Verminspeaker

“Verminspeakers? As dangerous an ally as an enemy, in my mind. Hive dross with oft unsanctioned power bubbling through their veins, they flee from the righteous justice of the Aquila to cower in the lowest depths of the hives and dankest death world jungles. On occasion, however, I have found their unique talents to be useful...”
–Inquisitor Felroth Gelt
Although the Inquisition and the feared Black Ships work
rigorously to ensure that every psyker is taken to the Scholastia Psykana and either sanctioned or sent to Holy Terra for “final
processing,” the authiorities cannot be everywhere at once.
Sometimes a potential psyker slips through the cracks. This
is especially true amongst the teaming masses of people on
hive worlds, or on the savage frontier and death worlds where
Imperial rule is weak or non–existent.
Lacking any sort of guidance or understanding of their
powers, these poor wretches often suffer a grim fate. If they
do not destroy themselves with bursts of uncontrolled warp
power, they often find themselves killed by their superstitious
neighbors and kin. A very few survive long enough to flee into
the wastelands of their world, be it the underhive or deserted
mountains and forests. There they develop their powers on their
own, through a mixture of guesswork and experimentation.
Those that survive without drawing the attention of the
powers that lurk within the warp become a strange breed
of psyker, partially feral and unnaturally attuned with their
environment. Frequently, they exhibit the ability to summon
beasts to aid and fight for them, and in some cases are even able
to communicate with creatures.
These psykers, sometimes known as Verminspeakers, can
become valued, if distrusted, allies to both hive gangs and
savage tribes. Their powers make them fearsome in battle and
useful in matters of strategy, and some may rise to positions
of power within these social organisations by putting on a
front of a fortune teller or seer. In these cases, it is more likely
the Verminspeaker is using chicanery and dramatic flair than
actual warp power. But when dealing with someone who allies
with Maw–flukes and Sabre–wolves, few are willing to voice
their doubts.
The Inquisition’s preferred method of dealing with a
Verminspeaker is a kill–team followed by a witch’s pyre. On
occasion, however, some radical Inquisitors have been willing
to use these individuals for their own purposes, finding them
a hardy and resourceful breed of psyker. Of course, if anyone
learned they were unsanctioned, the Verminspeaker minions
would likely have to be executed without delay. Most Inquisitors
regard that as an acceptable risk…for the Inquisitor.
Even working under the Inquisitorial seal, the typical
Verminspeaker is still mistrustful of and isolated from his fellows,
even more so than a typical psyker. Those from advanced
worlds or the upper echelons find them horribly backward and
disgustingly uncivilised, while people hailing from primitive
societies regard them as dread mystics and sorcerers. Almost
everyone feels a great unease around a Verminspeaker, as if they
can smell the untrained power of the warp just beneath the
Verminspeaker’s skin.
==Elite Advance==
This Advance does not just define the focus of a psyker’s
powers. It also defines who he is---an outcast from Imperial
society, mistrusted and potentially dangerous to those around
him. This Advance may only be taken at Character Creation,
using the character’s starting experience, as Verminspeakers
are born, not trained.
Restrictions: Only Psykers may take this Advance. The
Psyker must take the Beastmaster power as soon as it becomes
available. (This means the Psyker must select powers from the
Telepathy discipline.)
Advance Cost: 200 XP
Effect: Verminspeakers gain the Unsanctioned Trait as well
as the Primitive Trait as per someone from a Feral World. (If
the Verminspeaker is already from a Feral World, this has no
further effect.) They gain the Survival and Awareness skills
and gain the Call Creatures Psychic Power (in addition to
any other minor Psychic Powers they may have at Character
Creation). They are also able to take the Advances listed below
at any point during their career. If a Verminspeaker is from a
hive world, they do not gain the benefits of Caves of Steel.
Unsanctioned: Unlike most psykers, the Verminspeaker
has not been taken aboard the dreaded Black Ships to travel
to Holy Terra. He does not add 3d10 years to his starting
age and does not roll on the Sanctioning Side Effects table
in the Dark Heresy Core Rulebook. This, however, has its
own dangers. If authority figures in the Imperium learn the
character is unsanctioned, they will endeavor to have him
burnt as a witch or simply hunted down by a kill team. Even
the power of the Inquisition may not be able to save him from
this fate (In fact, it may be factions within the Inquisition
that are doing the hunting!). Radical Inquisitors are far more
likely to employ the services of a Verminspeaker.