Rogue Traders - Merchants, Scoundrels, Diplomats and Warriors: The Imperium of Man is a vast, scattered realm, extending over almost the entire galaxy, impinging itself upon the more compact areas of alien-settled space. The million or more Human-inhabited worlds the Imperium controls are but a tiny fraction of the galactic whole.Then there are the fringes and Halo Zones, remote areas where the Astronomican does not reach, and where the only Human settlers are Renegades or pioneering groups whose ancestors were forgotten by the Emperor's servants millennia ago. Most of the Milky Way Galaxy remains unexplored, unknown, and extremely dangerous, even in the 41st Millennium.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 for themselves how to react to alien cultures, new discoveries, and threats. If they judge an intelligent xenos race to be potentially dangerous, they may attempt to destroy it or to gather as much information as they can so that others may do so. If they decide a xenos race may be of use to Humanity, they may attempt to make contact and establish diplomatic and economic relations.If merely rich in technology or minerals, a planet may be plundered, and the Rogue Trader will return to Terra or their homeworld 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 voidcraft, troops and other staff if they are to complete their mission. Their 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 often drawn from the ranks of the Adeptus Terra, the Navis Imperialis and Astra Militarum, 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 from the Throneworld.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 Puritans 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 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 Astra Militarum, the Navis Imperialis, 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 organisation like the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Astra Militarum or the Inquisition.