For anyone who might have played D&D in the past might know of cities where any race was welcome(not all liked of course). However, you could enter the city to find jobs, items, and many other things or even find contacts without (too much) worry of being murdered by a hateful race. Does any city or world exist like this in the Warhammer universe? And would it even fit…even on the outskirts of the Imperium of Man?

I am wanting to make the game pre-Heresy. Would it even make more sense in that time period?

Post your suggestions.

current city that fits is footfall. even has a xeno embassy of sorts there. as for pre-hersey i don't know.

Is Footfall on a specific world? Do you know the whereabouts of its location? I appreciate your response.

Footfall is a world mentioned in the core rulebook, and supplements it lies in the Kronous expanse, a short distance from Port Wander.

Where is your game taking place in pre heresy times?

And are we talking Age of Strife or Dark age of technology, or Great Crusades period?

NoodleNaught said:

Not quite sure yet, to be completely honest. I cast out the idea of pre-heresy, and they (PCs) loved that idea. I'm thinking about basing it loosely on post (or near post) Crusade, pre-Heresy…although I've also thought about the idea of making it toward the beginning of the Crusade or just before, having the Imperium of Man kind of put the RTs on a small commission for reporting lands worth conquering. being scouts, basically.

Your thoughts?

Well if your setting is like the last few years leading upto the horus heresy, then you should keep in mind that the Rouge Trader (PC) would likely have been given his warrant directly from the emperoer, or a primarch (Or his immediate ancestor). So A good warship like a light Cruiser or Cruiser would be very likely, along with close ties to the space marine legion that granted thier warrant.

Pre great crusades I don't think warrants were handed out, as the emperoer was still busy conquering Terra, and the rest of the solar system. However some of Warhammer 40K background was left vague for a reason.

As for your original pirate city question. The Imperium was extremely xenophobic back then, even more so then in the 41st millienium. While these planets would certainly exist ahead of the crusades, Rouge Traders would be heavily scrutinized if they deal with xenos. The early crusades were agianst Xenos inhabititing the home system. And much of the crusades afterwards were agianst xenos that had enslaved human populations.

Many major races (Necrons, Tau, Kroot etc….) were unknown to the Imperium and virtually did not exist in that time period.

I'm right there with you. I was expecting to have the Emporer give the warrant. I am mostly exploring my options and trying to build a unique scenario. I'm trying to keep it as close to correct as possible, but I don't want to create a stale, linear game where outcomes are expected.

Well if you make it just prior with the game leading into the Heresy, and the PCs contract was given to them by say one of the primarchs that went traitor. It might give alot of options for higher rank stories. As they try to cast of inevitable suspicion, or maybe with them working with the traitors?

Another primarch thought is what if they were given thier warrant by one of the lost legions, possibly exploring on the farthest fringes of the galaxy?

Of course if they were given thier warrant by the emperor during this period, then the PCs would likely be exploring the "interior" of the Imperium.

If they were given it from the emperor earlier, say before the crusades had left the solar system. Then they would doubtlessly be tasked with setting up diplomatic ties with nearby systems, and paving the way for space marine assualts. (And a few trade routes here and there) Or perhaps they are being offered the warrant by a early intelligence group, who might task them from time to time to infiltrate criminal groups, or rebels etc…

Anyways to keep with Warhammer lore a strong intertwinning with the military I think would make the most sense. Or maybe the early officio assassinorum, or other intelligence group. A game set during this time I would think would be half trading exploring and so on, and half crrying out required duties for the Imperium.

Of course thats just some thoughts. Whatever you end up doing, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Also it's up to you, but if the PCs end up taking part in historical events during this time. Remember that most of these events are lacking on the details, so whats to say your characters weren't with the force that assualted the moon. Or maybe were part of the force defending Terra during the heresy. Maybe they even participated in the Fall of Boeotia?

I appreciate your help. I feel a lot more confident now in my idea. After I flesh out more details, I will keep you updated. We are hosting our first session on this on Sunday. It is going to be mostly charcreation, intro to the story, and light roleplay to set up the story. I will let youknow the outcome. =D

ThunderBear said:

If you want a 'correct' 30K setting, then Footfall won't work for your concept- it's much more 'recent' than that. I recommend doing some research on the island of Tortuga during the Spanish Main era, for a good example of a nest of pirates, and then make up your own GrimDark equivelant (much closer to Segmentum Solar, if you want to participate in 'historical' events).

Keep in mind if your doing the game preheresy the emperor was trying to spread the imperial truth rather than the imperial creed. He was trying to kill the chaos gods by killing religous belief altogether and create a secular society. The emperor didn't want to be worshipped as a god and he persecuted those who did. That would mean playing a missionary would be a sort of radical carreer.

Also the imperium still hadn't accepted the idea that they live in a universe of gods and sorcery, full of truths to terrible for any sane man to grasp so some of the careers presented in the newer books might have to be altered especially the ones in the navis primer.

And if you want a correct setting the koronus expanse and the calixis sector hadn't been discovered yet and wouldnt be for thousands of years. The Jericho Reach however is supposed to have been concored during the great crusades maybey taht would serve as a better setting.

Or you could just create your own sector =P lots of fun but alot of work.