Micheal Argonaut

Micheal Argonaut was going to spend his life as a low-level Administratum Clerk before his family's ancient Warrant of Trade was handed down to him to his deceased uncle. Unfortunately, his uncle was a drunkard, and their family's influence and resources had faded to a single ship. Refusing to give up on a life of adventure, Micheal gathered a motley crew of outcasts, criminals and xenos, and set out to make the stars his own.

Throughout his life as a Rogue Trader, Micheal was constantly drawn into conflict and dark plots. Sometimes it was his own fault, such as the fulfilment of his life-long dream to visit Commorragh, while other times fate used him as a pawn, such as his part in the Rogue Founding. Somehow Micheal managed to survive all of this, usually due to others saving him, but he has had genuine moments of heroism.

Scion of House Argonaut
Micheal's family is one of the oldest Rogue Trader families in existence. Their Warrant of Trade is said to have been given to them, and signed, by a Primarch, although which is lost. At their height, House Argonaut had fleets of vessels exploring the outer reaches of the galaxy, while even more ships traded all manner of items. In his youth, Micheal listened to his Grandfather give tales of distant worlds, strange xeno races, battles won and lost, all in the name of profit. Micheal was most enamoured with tales of the hidden city, Commorragh. His Grandfather most likely watered down these parts of his story, as what happens in the city of the Dark Eldar is not fit for an infant. Still, Micheal dreamed of going there, and of running his own galaxy wide empire.

In truth, House Argonaut had long lost their prestige. Changing fortunes and bad decisions cost them much, and by the time of Micheal's Grandfather only three ships remained under their command. When his Grandfather died, the Warrant of Trade passed to his oldest son, David Argonaut. Micheal's father, Johnson Argonaut, refused to work with his brother, and took his wife and son to the Hive World of Colchis to find work as a Administratum Adept. While Micheal was growing up, David spent all what remained of the family fortune, lost all but a single ship, and became a drunkard.

New Start
When he was twenty three, and still a low level Clerk, Micheal received the news that his uncle had passed away - and that he left the House Argonaut Warrant of Trade to Micheal. According to the message, Micheal had to travel to Port Orphic to receive his full inheritance. Micheal's first action was to set fire to his former boss, pointing out that as a Rogue Trader, he could act outside the laws of the Imperium. He then took all his life savings and bought a ticket to Port Orphic, expecting a mighty vessel and lavish wealth. Instead he found a single Viper-class Scout Sloop named the Argo, not a throne in the bank, and a Lawyer demanding debts to the various Adeptus Terra be paid.

On board the Argo was not much better. Micheal was almost immediately beset by Ratlings, who took him to their Matriarch. She explained her family, the Cabiri, had a long standing arrangement with House Argonaut; in return for secret shelter from certain individuals that wanted them dead, the Ratlings crewed the ship. If Micheal ended this deal, he would be without a crew. Reluctantly Micheal agreed, and was then introduced to other members of the crew; Aethalides, the ship's Astropath; Neleus, the ship's Navigator; and Roger, the half-mad accountant that ran House Argonaut's finances.

In despair, having given up his job and life, and his belief in his family's power shattered, Micheal wandered the ship in misery. However while investigating a locked room, he found his family's original Warrant of Trade and a letter, dated at the time of the Great Crusade. The letter was from Micheal's ancestor, the first in his line to be Rogue Trader. It recounted how, with a single ship, the same ship Micheal was aboard, he had built up his power, wealth and influence from almost nothing. Speaking to any descendant that found the letter in times of need, the long dead man reminded them that even during the darkest hour, humanity could rise. How from nothing could come everything, how one man with a will could change the galaxy. He told his descendant not to worry, not to mourn what had been lost; as long as they had a single ship, they could take the stars for themselves.

Re-energised, and having found new robes to wear, Micheal returned to the ships bridge, and summoned together his crew. He swore to them he would rebuild what had been lost by his family, and become the greatest Rogue Trader ever seen in the galaxy.

First Voyage
Searching Port Orphic for work, Micheal found a contact job delivering factorium parts to the Forge World of Luig, which was relatively nearby. Accepting the contract, Micheal had the parts moved into his cargo-hold before departing the Port, and making ready to warp jump to Luig. He was warned by one of the Cabiri that the Argo's Warp-Drive had a chance to malfunction, but Micheal went ahead and ordered the jump anyway. His first warp-jump was over quickly, but he was still sick all over the bridge. More bad news followed; the Warp-Drive had failed fully, and a Tech Adept would be necessary to bring it back online. Thankfully however, they were above a Forge World

Luig had been attacked by Dark Eldar Raiders, and it taken a company of Iron Hands to help push them off-planet. After delivering the parts, Micheal set up an impromptu stand at the capital's port. He brought Aethalides with him, assuming the psyker could detect any warp trickery, although the Navigator was more interested in buying glass figures that the Forge World was famous for.

The first few applicants were under the impression that Micheal had a higher standing, and a better ship, and left in huffs. Others were not actually Tech-Priests. An Ogryn attempted to trick his way to the post, badly. Aethalides had to subtly warn his master against a slightly crazy looking tech-priest, who's psykic aura felt "wrong." Then there was the disguised Dark Eldar. Micheal was conceived against giving him passage off the planet, but still wished him the best of luck before he wandered off. Hours later, as dusk fell and Aethalides was pressuring release, Micheal was preparing to give up. Then a Space Marine approached them.

The Astartes identified himself as Cor Infirma, Tactical Marine of the Iron Hands 5th Clan Company. During the earlier battle between the clan and the Dark Eldar Raiders, Cor had disgraced himself by using and modifying a xenos weapon. For this grave affront to humanity's technology, his Iron Captain had forced him to go on a Penance Crusade, leaving him on the Forge World while the rest of the company left. Cor had heard of the Rogue Trader's search for a crew, and saw it as an opportunity to both get of the planet and to begin his Crusade.

Micheal was elated at hiring a Space Marine; few of his ancestors had managed to do so, and never for very long. Returning to the ship, He introduced Cor to the crew then showed him to the engine room. Or tried to, as he got lost trying to find it and had to ask a Cabiri to guide him and a slightly worried Cor.

Personality
Optimistic does not fully define Micheal's view of the world; he sees the best in nearly everyone, always believes a situation will turn out for the best, and that nothing bad will ever happen to him. Needless to say this has put him in danger numerous times, and it is only with quick thinking and luck that he escapes. That said, he is skilled mentally, having worked in the Administratum for eighteen years. Having read a lot during his childhood, he is surprisingly knowledgeable, although the facts are often skewed by his childish perception.

Micheal's end goal is to return his family to the status it once held; but he not willing to ruthless in his pursuit of this. He often goes out of his way to help others, even when reward is unlikely. He will still engage in almost any non-scrupulous activity to make money however; trading, exploration, flying passengers, moving livestock, acting as a pirate decoy, etc etc. Again, due to his optimistic view point, he often does not know what he is actually getting into when he takes up a job.

Despite his demeanour, there are people whom Micheal dislikes, although he would never say he hates them. As a former Administratum Clerk, he learned to severely "dislike" his bureaucratic bosses, the Spire-Borns who were endlessly causing him trouble, and anyone who wasted his time. Surprisingly he is fine working alongside those that would cause a average Imperial citizen distress; for some reason Micheal is not affected by the aura of discomfort that surrounds psykers and blanks, and accepts abhumans for what they are. He is also more trusting of xenos, knowing that his forebears worked with them with minimal problem. He does, however, hold a phobia of anything overtly fluffy, and can't be in a unfamiliar woman's presence for long without stuttering and blushing.

Appearance
Micheal is of medium height and build, with short brown hair and green eyes. His face would be inconspicuous any almost any Hive World in the galaxy, and is only remarkable in it's smoothness. Due to a life living in a sun-less city, Micheal had very pale skin, but as he travels his skin tone has begun to darken.

Before becoming a Rogue Trader Micheal mostly wore his grey adept robes, and developed a fondness of them. Currently he uses them as his "causal robes." Taking inspiration from his ancestors, when conducting business Micheal wears a thread-bare greatcoat that once belonged to his grandfather, an ancient (and dented) breastplate with his family's coat of arms, standard issue Imperial Guardsman trousers and boots. He also has a wide collection of hats to chose from, but he rarely wears them.

Abilities
Having been a scribe for most of his life, Micheal has little experience with anything more dangerous than a auto-blotter. What he lacks in skill he has in enthusiasm; able to fire a whole clip of bolter ammo and miss his target, and yet still cause more damage than he would have done if he had hit.

Warrant of Trade
Micheal actually has two Warrant of Trades. The first is the ancient Warrant given to them at the height of the Great Crusade, supposedly signed by a Primarch. The Warrant is so old it is kept inside a stasis field on-board the Agro. In its place Micheal has a copy that bares all the relevant information needed.

Cabiri
A Ratling family that has worked for House Argonaut for centuries, acting as the crew of the ''Argo. ''Unknown parties seek their destruction and there for their presence on the ship is hidden. Currently the family is lead by a Matriarch, who has her den deep within the ship. The Cabiri have extensive knowledge of the Argo's systems and routes, and often use the ventilation system to move about unseen. The family also breeds an strange xenos race that they use for food, resources such as leather, and occasionally as mounts.

Aethalides & Neleus
The Argo's Astropath and Navigator respectively, these two psykers have served together for a long time. Aethalides keeps a collection of glass figurines of the Emperor, which he safeguards carefully. Neleus was born to a Navigator of low renown, explaining her presence on such a low-level ship. Both have affections for the other.

Roger
Roger is mad. Simply mad. Locked inside a room on the Argo, he manages what remains of the finances of House Argonaught. His work is impeccable, especially for a mad man.

Allies
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Enemies
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