Honestly, I really only respond well to Rogue Trader-specific materials. I like Dark Heresy for location material and plot hooks, but not really a big fan of importing too many of the concepts over, since they seem to screw with the rules with each iteration. I have enough headaches just keeping track of the errata for RT. And I have no love for Games Workshop's constant screwing with and making expensive sets of models worthless with each iteration of their Codexes.

Anyways:

Highlighting the word trade each time you post doesn't actually increase the persuasiveness of your argument, it just comes across as pedantic. I might as well emphasize the ROGUE part of Rogue Trader to do the same. I'd also add it comes across as impolite. Thank you, but I heard you the first time you highlighted the word.

Every example of xeno trade I see is identified as the "cold trade". Following your penchant for highlighting words, I would remind you that cold trade is a euphemism for "illegal".

The only legitimate trade routes I see (as shown in the example endeavors in the core book) are between lost human cultures and the Imperium at large.

I've already stated flatly, again, that what we're arguing about comes down to the perception of the reader at this point. Obviously there are a very few items allowed to be in the possession of those with the wealth to acquire it, such as trinkets and digi-rings, but these are simply a result of the inability of the Inquisition to contain them, rather than any broad permissiveness, while the majority of xeno items at large are restricted. Selling xeno items is not simply a matter of hanging out a shingle in Scintilla that says "CRAZY ERNIE'S ROGUE TRADER EMPORIUM OF HARMLESS XENO-ARTIFACTS" .

Fortinbras said:

Sry for dragging this from two pages back. But this is a very valid point. Codices already contradict each other heavily, and have sometimes little base in the TT rules (the only area where everything has to meet everything else). If you read the SM codex, youll only read their greatest and most mythified (is that even a word?) victories against enemies, which within their own codex would nail the SM right back.

Any fluff in the 40kverse is perfectly valid, and as correct as the one in a different source. They simply wont add up most of the time though. Its like one author writing about lasguns killing a space marine, but youll never find that mention anywhere else.

Nojo509 said:

On pages 360 & 361 of the core book, "The Risk and the Rewards" it lists three Rogue Traders taken down and burned alive for trafficing in Halo Artifacts. Knew I'd seen it somewhere.

Nearyn said:

Okay, most of this is decidedly untrue, as, like it's been said, executive powers like using xenos crew and tech is only executive powers OUTSIDE of the imperium. that said, just about everyone in the library is now giving me funny looks for collapsing to the floor and laughing hysterically. You just made my day today.

Two things that may have been overlooked:

• Trading with xenos does not necessarily mean trading technology with xenos.
• Trading technology with xenos does not necessarily mean carte blanche for unchecked distribution within Imperial borders.

In fact, both the Adeptus Mechanicus (various groups of Magos) as well as the Ecclesiarchy (Missionarus Galaxia Technology Purification Centre on Ophelia VII + some Adepta Sororitas Orders Pronatus convents) maintain dedicated sub-divisions and facilities to analyze xenotek. It would make sense that one of their chief sources for said technology outside their own ranks (the Explorator Fleets and Missionarus Galaxia, respectively) would be the Rogue Traders, using recovered xeno technology to curry valuable favors with one of the aforementioned organizations.

The Rogue Trader may be the one originally procuring the technology, but that doesn't mean he can sell it to anyone in the Imperium just like that. He may, however, manage to secure privileged contracts for mass production in his manufactoriums or be granted the right to sell licenses to other worlds after it has been studied and judged safe for distribution. Naturally this may take decades or even centuries of careful study, but apart from Rogue Traders being able to extend their lives by quite a bit (juvenat drugs, warp travel time distortion, etc), some individuals might also like to lay the foundations for something only his or her descendants will be able to reap the rewards from.

In short: You bring strange stuff over the border, you go through customs and have it taken a look at.

My thoughts on the matter take a cue from Paranoia. Trade your socks off if you like, so long as you're outside Alpha Compl.. I mean the Imperium. Then don't tell anyone about it when you get home (DON'T TELL ANYONE!). Remember, you don't have to actually be a traitor for someone to set you up as one, so it's a pretty fine line either way if you sell the stuff within the Imperium.

"Hey let's celebrate, I just made a killing flogging off some Eldar stuff"

ZAP ZAP ZAP... "That's how we deal with Commie Mutant Traitors around here!"

As far as I know rogue traders are allowed to trade in xeno artifacts outside the borders of the Imperium. The safest approach is probably be to let middlemen do the actually illegal cold trade.

"We have intercepted a shipment of eldar weapons on the on their way to the imperial hive world Kindu 5. Do you know anything about that, Mr. Rogue Trader?"

"No. Selling xeno weapons is illegal in the Imperium."

"It is indeed. And these particular xeno weapons have been traced back to a cache you discovered four years ago on a dead world in the Koronus expanse. "

"Oh, those weapons. I sold them to a group of collectors on Footfall. I think they called themselves 'The Casablanca'. I have the receipt somewhere. All perfectly legal. I am shocked and dismayed to hear that xeno artifacts I sold outside the borders of the Imperium as per the terms of my ancient Warrant of Trade somehow found their way into the Imperium. Shocked and dismayed I say! I certainly won't be doing business with those fellows again!"

Iku Rex said:

That's very true and probably what some RTs do. Others don't bother with the pretense and just trade directly with buyers in the Imperium.

Why? Because when you get down to it neither method is really safer than the other.

99% of the time a Rogue Trader will get away with trading in Xeno artifacts, regardless of the legalities involved. This is because most RTs aren't idiots. They'll trade with people who are able to avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention or at the very least keep their name out of it. In the even that planetary or sectore law enforcement gets involved then a few local henchmen will take the fall while the big boys pay a few bribes to keep out of trouble.

The remaining 1% is when the Rogue Trader screws up and attracts the attention of the Inquisition. Some "harmless" artifact end up destroying a planet or releasing a daemon or the like. And when this happens the legalities become irrelevant. It doesn't matter whether the RT sold the artifacts inside or outside the Imperium - the Inquisition will come for him. It doesn't matter whether he knew what he was selling was dangerous - the Inquisition will come for him. The law is irrelevant - all that matters is political influence and firepower. If the RT can pull a few favours (helping a few Inquisitors over the years really pays off in the long run) then he might get away with it. If not, he's probably scewed. At best he'll end up a renegade, never to return to the Imperium without taking a huge risk.