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Rogue Quest centers around building an adventuring party in the style of D&D or Warhammer Quest, but for the Rogue Trader Universer. It has definitely been one of my favourite projects since getting into the Oldhammer scene, and I highly recommend you check out these fantastic blogs where the idea originated!
LeadPlague
Magpie and Old Lead
Leadballoony
For Level Six of my Rogue Quest project I had always planned to paint the RT era Inquisitor with Power Weapon model as my leader, and I knew I wanted him to be a Paladin.
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| Rogue Trader: Forces of the Imperium from WD118 (October 1989) - Credit Stuff of Legends for the pic/info |
Not only does this conform to classic D&D tropes around which characters end up 'leading' adventuring groups, but it continues with my policy of having as many of my characters as possible also having some spell casting ability (he will be joining a Squat Bard, a Wyrd Beastmaster Druid, an Eldar Ranger, a Xenos Rogue/Psionic, and a Cybork Barbarian, the only one of the group without some form of casting ability in D&D terms)
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| The rest of The Unit waits for their boss at the rendezvous point, he's typically late... |
However, once I finally got hold of him (and as JB from Leadplague noted, this guy is so Rogue Trader he has it written on his tab!) I was actually a little baffled by how to paint him up to both keep him in sync with the rest of the party, but also give him his own sense of character.
He got a grey base coat for his armour and then very nearly went in the stripper for me to start again. I just couldn't find my mojo to paint him, and the mould line in his head that I had tried and failed to do much about (I was too worried about smushing his already pretty smushed features) was really beginning to bug me.
It was only after I decided to paint the mould line like it was a metal plate in his head (he does after all have a bionic leg, so has obviously been in the wars a few times) and finally got some paint on his face that it clicked for me. He looked a bit like Patrick Stewart! The film and TV references suddenly fired across my neurons and I was painting him with renewed gusto! A character was at last forming in my mind. Bonus nerd points if you get all the quotes/references:
The exact circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Inquisitor Leondegrance Locutus Halleck and his young protege remain a mystery, but the report the data adept had complied included a number of interesting pict captures and audio recordings that had caught the readers attention.
**** COMMENCE FEED ****
**** 34.268.M41. Segmentum Obscura. Planetoid Borg2366 ****
The man in dark grey power armour approached the boy in the alley. The youth had fought viciously, and well, but he was done letting him play rough with his agents. This one had been marked for recruitment, and he could certainly see why.
Inquisitor Leondegrance Locutus Halleck extended his mind at the same time as he extended his hand. His quarry resisted the mental pressure, another sure sign of his potential.
Finally the boy slumped down against the wall.
"Resistance is futile." Halleck intoned. "Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service the Inquisition."
**** 164.272.M41. Segmentum Obscura. Ordo Xenos training facility, Planet Arrakis ****
Two figures in black body gloves duel with powered blades and blocky, shifting energy fields. The two clash repeatedly before the larger figure seems to lock arms with his smaller, quicker opponent.
As their fields fizz and spark against each other the blade of the larger, older man patiently breaks through the younger man's defences.
Halleck: "The slow blade penetrates the shield."
Aspirant Arturos: "Would you really have drawn my blood?"
Halleck: "If you'd fought one whit below your abilities, I'd have given you a good scar to remind you."
Aspirant Arturos [laughing]: "I don't believe you!"
Halleck [smiling wryly]: "You may test that assumption at your convenience."
**** 201. 272. M41. Ordo Xenos Fortress Monastery 'Excalibur' ****
Leondegrance: "I saw what I saw! The boy drew the sword. If a boy has been chosen, a boy shall be the new Master!"
Inquisitor Uryenes: "NO, I challenge that!"
Sir Ector, Vet. Sgt. Eagle Warriors, on secondment to the Deathwatch: "The sword has been drawn!"
Uryenes: [to Leondegrance] "Are you with us, or against us?"
Leondegrance: "Against you!"
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| L to R: inquisitor Leondegrance Locutus Halleck, Inquisitor Uryenes, Death Watch Vet Sgt. Sir Ector of the Eagle Warriors. This pict was captured just before the argument turned to what was the best colour to paint your bases, when things really got ugly! |
**** 201. 272. M41. Ordo Xenos Stealth Cutter 'Enterprise' ****
The footage shows a handful of frames of grainy internal security footage before the pict cuts out, presumably as the ships stealth field was engaged.
Inquisitor Leondegrance Locutus Halleck [in command of the ship]: "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. Make it so. Engage!"
**** END FEED ****
"And there have been no confirmed sightings of either ex-Inquisitor Halleck or the ex-Aspirant Arturos Pendragon in the intervening years?" The man in the command throne intoned in a voice much softer than his hulking terminator armoured frame would suggest, but no less menacing.
"No my lord, only rumours of rumours. The most promising seem to indicate that he has gathered a team of operatives and works to his own purposes in the outer rim and beyond. Of the youth there are not even those scant tidings." The Adept bowed so low in apology its cowl brushed the floor.
"No matter. Now that I am Master of the Ordo in this sector we will soon hunt down our renegade brethren. The old Master was mistaken in not pursuing the matter as soon as I brought it to his attention immediately after the incident. I will not make his mistake."
Turning his attention back to the adept in front of him Master Inquisitor Uryenes smiled a smile that did not reach his eyes.
"You have done well adept. You may go back to your duties knowing you have served the Emperor's purpose."
He waited long moments for the adept to bow and retreat across the expanse of polished marble flagstones between the throne and the great arched doors to the audience chamber. As the booming echo of their closure subsided Uryenes activated his comm link.
"Lieutenant. Have your men escort the adept to the Apothecarion for mind wipe, and then send my Interrogator to me. You will be going on a little hunting expedition I think."
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| Rogue Inquisitor Halleck leads his team off on their next adventure across the stars! |
So! Now we have a full party, a plot, and an ever expanding list of dramatis personae - some from my existing collection and others still to be cast (i.e. others which present an excuse to buy more minis!), and the Rogue Quest project turns out not to be finished after all! Huzzah!
Plans are afoot for more NPCs and bad guys, and a narrative game of some sort for these epic space faring adventurers is looming large in my mind.
Thanks for reading this far! Stay tuned for Space Skeletons and Zombie-Cyborg Ogryns in the next exciting installment of Rogue Quest! :D
