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Description

The Rogue Traders Militant are unique and powerful human individuals who serve as a combination freelance explorer, conquistador, and interstellar merchant for the Imperium of Man.

They are tasked with exploring and exploiting the still-uncharted regions of the galaxy for Mankind; Rogue Traders might come across worlds harboring long-forgotten human civilizations which will be incorporated into the Imperium. Sometimes they find empty or alien-dominated planets ripe for colonization, conquest, or exploitation by the Imperium — and themselves.

A Warrant of Trade empowers them to journey beyond the boundaries of the Imperium to trade, explore, and make war in the Emperor’s name. A rogue trader is a unique figure in the Imperium.

They may be an emerging power or a long line of nobles and Voidfarers. All bear their titles with pride, striking out into the unknown in search of fortune and glory.

A Rogue Trader is a power unto themselves in the void, master of all they survey — at least as far as their force of arms and sharpness of wits can press the claim.

A Rogue Trader can be many things, but whether standing as a diplomat before a planetary ruler, cutting shadowed deals in a void station undercity, or bellowing orders on a bridge of a mighty starship, they remain one thing above all — free.

Often, a dynasty of prominent leaders and visionary commanders is what makes a rogue trader. They are often from younger, more dynamic families and come from the Imperial Navy or the Adeptus Terra.

Whatever their origins, all Rogue Traders are masters of their fates.

Origins

Like many things in the Imperium, the Rogue Traders date back to the Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium.

Preceding each expeditionary fleet of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of vessels often ranged smaller contingents of independent flotillas known as the “Rogue Traders Militant.” Many of these individuals were former rulers of the many realms the Emperor had cast down during the Unification Wars on Terra and later, formerly independent Human worlds.

They were offered a stark choice – bow down to the Emperor or die by His hand. The Warrant of Trade was chosen by many. There was a price. They were expected to scout ahead of the Great Crusade with whatever assets the Emperor had given them. They were also forbidden to return to Terra. Not only did the Emperor wish to rid Himself of rivals, but also to ensure that they would serve humanity even in their death.

Operating far ahead of the Emperor’s crusading armies, the Rogue Traders Militant could expect scant or no aid should they encounter foes too powerful for them to overcome. After several solar decades penetrating the void, Rogue Trader Militant fleets often appeared as ramshackle vagabonds, many of their starships taken from defeated enemies, human or alien.

Many vanished alone, slain, consumed, or enslaved far from Terras’ light.

Legal Status
The Imperial Warrant of Trade is the most valuable possession of a rogue trader. This legal document describes and sanctions the accepted limits of a Rogue Trader and their descendants’ operations across the galaxy.

When these charters are issued, they will create an entire dynasty. These dynasties are granted a personal coat of arms identifying their members amongst the Imperial nobility. With the authority of the High Lords of Terra, rogue traders can travel freely within the Imperium and beyond.

This allows them to legally interact with cultures most Imperial citizens are forbidden contact with because they are non-Imperial Human worlds or xenos-controlled planets. Rogue Traders are granted the permission and freedom to deal with these cultures as they see fit.

It can be assumed that a Renegade Rogue Trader guilty of heresy or treason will be severely prosecuted by the Inquisition if discovered and captured. Their punishment will be more severe if he is deemed undeserving of the Emperor’s extraordinary trust in his family.

Rogue Traders usually return to Imperial space every few Terran years to unload their exotic wares and resupply, recruit, and rest until the next foray into unknown space. During these periods, they may come into conflict with members of the Adeptus Terra or the Orders Metallic.

Rogue Traders wield incredible power, and it is easy for them to forget that once back within the Imperium, they can no act as they wish. This strident attitude will draw the attention of the authorities.

Many Rogue Traders dispute the right of the Imperium to exercise authority over them. As individuals who have wandered amongst strange stars and conversed with many cultures, Rogue Traders are susceptible to all kinds of heresies. These range from wayward philosophies to infection by Xenos creatures or possession by Warp entities that live in the darkness between stars.

These factors can lead to a violent confrontation if the Rogue Trader has knowledge or an artifact that others within the Imperial hierarchy of equal or greater power covet.

Description

The Rogue Traders Militant are unique and powerful human individuals who serve as a combination freelance explorer, conquistador, and interstellar merchant for the Imperium of Man.

They are tasked with exploring and exploiting the still-uncharted regions of the galaxy for Mankind; Rogue Traders might come across worlds harboring long-forgotten human civilizations which will be incorporated into the Imperium. Sometimes they find empty or alien-dominated planets ripe for colonization, conquest, or exploitation by the Imperium — and themselves.

A Warrant of Trade empowers them to journey beyond the boundaries of the Imperium to trade, explore, and make war in the Emperor’s name. A rogue trader is a unique figure in the Imperium.

They may be an emerging power or a long line of nobles and Voidfarers. All bear their titles with pride, striking out into the unknown in search of fortune and glory.

A Rogue Trader is a power unto themselves in the void, master of all they survey — at least as far as their force of arms and sharpness of wits can press the claim.

A Rogue Trader can be many things, but whether standing as a diplomat before a planetary ruler, cutting shadowed deals in a void station undercity, or bellowing orders on a bridge of a mighty starship, they remain one thing above all — free.

Often, a dynasty of prominent leaders and visionary commanders is what makes a rogue trader. They are often from younger, more dynamic families and come from the Imperial Navy or the Adeptus Terra.

Whatever their origins, all Rogue Traders are masters of their fates.

Origins

Like many things in the Imperium, the Rogue Traders date back to the Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium.

Preceding each expeditionary fleet of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of vessels often ranged smaller contingents of independent flotillas known as the “Rogue Traders Militant.” Many of these individuals were former rulers of the many realms the Emperor had cast down during the Unification Wars on Terra and later, formerly independent Human worlds.

They were offered a stark choice – bow down to the Emperor or die by His hand. The Warrant of Trade was chosen by many. There was a price. They were expected to scout ahead of the Great Crusade with whatever assets the Emperor had given them. They were also forbidden to return to Terra. Not only did the Emperor wish to rid Himself of rivals, but also to ensure that they would serve humanity even in their death.

Operating far ahead of the Emperor’s crusading armies, the Rogue Traders Militant could expect scant or no aid should they encounter foes too powerful for them to overcome. After several solar decades penetrating the void, Rogue Trader Militant fleets often appeared as ramshackle vagabonds, many of their starships taken from defeated enemies, human or alien.

Many vanished alone, slain, consumed, or enslaved far from Terras’ light.

Legal Status
The Imperial Warrant of Trade is the most valuable possession of a rogue trader. This legal document describes and sanctions the accepted limits of a Rogue Trader and their descendants’ operations across the galaxy.

When these charters are issued, they will create an entire dynasty. These dynasties are granted a personal coat of arms identifying their members amongst the Imperial nobility. With the authority of the High Lords of Terra, rogue traders can travel freely within the Imperium and beyond.

This allows them to legally interact with cultures most Imperial citizens are forbidden contact with because they are non-Imperial Human worlds or xenos-controlled planets. Rogue Traders are granted the permission and freedom to deal with these cultures as they see fit.

It can be assumed that a Renegade Rogue Trader guilty of heresy or treason will be severely prosecuted by the Inquisition if discovered and captured. Their punishment will be more severe if he is deemed undeserving of the Emperor’s extraordinary trust in his family.

Rogue Traders usually return to Imperial space every few Terran years to unload their exotic wares and resupply, recruit, and rest until the next foray into unknown space. During these periods, they may come into conflict with members of the Adeptus Terra or the Orders Metallic.

Rogue Traders wield incredible power, and it is easy for them to forget that once back within the Imperium, they can no act as they wish. This strident attitude will draw the attention of the authorities.

Many Rogue Traders dispute the right of the Imperium to exercise authority over them. As individuals who have wandered amongst strange stars and conversed with many cultures, Rogue Traders are susceptible to all kinds of heresies. These range from wayward philosophies to infection by Xenos creatures or possession by Warp entities that live in the darkness between stars.

These factors can lead to a violent confrontation if the Rogue Trader has knowledge or an artifact that others within the Imperial hierarchy of equal or greater power covet.