House Patroneus

A powerful and ancient Imperial noble household, and only very recently granted a Warrant of Trade. They are bitter rivals of the Orthesian Dynasty, having competed with them for officer commissions in the Imperial Navy since the Onus Region was recolonised. They have a matriarchal tradition, with the oldest female child inheriting the warrant upon the death of her mother.

They command much of the Imperial Navy merchant fleet in the Onus Region, and have close ties with most merchant guilds as a result. They produce excellent seneschals and rear admirals and their officers excel at fleet logistics and administration. They have always competed with the Orthesian Dynasty - Orthesian officers are more martial and commanding, but House Patroneus officers have always been more cost-effective.

House Patroneus owns substantial interests in various merchant houses and chartist captain ships in the Onus Region but these investments are largely financial - they control very few physical assets. Rather than keeping a multitude of bases and installations, House Patroneus maintain a web of contacts and agents across the more ‘civilised’ portions of the Nomad Stars. Lord-Captain Aoife Patroneus prefers to maintain friends and loose allies - it is difficult to find a colony or installation doesn’t owe the dynasty ‘a small favour’.

Head of Household[]

It is no secret that Lord-Captain Aoife Patroneus avoided an arranged marriage by her mother and instead had a child later in life - her daughter and heir Igraine. If anyone in the dynasty knows the identity of the father, they remain silent. Rumours abound - a low-decks conduit-tender, a tragic romance with a Navy Fury squadron commander, or even a secretive marriage with a full-fledged Inquisitor. This last option is what worries the enemies of House Patroneus - such an alliance would be powerful and dangerous.

She earns the loyalty of her crew through charismatic leadership and a genuine concern for her subordinates. In turn, they respond with a dedication to their Rogue Trader that borders on devotion. She also keeps a close cadre of advisors and allies aboard her ship, some of which have been by her side her entire life.

Flagship[]

The Banshee, Lunar-class cruiser. It has been retrofitted to be entirely self-sufficient in the voids.

Personal retinue[]

Lord-Militant Assamar Hyde, Arch-Militant to House Patroneus[]

Born to a group of hunters on the death world of Gallionic, Hyde had a violent and dangerous upbringing. He and his clan were picked up in a sweep by House Beefington, but by the time the shuttle had reached orbit Hyde was the only one left alive.

After a career as a tracker for House Beefington, Lord-Militant Hyde left his new family to be part of the prestigious Hastati Marines under Blackbriar Corps. He used his contacts with House Beefington to maintain a steady supply of chem-fuelled thugs for the Hastati’s hardest or most suicidal contracts.

His own penchant for hunting and violence was noted by a powerful client, Lord-Captain Aoife Patroneus, who did not initially approve of his callous combat tactics. After a particularly perilous mission deep into the Quiet Dark, she realised his command stick was the perfect counterpoint to her carrot, and his natural tendencies to protect his superiors saved her skin on more than one occasion.

She paid the Hastati Marines a handsome sum for him to be turned over to him, and he has served with House Patroneus ever since, utilising his ruthless tracking skills to hunt down and exterminate any threats to the Dynasty.

Battery Lord Kimbal, Master of Ordnance[]

Although he has the highest honourific of Master of Ordnance, Kimbal prefers to be referred to as Battery Lord in recognition of his service in the lower strata of the ship.

Other figures of note[]

Pater Stavos, Chief Seneschal, who possesses one of the finest minds in the sector. He is somehow capable of monitoring the myriad shifts in stocks and profits of the whole Dynasty and send fractional changes to redress the balance in a split second, wherever they are in space.

Her Enginseer Prime, Magos Verona 112358 and Master-at-arms Paxton Reese have been by her side since before her mother’s death.

Base of operations[]

All the House Patroneus permanent assets are on board the Banshee, as Aoife does not like to maintain too much permanence in the Nomad Stars. It makes her business interests harder to attack and allows more flexibility with the endeavours she undergoes.

Military forces[]

They command much of the Imperial Navy merchant fleet in the Onus Region, and maintain a sizeable force of mercenaries on board the Banshee. Unlike most vessels in the voids however, every man, woman and child on the flagship are combat trained and would defend their home to the death.

Unusually, the House does not have a standing fleet. All the House's permanent military assets are on board The Banshee.

Business interests[]

Glailwroth Few mercenary-0 — Glailwroth mercenaries

In Imperial space, House Patroneus produces excellent seneschals and Navy logistics officers - putting them in direct competition with the Orthesian Dynasty. In the Nomads, Aoife has built her fortunes on the twin pillars of smuggling and exploration, selling valuable locations so that she may continue exploring unhindered by long-term operations.

Allies and affiliates[]

The Van Arkiel Dynasty profit from the protection of Patroneus’ ships in Imperial space, and their shared hatred of Eldar has resulted in more than one joint expedition against Eldar interests.
Aoife Patroneus has a deep respect for Lady Sun Lee Chosokabe, both for her adventurous spirit and her closely-followed code of honour.

House Patroneus maintain a web of contacts and agents across the more ‘civilised’ portions of the Nomad Stars - it is difficult to find a colony or installation doesn’t owe the dynasty ‘a small favour’.

Enemies and rivals[]

The Orthesian Dynasty produces Navy officers that are more martial and commanding, but House Patroneus officers, with their extensive understanding of logistics and administration, are always seen as more cost-effective by the Navy.
The Bastille Dynasty are shunned by the Navy for what was considered a highly suspect inheritance of their Warrant of Trade, and despite their exile to the Nomads and chagrin from the Imperial Navy, the Dynasty appears to be flourishing.
The Scourge Dominion’s blunt and abrasive tactics cause them to be the most overt rival, with both sides looking to sabotage the other’s interests with an intensity equal to true war.