| rdfs:comment | - The potential of new worlds, alien civilisations, and unimaginable resources made necessary a class of free-ranging Imperial agents known as Rogue Traders. Licensed and often equipped by the Adeptus Terra, the Rogue Trader is free to explore the far regions of the galaxy, the areas where the Astronomican does not reach, and those areas within its reach as yet unvisited by humanity. Rogue Traders have even attempted to cross the great starless voids of intergalactic space, but over such distances even Astropaths' powers of psychic communication are useless, and whether such missions have succeeded is unknown. Operating in isolation from the central authority of the Imperium, the Rogue Trader must decide how to react to alien cultures, new discoveries, and threats. If he judges an intelligen
- A Rogue Trader is a combination of freelance explorer, conquistador and merchant. They are Imperial servants, given a ship, a crew, a contingent of Marines or Guardsmen and carte blanche to roam the worlds beyond Imperial control. The most valuable possession of a Rogue Trader family is its Charters, or Warrants of Trade; an ancient legal document which describes the accepted limits of its operations. These charters are hereditary thus creating a Rogue Trader dynasty. Depending upon the families wealth, power, and connections it can be considered an aristocratic family.
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| abstract | - A Rogue Trader is a combination of freelance explorer, conquistador and merchant. They are Imperial servants, given a ship, a crew, a contingent of Marines or Guardsmen and carte blanche to roam the worlds beyond Imperial control. Many times Rogue Traders find isolated planets with a Human population which will be incorporated into the Imperium. Other times they find empty or alien-dominated planets ripe for colonization. Rogue Traders are flamboyant individuals; many are highly pious while others are no more than legitimized pirates. The most infamous Rogue Trader was Jan van Yastobaal, who became little more than a desperado plundering whatever world he came upon. The most valuable possession of a Rogue Trader family is its Charters, or Warrants of Trade; an ancient legal document which describes the accepted limits of its operations. These charters are hereditary thus creating a Rogue Trader dynasty. Certain powerful lords of the Adeptus Terra offer charters of trade as a bribe to their rivals. In exchange the rival simply walks away into a life of adventure and, hopefully, great wealth. Some Rogue Trader families have powerful allies inside the Adeptus Terra. Some of the more ancient ones are dated from the very beginnings of the Imperium, and some were even signed by the Emperor himself. Others were signed by Primarchs or other leaders of the Great Crusade. These charters are very valuable and give its owner great leeway. They are tailor-made and unique. They cannot be re-appealed as according to Imperial law and Imperial religious dogma no one is empowered to overrule these persons. Having said that, one can assume that a renegade Rogue Trader guilty of heresy or treason will be severely prosecuted by the Inquisition. It is very likely that he is considered to have forsaken the Emperor's trust upon his family and that his punishment will be much more severe. Letters of Marque are similar documents issued more recently. The Letters of Marque are rather restricted in some aspects and controlled more effectively by Imperial authorities. The more recent ones are not hereditary at all, forcing the hopeful heir to return and re-apply for a new charter. A Charter of Trade or a Letter of Marque may contain peculiar restrictions. This may be of geographical nature (e.g.: restrict the Rogue Trader into a single sector) or something similar. Some Rogue Traders are relatively poor, possessing a single ancient and dilapidated ship. Others are incredibly wealthy and powerful and have whole fleets and entire private armies at their disposal. Certain favored individuals may even call upon detachments of Space Marines having entered pacts with individual Chapters. Some Rogue Traders operate as mercenaries, renting the service of their ship(s). Depending upon the families wealth, power, and connections it can be considered an aristocratic family.
- The potential of new worlds, alien civilisations, and unimaginable resources made necessary a class of free-ranging Imperial agents known as Rogue Traders. Licensed and often equipped by the Adeptus Terra, the Rogue Trader is free to explore the far regions of the galaxy, the areas where the Astronomican does not reach, and those areas within its reach as yet unvisited by humanity. Rogue Traders have even attempted to cross the great starless voids of intergalactic space, but over such distances even Astropaths' powers of psychic communication are useless, and whether such missions have succeeded is unknown. Operating in isolation from the central authority of the Imperium, the Rogue Trader must decide how to react to alien cultures, new discoveries, and threats. If he judges an intelligent xenos race to be potentially dangerous, he may attempt to destroy it or to gather as much information as he can so that others may do so. If he decides a race may be of use to humanity, he may attempt to make contact and establish relations. If merely rich in technology or minerals, a planet may be plundered, and the Rogue Trader will return to Terra laden with the treasures of space -- alien artefacts, rare and precious minerals, and undreamed-of technologies. Needless to say, the Rogue Trader requires a considerable resource in spacecraft, troops and other staff if he is to complete his mission. His total responsibility may extend to dozens of voidcraft, often huge, lumbering cargo vessels crammed with a small army, a full crew of technicians, and volunteer settlers to establish colonies on new worlds. Most important, however, are the fighting troops, for it is they who will have to deal with any potential threat. Many Rogue Traders are individuals who have reached a position of power within the Imperium's governing hierarchy. These individuals are drawn from the ranks of the Adeptus Terra, the Imperial Navy and Imperial Guard, or even the Inquisition. A few are influential civilians, amongst whom the Navigators are the most famous. Politics sometimes obliges this course, for free of Imperial command the Rogue Trader is also conveniently out of the way, beyond the centre of real power in the Emperor's realm. Rogue Traders have a reputation as outcasts; many are people whom the high-ranking officials of the Adeptus Terra's myriad branches deem better kept at a safe distance. Operating beyond Imperial control, Rogue Traders are a law unto themselves. Some are highly pious individuals, bringing the God-Emperor's light beyond the edges of His rule; others are nothing more than glorified pirates and scoundrels. Many Rogue Traders exude confidence and are highly charismatic, often charming and roguish, skilled diplomats (some would say confidence tricksters) and hardened killers when the situation demands. Rogue Traders will often gather an entourage of hangers-on and companions, and this may contain alien warriors, mutants, and other undesirables unacceptable in polite Imperial society. Many in the Inquisition would take to marking the Rogue Trader out as a Heretic. Many Rogue Traders have highly unstable personalities: some destroy worlds on a whim or experiment with alien species out of macabre curiosity. All Rogue Traders are highly exceptional individuals who are driven to success beyond the dreams of the ordinary men and women of the Imperium of Man even though these exceptional people often have extreme character quirks themselves; some destroy entire worlds for the slightest reason, or include alien warriors and mutants among their entourage in direct violation of Imperial orthodoxy. Some are highly pious servants of the God-Emperor while others are no more than legitimised pirates. The most infamous Rogue Trader was Jan van Yastobaal, who became little more than an officially-sanctioned desperado, plundering whatever world he came upon. Rogue Traders are often flamboyant individuals, commonly dressed in the most extravagant finery they can acquire. However, each Rogue Trader is a unique individual from a particular background. Some newly-created Rogue Traders come from origins in the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy, the Merchant Fleets, the Administratum or even the Imperial Inquisition where they will have developed unique outlooks, skills and approaches to different situations. Some Rogue Traders are relatively poor, possessing a single ancient and dilapidated starship. Others are incredibly wealthy and powerful and have whole fleets of warships and entire private armies at their disposal. Certain favoured individuals may even call upon detachments of Space Marines, having entered mutually beneficial pacts with individual Chapters. Some Rogue Traders operate as mercenaries, renting the service of their ship(s) to the highest bidder, including pirates, other Rogue Traders or an Imperial organization like the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Imperial Guard or the Inquisition.
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