The Hermitage

“The Hermitage? A most amiable place, if I may say so, and perfect for indulging in a bit of business.”
–Captain Dante Balthazar
Long after his ancestor Purity Lathimon opened the Maw, the
Rogue Trader Trame Lathimon was paid a princely sum by
an obscure sect of the Ministorum to carry their void station
and their members out towards the Halo Stars. It is said that
Trame, in a fit of petulance, cast forth the hermits and their
station from his holds at the Conclave, an even older void
station located in the middle of the Maw. Eventually, the two
stations were brought together both for mutual protection
and to ensure the survival of the occupants within. Trame
eventually paid for his misdeed (at least according to the
hermits of the station) when he and his brother fought
themselves to mutual annihilation.
Founded in generations past, this void station was once
considered to be a bastion of the might of the Imperium. After
the annihilation of Trame Lathimon, the station became a home
for all manner of drifters and hermits. As time went on, the station
slowly became a haven for Rogue Traders gathering together to
wait out the nearby storms; and eventually, it became even less.
Today, parts of the Hermitage have crumbled and are open to
space. While it is still home to a few hermits, the station is mostly
used as a clandestine meeting place for Rogue Traders to broker
deals, discuss trade, and meet on neutral ground.
==Opulent Style==
Aside from the appeal the station has being away from prying
eyes (other than the hermits), the station also appeals to a
Rogue Trader’s sense of style and opulence. The main transept
is richly decorated with murals and banners depicting the
many victories of Saint Drusus, and the station’s preserved
chapel is draped in lavish tapestries set behind a bluestone
altar, which itself rests in front of a platinum Aquila of the
Imperium. It is here that negotiating parties typically stand
when they broker their deals. In addition to these well-known
locations within the station, there are other places that
are favored by visitors and residents alike.
The station houses a scriptorium where all manner of
records are kept on the comings and goings of the Rogue
Traders who visit, as well as histories and other manuscripts
left here by visitors for use by others who would visit the
Hermitage. Additionally, a crystal dome has been placed on
the upper levels, salvaged from a ruined ship for the purpose
of viewing the majesty of the God-Emperor’s domain. Few
stars can be seen from the Hermitage; most are lost in the
raging colors of the Great Warp Storms, but the vista is
spectacular nonetheless.
==Clandestine Messages==
The Hermitage is also well known by Rogue Traders as a
place to leave messages for their peers who visit from time
to time. These messages are hidden within the walls of the
void station, usually in pre-arranged locations throughout
the outer reaches of the station’s perimeter. In order to avoid
interception, messages are written in special ciphers that
can only be decoded when the reader uses the key
given to him by the sender. Without the key, these
cryptic missives appear to consist of nothing but
gibberish---an additional insurance against
prying eyes.
==Using the Hermitage: Salvage Endeavor==
Lesser Endeavour, +1 Profit
Rebuilding and refurbishing the Hermitage into a proper
station and trading post could be valuable if one was
to attempt it. However, the Explorers would not simply
need to repair the station, patching vented sections and
installing new generatoria to provide power. They would
also have to establish their claim amongst other Rogue
Traders accustomed to using the location as a clandestine
meeting place, and they may take umbrage at being forced
to pay for something they once had free. The Explorers
would also need to establish the station as a valuable waypoint,
and keep it supplied even when the Maw swells
and seals. However, doing this would do much to making
a Rogue Trader known amongst his peers.