The Waldorf Dynasty
PF: 24 SP: 73
Coming from an ancient and proud house that had its founding in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy and with holdings in multiple other sectors of the Imperium.
The Waldorf branch first came to the Calyx Expanse a century before the Crusade, establishing itself at the time in the region today known as the Spinward Front (Periphery sub-sector) claiming a lost industrialized pre-imperial human colony - Aethius.
Later, the Aethius colony became a large resupply/repair hub in the region for the later Severus Dynasty's and Angevin Crusade's invasion forces, even boasting an orbital shipyard and multiple manufactorum compounds on the ground. Assistance provided to IG regiments and IN fleets drained it of resources and held it back from expanding as much as the Severus House, but until this day are remembered and grant the Waldorf family favors concessions rarely provided to other Rogue Traders.
With the secession of the Severan Dominate in recent years, Lord Captain & Holder of the Waldorf Warrant of Trade Fitzwilliam Astor Macfadyen Waldorf XV was struck by enemies from all sides and scores of Dynastic trade routes falling to Dark Eldar, Severan and Ork raids. Standing his ground and calling in all favors that possibly could've, no more than an year had passed before the entire subsector had fall into complete chaos and the Dynasty's possessions reduced to Aethius (by then a promising proto-forgeworld), Traianus - a mining-manufactorum habitable moon in the Drusus Marches - and small fleet composed of Waldorf's ancient flagship and only 2 other warp-capable voidships:
- The "Ascension", an ancient Dictator-class cruiser;
- The "Calyx Hammer", a Mass Conveyor troops/arms transport;
- The "Red Viper", a Cobra-class torpedo-boat escort.
Eventually, a large Ork Fleet of Waagh Grimtoof closed in on the Aethius System and despite Imperial Navy reinforcements, the planet could hardly be evacuated in time by the Hammer and its - now crippled - escort. Until his last moments Lord Captain Fitzwilliam Astor Macfadyen Waldorf XV stood defiant with the Ascension, holding back the Ork kill-kroozas while keeping the failing Navy fleet from breaking apart.
Shot through his heart, while leading personally his forces against boarders he didn't live to see when the Calyx Hammer had finally reached the system's jumping point. He didn't live to know that his lady and lover, Lady Captain Elanor Nikolaevna Peterhof Waldorf had also just succumbed mere moments before him in a grievous strike that decapitated the Red Viper.
With all hope lost, two Waldorf Rogue Traders now with the Emperor and Aethius reporting rok landings and orbital bombardment, the order was given for the Ascension to retreat (strangely, by its navigator) and for all ships to abandon the fight.
Two years later, the Waldorf Dynasty - reduced to handful of ships and Traianus (now considered a proto forgeworld by the administratum) - is now under a new leadership and celebrating its' heir coming of age...
Edited by Sebastian Yorke