Fuck yes.

Nobleborn Female Rogue Trader for our character

Will follow

i'm in, for sure ! I want to play RT baldy, but no one around/no available internet group for ....

Interesting - hadn't expected much interest, given that quest threads seem to have quieted down recently.

Will give it a few more minutes to make tea and see what others think, then possibly begin.

I'm interested

>>13361467
I agree, noble born female rogue trader is a go.

Nah, there are already too many shitty quests on /tg/.

>>13361548

Thirded.

That is the hattiest hat what ever hatted in the history of hatting hats.

Hats off, mate.

You are alone, wandering through the dark halls of your family's opulent home on Askelphion Secundus. It is a path you've tread many times, day and night, but this night seems... Different somehow.

Drawing up to a door - no, THAT door - you pause. This was your father's study, and his father's before him, back as far as your family has existed. You only have vague memories of your father, having lost him at a tender age to a noble's duel, but you remember him as a firm, but loving figure. Without a moment's hesitation, you press the door open and-

Fall.

Into darkness, nothingness, losing the door behind you to the shadows. But you are no longer alone, for you can feel a hard, warm presence surrounding you. In front of you, a soft golden light begins to stream into your vision, growing stronger and stronger, until you can no longer bear to look at it and avert your eyes.

"O child, what is your name?"

>>Choose Name
>>Choose Gender
Most popular choice gets it - failing that, first choice gets it.

>>13361591
Someday, perhaps your hat will be as glorious as that man's.

>>13361591
Seconded.
By the way, the Rogue Trader NEED a Hat. What kind do you prefer ?
I vote for a x-box huge Bicorn.

>you Lonallyn
captcha suggest Lonallyn for firstname.

Anastasia Victrix IV Von Juggdrall, Female.

female. Don't know for name...
Something like this for her style, with more regalia ?

>>Combining first and second due to lack of majority

Reminding yourself of your upbringing, you pull yourself upright - though you still gaze away from the bright centre of the light, and announce yourself as Lonallyn Victrix IV von Juggdrall, daughter of the noble House von Juggdrall.

You well-bred and educated, a strong woman in her prime.

The voice seems to rumble for a moment, as if mulling this over, before speaking again. "I know you, child. I have always known you. You are gifted by fate, with the potential to serve or renounce your Imperium in great ways. Tell me how best it is you serve."

>>At present, all your stats are:
WS: d10
BS: d10
S: d10
T: d10
Int: d10
Per: d10
WP: d10
Fel: d12


>>To make it easy to change stats as you train or become more experienced, we'll use increasing dice instead of flat percentiles. Choose 2 separate stats to add +2 to for dice rolls, and one separate stat to add +1 to. You may drop ONE stat to d8 for another +2 elsewhere. As you adventure, your abilities may increase or decrease - at present, you are slightly better than average, due to your balanced and noble upbringing.

As a note, feel free to add flourishes as you go - I'm a fan of the rule of cool, and suitably awesome moments might earn bonuses.

+2 on WS perhaps ? If something is between me and my loot, i want to hit it HARD with my sword.
No AG, by the way ?

>>13361843
I only counted over it HOW many times...
Cheers! Stats should be

WS
BS
S
T
Ag
Int
Per
WP
Fel

All d10 at present except for Fel, which is d12

i'd say WS and Int for +2, Ag for +1. the sharpest &gracile knife in the drawer....

Your father's considerable fortune and your mother's constant drive to further your skills has given you many advantages over the common rabble and the other nobles alike - where others went to war, took a trade, or adopted a life of leisure, you went to University, where you studied a vast many subjects, and were the first female captain of the fencing club. Trophies line your walls, and the experience shows itself in your graceful handling of blades and your quick reflexes.

"I give to my Imperium that which it has given me - I win my victories by feats of mind and arm in equal measure, and do not back down from any challenge."

The light pulses, a soft laughter emanating from it. "Go then, O child - win your victories and cast your dice where you must. Know that I will be with you."

The light brightens, until it becomes so blinding that you must shield your eyes entirely, and you feel yourself being shaken - shaken by the force of this being's presence?

"Mamzel! Mamzel, it is half past ten bells! Mamzel, your visitor is here to meet you, you must wake up and prepare!"

You open your eyes to find yourself being shaken by Mita, your personal valet, back in your bed. Was it all a dream?

"Mamzel, I apologise, but your mother told me to wake you if you were not moving around before your guest arrived. Breakfast has been waiting for over an hour now, and he is here!"

>>Wat do?

Also, methinks I may have jumped the gun in starting this - I'll keep an eye on the thread, but it may be best to try again another time.

" a cup of cuffe please, mita. Remind me : who is our guest today ?" rushing to the bathroom for a quick washing.
"please tell him I will come quickly, and ensure he can wait confortably".

You hear Mita clinking away with some silverware behind you, pouring your morning caffe with practised ease.

"Your late grandfather's friend, Mamzel - Messire Lucan. He's waiting in the drawing room - come to formally hand over your Charter, I think it was? The von Markov boy - I mean, your friend Messire Wilhelm - came to call on you earlier as well, but I sent him away. He's just back from the campaigns, and wanted to ask if it was true, you officially taking over your Grandfather's charter and all, but it was hardly yet seven bells, so I turned him away and..."

You tune her out, knowing well that Mita can go on for an age if not stopped. Washing up has allowed you to get your bearings, and you remind yourself of the past few months.

Your grandfather was a Rogue Trader - a noble man, with a charter awarded to him for "Services rendered to the Imperium of Man" by some man that your mother met once as a small child. He never discussed it, and no one ever asked. He left his only daughter, your mother, once she was married, and no word came of him until a few years past, when it was announced that he had disappeared somewhere in the Koronus Expanse. You were to take his place once you finished your studies, much to the chagrin of his son, your uncle, but your grandfather had quite clearly named you, for reasons that he kept to himself. Lucan had sent word a week prior that he would becoming to formally hand over the rights to you and, after a short, very quiet argument with your displeased mother, it was arranged that you would also be able to leave that day if you wished.

"... So I told Valerin, if you see that boy again before the stroke of noon, you don't let him in the gates! He can wait like a civilised person, and..."

Now dressed in your finest, you take the caffe from a still babbling Mita and plan your next move...

>Vat Do?

>>13362190

We go meet our guest. Be sure to leave a good impression.

Anyone up for the "talking as we descend a flight of stairs into the study" kind of entrance?

Also ask Mita to prepare breakfast for us and our guest.

>> 13362251
ok for it of course.

>>13362287
>>13362251

Okay, so we do a "Hello, Mister Lucan, I hear you have something for me?" as we descend the stairs, and as he acts to hand it to us, we kind of wave it away, doing the whole "oh no, that can wait. Have you eaten anything? I, personally, am famished."

Essentially, we do a "I'm in power, but I want to be polite" kind of shtick.

Or it's just nobility being nobility.

Oh yeah, we also need to ask him about our grandfather over breakfast/brunch.

>>I like this... Cunning! As an aside, though Mita is not an example of it, I've slipped in a few hidden references to various things in names, etc that, once realised, will give you bonuses and/or a bit of backstory

Mita may not know when to stop talking, but after serving you for so long, she certainly knows how to help you make an entrance. The door is slightly ajar as you descend the stairs, her voice clearly carrying into it when she speaks.

"Of course, Mamzel. I'll have the breakfast removed, brunch prepared, and the chef spoken to about his poor timing."

Your eloquent entrance definitely attracts attention, as the man has already risen, and comes over to you with a bow, holding out a stasis sealed tube.

"Milady, I apologise for my poor timing - I should have rescheduled. This document is the final page of your charter - the signed portion - which I am to officially present to you before returning it to the stasis vaults."

His voice is every bit as smooth as his remarkably unaged face, a stark contrast to the short, well-trimmed white hair that you would have expected from a man his supposed age. You briefly recall your mother remarking that he looked exactly the same when he came to call recently as when he and your grandfather departed to the stars at least half a century ago, but you suppose juvenat treatments aren't out of the question... His quiet - silent, really - yet martial demeanour and understated, unarguably well-made grey suit and greatcoat give you the impression of someone used to sensitive dealings.
(cont)

You take the charter, looking at it with a practised air of disinterest before waving it away with a "Oh no, this can wait - have you eaten, Messire Lucan? Personally, I am famished."

If Lucan seems taken aback at your cavalier handling of an important document, his impassive face does not show it, and he bows once more, following you to the table which, bless Mita, has been perfectly prepared.

"Milady, I do not wish to waste your important time. I have with me the particulars of your affairs - dossiers on the surviving key crewmembers, recordings of your earnings prior to inheriting the charter, a listing of your ship and its complement, and other such documents. If I may suggest a slight breach of etiquette, I could perhaps give you an overview? I am, of course, at your service henceforth, my Rogue Trader, and will be looking out for your interests as your Seneschal as per your Grandfather's wishes..."

Ahah, our Seneschal ? time to talk business. let's forgive his "breach of etiquette", and let's talk. i suggest we show him we are interested in to know precisely the state of our Dynasty.
(please forgive me if I don't do the roleplay, I'm not an English native speaker, so I don't think i'll do correctly the noble accent).

>>13362527
>>13362332
At your question as to the current state of affairs, Lucan nods, and a dataslate is presented to you. As he presses buttons on his own slate, you see a variety of numbers, figures, and glyphs, mostly nonsense to you, though they seem at least to be mostly green. Lucan helpfully clarifies.

"At present, we are currently a moderately successful dynasty. We had two ships until only recently, when your grandfather disappeared... Our first and currently surviving vessel, the Tempus Fugit, has returned from its most recent endeavour in the Koronus Expanse with enough of a profit to pay for repairs, crew replenishment, and supplies, with a little extra for you to spend on whatever you wish, provided it is not TOO extravagant."

At the mention of your grandfather, Lucan pauses, keying something into the dataslate that brings up a long-winded, bureaucratic report. "These are the offical reports to the Administratum about the current state of the Crux Imperialis, the vessel Messire Fawk - your grandfather - was travelling on with some of his close personnel en route to investigate rumours of a former Imperial World at the edge of the Rifts of Hecaton. When we arrived to liase with them, there was no sign of Messire Fawk, though the remains of the Crux Imperialis remained orbitting one of the outermost planets, along with the wreckage of several raiders. I had the crew return me to Port Wander so that I might settle his affairs, and to begin investigating the possibility of his survival, but our scans showed no sign that anyone managed to flee the ship. Is there anything else you would like to know, Milady?

Anything which may suggest it was an assassination, of that our grand father was on something ?

in what state is our ship ? who command her ?

>>13362778
"I was unable to unearth anything that might indicate a conspiracy, milady. As well, it would certainly seem to me to be much wiser, and significantly less costly, to use an operative of some sort than to devote several ships to the endeavour. That isn't to say that it is impossible - I would certainly be cautious - but at the time, my... Personal reports had all of your grandfather's known enemies too far away to be at least personally involved. They certainly left little to steal, as well."
He smiles briefly, which you are thankful for. It's an unnerving, almost predatory smile, and you are much more grateful for his normally expressionless face.
"It was, after all, my job to be aware of where Messire Fawk's enemies were at any given time."

>>13362788
When you ask about the current commander of the ship, Lucan does a bit more fiddling with his dataslate, and the slightly annoyed visage of a woman appears on your screen. She has pale skin and pale blue eyes, with red hair pulled back into two braids, and seems less than pleased with whoever stuck a pict-captor in her face. You note that she is a Valhallan - an ice-worlder, and far from home.

"Your current Voidmistress, Freya Ninakova, is the Captain of the Tempus Fugit. Your grandfather recieved the ship and much of its crew from the Imperial Navy at the outset of his charter, and installed her as its captain. She has considerable experience piloting small craft - fighters, mostly - but is quite adept at commanding a vessel like the Tempus. Messire Fawk gave her a considerable amount of lee-way in how she ran the ship, and in return he was one of few people who she did not argue with. She can be a bit tempermental, and she DOES keep the bridge positively FRIGID, but I assure you that she is both dedicated and capable. Along with the Astropath and Navigator, she is one of the only remaining personnel hand-picked by your grandfather."

I'm going to ask a semi-important question.

Doesn't seem like it's been answered, though.

Okay. We're getting a charter. Great. What about a ship?

"talk me about them, my dear Lukan."
taking a sip of my tea, listening carefully. A cold blooded professional, and a hot tempered Voidmistress ?
it promises interessting relations on the bridege....

>>13362967
Anyone roll a d20 for this
1-9 = Raider
10-18 = Frigate
19-20 = Light Cruiser
I've got ships hashed out for each of those three types, so once a hull is selected by the dice gods, we'll go with it!
Also, roll a d10, to see if there's anything interesting about the ship to be revealed later.

>>13362995
With a few deft flicks of his fingers, Lucan brings up the image of a confused-looking woman - tall, lanky, and frail, with shock-white hair and cloth covering her eyes.
"Astropath Designate Beta, named Cassya Ninakova. This one was brought on at the urging of her elder sister, your Captain. I must admit, I was wary, but she seems to acquit herself well at her duties, and has neither failed in them nor summoned anything unholy upon us..."

Before you can even ask if that was meant to be a joke, the picture is shrunken, sharing space with that of a man, middle-aged perhaps, wearing a hood that covers his forehead. His eyes are a warm brown, and in stark contrast to the gaping maw of sharp teeth that causes you to gasp in shock.
"I assure you, Messire von Liebowitz is much more personable than that image suggests - for one of his ilk, that is. He can be sociable when required, and we are blessed to have a member of the House von Liebowitz serving our crew - he personally contacted your grandfather requesting to join for only a modestly exorbitant sum, and has never caused us difficulty."

"You currently have no Arch Militant to command your men-at-arms due to the disappearance and presumed death of the prior, Messire Hale, the Tempus Fugit has never had a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus in any major capacity, and the last spiritual advisor, Pater Gregor, was also accompanying your grandfather and Messire Hale. I do miss his lovely hymns, I must admit... That sums up your crew, let me just pull up the ship's specifications..."

>>13362967
it's Free! all you have to do is haul her off the lot.

(godamnit, i'm tired, don't manage to roll dice like a newfag)
Alright, let's talk now about our starship....

>>13363279
But you have one! I have it right here and everything.
Please?

...did I mention that it's free?

rolled 20 + 0 = 20

rolled 5 + 0 = 5

>>13363314
(at least i did it ! Light Cruiser it seems !)
"We have no more a spiritual advisor, and no real specialist to help us repair the ship if need or help us identifying valuable tech. It must be corrected as soon we find suitable candidates.

rolled 6 = 6

>>13363120
Our ship is so very special, yes it is...

Let's get a rundown of our dynasty's existing enemies, and our allies if any.

>>13363314

Sweet.

What's the name? The Tempus Fugit or what?

>>13363314
mfw 20

>>13363279
"Indeed, let's..."
The image of a considerable ship appears on your display - a light cruiser, if your History of Naval Warfare: Calixis Sector course at University serves you well, captioned "Tempus Fugit".

"The Imperial Navy was, as you can see, quite impressed with your grandfather..."

A few smaller close-up images pop up, enlarging when you tap on them. One details the hull of the ship, which appears to be covered in hexagrammic wards that must have taken considerable time to etch on, and a statue of Saint Celestine atop the prow. The image is titled "Hull - Warpsbane, reinforced against Immaterium". Another details a heavily armoured bridge from the interior, with tests and battle reports scrolling along the side that show the ship surviving numerous impacts directly to the bridge.

Standard macrocannons and a fearsome-looking lance are mounted dorsally, giving the ship an imposing, powerful look, and a vast network of augur arrays , captioned "Mark 201.b" jut out from the hull.

Your grandfather's own addition are listed and pict-capped as well, including an increased cargo hold, an observation dome filled with star charts, and a barracks of sorts.

Additionally, roll a 1d10 Perception check, aiming high.

>>13363344
"As you wish, my Rogue Trader. I should advise, Captain Ninakova has resisted every effort by the Adeptus Mechanicus to 'tinker with' the vessel, as she says it. They do seem interested, however, as I have received no less than twenty-five messages from differing Magos since we began our brunch. The Imperial Cult has been much more polite, and has sent three messages since yesterday with differing candidates they wish you or I to interview."

>>13363384
Also, forgot to mention this, but noted.

>>13363472
Also also, THIS was mfw

rolled 10 = 10

>>13363472
Rolling Perception.

Let's have profiles for both the Ecclesiarchy's candidates and those of the Mechanicus. Particularly those of any Magos which stands out from the others, in the latter case.

Awaiting allies/enemies rundown, as well. Apparently we're in good with the Navy, if I may read into what he said.

rolled 10 + 0 = 10

(let's have a look. by the way, Dauntless I suppose ?)

"Do we have more pressing affairs before starting some interviews ? I think it might be better to see the current crew before adding new elements. by the way, do we have ennemys or rivals I must already keep an eye on, and who can be relied on to help us explore # and plunder# the Expanse ?

>>13363514
>>13363519
>>You frighten me.
As you flick through images, one thing in particular catches your eye quite jarringly. A small file, without name, tucked away in the archive. Anyone else would have missed it, but your eyes are quite keen from the hours of reading and study, and you bring it up to see...

Nothing. Blank white. A caption is the only trace of what remains, reading "REDACTED. -F.N." and is countersigned with what appears to be your grandfather's signature. You don't even have to ask Lucan, who, sensing your question, offers "As this bears your grandfather's signature, I do not have the authority to ask Miss... Captain Ninakova what was once there."

"I will upload the requests to your slate, milady - I have taken the liberty of sorting the vast swathes of Mechanicus requests by seniority and specialisation - there are 7 Magos specialising in human biology, three xenobiologists, 5 Magos with histories on voidships, two with experience in the Imperial Guard, one Magos formerly attached to the Imperial Navy with an, one formerly the head of a Mechanicus Shrine in the Expanse, and one from this planet. The Temple officials are more or less similar - high-ranking, with different expertises. I will upload them as well. If you wish, you can interview them as soon as possible, or we can meet your crew, as you suggested... As far as enemies are concerned, your grandfather had many - three of which are now dead, one of which owned the Crux Imperialis before My Lord Fawk's acquisition of it, and whom I assume has no reason to target you, and one, Captain Zarkan of the Hazeroth Abyss, who has sworn in theatrical fashion to destroy you as of this morning. He is currently in the area of the Undred Undred Teef, and is about to encounter temporary engine trouble."

>>13363627
*with an extensive history there, it should read.

>>13363514
"As far as allies are concerned, your grandfather had a few contacts in Port Wander that would monitor traffic in and out of the Expanse for him, and after the death of your grandmother, the Rogue Trader Captain von Horo began to... Dine with him often. She is a capricious lady though, I imagine you would have to meet her to get the measure of her. Other than that, there were only contracts with... Ships of varying colours, that are now void.

>>13363627

I say we take a xeno-biologist. As a rogue trader, we'll be meeting with strange alien races and what not.

Also, look up at him, from the dataslate, eyebrow raised up. "Engine trouble? Are you a seer as well as a seneschal, Mister Lucan?"

>>13363664
I'd say we should interview all the candidates specialising in xeno-biology and the most promising candidate from the other schools.

This might do for now to give you an idea of Lucan's expression.

>>13363664
Lucan blinks.
"Captain Zarkan has been running through the Undred Undred Teef for some time now, and has had little time to effect repairs... It is a shame how these things get neglected to the point that they can break when, say, the cage of a ferrohide carnelian is accidentally left open."

Clearing his throat, Lucan continues.
"Now - we have a few options, as I see it. If you wish to begin conducting your affairs as a Rogue Trader, I can arrange interviews immediately, or you can inspect your ship and its crew. If you wish to make any purchases, now is also as good a time as any. Also, I am told that your grandfather's final present awaits you in your quarters aboard the Tempus Fugit."

Do you:
>>Select some new crew, bearing in mind that your vacant slots are: Arch Militant, Explorator, and Missionary? Any/All/None can be filled, at the Rogue Trader's desire

>>Meet the old crew?

>>Do you have anything you need to purchase?

>>Something else entirely?

>>13363818
FFFF I keep forgetting the picture.

>>13363664
I'd like to interview the Navy magos the most, personally. We've got a light cruiser, which means that naval combat is one of our primary potential routes to success; we'll need someone skilled in supporting the systems for it.

>He is currently in the area of the Undred Undred Teef, and is about to encounter temporary engine trouble.
This man is a cunning bastard. I like him. We should investigate and build upon whatever assets let him pull shit like this.

>>13363660
>Rogue Trader Captain von Horo
We'll want to meet with her at the first available opportunity. Even if she was just our grandfather's lover, that's the sort of potential tie that should not be neglected.

>>13363818
>Also, I am told that your grandfather's final present awaits you in your quarters aboard the Tempus Fugit.
This could be something trivial, or it could be some sort of vitally important information. I'd like to check it out before making any other serious decisions, as it might be a quest item.

So let's meet the existing crew, inspect the ship we have, look at our gift, and then do purchases/hiring.

>>13363884
>>13363855
>>13363756
Interview first, or ship first?

>>13363948
Inspect the ship first and talk with the old crew. We'll get a much better idea what kind of magos and priest we might need. Also, we're nobility - it can't hurt to keep them waiting a bit.

>>13363948

Interview the Xeno-biologists and pick one of them to be the explorator, but hire all three and 1 from each of the other schools.

We want as much expertise on our ship as possible! Technical and biological.

>>13363948
Look at what we have before thinking about adding more to it.

Mmm... speaking of priest, do we contact someone from the Galaxia Missionaria or whatever it is?

We should get someone with a deep belief in St. Celestine if we could, might help what with our giant statue dedicated to her.

>>13364030
>>13364004
Two for this one, going with this.

Lucan nods, explaining that he will vox ahead to the ship to prepare for your arrival. You have Mita set out your (still extravagant) "travelling clothes", and Lucan escorts you to a small, personal hovercraft that zips off to the port.

>>13364015
En route, you discuss the possibility of hiring more than one of the tech-priests. Lucan does some quick maths and informs you that it WOULD be possible, but that such an acquisition, coupled with the repair/resupply/docking fees/other hires would create enough of a draw on your resources as to make it hard to spend money on other things for "a short while". To avoid this, you would have to convince at least half of the tech-priests to settle for less - about 50% less, to be exact. He remarks that haggling without the aid of a weapon to back him up was never your grandfather's strong suit.

>>13364042
In an interesting move, they appear to have contacted you - or rather, you through Lucan, with a few interviewees.

You arrive at the port and are escorted to an ornate, well-kept Aquila Lander. Your ship is in high anchor, and the trip takes some time, but at last in comes into view in all its martial beauty, even more magnificent now that you can see its imposing figure up close. Your pilot zips into one of the docking bays with only a slight bump as he lands, and as the ramp descends, you are met by a detachment of ratings, armed and at attention, saluting you. Lucan nods to the man in charge before turning to you.

"Where shall we go first, my lady?"
>>Bridge (Captain)
>>Navigator's Chambers
>>Astropaths' Chambers
>>Your Chambers
>>Elsewhere

>>13364181
Our chambers first, and see what's been left there. Then to the bridge.

>>13364181
I'd suggest going to the bridge. Even as a noble, it would still be incredibly impolite not to pay our first visit to the ship's captain.

Nevertheless, we should keep our eyes open on the way to the bridge. Maybe we spot something interesting.

>>13364233

Seconded. Meet with the Bridge crew first. Then see what our Grandfather left us.

>>13364233
>>13364287
It was incredibly impolite of the Captain not to show up to greet us as we came onboard, considering that we're her new boss.

>>13364398
Let's face it, she's probably a lot more capable than we are. So we might to stay on her good side until we can afford to throw her out the next airlock if we should ever decide to do so.

>>13364233
>>13364287
You can roll Per if you want (d10) as you walk along.

Lucan nods, and with a quick gesture, the rating in charge and five other men peel off from the main group and follow the pair of you, escorting you to the bridge. Getting there is confusing, even for you - the pathways wind and twist, and there are more than a few elevatus shafts to ascend and even one tram. Living on a light cruiser, you remark to yourself, is like having a sector of a city to wander through.

At last, you reach the bridge, and your escort draws up at attention outside the doors. The bridge is a flurry of activity, with men and women at control lecterns overseen by their superiors, and messages flying through the air at nauseating speed. Lucan leans over and informs you that you will be issued with a microbead and a receiver first thing tomorrow morning that will allow you to filter the chatter as you see fit.

At the centre of it all, on a raised platform, sits a large command throne, with a pair of legs dangling over the sides. You once again find yourself impressed with your Seneschal, as in clearing his throat he not only manages to silence the chatter, but also manages to make the legs disappear in a flash, before the form of a tall, red-haired woman comes leaping up out of the command throne, bolting to attention and turning. A voice from somewhere barks out "Look sharp, Rogue Trader on the bridge", and everyone not engaged in critical functions decides that it may be wise to salute as well.

The woman, in an old Naval uniform that seems to have been pressed and cleaned rather recently, momentarily messes with a few medals haphazardly pinned to her chest before giving up. "My Rogue Trader - Captain Freya Ninakova, of the Tempus Fugit. Do you have orders?"

>>All eyes on the new lady!

>>13364441
No orders at the moment, but I guess we'd like to have a meeting with her and everyone of the officers/noteworthy crew members (navigator and such) she deems important. In order to Discuss the additional crew we intend to hire and what additional purchases she deems necessary.

rolled 6 + 0 = 6

>>13364572
Forgot the dice.

>>13364441
Smile and look confident and in charge, if we can manage it. "Yes. I would like to speak with you at some length at your earliest convenience."

I'd like to see how she reacts to us. Ideally we'll move from here to someplace where not everyone is staring at us; serious conversations are not to be conducted in front of many stiffly saluting bridge personnel.

>>13364619
It occurs to you that, as you walked along the corridors, the crew that cleared out of your way were making the sign of the Aquila as they did so.

>>13364572
>>13364684
If you're trying to project an impression to the whole bridge crew, roll Fel (d12), no modifiers as of yet.

Freya seems to size you up for a moment, with a few quick glances to your expressionless Seneschal, before nodding. "Of course, Ma'am. I can have myself, the Navigator, and the Astropath in your office to meet with yourself and Lucan in an hour's time, if it suits."

rolled 1 = 1

>>13364741
Man, we should have invested in Fellowship. Being leadery and persuasive is vital Rogue Trader stuff. Ah, well, here goes...

"That would serve quite well. I shall see you then."

Then I think we're done here. Off we go, and ask our senschal exactly what is going on with our rep here that all the crew are aquila-ing us constantly. Did you grandfather have an exceptionally sinister rep?

>>13364788
Suddenly, low is good! Right? Right?

>>13364741
Agree to the meeting. Continue our tour of the ship and ask our seneschal if it might be possible to meet the highest ranking ncos on this ship.

rolled 7 + 0 = 7

>>13364820
Whoops, forgot the roll.

>>13364788
Fickle, dice gods... Fickle...

The flash from your entrance seems to have fizzled significantly - by the time the Captain has finished her question, the majority of the crew seems to have lost interest in the exhange, deeming it unimportant to them. You think that you hear some of the older bridge crew muttering to each other about the number of women supposedly in command as they turn back to their work, and the chatter begins again - though muted, to allow for your conversation. When you look back, you think you catch Freya raising an eyebrow as she looks to Lucan the Ever-Impassive, but she doesn't say anything, only nodding and saluting again before quickly turning back to her seat.

>>13364820
The Seneschal escorts you out, where your escort falls back in behind you, explaining that he will show you your quarters and adjoining office, since you will be meeting with the other key personnel in an hour's time. To your questions, he ponders a moment before replying.

"Meeting with the NCOs is doable, but there are a significant number of them, as you have inherited a large vessel. Unless you were to gather them all together under some pretense, I would say it would take some time.

As for the Aquila..." He pauses, gesturing to the ratings, who drop back a few paces, and lowers his voice. "As you may well know, voidfarers are a superstitious lot. Your grandfather was held in extraordinary regard by the crew of the Tempus Fugit, and his departure onto the Crux Imperialis was, according to rumour, an ill-omen, made seemingly more valid by his demise. I do not enjoy speculation, milady, but it would appear that the crew are wary of you. I wouldn't use the word 'curse', exactly, but..."

He trails off, and you walk in silence the rest of the way. (cont)

When you reach your room, Lucan explains that, in the interest of your privacy, he will not enter, but will await you and the others in your office, which is in the room adjoining, and can be reached from your quarters or the main hallway. Before parting, he looks at you for a moment, before offering "Don't worry. The first meeting inevitably runs into difficulties. I'm sure your grandfather wouldn't have chosen you if he thought you couldn't handle a little bit of the theatrics associated with the job..."

Your room is, to use understatement, opulent. A spacious entrance room, with doors branching off to your private bath, office, bedroom, and what appears to be a trophy room. Your bed is easily twice the size of the one at home, and that's saying something - gold trim covers nearly everything, including the three packages on your duvet - A large, square box, a long, short box, and a small envelope.

>>Wat do?

>>13364970
Test the bounciness of the bed first, then proceed by opening the letter and finally, begin to open the packages. Then we begin to inspect the room for hidden passages and such things.

>>13365055
>>Roll Per (d10) to check your room
The bed is like a slumber party dream come true - the bounciness never stops! You allow yourself a few minutes of jumping on the bed in a most un-Rogue-Trader-like manner (depending on your idea of a Rogue Trader) before the long, short package reminds you of its presence by coming into contact with your foot. Your grandfather would have been proud of the language you use as you rub your foot, sitting down to read the letter which, oddly enough, appears to be marked with today's date.

"My dear Lonallyn,

I'm told that today you'll officially be taking up my charter - well done, you! I suppose that means a few things... One, that I probably chose you to inherit it, in which case, smart move me. Two, that I'm either dead or on the adventure of a lifetime! Ha! Either way, rest assured, your old granddad's putting up a fight!

When I told Sextus - your mother might remember old Hale, but I guess the name is lost on you - about this, he warned me against taking the word of that sort of fortune-teller, but I figure it's better to be safe than sorry, so I prepared a couple gifts for you! If you're off to a rocky start, maybe you should open the big one first - I know I always do!

Love,
Granddad"
(cont)

You RIP AND TEAR the large box to find a true thing of beauty...

A hat! But not just any hat! A beautiful bicorn, with all the trimmings! It's not huge, but it has a nice feather, and you feel positively like a Rogue Trader when you try it on.
>>Glorious Hats Found: 1/???
>>When worn, this bicorn lets you re-roll one Fel test before the result is announced, if you desire, per session

The shorter box holds within an ornate power sword, shaped like a sabre and balanced for you. It's a bit odd that your grandfather was able to give you things that fit so well, but the sword is an excellent fit, and hangs regally in a gilded scabbard.

rolled 8 + 0 = 8

>>13365110
Exploration!
(Please don't make us drown in the toilet on a 1...)

>BTW, where did everybody suddenly go?

>>13365147
Our grandfather just might be best grandfather.

>>13365215
>>No idea, though I'm probably going to wrap up after the meeting though, it's nearly 2:30 AM here.

With your new hat and new sword, you begin to investigate your room, with positive results. Your armoir, already quite fancy, appears to have a false back, opening up to a small compartment containing an ornate bolt pistol and a spare magazine.

Behind a gigantic, terribly gaudy painting of your grandfather stroking his admittedly dashing mustache in the trophy/sitting room, you find a well-concealed secret passage that appears to lead down, around, and out to a side passage jutting out from the main passageway. Handy if a bit cliche.

Glancing at your chronometer, you realise that the others have probably been waiting for a few minutes while you play treasure hunter and jump on your bed. Oh well.

>>13365296
Excellent, the hat should be revealed to our crew when we sail from port, so I'd say we go to the meeting hat-less.

>>13365349
Placing your hat back in its box for the time being, you enter your office to find the assorted figures already seated. Lucan rises, pulling out a chair for you before asking if you would care for anything to drink. Looking around the table you see your Void Mistress, who nods at you, sharing a pot of some strong-smelling, unfamiliar sort of tea with the waifish form of your Astropath. You never had much contact with the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, so her presence is a bit... Unsettling. Especially insofar as she appears to sense you looking at her, and nods with a small smile and an even smaller voice. "Greetings, milady von Juggdrall. Your ship has caused considerable attention amongst the other astropaths - I have been asked several times who owns it."

Across the table from the pair, your Navigator clears his throat. It's hard to gauge his expression, as he wears a cowl that conceals not just his third eye, but his two normal ones, but his razor-sharp smile makes you think more of some large ocean predator than a man. "Milady. I have heard much of your noble house, and look forward to working with someone of your calibre. Might I jump to the point while you wait for your drink, and ask what your chief priority is in this meeting?" Pausing to take a belt of something from a gilded flask, he inclines his head towards you.

>>Quite the freakshow

>>13365528
1.Getting to know to important people on the ship. We introduce ourselves and ask them to do the same.
2. Inquire about the openings aboard and their opinion on the candidates.
3. If they suggest something we might want to buy while we're at it.

>>13365592

We should add that we hope to run the ship as smoothly as possible, and we will always treasure good advice.

We should ask them at the end of the meeting if there are any ship upgrades that seem especially useful at the current juncture.

>>13365528
"Certainly. I have three priorities here. As you are all doubtless aware, my participation in my grandfather's affairs was... minimal. It is vital that I become versed in their details as quickly as possible, and the four of you, as his surviving officers, are better equipped to aid in that than anyone else. Second, I am given to understand that the dynasty lacks an arch-militant and ranking representatives from both the Ecclesiarchy and the Mechanicus; before remedying this I desire input from each of you on the topic. Finally, as we will all be working closely together in the future I consider it important that I come to know each of you quite well, both collectively and individually. That, of course, begins now and will be something of an ongoing affair."

>>13365592
>>13365656
You introduce yourself, being quite sure to list your house's great achievements, as your mother instructed you to. This seems to go over well with your Navigator, who nods his head in respect. Your astropath smiles politely, but you get the feeling that it ceased to make much sense to her some time ago.

The paunchy Navigator manages to slip free of his chair and rise, offering you a deep, theatrical bow.
"Joson von Liebowitz IX, of the Great House von Liebowitz, at your service milady. I was born on Scintilla, but my family's origins reach back to Terra itself, and I shall endeavour to do their name proud as long as our contract endures."
With another bow, and a stiff drink from his flask, he squeezes back into his chair, quickly replaced by your smiling Astropath, who gives the briefest of bows. Truth to be told, you wonder if she wouldn't crack if she bowed too deeply.

"Cassya Ninakova of Valhalla, of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, Astropath Class Designation Beta. I am indebted to your noble dynasty for my position, and so long as you will have me, I will continue to fufill my duties to their utmost. As a note, the harbourmaster wishes me to officially inform you that the ship is now registered under your name."
Despite her lack of sight, she manages to find her seat quite easily. After a quick, nonverbal exchange between herself and Lucan, Freya rocks back in her chair and leaps lightly to her feet, nodding to you. "Freya Ninakova, also of Valhalla, current Captain of the Tempus Fugit. So long as you keep me on, I can promise you that both our vessel and our small craft will be in top-notch shape, and the crew devoted to the mission." As she retakes her seat, you think you catch her smile for a moment, and wonder if you might be better at this than your first foray suggested.
(cont)

As the conversation turns to your vacancies, discussion becomes heated. No one seems to have too many suggestions to replace Hale, generally of the opinion that he was quite effective. Lucan mentions the possibility of going to the Imperial Guard or checking around for any bounty hunters of note, and also mentions your friend Wilhelm, who served in the Guard for several years, and who has left "a few" messages with the vox crew asking to meet you. Freya mutters something about footsloggers, and you decide to think about that position at another time - Wilhelm would certainly be a capable soldier, defter with a blade than even yourself, but he would definitely require a talking to about his... Excitability, and he's a bit brash.

Your astropath and navigator are in fervant agreement that you should take the eldest of your three clerical candidates, as he is a devotee of Saint Celestine, who they praise as being a patroness of their ship. The other two are advocates of Drusus, and one of them has a bit more combat experience, serving on a crusade.

When it comes to the Adeptus Mechanicus, you find von Liebowitz uninterested at best, remarking that what they do is up to them. Cassya quietly remarks that you've never HAD a tech-priest before. Freya is considerably vocal in her opposition, especially when you toss out the idea of SEVERAL Magos being present.

"My Rogue Trader, with all due respect... I do NOT want any of the cogboys sticking their noses around m... This vessel, much less tinkering with it! It's an ancient and proud ship, and your grandfather and I were in agreement that their loyalties might become... Suspect if they hang around. I think it's a bad idea, milady."

>>13365809
>It's an ancient and proud ship, and your grandfather and I were in agreement that their loyalties might become... Suspect if they hang around.

So our ship is either filled with so much delicious archaeotech that the admech might be tempted to repossess it or there's some dark heretical secret to it. Great.

>For now, I'm off to bed. Thanks for DMing the quest. Any ETA for the next installment?

>>13365809

Alright, take the St. Celestine cleric, shop around for Hale's replacement, but keep Wilhelm in mind.

Also, be direct with Freya, and ask her if the tech heresy on the ship is dangerous or not. Let them know your loyalty will always lie to the ship and its crew, rather than religious dogma, but we need to know the exact capabilities of the ship, even the 'less tasteful' aspects.

>>13365925
If I'm able to, I'll be around Monday from 7 GMT on. It depends a lot on research, and my schedule tends to open up where a certain woman is concerned. Thanks for sticking it out!

>>13365935
Lucan nods, pressing a few buttons on his dataslate. "The cleric in question has been invited to lunch with you tomorrow, milady."

When you get around to tech, the discomfort becomes palpable. Even von Liebowitz' eternal shark-smile disappears at the mention of heresy. Freya looks at you, fidgeting for a moment, but your directness wins out, as she seems to have difficulty when facing such an order.

"It... It's not heresy, my Rogue Trader, it's just very ancient tech. Our drive is... Noticeably smaller and more powerful, yes - but that's just testament to its age! It gives us a degree of speed and stealth beyond what you'd expect from a ship of this size, and a few years back, your grandfather and I... Ran into a Magos who attempted to seize the ship. Between the two of us, and with Lucan's help, we convinced him to frak off, but... It was agreed between your grandfather and I that it never be mentioned again. The crew know there's something odd about the ship, but not what. Most of them have lived here their whole lives, and are used to it."

Seemingly exhausted from the exertion, she collapses back into her seat, grasping her cup of tea and draining it.

"I do not think it would be wise to have people from that institution that we do not know we can trust, but yours is the final judgment on who that is now, I suppose."

>>13366061
Very well. We will hold off on acquiring any ranking members of the Mechanicus, although if one of them should end up owing us a large favor one day... we'll if something can be done. Having no one onboard extremely well versed in the methods needed to repair the ship is somewhat concerning, particularly as this vessel is well suited for combat and thus is likely to take damage on a fairly regular basis.

I will want the name of the Magos who attempted to take the ship and a full report on the incident. Are there any other interesting bits of this ship's history that I should know about? That is, after all, the sort of thing that could get us all killed one day, should someone in the Mechanicus with more pull than before decide to be bold about it.

>>13366121
Freya nods, relieved. "I'll have the report declassified and placed on your desk by 24 hours. Suffice to say, Magos Tiber agreed to leave us be quite handily after a bit of - forgive the puns - greased palms. The amount of information Lucan managed to find about his less... Metallic activities in the space of that weekend surely helped."
Lucan chuckles at this - not a terribly comforting sound, before bringing up recent repair reports on everyone's dataslates.
"It would appear that the crew has, through experience and instruction, been able to perform basic repairs on the odd time it gets glanced, but you are correct - if it suffers heavy damage, we will need someone a bit more specialised."

Raising his hand, von Liebowitz speaks up, to add "I might throw out that the warp drive used to be a bit tempermental back when we first joined the ship. Machine Spirit acting up, or some-such tech mumbo-jumbo. I've got it figured out though - barring some horrible calculating error, we won't run into problems. Ships are like that, milady - once they get to know you, and you get a grip on their personality, they'll serve you well. Or so Captain Ice Queen says! Ha!"

Freya gives the navigator what can only be described as a rude gesture, but there doesn't seem to be any enmity in it. It looks like your surviving crew gets on well together for the most part.

Lucan, tapping his dataslate a few times, looks to you. "Will that be all, Milady, or is there business you wish to attend to further?"

>>13366243
"A review of our current assets, particularly any standing agreements and anything militant, along with recommendations for any initial acquisitions on my part, seems in order."

Once that is done.

"Thank you for your time then, ladies, gentlemen. Please plan to meet once again at this time in three days to review operations and plan our initial voyage. Captain, if you would stay behind briefly...?"

Then speak to her about the redacted bit that we discovered earlier.

>>13366339
Lucan shows you a listing of your assets in a more condensed form - you're making a profit right now, more than able to hire on new crew, but if you want anything major, like changing bits of your ship, you might run into some difficulty. He also brings up a few different prospects for you, each flagged for its potential danger. On the safer end, you note that large complements of pilgrims at Port Wander are looking for passage into the Expanse, which is a quick way to make a little profit, but nothing special. You also note that your grandfather and his acquaintance Rogue Trader von Horo had a standing partnership in spice trade from the more wild parts of the Expanse - it could be dangerous, but profitable. Lucan is quick to point out that the option of exploration and claiming or reclaiming worlds was a favourite of your grandfather's, and reminds you, in perhaps the most idealistic you've seen him yet, "You are a Rogue Trader now - legally, the void is, in a manner of speaking, yours to do with what you will, and your crew will endeavour to assist you, even when the legality is dubious, if you can appeal to them."

This seems like a fine concluding point, and you decide to wrap up. Everyone agrees to meet again in three days' time, and take their leave. Freya seems nervous as you ask her to remain, but when you mention the file, she rather surprisingly relaxes.

"Ah... Well, as you are now aware, we have... Sensitive equipment on the ship. I've had the drive redacted from the records for obvious reasons, and before now, no one has particularly noticed or cared. I assure you, there is nothing else on this ship that could get us in trouble... Until you put it there, of course."

She grins at this and, with your leave, returns to the bridge. You, on the other hand, retire to your new, bouncy bed to take in the day's events and plan for tomorrow.

>>--END PT 1--

Cheers to everyone who stuck it out, even when it was slow. Like I said, I'll try to be around Monday evening, GMT, if there's interest in continuing the adventures of Lonallyn Victrix IV Von Juggdrall, whose name is a bitch to spell.

>>13366551
I'll try my best to be here.

>>13366551
I appreciate that you were running this. You did a hell of a lot more typing than we did, and it was good of you to put in the effort. I'll watch for you Monday.

one of the earlier participant here. Drawfaging currently in progress...