In coming up with random encounters/endeavors for my group, it occurred to me that coming upon the failed ventures of others would make for interesting scenarios. I brainstormed up a quick list of ventures and reasons for failure. I'm hoping you guys can help me come up with a more comprehensive list and some flavorful examples.

Failed Ventures

Establish a Colony
• Viral Outbreak
• Climate Shift
• Invasion
• Civil War
• Loss of Sponsor

Exploit a Natural Resource
• Aggressive Natives
• Tectonic Activity
• Equipment Failures
• Labor Shortage

Exploration
• Ship System Failures
• Mutiny
• Xeno Conflict

Trade
• Piracy
• Competition
• Transport Shortages

Also, any stories of your groups' failures that might be used for others to 'come upon' would be great too.

Warpstorms are always good, they could pretty much ruin anything I guess =) (but it is a bit too Deus Ex Machina really)

I have to admit that I struggle to follow the endeavour system. Too much accounting for my tastes. The adventures usually becomes much more of a mix in the end.

RT Corebook has an example of this in recovering the colony of Haven.

Also, the endeavor system is perfectly fine. You're overthinking it if you have more than three variables involved.

You're probably right. I've picked up the RT book again this week to re-read it properly, inserting erratas where necessary.

I wasn't asking for detailed Endeavour setups, just a brief summary or one line plot hooks.

For example:

The players come upon a mining colony. Due to tectonic/volcanic activity some months ago, the surface has been flooded with a heavy toxic gas. Only the high-altitude mountains are safe, as the gas is heavier than air. In order to restart mining operations there are two options: dig a new shaft from the higher altitudes; this is costly in terms of time and equipment. Or, find a way to remove/purify the gas.

Only a year after the founding of a colony the planet was cut off by a warpstorm. After a few years the colonial government was overthrown and a period of anarchy followed. The settlement is now ruled by three gangs or clans who infrequently skirmish over facilities and resources. During transit to another system, the player's navigator senses the lifting of the storm from around the colony planet.

The players come upon a Free Trader's ship that has apparently been bitten in half by a void kraken.

sketchesofpayne said:

Again, read the entry on Grace in the corebook. It writes itself.

Yes, I've read the Rogue Trader books cover-to-cover. I was hoping we could come up with a large list of new encounters for everyone to use.

You mean hook, line, sinker type adventure ideas? Like this?

Hook: The players get information on a possible lost colony world supposedly brimming with natural resources.

Line: Its true the world does exist but those lost colonists are still there and are fighting a savage war over control of it. Tech level Civil War to WWI. Of the planets 5 continents only one is controlled by forces loyal to the emperor and the imperium.

Sinker: The world is an old Imperial Guard outpost. The loyalist forces are the descendants of an old beastmen IG legion and are still loyal to the emperor and the imperium. The heretical forces are the descendants of the human IG regiments, they have fallen to worship of heretical gods that border (and sometimes are) on chaos worship. Further they will have to deal with the IG (they have writ of ownership for the world).