I'm going to start running a game soon and two of my players are xenos. One is a Tau arc-militant and the other is an Eldar void-master. So my question is, when my players go into and around Imperium space, what do they need to worry about when it comes to the Ordo Xeno and Inquisition? Can my rogue trader player pull political ties, will they have to hide them and allow their ship to be searched, or will it be alright since they are under the rougue trader's command? Unless they step foot on a planet or somebody mentions that they are on board, is it even a problem for them?

uhhh well im new but i think it would depend on the planet... i mean some planets might have slightly diffrent views then the imperium.

Since "Into the Storm" features the official rules for the first two alien races as pc (Kroot & Orc), the official answers will be available in a couple of weeks.
Unless you want to re-rule any houserule you want to cook up now or want to ignore the official rules in favour of what ever you are going to cook up (both totally valid opitions! ) I advise to be just a little more patient.

Back2Topic:
They should expect banishment from any social occasion that is not on "Rogue Trader Territory". In LotE, their was an oppening scene with the reactions of the "final frontier station" towards present Kroot mercenaries. Based on this, I would not expect anyting but hostility everyware but a frontier world.

Gregorius21778 said:

Minor SPOILER:
True, but the open hostility against the Kroot is minimal unless a particular fight is not avoided, and then only a major issue only after they start noming (eating for those not familiar with the term) on their fallen opponents' corpses.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Dracnor said:

Inside the Imperium, a Rogue Trader has to follow the same laws as everyone else. Their power to act autonimously only exists outside of the Imperium. They come into the Imperium carrying xenos and the Inquisition, or anyone else in positions of authority (Arbites, local Imperial Guard/PDF, local police forces), they are screwed, because consorting with xenos within the Imperium is a crime punishable by death.

My question is what did you use for stats for these xenos? What is the back story for them even being involved with the RT?

Grand Inquisitor Fulminarex said:

I winged it, had them go through the origin path and augmented certain abilities. Switched languages and some knowledge. As far how they got on the crew? I'm still hammering out precise details of how they met, but for my Tau player, once he got in contact with the Rogue Trader player, the Etherials saw an oportunity to learn about the Imperium and what awaits their race in the rest of the galaxy, plus learn what the warp truly is. The Eldar is on his own and on the run from the Ordo Xeno (he's on their list, but they have no leads as to where he went) after trying to incite a rebellion on a human colony, but he is a **** amazing pilot. So my Rogue Trader player doesn't care about their past, as long as they are useful.

Inside the Imperium, a Rogue Trader has to follow the same laws as everyone else. Their power to act autonimously only exists outside of the Imperium. They come into the Imperium carrying xenos and the Inquisition, or anyone else in positions of authority (Arbites, local Imperial Guard/PDF, local police forces), they are screwed, because consorting with xenos within the Imperium is a crime punishable by death.

It's punishable by death if you're not allowed to do so. Individuals of a certain rank often have that privilegue - whether they are Inquisitors, Lord Generals/Admirals or Rogue Traders. Indeed, the whole point of the latter class is to act in the interest of the Imperium where its rigid strictures would normally prohibit it. Inside the Imperium, they may not have the whole "speak with the Emperor's voice" going, but that doesn't lose them all their special rights - like the one to associate with Xenos and use xeno-tech.

So to answer the OP: IMO, the Inquisition would go with a Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. You're expected not to parade your little pet xeno around where real people can see them and they won't go looking for it. Unless you happen upon a firebrand, in which case all bets are off.

Cifer said:

I'd say, then, that letting them off the ship (unless they have permission from the Inquisition or someone of that level of power), would probably be a no-no, given that, firebrands or not, if you parade a xenos around on an Imperial World, you're likely to have a riot (with or without the pitchforks and torches) on your hands.

MILLANDSON said:

I don't think the background really bears this up. In fact, the Tau are a threat because in their sector of space, they have successfully traded with the Imperium and some people see their way of life as better. They have open trading in many sectors. Close ties with the Eldar in some places have also been fairly common in the long history of the Imperium. It's not that all interaction with xenos is forbidden... Certain races are clearly proscribed...

In this case, I'd say it would be possible to either hide it to an extent in the case of the Eldar, or simply play it off low-key. Now, if the RT knows the Tau is on a pseudo-fact finding mission though, he had better be a Renegade of one sort or another. No Emperor-respecting citizen would allow that.

Jeff Tibbetts said:

As far as I see it, the background established that on every "proper" imperial world, the people are brought up to hate and fear the xenos (and the mutant, and the witch and...).

Still, I think the arguement on a whole scale will be set as soon as "Into the Storm" is out. And I think their will be pretty an uproar...

Inside the Imperium - contact with Xenos is Heresy (unless you happen to be fighting on the same side against another enemy - that's the only time it seems acceptable). Some planets enforce the penalties for Heresy more strongly than others - some don't have much in the way of Imperial presence at all... SO if you can keep it out of sight...

The background is pretty clear on this - yes there are allot of examples of the Imperium fighting alongside Xenos - but it is only ever temporary (in fact I think there is an instance of an Imperial commander being executed for Heresy after a battle in which they secured victory and had hired Kroot Mercenaries). There are no instances of the Imperium having any long term arms, territory or trade treaties with Xenos - even the damocles crusade against the tau did not end in a truce/p[eace treaty, but simply a withdrawal of the Imperials to focus on another front... The Imperial will be back to reingnite that grudge later.

Outside the Imperium... well... as long as you don't shout about it too loudly when you're back intside the Imperium you might be ok...

@Giaus

Um... Rogue Traders are explicitly allowed to consort with xenos.

Cifer said:

Outside of the Imperium. Inside the Imperium, they have to follow Imperial Law, which states that consorting with xenos (at least, without the permission of the Inquisition, and others of that level of power) is Heresy, and punishable by death.

yes it may be in their charter - but the objective is for them to discover new civiliations and species... and crush them in the name of the Imperium and Profit! An RT is meant to sound out the xenos weaknesses and report back to the Imperium (or destroy them if they are able) - in the same way a Rogue trader brings the light of the Emperor to the unknown so to they bring his cleansing flame.

...even then - you may be considered to be 'stained' by your interactions with xenos when you return to the Imperium... it might have been outside of the Imperium, but the Inquisition knows you are corrupted by interaction with the xenos... and if your were friendly with them or helped them... they'll find out...

I'm not saying you can't - I'm just saying your GM can make your life miserable if they want to! lol! It aint Star Trek!

Giaus Novus Khan said:

More like the Hernan Cortez expedition. Our mission : to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before and to crush every single filthy Xeno we come accross in the name of the Emperor-God.