Greetings, fellow Bearers of the Warrant!
Here are some of my ideas on a Rogue Trader campaign that ties into the Haarlock Legacy background in Dark Heresy. Please comment or offer your suggestions!
Contains spoilers for the House of Dust and Ash scenario in Dark Heresy.
The campaign is called (working title)
THE MAN IN VAULT ZERO
or
The Death Squad of a Salesman
Here's the pitch: the players (unfamiliar to DH) eventually find out that their ship and dynasty share a history the dread Haarlock. In fact, one of the PCs will be the Scion of Haarlock, his/her ancestors having been hidden during the Haarlock vendetta of terror, previously unaware of their ancestry. Now the PCs step up to reclaim their legacy: after a century or so, their salvaged ship is being recommisioned in secret and the dying caretaker of the estate has called them to command it once more.
Unfortunately, the caretaker is moments away from death and utterly insane, burdened by his task. On his deathbed, he hands them the Warrant of Trade and utters his last warning: "Beware the Man in Vault Zero".
Taking the ship and the Warrant, the players launch into their endeavours. During their first travels, a group of pilgrims ask for passage, offering generous pay. The pilgrims are a group of Haarlock cultists - the very same that maintain the House of Dust and Ask on Solomon - in disguise, having heard that a ship from the old Haarlock fleet is setting sail again. They wish to find out if, in fact, a scion of Haarlock is commanding it. And they know of Vault Zero.
Deep in the ancient ship is a secret vault, protected by impregnable Warp magicks. On the door, the following warnings are inscribed on the ship cant:
1. BEWARE THE MAN IN VAULT ZERO
2. THE MAN IN VAULT ZERO ALWAYS LIES
3. WHEN THE HEIR APPROACHES VAULT ZERO, THE TOMB ON SOLOMON OPENS
...and possibly other edicts, perhaps written in a cipher unknown to the players, future plot hooks once the PCs manage to decipher them.
The Haarlock cultists will attempt to open the Vault, possibly releasing Hull Ghasts or similiar beasties sealed into the previously unopened secret parts of the vessel, giving players hint that something fishy is going on their ship. Following the cultists PCs will eventually discover the hidden Vault. Upon the Scion approaching the Vault, the mechanism sends a message through the Warp to Solomon, letting the cultist leader on Haarlock estate know that a scion lives. Once the cultists aboard the ship discover this, they will reveal their true colours and attempt to murder the Scion.
The PCs will soon discover that the Vault cannot be opened. However, the Scion may ask questions through a hatch on the Vault, sometimes receiving whispered, cryptic answers. And of course, now they have a destination: something sinister is going on on Solomon.
The Man in the Vault is Haarlock's brother and the PC's ancestor, trapped in eternal torment by the Mad Haarlock, plotting revenge in his Warp prison. He - or it - will lie, cheat, corrupt and manipulate the players to get his way, dropping hints along their travels.
On Solomon, the players will discover that the Dust of House and Ash on Solomon has been opened and is waiting for the PCs to arrive to start the auction - and to launch Haarlock's trap (see House of Dust and Ash from Disciples of Dark Gods for details). The auction items, of course, hold special significance to the PCs. The Greyskin Psalter contains many directions to Haarlock's horrible discoveries from the Halo Stars: the Slaught worlds and the home for the Children of the Kingdom, for example. The pauldron is from Haarlock's old allies, a battle group of fallen Chaos Space Marines. The Bloody Seal hints to the legacy of Gorge Vandire in Calixis. And the Silver Key? Does it open Vault Zero?
And so forth: a legacy of horror for the PCs to discover, exploit and be damned by. And the Man in the Vault Zero will gladly "guide" the PCs to his hated brother's treasures.
Do comment or feed me more ideas!