15 replies to this topic

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

I heard this idea mentioned in another thread, and it caught my interest.  These are some initial variables to roll from, and I'm open to suggestions on what other information is needed, or what other background may be helpful.

 

Process:

1) Size of the Xenos Empire

2) # of planets they control per star system

3) The Empire's outlook on the Koronus Expanse

4) Their Allies or trade partners

5) What the Xenos look like

6) How advanced their technology base is

7) What their ultimate goals are

8) The most important group they've encountered during their history

9) What type of void ships they operate

 

Size of the Empire:

(1-2) 1 system

(3) 2-5 systems

(4) 5-10 systems

(5) 11+ systems

 

One

The xenos empire occupies a single star system in the Expanse.  They likely have a few void stations scattered throughout the planets of their home star, and make occasional raids outside (if they have warp technology), but their entire population clings to a single source of light.

 

Two-Five

This empire has just begun to colonize and conquer star systems outside of their home.  They are just getting a feel for multi-star empires, and are inexperienced on the galactic stage.  What they lack in experience, they make up in fresh raw materials and optimism about their place in the galaxy.

 

Five-Ten

A burgeoning xenos empire that has likely reached the peak of its power.  It controls the worlds that it wants to control, and has likely fought at least one war to keep it that way.  They know of the major players in the Expanse, and are not afraid of what lurks in the darkness.  They probably should be afraid, since this is when major calamities begin to befall large empires

 

Eleven+

The largest xenos empires in the Expanse.  There are blessedly few of these, and they are major political players in their portions of the Expanse.  They know of many other empires, and are not afraid to deal with powerful organizations or enemies.  Xenos Empires of this scale are fearsome opponents and powerful trade partners, able to obtain things that can make a Rogue Trader incredibly wealthy.

 

Number of Planets Controlled:

(1-2) 1/system

(3) 2/system

(4) 3/system + multiple large void stations

(5) Thriving void presence

 

One per System:

This empire is only starting to get its feet (or other appendages) wet in the game of colonization.  They have not yet developed terraforming technologies or equipment able to let their civilization thrive on hostile planets, so they keep to the highly habitable worlds of a star's green belt.  The xenos empire has likely built a few small void stations for defense and research throughout the areas they control.

 

Two per System:

The xenos have begun to master harsh climate colonization, and have sprawling domes and proto-hives across planets that can barely sustain life.  Their burgeoning population is beginning to spread into the void, with a handful of large void stations hanging above the most important worlds.

 

Three per System:

The void is a conquerable mistress, and this xenos empire is dedicated to proving it.  They have hung huge void stations for trade and defense above their worlds, and their ships ply the lanes between planets that are even marginally habitable.  Here, the xenos empire will be exploiting every resource they can find.

 

Thriving Void Presence:

Every cranny of the empire's occupied systems are filled and exploited.  The xenos realize that they are a force to be reckoned with, and are beginning to think about their long term legacy.  Powerful ships defend huge void stations that rival the hives on the planets below.  Above their most populous planets, the xenos are starting to build icons and monuments to their glory.

 

Outlook:

(1) Trade Friendly

(2) Wary of Outsiders

(3) Hostile to Outsiders

(4) Insular*

(5) Unconventional Economy

*Do not roll on the Allies/Trade Partners table

 

Trade Friendly:

This empire is more than willing to open trade negotiations with anyone who has valuable goods to import.  They likely have some controls to prevent undue competition or destructive animals/diseases, but their trade docks are happy to have the Rogue Trader visit.  The orbital facilities and ground-side space ports have ample equipment to quickly load, unload, and repair a foreign vessels needs.

 

Wary of Outsiders:

This empire looks inward often, knowing that the Koronus Expanse is a dangerous place.  While a particularly clever and well spoken Rogue Trader can probably gain docking rights (often through a bit of extra bribery or promises to local officials), the trade docks are more suited to ships of their own species.  Rogue Trader vessels will struggle to find the supplies and equipment they need, and what they do find will be more expensive than expected.

 

Hostile to Outsiders:

Here, a Rogue Trader will need to be at the top of their craft to gain docking and trading rights.  This empire likely has a religious streak that makes them cynical and suspicious of anyone not of their own species.  Any docking rights will be provisional, and the local officials will expect a thorough inspection of the Rogue Trader's ship for any contraband.  Trade will be done through improvised docking equipment, and resupply will be very difficult and expensive.

 

Insular:

The Koronus Expanse is a dangerous place, and some of the only groups to truly thrive here know that shooting first, and asking questions later, is sound survival instinct.  A Rogue Trader entering the domain of an Insular Empire will be asked to leave or be shot on sight without question.  While a canny Rogue Trader might be able to talk their way in (a task made nearly impossible by the empire's xenophobic fervor), they will find few goods to be traded, and even fewer merchants willing to trade with them.

 

Unconventional Economy:

It isn't that this empire dislikes Imperial dogma or Throne Gelt, they just have such a different concept of value and trade that a Rogue Trader will be hard pressed to sort out how the economy actually functions.  Perhaps the locals require a particular dance routine in addition to their monetary trade value, or perhaps the xenos creatures require specific pheromone sequences to induce the desire to trade with another merchant.  In any case, it will take all of a Seneschal's effort to deduce the economic structure of the empire and figure out how to exploit it.

 

 

...To be continued

Edited by CaptainRemiVandigrath, 09 January 2014 - 07:18 PM.

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

Allies/trade partners:

(1) Rogue Trader Dynasty

(2) Eldar

(3) Stryxis

(4) Chaos Warbands

(5) Other Xenos Race

 

Rogue Trader Dynasty:

As in the history of the Expanse: He who was here first, gets the first spoils.  The local empire has a history of trading with a Rogue Trader Dynasty, who have already opened the empire up to Imperial trade.  This will make docking, resupply, and negotiations easier; but it may bring the Rogue Trader into conflict with the Dynasties representatives that want to keep the profit of this empire for themselves.  This Rogue Trader Dynasty can be a renowned or infamous one.  Renowned examples are: Winterscale Dynasty; Chroda Dynasty; House of Saul; Armengarde Dynasty; etc.  Infamous Dynasties are ones which have yet to make a name for themselves.

 

Eldar:

For a reason that only they know, the Eldar have taken an interest in this particular xenos empire.  Eldar occasionally walk openly in their cities, and Eldar Corsairs feel secure resupplying in the empire's ports.  This means that the empire has access to advanced technology of the Eldar, but also means that the Eldar want something here.  The Explorers will need to tread carefully, lest they accidentally stumble upon the thing the Eldar are protecting.

 

Stryxis:

This Empire trades regularly with Stryxis merchants, freely trading eclectic goods back and forth in the jovial manner that the Stryxis enjoy.  Above the Empire's worlds, their trade docks overflow with various goods from all across the expanse (both mundane and fantastic).  The Stryxis obviously see something of worth here, and likely will eye the Explorers warily (but with all the outpouring of praise the Stryxis are known for).

 

Chaos Warbands:

Either by choice or by conquest, the xenos empire is a central point of resupply and operations for local Chaos Warbands.  Foul ships wade into and out of the empire's trade ports.  In pens across the empire, slaves and sacrifices wait to be shipped to their next destination or be traded for the basic supplies required to keep the warbands raiding.  If the Explorers are able to trade with heretics, they will find the many icons and dangerous relics Chaos worshipers are known for.  Otherwise, they may have just found one of the most dangerous concentrations of heretics in the Expanse.

 

Other Xeno Race:

The Expanse is full of unknowns, and anything could be possibly.  A Kroot society could be trading work with the this Empire for weapons and/or chance to evolve.  Some feral orks might have been subjugated and now act as slaves (Ramshackle Ships anyone?).  Maybe the Slaugth have infiltrated their society and set themselves up as rulers.  Or maybe another unknown Xeno Empire resides at the edge of their society, and the only thing know about them is communication about a "Greater Good."

 

Xenos Type*:

(1) Humanoid

(2) Insectoid

(3) Deathworld Survivors

(4) Beasts

(5) Warp-twisted

*There is a 1/5 chance of a mixed empire with 2 or more types of xenos (5 on a 1d5)

 

Humanoid:

Despite the benevolent gaze of the Emperor, these heathen xenos appear humanoid.  While they won't be mistaken as Imperial citizens, their unnerving similarity strains the bounds of Imperial Faith.  Explorers will gain a bit of luck in dealing with this xenos empire due to physical similarity, but will suffer if any of their crew are devout Imperial purists.

 

Insectoid:

These foul xenos look as disgusting as their heretical empire.  They have thick exoskeletons, several spindly arms with manipulators at the end of each, and clawing mandibles that look able to crush a human skull with each bite.  The xenos language the empire uses will be difficult to decipher unless the Explorers have some reference point to go off of, and their xenos architecture will cause problems for the crew.

 

Deathworld Survivors:

This Empire beat the odds, growing a technological civilization (or a heretical xenos approximation thereof) after evolving off of a deathworld.  They are truly dangerous creatures, as apt to kill and break bones as they are to trade.  If any of the Explorers go onto their void stations or, Emperor-forbid, one of the xenos planets, the xenos environment will be actively hostile to life.  Pets can kill gun servitors, air filtration units can choke crew with allergenic spores, and command consoles can report status by chewing on the Explorer's limbs.

 

Beasts:

As disgusting as Insectoid xenos, but with the unfortunate quirk of being warm blooded and with fur-like coating.  These xenos creatures will often have claws on at least one pair of limbs, and have cultures that revolve around honor duels and personal combat.  They will be expert hand-to-hand fighters, and their military forces will either be highly regimented or centered around individual combat prowess.

 

Warp-Twisted:

(roll again to see what these xenos creatures were before their encounter with the warp)

This xenos empire pressed their luck at some point in the past, either calling on warp deities or by being too close to an active warp storm.  Their bodies are twisted, as is their minds and goals.  The Empire will have a higher than usual rate of sorcery, and their culture will have been affected down to the core by the warp exposure.

 

...to be continued

Edited by CaptainRemiVandigrath, 15 January 2014 - 10:26 PM.

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

Technology Base:

(1) Self Sufficient

(2) Unreliable Warp Technology

(3) Reliable Warp Technology

(4) Sorcerous Warp Navigation

(5) Barter and Trade*

*If Insular, re-roll

 

Self Sufficient:

This xenos empire has just enough capability to maintain its coherence.  It's technology allows it to converse with other planets, send occasional dignitaries to another world, and maintain a standard of living for its citizens.  Much of this technology will be barely functional for the vast majority of the xenos in the empire, but the high-ranking figure-heads will have more accommodating surroundings.  Xenos empires in this stage cannot exist beyond a single star system.

 

Unreliable Warp Technology

Xenos technology experts have discovered the warp, and created crude devices capable of transporting ships through the immaterium.  These are either highly unstable and expensive inventions, or rare modifications of found equipment from other civilizations.  The Empire will have enough capability to keep these ships functioning, but the technology is far inferior to the STC designs found on any Imperial vessel.

 

Reliable Warp Technology:

A rarity in the Expanse, this xenos empire has discovered a technology on par with Imperial STC warp designs (or 'discovered' the STC design itself).  Their ships are still limited by distance and the vagaries of the Immaterium, but the empire has the ability to patrol its borders and punish its foes with powerful warships.

 

Sorcerous Warp Navigation:

Through the most heretical means, the xenos empire has managed to breed or enslave sorcerers capable of navigating the warp consistently.  The empire's warships and trade vessels are capable of long, accurate warp journeys throughout the Koronus Expanse, and are more than willing to use them.  Very few empires have this level of ability, and if the Imperium learns of this threat they will pay handsomely in bounties and land holdings in the xenos empire to have them destroyed.

 

Barter and Trade:

The Xenos empire has little or no ability to traverse the warp themselves, but they have good relations with another civilization (see their trade allies) that allows them to move almost unhindered on their allies ships within the bounds of their own empire.  Few loyal Imperial citizens can understand the mindset of a xenos empire such as this, but there is surely profit to be made.

 

 

Goals:

(1) Survival

(2) Expansion

(3) Find Wonders

(4) Please Warp Deities

(5) New Technology

 

Survival:
The Koronus Expanse is a harsh and forbidding place.  This xenos empire is finding that out the hard way.  They are under threat from exterior forces and internal strife, and are fighting tooth and nail (and claw and tail) to continue their heretical existence.  Assistance against their enemies will be met by grateful gifts and trade rights.  Appearing as yet another threat will turn the xenos war machine against the Explorers.

 

Expansion:

Growth and death are the only two constants in the Expanse.  These xenos have chosen to expand, no matter the cost.  Their entire empire is directed towards discovering habitable star systems and colonizing every scrap of usable territory they can find.  Vast forges over their homeworld turn out the colony ships and exploration vessels, as well as the combat ships and varied supplies, required to keep such an effort going.

 

Find Wonders:

Through religious fervor, the xenos empire has turned to the dead civilizations of the Expanse and seen great works that they can coopt as their own.  Exploration ships zip in and out of their ports, forever searching the detritus of the past for relics and wonders that will help them survive.  Churches on their worlds will be built around these relics, and ownership of ancient pieces of technology and art will signify status in their culture.

 

Please Warp Deities:

Through choice or by corrupt persuasion, the xenos empire has turned its entire economic focus towards pleasing the foul deities of the immaterium.  The xenos ships search far and wide for slaves and sacrifices, and their religion is focused around dark rituals and heretical artifacts. Around their empire, the warp seethes and stretches at these offerings, and bouts of demon infestations indicate that it is only a matter of time before their warped architecture and corrupt government collapse into a warp infested wasteland.

 

New Technology:

The Xenos empire believes in the heretech notion of progress and technological invention.  Their skilled forges and tech masters are forever refining and developing new technologies capable of catapulting their empire into a stronger position in the Expanse.  Given a piece of technology (whether Xenos or STC), this empire will have specialists capable of dismantling and learning from it.  The best specialists are then able to develop new creations that the Adeptus Mechanicus would be horrified to learn of. 

 

Historical Contacts:
(1) Chaos Invasion

(2) STC Remnants

(3) Eldar Plot

(4) Conquest

(5) Rogue Traders

 

Chaos Invasion:

At some point in the past, Chaos Warbands invaded and tried to sack the empire's richest centers of culture and learning.  If they were successful, the Chaos Warbands now control the empire.  If they failed, the empire bears the scars of Chaos on the surface of their worlds.  Barren wastelands, warp spawn infested fields, and cracked moonscapes are all hallmarks of a Chaos invasion.

 

STC Remnants:

This xenos empire has uncovered or acted as the descendants for a historical STC system.  Despite their xenos forms and lack of knowledge of the Imperial Creed, their technology base is built around equipment that is compatible with Imperial designs.  Perhaps these are identical to sanctified Adeptus Mechanicus equipment, or are merely the false imitations of more perfect STC forms.  In either case, only a servant of the Omnissiah would be able to tell the difference.

 

Eldar Plot:

Like many caught in the Eldar web, this xenos empire has been nudged and guided by the hand of a Farseer for some arcane purpose.  The Xenos themselves do not know they work for the Eldar in this matter, but nonetheless are directing their civilization towards a Farseer's goals.  It is likely that there is an untouched garden planet at the center of their empire, kept pristine through religion and culture, that they will fight to the death to protect from outsiders.

 

Conquest

One of the more fearsome empire types, this xenos civilization has already encountered other empires and conquered them.  The remnants of this successful invasion lay on one of the outskirts of their empire in differing architecture, void stations, and bruises to the surface of the planets they were forced to bombard.  With a successful invasion already under their belt, this xenos empire believes that they are up to any challenge.  They are arrogant, selfish, and focused on the glories of their past; assaults against their honor are not tolerated.

 

Rogue Traders:
This empire already has experience with the creature known as the Rogue Trader.  An Imperial expedition has already been through this area of space and set up trade routes (importing low-grade Imperial products, exporting raw materials).  Profits may be smaller now that the empire knows a Rogue Trader's tricks, but they are also more receptive to trade with the Explorers.

 

Void Ships:

(1) Trade Only

(2) Advanced Industry

(3) Warfleet

(4) Stolen

(5) Ramshackle

 

Trade Only:

This civilization has not yet managed to produce true warp-capable war vessels.  Any defenses they maintain will be purely system-based, or anchored in orbit, or dug into a planet.  They use their trade ships to organize their empire, and have no ability to attack their neighbors.  These empires will be canny negotiators, and their diplomats will be trained to defuse situations before conflict arises.

 

Advanced Industry:
Xenos engineers have managed to build up a sweeping industrial fleet capable of plying the void.  This consists of complex asteroid mining vessels, research hulls, and exploration ships.  What the empire lacks in pure offensive firepower, it makes up for with cunning strategy and advanced technology.

 

Warfleet:

A practical xenos empire knows that their only true defense lies in massed firepower.  While not all of it may be warp capable, this xenos empire has built up a staggering array of combat ships armed with macrobatteries, lances, and torpedoes.  Their fleet is a sledgehammer, and their worlds are anvils.  Each planet will have significant defenses in high anchor, and will respond to any aggression with disproportionate firepower.

 

Stolen:

While the Xenos empire isn't able to build their own void ships, they have become extremely adept at stealing ships of passing traders and pirates.  Their fleet is mismatched, and of varying quality, but their boarding crews are unmatched and their captains enjoy close-quarters boarding actions.  The Explorers should be careful, lest their own vessel be the next addition to the empire's fleet.

 

Ramshackle:
The xenos empire has a fleet, but it is a fleet in name only.  Even the Orks, in their crude way, have more advanced technology.  This fleet looks like it could fall apart at any moment, and that a single warp transit would shake the ships' spines apart.  But the xenos empire persists, and they are not afraid to throw numbers at problems when their ships lack the quality to handle a situation elegantly.

 

...Coming Soon: An Example Xenos Empire

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

Rolls: 4, 1, 2, 2, 5(fudged due to chaos/eldar conflict), 2, 1, 5, 3

 

5-10 systems

1 planet per system

wary of outsiders

Eldar allies

Mixed Humanoid/Beast society

Unreliable warp technology

Focused on survival

Met Rogue Traders before

Warfleet

 

The Chexochotal Empire:

A warlike xenos civilization between 'Undred 'Undred Teef and the Winterscale Realm, the Chexochotal Empire has been expanding rapidly over the last two centuries after initial contact with corsairs from the Twilight Swords.  Aside from their known and open ties to the Eldar, Chexochotal has some continuing trade with a small handful of Rogue Trader dynasties based in Winterscale's Realm.  Based on their homeworld of Chitterai, the Empire devoutly practices a heathen religion focused on a bevy of minor xenos deities who all fall under the gaze of their Honored Maiden (depicted as a humanoid female of lithe proportions).

 

Their home star system is well developed, with a teeming center of fifteen billion xenos on their primary world and a collection of void stations providing service and construction for their fleet.  There are actually two habitable planets in the Chitterai system, but only one of them has a xenos civilization based on it.  The other planet is a pristine garden world, and protected by a string of small void stations and a permanent fleet of system-based warships.  Chexochotal religion identifies this planet as the sacred resting spot of their Honored Maiden, and openly fired upon a Rogue Trader delegation attempting to land on the surface to survey and prepare for a colony.

 

Culture in the Chexochotal Empire is divided into two facets, based on the two xenos species that live in close proximity to each other.  One species, the Chexo, are beast-like xenos with large fangs, powerful upper torsos, and thick identifying fur patters on their heads and neck.  The Chexo xenos strain forms the majority of the empire's military forces and brute labor.  

 

The Chotal xenos are taller, thinner, and with avian-pattern reverse legs.  They form the majority of the merchant and administrative classes in the empire, and it is mostly the Chotal strain that Imperial delegations have interacted with.

 

Both xenos strains appear subservient to Eldar, though the Eldar seem to take little notice in the day-to-day functioning of Chexochotal society.

 

Most Eldar influence has been seen in the highest levels of government during special events, or when delegations of Eldar descend to planets for some obscure goal or interaction with the local populace.  They appear as advisers and religious figures, spreading their influence through manipulation instead of outright power.  Eldar ships of the Twilight Swords have been identified docking at Chexochotal void stations and flying in their fleets, but never more than one ship at a time in any given star system.

 

The Chexochotal Empire is relatively small geographically in the Expanse.  Their warships are limited in size by their warp technology to the equivalent of Heavy Frigates, though they have a few system-bound ships that rival an Imperial Cruiser for armor and firepower.  Of their eight occupied systems, all are within a week's journey for an Imperial ship from each other, though it takes the Chexochotal a month or more to traverse their holdings with their warp technology.  They are lucky to have found a cluster of habitable planets that densely packed, and Rogue Trader dynasties spread rumors of the Eldar knowing of even more colonizable planets in that area of the Expanse.

 

Interesting Locations:

 

Void Dock Primaris

The central and largest void dock above the capitol planet of Chitterai, Primaris is a seething mass of xenos creatures and trade goods.  Anything and everything needed to run a burgeoning xenos empire (from knock-off lasguns, to honor blades, to raw materials, and information) can be found on Primaris for a price.

 

While not ideal for Imperial ships, most have been able to make due at the trading port with the equipment available.  Xenos traders there know that Imperials have money to spend, and are canny in their ability to extract it.  Occasionally, Eldar can be seen walking the crude halls of Primaris in sections that have been modified to appear like Eldar-sculpted architecture.  Chexochotal approximations of Eldar architecture is crude, but if the Eldar mind it they don't say anything about it.

 

Chexo guards in powerful carapace armor and armed with shuriken catapults from their Eldar benefactors guard every major area of Void Dock Primaris.  They respond swiftly and violently to any outburst or threat to the laws and customs of their culture.

 

The Void Dock Primaris is built like a large jellyfish: huge conglomerations of habitats and weapons on the upper shell, with long tendrils of docking ports, shipping facilities, and observation towers extending down below.  Void Dock Primaris is anchored in geo-synchronous station above the capitol city of the planet, and regular shuttle services run between the sprawling spaceport on the surface and the huge Void Dock above.

 

System CX-1825

At the leading edge of the Chexochotal Empire towards 'Undred 'Undred Teef, CX-1825 is a system infested by Orks that the Chexochotal Empire claims for themselves.  A splinter fleet under Warboss Gobteef took control of the system from the Chexochotal about a decade ago and has been conducting raids further into the empire ever since.  

 

Fleet actions for the Chexochotal focus on securing the most favorable warp transition points of the system, and preventing the Orks from expanding their Rok production facilities.  Heavy raiding has damaged the fleet's ability to contain the Orks, and there is much fear back in Chitterai about how much damage the Orks could do if unleashed upon the rest of the Empire.  

 

Fleet Docks of Novo-Cambria

The central production and resupply station for the Chexochotal Empire, Novo-Cambria was the second system that the Chexochotal war machine conquered and colonized.  The Fleet Docks can dock dozens of warships (many damaged by fighting in CX-1825), and produce almost as many ships as the production facilities above Chitterai.  Only a few Rogue Traders can claim to have impressed the Chexochotal military enough to be allowed docking rights in Novo-Cambria, but they have indicated a sophisticated production capacity and a well stocked munitorium depot capable of outfitting ships up to the size of Imperial Cruisers.

 

Its official name is the Glorious Fleet of the Unified Republic Docking Ports, Novo-Cambria.

 

The Fleet Docks are arrayed above the inhabited planet in a series of octopus-like clusters.  Each ship has a separate docking arm, keeping it well away from other warships resupplying or under repair.  This layout is inefficient, but protects their warships from accidental detonations of ordinance and damage from ships undergoing critical failures.  At any given time, at least one or two of the docking arms shows damage from a recent explosion or warp core failure, indicating the fleet planners' caution is well founded.

 

 

More Examples: (random rolls)

1 system

Thriving Void Presence

Hostile to Outsiders

Allies with the Stryxis

Humanoid

Reliable Warp Technology

Want to Expand

Fought Chaos Previously

Warp-capable ships are Trade Only

 

...

 

1 system

1 planet

Trade Friendly

Home to Chaos Warbands

Humanoid

Unreliable Warp Technology

Want to Please the Warp Deities

Run-ins with Rogue Traders

Ramshackle Ships

 

Edited by CaptainRemiVandigrath, 10 January 2014 - 07:59 PM.

[Nameless2all]

 

Allies/trade partners:

(1) Winterscale's Dynasty

(2) Eldar

(3) Stryxis

(4) Chaos Warbands

(5) Human Pirates

 

Winterscale's Dynasty:

As in the history of the Expanse: Winterscale's dynasty was here first.  The local empire has a history of trading with Winterscale representatives, who have already opened the empire up to Imperial trade.  This will make docking, resupply, and negotiations easier; but it may bring the Rogue Trader into conflict with Winterscale representatives that want to keep the profit of this empire for themselves.

 

I was thinking about editing this Table to this.  What do you think? 

 

 

Allies/trade partners:

(1) Rogue Trader Dynasty

(2) Eldar

(3) Stryxis

(4) Chaos Warbands/Pirates

(5) Other Xeno Race

 

Rogue Trader Dynasty:

As in the history of the Expanse: He who was here first, gets the first spoils.  The local empire has a history of trading with a Rogue Trader Dynasty, who have already opened the empire up to Imperial trade.  This will make docking, resupply, and negotiations easier; but it may bring the Rogue Trader into conflict with the Dynasties representatives that want to keep the profit of this empire for themselves.  This Rogue Trader Dynasty can be a renowned or infamous one.  Renowned examples are: Winterscale Dynasty; Chroda Dynasty; House of Saul; Armengarde Dynasty; etc.  Infamous Dynasties are ones which have yet to make a name for themselves.

 

Other Xeno Race:

The Expanse is full of unknowns, and anything could be possibly.  A Kroot society could be trading work with the this Empire for weapons and/or chance to evolve.  Some feral orks might have been subjugated and now act as slaves (Ramshackle Ships anyone?).  Maybe the Slaugth have infiltrated their society and set themselves up as rulers.  Or maybe another unknown Xeno Empire resides at the edge of their society, and the only thing know about them is communication about a "Greater Good." 

 

Edit:  font going black again.

Edited by Nameless2all, 12 January 2014 - 05:49 AM.

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

 

 

Allies/trade partners:

(1) Rogue Trader Dynasty

(2) Eldar

(3) Stryxis

(4) Chaos Warbands/Pirates

(5) Other Xeno Race

 

Rogue Trader Dynasty:

As in the history of the Expanse: He who was here first, gets the first spoils.  The local empire has a history of trading with a Rogue Trader Dynasty, who have already opened the empire up to Imperial trade.  This will make docking, resupply, and negotiations easier; but it may bring the Rogue Trader into conflict with the Dynasties representatives that want to keep the profit of this empire for themselves.  This Rogue Trader Dynasty can be a renowned or infamous one.  Renowned examples are: Winterscale Dynasty; Chroda Dynasty; House of Saul; Armengarde Dynasty; etc.  Infamous Dynasties are ones which have yet to make a name for themselves.

 

Other Xeno Race:

The Expanse is full of unknowns, and anything could be possibly.  A Kroot society could be trading work with the this Empire for weapons and/or chance to evolve.  Some feral orks might have been subjugated and now act as slaves (Ramshackle Ships anyone?).  Maybe the Slaugth have infiltrated their society and set themselves up as rulers.  Or maybe another unknown Xeno Empire resides at the edge of their society, and the only thing know about them is communication about a "Greater Good." 

 

Edit:  font going black again.

 

 

 

I like it, and it definitely opens up the options on who they've been interacting with.

 

I'm also wondering if it might be worth exploring the type of society the Xenos empire has: merchant classes, feudal structure, democracy, ect...

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

Complications:

 

Government:

(1) Stable Monarchy

(2) Repressive Authoritarian Dictatorship

(3) Corrupt Republic

(4) Democratic Anarchy

(5) Feudal Trade Structure

 

Stable Monarchy

This Xenos species has at least accepted that individual rulers are the most appropriate and stable form of government.  A powerful administration will watch over the taxes and goods flowing into and out of their trade hubs, and mountains of paperwork will follow the Explorers everywhere they go.  Most major government officials will have elaborate ceremonies and social expectations everywhere they go.  A practical-minded official in the right department will be a hugely beneficial contact to have.

 

Repressive Dictatorship

With many of the trappings of a Monarchy, a Dictatorship has merely lost perspective on the role of its citizens.  It fears that any individual can bring down the entire state (a self-centered and ridiculous notion, but one they cling to with fear borne of paranoia).  There are twice as many guards as is necessary, and most of them are only half as competent as usual thanks to regular purges of their senior staff and malcontents.  The Explorers will need to be careful, lest they draw the attention of secret police or elite investigative units.  A small percentage of the xenos military will be extraordinarily well trained elite fighters, and these are the troops that will be deployed to anywhere that is a serious threat to the government (real or perceived).

 

Corrupt Republic

Everyone is out for themselves, and the powerful are able to consolidate small empires within the larger xenos society present on whatever planet or void station they happen to live on.  Money and gifts flow freely from one power-broker to another, while other power brokers use this same stream of money to undercut their rivals.  Appearances are everything, and ballot-stuffing is a steady middle-class profession.  The Explorers will need to bribe their way up the food chain, and make sure they don't pay off the wrong faction in whatever market they want to enter.

 

Democratic Anarchy

This xenos species has managed to create a society with hundreds of political parties, regular voting, and shifting alliances that would make any pure-hearted Administratum Clerk weep in confusion.  Xenos officials keep power by keeping their constituents happy and maintaining actual popularity with the lower classes.  In this society honorable favors are worth more than gold or throne gelt, and one bad media blitz can get the Explorers stripped of their trade rights.

 

Feudal Trade Structure

Each Xenos is ultimately out for only themselves, and this society has built themselves around that concept.  Merchant families control major trade routes, and the government might as well be non-existant.  Each merchant house has its own powerful military organizations and investigative services, and an inter-family trade war is an expected cost of doing business.  Loyalty to trade houses is everything, and everyone expects their cut of the trade rights.  A trade family would pay well for a serious advantage over their rivals.

 

 

Landing and Trade Rights:

(1-2) Purchasable

(3) Requires a Bribe

(4) Free with Purchase of Services

(5) Individual Honor Challenge

 

Purchasable

The void dock is busy, and lacks the facilities to service all the ships waiting to get in.  A simple auction system allows the captains with the best goods to dock first, get priority spots, and gain access to the services they need.

 

Bribe

The xenos trade official would be happy to allow you to dock, but he would hate to see your ship be vandalized by the rowdy dock workers at the port...

 

Free

As long as the Explorers purchase supplies and load up new trade goods from the empire's ports, they are happy to have you dock at one of their fine facilities.

 

Individual Honor Challenge

Docking rights only go to the strongest captains and the best crews.  Each captain is required to fight in an honor challenge with the senior trade officials at the void dock, or nominate a champion to fight on his behalf.  The challenges range from physical combat to games of skill.  Depending on the success of the captain or his champion, the ship is then directed to one of the various docking ports on the station.  The larger the ship and richer the cargo, the stronger or smarter the trade official will be that wants the honor challenge.  A loss may hurt the trade official's reputation, or leave the Explorers to unload at one of his competitor's docks.

 

 

Trade Hub Goals:

(1) Get Their Name Out

(2) Fleece the Explorers for all they're worth

(3) Gain Valuable Contacts

(4-5) Maintain Appearances

 

Get Their Names Out
For a stable society (Imperial or Xenos), repeat customers are a huge source of profits.  If the Explorers can shift business towards their new trade contacts, those contacts will be more than happy to give the Explorers a discount in the future.  Proof and word-of-mouth are a currency all their own.

 

Fleece the Explorers

Long-term profits are risky bets, and these xenos merchants detest risk.  They want profits now, and assume that the Explorers are in over their heads.  Through fast talk, bluff, and even intimidation, the merchant will pull every ounce of hard currency out of the Explorers that they can.

 

Gain Valuable Contacts

In an influence society, everyone wants to know someone important.  Even this foul xenos species has learned that.  If the Explorers can forge a new contact with a powerful influence figure for their new merchant, that merchant would happily give them discounts and favors in return.  But, if the xenos merchant hasn't been able to forge these ties themselves, what chance do the Explorers have?

 

Maintain Appearances

In business, the appearance of profit and propriety can be more valuable than actually following the laws.  Xenos merchants here are as afraid of looking corrupt as they are of actually being corrupt.  If the Explorers gain the right leverage, the merchant might pay to keep the Explorers quiet; however, the merchant might also be powerful enough to make the leverage disappear through more violent means.

 

 

Local Security:

(1) Gang Thugs

(2) Aloof Officers

(3) Sticklers for the Rules

(4) Private Merchant Bodyguards

(5) Martial Law

 

Gang Thugs
What these low-life xenos lack in skill, they make up for in enthusiasm and violence.  There are no trials, no judges, when gang thugs are called in to investigate.  Instead, they quickly determine a guilty party and threaten or punish that party in whatever way the gang sees fit.  These roving groups are loyal to whoever they trust, or whoever pays them the most.

 

Aloof Officers

In military organizations that are more social club than effective peacekeeping organization, officers learn that they don't have to sully themselves in the every-day affairs of their lowly citizens.  Xenos officers can become aloof, condescending, and uncaring of crimes or incidents that don't directly involve them.  They will need to be convinced that something is their problem before taking any action at all, and will often scoff at laws requiring them to do anything.

 

Sticklers for the Rules

Some xenos love their rules, and take great pride and joy in enforcing them.  Littering is as important a statute as destruction of public property, and these xenos officers will happily spend time dealing with any infraction of any law.  Here, they make sure the trains run on time, the streets are clean and well ordered, and anyone stupid enough to break their laws are punished in whatever manner the law deems fit.

 

Private Merchant Bodyguards

These xenos merchants are powerful enough to be above the law, and employ their own bodyguard cadre as a peacekeeping group.  This may be due to necessity and lack of laws, or due to an overbearing sense of self-worth by the merchant.  Bodyguards will strike back against any slight towards the merchant and their family, and actively work to destroy any threats real or perceived.  When they encounter the actual authorities for the local government, the bodyguards know that they have the real power and are not afraid to blatantly ignore the wishes of the local officials.

 

Martial Law

Here, the xenos military has taken complete control of their society, and employ trained killers and brutes as the local peacekeepers.  Laws are harsh, oversight is total, and squads of well equipped xenos soldiers patrol the halls and streets everywhere.  Whatever the military perceives as its greatest threat becomes the only threat, and anyone associating with the enemy becomes a victim of the system.  The Explorers should make sure they don't have any obvious connection to the military's enemies, and that they know which military officers wield the most power over local battalions and spies.

 

...Coming Soon: The seedy trade hub of Sar-Der-Kem

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

Rolls:

5 2 3 2

Feudal Structure

Purchasable Landing Rights

Traders will Fleece the Explorers

Aloof Officers

 

...

 

Sar-Der-Kem

A collection of void docks, hab modules, and half-decrepit life sustainers at the edge of the Heathen Stars, Sar-Der-Kem is a cesspool that is managed by an insect-like xenos species that is little better than the facility they maintain.  Some of the dock managers have learned to speak a perverted form of Low Gothic, but most of the insect-like creatures maintain a foul language of clicks and hisses that even Adeptus Mechanicus translation looms have difficulty with.  

 

Sar-Der-Kem's culture is based around the floating void stations they live in, with each unit acting as its own small society within the larger collection.  It is an anarchy borne of pheromone-based elections and constantly shifting alliances between the various void docks and administratum organizations that keep the xenos void docks (barely) functional.  Each void dock is managed by a small family unit of local xenos, who barter and trade among each other for supplies and trade goods to load onto the various ships that dock at their facility.  Ships entering the system are grouped up and led through the gravity rip-tides and pockets of radiation-soaked asteroids until they reach Sar-Der-Kem itself.  

 

There, the captains bid on docking rights brought forward by the various family units, with each unit trying to make its own dock appear the most valuable and luxurious.

 

Savvy captains know to listen carefully for half-truths and outright lies.  Very few docks on Sar-Der-Kem are truly luxurious, and most are deep cesspits full of parasites and void-borne pests.  The few luxurious docks are the private escapes for pirate princes and top-tier power brokers.  Once a deal has been struck the captains are bound to their agreements, and only the least scrupulous of family units would ever try and make secondary deals or go behind the back of the auction process.

 

The government of Sar-Der-Kem exists just for looks.  Their xenos scribes keep things running, but their administratum is uninterested in complaints or problems.  The police forces protect the government offices from attack, but do little to patrol or enforce laws in the wider stations or void docks.  Only the most desperate visitors and locals ever go to the police for help, and the police are as likely to arrest the complainer for making a scene as they are to do a cursory investigation of the claims.

 

Sar-Der-Kem is only a draw because it lets anyone with hard currency dock, and has a wide range of trade goods that captains in the Koronus Expanse need.

[Marwynn]

Thanks for this, it's been quite fun to use. I whipped one up just to colour in some of the lines on the map.

 

----------------

THE HOWLAN SWAY

 

 

Size: 5-10 Systems (4)

Per System: Thriving presence (5)

Outlook: Wary (2)

Allies: Eldar (2)

Xenos Type: Warp-twisted Humanoid-Beasts (5,5,1,4)

Tech-base: Sorcerous Warp Navigation (4)

Goals: Please Warp deities (4)

Historical Contacts: Conquest (4)

Void Ships: Advanced Industry (2)

(http://invisiblecast...r/view/4385178/)

 

An industrious if tragically doomed species, the Howlan Sway can be found in a string of systems between Kain's Abyss and the Cauldron. The Howlans have been terribly twisted by warp magic, hideously bound with a number of xeno-species native to the Koronus Expanse, leading many to believe they may have once been a servant race of the Yu'Vath. Limited contact with these warp-tainted xenos reveals no such history, or any lingering touch of the Yu'Vath. Instead, it appears that the Howlan species came to worship the warp on their own.

 

Few other xenos are capable of navigating the warp in the same way humans can, with the aid of the Navis Nobilite. Yet the Howlan Sway's rapid, but staggered, expansion from Kain's Abyss towards the Cauldron over the last few centuries reveals the ability to not only make long distant jumps, but also the ability to navigate around the treacherous strings of warp shadows emanating from Kain's Abyss and the fury of the Cauldron. Imperial ships rarely pass through that area of space, and the few safe channels are now, peacefully, occupied by the Howlan Sway.

 

None have been to their homeworld, rumoured to be deep in Kain's Abyss--at least none admit to it, though some indicate that the Eldar are present in many of their star systems. Their culture centres around the worship of several 'Unars', deities that manifested themselves and delivered their species from ruin. These 'gods' showed the Howlans how to meld with lower life forms, perhaps to counteract a phage ruining their genetic structures as some xenobiologists theorize. To a normal Imperial citizen, a Howlan is nothing but a twisted, beastial mutant, worthy of death. Yet it seems curious that these warp deities, while blessing the race with the dubious gifts of mutation, have so far not direct the xenos to outwardly heinous acts. 

Their subjugation of several lesser xenos empires along the path to the Cauldron seems to have lead to a melding of those xenos' physiologies to their own. Howlans encountered a century or two ago are vastly different from the modern Howlans who now feature a much-less chaotic anatomy. They are tall, languid, though powerfully built with multiple eyes in their heads. Their mouths vary between fanged jaws or sharp-beaked snouts, and their hands and feet are clawed, taloned, hoofed, or disturbingly human. They are not aggressive by nature, but seem fixated on their industry.  

 

These systems in the middle of the Sway territory are heavily industrialized, each useful rock carefully exploited to further their growing fleets. In Xarsheb, Dorlana, and McGill's Wake, there are three massive void stations able to handle large numbers of vessels, both in-system miners and also vast tradeships plying the warp routes they found between the twisting chains of Kain's Abyss and the Cauldron. Their warp-capable craft are smaller than other xenos, preferring the use of heavy frigates lead rarely by flagships generously classified as light cruisers. Their weaponry is warp-fueled, hurling arcane bolts to shatter voidshields and loosing dark lightning to carve hulls. Apart from the potential damnation of a soul by being killed with these weapons, they are not especially destructive compared to other weapons. 

 

Most troubling perhaps is the Eldar's presence on many of these worlds. Craftworld ships can be seen sometimes, docked in the three stations for unknown purposes. Since the Howlans are not restricted in their warp travels, as far as we know, scouting fleets have ranged as far as Winterscale's Realm in search for rare resources, often with an Eldar vessel nearby. What the treacherous xenos lead these twisted mutants to is unknown, but the flotillas are not hostile and will only defend itself if their mining or transport ships are in danger.

 

 

Xarsheb
In the middle of the Howlan Sway, Xarsheb was once home to the Xarshe, an agrarian xenos species that traded useful medical components in exchange for cast iron farming tools. The Xarshe were particularly thankful for fresh water hacked from the ice rings of their planet as it included various trace minerals useful for the growing of their crops. 

 

The Howlan Sway arrived approximately 87 years ago. All traces of the Xarshe were lost, and rogue trader vessels arriving to take on their cargo were politely rebuffed. Contact with the Howlans of this system was made less than 30 years ago, and the few who remember the peaceable Xarshe saw them remade in the Howlans' bodies. A few of the more daring, or reckless, rogue traders have since begun a quiet trade for the same crops as before, in exchange for livestock culled from throughout the Expanse. 

 

No one is allowed to approach Xarsheb itself, most visitors are directed to the massive void station in orbit around Xarsheb's largest moon. Humans, who bear gifts, are given a section of the station to dock and conduct trade. 

 

Dorlana

A colony established with the same hopeful promise as Damaris, Dorlana is home to three planets and one massive gas giant ringed by asteroids and comets the size of moons. It fell to a passing wave of raiders that stripped the colony of its equipment then its colonists. It was left abandoned and untouched by Imperials until the Howlan Sway arrived. By then, they discovered a colony of another void-faring xenos species and quickly absorbed those colonists. 

 

Dorlana is home to dozens, perhaps hundreds, of mining ships, platforms, and stations that extract every useful resource from the system. The main station here isn't really available for trade with outsiders and are instead feeding the massive shipyards above the second world in the system. Several Imperial colony ships have arrived at Dorlana only to be turned away, again politely. These would-be colonists returned to Footfall with strange tales of bat-winged xenos and their sprawling shipyards.

 

McGill's Wake

Ancient and mostly untraversed, McGill's Wake is a ribbon of nebula that was ripped off from its parent and hurtled to the stars. Analysis of the gases surrounding the system point to the origin being somewhere in Segmentum Pacificus, thousands of light years away. What allows the gases to swirl around the system instead of dissipating might be thanks to the Ork presence on third planet.

 

Morris McGill, rogue trader and sometimes smuggler, vowed to chart the veiled worlds of the then-Wake, and successfully charted over a dozen of the outermost planets. Gravity tides and swirling and unpredictable jets of gas hampered all attempts at closing in until finally the rogue trader spotted an opening and hurled his entire force through it. They found the greenskins waiting on the other side, trapped or caged, and promptly slaughtered them as the window closed. Only one voidship from the rogue trader's fleet survived, on its way out of the system to carry its haul of archeotech found on the last world McGill charted. 

 

Using their fiendish warp mastery, the Howlans were able to see the pattern of the tendrils of nebula gas and make their way inside the system. In that time period, they heavily industrialized the outer-most planets and the Orks found themselves, for once, outnumbered. The station here is open to anyone willing to trade, and rogue traders have often come to blows to trade foodstuffs (and fresh livestock) for crates of unwanted archeotech. Navigation even in the outermost planets to where the station is can be very treacherous, and the Howlans provide a pilot to those looking to trade. This offers the only look at the Howlan "Navigator", a psyker that will guide the ship through the grav tides and gases smoothly and efficiently. Navigators that have come in contact with these xenos psykers remain tight-lipped, but the few willing bridge crew to speak of their experience tell of a glowing jeweled eye in the middle of the xenos' foreheads.

 

 

 

HOWLAN VOIDSHIPS

These xenos vessels are utterly alien to humans and cannot be operated by one. Many of the displays require the ability to see in different spectrums and most of the equipment draws power from the warp via taps or spires dotting the hull instead of plasma genatoriums on Imperial vessels. It is surprisingly well-warded, and their equivalent Gellar Fields may be worth a salvage attempt. 

 

However, Howlans do not operate alone. Most travel in threes, and all squadrons operate in eights. 

 

Use Imperial weapons for damage, space, and power however halve the range for all weapons and increase the number of hits required for a critical by 1. Also, despite the Howlans' best attempts, they have not mastered yet the necessity of redundant systems. All weapons that fire at a Howlan vessel require 1 less hit to determine if it is a critical hit. 

 

Howlan vessels suffer a -10 penalty to all Silent Running attempts and suffer 1d5 hull damage if they fail any Manoeuvrability tests.

 

Howlan vessels cannot fire any lance-equivalent weapons at the same time as other weaponry. Each vessel may fire only one type. They do not have access to any other types of weaponry. Yet.

 

Howlan Raker

Dimensions: 1.8 km long, .4 km abeam at fins

Mass: 6.8 megatons

Crew: 23,000 crew, approx.

Accel: 7.2 gravities max. sustainable acceleration

Speed: 10

Manoeuvrability: +5

Detection: +5

Hull Integrity: 30

Armour: 12

Turret Rating: 1

Space: 32

Weapon Capacity: Prow 1, Dorsal 1, Keel 1

 

Appearing to be a fat, barbed arrow hurled by the void, the Howlan Raker is thick-bodied and heavily armed. It is also poorly armoured and less agile than equivalent Imperial frigates or destroyers. It's able to cram this much weaponry into its hull due to its lack of, according to some Navigators and Tech-Priests, its own warp engine. Instead it has a "sympathetic core" that allows it to attach to a larger vessel and be transported through the Empyrean. Its weapons are warp-cursed, though they approximate macrocannon batteries on the turrets and a lance weapon on the prow, with thankfully half the range of Imperial weaponry. Curiously, the Raker seems unable to power both sets of weapons at the same time, even for targets directly ahead either the prow "dark lightning" weapon fires or the warp-cursed shells erupt from the turrets.

 

 

Howlan Sunder

Dimensions: 3.5 km long, .5 km abeam at fins

Mass: 12.8 megatons

Crew: 53,000 crew, approx.

Accel: 3.8 gravities max. sustainable acceleration

Speed: 7

Manoeuvrability: +5

Detection: +5

Hull Integrity: 40

Armour: 14

Turret Rating: 1

Space: 45

Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Dorsal 2, Keel 1

 

The Sunder is, unfortunately, the workhorse design of the Howlan Sway. Though it has the same limitation as the smaller Raker which attaches to the Sunder, it can fire two devastating dark lightning weapons at targets that can barely withstand one. Operating in packs, the Sunders have been seen rushing straight towards the enemy and using their dorsal and keel batteries to smash voidshields apart before almost-suicidally keeping their prow weapons on target and firing. At least on three separate occasions this continuous fire was seen to disable the Sunder and in one instance a pristine vessel was consumed in warp fire as it carved apart a Kroot Warsphere.

 

 

Howlan Breaker

Dimensions: 4.9 km long, .6 km abeam at fins

Mass: 23.1 megatons

Crew: 81,000 crew, approx.

Accel: 3.2 gravities max. sustainable acceleration

Speed: 5

Manoeuvrability: +0

Detection: +10

Hull Integrity: 55

Armour: 15

Turret Rating: 2

Space: 45

Weapon Capacity: Prow 2, Port 1, Starboard 1, Dorsal 2, Keel 1 (of these slots, 2 dorsal comes pre-equipped with components)

 

Howlan Breakers appear to be flagships not only for the Sway's combat squadrons but also for the teeming number of mining ships attached to it. It has two dorsal mounted launch bays which launch swarms of fighter-bombers seemingly inspired by their continuous run-ins with the Orks. It has two prow weapons, with ranges comparable to Imperial lances, and a broadside battery that spurts focused warp energies instead of light or plasma. The keel battery is home to a unique weapon, a momentum arrester that can slow down enemy voidships (or capture and steady an asteroid). Curiously, the Breaker exhibits some STC sensibilities and may be inspired by the stashes of archeotech so carelessly traded away in McGill's Wake.

Edited by Marwynn, 30 January 2014 - 01:04 PM.

[CaptainRemiVandigrath]

 

Thanks for this, it's been quite fun to use. I whipped one up just to colour in some of the lines on the map.

 

----------------

THE HOWLAN SWAY

 

 

Size: 5-10 Systems (4)

Per System: Thriving presence (5)

Outlook: Wary (2)

Allies: Eldar (2)

Xenos Type: Warp-twisted Humanoid-Beasts (5,5,1,4)

Tech-base: Sorcerous Warp Navigation (4)

Goals: Please Warp deities (4)

Historical Contacts: Conquest (4)

Void Ships: Advanced Industry (2)

(http://invisiblecast...r/view/4385178/)

 

...

 

 

 

I like it!  The biggest mystery is why the Eldar work with them, but I figure that's part of the interest for the campaign.

[Erathia]

 

 

Thanks for this, it's been quite fun to use. I whipped one up just to colour in some of the lines on the map.

 

----------------

THE HOWLAN SWAY

 

 

Size: 5-10 Systems (4)

Per System: Thriving presence (5)

Outlook: Wary (2)

Allies: Eldar (2)

Xenos Type: Warp-twisted Humanoid-Beasts (5,5,1,4)

Tech-base: Sorcerous Warp Navigation (4)

Goals: Please Warp deities (4)

Historical Contacts: Conquest (4)

Void Ships: Advanced Industry (2)

(http://invisiblecast...r/view/4385178/)

 

 

I like it!  The biggest mystery is why the Eldar work with them, but I figure that's part of the interest for the campaign.

 

I was wondering that too. "Warp-sorcerous anything" plus Eldar don't seem like natural fixes. Presumably they're luring them somewhere so that their warp rituals will draw the attention of something worse away from one of their Craftworlds.

[Marwynn]

Yeah, I was tempted to modify that a bit but I let it stand. Seems to add a bit of mystery to the race as a whole. Are the Eldar manipulating them? Are they the Unars or pretending to be the Unars' emissaries? Or is this a "humanitarian" thing? Or all of the above?

 

I think I'll play around with this some more. 

[Marwynn]

I took a stab at an expansion of sorts, being the void ship obsessionist that I am.

 

--------------------------

 

 

9) Void Ship Technology and Access (Expansion)

 

Use an Imperial standard component or hull as a base when making these adjustments.

 

There are several steps in this expanded stage:

 

A) Void Tech Base

B) Weaponry Access

C) Weapons Tech Level

D) Hull Access

E) Hull Tech Level

F) Xenotech Component

 

 

A) Void Tech Base

(1) Standard Template Construct /  Derivation.

(2) Xenotech (Primitive)

(3) Xenotech (Advanced)

(4) Warp-based

(5) Hybrid. Choose a result between 1-3 then re-roll, rerolling 5s. Combine your choice with the rolled result. 

 

Standard Template Construct / Derivation

Owing to examples taken from STC technology, perhaps acquired from functional copies or derived from databases, this xenos species operates Imperial compatible technology. They have undoubtedly applied their own touches to the technology, no doubt committing several heresies in the process, but their ships conform to Imperial norms. May choose Imperial Standard for Weaponry Access or Weapons Tech Level.

 

Xenotech (Primitive)

This species is only just beginning to take its steps into the greater void. Or is somehow hamstrung from advancing further, perhaps due to resource limitations or something else. One on one, megaton for megaton, they are the lesser when compared with an Imperial ship. Suffers -1 when rolling for either Weapons Tech Level or Hull Tech Level, choose one. Crew size increases by 10,000, repairs gain +10 bonus.

 

Xenotech (Advanced)

Alarmingly, this race threatens Imperial void superiority. The Eldar are an extreme example as there are other races with impressive void capabilities. Their weapons are automated, firing denser bursts, or make use of advanced knowledge that humanity cannot grasp. Gain +1 when rolling for either Weapons Tech Level or Hull Tech Level, choose one.

 

Warp-based

Foul and dangerous, these foolish xenos meddle with forces they have yet to comprehend. They gleefully make use of warp technology to power their vessels and their weapons, not knowing (or caring) that they make themselves the targets of warp creatures. Frighteningly, some xenos know this all too well and have begun to use warp creatures as a sort of ordnance. All weapon damage caused by these xenos' ships also cause an additional 1d5 Hull, Crew, and Morale damage.

 

 

B) Weaponry Access

(1) Imperial Standard

(2) Macrobatteries only

(3) Macrobatteries and Lances only

(4) Macrobatteries, Lances, and one Ordnance

(5) Specialization (Re-roll)

 

Imperial Standard

Full access to the complete Imperial arsenal, excluding the Nova Cannon. 

 

Macrobatteries only

This species has not yet mastered, or does not see the benefit of, lances or other forms of weaponry. 

 

Macrobatteries and Lances only

Flexible and capable, this xenos' voidships are at least equipped with true ship-killing weaponry.

 

Macrobatteries, Lances, and one Ordnance

As above, but may choose one of: Torpedoes, Attack Craft, or Nova Cannon.

 

Specialization

Roll again, but may choose the Superior result for the Weapons Tech Level for one weapon component.

 

C) Weapons Tech Level

Roll for each type of weapon xenos has access to.

(1) Primitive*

(2) Inferior*

(3) Imperial Standard

(4) Superior

(5) Advanced

* May select an additional choice in exchange for one choice in the Advanced list

 

Primitive

Choose two of: Half range, -d5 Damage, +2 Crit Rating, +2 Space and Power

 

Inferior

Choose one of: Half range, -d5 Damage, +1 Crit Rating, +1 Space and Power

 

Imperial Standard

Weapon is comparable to Imperial standard components. Proceed with caution. May choose one from the Superior list but must also choose one from the Inferior list. 

 

Superior

Choose one of: +2 Damage, +1 Strength, -1 Space and Power, -1 Crit Rating

 

Advanced

Choose two of: "Turbo Upgrade" or "Quick Reload" for Ordnance, +2 Range, +2 Damage, +2 Strength, Tearing or Storm, -1 Space and Power, -1 Crit Rating

 

 

D) Hull Access

(1) Transports, Raiders and Frigates

(2) Also Light Cruisers

(3) Also Cruisers

(4) Also Battlecruisers

(5) Also Battleships

 

 

E) Hull Tech Level

Roll once regardless of how many hull types the xenos has access to. Apply to all ships.

(1) Primitive*

(2) Inferior*

(3) Imperial Standard

(4) Superior

(5) Advanced

* May select an additional choice in exchange for one choice in the Advanced list but cannot cancel an effect

 

Primitive

Choose two of: -5 Manoeuvrability, -5 Detection, -3 Power, -5 Hull Integrity, -2 Armour, -2 Speed

 

Inferior

Choose one of:  -5 Manoeuvrability, -5 Detection, -3 Power, -5 Hull Integrity, -2 Armour, -2 Speed

 

Imperial Standard

Hulls are comparable to Imperial standard components. Proceed with caution. May choose one from the Superior list but must also choose one from the Inferior list. 

 

Superior

Choose one of: +5 Manoeuvrability, +5 Detection, +1 Turret rating, +2 Armour, +5 Hull Integrity, +1 Keel slot

 

Advanced

Choose two of: +5 Manoeuvrability, +5 Detection, +1 Turret rating, +2 Armour, +5 Hull Integrity, +1 Keel slot, +1 Prow slot. Or add a Prow and Starboard slot.

 

 

F) Xenotech Component

(1) Weaponry

(2) Defenses

(3) Propulsion

(4) Hull

(5) Else

 

Weapons

Though similar to the end result of using macrocannon or lance batteries, this xenos' weaponry operates on different principles. Choose one of these effects for one weapon component the xenos has access to: Penetration 5, +1d10 Hull damage, +5 Morale and Crew damage, Drains 1d5 Power from target (which may cause some components to become unpowered, etc).

 

Defenses

Not all xenos create similar void shields, and some are surprisingly more advanced than STC patterns, or rely on other forms of defense. Choose one of these effects:

Dampening Fields - Reduces incoming damage by Void Shield rating even after void shield collapse

Mirror Fields - Imposes a -20 penalty to Detection and Ballistics tests but only -10 for macrobatteries

Active Defense - Turrets fire ablative matter or energy that reduces incoming damage by their rating for each hit.

 

Propulsion

Many xenos rely on alternative means of propulsion which has its own merits and drawbacks. Choose one of the following:

Pulse Engines - Double the degrees by which a vessel can turn at the cost of 1 speed for all ships

Vectored Wings - Can reduce ship's Speed by 1 to gain +5 Maneouvrablity or reduced Manoeuvrability by 5 to improve Speed by 1

Momentum Drive - As long as the ship doesn't turn its Speed increases by 1 up to double its normal speed. 

 

Hull

Exotic materials, odd adornments, or completely alien construction make xenos hulls often subjects of endless speculation. Choose one of the following:

Ablative Armour - When hit, may reduce damage to Hull Integrity by its Armour Rating by permanently reducing the Armour Rating by 1 for subsequent turns

Regenerative Hull - 5% of the ship's Hull Integrity repairs itself every turn

Baffled Construction - The xenos fear a specific type of weapon more than any other, all damage from that weapon or component type is reduced by 50% of the Armour Rating (excluding weapons that ignore damage). 

 

Else

These xenos have truly something unique that no other race, or few others, can bring to bear. This could be like the Howlan Sway's gravitic projector that holds ships still, or the Imperium's Nova Cannon. It could be that each macrocannon shell houses an automated drone that causes further damage should it penetrate the hull. Or, for the more sorcerous xenos, their warp magic is harnessed and wielded like any other weapon.

[Marwynn]

THE BRUIDH TRUST

 

Size: 2-5 systems

Number of Planets: 2 per system

Outlook: Trade Friendly

Allies/Partners: Other Xenos Race

Xenos Type: Beasts

Tech Base: Self-Sufficient

Goals: New Technology

Historical Contacts: Conquest

Void Ships: Ramshackle

Government: Repressive Authoritarian Dictatorship

Landing and Trade Rights: Free

Trade Hub Goals: Fleece Explorers

 

(http://invisiblecast...r/view/4394081/)

 

 

Once a fearsome xenos species that rampaged across several systems, the Bruidh Collective was battered down by a group of Rogue Traders whose fortunes were threatened by the burgeoning empire. That was centuries ago and the dynasties that held the Bruidh in check since have wilted or vanished, yet the regime they put in place remains loyal to the trust invested in them.

 

Found between Naduesh and Aubray's Anvil, the fur-covered xenos inhabit a cool world orbiting a bright star in the Deidach system. Three known stable routes exist to this calm system, possessing several useful worlds and few navigation obstacles. Routes from Lucin's Breath, Naduesh, and Gallant provide the bulk of the Imperial traffic to the system. From Deidach, there are other stable routes to the ruins of the Bruidh Collective's colonies. These other systems still have mostly self-sustaining colonies and the xenos themselves commission other races to transport much needed supplies for these colonies as their own battered fleets are often busy keeping their home system safe.

 

Deidach's fifth planet, Bruid'ol, has several moons and the Bruidh originated from its third moon, now an agri-colony, early on. Bruid'ol itself lacks any large oceans and is instead one massive landmass crisscrossed by vast streams and rivers pooling into lakes and tributaries. It's prime land for agriculture, speckled with plateaus as if mountains had been trimmed to an appropriate and suitable size. The Bruidh wisely build their cities on these plateaus, calling them Holds, and build large bridges to connect them so as not to disturb the land. The Holds are controlled by clans, tribes, even entire families and castes and any and all types of factions. A ground war on Bruidh is a complicated matter of webbed obligations and unassailable territories.

 

However fractious the Bruidh are, they remain subservient to the Premyr, the ruling body of the Trust. The families that make up the Premyr were the ones that turned on their masters when they were still part of the Collective and have been endowed with STC technology to keep their charges in line. In exchange for the Bruidh's docility, they were given the right to rule and conduct trade with anyone that comes to their system. The Premyr dismiss all news of the demise of the various dynasties as lies, and those that attempt to impersonate a representative from one such dynasty must perform a set of secret rituals to validate their presence.

 

Brutal crackdowns are a common thing on Bruid'ol, though these are carried out by the various Hold leaders for fear of Premyr sanctions. Dissidents are common, due to their bestial natures, and these unwanted are routinely sold off to any visiting xenos species. There are undoubtedly entire resource colonies run by Bruidh slaves for rogue traders willing to transport thousands of angry, brutish xenos on their ships. Their cannibalistic natures and farming habits normally prevent starvation, so a colony of Bruidh slaves will eventually stabilize at a self-sustaining level depending on local factors. Some have already been purchased by Winterscale to work in the nephilum mines on Lucin's Breath. There, the Bruidh's thick hides and fur would help somewhat against the biting cold of that planet. 

 

Traders newly come to Bruid'ol may dock freely at the Waystone, a sprawling dock that houses dozens of ships from various xenos species. The Waystone is where most trade is conducted, though Rogue Traders are free to land in any one of the Premyr's Holds to conduct business there. The Bruidh are expert hunters, herders, and farmers, and they sell a variety of livestock and crops for use as seed on new colonies or as wholesale goods. Leathers of all kinds are available as well, including those made from Bruidhs, and there is a booming industry for the Bruidh's medicines handmade from specially cultivated crops on Bruid'ast, the "homemoon" of the xenos. However, the Bruidh trade primarily in rare ores harvested from the other planets in the system, with each mining colony belonging to one faction or another. For the traders' convenience these are all gathered by system ships on Waystone, though traders are welcome to take their void ships to orbit these worlds and take on cargo directly. 

 

Access to Bruid'ast is forbidden and there remains a squadron of ragged but capable void ships to dissuade visitors from coming close. Bruid'ol is likewise restricted but for favoured traders or rogue traders of sufficient import. 

 

Still, the oppressive regime has bred a society of want despite the heavy trading with various species. The Bruidh may not remember their conquering past all that much, but they remember their ancestors' wealth and technology in the homes they have inherited and the stories they've passed down. The Bruidh, as a whole, are desperate for STC-grade weapons, to put them on the Premyr families' level or to replenish Premyr stockpiles. An entire Hold was emptied, over a decade, for a single transport ship. The vessel has not been heard of since, but the Hold's inhabitants can be found in slave pens throughout the Expanse, estimated to be several millions strong. This was conducted with Premyr approval and is a rare, but telling, occurrence. 

 

Trade is relatively straight-forward, though the Bruidh are consisted tight-fisted in their dealings. This mostly is due to the need to compete with other Holds who will become better armed or better equipped due to their dealings. Instead of undercutting one another, the cultural tendency leans towards closing ranks and working out favourable deals for continued business dealings. Lately, however, there are rumours of pirate attacks in the outlying systems from Deidach where transports routinely stop to provision ahead of a long warp journey and replenish their fresh water stores or effect repairs. Supposedly, Bruidh bodies have been recovered wielding xenos or STC weaponry from these not-always-successful actions. Still, a handful of vessels have been lost this year on safe routes, and the only thing they supposedly had in common was a good deal with the Bruidh. 

 

 

Waystone

The first and last stop for many free traders, Waystone's core is built into a crystalline asteroid hollowed out and implanted with a host of human technologies. The Waystone is even a figure of worship for some Holds below on Bruid'ol's surface, and is considered a Hold unto its own but is not permitted many of the political trappings of other Holds. Tendrils of metal radiate out from the Waystone, each hundreds of metres thick, meant to transport cargo internally and allow passage to the core as void ships dock along the length of these arms. Human vessels can perform mundane repairs and the Waystone's facilities can fabricate some STC replacement parts at a price. The Waystone's core is home to a teeming mass of various xenos species and is an uncomfortable place for many Imperials.

 

Bruid'ol

Visitors to the Deidach system are given access to Premyr Holds if they are conducting significant business with the xenos. Access to other Holds is often approved should the approval of a Hold elder be required for a specific trade. A shuttle is provided for these traders and their equipment is carefully catalogued--the Premyr are always on the lookout for new armaments making their way to dissidents. By comparison, traders heading to a Premyr Hold are given great leeway and are allowed to take their own craft to the surface. The planet has stronger than standard gravity and is considered crude, even by crude races. Only the older Holds feature any technology and feature grander, if barbaric, sensibilities in scale and architecture. 

 

Tormac

The Bruidh navy is a haphazard collection of various xenos ships, mostly Imperial, salvaged and scavenged. Tormac is, or was, an Imperial Lunar cruiser that was gutted by a warp flare on its journey to Deidach. It was found on the seventeenth planet's second moon protruding out of a valley. A small community of Bruidh outcasts have formed around the Lunar's wreck. Unlike other Bruidh, these "Tormacs" are relatively sophisticated and make use of common Imperial technology as easily as a Hive Worlder might. They have few crops to spare, trading their services instead as mercenaries. Tormac is also the centre of dissent for the Deidach system and has nothing but a black market for an economy. 

 

Bolblast

An Ork fleet passed through the system at the height of the Bruidh Collective's power and were promptly smashed. Three Roks were all that remained of the mighty fleet and somehow they became trapped in the orbit of the second world in the Deidach system. The greenskins mostly keep to themselves, waging war on each other as they orbit a broiling planet. The Bruidh bear no malice towards these Orks and even allow them to trade on Waystone from time to time, though the Orks are confused as to why other races reject their teef for currency. The second planet is also home to a variety of predators that the greenskins take great joy in breaking and taming. Packs of these predators are often trade for raw materials or scraps of technology, with recovered Ork tech fetching the highest prices. 

 

The Bruidh Navy

 

The Bruidh Collective had pragmatic, if slow, warships to carry them through the void. They traverse the warp in short hops, spending no more than a few days at a time until they continue on to their next destination. The Bruidh themselves seem to be well-suited for void operations, even able to survive vacuum exposure for several minutes at a time without any ill effects. Their weapons were brutish but powerful, destroying their targets with heavy and slow macromissiles. These vessels were destroyed almost to the last hull by the pact of Rogue Traders centuries ago and they surgically removed the Bruidh's warmaking capabilities. The plateaus that housed these manufactorums are craters now, and the blackened wounds throughout the Deidach system are the only signs that the Bruidh had once a fearsome industry.

 

To date, the Bruidh Navy is made up of vessels that approximate the Wolfpack Raider and Iconoclast Destroyer, at least the ones encountered patrolling the outer edges of their once-empire. There are still rumours of a warfleet of brutish, hulking designs near this area, though this is usually attributed to Orks or another crude race.

 

 

====================

 

Just played around with the rules again, filling in more blanks on the map.

[Crystal Geyser]

Love this generator! 

Will definitely be doing some rolling on it to see what happens.

If you are interested, I have a similar generator for criminal factions that I posted here.

[Crystal Geyser]

THE AELANTI

 

Size: One System

Number of Planets: Void Presence

Outlook: Hostile to outsiders

Allies/Partner: Rogue Traders

Xenos Type: Deathworld Survivors

Tech-Base: Self-Sufficient

Goals: Expansion

Historical Contacts: Conquest

Void Ships: Stolen

Government: Repressive Dictatorship

Landing and Trade Rights: Individual Honor Challenge

Trade Hub Goals: Maintain appearances

Local Security: Gang thugs

 

The Aelanti Empire comprises a single solar system within the Encarmine Sector. While they do have a number of aqua-terrene void stations scattered along the edges of the system, and occasionally make raids into outside space, the entire population remains along the rim of a single star. Every facet of the system is filled and exploited by the aquatic xenos, who have voraciously terraformed and begun to manipulate their environment.

 

Now looking forward to the future, the Aelanti have invested in powerful void ships to defend the system and its most populous planets. While the Aelanti are incapable of building their own ships, they are more than adept at stealing those of other races. Their fleet is mismatched and of ill quality, but their boarding crews are unsurpassed and take great pleasure from combat.

 

The Aelanti are hostile to outsiders, displaying extreme suspicion and paranoia. The Aelanti are cynical of outsiders and land walkers. Attempts to trade and negotiate with the race by other Rogue Traders in the past have been limited and regulated by provisional, and the Aelanti make a habit of thoroughly inspecting the entirety of a Rogue Trader’s vessel before allowing them access to docking equipment. Trade is conducted off world, and no non-Aelanti is allowed on the surface of any of their planets.

 

Historically, however, the Aelanti have shown eased relations with Rogue Traders of the Serine Dynasty. Negotiations with those bearing the warrant of the Serine pass much more smoothly amongst the Aelanti, and investigators of the Odro Xenos view this dealership with increasing alarm and consternation. In reality, the Aelanti afford the Serine Dynasty such alacrity as the Aelanti have no viable warp travel technology of their own, and rely on the ships of the dynasty to help emissaries of the species move through space in order to survey undiscovered worlds ripe for terraforming and colonization.

 

The Aelanti evolved on the aquatic death world of Korash, which has lent them a harshly predatory biology with which they have dominated their natural environment in order to develop advanced technologies. A cluster of long, spatula tentacles webbed by a membranous skirt defines the lower body of the Aelanti. The flat heads of the tentacles are marked by long fronds, which Imperial xenobiologists hypothesize may be used for filter feeding.

 

From the waistline up, the torso of the Aelanti is roughly human, resembling the chest of an anorexic human male with distended guts and sharp, angular ribs. The back of the Aelanti is protected by a heavy armored shell, like that of a mollusk, pocked with hollow gill scoops. The shell of the Aelanti comes to a hooked crest that hangs over the head like a cowl.

 

The Aelanti’s head resembles the trunk and maw of a blind, gnashing leech, with no eyes and multiple circular rows of sharp, serrated teeth. The head possesses a long, dangling lure that glows in low light conditions. The arms of the Aelanti resemble long, angelic wings of curling, membranous tendrils, each of which terminates in an opposable hooked talon. Aelanti come in varying shades of green, turquoise, and orange.

 

Few Rogue Traders know of the Aelanti’s true form, however, as they always interact with human emissaries protected by their enclosed armored survival suits, with are both powerfully armed and possess onboard reserves of the fluid medium which the Aelanti require to survive. These suits are fashioned from a dark teal metal, which resembles scale mail and fragments into dangerous shrapnel when damage, and are often crafted in the shape of cephalopods or mollusks.

 

The government of the Aelanti is directed by an authoritarian dictatorship with little to no room for dissent or secession from its people. Military units and vehicles patrol civilian territories and streets, and crime is not tolerated, and many of these soldiers and enforcers are ironically recruited from Aelanti dissidents or prisoners of war. The death penalty is commonly employed by the Aelanti King, Kalibos.

 

This militaristic mindset has lead to the most common form of economic exchange known to the Aelanti – the trial by challenge. An individual wishing to lay claim to Aelanti goods must either defeat the Aelanti trader in a battle of arms or a fellow consumer. Many hypothesize that in reality Kalibos’s regime is declining and that these excessive blood sports serve no purpose other than to remind citizens and land walkers of his former might.