and courage 
  in the face of vague market forces, shortages, natural disasters, 
  pirates and import/export taxes. Their current interests within 
  the Expanse are evidence of a consistent guiding vision under 
  the leadership of level-headed, strong-willed men and women. 
  First and foremost, Trade-Admiral Saul is a merchantman. 
  His ﬂ eets crisscross the Expanse, carrying trillions of 
  megatonnes of bulk freight per annum and serving even the 
  most benighted and backwater worlds. In their holds they’ve 
  carried guns and grain, penitents and prisoners, detachments 
  of the Adeptus Astartes and even high ranking ofﬁ cials of 
  the Ecclesiarchy. Trade is the life’s blood of the Expanse, and 
  Trade-Admiral Saul is in the thick of it. 
  The House of Saul is also heavily invested in the transport 
  of colonists and missionaries to the far reaches of the Koronus 
  Expanse. As a faithful servant of the God-Emperor, the Trade-
  Admiral sees it as his duty to spread His message among the 
  heathen peoples of the Expanse. Indeed, one of the clauses of 
  the Saul family Warrant demands it. Many Missionaries and 
  other servants of the Ecclesiarchy have been borne to their 
  service in a ship wearing the livery of the House of Saul, and 
  the Trade-Admiral is lauded as a good and faithful child of 
  the Emperor amongst inﬂ uential members of the priesthood. 
  While Trade-Admiral Saul may skirt the law occasionally 
  in the pursuit of proﬁ t, he is by and large a faithful and law-
  abiding citizen of the Imperium. 
  CURRENT ENDEAVOURS AND 
  RUMOURED ACTIVITIES
  Currently, much of the wealth of the Saul Dynasty is tied up 
  in the Trade-Admiral’s plans for expanding into the Heathen 
  Stars region. Seeing vast potential for proﬁ t among the teeming 
  millions of benighted souls in that far-off region, he has 
  embarked on an aggressive campaign of investing, trading and 
  proselytizing. Word of this has spread among allies and enemies 
  alike, and for every friendly Rogue Trader or Missionary 
  ready to throw in with the Trade-Admiral, there are 
  two who are travelling all the way to the edge of the 
  Expanse to scuttle these plans, break the House of 
  Saul once and for all and exploit the riches of 
  the Heathen Stars for themselves.
  Aside from the previously mentioned ancient scriptures that 
  the Trade-Admiral is always in the market for, he has also put a 
  reward on any and all information relating to the fate or current 
  location of the merchantman once known as Exchequer. Jonquin 
  Saul dearly loves his ship. Attracted to her stout construction, 
  ease of maintenance and pleasant sailing, he has scoured both 
  the Expanse and the Calixis Sector collecting her sister ships. 
  He has nearly all of the class accounted for, and owns most of 
  those still in service, but one continues to elude him, the class 
  leader Exchequer. He is paying a premium for even the slightest 
  rumours of her whereabouts, and who knows what he might 
  give for the old girl herself.
  Saul Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  40
  37
  35
  42
  34
  51
  49
  41
  66
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
  Wounds: 20
  Fate Points: 2 
  Proﬁ t Factor: 93
  Skills: Awareness, Barter +20, Blather +10, Carouse, Charm 
  +20, Ciphers (Rogue Trader), Command +10, Commerce 
  +20, Common Lore (Adeptus Astra Telepathica, Adeptus 
  Mechanicus, Imperium, Imperial Navy, Koronus Expanse, Rogue 
  Traders) +20, Concealment, Deceive +10, Dodge, Evaluate 
  +20, Forbidden Lore (Archaeotech, Pirates, The Warp), Inquiry 
  +10, Literacy, Pilot (Space Craft), Scholastic Lore (Astromancy, 
  Bureaucracy, Heraldry, Imperial Warrants, Imperial Creed, 
  Legend, Philosophy) +20, Scrutiny +20, Secret Tongue (Rogue 
  Trader, Underdeck), Speak Language (High Gothic, Low Gothic, 
  Trader’s Cant), Tech Use, Trade (Voidfarer).
  Talents: Air of Authority, Decadence, Foresight, Good Reputation 
  (Ecclesiarchy, Government, Nobility), Jaded, Light Sleeper, 
  Master and Commander, Master Orator, Melee Weapon Training 
  (Universal), Nerves of Steel, Peer (Academics, Administratum, 
  Ecclesiarchy, Government, Nobility), Pistol Weapon Training 
  (Universal), Quick Draw, Renowned Warrant, Talented (Barter, 
  Charm, Commerce, Evaluate), Touched by the Fates.
  Armour: Best-Craftsmanship Enforcer Light Carapace (Arms 
  6, Body 6, Legs 6).
  Weapons: Reliant—Best Craftsmanship Archeotech Laspistol 
  (90m; S/3/–; 1d10+3E; Pen 2; Clip 70; Rld Full; Accurate, 
  Reliable, Never Jams), two spare clips, Best Craftsmanship 
  Power Maul (1d10+5 E or 1d10+9 E; Pen 2 or Pen 6; 
  Shocking or Shocking and Power Field).
  Gear: Micro-bead, Voidsuit, Wardrobe of ﬁ ne clothing, Dress 
  Uniform, Working Uniform, Charm, Filtration Plugs, Auto 
  quill, Data-Slate, Multicompass.
  Mercantile Genius: Saul is a master of trade and commerce, 
  and few are his equal. Wherever he is, he negotiates the 
  best possible deals for his dynasty, effectively commanding 
  a location’s resources. If Saul is in a star system, all Rogue 
  Traders in that system (including the Explorers) count their 
  Proﬁ t Factor as halved for the purposes of making Acquisition 
  Tests or Inﬂ uence Tests. (This does not actually halve their 
  Proﬁ t Factor). If they choose to deal directly with Saul, their 
  Proﬁ t Factor suffers a –10 penalty, instead of being halved. 
  
  109
  109
  109
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  NECESSARY EXPENDITURE—FLAGSHIP OF THE HOUSE OF SAUL
  Hull: Merchant Trader
  Class: Exchequer Class
  Dimensions: 2.8 km long, .5 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 10 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 21,000 crew approx.
  Accel. 1.8 Gravities max acceleration.
  Speed: 5  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +15 
   
   
   
  Detection: +14
  Void Shields: 1   
   
  Armour: 14 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 40
  Morale: 103 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Crack (40)
  Turret Rating: 1  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Dorsal 1, Keel 1
  Space: 40 
   
   
  Power: 40
  Necessary Expenditure is the rather tongue-in-cheek name of the richly appointed Exchequer-class merchantman operating as the 
  current Flagship of the House of Saul. In service with the Dynasty since its beginnings, she’s an old, staid, respectable ship, a 
  comfortable home in the cold void and much beloved by her crew. Laid down at Kormishoshi Dockyards in M38 as Almoner, 
  she and her sister ships, including the lead ship Exchequer, were designed and built to the speciﬁ cations of a wealthy Free Trader 
  who lost his fortune in a series of unfortunate events before he could claim his vessels. Almoner, Exchequer and their sisters lay 
  partially-completed on the slips for nearly a year before being sold at auction to cover the slip fees. 
  Almoner served her new owner and his family well for nearly four hundred years, gaining a reputation as a ﬁ ne sailor, if a little slow, 
  with stout construction and a mild temperament. After she was retired from service with the shipping magnate, the records of her career 
  become spotty and contradictory. At some point in her career she was heavily damaged in a warp storm, and was taken under tow 
  by an Imperial cruiser to the Navy yards at Drystan Station, after being discovered drifting in orbit around the gas giant Sekmet with 
  bloody bulkheads and no crew. It was after this last mysterious adventure, with dried blood still pooled under machinery and gumming 
  up hatch hinges, that she was purchased by an upstart Rogue Trader named Camilo Saul. He bought the old ship with the last of his 
  money and gave her the name Necessary Expenditure, a light-hearted nod to the price of doing business.
  Since then she has weathered all manner of storms, carried every cargo imaginable—and many beyond the ken of normal 
  citizens—and helped lay the solid foundations of the fortunes of the House of Saul. Throughout her service she has cradled 
  countless generations of the House of Saul and their retainers and voidmen in her safe, steady embrace. So beloved is she, 
  that even in death crew are loathe to leave her. Voidmen who have served aboard her claim to have been relieved by spectral 
  shipmates, or shown up to stand a watch only to ﬁ nd someone unknown standing it for them. Ghostly damage control teams 
  have responded to alarms during emergencies. There are whispers in her corridors, and occasionally the a faint sound of laughter 
  and music will echo from an empty compartment. Even Trade-Admiral Saul himself has witnessed the face of a long dead Void-
  Master appear on an auspex screen to warn of impending danger. While these strange events have all but stopped since a recent 
  overhaul and reﬁ t, the men still talk of their spiritual guides and ghostly shipmates, easing their fear by convincing themselves 
  that these ghosts of crews past are sent by the God-Emperor Himself to bring them success in their endeavours.
  Essential Components
  Modiﬁ ed Lathe Pattern Class 1 Drive, Strelov 1 Warp Engine, Void Shield Projectors, Gellar Field, Commerce Bridge, Ancient 
  Life Sustainer, Voidsmen Quarters, R-50 Auspex Multi-Band.
  Supplemental Components
  Dorsal and Keel Mars Pattern Macrocannons, Main Cargo Hold, Augmented Retro Thrusters, Tenebro Maze, Observation 
  Dome, Extended Supply Vault.
  Armament and Ordnance
  Mars Pattern Macrocannons (Dorsal): (Str 3; Dam 1d10+2; Crit 5, Range 6)
  Mars Pattern Macrocannons (Dorsal): (Str 3; Dam 1d10+2; Crit 5, Range 6)
  Complications and Special Rules
  Resolute, Haunted.
  • The spirits that haunt the Necessary Expenditure are known to the crew, and do not reduce shipboard Morale.
  • The ship gains a +10 to all Repair Tests, and imposes a –5 penalty on any Command Tests made to attempt to 
  board or perform hit and run attacks on her. 
  • When making Manoeuvre Tests to avoid Celestial Phenomena, the ship gains +5 to its Manoeuvrability.
  
  110
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  Aoife 
  Armengarde
  T
  radition and heritage are something Rogue Traders 
  often value far more than Thrones. They are currencies 
  more powerful (and often more tenuous) than wealth, 
  and for a group of individuals who by nature tread the edges 
  of the Imperium, one of the few means by which they retain 
  legitimacy in humanity’s eyes.
  The Armengarde Dynasty is no different than its fellows in 
  that regard. Familial lore claims the Dynasty’s Warrant predates 
  the founding of the Calixis Sector, and may even be as ancient 
  as the commissions of Stavos and Haarlock. Armengardes 
  fought alongside the Imperium during the Angevin Crusade, 
  plumbed the depths of the Hazeroth Abyss, traversed the 
  Drusus Marches, and when the Koronus Passage was opened, 
  were amongst the ﬂ ood of Rogue Traders who set out into 
  the Expanse. For millennia, the Dynasty has been a solid and 
  dependable presence amongst the ranks of Rogue Traders in 
  the Expanse. Armengardes tended to be modestly successful, 
  importing the Expanses’ riches back to the Imperial nobility of 
  the Sector—and in time, becoming nobility themselves. 
  Tradition and heritage, for the Armengardes, was something 
  to be prized and embraced—until 
  Aoife inherited the 
  Warrant. Her actions since adopting 
  the 
  mantle 
  of 
  Rogue Trader would likely have 
  shocked 
  her 
  ancestors just as much as they 
  shock the noble 
  circles her family travels in. 
  However, 
  she is also the ﬁ rst Armengarde 
  since the Crusade to become 
  truly renowned. 
  The 
  Armengardes 
  have 
  a 
  matriarchal tradition, with the oldest 
  female child inheriting the Warrant 
  upon the death of her mother. As ﬁ rst daughter, 
  Aoife grew up on Scintilla with the knowledge that 
  she would one day become a Rogue Trader. Her mother 
  Marcella was away for years at a time (her father died 
  before her birth), and Aoife grew up amongst the 
  Sector’s nobility and grandees. She was expected to 
  learn decorum and etiquette in this environment, and 
  become honed in the realm of political manoeuvring. 
  To the great dismay of her advisors and tutors, she 
  appeared to fail on all three accounts. 
  Whenever she could, Aoife shunned her studies 
  and avoided her tutors. Rather than visit formal 
  galas and banquets, she would vanish into the depths 
  of Hive Sibellus for weeks at a time, ride the land-
  crawlers across the wastes to Hive Tarsus, duel in the 
  deadly heat of Gunmetal City’s Infernus, and swing 
  from the chains below Ambulon.
  Even when she did acquiesce to her advisors’ 
  demands and frequent the rariﬁ ed circles of the noble 
  classes, the results were far from ideal. The spires of 
  Sibellus still hear the story of when Aoife Armengarde 
  ﬁ rst witnessed “spurring”—where members of the 
  nobility abduct underhivers, inject them with the drug spur, then 
  compel them to take part in a play or performance. The lucky 
  victims are only mocked, while others suffer injury or death from 
  the drug or the cruelties of their captors. While at a gala the 
  young scion witnessed such an entertainment, and she swiftly 
  denounced her host—a member of the Machenko Dynasty. The 
  resulting duel was to be to “ﬁ rst wound” only. Unfortunately for 
  the host, Aoife dealt her ﬁ rst wound by lopping off his hand. 
  The resulting feud between their dynasties continues to this day. 
  It was soon decided that the earlier Aoife began training 
  to be a Rogue Trader, the better. Marcella took her aboard 
  the Armengarde’s ﬂ agship, the Bansidhe. Both departed for the 
  Expanse, and Aoife would not return until her mother’s death, 
  several decades later. In that time, the carefree and rebellious 
  girl matured into an intelligent and strong-willed Rogue Trader. 
  However, she maintained her stubborn and idealistic core. 
  In the years since, Aoife has elevated the name of Armengarde 
  to new heights. Her exploits are extensive and varied, to the point 
  that it has grown difﬁ cult to tell truth from ﬁ ction. For instance, 
  it is no secret that Aremngarde avoided an arranged marriage by 
  her mother, and had a child later in life—her daughter and heir 
  Igraine. However if anyone in her dynasty knows the identity 
  of the father, they remain silent. Rumours abound: a low-decks 
  conduit-tender, a tragic romance with a Navy Fury squadron 
  commander, or even a secretive marriage with a full-ﬂ edged 
  Inquisitor. This last option is what worries Aoife’s enemies the 
  most—such an alliance would be powerful and dangerous. 
  Her exploits are equally legendary. She is said to have outwitted 
  the Pirate Prince Mordread Drakeholm, descended to the fabled 
  centre of the Dolorous Clouds, and dispatched two Ork 
  Kill Kroozers in the process of claiming a space hulk. It is 
  certainly no secret that she duelled a lieutenant of the Eldar 
  Corsair Ulthyr Ellarion—she carries his power sword at her 
  side as a trophy of her victory. Her apparent willingness 
  to disregard Imperial law and possess proscribed xenos 
  artefacts further demonstrates both her stubbornness 
  and that some unseen powers work to protect her.
  Aoife Armengarde is now nearing her ﬁ rst century 
  of age, though careful use of rejuvinat drugs and 
  treatments leave her looking young. She is ﬁ t and 
  athletic, with a wiry build. It is only when one 
  studies her closer that they can see her true 
  nature: the scars left from decades of conﬂ ict 
  and a gaze backed by a hundred years of 
  experience. She is far tougher—physically 
  and mentally—than she appears, and her 
  Eldar sword has claimed the lives of 
  countless foes who have dared to lock 
  blades with Aoife. 
  Unlike 
  many 
  starship 
  captains and Rogue Traders, 
  A o i f e 
  earns the loyalty of her 
  crew 
  through 
  charismatic leadership and 
  a genuine concern 
  for her subordinates. In 
  turn, they respond with a dedication to their Rogue 
  Trader that borders on devotion. She also keeps 
  a close cadre of advisors and allies aboard 
  her ship, some of which have been by her 
  side her entire life. Her Enginseer Prime, the 
  Warrant. Her actions since adopting 
  the 
  mantle 
  of 
  Rogue Trader would likely have 
  shocked 
  her 
  ancestors just as much as they 
  shock the noble 
  circles her family travels in. 
  However, 
  she is also the ﬁ rst Armengarde 
  since the Crusade to become 
  The 
  Armengardes 
  have 
  a 
  matriarchal tradition, with the oldest 
  female child inheriting the Warrant 
  upon the death of her mother. As ﬁ rst daughter, 
  Aoife grew up on Scintilla with the knowledge that 
  she would one day become a Rogue Trader. Her mother 
  Marcella was away for years at a time (her father died 
  before her birth), and Aoife grew up amongst the 
  Sector’s nobility and grandees. She was expected to 
  learn decorum and etiquette in this environment, and 
  learn decorum and etiquette in this environment, and 
  become honed in the realm of political manoeuvring. 
  To the great dismay of her advisors and tutors, she 
  appeared to fail on all three accounts. 
  Whenever she could, Aoife shunned her studies 
  and avoided her tutors. Rather than visit formal 
  galas and banquets, she would vanish into the depths 
  of Hive Sibellus for weeks at a time, ride the land-
  crawlers across the wastes to Hive Tarsus, duel in the 
  deadly heat of Gunmetal City’s Infernus, and swing 
  from the chains below Ambulon.
  Even when she did acquiesce to her advisors’ 
  demands and frequent the rariﬁ ed circles of the noble 
  classes, the results were far from ideal. The spires of 
  Sibellus still hear the story of when Aoife Armengarde 
  ﬁ rst witnessed “spurring”—where members of the 
  Her exploits are equally legendary. She is said to have outwitted 
  the Pirate Prince Mordread Drakeholm, descended to the fabled 
  centre of the Dolorous Clouds, and dispatched two Ork 
  Kill Kroozers in the process of claiming a space hulk. It is 
  certainly no secret that she duelled a lieutenant of the Eldar 
  Corsair Ulthyr Ellarion—she carries his power sword at her 
  side as a trophy of her victory. Her apparent willingness 
  to disregard Imperial law and possess proscribed xenos 
  artefacts further demonstrates both her stubbornness 
  and that some unseen powers work to protect her.
  Aoife Armengarde is now nearing her ﬁ rst century 
  of age, though careful use of rejuvinat drugs and 
  treatments leave her looking young. She is ﬁ t and 
  athletic, with a wiry build. It is only when one 
  studies her closer that they can see her true 
  nature: the scars left from decades of conﬂ ict 
  and a gaze backed by a hundred years of 
  and a gaze backed by a hundred years of 
  experience. She is far tougher—physically 
  and mentally—than she appears, and her 
  Eldar sword has claimed the lives of 
  countless foes who have dared to lock 
  blades with Aoife. 
  Unlike 
  many 
  starship 
  captains and Rogue Traders, 
  A o i f e 
  earns the loyalty of her 
  crew 
  through 
  charismatic leadership and 
  a genuine concern 
  for her subordinates. In 
  turn, they respond with a dedication to their Rogue 
  Trader that borders on devotion. She also keeps 
  a close cadre of advisors and allies aboard 
  her ship, some of which have been by her 
  side her entire life. Her Enginseer Prime, the 
  
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  Magos Verona 112358, and Master-at-Arms Paxton Reese 
  have been by her side since before her mother’s death, and 
  the Navigator House Aleen has provided Navigators to the 
  Armengardes since they arrived in the Expanse. 
  However, her stubbornness has earned her many implacable 
  enemies as well. The Machenko Dynasty is the most overt, with 
  both sides working to sabotage the others’ interests with an 
  intensity equal to a true war. However, they are far from the 
  only opponents to the Armengarde Dynasty. Aoife’s unyielding 
  determination to stand by her allies and oppose her enemies, no 
  matter the circumstances, means the Dynasty is not as wealthy 
  as it could be. Of course, however much this may dismay its 
  members, it seems not to worry its head. 
  ARMENGARDE DYNASTY INTERESTS
  Although the Armengarde Dynasty has traditionally relied on 
  trade to support its operational base, Aoife has taken her Dynasty 
  in a different direction during her tenure. The Dynasty owns a 
  substantial interest in various merchant houses and chartist captain 
  ships in the Calixis Sector. However, its investment in is largely 
  ﬁ nancial, with the Dynasty controlling very few physical assets. 
  Within the Expanse, the Aremngarde Dynasty’s assets are 
  focused around the ancient and powerful cruiser Bansidhe. 
  Aoife has shown little interest in developing trade routes or the 
  long-term exploitation of newly discovered worlds. Instead 
  she has built her fortunes on the twin pillars of smuggling 
  and exploration, selling valuable locations so that she may 
  continue exploring unhindered by long-term operations. 
  Aoife also runs blockades to deliver supplies to beleaguered 
  outposts and worlds, and smuggles rare and valuable items 
  past rival Rogue Traders or the Imperial authorities on the far 
  side of the Maw—though she tends to take such ventures for 
  the excitement they may provide, rather than the monetary 
  rewards. In the last decade, Aoife’s smuggling operations have 
  undercut several trade routes the House of Saul maintains, 
  putting her at odds with Trade-Admiral Jonquin Saul. Thus 
  far the rivalry has remained cordial—a surprisingly friendly 
  competition. How long that lasts remains to be seen.
  Rather than keeping a multitude of bases and installations, 
  the Armengarde Dynasty maintains a web of contacts and 
  agents across the more “civilised” portions of the Expanse. 
  Aoife prefers to maintain friends and loose allies, rather than 
  permanent facilities, making her Dynasty much harder to 
  attack. From Footfall to the Egarian Dominion, it is difﬁ cult 
  to ﬁ nd a colony or installation where someone doesn’t owe 
  the Armengardes “a small favour.” 
  CURRENT ENDEAVOURS AND 
  RUMOURED ACTIVITIES
  For the last twenty years Aoife’s daughter Igraine has remained 
  in the Calixis Sector amongst the nobility, just as Aoife did 
  while growing up. Aoife has been attempting to groom her 
  daughter for the day when she will take the Warrant from afar, 
  but rumours abound that she wants to see her daughter removed 
  from the poisonous intrigues of the Sector Capital, so they 
  may meet in Port Wander. However, there are certainly those 
  who desire to strike against the Armengarde heir while she is 
  unprotected, as Igraine’s worth to the Dynasty is incalculable. 
  Such a task may be more dangerous than it appears, however, 
  especially if Igraine is as competent as her mother. Then, of 
  course, there is also the matter of her mysterious father. 
  Recently, the Machenko Dynasty has begun to move against 
  the Armengarde interests in the Koronus Expanse with ever-
  increasing force. They have established a base of operations 
  somewhere in the Rubycon II system, and are sending armed 
  vessels to attack those associated with the Armengardes in the 
  past. In response, an Armengarde agent known as Master Dougal 
  has arrived at the Port. He is offering a great deal of wealth (and 
  future favours) for someone willing to eliminate this threat.
  Armengarde Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (4)
  60
  33
  37
  50
  35
  41
  31
  51
  62
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
  Wounds: 22
  Fate Points: 3 
  Proﬁ t Factor: 50
  Skills: Awareness+10, Barter +10, Blather+10, Carouse+20, 
  Charm +20, Ciphers (Rogue Trader, Nobilite Encoding), 
  Command +20, Commerce, Common Lore (Adeptus Astra 
  Telepathica, Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperium, Imperial Navy, 
  Koronus Expanse, Rogue Traders), Deceive +10, Dodge, 
  Drive (Ground, Skimmer), Evaluate, Forbidden Lore (The 
  Inquisition, Psykers, Xenos), Gamble +20, Inquiry +10, 
  Literacy, Pilot (Flyers, Space Craft)+10, Scholastic Lore 
  (Cryptology, Legend,), Scrutiny, Search, Secret Tongue 
  (Rogue Trader, Underdeck), Speak Language (High Gothic, 
  Low Gothic, Trader’s Cant), Tech Use.
  Talents: Air of Authority, Ambidextrous, Basic Weapon Training 
  (Universal), Bastion of Iron Will, Blademaster, Combat Master, 
  Counter Attack, Crippling Strike, Disarm, Enemy (Machenko 
  Dynasty), Exotic Weapon Training (The Mourning’s Edge), 
  Flame Weapon Training (Pistol), Good Reputation (Void Born, 
  Workers), Hardy, Into the Jaws of Hell, Iron Discipline, Jaded, 
  Master and Commander, Meditation, Melee Weapon Training 
  (Primitive, Universal), Nerves of Steel, Peer (Adeptus Mechanicus, 
  Inquisition, Middle Classes, Nobility, Void Born, Workers) Pistol 
  Weapon Training (Universal), Quick Draw, Renowned Warrant, 
  Resistance (Psychic Techniques), Strong Minded, Swift Attack, 
  True Grit, Touched by the Fates, Two-Weapon Wielder (Melee, 
  Ballistic), Wall of Steel.
  Armour: Concealed Xenos-mesh (Arms 4, Body 4, Legs 4).
  Weapons: The Mourning’s Edge—Unique Eldar Powersword 
  (1d10+10 E; Pen 7; Balanced, Power Field, +20 total to 
  Parry attempts), Hand Flamer (10m; S/–/–; 1d10+4E; Pen 
  2; Clip 2; Rld 2 Full).
  Gear: Chrono, micro-bead, Best Craftsmanship uniform, 
  Best Craftsmanship bionic arm, data-slate, multicompass. Best 
  Craftsmanship refractor ﬁ eld (see INTO THE STORM page 130).
  Inspired by Loyalty: Aoife’s charismatic leadership inspires 
  greater efforts from those who serve beside her. Once per 
  turn, one ally of Aoife’s choice may re-roll any one failed 
  Skill or Characteristic Test. 
  
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  BANSIDHE—FLAGSHIP AND HOME OF THE ARMENGARDES
  Hull: Cruiser
  Class: Lunar Class
  Dimensions: 5 km long, .8 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 28.5 Megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 80,000 crew approx.
  Accel. 2.4 Gravities max acceleration.
  Speed:5  
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +5 
   
   
   
  Detection: +10 
  Void Shields: 2   
   
  Armour: 20 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  Morale: 101 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 2  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Port 2, Starboard 2
  Space: 75 
   
   
  Power: 75
  The Bansidhe is an ancient vessel, a Lunar-class cruiser that has served the Imperium long before the Armengardes received 
  their Warrant. It is said the ship’s hull was originally constructed in the vast Jovian shipyards that share a sun with Holy Terra. 
  Appropriately, the name Bansidhe is also said to originate on Terra, taken from the oldest legends of that sacred world. Not even 
  the Armengardes know for certain how their dynasty obtained the ship, though they say it was awarded to them with their 
  Warrant. Certainly, when the Armengardes fought in the ranks of the Angevin Crusade, they did so from the Bansidhe’s bridge. 
  The Bansidhe’s armaments are largely unchanged from her original design. Her port and starboard sides both sport a powerful 
  macrocannon broadside and hulking lance turrets, the standard weapon loadout for the Lunar class. However, her torpedo 
  tubes have long since been removed for additional space, as has a great deal of the redundant armour plating of her prow. Even 
  so, it maintains the distinctive proﬁ le of an Imperial warship, the prow topped with a 50-metre-tall statue of Saint Celestine 
  containing the Bansidhe’s Gellar Field generator. 
  Most starships are expected to remain at void for months or years, but the Bansidhe is singularly well-equipped in that regard. 
  Vast supply vaults mean the ship is largely self-sufﬁ cient, and over the years the sizeable crew has evolved to become a true 
  community. In fact, visitors often observe that the Bansidhe feels more like a small city than it does a starship, a point Aoife does not 
  dispute. Various decks have evolved into markets and chambers into homes and businesses, including taverns, artisan-shops, galleys, 
  and unsanctioned chirurgeons. One could live in relative comfort for years amongst the Bansidhe’s decks. In fact, it is said that there 
  are many members of the crew who have never set foot on a planet’s surface, living and dying amongst the adamantium bulkheads. 
  However, those who derisively assume the ship’s “city-like” aspect weakens it in a ﬁ ght ﬁ nd themselves sadly mistaken. From 
  the forward barrack-holds ﬁ lled with mercenaries, to the grim charnel-halls of the ship’s reclamation facility, the Bansidhe is 
  more than prepared for combat. 
  Essential Components 
  Jovian-pattern Class 4 Drive, Strelov 2 Warp Engine, Warpsbane Hull, Multiple Void Shield Array, Ship Master’s Bridge, Vitae 
  Pattern Life Sustainer, Clan-kin Quarters*, R-50 Auspex Multi-band.
  Supplemental Components
  Port and Starboard Titanforge Lance Battery, Port and Starboard Mars Pattern Macrocannon Broadside, Cargo Hold and Lighter 
  Bay, Barracks, Extended Supply Vaults, Crew Reclamation Facility, Teleportarium.
  Armaments and Ordnance
  Port and Starboard Mars Pattern Macrocannon Broadsides (Port and Starboard): (Str 6; Dam 1d10+2; Crit 5, Range 6)
  Titanforge Lance Battery (port and starboard): (Str 2; Dam 1d10+4; Crit 3; Range 6)
  Complications and Special Rules
  Adventurous, Temperamental Warp Engine
  • Aoife devotes a great deal of resources into keeping her crew well-provisioned and content, and they repay her with loyalty. 
  All instances of Morale loss are reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1 (included in the total below). 
  • All Command Tests made to defend against boarding and hit-and-run actions gain +5. All hit-and-run attacks against 
  opponents gain +20. 
  • All sources of Morale loss are reduced by 1 to a minimum of 1. 
  • All sources of Crew Population loss are reduced by 3, to a minimum of 1. 
  • All Piloting and Navigation Tests gain +5. 
  • All Ballistic Skill Tests to ﬁ re shipboard weapons gain +10. 
  • When making emergency repairs, repair 1 additional Hull Integrity. 
  BANSIDHE—FLAGSHIP AND HOME OF THE ARMENGARDES
   +5 
   
   
   
  Detection: +10 
   20 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 70
  
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  Sarvus Trask
  F
  or centuries, the name of Trask was seldom heard 
  within the Koronus Expanse—it was the name of a 
  Rogue Trader Dynasty fallen to petty corruption and 
  self-centred hedonism, a small and easily dismissed family 
  with few prospects and fewer aspirations beyond minor 
  politics on the fringes of Imperial society. The Trask Warrant 
  of Trade was ﬁ rst awarded to Godwyn Trask during the 
  Age of Apostasy, an act that (according to some records) 
  was intended to take the inﬂ uential Godwyn away from the 
  shifting tides of Imperial politics. 
  In the 39th Millennium, the Trask Dynasty relocated to 
  the Calixis Sector on the frontier of the Imperium, placing 
  the Dynasty’s ailing fortunes into a long, slow decline. 
  Only recently has the name of Trask regained meaning and 
  signiﬁ cance amongst the powers of the Imperium and other 
  Rogue Traders—due entirely to the actions and efforts of its 
  newest scion: Sarvus Trask.
  As has become his particular style, Trask made a grandiose 
  and dramatic entrance to the political landscape of the Koronus 
  Expanse in 814.M41. He seized his Warrant of Trade upon the 
  death of his father and immediately made course for the Expanse 
  one step ahead of creditors from House Krin seeking remuneration 
  for his family’s large debts. As a Rogue Trader, Trask wasted no 
  time before venturing out on a series of adventures that brought 
  him great wealth and fame. He achieved for himself the status of a 
  rising star, a man to be watched—along with a darker reputation 
  for taking insane 
  risks to grasp any prize. Among these 
  journeys, 
  he 
  uncovered a lost Adeptus Mechanicus 
  Explorator vessel 
  and exchanged its location for 
  a gleaming suit of 
  power armour presented 
  by 
  the 
  grateful 
  Magos 
  of 
  Altar-
  Templum-Calixis-
  Est-17, and it is 
  rumoured that he 
  once 
  scrawled 
  his 
  name across the surface 
  of a lost planet within the 
  Hecaton Rift as a means of 
  claiming it for his own. 
  Not all of his encounters, 
  however, have led to such 
  fortune; 
  there 
  are 
  many 
  whispers upon Footfall that say 
  Sarvus Trask has gone slightly 
  mad, that his eyes have gazed into 
  the abyss and seen too much. Even his 
  own crew are reluctant to speak of their 
  Lord-Captain, other than to spread 
  tales of his recklessness.
  The madness that afﬂ icts Sarvus 
  Trask tends to manifest itself as a 
  wild, bombastic disregard for his own 
  safety and those of his retinue and crew. 
  In addition, he sometimes will speak to 
  an imaginary person or inanimate object 
  (such as his sword), consulting with 
  them before deciding on a plan of 
  action. So far, Trask (and the efforts of his loyal crew) have kept 
  these issues to a manageable level, and few of Trask’s friends 
  and rivals are even aware of the extent of his insanity.
  Known by his peers as a man with unbridled ambition, 
  Trask sees every setback as an opportunity for the advancement 
  of his dynasty. He has left the Imperium far behind and now 
  considers the Expanse to be his true home.
  TRASK DYNASTY INTERESTS
  Trask’s Dynasty has risen swiftly upon the back of fortuitous 
  ventures in exploration and founding trade routes into the 
  Unbeholden Reaches of the Expanse. Along the way, Sarvus 
  has laid claim to some extremely valuable ﬁ nds, including the 
  lost Adeptus Mechanicus vessel the Magos Absolom and the 
  Imperial Navy vessel Reliable. In addition to these triumphs, 
  Trask has set himself up quite comfortably within the Carros 
  system, where he re-discovered lost Imperial colonies ﬁ rst 
  founded by his ancestor Elayna. The resources within the 
  Carros system have provided Trask with a small ﬂ eet of system 
  ships and considerable reserves of promethium and manpower. 
  Much of this wealth has then been invested in the 
  Ecclesiarchy—it is well known that Trask seeks closer 
  ties with both the Adeptus Ministorum and the Adeptus 
  Mechanicus, establishing outposts and auto-temples upon far-
  ﬂ ung worlds along his journeys.
  A great deal of Trask’s remaining proﬁ t ends up being 
  funnelled into his vessel, the Cerberus—often for repairs suffered 
  during another daring adventure. Within the last two years, 
  multiple encounters with hostile xenos (particularly the rapacious 
  Rak’Gol) have required regular returns to the maintenance yard. 
  Although Trask’s ship often returns limping along with plasma 
  venting through holes in its superstructure, it has so far 
  always returned victorious from these conﬂ icts.
  CURRENT ENDEAVOURS AND 
  RUMOURED ACTIVITIES
  Most recently, Trask has been seeking an 
  opportunity to establish a stable Imperial 
  shipyard within the Carros system. 
  However, many of his peers consider this 
  a foolhardy effort, given the difﬁ culty of 
  providing adequate security and protection from 
  Ork Freebooters, given the proximity of 
  Undred-Undred Teef.
  It is rumoured that Trask has stumbled across 
  a stockpile of ancient Imperial atomic weapons 
  on some world within the Hecaton Rift, and 
  more than a few interested parties have had 
  meetings with Trask to discuss their sale or 
  distribution. So far, nothing more than talk 
  has resulted from these meetings, but 
  there are many on Footfall who are 
  conﬁ dent that Trask will be 
  making an announcement 
  soon regarding the 
  buyer.
  him great wealth and fame. He achieved for himself the status of a 
  rising star, a man to be watched—along with a darker reputation 
  risks to grasp any prize. Among these 
  uncovered a lost Adeptus Mechanicus 
  and exchanged its location for 
  power armour presented 
  by 
  the 
  grateful 
  Magos 
  of 
  Altar-
  Templum-Calixis-
  Est-17, and it is 
  rumoured that he 
  once 
  scrawled 
  his 
  name across the surface 
  of a lost planet within the 
  Hecaton Rift as a means of 
  claiming it for his own. 
  Not all of his encounters, 
  however, have led to such 
  fortune; 
  there 
  are 
  many 
  whispers upon Footfall that say 
  Sarvus Trask has gone slightly 
  mad, that his eyes have gazed into 
  the abyss and seen too much. Even his 
  own crew are reluctant to speak of their 
  Lord-Captain, other than to spread 
  tales of his recklessness.
  The madness that afﬂ icts Sarvus 
  Trask tends to manifest itself as a 
  wild, bombastic disregard for his own 
  safety and those of his retinue and crew. 
  In addition, he sometimes will speak to 
  an imaginary person or inanimate object 
  (such as his sword), consulting with 
  them before deciding on a plan of 
  funnelled into his vessel, the Cerberus
  during another daring adventure. Within the last two years, 
  multiple encounters with hostile xenos (particularly the rapacious 
  Rak’Gol) have required regular returns to the maintenance yard. 
  Although Trask’s ship often returns limping along with plasma 
  venting through holes in its superstructure, it has so far 
  always returned victorious from these conﬂ icts.
  CURRENT ENDEAVOURS AND 
  RUMOURED ACTIVITIES
  Most recently, Trask has been seeking an 
  opportunity to establish a stable Imperial 
  shipyard within the Carros system. 
  However, many of his peers consider this 
  a foolhardy effort, given the difﬁ culty of 
  providing adequate security and protection from 
  Ork Freebooters, given the proximity of 
  Undred-Undred Teef.
  It is rumoured that Trask has stumbled across 
  a stockpile of ancient Imperial atomic weapons 
  on some world within the Hecaton Rift, and 
  more than a few interested parties have had 
  meetings with Trask to discuss their sale or 
  distribution. So far, nothing more than talk 
  has resulted from these meetings, but 
  there are many on Footfall who are 
  conﬁ dent that Trask will be 
  making an announcement 
  soon regarding the 
  buyer.
  
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  Trask has modelled much of his actions on the legendary 
  exploits of Calligos Winterscale. The two men have met—
  most famously in a dinner held upon Footfall that began with 
  a tense standoff, but ended with both men holding great 
  respect for the other. So far, Trask has scrupulously avoided 
  encroaching into any of Winterscale’s operations, and some 
  of his bridge crew have began to speculate how long it will 
  be before Trask weighs in on the rivalry between Winterscale 
  and Aspyce Chorda. Trask is certainly anything but subtle, 
  and his recent overtures towards gaining a larger, more 
  powerful ship, and his designs upon creating a shipyard in his 
  home system have made him both a role model for younger 
  Rogue Traders and a target for those more established peers 
  who consider him a growing threat to their power.
  Trask Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  54
  44
  30
  41
  43
  42
  33
  50
  56
  Movement: 4/8/12/24 
   
  Wounds: 20
  Fate Points: 5 
   
  Proﬁ t Factor: 52
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Carouse (T) +10, Charm (Fel) +10, 
  Command (Fel) +10, Common Lore (Imperium, Koronus 
  Expanse, Rogue Traders) (Int), Deceive (Fel), Dodge (Ag), 
  Evaluate (Int), Gamble (Int), Literacy (Int), Pilot (Spacecraft) 
  (Ag) +10, Scholastic Lore (Astromancy, Legend) (Int), 
  Scrutiny (Per), Speak Language (High Gothic, Low Gothic) 
  (Int). 
  Talents: Air of Authority, Ambidextrous, Enemy (House 
  Krin), Exotic Weapon Training (digital weapon), Iron 
  Discipline, Jaded, Master & Commander, Melee Weapon 
  Training (Universal), Nerves of Steel, Pistol Weapon Training 
  (Universal), Quick Draw, Resistance (Fear), Sprint, Touched 
  by the Fates, Two-Weapon Wielder (Ballistic, Melee)
  Armour: Best Craftsmanship Power Armour (All 9)
  Weapons: Best Craftsmanship power sword (1d10+11 E; Pen 
  6; Balanced), two las-gauntlets with motion trackers (50m; 
  S/4/–; 1d10+4 E; Pen 1; Clip 20; Rld Full; Reliable); Best 
  Craftsmanship plasma pistol with red-dot laser sight (30m; 
  S/2/–; 1d10+6 E; Pen 6; Clip 10; Rld 3 Full; Overheat).
  Gear: Chrono, best-craftsmanship clothing, lord-captain’s 
  baton, Mefonte’s orthodoxy, micro-bead, photo-visor, 
  void-suit, Common Craftsmanship Bionic Heart, Best 
  Craftsmanship Bionic Eye.
  Crazy Enough To Work: Trask is undoubtedly mad, but 
  there are those who say he has a method to his insanity. Once 
  per combat (or other instance of structured time), Trask or one 
  of his allies gain a +10 bonus to all Tests he makes until the end 
  of that combat. If he ever fails a Test, he suffers a –20 penalty 
  to all Tests he makes until the end of that combat instead. 
  Favoured by Fate: Trask is unusually fortunate (some might 
  say suspiciously so). For the purposes of Touched by the Fates, 
  Trask gains a number of Fate Points equal to his Willpower 
  Bonus, not half his Willpower Bonus as per usual. 
  THE CERBERUS—FLAGSHIP IN THE 
  (EVENTUAL) GRAND FLEET OF TRASK
  The ﬁ rst ship in Sarvus Trask’s ﬂ eet and the ancestral ﬂ agship 
  of his dynstasy, the Cerberus is an old ship with a service record 
  spanning centuries. Originally, it served as a pilgrim vessel 
  before being purchased by Rogue Trader Elayna Trask in 402.
  M41. 
  Since that time, the Cerberus has been heavily modiﬁ ed 
  into a fast and extremely well-armed raider to match the 
  original capabilities of its hull. The ship contains immense 
  and powerful plasma batteries along with some proscribed 
  xenotech grav-sails—the source of which remains a secret 
  held only by the Trask family records. The ship is crewed by 
  a crack group of experienced voidfarers, kept well-motivated 
  by the (so-far) astounding success of Trask’s endeavours 
  amongst the stars.
  Many of the crew, however, spread stories that the ship 
  itself is haunted by the spirit of Elayna Trask. It is said that she 
  guides her heir through visions and dreams, although many 
  dismiss such tales as mere excuses for Sarvus Trask’s numerous 
  eccentricities.
  6; Balanced), two las-gauntlets with motion trackers (50m; 
  dismiss such tales as mere excuses for Sarvus Trask’s numerous 
  eccentricities.
  114
  114
  6; Balanced), two las-gauntlets with motion trackers (50m; 
  To my friend and colleague Malachi Stern,
  The man’s mad, I tell you! Oh, I grant you that he seems sane enough most 
  times, but I was there when he ordered us full speed ahead into the nebula, all 
  augurs blind and the Navigator fairly screaming for us to move with caution. 
  He’s got a horde of murder-servitors, all made up with his own likeness, and I 
  once saw him try to bargain with the Mechanicus for a Titan—not to use for 
  conquest, mind you, but to mount on the hull of his ship as a monument to 
  himself! Oh, that Sarvus Trask is a right mad one, for sure...but he’s lucky, 
  too, and he and his crew have gained great fortunes amongst the Expanse.
  – Missionary Ezekial Thone
  
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  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  Wrath 
  Umboldt
  Y
  ears of plying the Expanse and coming up empty-
  handed or worse would madden most Rogue Traders. 
  Wrath Umboldt has taken this sad experience and 
  instead reﬁ ned it into a sober view of reality, hoping one day 
  to make sense of all that fate has handed him. His journeys 
  of late have been low risk and reaped paltry rewards, but 
  also hazard less the horrors of the void so that he may spend 
  more of his valuable time reﬂ ecting on past misfortunes and 
  the lessons taken from them. His frugal aesthetic and sombre 
  disposition remind those who know him of the most pious 
  and humble of the faithful, yet his years upon the Righteous 
  Crusader have withered his soul to but a few bare threads.
  Among his many experiences, the unexpected voyage into 
  the Processional of the Damned haunts him most. Beyond 
  the eerie memories of horrifying visages, the confusion of 
  machine spirits, and the ghastly, dark mass at the system’s 
  centre lies the guilt of having abandoned some of his crew, 
  lost among the myriad husks ﬂ oating in orbit about the 
  turbulent star. Were their souls silenced by death he could 
  rest better, but rumours from other explorers who claim to 
  have reached the Processional say that desperate scavengers 
  skirt the system’s edges. These lost humans claim to be the 
  descendants of the Righteous Crusader’s past crew. Umboldt 
  proﬁ ted from this venture through rare artefacts he extracted 
  from the system’s space hulks, but these hollow earnings do 
  not bring him the sleep lost in the journey’s wake.
  BARSAPINE AND FIRST 
  ADVENTURES
  Umboldt hails from the bustling Calixis Sector hive world, 
  Barsapine. The unlikely heir to his family’s Warrant of Trade, 
  he laboured studiously under the tutelage of his uncle Luthin 
  Umboldt, expecting to inherit a cogitator factorium. When 
  word came that his grandfather, Kaden Umboldt, left the 
  Warrant in Wrath’s name, a number of other relations 
  quickly mobilized to intercept his inheritance 
  through guile and assassination. Wrath 
  outwitted his assailants. Having as little time 
  Hull: Raider
  Class: Modiﬁ ed Havoc-Class Merchant Raider
  Dimensions: 1.6 km long, 0.4 km abeam approx.
  Mass: 6 megatonnes approx.
  Crew: 24000 crew, approx.
  Accel: 5 gravities max sustainable acceleration
  Speed: 10 
   
   
  Manoeuvrability: +30 
   
   
   
  Detection: +21
  Void Shields: 1   
   
  Armour: 16 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity: 30
  Morale: 100 
   
   
  Crew Population: 100 
   
   
   
  Crew: Veteran (50)
  Turret Rating: 1  
   
  Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Dorsal 1
  Space: 40 
   
   
  Power: 45
  Essential Components
  Jovian Pattern Class 2 Plasma Drive, Strelov 1 Warp Engine, Gellar Field, Single Void Shield Array, Combat Bridge, M-1.r Life 
  Sustainer, Voidsmen Quarters, M-201.b Augur Array
  Supplemental Components
  Gravity sails, murder-servitors
  Armament and Ordnance
  Ryza Pattern Plasma Battery (Dorsal): (Str 4; Dam 1d10+5; Crit 4; Range 5)
  Sunsear Laser Battery (Prow): (Str 4; Dam 1d10+2; Crit 4; Range 9)
  Complications and Special Rules
  Stoic, Haunted.
  • Whenever a Component on this ship becomes damaged or unpowered, roll 1d10—on a 7+ the damage is ignored.
  • Any attempts to board or Hit and Run against the Cerberus suffer a –5 penalty. When conducting a Hit and Run, the Cerberus 
  gains +20 to the Command Test and may select any Crit Result between 1 and 6. 
  • All Tech-Use Tests to repair the ship gain +10. 
  Manoeuvrability:
  Manoeuvrability: +30 
   
   
   
   +30 
   
   
   
  Detection:
  Detection:
   16 
   
   
   
   
  Hull Integrity:
  Crew Population:
   Veteran (50)
  
  116
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  IV: Famous Rogue Traders
  as they to process this winning opportunity he predicted their 
  response, calculated the threats, and made his escape on the 
  Righteous Crusader. He never did return to Barsapine and only 
  inquires cordially when met with an acquaintance recently 
  arrived from the Adrantis Nebula. Since ﬂ eeing the hive world, 
  his family has neither attempted contact nor risked attack.
  Since his escape from Barsapine, Umboldt has travelled the 
  width and breadth of the Koronus Expanse, if only having 
  encountered a small fraction of what it had to offer. He made 
  signiﬁ cant proﬁ ts in his early years and gathered knowledge 
  that would serve him well during his later trials. However, as 
  time passed he suffered setbacks including dead end missions, 
  heavy crew losses, and a mutiny he barely survived. The 
  discovery of the Processional of the Damned made him famous 
  with the Expanse’s explorers but changed the course of his life 
  dramatically. At that time, Umboldt withdrew to his quarters on 
  the Righteous Crusader and spent more and more time berthed 
  in Port Wander. A crew still mans his ship and enjoys a share 
  of his wealth but they wonder just how long his coffers can 
  support them without going deeper into the Expanse.
  PORT WANDER, TALES OF WARNING
  Longingly, Umboldt looks out upon the void. His Warrant afforded 
  him an escape from a life he did not desire administering a hive 
  world factorium, and yet condemns him to a life of misfortunes 
  experienced at a grand scale. The lives of thousands rest in his 
  hands, responsible for manning his ship and carrying out his 
  commands. Though loyal today, they have in the past rebelled, 
  suffered, and only on rare occasion enjoyed rewards for their long 
  years spent in the Expanse. Fortunately for all involved, Umboldt’s 
  few successes have afforded him and 
  his crew a lions share and to date, 
  his mind for ﬁ scal matters has kept 
  them comfortable in their refuge at 
  Port Wander.
  For now, he tentatively plans future 
  voyages through the Expanse and counsels 
  those who have heard of his mishaps in the 
  Processional of the Damned and elsewhere on 
  their activities. Surprisingly friendly, Umboldt 
  sacriﬁ ces a competitive edge to give advice 
  to those in need of it. Though known for 
  his troubles in the Processional, he has 
  committed himself to many ventures and 
  met with varying degrees of success. 
  His 
  experience 
  has 
  enough 
  breadth to provide both advice 
  to those who would seek 
  him out and room for his own 
  machinations in the future.
  To ﬁ nd Wrath Umboldt, one should 
  start by checking for the Righteous 
  Crusader 
  docked 
  in 
  Port 
  Wander. Once the hands 
  working about the docks 
  ascertain the identity of 
  the interested party 
  and decide that 
  it might be worth the Umboldt’s time to arrange for a meeting 
  they will send for Fritz Dormund. The ship’s ambassador and 
  Umboldt’s most trusted ally, Fritz sees to it that guests have 
  all the courtesy the Righteous Crusader has to offer and inquires 
  about the details for the visit. Once Umboldt arrives to greet 
  his guests, he knows why they have come and has prepared a 
  well thought out response to their questions.
  For his trials, Umboldt suffers few augmentations and scars. 
  An ornate bionic device replaces his left hand, complete with 
  brass-inlaid ﬁ ngers and metacarpals in addition to a ﬂ exible 
  rotation device set where he once had a wrist. His clothing is 
  simple, elegant, and old, but fastidiously well-kept. Listeners 
  sometimes feel rushed by his no-nonsense, utilitarian diction, 
  as though he wishes to dispense his wisdom as quickly as 
  politeness dictates and then send his guests on their way. 
  However, when they impress him with their adventures, he 
  praises them for their insights and encourages them 
  to visit again. Those that approach him amiably 
  often leave satisﬁ ed with his wisdom and some make 
  regular visits, especially if they have stories to tell.
  SPEAKING OF UMBOLDT
  A peculiar tradition has settled in with the denizens of 
  Port Wander when discussing the exploits of the rich and 
  powerful: when Wrath Umboldt comes 
  up, one only speaks of him with 
  respect for his experience, 
  never insults his name, and 
  under no circumstances makes 
  light of his misfortunes. On 
  this last point everyone agrees, 
  even the slanderous Rogue Trader 
  Castigar 
  Aciris 
  who 
  recently 
  decided to keep his criticisms of 
  Umboldt to himself. This pervasive 
  sentiment expresses a superstitious dread 
  felt by the port’s citizens. Many believe 
  Umboldt to have a curse of sorts, perhaps 
  issued from the God-Emperor as a test 
  of will, a moulding of character, or a 
  punishment for some hitherto undisclosed 
  sin. To insult or scoff at him might offend 
  the saints.
  USING UMBOLT
  Unlike the other Rogue Traders in this section, Wrath 
  Umbolt does not have a proﬁ le or a starship. This is 
  because Umbolt is intended for a different purpose. He 
  is a valuable resource for new Explorers, a potential 
  mentor with useful advice and guidance, or simply 
  someone who can pass along rumours and stories 
  that may lead to adventures in the Expanse. However, 
  he also exists to serve as a cautionary tale. Players 
  should keep in mind that for every fortune made in the 
  Expanse, there are a dozen failures, and Umbolt is an 
  example that failure is all too easy. 
  them comfortable in their refuge at 
  For now, he tentatively plans future 
  voyages through the Expanse and counsels 
  those who have heard of his mishaps in the 
  Processional of the Damned and elsewhere on 
  their activities. Surprisingly friendly, Umboldt 
  sacriﬁ ces a competitive edge to give advice 
  to those in need of it. Though known for 
  his troubles in the Processional, he has 
  committed himself to many ventures and 
  met with varying degrees of success. 
  His 
  experience 
  has 
  enough 
  To ﬁ nd Wrath Umboldt, one should 
  Righteous 
  working about the docks 
  ascertain the identity of 
  the interested party 
  and decide that 
  praises them for their insights and encourages them 
  to visit again. Those that approach him amiably 
  often leave satisﬁ ed with his wisdom and some make 
  regular visits, especially if they have stories to tell.
  SPEAKING OF UMBOLDT
  A peculiar tradition has settled in with the denizens of 
  Port Wander when discussing the exploits of the rich and 
  powerful: when Wrath Umboldt comes 
  up, one only speaks of him with 
  respect for his experience, 
  never insults his name, and 
  under no circumstances makes 
  light of his misfortunes. On 
  this last point everyone agrees, 
  even the slanderous Rogue Trader 
  Castigar 
  Aciris 
  who 
  recently 
  decided to keep his criticisms of 
  Umboldt to himself. This pervasive 
  sentiment expresses a superstitious dread 
  felt by the port’s citizens. Many believe 
  Umboldt to have a curse of sorts, perhaps 
  issued from the God-Emperor as a test 
  of will, a moulding of character, or a 
  punishment for some hitherto undisclosed 
  sin. To insult or scoff at him might offend 
  the saints.
  
  117
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  EGARIA OMEGA
  •
  SECRETS OF 
  EGARIA
  •
  INTO THE MAZE
  •
  AT THE HEART OF 
  THE MAZE
  •
  ANTAGONISTS AND 
  NPCS
  
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  Chapter V: 
  Vaults of the 
  Forgotten
  “There are places in the Dominion where even old Winterscale 
  himself dared not tread. Sure, his Writ of Claim said he could, but 
  he didn’t. Maybe you’d be best to follow his example, friend…”
  –Cold Trader Mad Kal (retired)
  F
  or many centuries, the curious, the avaricious, and the 
  downright foolish have been drawn to the deathly 
  worlds of the Egarian Dominion to seek their fortunes 
  amongst the ruins of a long-dead civilisation. Though no 
  more than a handful have ever returned, untold numbers 
  make the perilous journey each year. Some seek the dubious 
  fortunes of the Cold Trade or forbidden lore, while some seek 
  communion with powers long extinct from the galaxy.
  Vaults of the Forgotten takes the Explorers into one such 
  dark and deadly place—the world of Egaria Omega. But 
  far from empty catacombs and dusty treasure chambers, the 
  Explorers ﬁ nd themselves pitched into a battle for their very 
  survival. The Egarians might be long gone from their stellar 
  domains, but the savage and bloodthirsty Rak’Gol are a very 
  real threat indeed, and one that the Explorers must overcome 
  if they are to exploit the riches of the Cold Trade.
  THE SETTING
  The adventure is set on the dead world of Egaria Omega, 
  deep in the Egarian Dominion. The planet is known to host 
  at least one Egarian maze city, and the Kasballica Mission has 
  sponsored a xenoarcheological expedition to plunder its riches. 
  But the expedition has thus far failed to pay dividends, and the 
  Mission is pushing its overseer for results. The Explorers have a 
  stake in the expedition (see the “Using this Adventure” sidebar 
  for more on this), but the dig’s overseer resents their presence, 
  for all is not as it seems on Egaria Omega.
  The reason for this resentment is awful indeed, for the 
  Overseer is concealing a terrible secret. Eight months ago, 
  he discovered a halo artefact, and conspired to keep it 
  for himself. During a confrontation with his deputy, who 
  had discovered the overseer’s duplicity, he plunged it into 
  the other man’s heart and in so doing brought about the 
  unholy birth of a man-xenos hybrid. The monster ﬂ ed to 
  the nearby maze city, but ever since has preyed on the 
  hapless expedition staff. Not long after the Explorers’ 
  arrival, the marauding Rak’Gol descend upon the dig 
  site, intent on sating their ravening hunger for xenos 
  artefacts and pitching the entire expedition into 
  bloodshed and anarchy.
  GM’S BRIEF
  Vaults of the Forgotten introduces the Explorers to a 
  location and situation in many ways typical of the Egarian 
  Dominion. They will meet some of the characters that 
  ply the Cold Trade, and become embroiled in the type of 
  dangerous situation that can ensue when things go wrong 
  far beyond the borders of the Imperium. 
  The expedition site is populated by the servants of the 
  Kasballica Mission, and they range from the brutal overseer 
  and his guards to the dedicated xenoarchaeologists and the 
  indentured workers that aid them. The staff presents the 
  Explorers with a wide cross section of those who pursue the 
  Cold Trade, whether through their own choice or through 
  circumstance. The Rak’Gol represent another side of the 
  Egarian Dominion, for these savage, seemingly mindlessly 
  violent xenos are an ever-present and lethal threat to any who 
  would seek their wealth out amongst the cold worlds at the 
  heart of Winterscale’s Realm.
  Vaults of the Forgotten is also an unusual adventure, in 
  that the Explorers become involved in the Egaria Omega 
  expedition not as masters of all they survey but as partners to 
  the Kasballica Mission. They may be present at the dig for a 
  variety of reasons, but they do not have complete charge over 
  its staff or operations. Of course, they may well rise to the 
  challenge of leadership when the Rak’Gol attack, but how 
  successful they are in this will depend upon how they have 
  interacted with the various factions amongst the dig staff.
  Throughout the adventure, Achievement Points are used to 
  track the Explorers’ progress (see page 278 of Rogue Trader 
  for more details on Endeavours and Achievement Points). 
  The points are intended to contribute towards the adventure 
  ending in a manner conducive to the Explorers’ Proﬁ t Factor. 
  While some awards may appear to be earned for fairly trivial 
  things at the time they are awarded (such as befriending the 
  indentured workers) doing so will be revealed to have had a 
  positive effect when the dust settles and the Explorers take 
  stock of events at the end of the adventure.
  At the end of the adventure, the Explorers will have 
  survived the maze city and the monstrous beast lurking in its 
  dark passageways, and defeated a ravening horde of Rak’Gol. 
  With any luck, they will have shown themselves bold leaders, 
  taking charge of the defence of the expedition and rallying 
  
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  ADVENTURE SEEDS
  There are a number of ways Vaults of the Forgotten can be integrated into an existing campaign, a few examples of 
  which are presented below. As the expedition to Egaria Omega has been sponsored by the Kasballica Mission, which is 
  based on Footfall, these adventure seeds all assume that the PCs have at some point stopped off there and got themselves 
  involved, one way or another, in this undertaking. If this is not convenient to the GM (perhaps because the Explorers 
  dare not set foot there having made powerful enemies!) then the business of buying in to the venture could always have 
  been conducted elsewhere, or by brokers and agents of the Explorers’ dynasty.
  Each of these Adventure Seeds is an Endeavour (see page 279 of ROGUE TRADER). If the group does not meet an 
  Endeavour’s Requirements, then doing so could either form part of the adventure, the GM could forego the requirement, 
  or he could simply choose one that does apply.
  ADVENTURE SEED 1: A SIMPLE CONTRACT
  Lesser, +1 Proﬁ t Factor, Trade
  The Explorers have been commissioned to make a supply run to the Egaria Omega expedition, payment being offered 
  as a stake in its outcome. They are not made aware that the patrons of the expedition are the agents of the Kasballica 
  Mission, though they may ﬁ nd this out during the adventure itself. Ferrying the supplies from their vessel to the surface 
  should take around twelve hours, during which time the Explorers have plenty of opportunity to interact with the staff 
  and become embroiled in unfolding events.
  Requirements: The Explorer’s vessel must have the Cargo Hold and Lighter Bay Supplemental Component.
  ADVENTURE SEED 2: AGENTS OF THE MISSION
  Lesser, +1 or 2 Proﬁ t Factor, Criminal
  The Explorers have connections with the Mission and have been asked to visit the expedition to ﬁ nd out why it has yet 
  to deliver any results. The Explorers can handle this task however they like, interviewing the overseer, touring the site 
  and interacting with the staff.
  Requirements: At least one of the Explorers must have the Good Reputation (Underworld) Talent, in which case this 
  Endeavour will earn +1 Proﬁ t Factor, or the Peer (Underworld) Talent, which will earn them +2 Proﬁ t Factor (the 
  Kasballica Mission is willing to pay well for the best!).
  ADVENTURE SEED 3: WINDFALL
  Greater, +3 Proﬁ t Factor, Trade
  One of the group has won a cut in the Egaria Omega expedition in a high-stakes game of regicide in one of the less 
  respectable gambling dens of Footfall. The visit to Egaria Omega has been arranged so that the Explorers can familiarise 
  themselves with the undertaking, and events proceed from there.
  Requirements: The group must have a Proﬁ t Factor of at least 40 (it was a high stakes game that not just anyone was 
  allowed to enter!)
  ADVENTURE SEED 4: A DEAL TOO GOOD TO PASS UP
  Greater, +x Proﬁ t Factor, Special
  Agents of the Kasballica Mission have approached the Explorers and offered them a stake in the Egaria Omega 
  expedition. They are visiting in order to size up the offer before putting their money where their mouth is.
  Requirements: The group must stake between two and four points of their Proﬁ t Factor in their investment in the 
  expedition. If the Endeavour is successful, they receive double that number of points back. If it is not, they lose the 
  points from their total.
  THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
  Whichever of the Adventure Seeds is used, the Explorers are provided with a Letter of Introduction, which they must 
  present to the overseer of the Omega Dig upon arrival at Egaria Omega. The overseer will not be expecting such a visit, 
  and presenting the letter will ensure that the Explorers are accepted for who and what they are—partners with a share 
  in the enterprise who should be treated with respect. 
  Should it occur to any especially sneaky Explorers to attempt to tamper with the letter, there is a chance this will be 
  discovered, for the Mission is not stupid and utilises various ciphers, known to its agents and servants, to guard against 
  such things. Doctoring the Letter of Introduction requires both a Hard (-20) Deceive Test and a Hard (-20) Trade 
  (Scrimshawer) Test. The Game Master should apply further modiﬁ ers based on the exact nature of the lies the players 
  dream up, and how likely the overseer is to believe them. If either of the tests are failed the overseer will know that 
  something is wrong and distrust the Explorers from the moment he meets them, with whatever consequences the GM 
  chooses to impose in further Interactions with him.
  
  120
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  its beleaguered staff. Doing so will put them in a powerful 
  position with the Kasballica Mission, and ﬁ ll their coffers for 
  quite some time to come. 
  SYNOPSIS
  Vaults of the Forgotten consists of three parts, each punctuated 
  by a number of events and encounters. Throughout each 
  part, the Explorers will meet and interact with a variety of 
  characters and face a range of challenges, from uncovering 
  hidden secrets to full blown combat.
  PART 1: SECRETS OF EGARIA
  The Explorers arrive on Egaria Omega and are introduced 
  to the staff of the Omega Dig. They come into contact 
  with each of the various factions amongst the staff, and 
  may learn something of the mysterious disappearances that 
  have occurred of late. Part 1 culminates with a sudden and 
  unheralded attack on the Omega Dig by the savage Rak’Gol.
  PART 2: INTO THE MAZE
  The Rak’Gol prove unstoppable in their furious assault, 
  and the staff of the Omega Dig have no option but 
  to ﬂ ee for the (relative) safety of the maze city. 
  The Explorers are pitched into a battle for their 
  very lives, affording them the opportunity to 
  shine as heroes, or to save their own skins. 
  Once inside the maze city the Explorers must contend with 
  growing friction amongst the factions, before discovering 
  that they are not alone within the alien passageways. First 
  they encounter an Eldar Corsair on a mysterious mission, 
  and then they are faced with the monstrous hybrid of man 
  and xenos responsible for the disappearances of so many of 
  the staff.
  PART 3: AT THE HEART OF THE MAZE
  The adventure concludes with the Rak’Gol breaking into 
  the maze city at the very moment the Explorers discover the 
  monster at the heart of the Maze City. The mission of the 
  Eldar Corsair is revealed as she attempts to seal the maze 
  city forever. The Explorers must deal with a rampaging xenos 
  hybrid, a capricious alien and marauding Rak’Gol whilst 
  looking to save their own lives, those of the staff and (perhaps 
  most importantly) escape with their proﬁ t factor intact!
  Planetary Data-fax: Egaria Omega
  Population: 0
  Tithe Grade: N/A
  Special Notation: Uncategorized.
  Geography/Demography: Cold. Abiding climate is arid with 
  constant winds, ranging from low to moderate to storm 
  force. High amounts of airborne particulates scoured from 
  the plains make exploration hazardous, especially using 
  conventional aircraft. Topography is largely uncharted, 
  but no surface seas are known to exist. Small amounts of 
  frozen liquid observed at poles, but no samples are known 
  to have been taken. Equator is ringed by a substantial 
  mountain range, on a plateau of which a single Egarian 
  Maze City has been discovered. Further exploration of the 
  mountains has proven inconclusive. No autochthonic life 
  forms known to exist and no further lifeforms are known to have been introduced.
  Governmental Type: Subject to the Winterscale Writ of Claim.
  Planetary Governor: Heirs to the Winterscale Writ hold nominal title (non-ratiﬁ ed, pending 
  nominal exclusion process).
  Adept Presence: 0
  Military: N/A
  Trade/Economy/Addendum: An estimated total of twelve ofﬁ cially-recognised expeditions 
  have been mounted to chart Egaria Omega, with only limited survey results submitted to 
  the proper authorities. In recent years the Kasballica Mission has sponsored several more 
  expeditions, none with ofﬁ cial recognition. A single Egarian Maze City has been discovered, 
  but all attempts to penetrate it have failed. The Mission has sponsored the latest “Omega 
  Dig,” initially conﬁ ning its activities to plateau surrounding the city. Very little has 
  been discovered and the Mission has ordered the dig staff to begin operations inside the 
  city itself.
   Cold. Abiding climate is arid with 
  force. High amounts of airborne particulates scoured from 
  the plains make exploration hazardous, especially using 
  conventional aircraft. Topography is largely uncharted, 
  but no surface seas are known to exist. Small amounts of 
  frozen liquid observed at poles, but no samples are known 
  to have been taken. Equator is ringed by a substantial 
  mountain range, on a plateau of which a single Egarian 
  Maze City has been discovered. Further exploration of the 
  mountains has proven inconclusive. No autochthonic life 
  forms known to exist and no further lifeforms are known to have been introduced.
   Subject to the Winterscale Writ of Claim.
  IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
  
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  Egaria Omega
  “There are many tales of woe told of the worlds of the Egarian 
  Dominion. None are told about Egaria Omega, for no one’s alive to 
  tell them…”
  –Lord-Captain Harak Catallus VII
  T
  he world classiﬁ ed as Egaria Omega is one of 
  seventy-two catalogued stellar bodies in the Egaria 
  Abundus/12 system. The system’s star is old, its light 
  weak and its biosphere extends only half an Astronomical 
  Unit. The system hosts six main bodies—two barren rocks, 
  two gas giants and two that are little more than large chunks 
  of ice. The ﬁ rst ﬁ ve bodies from the star have no satellites 
  at all, but Egaria Abundus/12f, the outermost world, has 
  an incredible sixty-six, leading astronomers to posit that 
  Abundus/12f ’s gravity captured the satellites blown from the 
  orbit of their original hosts in some ancient stellar upheaval.
  Not all of these satellites orbit 12f itself; many are 
  secondary bodies orbiting the world’s own satellites, creating 
  a complex sub-system out on the system’s edge. Moons 
  orbit moons in an incredibly complex stellar ballet, making 
  passage between them unpredictable and dangerous as tidal 
  forces radically re-align with the ever-shifting conﬁ gurations 
  of the satellites. While 12f itself is uninhabitable, at least ﬁ ve 
  its moons are thought to harbour a breathable atmosphere. 
  The remainder have too weak a gravity to sustain their own 
  atmospheres, and any gases exuded from these bodies are 
  soon stolen away by their larger siblings.
  The sheer unpredictable nature of this system-within-a-
  system is one of the main reasons its bodies remain all but 
  unknown. Capital vessels are in danger if they linger too 
  long within the Abundus/12f sub-system, meaning that 
  expeditions to any of the satellites must be conducted by 
  long-range reconnaissance in smaller, more nimble vessels. It 
  is unknown how many ships have ﬂ oundered amongst the 
  complex tides of Abundus/12f, for a vessel can be becalmed 
  in an instant as it is locked in the gravity neutral “Lagrange 
  point” between several bodies, and then expelled violently 
  the next as another mass exerts its capricious inﬂ uence.
  Egaria Omega is the only world within the system known 
  to have been the target of sustained exploration, possibly 
  because it is the largest of 12f ’s unruly children and has a 
  breathable atmosphere. In common with most of the dead 
  worlds of the Egarian Dominion, Egaria Omega is an arid, 
  windswept planet, the majority of its surface dominated by 
  wind-scoured plains and twisted mountain ranges. The skies 
  are choked with airborne dust, which gathers in vast storms 
  that make much of the surface perilous to explore at best, 
  and impossible to survive in without a sturdy survival suit at 
  worst. With so many bodies soaring through its skies, there is 
  no easily predicted day/night cycle on Egaria Omega. Even 
  when the system’s star is high in the sky, it is eclipsed several 
  times a day, and when it is not, its light reﬂ ects from dozens 
  of the smaller bodies, casting moving shadows across the 
  moonlit night.
  The world falls under the Writ of Claim of the 
  Winterscale domains, but that has not stopped numerous 
  parties attempting to exploit the riches that many claim lays 
  waiting beneath its wastes to be taken by those bold enough 
  to penetrate its dangers.
  Over the centuries, countless adventurers have lost their 
  lives on Egaria Omega, drawn there by the lure of the Cold 
  Trade. Few have ever returned, and those that have rant and 
  rave about voices on the storm, their every waking moment 
  haunted by the dreams of a long dead xenos race. Very few 
  descriptions of the world are to be found, and certainly none 
  of them are reliable, meaning that any expedition seeking to 
  gain a foothold on Egaria Omega will be forced to rely upon 
  its own resources, or else heed the words of madmen.
  Aside from the sheer danger of the place, the only thing 
  that accounts seem to agree upon is the fact that an Egarian 
  maze city is to be found upon the world, situated atop a 
  wide, tall plateau that straddles Egaria Omega’s equator. 
  Descriptions of this place tell of gleaming white slabs of an 
  unknown rock rearing from the dust clouds, with but a single 
  entrance leading inside. Of the city’s interior, no reliable 
  accounts exist at all, for those few to have emerged from that 
  portal have been blasted of their sanity.
  ORBITAL INSANITY
  In game terms, there are two main effects of the 
  complex orbits of Abundus/12f and its many satellites. 
  The ﬁ rst relates to space combat, and the second to the 
  light levels on the surface itself.
  All Pilot Tests to pilot a starship suffer a -10 penalty 
  within the Abundus/12f sub-system, and if the Test 
  fails by more than four degrees, the ship runs into a 
  Gravity Tide (ROGUE TRADER, page 227). The Active 
  and Focused Augury Extended Actions (or any attempt 
  to use the ship’s Augur Arrays) suffer a –30 penalty, but 
  Jam Communications is made easier by the complex 
  interplay of energies, receiving a +20 bonus.
  If the Explorers want to, they can leave their vessel 
  at high anchor above the worst of the orbital insanity, 
  and travel to Egaria Omega via shuttle or guncutter. A 
  small craft can avoid any problems with ease, and no 
  tests are required in this case. Of course, this means 
  the Explorers will not have their ship available should 
  they need it. 
  To account for the ever-changing light levels, 
  assume that most of the time the Explorers are in the 
  open there is sufﬁ cient illumination to count conditions 
  as Bright. For every hour or so of narrative time, there 
  is a 75% chance that the next hour will be in Shadow, 
  and a 25% chance of all being plunged into Darkness. 
  See page 268 of the Rogue Trader for more details on 
  the effects of Lighting.
  
  122
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  Part 1: Secrets 
  of Egaria
  “In my experience, most secrets are that way for a reason…”
  –Cold Trader Mak t’Nook
  I
  n the ﬁ rst part of the adventure the Explorers arrive at Egaria 
  Omega with nothing more than the co-ordinates of the 
  expedition dig site and their Letter of Introduction, which 
  they must present to its overseer. Should they wish they have the 
  opportunity to acquaint themselves with the various groups that 
  make up the expedition staff, and doing so will soon lead them 
  to the conclusion that all is not well with their investment.
  THE OMEGA DIG
  The site of the “Omega Dig,” as it is referred to, is an area 
  precariously balanced at the edge of the plateau on which 
  the maze city stands, a hundred metres or so before its single 
  portal. The Kasballica Mission commissioned the dig on this 
  site because all previous expeditions into the maze city itself 
  have resulted in disaster, and it is hoped that something of 
  value might be uncovered in the city’s environs. 
  The Omega Dig was established a year ago, and to date it 
  has only discovered small shards of the unknown substance 
  from which the city itself is constructed and some strange 
  artefacts of unknown purpose. Such artefacts are of some value 
  to the Kasballica Mission, for there exists a market for them 
  amongst the idle rich of the Calixian elite, but the Mission 
  demands more. As the months have passed, the agents of the 
  Mission have put increasing pressure on the expedition, and 
  they are now insisting that its leader on the ground, Overseer 
  Leerus, delivers more proﬁ table results. 
  The Omega Dig consists of a number of individual 
  locations and groups of people. 
  OVERSEER LEERUS
  The leader of the Egaria Omega expedition is a man known as 
  Overseer Leerus, a long-serving agent of the Kasballica Mission. 
  Leerus is well known in the circles of the Cold Trade, for he 
  has led a number of expeditions into the Koronus Expanse. 
  Despite his many successes, Leerus remains a relatively small 
  cog in the workings of the Kasballica Mission, for he lacks 
  the personal means to purchase a sizable stake in any of its 
  investments, and must therefore serve, rather than lead.
  In appearance, Leerus is imposing and large, a powerful 
  man running a bit to fat as the years of administration catch 
  up to him, and tanned from working under dozens of different 
  stars, and accentuates this by wearing impressive-looking 
  military uniforms invented by himself. He affects a 
  haughty and proud demeanour, and truly believes the 
  situation he ﬁ nds himself in is beneath his talents. 
  Perhaps unsurprisingly, Leerus is a bitter man. 
  He covets the riches that would enable him 
  to rise within the Mission or even establish himself as a rival. 
  Never a man to tolerate failure in his underlings, Leerus has 
  become a downright tyrant of late, pushing the staff of the 
  Omega Dig ever harder in an effort to deliver results.
  What the Kasballica Mission does not know of its agent is 
  that the dig has, in fact, made one major discovery, which Leerus 
  has not reported to his masters. Eight months ago, the dig 
  unearthed an artefact of black, pulsating crystal with a strange, 
  troglodyte design carved over it, an object that Leerus knew the 
  collectors of the Calixis Sector would pay a fortune for. Leerus 
  sought to withhold this artefact from his masters, but his deputy, 
  a man called Stahk, discovered his plan and confronted him. 
  The two clashed, angry words soon turning to blows, and in a 
  ﬁ t of madness Leerus took up the crystal shard and plunged it 
  into the heart of his deputy. Stahk was transﬁ xed through the 
  heart, but to Leerus’ horror, did not die. Instead, a black light 
  arced from his eyes and mouth and he was instantly ﬂ ooded 
  with preternatural strength and vitality as alien powers rushed 
  through his system. His mind gone, Stahk lashed out at Leerus, 
  knocking him to the ground unconscious. Leerus was only saved 
  from death when one of the dig’s H-Grade Servitors happened 
  on to the scene and Stahk ﬂ ed, disappearing through the portal 
  of the maze city. In the days and weeks that followed, Stahk was 
  transformed into something hideous and utterly alien. 
  Fortunately for Leerus, the only witness to his crime was a 
  mindless automaton with no ability or inclination to reveal his 
  secret. Though Leerus was able to conceal this event, ever since 
  that time there has been a growing number of unexplainable 
  disappearances amongst his staff. At ﬁ rst, this allowed Leerus 
  to cover up Stahk’s own disappearance, for surely whatever fate 
  
  123
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  had befallen the missing workers and guards and also overtaken 
  his deputy. Yet, as the months have passed and the Kasballica 
  Mission has demanded results in the form of an expedition into 
  the Maze city itself, Leerus has come to dread what he knows 
  must surely prowl the endless corridors of the alien city, his 
  former deputy, transformed into some terrible hybrid of man 
  and alien.
  Overseer Leerus’ proﬁ le can be found on page 142.
  THE XENOARCHAEOLOGISTS
  Serving under Overseer Leerus is a cadre of xenoarchaeologists, 
  a group of savants some thirty strong drawn from a range of 
  interrelated disciplines. All of these individuals are highly 
  experienced in their ﬁ elds, having served the Kasballica Mission 
  for many years. Having trod worlds long forbidden to common 
  man, most of the xenoarchaeologists are in effect outlaws, and 
  many are known to the Ordo Xenos of the Calixian Conclave. 
  Now they rely upon the protection of the Mission to safeguard 
  them from the attentions of the authorities. In fact, several have 
  been the target of low-level kill-missions, and live constantly in 
  fear of Inquisition-sponsored assassination. 
  The xenoarchaeologists are highly professional, if often 
  somewhat single-minded and obsessed with their work. Several 
  of them have clearly seen sights and handled objects that have 
  left them tainted, whether spiritually or emotionally, and Leerus 
  keeps a close watch upon them for signs of overt corruption, 
  especially in the light of what happened to his deputy. None of 
  the xenoarchaeologists are directly aware of what befell Stahk, 
  though because several of their own number has subsequently 
  gone missing some harbour suspicions that an unknown terror 
  prowls the nearby Maze city. 
  Adept 
  Zpha: 
  Scelene 
  Zpha 
  is 
  an 
  experienced 
  xenoarchaeologist, raised amongst a minor noble clan 
  on Malﬁ  in the Calixis Sector. As the twelfth child, she 
  was to be married off to the son of a middling merchant 
  concern upon reaching majority. Zpha ﬂ ed before her 
  marriage day, and within a year was using her in greatest 
  asset—her intelligence—to get by. She fell in with a number of 
  less-than-salubrious groups, and eventually found herself out in 
  the Expanse, working for the Kasballica Mission as an apprentice 
  xenoarchaeologist. It wasn’t long before Zpha had been inducted 
  into many secrets of xenos lore, and her thirst for knowledge and 
  her great intellect soon saw her rise to a high position. Despite 
  her ﬁ erce intelligence Zpha is largely innocent 
  to the realities of the Cold Trade, approaching her job with 
  purely intellectual zeal. It is only of late that she has begun to 
  feel concern that all is not well on Egaria Omega, and that the 
  artefacts she has helped dig up may have something to do with 
  the recent disappearances. 
  Adept Zpha is harried looking middle-aged woman 
  who might appear attractive if she paid any attention to her 
  appearances. Her short-cropped hair and multi-lense auto-
  spectacles make her look more like an Administratum clerk than 
  a ﬁ eld-researcher. Her proﬁ le can be found on page 142.
  Logist Svanka: Kolok Svanka is perhaps one of the longest 
  serving xenoarchaeologists working for the Kasballica Mission, 
  and he has uncovered such mysteries to have earned him a 
  thousand Ordo Xenos death warrants. Yet, Svanka is completely 
  unaware of the price on his head, for he has contracted a meme-
  virus that has made him so utterly dedicated to uncovering ever 
  more xenos secrets he barely able feeds himself. Consequently, 
  he is a gaunt, skeletal man with thinning hair and squinting eyes. 
  On the rare occasion when he is lucid, Svanka is a bottomless 
  well of arcane lore, yet much of the time he is more interested in 
  uncovering stones and delving into dark corners, utterly unable 
  to stop himself. In the face of danger Svanka might become a 
  liability, but Explorers who can utilise his skills might ﬁ nd them 
  extremely useful. For Svanka’s proﬁ le, use the Adept on page 370 
  of Rogue Trader, with the addition of Scholastic Lore (all Skill 
  Groups). The Game Master should not make Svanka a font of all 
  knowledge the Explorers can dip into at any point however, and 
  they will suffer –20 to any Interaction Tests should they try to 
  coerce information from him unreasonably.
  For the remainder of the 
  xenoarchaeologists 
  of 
  the 
  Omega Dig, use the Adept 
  proﬁ le on page 370 
  of ROGUE TRADER, 
  with the addition of 
  Trade (Archaeology) 
  and Forbidden Lore 
  (Xenos). 
  MERCENARY GUARDS
  Leerus employs a force of around a hundred mercenaries, all of 
  whom he has known for some time and trusts implicitly. They 
  have served him throughout many perilous missions and he 
  always insists that the Mission pays them handsomely. 
  The guards are responsible for maintaining the 
  security of the Omega Dig, both internally 
  and externally. To a man, they are highly 
  experienced xenos-ﬁ ghters, having guarded 
  a group of savants some thirty strong drawn from a range of 
  interrelated disciplines. All of these individuals are highly 
  experienced in their ﬁ elds, having served the Kasballica Mission 
  for many years. Having trod worlds long forbidden to common 
  man, most of the xenoarchaeologists are in effect outlaws, and 
  many are known to the Ordo Xenos of the Calixian Conclave. 
  Now they rely upon the protection of the Mission to safeguard 
  them from the attentions of the authorities. In fact, several have 
  been the target of low-level kill-missions, and live constantly in 
  The xenoarchaeologists are highly professional, if often 
  somewhat single-minded and obsessed with their work. Several 
  of them have clearly seen sights and handled objects that have 
  left them tainted, whether spiritually or emotionally, and Leerus 
  keeps a close watch upon them for signs of overt corruption, 
  especially in the light of what happened to his deputy. None of 
  the xenoarchaeologists are directly aware of what befell Stahk, 
  though because several of their own number has subsequently 
  gone missing some harbour suspicions that an unknown terror 
   
  Scelene 
  Zpha 
  is 
  an 
  experienced 
  xenoarchaeologist, raised amongst a minor noble clan 
  on Malﬁ  in the Calixis Sector. As the twelfth child, she 
  was to be married off to the son of a middling merchant 
  concern upon reaching majority. Zpha ﬂ ed before her 
  marriage day, and within a year was using her in greatest 
  asset—her intelligence—to get by. She fell in with a number of 
  less-than-salubrious groups, and eventually found herself out in 
  the Expanse, working for the Kasballica Mission as an apprentice 
  xenoarchaeologist. It wasn’t long before Zpha had been inducted 
  into many secrets of xenos lore, and her thirst for knowledge and 
  her great intellect soon saw her rise to a high position. Despite 
  to the realities of the Cold Trade, approaching her job with 
  purely intellectual zeal. It is only of late that she has begun to 
  feel concern that all is not well on Egaria Omega, and that the 
  artefacts she has helped dig up may have something to do with 
  knowledge the Explorers can dip into at any point however, and 
  knowledge the Explorers can dip into at any point however, and 
  they will suffer –20 to any Interaction Tests should they try to 
  they will suffer –20 to any Interaction Tests should they try to 
  coerce information from him unreasonably.
  coerce information from him unreasonably.
  For the remainder of the 
  xenoarchaeologists 
  of 
  the 
  xenoarchaeologists 
  of 
  the 
  Omega Dig, use the Adept 
  Omega Dig, use the Adept 
  proﬁ le on page 370 
  proﬁ le on page 370 
  of 
  of ROGUE TRADER, 
  with the addition of 
  with the addition of 
  Trade (Archaeology) 
  Trade (Archaeology) 
  and Forbidden Lore 
  and Forbidden Lore 
  (Xenos). 
  (Xenos). 
  
  124
  124
  124
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  many an expedition against the depredations of Orks, Eldar, 
  Kroot and other, nameless things. In addition to this, the 
  guards serve as wardens of the force of indentured workers that 
  provides the raw manpower such an expedition always needs, 
  and are ﬁ gures of ruthless suppression to many of the unskilled 
  serfs who ﬁ nd themselves on the Omega Dig.
  The guards are well armed and equipped, for Leerus has 
  always ensured that the resources of the Kasballica Mission are 
  not wasted. They carry the ﬁ nest hellguns the Forge Worlds 
  of the Calixis Sector can provide, as well as carapace armour, 
  heavy stubbers, and a range of personal survival equipment. 
  Their dedication to Leerus is beyond doubt, and in common 
  with many of the archaeologists, most of them are as good as 
  outlaws to the Imperium.
  To date, only one of the guards has fallen prey to the terror 
  of the maze city, disappearing during a routine patrol of the 
  plateau on which the city stands. The remaining guards have 
  since redoubled their watch, deploying a number of man 
  portable heavy weapons around the perimeter of the dig.
  Captain Bren: Bren is the leader of Leerus’ corps of mercenary 
  guards, and he has served the Overseer and the Kasballica 
  Mission for several decades. A compact, muscular, and scar-
  covered man, Bren never talks of his past, though the range of 
  skills he exhibits suggests that he must surely have served in a 
  formal military institution such as the Imperial Guard. In truth, 
  Bren has seen and done it all, from service in the Emperor’s 
  armies to rubbing shoulders with the worst recidivist scum 
  the galaxy has ever produced. Bren was raised in war, born of 
  refugees from the horrors of the Jericho Reach, 
  and he has lived in war ever since, selling his 
  services to the highest bidder, from crime boss 
  to Inquisitor. Over the years, Bren has become 
  increasingly withdrawn. He regards those 
  under his command as weapons, 
  with no more or less value than the 
  lasguns they wield. He is loyal to 
  his employer, and sees risking his 
  life for another as the cruel reality 
  of war. He knows that one 
  day war will claim him, 
  and many would say that 
  Bren is simply treading 
  water until that day arrives. 
  Captain Bren’s proﬁ le, and the 
  proﬁ le for his mercenaries, can 
  be found on page 143.
  INDENTURED 
  WORKERS
  The last major faction is also the 
  largest, 
  consisting 
  of around three hundred indentured serfs as well as two-
  dozen servitors. Most of the serfs are the down-and-outs 
  of Footfall, tricked or bullied into the service of the 
  Kasballica Mission. Though most were promised 
  remuneration, in truth they will lucky to return 
  at all. They are considered expendable, and 
  treated as such. 
  It is the workers who have suffered the most from the 
  predations of the thing that Stahk has become. Before the 
  disappearances began, the workers were allowed a relatively 
  free reign of the camp and its environs. When people started 
  going missing, however, it was assumed that they had made 
  some foolish attempt to ﬂ ee and what few freedoms they 
  had were ruthlessly curtailed. It became obvious that some 
  external agency was at work when the ﬁ rst of the guards 
  disappeared, and the workers have become ever more fearful. 
  There are many within the ranks of the workers who would 
  revolt against their brutal masters were they able—but even 
  the most desperate know that without a means of escaping 
  Egaria Omega, an uprising would doom them.
  Rhiner Gelt: Gelt is a brawny, muscular individual and the 
  most senior of the indentured workers, though his position as 
  leader is due to the respect of his fellows rather than any rank 
  bestowed upon him. Overseer Leerus recognises Gelt’s position 
  when it suits him, using him as an intermediary when passing 
  on orders or threats, to the rest of the indentured workforce. 
  Gelt is a true leader of men, and although few others know it, 
  he once served as a sergeant major in the Barsapine Yeomanry, 
  the planetary defence force of a minor hive world in the Calixis 
  Sector. He saw plenty of action against recidivist elements of the 
  underhive population and was highly regarded by his troops, 
  but not by his superiors. Gelt cares deeply for the fate of his 
  fellow workers, and bitterly resents the conditions they are all 
  forced to work in. In particular, he hates Captain Bren’s guards, 
  and he would not be averse to bumping one or two of them off 
  should he have the chance. In fact, Captain Bren has voiced the 
  opinion, to Leerus in private, that Gelt might be responsible for 
  the recent disappearances, and a mutual hatred is slowly coming 
  to the boil between the workforce leader and the guard captain. 
  Gelt’s responsibility to his fellow workers remain his priority, but 
  if tensions reach boiling point he will not hesitate to confront 
  Bren, and if necessary, Overseer Leerus. The Game Master is 
  encouraged to use Rhiner Gelt ﬁ rst as a potential enemy of 
  the Explorers, but later, should they prove themselves good 
  leaders with the dig staff ’s interests in mind, a very strong 
  ally. Rhiner Gelt’s proﬁ le can be found on page 143.
  For the remainder of the indentured workforce, 
  use the proﬁ le for the Colonist given on page 370 of 
  ROGUE TRADER.
  SERVANTS OF THE MACHINE-GOD
  Mankind can accomplish little of import within 
  the Imperium, or indeed beyond it, without 
  the aid of the Tech-Priests and other servants 
  of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Kasballica 
  Mission maintains links with various secretive 
  groups within the Calixian Mechanicus, and 
  through these has secured the services of two 
  Tech-Priests, a dozen lay-technicians, and twenty servitors. 
  It is the responsibility of this group to operate and maintain 
  the expedition’s equipment, and without them, the entire 
  endeavour would soon grind to a halt.
  The Tech-Priests are typically uncommunicative, and it 
  will take a Very Hard (-30) Forbidden Lore (Adeptus 
  Mechanicus or Rogue Traders) Test to discern the reason. 
  armies to rubbing shoulders with the worst recidivist scum 
  the galaxy has ever produced. Bren was raised in war, born of 
  refugees from the horrors of the Jericho Reach, 
  and he has lived in war ever since, selling his 
  services to the highest bidder, from crime boss 
  to Inquisitor. Over the years, Bren has become 
  to Inquisitor. Over the years, Bren has become 
  increasingly withdrawn. He regards those 
  under his command as weapons, 
  with no more or less value than the 
  lasguns they wield. He is loyal to 
  his employer, and sees risking his 
  life for another as the cruel reality 
  of war. He knows that one 
  day war will claim him, 
  and many would say that 
  Bren is simply treading 
  water until that day arrives. 
  Captain Bren’s proﬁ le, and the 
  proﬁ le for his mercenaries, can 
  The last major faction is also the 
  largest, 
  consisting 
  of around three hundred indentured serfs as well as two-
  dozen servitors. Most of the serfs are the down-and-outs 
  forced to work in. In particular, he hates Captain Bren’s guards, 
  and he would not be averse to bumping one or two of them off 
  should he have the chance. In fact, Captain Bren has voiced the 
  opinion, to Leerus in private, that Gelt might be responsible for 
  the recent disappearances, and a mutual hatred is slowly coming 
  to the boil between the workforce leader and the guard captain. 
  to the boil between the workforce leader and the guard captain. 
  Gelt’s responsibility to his fellow workers remain his priority, but 
  if tensions reach boiling point he will not hesitate to confront 
  Bren, and if necessary, Overseer Leerus. The Game Master is 
  encouraged to use Rhiner Gelt ﬁ rst as a potential enemy of 
  the Explorers, but later, should they prove themselves good 
  leaders with the dig staff ’s interests in mind, a very strong 
  ally. Rhiner Gelt’s proﬁ le can be found on page 143.
  For the remainder of the indentured workforce, 
  use the proﬁ le for the Colonist given on page 370 of 
  ROGUE TRADER.
  SERVANTS OF THE MACHINE-GOD
  Mankind can accomplish little of import within 
  the Imperium, or indeed beyond it, without 
  the aid of the Tech-Priests and other servants 
  of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Kasballica 
  Mission maintains links with various secretive 
  groups within the Calixian Mechanicus, and 
  through these has secured the services of two 
  Tech-Priests, a dozen lay-technicians, and twenty servitors. 
  It is the responsibility of this group to operate and maintain 
  
  125
  125
  125
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  Success suggests that the pair are members of a proscribed sub-
  sect of the Cult Mechanicus, expelled from the greater body of 
  the Mechanicus for their delving to far into forbidden xenos 
  lore. In fact, the two Tech-Priests have served the Kasballica 
  Mission for several decades, trading their esoteric skills for the 
  opportunity to go where few of their kind ever get the chance.
  Of course, enterprising Explorers might surmise that there 
  must be a substantial bounty on the Tech-Priests’ heads, and 
  they would be correct in this. However, such followers are 
  invaluable to the Kasballica Mission, so turning them in would 
  deﬁ nitely work against the Explorers’ long-term interests.
  Tech-Adept Oddyle: Oddyle is a virtual outcast from the 
  Calixian Mechanicus. The reason for this outsider status is that 
  Oddyle has pursued a number of esoteric theorems relating 
  to the underlying nature of matter that his peers have come 
  to regard as downright heretical. Though never formally 
  censured, Oddyle has found discretion the better part of valour 
  and isolated himself from any who might take exception to his 
  pursuits. Out in the Expanse, beyond the formal borders of the 
  Imperium, Oddyle has been able to pursue his theories, delving 
  into forbidden xenos lore in an effort to discover the essential 
  metaphysical truths that he sincerely believes exist. Tech Adept 
  Oddyle’s proﬁ le can be found on page 142.
  Artiﬁ cer Boran: Boran is as close to a disciple of Oddyle as it is 
  possible to be, and what remains of his biological mind has been 
  blasted by the things he has seen following his mentor. Boran 
  swings from cold, hard logic to outright paranoia and madness, 
  and in truth is only kept around because he is an artiﬁ cer of great 
  skill. Boran is able to craft tools and even weapons from almost 
  any mechanism or material, and is not above utilising forbidden 
  xenos tech when in the grip of one of his “episodes,” including the 
  esoteric graviton gun he calls the ‘Odic Accumulator’ his mentor 
  carries. Artiﬁ cer Boran’s proﬁ le can be found on page 142.
  Lay-Technicians: The dig employs a number of menials 
  who, although not inducted into the secret rites of the Cult 
  Mechanicus, are nonetheless entrusted with basic tasks such 
  as maintenance and operation of simple machinery. The most 
  trusted of these are even allowed to undertake the sacred “Rite of 
  Awakening,” activating the dormant machine spirits of otherwise 
  latent devices. For a Lay-Technician, use the Colonist on page 
  370 of ROGUE TRADER with Tech Use and Common Lore (Tech).
  Servitor Drones: Oddyle and Boran are assisted in their duties 
  by twenty Servitor Drones. These mindless conglomerations of 
  man and machine can perform a wide range of highly technical 
  duties, but are entirely without personality or the capacity for 
  independent thought. The proﬁ le of a typical Servitor Drone can 
  be found on page 375 of ROGUE TRADER. They also maintain 
  four ﬂ amer-armed Battle Servitors for clearing underbrush.
  PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DIG SITES
  In the year since the Omega Dig was established, one primary 
  and ﬁ ve secondary excavations have been undertaken. The 
  primary site is roughly circular, some forty metres deep and 
  twenty in diameter. Access to the bottom is by way of an array 
  of gantries lining its walls, which have grown from temporary 
  walkways to something more substantial as the excavations 
  have continued. The dark interior is lit by way of stark, white 
  arc-lights, the generator for which is located just outside the 
  rim and attended at all times by at least one indentured worker, 
  whose work is regularly checked by one of the Tech-Priests.
  At the bottom of the primary site, the work face is 
  constantly attended by at least a dozen indentured workers, 
  and normally at least ﬁ ve xenoarchaeologists. Spoil is 
  transported out of the excavation by way of a crane, its bucket 
  ﬁ lled by the toil of the workers.
  To date, the primary excavation has provided many 
  tantalising clues that something of value lurks beneath the hard 
  soil, but little more than xenos curios have been discovered. 
  The xenoarchaeologists are convinced the smaller, seemingly 
  insigniﬁ cant objects are the precursors to something of far 
  greater value. Unfortunately for them, whatever it might be is 
  taking far too long to recover for the Kasballica Mission, and 
  as a result the secondary excavation sites have been ordered.
  The secondary excavations are in essence smaller versions 
  of the primary. Nothing of any value has been retrieved from 
  them, save some small bits of wall and chips of stone. 
  HEAVY GEAR STORE
  Not far from the primary excavation site is the heavy gear 
  store. This is a storage depot and repair shop for the Omega 
  Dig’s various vehicles, plant and servitors, and is attended at 
  all times by a Tech-Priest and at least three guards. The store 
  is a solid, prefabricated structure, designed to withstand a 
  harsh environment as well as small-scale attack.
  The Lay-Tech in charge of the heavy gear store, Klistus, 
  is ill-disposed towards people poking their noses in what 
  he treats as his personal domain. Even should they have 
  genuine and urgent need of any of the items stored within, 
  Klistus is unwilling to issue equipment without the Explorers 
  completing the Rite of Requisition, during which they must 
  sign out the items (in triplicate) and promise to reimburse 
  the Mission for any loss or damage. The store contains the 
  following equipment. 
  • Two Sentinel Power Lifters. These utility walkers 
  are used to transport especially heavy loads, 
  such as when a cargo is being unloaded 
  from a re-supply shuttle. One is 
  WHAT’S REALLY DOWN THERE?
  It was from the primary excavation site that Overseer 
  Leerus recovered the shard that brought about the fate 
  of his deputy. He managed to conceal his discovery, 
  but suspects that more such items exists further down. 
  If only the Kasballica Mission had allowed the staff 
  more time, they would have struck the mother lode 
  long ago, for an Yu’vath artefact of great power awaits 
  discovery just below the lowest point of the primary 
  excavation, and was perhaps a contributory factor to 
  the fall of the long-lost Egarian race. Whether or not 
  this artefact will play a part in the adventure is up to 
  the Game Master. It could be discovered later in the 
  adventure at the crucial moment, or if the Explorers 
  gain the conﬁ dence of one or more of the staff they 
  might hear of the theories and aid in its retrieval. 
  
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  Primary Dig Site
  Maze City Entrance
  Perimeter Defence Line
  Landing Pad
  Shelter Habs
  Overseer’s Hab
  Heavy Gear Store
  Artefact Store
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Heavy Gear Store
  Primary Dig Site
  Maze City Entrance
  Landing Pad
  Shelter Habs
  Overseer’s Hab
  Artefact Store
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Secondary Dig Sites
  Perimeter Defence Line
  Perimeter Defence Line
  
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  undergoing routine maintenance and it will take a Hard 
  (-20) Tech-Use Test to get it working in a hurry. The 
  other is operational, and can be utilised as per the rules 
  for vehicles found in INTO THE STORM. If this book is not 
  available, these vehicles are not crucial to the adventure 
  and can simply be removed. The proﬁ le for a Sentinel 
  Power Lifter can be found on page 144.
  • Three Chimera Trojan Support Vehicles. A non-
  combatant variant of the military Chimera armoured 
  transport, these vehicles are used to move loads around 
  the camp, clear debris with their dozer blades and the 
  like. Each has a single heavy bolter mounted in its 
  forward section, although only a hundred rounds of 
  ammunition are kept ready to use. One of the Trojans 
  is currently near the Maze city portal having thrown a 
  track, while the other two are at the heavy gear store. 
  The proﬁ le for a Trojan Support Vehicle can be found 
  on page 144. If INTO THE STORM is not available, these 
  can simply be used as stationary emplacements with a 
  heavy bolter. 
  • Sundry survival gear, including around a hundred 
  respirators and survival suits.
  • Sundry tools, including a dozen auspexes and combi-tools, 
  ﬁ ve demolition charges, a (damaged) diagnoster, a hundred 
  glow-globes, ﬁ fty micro-beads and a multicompass.
  In addition, the store contains three thousand rounds of 
  heavy bolter ammunition, divided into ready-to-use drums of 
  one hundred rounds each.
  PERIMETER DEFENCE LINE
  A perimeter defence line guards the entire Omega Dig. 
  Following the recent disappearances this has been upgraded 
  with additional heavy weapons and a containment ﬁ eld. The 
  defence line takes the form of a raised walkway, reinforced with 
  ﬂ ak board revetments. A gun tower stands every ﬁ fty metres 
  along the line, equipped with twin heavy bolters, a searchlight, 
  and around six hundred rounds of ammunition. The walkways 
  are patrolled by pairs of guards at all times, while the gun 
  towers are always manned by at least two more guards.
  Twenty metres beyond the perimeter a ring of containment 
  ﬁ eld pylons provide the ﬁ rst line of defence should an actual 
  assault be launched upon the Omega Dig. The pylons are 
  some thirty metres apart, and between each is projected a 
  shimmering blue ﬁ eld of energy. Due to the power required to 
  maintain the ﬁ eld, it is usually kept at a low setting, sufﬁ cient 
  to inﬂ ict shock but not to kill. Were an assault on the lines to 
  develop, the guards in the gun towers would throw a switch, 
  increasing the ﬁ eld to its full, lethal power level. 
  Anyone passing through the containment ﬁ eld when it 
  is set at its low power output automatically suffers 1d10+3 
  Energy Damage with the Shocking Quality, reduced by 
  armour and Toughness as normal. When the power output is 
  ramped up to full, the damage increases to 2d10+6.
  SHELTER HABS
  This cluster of prefabricated structures provides shelter for each of 
  the groups on the Omega Dig. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Overseer 
  Leerus has the most well appointed habitation, equipped with 
  environment systems as well as a personal arsenal of weapons.
  The xenoarchaeologists have the use of a group of shelters that 
  serve as both sleeping quarters and work areas, while the workers 
  are packed into cramped bunkhouses. The guards have their own 
  area of the camp, which includes a small armoury as well as a 
  ﬁ ring range (for practice as well as executing rebellious workers).
  The Guards’ quarters contain a variety of weapons and 
  ammunition, including several hundred autopistol, laspistol and 
  lasgun clips, around a hundred frag grenades and twenty lasguns. 
  All weapons and ammunition are stored in a locked store, which 
  will take a Very Hard (-30) Security Test to open.
  Overseer Leerus’ shelter contains a substantial cache of 
  liquor, as well as ten reloads for each of his weapons and an 
  environment system. 
  The workers’ shelter contains little of interest, although 
  Rhiner Gelt has secreted a poor craftsmanship laspistol 
  beneath a loose ﬂ oorboard, for use in an emergency, which 
  will take a Hard (-20) Awareness Test to locate.
  ARTEFACT STORAGE
  The artefacts discovered thus far are stored in a small, windowless 
  shed next to Overseer Leerus’ shelter. The door is locked and 
  sealed, requiring a Very Hard (-30) Security Test to open 
  (although Leerus will open it for the Explorers if they have a 
  controlling interest in the dig and want to see their investment). 
  The building is a single room with rows of shelves. It is 
  approximately half-full with boxes containing sculpted crystal 
  shards and chunks of stone with blocky and indecipherable 
  writing carved in them. There are several incomprehensible 
  devices made out of a dark metal-substance, shafts with rings of 
  spikes protruding at regular intervals. These have no decipherable 
  purpose and do not play a role in the adventure—the GM can 
  add other strange-looking items if he wishes. 
  The items within are valuable to collectors in the Calixis 
  Sector, although it should be obvious to anyone with Forbidden 
  Lore (Xenos) that the dig has yet to “strike it rich.” 
  LANDING PAD
  In the Southeast corner of the Omega Dig site, the 
  landing pad provides facilities for a single small 
  shuttle or gun cutter, including refuelling and 
  basic maintenance. The operation of the 
  OFF-WORLD COMMUNICATION
  The Omega Dig does not have its own Astropath. 
  This is a deliberate policy on the part of the Kasballica 
  Mission, partly because of the risk to the dig’s secrecy, 
  but also to ensure the loyalty of the staff. Messages are 
  delivered by agents of the Mission, who come and go 
  with the irregular re-supply shuttles. Because these are 
  never announced ahead of time, simply arriving in orbit 
  and declaring their intent to land, not even Overseer 
  Leerus has much in the way of the opportunity to 
  double-cross the Mission. Or so the Mission believes.
  
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  facility is the responsibility of the Tech-adepts, and they have 
  a small staff of workers and a number of servitors to assist 
  them in this. The Omega Dig does not have a permanent 
  shuttle capacity on station, relying instead on regular supply 
  runs from the agents of the Kasballica Mission.
  MAZE CITY ENTRANCE
  Near the camp, just outside the perimeter, the curtain wall of 
  the maze-city rises sharply into the sky, casting deep, sharp-
  edges shadows over the dig. A faint path leads from the dig 
  to only opening in the wall, one of the city’s few ward-gates. 
  The ward-gate is 50 metres tall, and has two massive doors 
  that have frozen part-way open. There is no obvious means to 
  open or shut the doors, cursory examination reveals the doors 
  do not seem to even have hinges. 
  No one from the dig enters the city anymore, although 
  the entrance does have some abandoned gear and arc-lumens. 
  ARRIVAL 
  Before the adventure begins, the Game Master should set out 
  to the players how and why the Explorers got involved in 
  the Omega Dig, with reference to the Adventure Seeds box 
  on page 119. An important thing to get across to the players 
  is that although they have a stake in the dig, they are not its 
  masters. Thus, while they have some authority, they should 
  not expect to simply stroll in and order everyone around. 
  Ultimately, the entire enterprise is being undertaken at the 
  behest of the Kasballica Mission, and the Explorers really 
  don’t want to make enemies of them!
  The Game Master might decide to introduce the Explorers 
  to the Abundus/12f sub-system before they arrive at Egaria 
  Omega itself, and this will involve a series of difﬁ cult 
  manoeuvres and sensor readings, to avoid the capricious 
  gravitational ﬂ uctuations and to locate the correct satellite 
  amongst the huge number of bodies orbiting 12f.
  Otherwise, start the adventure with the Explorers arriving 
  at the dig site. This may be by way of a shuttle or gun cutter, 
  or perhaps by teleportation if the Explorers’ are willing to 
  risk their vessel in high orbit. Either way, the dig staff will 
  not be expecting a visit, but that in itself is not unusual. Read 
  aloud or paraphrase the following:
  Egaria Omega is a windswept hellhole of a planet, but no one 
  ever got rich in the Expanse without visiting a few hellholes. 
  The instant you set foot on the world, a cold wind blows right 
  through you. But something more than cold assails you. You 
  instantly feel that you should not be here, as if you are intruding 
  on lands long ago claimed by something far older than the human 
  race. Echoes whisper on the wind, just beyond hearing, sending 
  a chill not just through your body, but through your very soul.
  Upon their arrival the Explorers are met by a squad of 
  mercenary guards. The guards know that it is unlikely 
  that anyone wishing the dig ill would simply walk 
  in the front door, but are cautious nonetheless. 
  Unless the Explorers do anything really stupid, 
  the guards assume a neutral stance, standing 
  watch while one of their number goes off to fetch Overseer 
  Leerus. The guards are not a talkative bunch, and any attempts 
  by the Explorers’ to engage them in conversation is likely to be 
  met with a professional, if somewhat sullen indifference.
  Not long after, Overseer Leerus arrives. Not recognising 
  the Explorers, he immediately inquires who they are and 
  what they want. This is the Explorers’ cue to present Leerus 
  with the Letter of Introduction.
  Leerus reads the letter straight away, his expression growing 
  darker as he comes to the end. What happens next depends 
  upon the exact reason the Explorers have come to Egaria 
  Omega, but as it is likely they have acquired a share in the 
  enterprise they will probably want to have a look around. The 
  Letter of Introduction instructs Leerus to facilitate this, which 
  accounts for his less than enthusiastic reaction. Unless they 
  make totally unreasonable requests, the Explorers are allowed 
  to get acquainted with the Omega Dig, snooping around the 
  various sites already described. Below are a number of events 
  that can take place throughout the Explorers’ time at the dig. 
  Use as many or as few of these as appropriate, before moving 
  on to main event—the attack of the Rak’Gol.
  DIG SITE EVENT 1: THE DARK CACHE
  Should the Explorers visit any of the excavation sites, they are 
  greeted by the sight of dozens of workers hauling large amounts 
  of spoil and heavy equipment around. The poor treatment of 
  the workers is immediately obvious, as is the general air of 
  tension mixed with despondency. If the Explorers request or 
  insist on visiting the actual workings of the excavation sites, 
  they get to meet the various xenoarchaeologists. 
  One of the xenoarchaeologists, a woman called Adept 
  Zpha, is hard at work. As the Explorers climb down the 
  gantries, a successful Opposed Awareness versus Agility Test 
  will reveal her uncovering a small, crystalline shard, which 
  STICKING THEIR NOSES IN
  The degree of freedom the Explorers are allowed within 
  the Omega Dig depends on several factors, which 
  the Game Master will need to consider during the 
  encounters presented here. If they present themselves 
  as senior backers looking to examine their investment, 
  Overseer Leerus is keen to play along, but he will make 
  every attempt to wrap the whole thing up and pack the 
  Explorers off to civilisation. He is hospitable enough, but 
  insists of conducting the tour in person, with his guards 
  keeping the workers a respectful distance away. If he can 
  get away with it, Leerus would prefer to simply entertain 
  the Explorers in his own quarters, plying them with drink 
  in an attempt to distract them from the details of the dig.
  Alternately, the Explorers might insist they be 
  allowed to tour the site on their own. In this case, 
  Leerus becomes noticeably uncomfortable, insisting that 
  a squad of guards remains close by, “for the Explorers’ 
  own protection.” Even if the PCs dissuade Leerus from 
  this course, his guards keep a watch on their activities, 
  shadowing their movements from a distance.
  
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  she immediately secrets in a nearby crate, looking around 
  nervously as she does so.
  Adept Zpha has been hiding such small discoveries for 
  some time, not for her own beneﬁ t, but because she has grown 
  increasingly to believe that they are cursed in some way, and 
  linked to the recent disappearances. She is right in this, although 
  she does not know about what happened to Stahk. To discover 
  this, the Explorers need to either befriend Adept Zpha or 
  conversely, threaten her, depending on their “people skills.” 
  Adept Zpha can be cowed by intimidation, but if the Explorers 
  attempt to befriend her, they gain a +10 bonus to any Tests made 
  to do so (the woman is uneasy about the situation, meaning she 
  is more likely to trust “outsiders” as people uninvolved in the 
  camp’s problems). In addition, any Explorer who engages her as 
  a fellow “intellectual” gains an additional +10 bonus to his Tests. 
  If the Explorers take the former approach and succeed by 
  three or more Degrees of Success, Adept Zpha goes so far as 
  to beg the Explorers to rid her of the shards she has already 
  found. She informs them where the rest are hidden and urges 
  the Explorers to collect them.  
  The crate contains twelve Egarian crystals, worth a decent 
  sum to collectors. How and when the Explorers wish to retrieve 
  the crate is up to them. To attempt it straight away they will 
  need to engineer a distraction while one or two of their number 
  sneaks in and locates the crate (which weighs twenty kilograms, 
  including contents). Alternately, they could wait until after dark, 
  dodging the increased guard patrols and the searchlights that 
  sweep the camp by night. If they are discovered doing this they 
  will have some explaining to do, and if things get nasty it might 
  be a good idea to proceed directly to the Rak’Gol attack.
  DIG SITE EVENT 2: A PLEA FOR HELP
  Throughout the Explorers’ tour, they become increasingly 
  aware of the evident dissatisfaction of the indentured 
  workers. The guards attempt to keep the workers away from 
  the Explorers, and Leerus himself is dismissive of their plight. 
  Should the opportunity arise, a group of three workers attempt 
  to contact the Explorers, and they are doing this behind the back 
  of their leader, Rhiner Gelt. How they attempt this depends on 
  whether the Explorers are being accompanied by Overseer Leerus 
  and his guards, and how closely supervised they are. It might be 
  through a clandestinely palmed-off message or a whisper in the 
  dark, whatever is most appropriate. The group of workers want 
  out of the Omega Dig, and want to cut a deal with the Explorers. 
  Though they own nothing of any value, they will willingly serve 
  as ship’s crew, reasoning that such duty could hardly be any worse 
  than what they have undergone on Egaria Omega. 
  The conversation should be used to impart knowledge of 
  the recent disappearances, which have afﬂ icted the workers 
  the most, though several of the other groups have also 
  gone missing. The workers have many theories as to what is 
  causing the disappearances, some plausible, some bordering 
  on the insane. A few of their theories are included here, and 
  Game Masters are encouraged to think of yet more:
  • The Guards are murdering workers as some sort of 
  cruel game, or because they belong to a blood-sect that 
  demands sacriﬁ ce on a regular basis.
  • The Tech-Priests need spare parts for the servitors, as no 
  such parts have been delivered during the semi-regular 
  resupply runs.
  • Overseer Leerus is under the inﬂ uence of some mind-
  controlling brain parasite that is compelling him to acts 
  of cruelty and murder.
  • An Imperial assassin is at large in the camp, his mission 
  to eliminate the staff one by one.
  • One of the disappeared staff members has been cursed by 
  a xenos-artefact, transformed into a raging murderous half-
  man-half alien and is dragging victims to the maze city (this 
  is of course the truth, but the workers don’t know it!)
  Feel free to resolve this event however feels appropriate. If 
  the Explorers agree to take some or all of the workers with 
  them, they will not actually get the chance, as the Rak’Gol 
  will attack before then. However, if the workers’ pleas fall on 
  deaf ears, you might like to have a group of workers attempt 
  to hijack the Explorers’ shuttle or gun cutter (if they have one) 
  or a group of them, drunk and angry, attack the Explorers late 
  at night when there are no guards around.
  DIG SITE EVENT 3: 
  UNEASE IN THE RANKS
  Should the Explorers visit the perimeter defences, this is a great 
  opportunity to ramp up the tension, letting the players know that 
  all is not as it seems on Egaria Omega. The guards are obviously 
  tense, and unwilling to talk to the Explorers, so any attempts to 
  question them will suffer a –20 modiﬁ er to Interaction Tests.
  While at the perimeter, the following events can occur:
  • A guard in one of the gun towers detects movement on 
  his auspex and opens ﬁ re with a brief burst of heavy 
  bolter rounds. If the Explorers question the guard, he 
  cannot explain what he saw and is obviously spooked.
  • A successful Hard (-20) Awareness Test using an 
  auspex reveals movement, at least a kilometre into the 
  wastes. The Explorers might like to investigate, but will 
  ﬁ nd no evidence. Furthermore, not a single one of the 
  guards can be convinced to accompany them.
  • An Explorer passing a Difﬁ cult (-10) Awareness Test 
  notices what appears to be a falling star streaking across the 
  skies, accompanied by a brief burst of light and a column of 
  dust rising into the air some ﬁ fty kilometres distant.
  • One of the guards is right on the edge, muttering to himself 
  about ‘voices in the dust’. His fellows attempt to keep him 
  away from the Explorers, but should the party include a 
  Missionary he will make every attempt to corner him. A 
  successful Very Hard (-30) Charm or Command Test 
  reveals that several guards have gone missing and that 
  the Overseer has been ordered by his superiors to begin 
  excavations within into the maze city itself, which he has 
  yet to communicate to the staff.
  DIG SITE EVENT 4: 
  WHISPERS ON THE WIND
  If 
  the 
  party 
  includes 
  an 
  Astropath 
  Transcendent, have him make a Very 
  
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  Hard (-30) Psyniscience Test. Success indicates a subtle 
  psychic presence nearby, though the exact location cannot be 
  discerned. Passing the test by two or more Degrees of Success 
  brings to the Astropath’s mind visions of the Eldar. This is 
  no more than a background presence, and no more can be 
  ascertained. It provides a foreshadowing of the involvement 
  later in the adventure of an Eldar Corsair from the Crow 
  Spirits (see page 358 of ROGUE TRADER). This could cause 
  the Explorers to prepare the camp for an attack. Even though 
  they would be preparing it against a different enemy than 
  they expect, the GM should reward any cautious thinking on 
  the Explorer’s part. 
  DIG SITE EVENT 5: REMNANTS
  As the Explorers pass a heavy servitor carrying waste to a 
  large spoil heap, a successful Challenging (+0) Awareness 
  Test reveals something out of place amongst the rubbish. 
  When recovered, the item proves to be some form of crudely 
  constructed and battered augmetics. It was constructed by the 
  Rak’Gol, a fact that will be revealed by a successful  Difﬁ cult 
  (–10) Forbidden Lore (Xenos) Test or Very Hard (–30) 
  Common Lore (Tech) Test. Should an Explorer fail the 
  test by three or more Degrees, he will draw the (incorrect) 
  conclusion that the item is the work of Orks. Passing the 
  test by two or more Degrees of Success reveals that 
  the item is not old, and that traces of biological 
  material still on it have yet to fully decompose. 
  HELL BREAKS LOOSE
  When the Game Master is ready and the players have 
  explored as much of the dig and interacted with as many 
  of its staff as feels appropriate, it is time to introduce the 
  Rak’Gol. The aliens have come to Egaria Omega in search of 
  Yu’vath artefacts, and regard the presence of the humans as 
  little more than a territorial challenge. The attack comes out 
  of nowhere, perhaps once the sun has gone down, and the 
  Explorers are thrown right into the action. Regardless of the 
  Explorers’ actions, the staff are forced to ﬂ ee in the face of 
  overwhelming odds, the only possible sanctuary that offered 
  by the maze city not far away. While they cannot stop this 
  from happening, the Explorers’ actions can help to save lives 
  and thus affect later events.
  The attack proceeds according to the following chain of 
  events, any of which the Explorers may involve themselves 
  in whatever fashion they wish. There should be around 
  ﬁ ve minutes of narrative time between each event, so that 
  the whole battle lasts between thirty minutes and an hour. 
  However, the most important consideration is the pacing, 
  with the action getting faster and more intense from one 
  event to the next. Some events might be overlaid, while 
  others might be extended, especially if Explorers ﬁ nd 
  themselves on different parts of the battleﬁ eld helping 
  different groups.The sirens mounted upon the gun towers 
  let out their mournful wail, and every member of staff 
  stops what they are doing immediately, cold dread writ 
  plainly across their faces.
  
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  • First one, then all of the gun towers suddenly open ﬁ re, 
  blazing away into the wastes.
  • The perimeter containment ﬁ elds ﬂ are into life as half-
  seen bodies throw themselves against the invisible shields.
  • Overseer Leerus bellows for all guards to man the 
  defences.
  • The Rak’Gol break through the containment ﬁ eld by 
  sheer weight of numbers, clawing over the bodies of the 
  dead in their eagerness to kill the humans.
  • Overseer Leerus orders the workers armed and sent to 
  the perimeter. This is an indication how dire the situation 
  is, as he would ordinarily not trust them with weapons.
  • The Rak’Gol assault the perimeter in overwhelming 
  numbers, overrunning it in several places.
  • The workers begin to ﬂ ee towards the shelter-habs, while 
  the guards fall back, ﬁ ring as they go.
  • Overseer Leerus realises that the dig is lost, and pleads 
  with the Explorers for aid. By this point, hordes of 
  Rak’Gol are pressing in, and the landing pad has 
  been overrun (if the PCs have a lander this will be left 
  unmolested, for now at least).
  • The only course of action is to fall back towards the 
  portal of the nearby maze city (which is shown in the 
  map on page 120). Ideally, one of the Explorers should 
  reach this conclusion themselves. If one does not, the 
  workers will simply ﬂ ee towards it regardless, which 
  should prompt the players that this is actually a sound 
  idea. If they still don’t get the hint, Overseer Leerus 
  will make for the portal himself, with or without the 
  Explorers, and the rest of the staff will follow him.
  RUNNING THE BATTLE
  The battle should be presented as a confusing and violent 
  affair, with events unfolding quickly all around. The Explorers 
  can intervene in each stage in many ways, playing to the 
  strengths of each Player Character. A Missionary for example 
  could rally the troops, especially the workers, inspiring 
  them to great deeds and turning what would otherwise be 
  a panicked rout into an orderly withdrawal. An Explorator 
  could get a Sentinel Power Lifter running, or try to shunt 
  more power to the containment ﬁ eld.
  However the battle unfolds, keep the pace fast. Don’t give 
  the players the chance to debate their course of action, just 
  move on to the next event if they take too long to respond and 
  they should soon get the idea. Punctuate your descriptions 
  of the attack with the mindless howls of the Rak’Gol, the 
  deafening report of a dozen heavy bolters ﬁ ring into a 
  tsunami of marauding aliens, the screams of the wounded 
  and bellows of anger from the guards. Describe the Rak’Gol 
  as the Explorers would see them—in ﬂ eeting glimpses amidst 
  the carnage, all blood and pounding limbs.
  THE ENDLESS HORDE
  The Rak’Gol attack the Omega Dig in an endless tide, and 
  realistically, there is no chance of the Explorers ﬁ ghting them 
  off. The players should come to this conclusion themselves 
  and not be allowed to get the impression that the GM will 
  just keep throwing enemies at them forever. At least one 
  Rak’Gol Broodmaster (see page 73) is present, and whether 
  or not the Explorers decide to take it one depends very much 
  on the make up of the party. Certainly, any Arch-Militant 
  character would have a few tales to tell were he to take one 
  down in combat!
  ENDING THE BATTLE
  The battle only comes to a (temporary) end when the bulk of the 
  dig staff has been evacuated into the maze city and the portal 
  has been barricaded. There is plenty of material around that can 
  be used to barricade the entrance, including crates, ﬂ ak board 
  and even a Chimera, and hopefully the players will reach this 
  conclusion themselves. If they don’t, the Rak’Gol keep attacking, 
  and the surviving guards just manage to hold them at the portal, 
  until the workers start building the barricade themselves.
  Finally, the attack stops as suddenly as it began, and the 
  Explorers can take stock of their surroundings and their 
  situation. Read aloud the following:
  MEANWHILE, IN ORBIT
  At the exact moment that the Omega Dig came under 
  attack, so too did the Explorer’s vessel in orbit. If all 
  of the Explorers are dirtside then the ﬁ rst they hear 
  of this is a hurried report by the ofﬁ cer left in charge, 
  but they are not able to intervene in any way. As the 
  ground battle progresses the Explorers are unable to 
  raise their vessel, by any means, and they should be 
  left in the dark as to what has actually happened until 
  they are within the Maze City.
  The ship has been attacked by a Rak’Gol Marauder 
  class warship (see page 74). Taken unawares, the 
  bridge crew were forced to battle their way clear, and 
  by the end of the ground battle are outside of vox-
  range. An Astropath Transcendent will be able to 
  communicate with any Astropaths on the vessel using 
  his Astrotelepathy power, but success will only indicate 
  that the ship is under attack and is withdrawing.
  If one or more of the Explorers remained on the 
  vessel then the job of the Game Master becomes 
  interesting indeed. The Explorers on the vessel are able 
  to conduct the battle as normal, and if they beat the 
  aliens they may be able to send relief to the party on 
  the ground. If a small group (perhaps the remaining 
  Explorers and a small retinue of household troops) is 
  dispatched these can use cunning to sneak past the 
  Rak’Gol and rejoin the team. Sending a larger group 
  results in the Rak’Gol becoming aware of its presence, 
  and it will have to ﬁ ght through a large enemy force to 
  reach the portal.
  
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  One moment you’re ﬁ ghting for your life, and the next 
  everything is deathly silent. Without warning the alien horde 
  simply vanishes, the ravening beasts retreating for no reason 
  you can fathom.
  As the realisation that you are still alive despite the odds 
  strikes home, you can ﬁ nally draw a breath and take a look at 
  your surroundings. You are in the portal of the maze city, a space 
  so huge it dwarfs even the most impressive of Imperial cathedrals, 
  and this is just the entrance! The walls rise a hundred metres and 
  more towards a ceiling made indistinct by distance, and those 
  walls appear to glow with a hazy white, inner light.
  Behind you is an irregularly shaped archway, and beyond 
  it what appears to be a space larger even the portal you occupy 
  now. You can see that the space is not a hall, so much as a vast 
  passageway, with dozens more branching off in every direction. 
  With a rising sense of cold dread, you realise that you have 
  entered one of the impossibly ancient Maze Cities of the  long-
  extinct Egarian Dominion. Outside, beyond the hastily erected 
  barricades, is a horde of bloodthirsty alien marauders. Inside? 
  Who knows… but there’s only one way to ﬁ nd out…
  At this point, the Game Master should make a note of 
  who and how many of the dig staff have survived, and what 
  state they are in. This very much depends of the actions of 
  the Explorers. If they made every attempt to aid the guards 
  and the armed workers then as many as half of their number 
  may have survived, and these are well disposed towards the 
  Explorers. If they bolted as soon as the sirens went off and 
  simply looked to saving their own skins, then only Leerus 
  and a few dozen guards, workers and xenoarchaeologists 
  survived, and they are regarded with open scorn. Most likely, 
  the truth is somewhere between these two extremes, and 
  some groups within the staff are better disposed towards the 
  Explorers than others, depending on which they tried to help.
  PART 1 ACHIEVEMENT 
  POINTS
  • 50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers befriend Adept 
  Zpha in Dig Site Event 1.
  • 50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers agree to aid 
  the Indentured Workers in Dig Site Event 2.
  • 50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers infer from the 
  events of Dig Site Event 3 that some form of attack is 
  immanent and prepare for it.
  • 25 Achievement Points—If the Explorers discern the 
  presence of the Eldar in Dig Site Event 4.
  • 50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers correctly identify 
  the remains of Rak’Gol bionics in Dig Site Event 5.
  • 100 Achievement Points—If the Explorers pull the 
  expedition staff back to the maze city in the face of the 
  Rak’Gol attack.
  • 100 Achievement Points—If the Explorers actively take 
  part in the rearguard action and put themselves at risk 
  to defend the dig staff.
  • 
  50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers 
  instigate the building of the barricade across 
  the maze city portal.
  Part 2: Into 
  the Maze
  “Getting into a maze city is child’s play. Getting out’s the trick…”
  –Cold Trader wisdom
  I
  n Part Two of Vaults of the Forgotten, the Explorers get the 
  chance to discover just a little of the interior of an Egarian 
  maze city. But this is no sightseeing tour, because there’s a 
  ravening horde at the gates, wounded to aid, a mutiny to put 
  down and if that weren’t enough, there’s something every bit as 
  dangerous as the Rak’gol roaming the empty depths of the maze.
  After the bloody, frenetic action of attack on the Omega 
  Dig, part two provides something of a change of pace. Part 
  Two consists of a series of encounters that the GM can string 
  together in any way he feels works. The atmosphere goes from 
  one of all-out battle to lurking dread. The Game Master should 
  make frequent reference to how insigniﬁ cant the Explorers feel 
  in the cyclopean maze, and how none can shake that feeling 
  that they are intruding where humans were never meant to go.
  THE MAZE CITY
  Though they may not know it, the Explorers are the ﬁ rst 
  humans to have set foot within this particular maze city for 
  many decades (not counting the monster that Stahk has 
  become). Their overwhelming sense is one of insigniﬁ cance, 
  for the human form is utterly dwarfed by the surroundings. 
  The passageways rear a hundred metres and more into the air, 
  intersecting with one another at sharp angles so that turning 
  every corner results in yet another vista seeming to stretch to 
  the very horizon. Conversely, the walls are studded with small 
  openings through which a man must stoop to pass, revealing 
  a myriad of chambers. These must once have been the abodes 
  and working spaces of the maze’s original builders.
  The material from which the maze is constructed appears 
  to be some manner of translucent stone, which glows with 
  the light of the system’s sun transmitted throughout the entire 
  structure. At night or during one of the frequent eclipses, 
  something of the glow remains, so that while light levels dip 
  to the equivalent of a bright, moonlit night, the Explorers 
  need not utilise any light source to move around.
  Only once the Explorers and their companions have been 
  within the maze city for around three hours will they begin 
  to notice the odd sense of disquiet the place breeds. The 
  more they explore the vast passageways, the more their senses 
  become unsettled by the bizarre geometries. Any attempt to 
  actively memorise the lay of the land results in the onset of a 
  feeling of nausea.
  INTO THE MAZE
  Throughout the time the Explorers are in the maze city, a 
  number of events should occur. These can be played in any 
  order the GM like, and only the last one is actually needed to 
  
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  move the story on to the third and ﬁ nal part. The remainder 
  present some challenges the Explorers must overcome, as well 
  as a few hints as to what else is occurring on Egaria Omega.
  Before any of these events occur however, the Game 
  Master should give the Explorers a chance to catch their 
  breath, take stock of supplies, tend to the wounded and 
  familiarise themselves with their immediate surroundings. 
  This is a great chance for the Explorers to interact with the 
  dig staff. They might take control of the situation and be 
  hailed as saviours or bitter recriminations might ﬂ y back and 
  forth. If the Explorers did well helping out one group of staff 
  they may have made enemies in another. However the battle 
  turned out it is likely Overseer Leerus and Captain Bren will 
  be confrontational and want to take control for themselves.
  For additional atmosphere, have some or all of these events 
  occur during the night. The city is lit by a lambent silver 
  glow, the rock of its construction giving up the last of the 
  sunlight absorbed during the day. In the main passageways, 
  enough light is given out to count conditions as Bright, but in 
  the smaller side chambers this should be reduced to Shadow. 
  See page 286 of ROGUE TRADER for more details on Lighting.
  WHAT ABOUT THE RAK’GOL?
  The Explorers might consider barricading themselves into 
  the entrance of the maze-city and staying put, or even try and 
  make a break for their shuttle. Neither of these ideas are wise. 
  Though the Rak’Gol have pulled back, they have not left. 
  The GM can remind the Explorers about their predicament 
  by having the sentries catch glimpses of the Rak’Gol just 
  at the edge of their light sources or frantic and broken vox 
  communications from their vessel in orbit about how they’ve 
  had to pull back from the planet. If the Explorers are feeling 
  too comfortable about staying at the entrance, the GM can 
  even have the Rak’Gol bring up one of their assault ships, an 
  ominous barbed assault boat thirty metres long with powerful 
  weapons. The Rak’Gol can even destroy the entrance-way 
  with a sustained barrage, forcing the Explorers to seek 
  salvation deeper within the city. 
  MAZE CITY EVENT 1: MUTINY (OPTIONAL)
  At some point, a group of ten guards decide they are better off 
  going it alone. Depending on how well disposed they are towards 
  the Explorers they might approach them, especially if the party 
  includes an Arch-Militant who performed well during the attack 
  on the Omega Dig. If not, the guards strike out on their own, but 
  the Explorers should have a chance to dissuade them, perhaps 
  noting their departure and following to see what is going on.
  The guards intend to sneak over the barricades, reasoning 
  that as the Rak’Gol have withdrawn, for a time at least, this 
  is the only chance they will get. They hope to make it clear 
  of the maze city and trust in the Emperor to keep them safe, 
  perhaps even stealing the Explorer’s lander if they have one. 
  It goes without saying that the attempt fails. If the guards 
  cannot be dissuaded, or if they manage to slip away without 
  the Explorers noticing, they bring down another assault on the 
  barricades. Play out the attack, with the Explorers having to 
  pitch in and rally the remaining defenders. The Rak’Gol do not 
  make any attempt to breach the barricades, withdrawing once 
  they have killed a few defenders (including the hapless guards).
  • If the Explorers manage to dissuade the guards from 
  deserting, all of the guards increase their Disposition 
  level towards them by +1.
  • If the guards desert, but the Explorers rallied the defence 
  against the subsequent attacks, all remaining guards 
  increase their Disposition level towards them by +1.
  • If the Explorers simply let the deserters go, or made no 
  attempt to ﬁ ght off the subsequent attack, all surviving 
  guards reduce their Disposition level towards them by –1.
  MAZE CITY EVENT 2: RAK’GOL IN THE 
  WIRE (OPTIONAL)
  The portal is the only way into the maze city, and that has 
  been barricaded and is guarded constantly. Surely, none of 
  those things could have got through, right? No, during 
  the initial attack, one of the beasts did get through. 
  Only later does this become evident, as the 
  Marauder attacks suddenly from the shadows.
  MORALE
  Throughout this adventure, the Game Master should keep track of the morale of the dig staff. This is because the Explorers 
  cannot hope to defeat the Rak’Gol horde on their own, and will need to rally every resource at their disposal. The Explorers’ 
  actions throughout the adventure will affect how well the survivors are disposed towards them, and how willing and able 
  they are to follow the Explorers’ orders. It may also come into play in the aftermath of the adventure, as the Explorers seek 
  to consolidate their proﬁ ts. The players need not be informed of the mechanism that is used to track the group’s morale, but 
  they should certainly be made aware that there are consequences to their actions. Should they leave a group of workers to 
  fend for themselves against the ravening aliens, what hope have they of being helped out when they need aid? Conversely, if 
  the Explorers show willingness to put themselves in harm’s way to help the survivors, they might very well reap the rewards.
  Each of the groups within the Omega Dig staff starts out at a particular “morale level,” as shown below. This is 
  modiﬁ ed throughout the adventure, as described in various sections and as the Game Master sees ﬁ t. See page 293 of 
  Rogue Trader for details on using Interaction Skills.
  • Overseer Leerus starts the adventure Hard to interact with.
  • The Mercenary Guards start the adventure Difﬁ cult to interact with.
  • The Indentured Workers, servants of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Xenoarchaeologists start the adventure 
  Challenging to interact with. 
  
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  A single Rak’Gol should not present a major problem 
  for the Explorers in itself, but it can certainly wreak havoc 
  amongst the surviving non-combatants, potentially killing 
  dozens before the Explorers can intervene. The attack should 
  come when least expected, with the Rak’Gol leaping out 
  of the darkness with a savage roar that can be heard from 
  several chambers away. The Explorers will arrive in time to 
  ﬁ nd bodies littered about and staff ﬂ eeing in panic. If the 
  Explorers met Adept Zpha in part one, then have them 
  greeted by the sight of her facing off the beast alone, armed 
  with nothing more than a laser-trowel. If they want to save 
  the hapless xenoarchaeologist they had better act fast.
  Throughout this scene, keep in mind that the Rak’Gol are 
  utterly savage, bloodthirsty killers. Even an Ork knows when 
  it’s beaten and it’s time to run away, but not the Rak’Gol, who 
  will keep ﬁ ghting until they are victorious or are cut down. If 
  a Rak’Gol know it is going to die, it only redoubles its efforts, 
  in an effort to take as many of its foes down with it as possible.
  Depending on how well the Explorers did dealing with the 
  intruder, they may have made allies of the xenoarchaeologists, 
  especially if they saved Adept Zpha, or enemies, if they left 
  her to her death. This will prove relevant as the numbers of 
  defenders dwindle and the Explorers must rally those who 
  remain to ﬁ ght on. 
  • If the Explorers killed the Rak’Gol personally, the 
  xenoarchaeologists increase their Disposition level 
  towards them by +1. If the Explorers saved Adept 
  Zpha as well, this is increased to +2.
  • 
  If the Explorers took no part in dealing with 
  the Rak’Gol, the xenoarchaeologists decrease 
  their Disposition level towards them by –1.
  There is one last outcome for this event, which the 
  Explorers may attempt (though they should not be 
  prompted). It is possible that they might stun the Rak’Gol 
  into unconsciousness, with an eye to keeping it prisoner, 
  perhaps to be sold on to Cold Traders or other interested 
  parties (such as the notorious Beast House of the Calixis 
  Sector) later on. If this occurs to the players, they should be 
  rewarded, but not without some work. The Rak’Gol should 
  regain consciousness with alarming regularity, and will 
  have to be restrained lest it escape and wreak havoc all over 
  again. See the Further Endeavours section at the end of the 
  adventure for more details.
  MAZE CITY EVENT 3: OLD BONES 
  (OPTIONAL)
  Just when all has calmed down and at least some of the 
  survivors are trying to get their heads down for some well-
  needed rest, a scream echoes down the passageways. If 
  the Explorers investigate, they ﬁ nd an indentured worker 
  standing over the long-dead and half-eaten ﬁ gure of a man in 
  one of the smaller side chambers.
  The body is that of Skan Worllen, one of the ﬁ rst workers 
  to have disappeared when people started going missing 
  several months earlier. The body has been mauled severely, 
  and the face is locked in a rictus of utter horror. Soon after 
  the Explorers arrive, Overseer Leerus comes into the chamber, 
  and upon seeing the body goes as white as a sheet. He orders 
  one of his ever-present guards to allow none into the chamber, 
  and orders one of his men to incinerate the body immediately. 
  THE MADNESS OF THE MAZE
  Finding one’s way around the maze city is a bewildering and disturbing experience, for the geometry of the passageways seem 
  to subtly grate on the psyche of anyone who studies them too closely. Navigation (Surface) Tests are required to keep one’s 
  bearings and move around the city. If none of the Explorers have Navigation (Surface) as a Skill, Adept Zpha does have it.
  A Navigator may use the Navigation (Warp) Skill whilst within the Maze City (subject to his companions taking the 
  normal precautions!). In doing so, he will be able to ﬁ nd his way, but will discern feint echoes of a long lost time when 
  the city was populated by the Egarians. Misty ﬁ gures ghost across his vision, and although he cannot make out anything 
  of them, he knows implicitly that they are the shades of the Maze City’s builders. A successful test allows the character 
  to get his bearings if he is lost, ﬁ nd his way around, etc., but a failed one will necessitate a Horrifying (-20) Fear Test 
  as the character is overwhelmed by the ghostly apparitions. 
  The Difﬁ culty level of either test is up to the Game Master, taking into account how far the character is from where 
  he wants to be. If the current and desired locations are only a single passageway apart (around ten minutes travel) 
  then Ordinary or Routine Tests may be appropriate. Trying to ﬁ nd his way back through a mile or more of twisting 
  passageways might require anything up to an Arduous test.
  The place can play other tricks on the mind too, with the Explorers hearing strange whispers, seeing ﬂ eeting shadows 
  in the corner of their vision, etc. A good way to handle these low level ‘background’ distractions and disturbances is to 
  keep an eye out for failed Awareness Tests that are taken in the course of the game. If such a test is failed, the character 
  thinks he sees or hears something scary, its potency determined as follows.
  Table 5–1: Maze Madness
  Degree of Failure
  Result
  One
  The character is spooked, and takes a –10 penalty on the next Skill Test.
  Two
  Character must take a Disturbing (0) Fear Test
  Three
  Character must make a Frightening (–10) Fear Test
  Four (or more)
  Character must make a Horrifying (–20) Fear Test
  
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  Unless the Explorers intervene, the guard goes off to fetch a 
  ﬂ amer, returns, and does as ordered.
  If pressed, the Overseer states that he has ordered the 
  incineration of the body in case it has been infected with alien 
  microbes. This sounds pretty unlikely to the Explorers, and 
  they may decide to press him further, by way of a an Opposed 
  Interaction Test. If the Explorers are successful, Leerus tells 
  them of the disappearances (though nothing of the reason for 
  them) and says he doesn’t want the survivors to ﬁ nd out about 
  the discovery of the body, as this would ruin what little 
  remains of their morale. Despite his purely selﬁ sh motives, 
  the Overseer is correct in this—should the staff learn of 
  the body their morale will suffer, unless the Explorers can 
  restore it, perhaps by way of a rousing speech by a Rogue 
  Trader or a passionate sermon by a Missionary. In this 
  instance, have the player make a relevant Interaction 
  Test, awarding a bonus of +10 should the player 
  in question give a good performance.
  • If word of the body’s discovery gets back 
  to the other indentured workers, decrease 
  their Disposition level towards the 
  Explorers by –1.
  • If word gets out but one of the Explorers 
  passes the Interaction test, increase the 
  workers’ Disposition level towards them 
  by +1.
  MAZE CITY EVENT 4: THE CROW 
  (MANDATORY)
  Unknown to the Explorers, another party arrived at 
  Egaria Omega at the same time as them, though with 
  a very different reason. A single Eldar, a Corsair 
  of the Crow Spirits, intends to drive the human 
  presence from Egaria Omega and to stop them 
  uncovering things best left undisturbed.
  Rather than introducing the Corsair in a single 
  encounter, it is recommended that she be hinted at 
  several times before ﬁ nally being revealed. The best way 
  to achieve this is by having various Player Characters 
  make Opposed Awareness or Tracking Tests versus Badb 
  Ra’s Concealment Skill at various stages throughout any 
  previous events set inside the maze city. Consult Table 
  5-2 Detecting the Crow Spirit to determine the result 
  of the test. Even if these tests are failed they should hint that 
  something is afoot, and set the players on edge. Have the players 
  keep making the tests until the Corsair is ﬁ nally discovered.
  When she is at last discovered the Corsair will either 
  attempt to ﬂ ee deeper into the maze city, or ﬁ ght her way 
  through the Explorers if it looks like she can. Should the 
  Player Characters pursue or attempt to hunt her down, she 
  is eventually either cornered in a dead end passageway or 
  otherwise subdued. At this point, it is time to introduce her 
  to the Explorers. Read aloud or paraphrase the following:
  The stranger is clearly an Eldar. She is tall and lithe, and clad 
  in a ragged travelling coat with dozens of small animal bones 
  dangling from it. Her face might be counted beautiful, were it not 
  for the utter scorn radiating from her dark eyes and curled lip. 
  After looking each of you up and down as if you were something 
  she’s just trodden in, she speaks.
  “Fools,” she says in a lyrical, yet otherworldly voice. “This 
  place is damned, and so too are you. You will release me and 
  leave, or you will die.”
  Before any of you can answer, a gut-wrenching wail resounds 
  the lengths of the maze city, and you are ﬁ lled with cold dread. 
  The Corsair merely cocks her head, looks you up and down once 
  more, and says “Or perhaps we shall all die…”
  With that, it is time to move on to the third and ﬁ nal 
  act of the adventure.
  PART 2 ACHIEVEMENT 
  POINTS
  • 
  100 Achievement Points—If the Explorers 
  dissuade the mutinous guards from striking 
  out on their own.
  • 100 Achievement Points—If Adept Zpha 
  survives the Rak’Gol attacks.
  • 
  25 Achievement Points—If the Explorers 
  learn something of the disappearances by way 
  of a successful Interaction Test with Overseer 
  Leerus.
  • 25 Achievement Points—If the Explorers can 
  rally the workers’ morale after they ﬁ nd their dead 
  comrade.
  • 
  50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers 
  increase the disposition of the majority of the 
  survivors to Ordinary. 
  • 
  50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers 
  discover Badb Ra. If it is on the ﬁ rst Opposed Test 
  (thus not wasting time in an extended hunt), they 
  gain 100 instead. 
  TABLE 5-2: DETECTING THE CROW SPIRIT
  Degree of Success
  Event
  Standard Success
  Tracks found, +10 to next 
  Test.
  One
  A shadowy shape ducks 
  down a side passage. +20 
  to next Test.
  Two
  Badb Ra is discovered, but is 
  also aware of the Explorers.
  Three (or more)
  Badb Ra is discovered and 
  is unaware of the Explorers.
  remains of their morale. Despite his purely selﬁ sh motives, 
  the Overseer is correct in this—should the staff learn of 
  the body their morale will suffer, unless the Explorers can 
  restore it, perhaps by way of a rousing speech by a Rogue 
  Trader or a passionate sermon by a Missionary. In this 
  instance, have the player make a relevant Interaction 
  MAZE CITY EVENT 4: THE CROW 
  Unknown to the Explorers, another party arrived at 
  Egaria Omega at the same time as them, though with 
  a very different reason. A single Eldar, a Corsair 
  of the Crow Spirits, intends to drive the human 
  presence from Egaria Omega and to stop them 
  Rather than introducing the Corsair in a single 
  encounter, it is recommended that she be hinted at 
  several times before ﬁ nally being revealed. The best way 
  to achieve this is by having various Player Characters 
  make Opposed Awareness or Tracking Tests versus Badb 
  Ra’s Concealment Skill at various stages throughout any 
  Table 
   to determine the result 
  With that, it is time to move on to the third and ﬁ nal 
  act of the adventure.
  PART 2 ACHIEVEMENT 
  Leerus.
  • 25 Achievement Points—If the Explorers can 
  rally the workers’ morale after they ﬁ nd their dead 
  comrade.
  • 
  increase the disposition of the majority of the 
  survivors to Ordinary. 
  • 
  discover Badb Ra. If it is on the ﬁ rst Opposed Test 
  (thus not wasting time in an extended hunt), they 
  gain 100 instead. 
  
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  Part 3: At the 
  Heart of the 
  Maze
  “It’s not what might be sleeping in such places you need to worry 
  about—its what’s just woken up…”
  –Explorator Michendus
  I
  n part three of Vaults of the Forgotten, the action reaches 
  a bloody and chaotic climax. With the scream still echoing 
  in their ears, the Explorers ﬁ nd that ﬁ rst one, then more of 
  their companions have been slain by something terrible that 
  stalks the Egarian maze city. As if this were not bad enough, 
  they have the mysterious Crow Spirit Corsair to contend with, 
  as well as an increasingly erratic Overseer Leerus. They must 
  discover and defeat the beast that stalks the maze, and ﬁ nally, 
  just as they corner it, the Rak’Gol ﬁ nd a way inside. With 
  bloodshed and anarchy erupting all around, the Explorers 
  must muster a defence, or fall prey to the dark legacy of the 
  Egarian Dominion.
  THE MONSTER 
  IN THE MAZE
  Now its time to introduce the Explorers to Overseer Leerus’ 
  unfortunate former deputy, Stahk. Having been infected by 
  the curse of the halo artefact that Leerus attacked him with, 
  Stahk has been transformed into a vile and terrifying parody 
  of all he previously was, a blasphemous hybrid of man and 
  alien. The monster is a huge, twisted conglomeration of 
  human and alien ﬂ esh, visibly infused with the pulsating 
  energies of the Warp. Despite its size however, the monster is 
  surprisingly agile, and is able to move about its lair and track 
  any intruders with a preternatural skill afforded by the curse 
  of the Yu’vath. Its musculature throbs with the vile energies 
  infusing its frame, the source of which is the halo artefact 
  plunged into Stahk’s heart by Overseer Leerus, which is still 
  to be seen protruding from the creature’s chest.
  The monster should be introduced incrementally, one 
  murder at a time, until the Explorers decide to do something 
  about it. Its actions take the following form:
  • Initially, Stahk kills a single indentured worker who 
  wandered too far from the light. His body is found torn to 
  pieces, and the other workers are up in arms. Leerus tries to 
  play the event down, blaming it on the Rak’Gol. If present, 
  Badb Ra derides this explanation, but offers no alternative. 
  Leerus takes exception and tries to pin the murder on the 
  Eldar, but Badb Ra points out that if she wanted to kill 
  someone, she would have made sure the body wasn’t found, 
  and she does not have any weapons to tear someone apart. 
  BADB RA, AGENT OF THE CROW SPIRITS
  The Eldar Corsair that the Explorers have encountered goes by the name of Badb Ra. She has been sent to Egaria 
  Omega by her masters because they have detected the meddling of human hands in a region they are sworn to keep the 
  “despoilers” away from. Badb came to Egaria Omega alone, not to ﬁ ght the intruders in the Egarian Dominion but to 
  use an artefact her masters have given her to close the maze so that none may enter again. Getting caught was not in her 
  plan, but Badb is resourceful and utterly determined to complete her mission in any way possible.
  Badb Ra wants to seal the maze city because in its heart, it contains an artefact called the Hollow Atlas. The Hollow 
  Atlas is a rare and powerful device made by the Egarians in their last days, and could grant great power to those who 
  wield it. In essence, it is a map of the Expanse, but in actuality, it is far more (see page 140). The Crow Spirits know 
  of the Hollow Atlas, and originally sent Badb Ra to seal the maze city so that the Hollow Atlas (and other secrets of 
  the Egarian Dominion) remained undiscovered forever. However, with the possibility of Rak’Gol in the city, Badb Ra 
  is having second thoughts. She knows the Rak’Gol hunger for warp touched artefacts, and fears the thought of them 
  getting their claws on the Hollow Atlas. Depending on events, she may even be agreeable to taking the Hollow Atlas 
  from the city to protect it. 
  The artefact that Badb is carrying takes the form of a pendent made of irregularly formed, jagged white rock, and is 
  in effect a key. Badb keeps the key on a silver chain about her neck, tucked inside her ragged clothes. When the time is 
  right, Badb will use the key to realign the Maze City, and escape in the process. So long as they do not actively attempt 
  to stop her, Badb does not care what happens to the Explorers and their friends. Should they try to cross her, they will 
  ﬁ nd even a single Crow Spirit Corsair a dangerous foe.
  Throughout this part of the adventure, Badb Ra remains cold and aloof, and it takes a charming Explorer to elicit 
  much in the way of conversation from her. Badb will not allow herself to be taken prisoner, at least not without a major 
  ﬁ ght, but will not give the Explorers any reason to do so.
  When running Babd Ra, the Game Master should always keep her mission in mind. To complete it she needs to reach the 
  centre of the Maze City and use the key to activate its ancient mechanisms. She may decide to ally herself with the Explorers if 
  it suits her, or she may decide to slip away into the shadows and pursue her mission alone, depending on circumstances. When 
  things get chaotic, Badb ﬁ ghts side by side with the Explorers, until it is safe to proceed with her task.
  
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  • Leerus orders the guards to redouble their vigilance, but 
  within hours of the ﬁ rst kill, two of the mercenaries are 
  slain—one torn to bits again, and the other vanished 
  expect for bloodstains. A tried and true horror trope 
  could be for the Explorers to hear their screams over the 
  mercenary’s microbeads, and come ﬁ nd the dead bodies. 
  Tensions rise between various groups, with the workers 
  demanding that the Explorers take a hand.
  • Then one of the most senior xenosarchaeologists is killed. 
  A successful Challenging (+0) Awareness Test reveals 
  that the savant was attended by a Servo Skull, and that its 
  spy-lens may have caught something. A successful Hard 
  (-20) Tech-Use Test is required to extract the recording 
  from the Servo Skull’s machine core. This can be replayed 
  on a standard auspex or similar device, and if the Explorers 
  do not have one then another of the xenoarchaeologists 
  offers his. Though the scene captured by the Servo Skull 
  is dark and blurred, the attacker is revealed as a hulking 
  monstrosity, and obviously not a Rak’Gol. Leerus demands 
  to see the recording, and when he does his face goes pale. 
  Still, he does not reveal his dark secret, but should an 
  Explorer attempt to use an Interaction skill to coerce him 
  to do so, the Explorer will be subject to a –30 modiﬁ er. 
  Even should the Explorer succeed, Leerus only lets slip the 
  odd detail—he won’t just spill his guts.
  By this point, the Explorers should have taken it upon 
  themselves to hunt the murderous beast down, but if they 
  have not then someone, perhaps Savant Zpha begs them to, 
  offering their own help in the endeavour. Overseer Leerus 
  grows increasingly agitated during any such conversation, 
  and although he has no better idea is determined that no one 
  should go off alone. This is an ideal cue for a battle of wills 
  between the Explorers on the one hand and the Overseer 
  and his guards on the other. This scene should be played out 
  as a tense confrontation, bearing in mind the Dispositions 
  of all involved (as modiﬁ ed by previous events). Eventually, 
  the entire group will be split down the middle, with Leerus 
  and probably his guards on one side, and the Explorers with 
  whichever factions they have been able to persuade on the 
  other. Remember that Leerus is an experienced individual 
  who has served the Kasballica Mission for many years, and he 
  has seen many “investors” such as the Explorers come and go 
  throughout that time. Still the Explorers are technically agents 
  of the Kasballica Mission, and besides, he has the secret of 
  Stahk to conceal.
  At the height of the confrontation, Leerus takes his followers 
  and departs for the barricades, declaring the Explorers fools. 
  The Explorers can gather their own faction, arm up and head 
  off into the maze. This faction is dependant on their actions and 
  who they have befriended. It is likely to include the surviving 
  workers and xenosarcheologists, and may include some of the 
  mercenaries. Any group that is at an Ordinary Disposition 
  Modiﬁ er or higher is likely to side with the Explorers, except 
  for a core group of a dozen guards who stay with Leerus. If the 
  Explorers are working with Rhiner Gelt openly, Bren will stick 
  with Leerus. Of course, if the Explorers have won Leerus over 
  to their side, he will accompany them. 
  At this point, Badb Ra also determines whether she 
  will work with the Explorers or not. If they decide to hunt 
  the monster in the maze and have not overtly threatened 
  or intimidated Badb, she states that she’ll accompany the 
  Explorers. If not, she takes advantage of the human squabbling 
  to slip off into the darkness to complete her mission.
  TRACKING THE MONSTER
  To confront the monster, the Explorers will ﬁ rst have to ﬁ nd 
  it. This is not easy, because the beast has had many months 
  to become the master of its domain and it knows every twist 
  and turn of the maze city. The Explorers are following trails 
  of long-dried blood, cracked bones and scuff marks on the 
  ground. Hunting the monster should be presented as a tense 
  episode in the adventure, with the possibility that death waits 
  around the next corner hanging over everyone. Don’t forget 
  about the “Madness in the Maze” rule on page 134, as a few 
  failed Awareness Tests and subsequent Fear Tests will really 
  add to the tension and sense of foreboding. The Game Master 
  should play up the sheer “alienness” of the interior of the maze 
  city as the hunt progresses, perhaps hinting at odd whispers 
  echoing down cyclopean halls not trodden in millennia and 
  ghostly movement only ever seen in the corner of the eye. The 
  descriptions of the maze city found on page 21 can ﬂ esh out 
  what the Explorers encounter. 
  In order to locate the hybrid, the Explorers must 
  undertake an Difﬁ cult (8 Degrees of Success 
  needed) Exploration Challenge (see page 263 
  of ROGUE TRADER for details of how such 
  
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  challenges are handled). Any dig staff accompanying the 
  Explorers may contribute to the effort, with each one adding 
  +5 to the Explorers’ Exploration rolls. However, doing so 
  increases the risk of the monster becoming aware that it is 
  being tracked. Should any of the Exploration Tests be failed, 
  a number of dig staff equal to the degrees of success the test 
  is failed by are dragged screaming into the darkness before the 
  Explorers can react or intervene in any way. The ﬁ rst time this 
  happens the remaining staff must take a Challenging (+0) 
  Willpower Test (use the highest Willpower among the group). 
  For every degree of failure, one staff deserts the Explorers and 
  either heads back to Leerus or makes his own way in the maze 
  (likely dying). Each subsequent test increases by one Difﬁ culty 
  level. Depending on their Disposition towards the Explorers, 
  the dig staff might be Commanded to stay, but otherwise they 
  will desert in increasing numbers.
  As the Exploration Challenge progresses, the GM should add 
  in some atmospherics to heighten the tension and fear of the 
  situation. Here are some possibilities, which could happen after 
  an Explorer makes an Exploration Skill Test, indicating that they 
  are either getting closer or farther away from their goal.
  • The Explorers enter a low room containing a massive, 
  lambent crystal that they remember passing through 
  earlier. Obviously they are travelling in circles, but as 
  they move through the room, one notices a bloody hand-
  print on the crystal. A quick head-count reveals one of 
  the indentured workers is missing.
  • A distant set of screams followed by a roar seems to issue 
  from an entrance to a passage above the Explorer’s heads.
  • The Explorers’ vox or microbeads crackle to life, hissing 
  static for a few minutes before falling silent.
  • One of the workers who leaves their party ﬂ ies out of the 
  darkness to land at the Explorers’ feet, slashed and torn 
  by claws and fangs (and quite obviously dead).
  • One of the NPCs the Explorers have a rapport with vanishes. 
  When the Explorers look for them, they hear a trailing 
  scream down a distant hall. When the Explorers ﬁ nd the 
  beast, they’ll ﬁ nd the NPC alive and about to be devoured. 
  Finally, having passed the Exploration Challenge, the 
  Explorers locate the monster’s lair. Read aloud or paraphrase 
  the following:
  Turning a ﬁ nal corner, you ﬁ nd yourself in an impossibly tall, 
  bone-strewn chamber, a single shaft of light spearing down from 
  high above and illuminating a massive crystal plinth. In front 
  of the column is a beast from a nightmare, stooped and ready to 
  charge. The thing is over three metres tall, its black limbs twisted 
  masses of knotted muscles, and covered with layers of chitin and 
  horn. Worst of all is its face, which is obviously that of a man. 
  Its eyes are wide and beseeching, as if the soul within is consumed 
  with misery at the knowledge of its own continued existence. The 
  monster utters a soul-wrenching roar of pain and suffering, 
  before throwing itself at you in a storm of rage!
  The Explorers must now face or escape the 
  Monster in the Maze. If Overseer Leerus happens 
  to be present the monster will focus its 
  attacks upon him, if it is able. If any of the 
  xenoarchaeologists are still around, they 
  will recognise the monster’s face and exclaim the name 
  “Stahk.” There won’t be time to elaborate while the combat 
  is raging, but more can be explained later on. 
  When running the combat, the Explorers may attempt to 
  rally the remaining workers and guards to ﬁ ght the beast with 
  a Difﬁ cult (–10) Command Test. If they succeed, those with 
  guns open ﬁ re, desperately raking the monster with bullets and 
  las-blasts. Don’t worry about rolling for each NPC with a gun. 
  Simply describe their desperate barrage of small arms ﬁ re, and 
  subtract 1d5–1 wounds from the Monster per round—not 
  reduced by armour or toughness. The idea is that they can aid, 
  without supplanting the actions of the Explorers. 
  Badb Ra may join in as well, although again her role 
  should not be to supplant or outdo the Explorers. If she 
  attacks the Monster, it loses an additional 1 wound per round. 
  Once during the encounter she can also step in to parry an 
  attack that would kill an Explorer or important NPC, such 
  as Adept Zpha. The GM should keep in mind, however, that 
  Badb Ra should aid the Explorers, not supplant them. 
  In turn, however, the monster should focus most of its 
  attention on the Explorers. Cinematically, if it moves near any 
  minor NPCs such as workers or mercenaries, it can lash out 
  with a tentacle or claw as a Free Action and slay one. This can 
  also reinforce just how dangerous the monster is. 
  However, time runs out for the Explorers in more ways 
  than one. At the exact moment the Explorers are facing the 
  Monster in the Maze, the Rak’Gol launch an all-out assault 
  in the barricades, smashing it apart and bursting through. If 
  the door was sealed by their lander, volleys of high-explosive 
  weaponry blow it open again. If the Explorers are carrying 
  any communications gear, the channels are suddenly ﬁ lled 
  with desperate, garbled reports as the defenders are overcome. 
  The Rak’Gol know where the chamber with the Hollow 
  Atlas and the Monster are located, and are heading straight 
  towards it—and the survivors within. The GM should make this 
  clear to the players, through frantic vox-calls for help and roars 
  and howls echoing through the maze-city that get ever louder. 
  THE KEY
  The chamber that the Monster in the Maze has chosen for 
  its lair is far more than it appears. If and when the Explorers 
  defeat the beast, Badb Ra enters (or steps forward if she has 
  accompanied the Explorers all along), intent upon completing 
  her mission. She takes the key from around her neck, steps 
  into the column of light at the chamber’s centre, and places 
  it in a socket on the ground at her feet. It is possible that the 
  Explorers might try to interfere with the Corsair, in which 
  case she berates them as fools and tells them they will all die 
  unless they allow her to complete her mission. Meanwhile, 
  the Rak’Gol hordes are closing in…
  The Corsair needs ten Rounds (or roughly a minute if not 
  applicable) to complete her task. The key is used to realign the 
  maze city, but can be used to realign small or large sections. 
  At this point, she is just manipulating this room, to access the 
  treasure stored within the plinth. As soon as the key slots into 
  the socket, the plinth splits apart to reveal a single pedestal. 
  On it, resting in a shallow depression, is the Hollow Atlas (see 
  the sidebar). Read aloud or paraphrase the following:
  
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  At the apex of the plinth is a clear crystal sphere, covered in etchings 
  so detailed and intricate that the actual patterns are indecipherable 
  without careful study. The sphere seems to be spinning, and on 
  closer examination the sphere contains dozens (or even hundreds) 
  of smaller spheres within its shell, each spinning in a different 
  direction. Each of the inner spheres is also covered with etchings 
  and delicate designs. The entire device glows with a soft blue light 
  that seems to eminate from the centre of the device.
  Badb Ra grasps the sphere in both hands and looks at it for 
  a long moment. Then she looks up at you with an indecipherable 
  expression on her face. 
  “I was instructed to seal the city forever, to keep this...safe.” 
  She grimaces. “But now, the beasts are within the walls. I can see 
  no choice, the Hollow Atlas must be taken from its resting place, 
  and the beasts trapped within. If you do not interfere, I can create 
  a means of escape for us both.” 
  Badb Ra’s plan is to use the key for a much more drastic 
  realignment of the city, opening a temporary passageway to 
  the edge that will seal after a few short minutes. At this point, 
  the Explorers have three choices:
  • Kill Badb Ra, take the Hollow Atlas, ﬂ ee the city: 
  Killing Badb Rah won’t be easy, and will delay the 
  Explorers as they attempt to ﬂ ee (their ﬁ rst Agility Test 
  to escape will be Ordinary (+10) instead of Easy 
  (+30)—see below). If they kill her, a Challenging 
  (+0)  Scholastic Lore (Cryptology), Ordinary (+10) 
  Forbidden Lore (Xenos) Test, or Hard (–20) Tech-
  Use Test reveals how the key can be used to open the 
  passageway.
  • Let Badb Ra keep the Hollow Atlas and ﬂ ee the city: 
  Badb Ra’s opinion of the Explorers is improved, as she 
  half-expects them to turn on her. 
  • Demand the Hollow Atlas from Badb Ra and ﬂ ee 
  the city: The Explorers can simply demand the Atlas 
  from her (or threaten to kill her and take it). This should 
  be an Intimidate Test, with a +5 bonus for every Explorer 
  who is on his feet and not suffering Critical Damage. If 
  the Test is successful, Badb Ra acquiesces with ill-grace. 
  She would rather see the Hollow Atlas in the hands of 
  humans than the Rak’Gol, and as long as she is alive she 
  can work towards retrieving it later.
  In any case, when the key is activated a second time, the 
  plinth re-seals. Then, with the sounds of thousands of tonnes 
  of stone and crystal grinding on each other, the walls around 
  the room begin to shift and move. After a few minutes, the 
  walls align into a long, straight passage, at the end of which 
  the Explorers can see a glimmer of daylight. 
  Escaping the City
  As the passageway through the maze city begins to realign 
  and seal, the Explorers must hurry to escape with their necks! 
  To escape the city, each Explorer must make four Agility 
  Tests, representing him ﬂ eeing as the walls seal behind him 
  and passages open and close. The Tests begin as Easy (+30) 
  Agility Tests. Should the Explorer pass that test, his next test 
  will be at the same difﬁ culty.  If he fails, his next Test is one 
  step more difﬁ cult. Failure by four or more degrees at any 
  point means the Explorer has been caught by the crushing 
  walls and almost killed—burn a Fate Point. However, other 
  Explorers can make their own next Test one step harder (or 
  if they have no more tests to make, make a Difﬁ cult (–10) 
  Agility Test) to pull their ally free at the last minute.
  The GM should also make four Agility Tests for the 
  remaining survivors as a group, using their lowest common 
  Agility. These Tests work the same way as the Explorers’ Tests, 
  except that for every degree of failure, one of the survivors is 
  killed, either by the closing passageway or Rak’Gol popping 
  out of suddenly opening side-passages and grabbing them. Of 
  course, the Explorers can intervene as described above to save 
  them. If Badb Ra is alive, the GM should consider putting her 
  in peril of being trapped behind a closing wall. Whether or 
  not the players save her, is of course up to them, but saving 
  her will drastically improve her opinion of the Explorers in 
  the future. (The Hollow Atlas, however is important to later 
  adventures, and whatever happens, it should not be destroyed. 
  It can be lost inside the maze-city, however.)
  As the Explorers are ﬂ eeing the rapidly closing passageway, 
  the Rak’Gol reach the chambers surrounding them and begin 
  pursuit. If the Explorers attempt to stop ﬁ ght them, they 
  count as automatically failing one of their Agility Tests by 
  1d5 degrees, but will have two rounds to ﬁ ght before they 
  need to start running again. However, a much better idea is to 
  ﬂ ee as fast as possible. 
  Once outside the maze-city, the Explorers can stop and try 
  and keep the remaining Rak’Gol from escaping the trap the 
  maze-city has become. Only ﬁ ve Rak’Gol are close enough to 
  the entrance to have any chance of escape, and the Explorers 
  have four rounds before the outer doors seal. They can keep 
  the Rak’Gol in with straight combat, but the GM should also 
  allow more creative plans to work, such as a bundle of photon-
  ﬂ ash grenades or a booby-trapped ﬂ amer tank that drive the 
  Rak’Gol back long enough for the outer doors to seal.  
  CONCLUSION
  At the end of the adventure the maze city is sealed off, the 
  Rak’Gol having been locked inside or crushed as the portal 
  closed. However, there are still several loose ends that need 
  tidying up.
  • Overseer Leerus: It is likely that the overseer 
  died, either during the Rak’Gol ﬁ nal 
  assault or at the claws of the Stahk-
  Monster. However the GM can have 
  MEANWHILE…
  Far above the action, the Explorers’ vessel is ﬁ nally caught 
  up by the Rak’Gol warship, and a desperate battle ensues. 
  If any of the Explorers are on board this can be played out 
  as a space battle. Otherwise, the vessel eventually drives 
  the Rak’Gol ship off, sustaining ugly, but essentially 
  cosmetic damage in the process. Once the Explorers 
  on the ground are clear of the maze city conventional 
  communications between ship and shore are possible 
  once more and the crew can lend what aid they are able.
  
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  him escape the ﬁ nal attack on the barricades if he stays 
  behind, ﬂ eeing the city in the heat of the attack. If he 
  survives, the Explorers may well be suspicious of him, 
  and if questioned closely he’ll eventually cave (although 
  maybe an Intimidation Test is in order). At that point the 
  Explorers can kill him, take him back to the Kasaballica 
  Mission (who would pay handsomely for an employee 
  who has “gone astray”), use the fact that he’s in their 
  debt, or simply leave him be. The last two are an option 
  even if they don’t discover his secret, after all without 
  the Explorers Leerus wouldn’t be alive. If they push it, 
  he will agree to be “their man,” in the future, and run any 
  future dig sites for them.
  • Rhiner Gelt: If the Explorers ignored Gelt, he’ll do the 
  same to them—assuming he survived. However, if they 
  befriended him or impressed him with their care for his 
  fellow workers, the Explorers ﬁ nd themselves with a 
  valuable and loyal retainer. Like Leerus, Gelt might make a 
  ﬁ ne choice for a new overseer of any future dig-sites.
  • The Egarian Expedition: Although the Expedition 
  suffered a great deal of damage, if the Explorers managed 
  to preserve the lives of at least half the crucial dig-site 
  employees (the tech-adepts and xenosarcheologists being 
  the most important, with the workers and mercenaries less 
  so), they can set up a new dig or rehabilitate the old one. 
  However, they may want to do it on a different part of the 
  planet, just in case the Rak’Gol weren’t entirely captured.
  • Badb Ra and the Hollow Atlas: Presuming Badb Ra 
  has survived the adventure, what she does next depends  on 
  her relationship with the Explorers thus far. If it has been 
  indifferent, she leaves with the Hollow Atlas, attempting 
  to reach a Vampire ﬂ yer hidden in the wastes of Omega 
  and from there to a rendezvous with an Eldar ship in 
  orbit. The Explorers may try and claim the Hollow Atlas 
  for their own, in which case she’ll attempt to ﬂ ee. If her 
  relationship with the Explorers was good—and especially 
  if the Explorers saved her at any point—she offers the 
  Hollow Atlas to them as a “loan” to reward them, saying 
  only it is an artefact that those in their line of work will 
  ﬁ nd very useful, and that her kind may return for it some 
  day in the future. Finally, if the relationship has been 
  hostile (such as if the Explorers demanded the Hollow 
  Atlas from her), she vanishes into the desert, plotting to 
  return with her kin and reclaim the prize. 
  There are plenty of other courses the Explorers might 
  take once the city is sealed off, and the Game Master is 
  encouraged to allow the players to be creative in this regard. 
  They could simply plunder the place and take the dig staff 
  on as their own retainers, desert them, or stay around to get 
  the expedition back on its feet. Future dealings with the 
  Kasballica Mission will of course be coloured signiﬁ cantly by 
  the Explorers actions here.
  When ﬁ nally the Explorers return to Footfall, word of 
  their adventures has preceded them. They are the toast 
  of the drinking dens and ﬂ esh joints, and every spacer 
  within earshot wants to hear their tales. There only 
  concern is who else might be listening, for the 
  agents of the Ordo Xenos are everywhere…
  PART 3 ACHIEVEMENT 
  POINTS
  • 50 Achievement Points—If the Explorers located the 
  Monster without losing more than 10 dig staff.
  • 75 Achievement Points—If Badb Ra lives.
  • 100 Achievement Points—If the Explorers gain control 
  of the Hollow Atlas.
  • 100 Achievement Points—If at least one third of the dig 
  staff survive the adventure.
  • 25 Achievement Points—If the Explorers discover the 
  cause of the Monster in the Maze.
  • 200 Achievement Points—If the Explorers end the 
  adventure in control of their own dig site, either by 
  controlling Leerus or setting up their own operation.
  ACHIEVEMENT POINTS
  In order to complete whichever of the Adventure Seed 
  Endeavours was used to introduce the Explorers to Vaults 
  of the Forgotten, the group must have amassed at least 900 
  Achievement Points throughout the course of the adventure. 
  If they fail to do so, their actions may well have spoiled 
  the Kasballica Mission’s business in the Egarian Dominion 
  THE HOLLOW ATLAS
  The Hollow Atlas is a series of clear crystal spheres nested 
  within one another. Each sphere is covered in spindly, 
  complex etchings impossible to decipher, and all but the 
  outermost sphere are rotating rapidly in different directions. 
  The entire assembly glows with a soft-blue light.
  The Hollow Atlas was constructed by the Egarians 
  during the twilight of their civilization, a fusion of 
  their crystal manipulation and darker powers. The 
  Atlas is exactly what its name claims, a series of maps 
  of the entire Koronus Expanse. However, using such a 
  strange xenos device is not for the weak-willed.
  Activating the Atlas requires a Difﬁ cult (–10) 
  Willpower Test that can only be attempted once every 
  day. Only those with a Psy Rating, Navigators, and 
  Footfallen may attempt to activate the Atlas. Failing the 
  Test by four or more degrees results the user suffering 1 
  Insanity Point as the alien device twists his mind instead. 
  When active, a series of highly detailed three-
  dimensional star-charts in glowing blue energy erupt 
  from the Atlas to ﬁ ll whatever room or area it is currently 
  occupying (within reason). Usually, these charts are of 
  a region of space the user is interested in visiting and 
  thinking about—granting a +30 to all Navigation (Stellar 
  and Warp) Tests while in that region. The region can be 
  as large as a sub-sector or as small as a single solar system. 
  However, sometimes the Atlas does not show the 
  user what he wants to see, but other regions entirely. 
  Often there is no discernible reason for this, however 
  should the user heed the Atlas and travel to this region 
  of space, he seldom ﬁ nds the trip wasted. 
  
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  for many years to come, and the Explorers may have made 
  themselves a bitter enemy indeed. In this case, the Game Master 
  might like to have agents of the Mission turn up every now and 
  then during future games and either offer them the chance to 
  redeem themselves or to eliminate them once and for all.
  However, if the Explorers accumulate enough Achievement 
  Points to equal the 900 point threshold, they have walked 
  away in a favourable position. The maze city might be sealed, 
  but at least the Omega Dig can be re-established. Vaults of the 
  Forgotten awards bonus Achievement Points for acts that would 
  contribute to the Omega Dig’s long term survival as a viable 
  investment (saving the necks of the hapless, but highly skilled 
  staff for example). For every 100 Achievement Points they 
  exceed the Threshold by, the Explorers receive an additional +1 
  Proﬁ t Factor.
  In addition, the Explorers gain extra achievement points 
  for obtaining the Hollow Atlas, recognizing how useful it 
  may be in the future.
  REWARDS
  Surviving the sealing off of the maze city and rescuing the 
  dig staff is a major achievement in itself and the Game Master 
  should reward the players accordingly. Experience should 
  be awarded per gaming session as described on page 291 
  of ROGUE TRADER core rulebook. In addition, the following 
  bonus Experience Points may also be granted to all Explorers:
  • 200xp—If the majority of the Indentured Workers 
  survive thanks to the Explorers’ efforts.
  • 200xp—If the majority of the Xenoarchaeologists 
  survive thanks to the Explorers’ efforts.
  • 100xp—If the majority of the Mercenary Guards 
  survive (and end the adventure well disposed towards the 
  Explorers or actually under their command).
  • 100xp—If the Explorers defeat the Monster in the Maze.
  • 250xp—If the Explorers actively defended the 
  expedition from the Rak’Gol (rallying the defenders, 
  manning the perimeter defences etc).
  • 250xp—If the Explorers either eliminate Overseer 
  Leerus or force him into their employ. 
  In addition, if the Explorers make an effort to tidy up the 
  mess left behind after the adventure by getting the Omega 
  Dig back on its feet, they are well rewarded by the Kasballica 
  Mission. The GM should award them an additional +2 to 
  their Proﬁ t Factor.
  If the Explorers recovered the Egarian crystal shards 
  hidden away by Adept Zpha, they may trade them for an 
  additional +50 Achievement Points. If traded, the GM should 
  consider this in future games, as they may well have come to 
  the attention of other Cold Traders, the underworld or even 
  the spies of the Ordo Xenos.
  If the Explorers recovered the key used by Badb Ra to seal 
  the maze city, they can use this in future adventures involving 
  Egarian Maze Cities, at the GM’s discretion. 
  If the Explorers recovered the Yu’vath artefact that 
  transformed Stahk into the hideous Monster in the Maze, this 
  could form the basis of future events. For more ideas on such 
  artefacts, see page 360 of ROGUE TRADER.
  FURTHER ENDEAVOURS
  The following are some ideas for future Endeavours that could 
  lead on from the events of Vaults of the Forgotten. Each is 
  presented as a basic idea, which the Game Master can expand 
  upon depending on the speciﬁ cs of his own campaign and 
  how this adventure played out.
  ALIEN AUTOPSY (LESSER, CRIMINAL)
  If the Explorers captured the Rak’Gol in part two, they might 
  seek to sell it on to interested parties. These could range from 
  Adeptus Mechanicus xeno-genetors to Ordo Xenos Inquisitors 
  of a somewhat Radical bent. Beware of double-crosses!
  HOSTILE TAKEOVER 
  (GREATER, CRIMINAL)
  Perhaps the Explorers feel they deserve more of a cut in the 
  future proﬁ ts to be had from the Omega Dig? They might 
  decide to take the place over entirely, cutting the Kasballica 
  Mission out of the deal. Doing so might spark a vicious 
  underworld war, with Cold Traders the length and breadth of 
  the Koronus Expanse being dragged in on one side or another.
  IF YOU CAN’T KEEP IT, IT WAS NEVER 
  YOURS (GREATER, MILITARY)
  Some time after the events of Vaults of the Forgotten, the 
  Explorers could experience a sudden drop in their fortunes, 
  caused by rivals intercepting artefacts uncovered by the 
  Omega Dig as they are shipped back to the Cold Trade 
  markets of Footfall and beyond. The Explorers must identify 
  which of their many rivals is behind this outrage, and teach 
  them a lesson they won’t forget. What starts out as grudge 
  match could soon escalate into a war scale territorial war.
  Antagonists 
  and NPCs
  T
  he following presents some useful NPCs and 
  antagonists for use with the Vaults of the Forgotten 
  adventure. For save space, descriptions of the individual 
  characters are presented in the main body of the adventure.
  The proﬁ les for Rak’Gol Broodmasters and Marauders can 
  be found on page 73. That of a Marauder class warship can 
  be found on page 74.
  If any further characters are needed the standard NPCs 
  listed in the Rogue Trader rulebook should be used, with 
  appropriate minor alterations by the Game Master. 
  
  142
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  OVERSEER LEERUS
  Overseer Leerus is the cruel and prideful overseer of the 
  Omega Dig. 
  Leerus Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  48
  34
  42
  52
  30
  40
  32
  38
  34
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
   
   
  Wounds: 18
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Barter (Fel), Carouse (T), Ciphers 
  (Int), Climb (Str), Commerce (Fel), Command (Fel), Common 
  Lore (Int) (Imperium, Koronus Expanse), Deceive (Fel), Dodge 
  (Ag), Evaluate (Int), Forbidden Lore (Int) (Archeotech, Xenos), 
  Intimidate (Str) +20, Literacy (Int), Navigation (Int) (Surface), 
  Scholastic Lore (Int) (Cryptology), Scrutiny (Per), Search (Per), 
  Speak Language (Int) (High Gothic, Low Gothic), Survival (Int).
  Talents: Air of Authority, Basic Weapon Training (Bolt), 
  Counter Attack, Deadeye Shot, Die Hard, Light Sleeper, 
  Melee Weapon Training (Universal), Pistol Weapon Training 
  (Bolt), Rapid Reaction, Resistance (Psychic Techniques), 
  Strong Minded, True Grit.
  Armour: Light carapace (Arms 4, Body 5, Legs 4).
  Weapons: Best Quality Customised Boltgun with Motion 
  Predictor, Silencer and Lamp Pack (90m; S/2/4; 1d10+5 X; 
  Pen 4; Clip 24, Reload Half, Tearing), chainsword (1d10+6 
  R; Pen 2; Balanced, Tearing)
  Gear: 2 bolt pistol clips, 1 boltgun clip, 1 lamp pack recharge, 
  expensive survival suit, ﬁ ltration plugs, auspex, data-slate, 
  micro-bead, multicompass.
  TECH-ADEPT ODDYLE
  Tech-adept Oddyle is the renegade Tech-Priest working the Dig.
  Oddyle Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  34
  24
  33
  30
  29
  41
  34
  35
  20
  Movement: 3/6/9/18  
   
   
  Wounds: 14
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Chem-Use (Int), Common Lore 
  (Tech) (Adeptus Mechanicus) (Koronus Expanse) (Int), Logic 
  (Int) +10, Forbidden Lore (Adeptus Mechanicus) (Archeotech) 
  (Xenos) (Int), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Techna-Lingua) 
  (Int), Tech-Use (Int) +20.
  Talents: Binary Chatter, Chem Geld, Electrical Succour, 
  Energy Cache, Ferric Lure, Foresight, Luminen Charge, 
  Meditation, Melee Weapon Training (Chain, Power, 
  Primitive), Pistol Training (Bolt, Las, Plasma, SP).
  Traits: Mechanicus Implants.
  Armour: Flak cloak (Head 3, Arms 3, Body 3, Legs 3).
  Weapons: Chain axe (1d10+7 R; Pen 2; Tearing), laspistol 
  (30m; S/-/-; 1d10+2 E; Pen 0; Clip 30; Reload Full; Reliable).
  Gear: MIU, Cybernetic Senses, Memorance Implant, Locator 
  Matrix, Augur Arrays (all Good Craftsmanship), Odic 
  Accumulator (counts as a Best Craftsmanship Graviton Gun).
  ARTIFICER BORAN
  The off-kilter Boran is Oddyle’s somewhat reliable assistant.
  Boran Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  25
  32
  30
  30
  32
  45
  32
  32
  15
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
   
   
  Wounds: 12
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Chem-Use (Int), Common Lore 
  (Tech) (Adeptus Mechanicus) (Koronus Expanse) (Int), Drive 
  (Tracked Vehicles) (Walkers) (Ag), Logic (Int) +10, Speak 
  Language (Low Gothic) (Techna-Lingua) (Int), Tech-Use (Int) 
  +20, Trade (Armourer) (Ag) +20.
  Talents: Binary Chatter, Chem Geld, Electrical Succour, 
  Energy Cache, Luminen Charge, Meditation, Melee Weapon 
  Training (Shock, Primitive), Pistol Training (Bolt, Las, Plasma, 
  SP), Rite of Pure Thought/Frenzy†
  Traits: Mechanicus Implants. 
  Armour: Flak cloak (Head 3, Arms 3, Body 3, Legs 3).
  Weapons: Plasma pistol (10m; S/2/- E; Pen 6; Clip 10; Reload 
  Half; Overheat), Shock Staff (1d5+6 I; Pen 0; Shocking)
  Gear: MIU, Optical Mechadentrite, Utility Mechadendrite, 
  Cranial Armour (all Good Craftsmanship), 2 plasma ﬂ asks, 
  data-slate, respirator, personal cogitator, tools.
  †Boran’s cranial implants are one chip short of a set, causing 
  him to ﬂ ip from cold and logical to irrational and angry in 
  the blink of an eye. Boran starts out with the Rite of Pure 
  Thought applying, but should he ever fail any Willpower 
  based Test, Frenzy applies instead. Further failed tests cause 
  him to revert to the opposite rule and so on.
  ADEPT ZPHA
  Adept Zpha is the Dig’s foremost scholar. 
  Zpha Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  25
  20
  24
  22
  30
  50
  40
  44
  33
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
   
   
  Wounds: 9
  Skills: Common Lore (Int) (Imperium, Koronus Expanse, Tech), 
  Evaluate (Int), Forbidden Lore (Int) (Archeotech, Xenos), Literacy 
  (Int), Navigation (Surface) (Int), Scholastic Lore (Int) (Archaic, 
  Cryptology), Search (Per), Speak Language (Int) (High Gothic, 
  Low Gothic), Tech-Use (Int), Trade (Int) (Archaeologist) +20.
  Weapons and Armour: None.
  Gear: Rugged work wear, simple tools, lamp pack, Hadd-
  pattern data-loom.
  
  143
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  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  THE MONSTER IN THE MAZE
  The terrifying remnants of a man who haunts the maze city.
  Monster Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (10)
  (12)
  48
  —
  51
  60
  34
  20
  32
  50
  05
  Movement: 5/10/15/30  
  Wounds: 40
  Skills: Awareness (Per), Concealment (Ag), Shadowing (Ag), 
  Survival (Int), 
  Talents: Berserk Charge, Blind Fighting, Hatred (Overseer 
  Leerus), Lightning Attack, Rapid Reaction, Swift Attack, 
  Warp Sense.
  Traits: Brutal Charge, Dark-sight, Fear (3), From Beyond†, 
  Natural Armour, Natural Weapons, Regeneration†, Size 
  (Enormous), Sturdy, Warp Weapons†, Unnatural Strength 
  (x2), Unnatural Toughness (x2). 
  Armour: Hideously twisted chitin/hardened skin (All 8).
  Weapons: Chitinous Claws (1d10+10 R; Pen 3; Tearing).
  †Shardheart: Protruding from the centre of the Monster’s 
  chest is the darkly pulsating halo artefact that Overseer 
  Leerus plunged into Stahk’s heart, thus creating the beast that 
  is the Monster in the Maze. Any attack that causes Critical 
  Damage to the Monster’s Body has a 20% chance of hitting 
  and instantly destroying the shard (in addition to any other 
  Critical Effect rolled). Alternatively, an Explorer can target 
  the shard with a called shot. Should this happen, the Halo 
  Artefact is instantly destroyed, and the Monster loses the 
  Regeneration, From Beyond and Warp Weapon Traits. In 
  order to notice the shard in the heat of combat an Explorer 
  must pass an Very Hard (-30) Awareness Test. Having 
  passed this, a successful Challenging (+0) Logic Test will 
  reveal that destroying the shard would be a good idea.
  RHINER GELT
  The leader of the workers at the Dig.
  Gelt Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  38
  35
  44
  46
  23
  30
  40
  37
  40
  Movement: 2/4/6/12 
   
  Wounds: 15
  Skills: Awareness (Per) +10, Command +10 (Fel), Common 
  Lore (Imperium) (Imperial Guard) (War) (Int), Interrogation 
  (WP), Intimidate (Str), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int).
  Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Las, SP), Disarm, Melee Weapon 
  Training (Primitive), Peer (Workers) (Military), Pistol Training 
  (Las, SP), Takedown, Unarmed Warrior, Unarmed Master.
  Armour: None.
  Weapons: Unarmed ﬁ sts (1d10+4 I; Pen 0).
  Gear: Rugged work gear.
  MERCENARY GUARDS
  Dangerous mercenaries hired to protect the camp.
  Mercenary Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  40
  40
  35
  35
  30
  25
  35
  30
  25
  Movement: 3/6/9/18 
   
   
  Wounds: 10
  Skills: Awareness (Per) +20, Common Lore (Int) (Imperium, 
  Koronus Expanse, Underworld), Dodge (Ag) +10, Inquiry (Int), 
  Intimidate (Str) +10, Scrutiny (Per) +10
  Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Universal), Disarm, Heavy 
  Weapon Training (SP), Melee Weapon Training (Primitive, 
  Universal), Nerves of Steel, Pistol Training (Universal)
  Armour: Flak armour with carapace chest plate (Arms 4, 
  Body 6, Head 4, Legs 4).
  Weapons: Hellgun (110m; S/3/–; 1d10+4 E; Pen 7; 
  Clip 30; Reload 2 Full) or Heavy Stubber (120m; –/–/10; 
  1d10+5 I; Pen 3; Clip 40; Reload Full), 3 Frag Grenades 
  (9m; S/–/–; 2d10 X; Pen 0; Blast (4)) 
  Gear: Rugged clothing, ﬁ ltration plugs, photo-contacts.
  CAPTAIN BREN
  Captain Bren commands the mercenaries in the camp. For his 
  proﬁ le, use the mercenary proﬁ le with the following changes 
  and additional Skills and Talents:
  Char: WS 50, S 40, T 40, Int 30, Fel 20, +5 Wounds
  Skills: Common Lore (War) (Int), Pilot (Flyer) +10, Security 
  (Ag) +20, Shadowing (Ag) +10, Silent Move (Ag)
  Talents: Ambidextrous, Crack Shot, Iron Discipline, Quick 
  Draw, Two Weapon Wielder (Melee, Ballistic)
  Weapons: Replace hellgun or heavy stubber with a best 
  craftsmanship hellpistol (35 m; S/2/–; 1d10+4 E; Pen 7; 
  Clip 40, Reload 2 Full) and a power sword (1d10+9 E; Pen 5; 
  Balanced, Power Field)
  BADB RA, CROW SPIRIT CORSAIR 
  The mysterious agent of the Crow Spirits in the maze city.
  Monster Proﬁ le
  WS
  BS
  S
  T
  Ag
  Int Per WP Fel
  (10)
  52
  55
  33
  35
  55
  39
  58
  43
  20
  Movement: 5/10/15/30  
  Wounds: 18
  Skills: Acrobatics (Ag) +20, Awareness (Per) +20, 
  Concealment (Ag) +20, Deceive (Fel) +20), Dodge (Ag) +10, 
  Evaluate (Int) +10, Forbidden Lore (Int) (The Black Library, 
  Xenos, The Warp) +10, Gamble (Int), Navigation (Stellar) 
  (Int), Pilot (ﬂ yer) (Ag), Medicae (Int), Silent Move (Ag) +20, 
  
  144
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  V: Vaults of the Forgotten
  Speak Language (Eldar, Low Gothic, Void Cant) +10.
  Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Las), Catfall, Exotic 
  Weapons Training (Shuriken Catapult, Shuriken Pistol), 
  Foresight, Hard Target, Leap Up, Melee Weapon Training 
  (Power, Primitive), Pistol Weapon Training  (Las), Quick 
  Draw, Rapid Reaction, Resistance (Fear, Psychic Techniques, 
  Sprint.
  Traits: Unnatural Agility (x2).
  Armour: Xeno mesh void armour (Body 5, Arms 4, Legs 4).
  Weapons: Best Quality Shuriken catapult (60m; S/3/10; 
  1d10+4 R; Pen 6; Clip 100, Reload 2 Full; Reliable), xeno-
  crafted laspistol (30m; S/-/-; 1d10+2 E; Pen 0; Clip 30; 
  Reload Full; Reliable), xeno-crafted mono-sword (1d10+3 R; 
  Pen 2; Balanced), 1 plasma grenade, 1 blind grenade.
  Gear: Ragged outer garments adorned with a variety of 
  bone fetishes, 3 spare clips of Shuriken catapult ammunition, 
  waystone gem, xenos-crafted medkit, auspex, the key.
  SENTINEL POWER LIFTER (LATHE 
  PATTERN, MARK XXV)
  Type: Walker
  Tactical Speed: 8 m
  Cruising Speed: 45 kph
  Manoeuvrability: +10
  Structural Integrity: 15
  Size: Hulking 
  Armour: Front 18, Side 18, Rear 18
  Crew: Pilot
  Carrying Capacity: Approximately 1 metric tonne.
  Weapons
  Powerlifter (Facing Front, Melee, 2d10+10, Pen 2, Unwieldly)
  Special Rules
  Grab and Smash: The Omega Dig site is strewn with heavy 
  objects such as crates and barrels  that an Explorer piloting the 
  power lifter could use as weapons, picking them up and smashing 
  them down on the larger Rak’Gol beasts. As a Full Action, the 
  lifter may grab such an item and lift it in its powerlifter. Its 
  next attack inﬂ icts an additional d10 Damage, and the object 
  is smashed apart and another must be found. If the hit misses or 
  is parried by the opponent, there is a 50% chance that it will be 
  smashed, but otherwise the pilot may continue to use it. While 
  laden, the walker’s Manoeuvrability becomes –10.
  Open-topped: Enemies may target the pilot using a Called 
  Shot Attack Option.
  Walker: The Sentinel Powerlifter ignores penalties for moving 
  through difﬁ cult terrain, and negotiates obstacles such as rock 
  slides and shattered dig machinery without penalty.
  TROJAN SUPPORT VEHICLE (IDUMEA 
  SUB-PATTERN 99X)
  Type: Ground Vehicle
  Tactical Speed: 8 m
  Cruising Speed: 45 kph
  Manoeuvrability: +0
  Structural Integrity: 20
  Size: Enormous
  Armour: Front 24, Side 18, Rear 18
  Crew: Driver, Chief, Operator
  Carrying Capacity: 8 passengers or approximately 4 tonnes 
  of ammunition.
  Weapons
  Prow mounted heavy bolter (Facing Front, 120m; –/–/10; 
  2d10+2 X; Pen 5; Clip 100; Reload 3 Full; Tearing)
  Special Rules
  Ground Vehicle: The Trojan Support Vehicle follows all 
  rules for ground vehicles.
  Dozer Blade: The driver may make a Ram Action to 
  destroy obstacles weighing up to 5 tonnes. A successful 
  Challenging (+0) Drive (Ground Vehicle) Test 
  automatically destroys the obstacle. Failing the test causes 
  2d10+10 damage on the vehicle itself, counting the attack 
  as coming from the Front Facing.
  
  The vast darkness of the Expanse 
  brims with legends and secrets. Within 
  this book are rare bits of truth, bought 
  with countless lives. Armed with this 
  priceless knowledge, plot your own 
  course to adventure and proﬁ t! 
  Detailed descriptions of the Expanse’s famous 
  worlds allow players and GMs to plan new 
  Endeavours and adventures. Fight across the frozen 
  surface of Lucin’s Breath, plunder the Egarian maze 
  cities, and plumb the secrets of haunted Illisk. 
  Study, negotiate, and war against the inhabitants 
  of the Expanse; xenos races, the vile forces of 
  Chaos, and monolithic Imperial organizations.
  Learn of six legendary Rogue Traders, each a potential 
  ally, enemy, or source of valuable information.
  Play through a complete, full-length adventure 
  that pits Explorers against bloodthirsty xenos and 
  offers the chance to plunder lost artefacts of the 
  Egarian Dominion.
  OPPORTUNITIES AND  THREATS IN THE KORONUS EXPANSE!
  Proﬁ t from the secrets of the 
  Koronus Expanse!
  Suitable for players of all levels.
  A copy of the ROGUE TRADER Core Rulebook
  is needed to use this supplement.
  WWW.FANTASYFLIGHTGAMES.COM
  is needed to use this supplement.
  TM
  Edge of the Abyss                  RT05
  ISBN: 978-1-58994-795-5
  9 781589 947955
  53995
  852AUG10
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/40k/Game books/Rogue Trader/Rulebooks/Rogue Trader - Edge of the Abyss.pdf