[RT] The Silent Architect (OOC/Discussion)

[Mazer Rackham]

Just a fast post everyone, the Nook has been without a Rogue Trader game for a while, and I'm considering running the RT Starter Adventure with a few tweaks.

 

Have at it below. I'll update this when I've had sleep and firmed up some ideas.

 

Just an FYI, I'd rather keep it contained to RT, and have fresh, basic Rank 1 characters, no imports from DH/DW/BC/OW games.

 

It will get me used to RT. Be aware, this may be a while in delivery, so it's not around the corner.

Edited February 1, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Always up for a new adventure! No idea what character I'd play, but will give the book a peruse.

 

 

 

@AbstractCloudmaybe this could be the opportunity you were looking for?

[Mazer Rackham]

One of you poor blighters will have to be the Rogue Trader in question, but I'll let that evolve over the course of discussion.

Edited January 7, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Haven’t played RT yet, so would be up for the experience.   

 

 

Looks at hobby commitments. Er, well, I’ll make it work (somehow) if you’ll have me on your crew.

[Machine God]

Yes please I'm up for it.

 

"Issue cheese to all hands Mr Christian!"

 

 

 

"Stand by to repel boarders!"

 

"How do you repel boarders?"

 

"Stop changing the bed linen!"

 

 

 

 

[Xin Ceithan]

Yay! A pirate’s like for me! 
 

Or at least as close as it get’s with these loyalist party-poopers 

 

As you may have noticed I’m still slugging through the rubble of the holidays and several colleagues have apparently received a gracious he,long  of Grandfather Nurgle’s gifts but failed to embrace them, the sorry lot, so my time is still a bit limited but do count me in especially if it’s a bit down the horizon anyway. 

[Mazer Rackham]

  On 1/7/2024 at 11:45 AM, Xin Ceithan said:

Or at least as close as it get’s with these loyalist party-poopers 

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Well it is 'Rogue Trader' so if you want to be a bit risqué, that's fine, but don't expect to survive long..!

 

I'll be dropping the Errata into a google folder as normal, along with a template people should copy.

 

EDIT: I'm on the cusp of pushing the characters from Damocles into RT, if they want to go. Since this is a 'one-shot', it can, but doesn't have to go anywhere, yet I could use it as a building block to continue with a second instalment if I wanted. After reviewing the chargen sheets for DH: Damocles, and reading some more of RT Core, I am encouraged this could work without too much difficulty.

 

Thus, I will give the following options:

 

1. If there are no volunteers to play the Rogue Trader, I will install an NPC with a significant hit to Profit Factor (PF) I will determine later.
2. Players may either create a new character, with up to 1 Xenos race PC (Aeldari/Tau/Kroot - I could be convinced to do a Squat) OR;
3. Import a character from DH: Damocles.

 

Notes on importation:

 

1. Each DH character is currently sitting at 3,050 xp - you may:
   1. Take a GM disbursement of 1,950 xp which MUST be spent on DH Talents and Traits, or;
   2. 1,450 xp spent in DH, and 500 xp from RT: Core.
2. All your equipment stays.
3. All FP you ended the game with remain (they do not refresh).
4. The Inquisition is still your boss, however, the Rogue Trader vessel will be chartered, and your 'authority' will hence be limited due to the nature of the Warrant of Trade, etc.

 

Note that if your character is imported, but does not fit one of the RT Archetypes, they will remain in their DH Career archetype until they do. Any Talents and Skills gained as part of the bursary from RT, will reflect gaining experience from working with the Navy, prep for the adventure etc. You can then organically 'grow' into the roles. Save for if there is a Rogue Trader, at which point, it's dead mans shoes.

 

Thoughts welcome.

 

Edited January 7, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[A.T.]

I ran a little RT during the lockdown - having a big grid on the computer is a lot easier than trying to track space battles face to face (particularly multi-ship engagement that don't work so well when everyone is crammed in close)

 

Put me down for any untaken archetype - compared to the other games the characters are all very specialised, but key to actions in their chosen area.

[Mazer Rackham]

  On 1/7/2024 at 6:20 PM, A.T. said:

I ran a little RT during the lockdown - having a big grid on the computer is a lot easier than trying to track space battles face to face (particularly multi-ship engagement that don't work so well when everyone is crammed in close)

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You can run it here, if you'd like :D

 

Seriously, though, will likely be turning to your expertise for the vessel rules and stuff. 

 

  On 1/7/2024 at 6:20 PM, A.T. said:

Put me down for any untaken archetype - compared to the other games the characters are all very specialised, but key to actions in their chosen area.

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No worries! Yes, I saw each archetype is a bit of a force multiplier in their 'sphere'.

[Lysimachus]

Hmm, I was just working out a Bounty Hunter character (Arch-Militant with a Forge World Homeworld as a starting point, to represent his hard bitten, no nonsense approach to life)

 

...but the opportunity to continue Reynard's journey is properly tempting... I can see it now, Grace kindly gets him passage on a RT ship who supposedly knows which way De Grassi went with the sleeping Lady Magda... various diversions ensue... 

 

Hmm, choices, choices...

 

 

 

Question: what Rank would the DH characters have to spend their xp from? The final endgame selections were allowed from a higher table than they had actually reached, if I remember rightly?

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2024 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

  On 1/7/2024 at 6:56 PM, Lysimachus said:

...but the opportunity to continue Reynard's journey is properly tempting... I can see it now, Grace kindly gets him passage on a RT ship who supposedly knows which way De Grassi went with the sleeping Lady Magda... various diversions ensue... 

 

Hmm, choices, choices...

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Golly gee, it's almost like...someone, not a million miles away, don't know who, might know how bait a hook?

 

No? I don't know him either... 

 

  On 1/7/2024 at 6:56 PM, Lysimachus said:

Question: what Rank would the DH characters have to spend their xp from? The final endgame selections were allowed from a higher table than they had actually reached, if I remember rightly?

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I'd planned to kill you all, so it was a spur of the moment thing... 

 

I'd ideally say I'd want you to backfill up to Rank 5 to cement the career path and make sure any pre-requisites were tied off. Then you could take from RT Rank 1 if you didn't want to spend any more in the DH career (ie you use the 500 xp chargen bonus in the new ruleset). Does that make any sense?

 

Since you're not fulfilling a particular role, you'd default to the table most related to your previous career, if you wanted to take from the RT tables.

[Xin Ceithan]

Mmh, the opportunity for a Rogue Trader Dynasty …. Tempting…

 

( and to spend the next year doodling their heraldry  )

 

Or might this be the right time to open a chapter from “The Book of Borkhan Phaett” - the galaxy’s shortest and grumpiest Bounty Hunter

 

Of course, who am I kidding?!
You lot will have me run an Explorator Magos anyway, won’t  you ? 

[Mazer Rackham]

It's not a hostage situation if you volunteer, Xin. 

[Trokair]

I thought we were supposed to have fresh characters...

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

I changed my mind, and thought I'd offer the choice.

 

I don't know RT at all, so I wanted a sterile start to get used to everything, but given an RT Character is a 5k DH Character, I was satisfied I could do that and adapt enough.

 

With a few old RT hands on board, it gives me flexibility.

Edited January 7, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Fair enough, however so as to not step on Xin’s Magos's toes I’ll create an entirely new character.

 

 

Also, from memory, the little ‘where we are now’ at the end of the Damocles incident had quite different  trajectories, so Magos Errantor Bardas will be busy elsewhere, perhaps another adventure down the line some time.  

[Lysimachus]

OK, I just had a look back through Reynard's sheet, I had already spent 650xp at Rank 4, so I'd need to go back and backfill 350xp from that table to bring me up to Rank 5, right?

 

That would then give me (1,950-350=1,600xp) to spend from the Rank 5 table, which plus the 400xp I already spent (early) at Rank 5 would put me at a total 5000xp and the start of Rank 6 (DH) at the start of the RT game?

 

 

Another question: You allowed each player 1 totally free pick from their Rank 6 table for the Damocles Finale, I assume that free Skill/Talent would be lost, and if we still wanted it, it would need to be purchased again later as the RT game progresses?

 

 

Definitely thinking about bringing him back... 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

No worries, but don't worry too much about stepping on toes.

 

Folks can play what you want (within the confines I set above ).

 

Just to flog the log on cross-overs, it's not like I haven't done it before with Beren/Stimms into DH (I didn't know it then, either), from OW. 

 

@Lysimachus, Yes, that XP calc is ok - as long as it hits 5,000 xp dead, it's fine.

 

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:09 PM, Lysimachus said:

Another question: You allowed each player 1 totally free pick from their Rank 6 table for the Damocles Finale, I assume that free Skill/Talent would be lost, and if we still wanted it, it would need to be purchased again later as the RT game progresses?

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Yes, the bonus talent would have to be surrendered. It was there for flavour to a 'desperate finale' and dramatic flair.

 

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:09 PM, Lysimachus said:

Definitely thinking about bringing him back... 

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And may God help us all...

Edited January 7, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

  On 1/7/2024 at 2:24 PM, Mazer Rackham said:

Players may either create a new character, with up to 1 Xenos race PC (Aeldari/Tau/Kroot - I could be convinced to do a Squat) OR;

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So I was going to randomised character (just reading up RT as to how to) but just spotted this Edit. Very tempting...

 

Now I am facing a bit of decision paralysis. Give me a moment to collect my brains.

Edited January 7, 2024 by Trokair

[Mazer Rackham]

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:18 PM, Trokair said:

So I was going to randomised character (just reading up RT as to how to) but just spotted this Edit. Very tempting...

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It's like there's this guy, dunno who, knows how to bait a hook - wait...done that one. 

 

What flavour of temptation?

[Trokair]

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:20 PM, Mazer Rackham said:

 

It's like there's this guy, dunno who, knows how to bait a hook - wait...done that one. 

 

What flavour of temptation?

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All the flavour!

 

[Mazer Rackham]

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:22 PM, Trokair said:

All the flavour!

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There's a reason I like you, Tro.

Edited January 7, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Xin Ceithan]

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:22 PM, Trokair said:

All the flavour!

 

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This! 
 

I was wondering if there is any changes to the set up or did the possible leftovers from Damocles just wash up in the Koronus Expanse ?

[Mazer Rackham]

  On 1/7/2024 at 8:28 PM, Xin Ceithan said:

This! 
 

I was wondering if there is any changes to the set up or did the possible leftovers from Damocles just wash up in the Koronus Expanse ?

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Since we have a Damocles character and potentially a Xenos character of some format, I'll relocate it to the Damocles Gulf, or 'kinda' nearby. Shouldn't be too hard.

 

I'm leaning towards a Rogue Trader NPC at this point, (unless someone wants it) and the Gulf will explain the Tau, and the artefacts which have been finding their way in.

 

Edited January 7, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

So I have attempted to play Tau before, but I am a little less sure why they would be in the employ of a RT. As for Eldar, lots of potential, but my favourite Elder would have some practicality issues. Also I have been toying with the idea of a Eldar player character based game for some months now as a potential game after Archeotech has run its course.

 

Kroot are renowned as Mercenaries, and Squats (or Kin depending on the source) might just pass as short humans (kinda) so those two would have less issues if the game requires interaction with mainstream Imperial authority (a little character driven plot conflict is good, but causing the entire party to get arrested at the first port maybe not so much).

 

Then of course my mind goes Lizards, both as there has been mentions of Lizardmen like Xenos in the background, and I have long toyed with the idea of a conversion project to make a small Lizardmen in 40k army (not relevant here, but it is where my mind went). However I can See out GM scowling at me now so let leave that tangent for its own thing...

 

A Squat I could potently see fit into more archetypes as set out in the RT book for player characters (only skimmed so far) than a Kroot. Either way I am going to go and do some reading.