Rogue Traders

Imperium Nihilius    Factions      Imperium of Man      Rogue Traders

"The endless dark of the universe is yours, if you but reach out to take it. Yield nothing -- the void respects only strength."
-Serren Travius, Rogue Trader

Background

The bearer of a sacred Warrant of Trade that empowers them to journey beyond the boundaries of the Imperium to trade, explore, and make war in the God-Emperor of Mankind 's name, a Rogue Trader is a unique figure in the grim darkness of the Imperium. They may be a newly entitled power on the rise or hail from a long lineage of nobles and void farers, but all bear their titles with pride, striking out into the unknown in search of fortune and glory. A Rogue Trader is a power unto themselves in the dark voids, master of all they survey -- at least as far as their force of arms and sharpness of wits can press the claim.
A Rogue Trader can be many things but whether standing as diplomat before a planetary ruler, cutting a shadowed deal in a void station undercity, bellowing orders amidst an armed host set upon plunder, or striding the bridge of a mighty starship, they remain one thing above all -- free.
Despite the fact that the weight of such responsibility is theirs to bear alone, a Rogue Trader invariably surrounds themself with a coterie of allies and retainers. No Rogue Trader can undertake their mission alone, for no man or woman can be master of every single aspect of trade, exploration, exploitation, and war. As a result, all of the most successful Rogue Traders have the ingrained ability to recognise the value of others and their motivations and, as a leader, are able to utilise every weapon and ability in the Human arsenal to their full potential.
Though they must rely on others for the most specialised of skills (not to mention certain needful resources), it falls to the Rogue Trader to know how and when to exercise their own judgement and how to delegate where needed.
They may not steer the helm of their void cruiser, nor fire and aim every Macrocannon in person, but the Rogue Trader selects and commands those who do and it is their orders that are obeyed.

Warrant of Trade

The most valuable possession of a Rogue Trader is his or her Imperial Warrant of Trade; an ancient legal document which describes and sanctions the accepted limits of a Rogue Trader and his descendants' operations across the galaxy. These charters are hereditary and thus create an entire Rogue Trader dynasty when they are issued. These dynasties are granted a personal coat of arms identifying their members amongst the Imperial nobility. Rogue Traders are empowered with the authority by the High Lords of Terra to

travelfreely within the Imperium and beyond.
This allows them to legally interact with cultures which normal Imperial citizens are forbidden contact with because they are non-Imperial Human worlds or xenos-controlled planets. Not only that, but Rogue Traders are granted the permission and freedom to deal with these cultures as they see fit, so long as it is judged to be in the interests of the Imperium.
Having said that, it can be assumed that a Renegade Rogue Trader guilty of heresy or treason will be severely prosecuted by the Holy Ordos of the Emperor's Inquisition  if discovered and captured. His punishment will be that much more severe if he is deemed undeserving of the Emperor's extraordinary trust in his family.
Rogue Traders usually return to Imperial space every few Terran years, to unload their exotic wares and re-supply, recruit, and rest until the next foray into the darkness of unknown space. During these periods they may come into conflict with members of the Adeptus Terra or the Inquisition.
Rogue Traders wield incredible power, and it is easy for them to forget that once back within the Imperium, they do not have free rein to act as they wish. This strident attitude will draw attention from the authorities.
Many Rogue Traders dispute the right of the Imperium of Man  to exercise authority over them. As individuals who have wandered amongst alien stars and conversed with all manner of cultures, Rogue Traders are viewed as susceptible to all kinds of heresies, from wayward philosophies to infection by alien creatures or possession by Warp entities that live in the darkness between stars.
All of these factors can lead to violent confrontation, particularly if the Rogue Trader has knowledge or an artefact that others within the Imperial hierarchy of equal or greater power covet.

Conditions of the Warrant

Of course, the powers and trappings of a Warrant of Trade do not come without a cost. A Rogue Trader fleet might be a significant military force, and the Warrant will often come with a number of conditions attached to it. In fact, it would be a sure sign that an individual is being virtually exiled if no conditions were attached, the authorities clearly hoping the recipient will go and get himself killed somewhere beyond their concern.
Conditions attached to a Warrant may take many forms, but invariably involve some form of military service or intervention.

Lineage

There are two broad classifications of Rogue Trader: those personally granted the Warrant of Trade, and those who have inherited it from a forebear. The granting of a Warrant of Trade has the potential to establish a hugely powerful noble line, which, if successful, can grow over the generations to become equal to the most ancient of Navigator clans and merchant houses. Many of the scions of these houses will hold the title Rogue Trader and wield the authority of the Warrant, yet in the main these powers reside predominantly with the line's titular head. Such individuals must bear the weight of tradition and expectation, and are in the main every bit as driven and able as the ancestor first granted the Warrant.
On their shoulders rests the duty of maintaining the Warrant and their family line's continued existence, driving them to continue the mission of the Rogue Trader, exploring the benighted regions beyond the fringes and returning with unimagined riches and glory.
Some Rogue Trader houses become split with internal strife, the various scions competing with one another for power and the favour of the line's head. In houses where the head exercises complete control, the various members with a chance of inheriting leadership might squabble and manoeuvre against one another, some even resorting to intimidation or assassination to ensure it is they, and not an older sibling, who inherits the Warrant at the head's passing.
Though some Rogue Trader houses may become riven with internecine civil war, most will invariably maintain an outward appearance of respectable propriety -- lest their competitors sense weakness and move against them.
It takes a powerful head of house indeed to maintain order amongst competing offspring while also furthering the interests of their house and containing any collateral damage.
Even in the face of outright rebellion against the Imperium, many heads of Rogue Trader houses will support their offspring.

Type

Guild, Professional