Roderick MacCoinneach - Void Master

charateristics - http://orokos.com/roll/725573,  lowest reroll - http://orokos.com/roll/725574 (same fucking result lol), FP - http://orokos.com/roll/725575, Wounds - http://orokos.com/roll/725576 (taking average), corruption - http://orokos.com/roll/725579

-Ancient & wise: This vessel is positively ancient, and so is its machine spirit. The ship suffers –4 Hull Integrity but gains a +10 bonus to any Manoeuvre Actions it performs (including out of combat and ramming).
-Glorious  Deeds: As an ancient vessel of great renown, its success written large by its auramite prow and the great statues of the progenitors. All crew from this ship gain a +10 to Charm and Intimidate Tests, provided their targets know which ship they come from (and are in a position to understand the inscribing—many xenos cultures may not understand or care about the glorious deeds of a human vessel).
-All Command Tests to defend against boarding and hit and run actions gain +5. In addition, all sources of Morale loss are reduced by 1, to a minimum of 1
-Augmented retro-thrusters: These thrusters add +5 to the ship’s Manoeuvrability.

The upbringing of a noble born son grooms them for dealing with superiors with respect, guile, or if necessary deference. Rank is just another game of politics that must be played, and luckily Roderick thrives on it. When it comes to inferiors, Roderick can be cold and distant. He isn't openly superior or hostile to the common folk, but he knows he is better than them. Dalmore reinforces this notion with its caste system.
Roderick lives for the politics. His mother brought him into the scheming world of the nobility at a young age, and the political game is like the air he needs in his lungs to survive. Secrets can be far more useful and powerful than bank full of thrones. The process of learning the secrets of his rivals is just as exciting the dirt that he actually uncovers. His mother is the spymaster of the family, able to pluck her web at will and dislodge any manner of secret. Roderick is hungry for knowledge, and any knowledge is useful knowledge at some point.
Roderick's strength is his confidence in command and ship handling. When he's in command, his ship could be burning around him and he would still be sure victory was within reach. Not until every last battery has been spent, every last macro shell fired, and every ounce of shielding sundered would he be know that defeat was imminent. It is this confidence that inspires the men and women around him to hold their stations and do their duty. His weakness is a good bottle of single malt, or two, and a deck of cards, or dice, or horse races. If he has one in hand and there is a wager to be had, he'll take it. His drinking and gambling have never affected his command, but when on R & R or he has retired from duty for the evening, he can go on a proper tear at the drop of a hat.

Companion : Haast
Haast is a grapplehawk whom has accompanied Roderick from his home world of Dalmore. Dalmore is home to large birds of prey, which live high in the mountain tops surveying the lands below them. They are cunning predators with razor sharp senses, crushing talons, and a devastating charge that sees them felling men in this highlands as often as livestock. Haast is an augmented version these ancient predators and was used as a hunting companion when sabre cat or dire wulf numbers needed to be thinned. Haast stands at  60 cm tall and is large enough to carry a fully armoured human aloft with its powerful wings and anti-grav suspensors. Haast acts as an extension of Roderick's will and as a pseudo bodyguard, always present wherever he goes and ready to attack on command. When un-needed, Haast acts as sentry in Roderick's quarters with a kill command in place, in case any one decides to snoop.

Links to other backgrounds: WIP with Jeff
After graduating from the Kintail Naval Academy, Roderick was assigned as adjutant to captain Xandrus Crassus of the frigate Sword Breaker which to be sent to on a scouting mission to the edge of the Viridaurum sub sector. It was on that mission that he was to meet a child astropath named Alexium, and it was on that mission that they would be tested by the fates. Their frigate had intercepted an unmarked vessel coming into Imperial void-space, travelling in the direction of the sub-sector's capital world. When hails and orders to identify were ignored by the ship, Roderick's captain ordered the Master of Ordinance to prepare to fire. Suddenly a psychic storm bombarded the bridge and caused havoc among crew and captain alike. Roderick found himself unaffected, but watched in horror as the captain pulled his sidearm and began shooting the crewman around him. Other crew members clawed at each other and used whatever was at hand as weapons to bludgeon their victims to death. Roderick realised that the bubble of calm he found himself was because of Alexium, whom was still as a statue beside him mumbling and fighting the chaos with hymns and will power alone. When the barrel of Xandrus' naval pistol pointed towards Roderick, he could see the anguish and desperation in the man's eyes. They were pleading with him as if to say that this wasn't his fault, that he couldn't help it. Just as Xandrus was about to pull the trigger, Alexium suddenly rolled into the back of Roderick's knees and bowled him to the ground. The first shot went high above them, and Roderick looked up to see the Captain then eat the barrel of his gun and the second shot empty the back of his skull. The unknown ship was still visible on the pict-screen and floated innocently in space while the bridge of the Sword Breaker tore itself apart. The frigate was outclassed and had to get away. They needed to get word of this ship back to base so that it could be intercepted and destroyed before it reached any of the worlds nearby. Alexium was standing above Roderick at that point and offered him a hand up. We must get to the helm so you can get us out of here. I can deal with the crew from there. Roderick could still remember the serene calm of the child whom could not be older than 13 or 14 terran years, yet he or she, he still didn't know what it was to this day, was able to withstand the onslaught. They had moved together then, and as Roderick took hold of the ship's controls he felt as if he knew they were going to make it. Suddenly, he could feel the frigate's power through his hands, the pulsing of its reactors through his feet, and the tremble of its batteries ready to fire charging the air. It was the same feeling he got when galloping his steed back on Dalmore. When his mind snapped back to the present, Roderick could see that Alexium was starting to bring a few of the crew back to their senses. Some lay dead or unconscious on the ground, while others that had snapped out of their hysteria were trying to restrain more of their comrades. Roderick barked at a dazed looking crewman, You! Get on the vox and tell the Master of Ordinance to fire on that ship! I don't care if he doesn't have a proper firing solution! We'll give them something to think about while we disengage! The batteries of the frigate fired a few moments later, and though the shots were wild they forced the bigger ship to manoeuvre out of the way. This gave Roderick the opening they needed to put space between the two vessels and make a break for it. Lance beams scored the flanks of the frigate as it powered away, but no crippling hits seemed to land. Thank you for your help back there. Without you, I fear would have been lost to that witchery. No offence of course. Roderick nodded to Alexium. What do they call you? it was at that point that the pair forged a bond that would become unbreakable. As for the ship, it was never found, though there were rumours that it had caused the demise of a number of other patrol vessels out on the border.

1. The blood or the precedence: The patriarch Parvus Filianatis has been consumed by two things: finding those of Filianatis blood who are not cursed, and finding those allies with the skills to help them. Are you one of the last of the Blood, from branched family, bastard couplings or rare occurrence who have the innate power that comes with it? Or are you one of Precedence, those individuals of rare and exotic skill that no-one can deny?
Roderick is from a distant branch of the family that has not succumbed to the curse. His family's skills as naval officers and ship captains is well documented on his home planet of Dalmore.

2. The path: All men walk a path to bring glory to humanity; all men walk a path to find the light of the emperor. What path do you tread? (In-game “character class”)
Void Master

3. The cradle: What type of world where you raised on? How does it mould its people? (As homeworld; please include a description of the world and choose the subsector the world is found)
Dalmore is located in the Cromartie system of the Viridaurum sub sector. It is an agri-world ruled by elite land holders whom run vast estates, the largest of which are the size of small countries. Their chief export, other than food and biochem products for the Imperial tithe, is officers for Armoured Regiments in the Imperial Guard and captains in the Imperial Navy. Dalmore's topography is dominated by rugged mountains and valleys, with few stretches of flat land to be found. Highland pastures and fertile lowland valleys create land ripe for both livestock and crop farming, though the former is far more prevalent. These lands are verdant during the warmer months, but the summer months are short and the winters are long, bitter, and dark. The windswept peaks and highlands breed hard people used to difficult lives. Ever since the planet was settled, the highlands have been difficult for humans to tackle with any kind of mechanised farming, with combines and tractors appear in lesser numbers on the lowlands. Horses were found to be far more apt to tackle the slopes and valleys with minimal inputs which helped them to become well established in everyday life. The first horses were not the stunning beasts that can be found on many estates today, but were instead the short, stocky, noble types that were able to handle the harsh conditions. Noble houses were established and ran the estates as kingdoms, controlling their workers more as feudal lords control their peasants. Competition for land and livestock was constant and with the lack of mechanisation, cavalry and cavalry tactics soon became king of combat. Houses would raise armies from their working class primarily as infantry and light skirmishing cavalry, while the nobility trained as heavily armoured shock cavalry. Armies would meet in the valleys, where cavalry could decide the outcome of the battle.
Sports evolved as alternative methods of training to keep horse and rider in prime condition for war. As time moved on, and houses became well and truly established in their holdings, the sport of polo became a more central part of life rather than war, and also a form of politics. Houses would field scores of teams made up of their best young men whom would play teams from across the planet to settle disputes, assert their dominance and prestige, gamble for lands, goods, and workers, and most importantly to train their men in the art of leadership. Cavalry tactics lend themselves well to the art of mechanised warfare and warfare in the void. A tank or starship required the same skills of control and temperance as a steed, they were just bigger. Men from Dalmore would train until their mid to late 20's before leaving for the military academies in the sub sector capital, Eidenburg. There they would be moulded and trained to become some of the finest commanders in the sector, and they would be known as the Highlanders.

4. The birthright: From birth to death, most Imperial citizens follow an immovable path towards their fate. However, some rare few are able to rise beyond their beginnings, however humble. What state have you risen from? What wretched or vaunted places did you tread as a child?
Roderick was born to the house of MacCoinneach in Ross-shire. He grew up with a mallet in his hand, a sabre on his hip, and a horse under his backside. During his development he spent more time out on the field and on the road between tournys against neighbouring estates than on his own grounds.

5. The lure of the void: It is a continuing, strange miracle of human nature that from the downtrodden, planet-bound masses arise adventurous, ambitious, and  sometimes  twisted or  rebellious  souls  who seek more, or have it thrust upon them by uncaring fate. It is these men and women who through endeavor, fortune, or the turning of great events strike off from their home world and set foot on a greater stage. What brought you to this stage?
It was a chance meeting with a relative that gave him a taste for void combat. Hearing stories of great battles between vast iron beasts in the vacuum of space jockeying for position, trying to out manoeuvre each other to fire salvos and sunder their enemies. It was then, at the age of 13 he decided that he was going to be the captain of a ship.

6. Trials and travails: Individuals such as yourself are not simply the product of their background and training, but also of those experiences they have endured, experiences that have forged them into what they are where others around them were broken and destroyed. What tried to break you that you overcame? What has truly challenged you?
The Andraays House was formed from a fallen branch of the Filianatis dynasty after they sold weapons to both sides during the Nova Terra Interegnum. They have long since lost their affiliation, and though they cared little, as the years progressed and Roderick's House continued to thrive jealousy began to creep in. It was this jealousy that has finally culminated in the open feud Angus Andraays has initiated with Roderick as the Heir Apparent. The lack of warfare on Dalmore does not mean that the life of a noble is any less safe. The constant tourneys and travelling across the planet always claims its fair share of lives. Losing family members became part of everyday life due to one cause or another. Roderick's closest younger brother was one such loss, killed during a game against another Andraays team. His horse was fouled at a gallop, which knocked it off balance and caused it to roll as a result. Hector was dragged down with his mount and crushed underneath in the ensuing carnage. Roderick's father retreated into seclusion, fasting for an entire week while he grieved. Mother continued to be the rock of the House and seemed un-phased, though the servants whispered that they could hear wailing from her private chambers some nights. Roderick and hector had been the closest out of the 7 brothers, and his death rocked Roderick to the core. He took to drinking heavily, even at his younger teenage years, to cope with the loss. He took the teams home, and a trip that would have normally taken 6 weeks instead lasted 9 while Roderick drank himself into oblivion at every stop possible. Upon their return, Roderick was a shell of his former self, and had grown fat from the constant drinking and lack of exercise. Mother was appalled at both his mental and physical state, for she hardly recognised her protege. She sent him away to the solitude of the highlands to seek solace and peace. The fresh mountain air would do him good and the regimen she gave him would harden his body back up. He still continued to drink during his solitude, though the work he put himself through saw his health return. 6 months in the mountains gave Roderick the time he needed to light the fire back in his soul and step back from the edge of oblivion. During this time, one of the tasks Mother gave him was to tame one of the Aetos eagles that live in the high peaks. This venture was particularly difficult and saw Roderick fail numerous times. The trial was intended to occupy his mind, teach him patience, learn to read the weather, the art of the hunt, and keep him centred on the moment. It was this challenge that enabled him to pull back from absolute soul crushing depression that would have broken his soul and give him purpose. He achieved his goal of capturing Haast after a week long stalk, and when Roderick return to the Estate Stronghold, Haast followed him in wheeling circles high above. Many would later ask how he managed to tame the eagle, but Roderick's always gave the same puzzling answer, "he saved me".

7. Motivation: Whether motivated by burning ambition, greed, or vengeance, there is always a compelling reason that someone leaves his home world behind and ventures forth into the unknown. What drives you? What pushes you forward through every day?
Ambition is what drives Roderick to get up every morning cycle. He comes from a world full of heros and honour rolls, and it is his desire to be held up high amongst the best. His family is not one of the biggest, or most influential back on Dalmore, but his lineage comes from greatness off planet that many other houses cannot draw from. The MacCoinneachs can trace their lineage back to a Rogue Trader dynasty that founded the sector they occupy, though in recent times there have been whispers that the dynasty has fallen on hard times and out of favour. Regardless of whether these rumours are true or not, they besmirch the honour of his house and he has become driven by the desire to restore the progenitor's name.

8. How you came to walk: What led to the path you now walk? What compelled you to the skillset that now brings you glory?
There is nothing finer than the feeling of connection one has with their steed. The ability to read each others movements and thoughts simply by touch and familiarity, is a connection that is more primal than can be appreciated by those who have never experienced it. The same can be said about a captain and his ship, it is only bigger. Tradition compelled Roderick to become naval captain, duty to the Imperium to see its borders expand, and above all duty to his house to bring honour and prestige back to their estate.

9. The even more specific path: For each career, there are a number of paths they may cross. What organisations or groups have you worked for in the past? (A few examples in the table; though if you think of any I haven't mentioned, do not hesitate to put it in your sheet)
Roderick has recently graduated from the Kintail Naval academy. He is yet to be given a post, but his conduct and experiences have singled him out as one with great potential.

10. Religious leanings: The Imperium is a place of strict religious order. Most are raised from birth to worship the emperor; though some such as the astartes honour him as a great man. How religious are you? Are you part of any specific cults? Are you more puritanical in your worship, or do you hold more peculiar beliefs? Do you see the emperor as a deity of a person of great honour?
Roderick is religious, as in he believes the Emperor is a deity that watches over the Imperium He built, but he is not particularly observant. Each person is free to worship how they see fit, but as soon as they start spouting any of their Emperor-Bothering, tongue speaking, condescending, saviour complexing, nonsense he tunes them out or courteously breaks off the conversation with more important "business".

11. What is your greatest strength and weakness? Strengths are what others see as respectable or admirable in you, while weaknesses are what you would struggle to hide from others, lest they look down upon your failures. What do you regard as his strengths and weaknesses, and how does this differ from your actual abilities?
Roderick's strength is his confidence in command and ship handling. When he's in command, his ship could be burning around him and he would still be sure victory was within reach. Not until every last battery has been spent, every last macro shell fired, and every ounce of shielding sundered would he be know that defeat was imminent. It is this confidence that inspires the men and women around him to hold their stations and do their duty. His weakness is a good bottle of single malt, or two. If he has one in hand and there is a wager to be had, he'll take it. It's never affected his command, but when on R & R he can go on a proper tear at the drop of a hat.

12. How would others describe your appearance?
Dalmore seems to have innately selected a taller disposition for it population over the last 10,000 years. Roderick is of average height for a man from his world at 6'3". He has long blonde hair that falls loosely midway to his shoulders though his hairline has taken a higher path despite his younger years. His eyes are a brilliant emerald green that still seem to glint despite being buried deep in his skull and framed with busy caterpillar eyebrows. He is fair skinned with craggy square features from a childhood spent outside on his mount. His jaw is square with a strong jutting chin, tight thin lips hidden beneath a thick moustache, and sharp hawkish nose. His build is in proportion with his height, though his arms are slightly longer than usual and end in large powerful hands.

13. Who is the person your character trusts the most in the world? We all have friends and allies. How did you meet them? What position do they have in society?
Roderick trusts the matriarch of his family more than anyone. His father is the face and energy behind everything the family does, but his mother is the subtle guiding hand that holds the true power. She is caring, funny, and wickedly intelligent. Her ambition knows no bounds, and it is her ambition to restore the Filianatis dynasty that has influenced Roderick from childhood.

14. What do you think of the political games that infest imperial noble families?
Roderick lives for the politics. His mother brought him into the scheming world of the nobility at a young age, and the political game is like the air he needs in his lungs to survive. Secrets can be far more useful and powerful than bank full of thrones. The process of learning the secrets of his rivals is just as exciting the dirt that he actually uncovers. His mother is the spymaster of the family, able to pluck her web at will and dislodge any manner of secret. Roderick is hungry for knowledge, and any knowledge is useful knowledge at some point.

15. Are you married? Do you have any children, and if so, how many? If from a high class, are you betrothed?
Roderick is not betrothed yet. That is something that he hasn't been concerned with since his career is most important at this stage. A family is something that is in his 100 year plan...

16. Are you more loyal to yourself, your allies, or to the Imperium? Many people are quite selfish, putting their own needs and desires before everyone elses. Some have strong loyalty to their allies, and those who are part of the same organisations as them, or even to the gods they follow. Many are loyal to the “ideal” of the Imperium as a beacon of civilisation that must be kept lit . Only the loyal are trusted, so who have you given this loyalty?
Roderick's loyalties lay with the Imperium, the Navy, and his family. His loyalty is not easily bought, but those that display valour and steadfastness can find him as a strong ally.

17. How would your parents and family describe you? Do you have a proper relationship with your parents or are you estranged? Was your upbringing a source of joy or dismay for your parents? Are they still alive, or were they taken from you at a younger age?
Roderick has a good relationship with his father, though he is consistently absent with family affairs and the running of the estate. His relationship is strongest with his mother whom moulded him in her image and instilled in him her ambition for greater power and prestige for the family.

18. How do interact with your social/hierarchical superiors? How about your inferiors? Cultural expectations vary wildly. Most in the Imperium tend to be deferential to their superiors. Those of power can vary wildly however, with many respecting only the competent and treating the others with disdain. Treatment of inferiors (who can do little to oppose you) varies quite a lot depending on your personality. How do you treat your inferiors & superiors?
The upbringing of a noble born son grooms them for dealing with superiors with respect, guile, or if necessary deference. Rank is just another game of politics that must be played, and luckily Roderick thrives on it. When it comes to inferiors, Roderick can be cold and distant. He isn't openly superior or hostile to the common folk, but he knows he is better than them. Dalmore reinforces this notion with its caste system.

19. Who opposes you most? Who is your greatest foe? As power comes to you, so come those who wish you harm.
House Andraays has been a constant thorn in the side of the MacCoinneach family since the time of settlement upon Dalmore. The two houses have a number of minor houses separating their estates and have gone to war through the millennia. Now that war is rare, the feud still remains strong through other avenues. Assassination, sabotage, and raiding all still on the table however. Many a son has fallen during a match due to sabotaged tack, or "choked" to death during a tourny banquet. Some of the best and brightest have fallen over the years, and Mother had certainly not been innocent in the past either. Some say that House Andraays is jealous of the links to Filianatis that the MacCoinneach's can draw, though they have never openly admitted it. Their current heir apparent, Angus Andraays, is particularly venomous, ever since being bested in the last continent wide tourny. Roderick's team beat Angus' to advance to the semi finals, where they eventually lost. It didn't help that before the match, Angus had wagered a sizeable portion of their estate on the outcome, resulting in a fury from his father that hell hath not seen the likes of. Angus was later cast out in shame and sent to the Kintail Naval academy before graduating and being given a post. Roderick was younger than Angus by a good number of years, but Angus swore revenge for his disgrace and would exact it against Roderick and House MacCoinneach. Roderick has not seen him since however...

20. What does your character think of the power of the warp? Despite the critical need of Navigators & Astropaths to keep the Imperium running, most react to these powers with fear and disdain. Some of the more educated (and possibly heretical) sees it as the only way to keep the Imperium safe. Most simply avoid them, unsure about their ability to properly cope.
Roderick views the warp as vital to the Imperium's runnings. It is something that can deliver vast wealth and glory to those that are brave enough to embrace it. Navigators and Astropaths are important tools to ply the warp and serve the Imperium. Their mutations a necessary. While others treat them with disdain, Roderick views them integral to his effectiveness as a captain.

21. What does your character think of xenos? As one who goes beyond the borders of the Imperium, you will be faced with xenos. A great many believe that death is the only just fate for the alien. Others wish to steal their secrets & power, practising the cold trade. Some believe an equilibrium can be reached, avoiding conflict with those willing to do so, and crushing those who are a clear and present danger.
Xenos deserve to be mined for their technology and secrets. Roderick doesn't see the need for outright hatred of the alien, as they are a great resource for the Imperium. However, they are not to be trusted....

22. What does your character think of heretics? Heretics have haunted the Imperium since the fall of Horus. Some say they may yet be redeemed; but most believe that cleansing fire is too good for them.
Heretics should be prosecuted with the utmost prejudice. Those that turn their back on their fellow man deserve to be extinguished. Those that operate outside the bounds of the Imperium, rather than wanting to see it fall are a different story, but they still deserve to be extorted like the xenos in most circumstances.

23. How does your character react to archeotech? In the halo zone, far from the chaos of the eye of terror, many of humanity’s greatest technological works lie. Some of those are so far beyond mortal knowledge that they seem like magic. When faced with such wonders, what guides you: fear, fascination… or something darker?
Roderick feels that archeotech should be captured and used for the benefit of his house. If there is a way for him to obtain something that can help the MacCoinneach family assert their dominance, Roderick would be happy to obtain it.

24. Do you believe the patriarch and his belief in a curse? While Parvus is convinced that the family is cursed, it is easy to understand how some may believe him mad. Yet doom has consistently followed the Filianatis dynasty for the last two centuries. Do you believe it mere coincidence? Conspiracy? Or is something greater haunting the bloodline?
Roderick does not believe in curses. Though they have heard the whispers of calamity that has plagued their relatives in the rest of the sector, he doesn't believe that it is real. The misfortunes that have befallen his own house can be boiled down to the simple fact of inter-house politics. Death always follows those that are destined for greatness. It goes with the territory.

25. A train races down a track, with a fork coming up. On one side, a Xenos; on the other, a Heretic. In front of you lies a lever that will direct the train to one or the other, and you are too distant to alter the situation to kill both. Which do you kill?
Direct the train to the xenos. Heretics deserve righteous retribution for their hubris at the hands of the Imperium.

20 more questions that can expand your character. These are optional, but they can help in expanding your character.

26. The light of civilization: what does your character think of the imperium’s policies? The imperium has a long history of civilizing primitive tribes, and seeing it as their responsibility to bring law to all humanity. Do you think this is good? Are you a person who supports this goal? Opposes it? Are you a zealot supporting the emperor’s power?

27. Do you have any prejudices? Everyone has some prejudices. Scholars look down on the ignorant, the rich look down on the poor, the righteous looks down on the heretic, and the hardworking humble folk look down on the lazy wealthy. What prejudices have you inherited from your background? What prejudices have come from your life experience?

28. Do you have any recurring mannerisms? Many have odd tics, strange habits and preferences. Some only eat plants, some wear almost no clothing, some run everywhere. What are your habits?

29. Who has taught you or tutored you? Do you have a mentor or teacher?

30. How does your character consider the power of the warp? Despite the critical need of Navigators & Astropaths to keep the imperium running, most react to these powers with fear and disdain. Some of the more educated (and possibly heretical) sees it as the only way to keep the imperium safe.

31. How educated are you? Few people are highly educated in the imperium. But due to your power, you may have had the chance. Have you sought to learn? Is your learning more intuitive and experience-based, or have you learned from the past experience of others?

32. What is your character’s secret, and what will happen if it is discovered?

33. What does your character do to relax?

34. If you were given a single throne, how would they spend it?

35. What are the names of your parents and siblings, and what do they do?

36. What is your most sacred possession?

37. Who is your characters closest friend?

38. What does your character love, fear, hate?

39. Who is your character’s ideal mate?

40. What advice would you give your character?

41. Who would be your ultimate enemy?

42. How do you feel about plants & nature?

43. What is your most treasured possession?

44. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

45. What would you do to kill time?