I have looked through the career path several times and cannot see Inquiry listed on there. I am missing something obvious or are FFG suggesting a conversational wizard that is a Rogue Trader isn't capable of asking people questions!?

Nah the Rogue Trader's Job is to stand around and look impressive (and scare the living daylights out of people!)... Talking to people is the seneschals job! At least that's how it works in our game?

Giaus Novus Khan said:

Ha! So my group isn't alone! I think my group labors under the assumption that captains should be seen and not heard. So far, I'm convinced the Captains job is to sit back at Bridge Crew meetings with his arms crossed and occasionally state that "what he [the Seneschal] said, ya, that's what needs to be done", nod his head when the Seneschal suggests something or finds anything out, and to find any excuse he can to go out and shoot things in a manner as impressive as possible.

Graver said:

There's no dignity there at all. The Most Honourable Lord-Captain should always be seen to be in control, even when he's not actually making the decisions. Consequently, something along the lines of "Make it so" is more appropriate than "yeah, what he said".

N0-1_H3r3 said:

Yup. And don't think the crew haven't taken notice. The bridge crew have stopped calling him Lord-Caption (though i don't think any of the PC crew have taken notice of the subtle shift) and is just "Captain" or (and the current captains ancestors are turning in their graves) "Captain Eli". He's giving his "consort" conniption fits as she tries to turn him into the bold, feared, and respected Lord Captain and a lot of the crew chiefs have started looking to curry favor from the Seneschal who is starting to become less the invisible power behind the throne and just the power of the throne. Of course, I guess that's what happens wen an ambitious displaced noble seizes a sudden opportunity and shoves a scum that spent his formative years in Sebillus' toilet into the captains throne.

It comes down to how you view your Rogue Trader (and, as has been observed, they don't naturally get Inquiry as, for most, they have people to do that sort of thing).

I made a point of getting it via background because my RT takes a more hands-on approach (and is brand-new to the position) and prefers, where possible and appropriate, to attend to certain matters himself.

Also, in not-unconnected news, I don't have a PC Senseschal, so I would be relying on the Fellowship of an Astropath who always speaks in monotone, an Explorator who's 40k's answer to Brian Blessed, a hot-shot pilot who (rightly?) believes he's the God-Emperor's gift to piloting, or an Arch-Militant even starchier and more proper than his uniform (except when he's stuffing vol-au-vents into his pockets at social events).

We would never know anything if I didn't occasionally stoop to questioning people personally.

Nobody except the Seneschal and the Missionary get Inquiry. It's kinda mad.

Katsue said:

Elite advances are your friend.

Hellebore

Remeber that Inquiery is the skill that covers "I am running around asking questions". It covers legwork, a days labour of talking ones mouth fuzzy handled in one (or a view) dice roles.

This is something a Lord-Captain should not bother oneself with. Direct conversation with some-one important is another matter... and thankfully represented with another skill... unless you take the DH "Inquisitor Handbook" approach of using Inquiery for "friendly interrogation".

Gregorius21778 said:

I can't agree. If a Rogue Trader is relying on someone else to score their deals, it's a sad state of affairs. Especially if, like in our party, the Seneschal is an NPC. Emperor forbid we rely on a schmuck with a 30% chance of success and no rerolls.

Graver said:

Not at all!!! I do the legwork for our beloved captain and advise her... She makes the decisions and everyone is terrified of her! (she pretty much hunts down & kills anyone and anything that displeases her - she's an ex-assassin 'flogging captain') - She's commonly known on the ship as the 'Ice Queen' (or 'Iron B#tch').

Katsue said:

So, if the Lord-Captain over a crew of tens of thousand has to go "slumming" himself to go fishing for informations in divebars and on the city streets and or in the quarters of his crew it is a less sad state of affairs to you?

I understand why the game "by design" needs to build up that the RT actually has to do things himself (otherwishe he would be a VERY boring role to play) but since an RT Captain seems to be rather equal in standing (or superior to!) planetary nobles, I can pretty much understand that "Inquiery" is one field of affair he will not have a personal hand in.

If we would be talking about something daring and dangerous (like first foot on an unknown planet, the initial meeting with a Ra-Uli Xenos Tradefleet group or personal chat with the leader of the Cuthroat-Guild of the Wayward-Docks) I would agree that it would be a shame (and "acts unworthy of an RT Captain") if he would stand back and leave it to his crew... but since "asking around" is most of the time something very mundane I do not see why it should harm his reputation or standing if he leaves it to others (just like the repair of his armour, the paperwork of the cargo import or the pre-launch engine&weaponscheck of his guncutter).

I have an advantage in that I converted my Assassin into a RT Captain so Inquiry came with it. I have used Inquiry a few times, eg. when meeting with important personnel such as a Harbour Master; but I definitely don't need it for general information gathering or 'legwork'. That is what our Seneshal does (and with better stats to roll than me I might add).

Even though I have Inquiry, I am very busy trying to increase my Charm/Deceive/ Intimidate scores for when I need to ask questions as these are more useful in some situations.

Scrutiny isnt available until rank 3, (another skill I inherited from being an Assassin) but I think its even more useful than Inquiry. Its not getting the information that the Captain needs to worry about - its working out if you are being lied to or not! In fact it works well when the Seneshal asks the questions and does the talking and I stand back, be mostly silent, and Intimidate and Scrutinize the hell out of them all.

Inquiry is more than just hanging around dockside bars. You use it for any occasion your character is gathering information, be it by sending minions out to spy on your enemies for you, or by schmoozing at the Lord-Sector's birthday ball.