++ ROGUE TRADER LOG: 000001 ++

++ ROGUE TRADER LOG: 000001 ++
++ MESSAGE BEGINS ++

I admit it; I’ve never understood the need for these wretched logs until now. An exercise in vanity is all I thought they were and it’s all my father thought they were too… but I’m a big enough man to admit I was wrong and by the Emperor’s teeth I wish I wasn’t.

You see, I find myself compelled now to write these logs in light of the fact that my father refused to do so. It’s because of his disdain for these periods of captured thought, these “exercises in vanity and self adulation” I’m left sleepless at night, endlessly searching my memories for clues to his past that might aid our voyage and save us wandering perilously from system to system hoping to make sense of the madness left in the wake of his passing. There may be no apparent heir to the Varrick dynasty as yet but I’ll be damned if I’m going to inflict this same fate upon whoever follows me into this seat of power so knuckle down and prepare to read… I’ll be damned if I’m writing this for myself.

I’ve a lot to recap so I’ll try to be brief in what follows, you can consult the ships archives ++REFERENCE FILE NOT FOUND++ for technical specifics relating to our voyage since we left the core systems several months ago. Emperor help you if they’ve not survived this long.

It was something of a relief to finally leave my widowed mother and all the bureaucratic fallout from my father’s disappearance behind us as I took what was left of our wealth and headed back out to find my father’s body and reclaim what was rightfully ours. Once our friends in the administorum had ensured the safety of our dynasty and secured my mother’s position there was nothing more I could do anyway. Leaving was the only real option before me and as it turns out, the one that would prove to be the most worthy.

Once back out on the rim I met with one of my father’s old “friend”, Hiram Salt. Let me say now that I know Hiram well enough to say, that nobody will ever know him well enough to say much at all one way or the other. So when I tell you that he informed me the Varrick system had recently re-emerged from the warp - I was less than confident he was telling me out of any old remaining loyalties to my father. Regardless, at the time it was only a rumour and we spoke no more about it.

What was not a rumour was the location of a supposedly derelict hulk – ripe for salvage. My contact in the planetary guard ++CONSULT REFERENCE FILE SIGMAR341F ++ essentially set us up with a significant gain in both profit and crew for very little reward. If you’re reading this and have the chance, remember his actions and reward their family duly.

Taking the hulk was no cake walk however as time in the warp had left it tainted. Despite precautionary measures the taint affected our ship and on the return journey forced us towards a crystalline Xeno planet the likes of which has never been recorded by imperial forces, at least to my knowledge. Sensor readings and crew logs of the encounter have been stored in the family archives but not handed over to the xenophobic and somewhat fanatical central command.
The crew affected an escape from the planet and destroyed (we think) the chaos entity’s link to this plane while at the same time rescuing the crew of several stranded vessels and one freight ship – now in service to the dynasty. This was a good day.

We then headed to a supposed “Death world”, deposited our rescued shipmates and blasted our way through dense jungle until we found what we were after – the downed wreckage of a centuries old hunting ship my father once piloted. A ship that would eventually lead us to the Varrick system. Note: Hiram Salt’s pipe was found still warm on board the vessel before we vaporised it from orbit. I’m hoping we caught the man in the blast but news wires have been silent so I suspect not. Regardless, his involvement is worrisome.

The series of events that followed next were unnerving but I suspect all too common and only to be expected from now on; I think the crew and I will just have to get used to it.
Firstly we were attacked in the warp by impostors from another reality ++REFERENCE FILE KAPPA9J++
Then we encountered some Space marines ++REFERENCE FILE KAPPA9K++
Assisted them in battle with some impressive macrobattery blasts and a devastating boarding action ++REFERENCE FILE KAPPA9L++
And were rewarded with an incredible and sacred chapter relic ++REFERENCE FILE KAPPA9M++

All this has been documented elsewhere – meticulous records are being kept, I assure you.

Which all means I’ve ended up where we are today… the Varrick system, not currently as incredible as my father made it out to be seeing as it’s a place likely to be in or under the thrall of chaos. I believe however that it is going to play a key role in the success of our dynasty; to get this system up and running again, to purge it of the cultists laying it to siege and to once more make it a shining light of humanity in the dark cold recess of space must be our first priority… bold words indeed. I only hope that my crew and I are up to the task.

All of which brings you up to date dear reader. You find me about to head off to a state banquet in honour of our return home and despite the pomp and worthiness of it I can’t take my mind of the worries that seem to haunt my every waking hour - and it’s something I didn’t think I’d end up mentioning when I started this entry. It’s that I’m beginning to grow tired, incredibly tired; and much faster than I thought I would. I find myself issuing so many orders to so many people. I’m micro managing the whole affair and I’m afraid of what that could mean. That not only is it a symptom of me not wanting to endanger the ship – of losing the last jewel in the crown of my father’s legacy, but also…. I’m still deeply shaken by the battle in which I lost my father.
Everything that’s happened since that first encounter with the Eldar farseer... the burden that’s been placed on me. This destiny… this supposed purpose seems too important for me to entrust even a part of it on anyone else. But the truth is I am beginning to realise; if I don’t share the path with others the pressing weight of the task will surely damn us all before too long.

I must learn to let go. I have an excellent crew; all trusted and tested men who have sworn their allegiance to the house I lead. They are the best of the best and despite showing it every day and although I’m never short for examples of how true it is I find it hard to let go – to trust my … nay our fate in anyone else’s hands


++MESSAGE ENDS+++