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Hello,

I've started this threat to share the background fluff I'm working on for a narrative campaign for Rogue Trader a.k.a first edition. The group I'm going to be playing with aren't particularly knowledgeable about 40k lore, and so we can play how we want rather than being locked into anything, I've opted to create my on planet for them to battle over.

I don't have my documents with me right now, but I'll just leave a brief overview of what I've mashed together.

-The planet, known as Beltaraxas by the inhabitants, is located in the Eastern Fringes, and was blocked off from astropathic activity by warp anomalies.
-Beltaraxas was populated by the Human Federation of Planets before the age of strife and has not been rediscovered by Terra.
-Beltaraxas was a barren, dead world that was terraformed by the Human Federation of Planets and established as an agricultural world.
-Beltaraxas has four continents, and is seasonal throughout the year as a result of its terraforming.
-A space hulk full of orks crashed into the previously uninhabited northern continent. The Global Protection Corps has done an adequate job of keeping the orks contained. The occasional raiding action does slip past, however. This has resulted in a small infestation of orks in the wooded area of the central continent.
-At the same time, a Rogue Trader's ship crashed into the space hulk, crashing into the central continent. The Rogue Trader had been gathering exotic animals to establish a galactic zoo, but in the crash lost control of their cargo, unleashing a large variety of alien fauna onto Beltaraxas.
-A group of squat refugees fleeing Hive Fleet Behemoth arrived on the planet in the past. They have been of great help to the Global Protection Corps in combatting the orks. They did not have an astropath with them, and their Commissar destroyed the long-range vox in order to remain hidden from the tyranids and to avoid paying taxes to the imperium until the tyranid invasion they were certain would come had been repelled. For the time being, this group has set themselves about preparing Beltaraxas for the 'nids.
-Unbeknownst to the squats, the tyranids are already on Beltaraxas. The hive fleet hasn't arrived yet, but spores have touched down on the northern continent. Although a small genestealer cult has established a foot hold amongst the orks, the 'nids as yet have been unable to push beyond the northern continent due to the savagery of the other orks there.
-The manufacturing plant on the southern continent contains an intact STC database.
-A surviving Thunder Warrior is present on Beltaraxas.
-Elements of the 5th company of the Crimson Fists have very recently crashed onto the central continent. The Crimson Fists were attempting to take a short cut through the Eastern Fringes to make it back in time to reinforce Rynn's World before the arrival of Waargh Snagrod.

When I'm on my days off in a few days I'll make some posts with "proper" fluff that I've written as background information.

what time scale is this in. 1000 or 100 years or 10.
Lastly there are a lot of crashes so is there something to increase the chance of that like a large asteroid field right next to the planet or is it just unlucky.

 deotrims 16th wrote:
what time scale is this in. 1000 or 100 years or 10.
Lastly there are a lot of crashes so is there something to increase the chance of that like a large asteroid field right next to the planet or is it just unlucky.

You're right. It is a LOT of crashes. Since I know my guys aren't going to be reading this, I'll share some more details before posting my other stuff.

1. The Rogue Trader and the Orkoid Space Hulk arrived at the same time. As the Rogue Trader was making their final approach, the Orks got spat out of the warp and initiated a boarding action. During fighting on the bridge of the Rogue Trader ship the flight controls got jostled and control of the ship was lost. The ships broke apart during entry, which resulted in them landing on different continents.

2. The Squat vessel actually made a successful landing.

3. I chose to leave out the crashed Aquila Glider when I made my post last night. This was shot down by Ork anti-air artillery. (I have the terrain kit and wanted to justify why it crashed.)

4. The Crimson Fists were trying to bypass a warp-storm and got caught up in the planet's gravity well and lost control.

Regarding the time frame, the overall time frame is 20k+ years. Regarding the arrival of "modern" factions, I'm not entirely certain, but I believe the timeframe for those events was 500ish years.

With the reference to Waaargh! Snagrod, the current year is 989.M41.

Here is the text of the main document I've been working on for the campaign. Absent are some maps that I've made of the planet. I just did them in MSpaint, so they aren't very exciting, but if anyone would like to see them just let me know and I'll attach the document.
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Beltaraxas

A world lost among the stars

What would be classified as an agri-world by the Imperium, Beltaraxas is a planet located in the Eastern Fringe that was colonized by humanity during pre-Imperium history but as yet has not been rediscovered by the Imperium of Man. However, this planetary status has not stopped a host of imperial citizens and technology from arriving on the planet, nor has it stopped the Imperial Cult from asserting its influence. This means that while Beltaraxas is a place free of the regressive imperial government, it has become a place that is semi-familiar to any imperial citizens that should happen to find themselves present there.

Beltaraxas is home to a global fiefdom ruled by the nobility that reside in Beltaraxas Prime on the southern pole. While the planet’s economy and culture is largely based on agriculture, the possession of a functioning STC database has allowed the population to retain a significant level of technological advancement.

Timeline of events

Pre-Imperium
First discovered in late M16 and colonized in M17, Beltaraxas was a barren planet that required terraforming in order to render it capable of supporting human life. Life was difficult for the colonists, but they survived until M23 when they were gifted an STC database and the materials and schematics to construct a forge factory. Already isolated from the larger Terran civilization due to the remote location of the planet, Beltaraxas became completely isolated from the rest of humanity during the age of strife. As the Imperium has yet to officially rediscover Beltaraxas, the planet and its population were neither aware of nor involved in the Great Crusade or the Horus Heresy.

Age of the Imperium
• 842.M30 – A Dreadnought belonging to the IV Legion arrived on the planet after having been displaced during planet fall at the Siege of Incaladion.
• 095.M31 – The Rogue Trader vessel Ascension Denied crashed on the surface, along with an Ork mob originating from Waaargh Garaghak. The spread of fauna across Beltaraxas is a direct result of the Ascension Denied losing control of its cargo.
• 748.M41 – An Imperial Guard Regiment of Squats fleeing the destruction of their homeworld by Hive Fleet Behemoth arrived on the planet. Confident they had successfully avoided detection by any Tyranid elements in the area, the Squats feared that communication with the wider Imperium would draw unwanted attention and in order to avoid imperial tithes and prepare for a planetary invasion of Tyranids, the Squats believed to be an eventuality, the Squats destroyed their vox arrays to prevent the natives on the planet from attempting to contact the Imperium.
• 867.M41 – An Imperial Aquila Glider attempted to land on the central continent, but was shot down by Ork Artillery. No survivors were found at the crash site when Squat and GDC forces arrived.



• 989.M41 – Current Year.
Battle Brothers from the 5th Company of the Crimson Fists are Marooned on the planet while taking a shortcut to reinforce their Chapter during the Battle of Rynn’s world. The malfunction in their ships systems also disabled their vox systems, rendering them unable to call for help.

Geographical Information



Central Continent

Settlements

Homestead
The northern settlement of the central continent, Homestead marks the place the original Terran colonists chose to establish their primary settlement. The regional viceroy still governs from the original spacecraft that brought humanity to Beltaraxas.

Ganess
The second major settlement built by the colonists, Ganess began as a humble military Garrison developed to allow for early detection of any planetary threats originating from the south side of the World’s Spine mountain range. Ganess takes its name from the star Beltaraxas orbits.

Manifest
Located along the western shores of the central continent, Manifest was first developed as a launching point for planetary exploration, as by the time it was established the colonists had been on the planet for 100 years and felt it would be necessary to scout the other areas of the planet before expanding civilization.

Points of Interest

Glider Crash Site
Located near the Northwestern coast of the central continent, the wreckage of an Imperial Glider can still be found extending out of the planet’s surface.

Ascension Denied Crash Site
Located near the northwest of the wooded region of the central continent are the remnants of the crash site of the Rogue Trader vessel Ascension Denied. Virtual all of the material of the ship has been salvaged and reused. The only enduring evidence of the crash is the valley that was carved into the planet due to the ships impact. This location is approximately four days away from Homestead.

Crimson Fists Crash Site
When the Crimson Fists made planet fall, their cruiser landed one days travel due south of the central forest.

Western Continent

Settlements

Stouton
The only remaining settlement on the western continent, Stouton exists to facilitate the transportation of raw materials from the continent to the factories of the south and the settlements of the east.

Points of Interest

Norkleav
The site of a former settlement on the northernmost cost of the western continent, Norkleave was sacked by a force of Orks hailing from the northern pole. Norkleave was originally established by a splinter group of separatists from Homestead who desired to remain connected to the main group at Homestead but desired to exist outside of the autocratic rule of the planetary governors. When the Orks surged across the sea and assailed the people of Norkleav they went unnoticed until it was too late, and killed the occupants to the man. A call for help was sent, but the Global Defence Corps did not arrive until it was too late, only being successful in repelling the Orks from the continent, fighting the feral Orks generating by the spores expelled by the original Orkoid invaders for another 50 years.

Squat Mine
Located south of the mountain range on the western continent, the Squat refugees have been equally occupied since their arrival on Beltaraxas mining as they have been waging war on the green skins. The Squats have made a name for themselves harvesting a significant deposit or iron ore at the bottom of a ravine. This deposit is the location of a meteor that impacted the planet and was the source of destruction that eliminated all life on the planet. The resulting chemical reaction also destroyed the planet’s atmosphere.




The Monolith
Located south of the squat mine is an ancient pyramid-like structure protected by three skeletal beings. These individuals constantly patrol the perimeter of the building and have been doing so long enough to have dug a trench along the path they walk. It has also been observed that at no time is one of the guardians not in visual contact with the entrance to the monolith.

Southern Continent

Settlements

Beltaraxas Prime
The planetary capital, Beltarax Prime is located on the southern polar continent. Beltarax Prime was strategically located to supplement the defense of the production factories and to assist the aristocracy in overseeing productivity. The Global Governor’s estate is located along the coast.

Points of Interest

STC Production Facility
Located on the southernmost point of the planet’s surface near Beltaraxas Prime lays the colony’s equipment production factory. The STC database is stored at this location.

Northern Continent
While never settled by the colonists, the northern continent has become home to a several different species. The Ork vessel that encountered the Ascension Denied plummeted into the continent. Shortly after the crash, the assembled Orks split into several warbands and busied themselves punching each other. Also present on the planet is a fledgling contingent of Tyranids from Hivefleet Behemoth. Fortunately for the remainder of the residents of Beltaraxas the Tyranids have so far been contained by the ferocity of the Orks. Some of the creatures from the Ascension Denied also found their way to the northern continent.

Trilog Ocean
The Trilog Ocean is the primary body of water west of the central continent and home to the Ocean Monitoring platform currently being used by the Squats and the GDC in their efforts to contain the Orks to the northern continent. Despite their best efforts, raiding parties still manage to come ashore on both the western and central continents.

Points of Interest

Ocean Monitoring Platform
Constructed using the scrap from the remains of the Ascension Denied, the monitoring Platform has been garrisoned by GDC and Squat Imperial Guard forces engaged in containing the Orks to the northern continent until enough war materiel has been constructed to destroy the Orks.





Barrier Trench
Spanning the breadth of the southern coast of the western continent, the Barrier Trench spans the body of water connecting the western continent to the southern continent. The western-most point of the Barrier Trench marks the location each day begins and ends as Beltaraxas rotates around the Ganess star.

Sea of Destiny
The Sea of Destiny contains the body of water strictly between the central and southern continents. This greater body of water is noteworthy for containing a undersea plateau connecting both continents together. This naturally occurring structure acts as an eastern border to the Trilog Ocean.

Planetary Factions
House Maheolan
The Maheolan lineage has been in control of Beltaraxas since the colony was first established, overseeing economic development and guiding governance. The current patriarch of the family holds the office of Global Governor. Discussions with the Commissar attached to the initial Squat refugees has revealed to the Maheolans the value the STC database will hold when the planet is properly inducted into the Imperium of Man. It was with great pleasure that the Maheolans wed their daughter to the last Commissar of the Imperium, who only bore one child before meeting his end.

Global Defense Corps
The human defenders of the planet. While capable in their own right, they were ill prepared for the coming of the Orks resulting in the destruction of Norkleav. Greatly aided in the modernization of their forces and tactics by the Squats, the GDC is preparing to enact a global pincers manoeuvre to cleanse their world of the Orkoid invaders currently occupying the northern continent.

Squat Brotherhood
After fleeing the consumption of their homeworld by Hivefleet Behemoth, the Squats seek to mentor the GDC to a standard that can repel a Tyranid invasion. The Squats are also engaged in mining operations on the western continent.

Fifth Company Crimson Fists
New-comers to Beltaraxas, the contingent of the Crimon Fists chapter of Space Marines currently marooned on the planet seek to find either a Psyker powerful enough to act as an Astropath or an interplanetary vox system and contact the wider Imperium for assistance to depart the planet, hopefully in time to come to the defense of their homeworld.

Tyranids
Currently infesting and consuming the Orkoids of the Northern Continent, the Tyranids of Hivefleet Behemoth currently endeavour to devour the biomass of Beltaraxas in its entirety.

Goranus Torr
Currently living in seclusion in the forest of the central continent, Goranus Torr simply wishes to continue living his life and has become rather accustomed to the sporadic Ork war bands which invade his homestead.

Chaos
Several chaos cults are currently active on Beltaraxas, each working towards their own ends.

Rexifus
This old, forgotten, and senile Dreadnought simply seeks to protect his turnip garden.

Orkoids
After suddenly finding their ship crashed on Beltaraxas the Orks of this off-shoot of Waaargh Garaghak quickly descended into in-fighting following their separation from Warboss Garaghak. No longer a cohesive entity, the assembled Orks have splintered into their own separate tribes and are engaged in various wars with each other for control of the wreckage of their Space Hulk.

Due to their level of savagery, the Orks have been unwittingly successful in keeping the Tyranid invasion of Beltaraxas contained to the northern continent. The Orks have also been given greater credit than they truly deserve as a planetary threat. While Orks continue to be encountered on the central continent, only two transcontinental voyages have been made by the Orks successfully. The war band that destroyed Norkleav is one; the other was the secret voyage of Painboss ‘ead-Digga.

Painboss ‘ead-Digga was exiled from the northern continent when the members of his own tribe called a truce with the rival Evil Sunz explicitly to kill him after he performed the much reviled Ork-Squig brain transplant on their Warboss after finding him unprotected and asleep one evening. Surprisingly avoiding degenerating to a feral state due to the sheer volume of Orks present on the planet, ‘ead-Digga is solely responsible for the Ork infestation of the forest on the central continent.

Commissar Maheolan
As the heiress of the Maheolan family and the only Imperial Commissar on the planet, Commissar Maheolan works in secret to find a way to contact the broader Imperium to hasten the assimilation of Beltaraxas. While a minor Psyker in her own right, Commissar Maheolan isn’t powerful enough to make Astropathic communication but is eager to find such a person on Beltaraxas.

House Ney’Rod
The family of regional governors remaining at Homestead. While they would like to expand their influence beyond the central continent and potential take over as planetary rulers, they always put duty before desire. While willing to assist the Crimson Fists in fighting the Orkoids, the members of House Ney’Rod aren’t as eager to rejoin the Imperium of Man as the rest of Beltaraxas, fearing that their society will lose more than it gains.

I've mentioned already that a surviving Thunder Warrior has found refuge on Beltaraxas. This is the backstory I wrote explaining how a Thunder Warrior continues to live in the 41st millennium and how he escaped Terra before ending up on Beltaraxas.
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Goranus Torr

A survivor’s story

A surviving member of the Thunder Warriors, Goranus Torr escaped the Emperor’s betrayal through quick thinking and the gift of opportunity rather than through sheer might. Attempting to make a withdrawal and escape the carnage, Goranus Torr’s unit was cut off and surrounded by a unit of the Adeptus Custodes in a remote area away from the fighting. Goranus, along with three other members of his unit were surprised to find themselves the last men standing at the end of the battle, all of their brothers fallen, all traitors defeated. Understanding that further Custodes reinforcements would soon arrive, Goranus and his battle brothers shed their armor. Taking instead the armor of the fallen, these remaining Thunder Warriors were able to infiltrate the Custodes when they arrived.

The fighting elsewhere was already over when these men rejoined the Emperor’s main force. Upon their return to the Imperial Palace, Goranus Torr and his compatriots made good their escape, fleeing into the criminal underground and agreeing to go their separate ways to improve their chances for surviving. Eventually finding employ in the gladiator pits of a criminal syndicate in the Underhive of Kairos, Goranus quickly rose to become a crowd favorite. As his organs experienced cellular degeneration, Goranus Torr was kept alive through the transplantation of organs from opponents he defeated in combat.

This continued until 995.M30 when the son of the gang’s leader, Renaldus Survenius IV, was granted an Imperial Warrant of Trade. Renaldus Survenius III retired Goranus from gladiatorial combat and arranged for Goranus to become part of his son’s entourage, acting as a personal bodyguard. Goranus agreed to this request on a single condition; for his mission he must be provided with a new suit of Mk I Power Armor, Mk I Bolter, and power sword. Having already anticipated this request, Survenius III had such a suit and armament prepared. To assist Goranus in his mission to protect the life of his son, Servenius III also explained to Goranus that another of his kind had escaped their fate and unlocked the key to stopping the inevitable degeneration of his organs through the development of a new bio-implant, the Progenoid Gland. Survenius had obtained such a gland and arranged for its implantation into Goranus.

No longer needing a stable supply of donor organs or constant transplants, and again supplied with the mightiest equipment he knew how to use, Goranus Torr took to the stars and escaped Terra. One hundred years into their expedition, in 095.M31, their ship encountered a minor warp-storm while exploring the vastness of the Eastern Fringe. While circumnavigating this storm, an Ork-controlled Space Hulk emerged. The Orks immediately initiated a boarding action, breaching the hull of their ship and attacking all aboard. Due to the stellar winds and chaos energies emerging from the warp-storm however, control of both ships is lost and they plummet into the planet below, a planet previously colonized during the Golden Age of Humanity but not yet found by the Imperium.

So it was that a lone surviving Thunder Warrior, Goranus Torr, ventured away from Terra and made his way into the broader galaxy before arriving on Beltaraxas. Following the eventual death of his charge, Goranus retired into the wilderness to live a life of peace and seclusion away from those who would seek his death.