Class
Arvus-Class Transport (Heavily Customized)
Owner
Karvos Eldrain, Guildmaster of the Sanctus Mercantile Consortium
Background
The Auric Iter is a heavily customized Arvus-class transport vessel transformed to reflect the extravagant tastes of Guildmaster Karvos Eldrain. Once a utilitarian cargo ship, it has been extensively modified to serve as a display of Karvos’s ostentatious wealth and authority. However, its design prioritizes opulence over practicality, making it a reflection of the instability plaguing Karvos’s leadership and the Sanctus Mercantile Consortium itself.
Commissioned to transport Karvos, his entourage, and valuable cargo to the Great Games of Nothus, the Auric Iter is both a functional starship and a traveling monument to Karvos’s precarious grandeur. Despite its luxurious appearance, the ship’s impractical modifications expose its underlying inefficiencies, mirroring the struggles of its master’s ambitions.
Description
- External Design: The Auric Iter retains the classic silhouette of an Arvus-class transport, enhanced with metallic accents and intricate detailing that catch the faint light of distant stars. Prominent guild insignias dominate the hull, loudly proclaiming Karvos’s presence and status.
- Interior Features: The ship’s interior has been reimagined for luxury and spectacle.
- Cargo Holds: Converted into lavish lounges adorned with rare textiles, ornate furnishings, and polished surfaces.
- Meeting Rooms: Equipped with luxurious seating and gilded décor, the spaces are designed to impress visiting dignitaries and potential allies.
- Crew Quarters: The functionality of the crew’s living spaces has been sacrificed for Karvos’s personal indulgences, further straining morale.
These changes reduce the vessel’s cargo capacity and increase maintenance requirements, placing additional stress on its crew.
Command and Crew
Captain Elias Veyron
- Background: A former officer from an independent trading fleet, Captain Veyron was recruited for his expertise in managing high-profile clients and maintaining order aboard complex missions. His disciplined approach provides much-needed stability to the Auric Iter.
- Personality: Calm and professional, Veyron carefully balances Karvos’s extravagant demands with the ship’s operational needs. While he avoids entangling himself in the guildmaster’s antics, his steady leadership ensures that the vessel remains functional.
Astropath Gaius Lorne
- Background: A sanctioned psyker with decades of Warp navigation experience, Lorne relies on the unreliable star charts provided by Karvos to navigate the treacherous routes to Nothus.
- Personality: Quiet and detached, Lorne focuses solely on his duties, avoiding the personal and political drama surrounding the ship’s mission. His reliance on questionable navigational data adds tension to an already challenging journey.
Crew Dynamics:
The Auric Iter employs a mix of seasoned spacers and guild-affiliated personnel. Many grow increasingly frustrated with the ship’s impractical modifications and Karvos’s erratic leadership, leading to rising dissatisfaction among the ranks.
Key Features of the Auric Iter
- Repurposed Cargo Holds: Converted into lavish lounges and entertainment spaces for Karvos and his entourage.
- Decorative Modifications: Aesthetic embellishments that increase maintenance requirements and compromise functionality.
- Reliable Leadership: Captain Veyron’s steady hand mitigates many of the ship’s operational flaws.
- Astropathic Navigation: Gaius Lorne struggles to compensate for the unreliable star charts obtained by Karvos, adding risk to the voyage.
- Crew Challenges: Morale suffers due to the impractical design and heavy-handed leadership of the guildmaster.
Ignis Aeternus WH 40K campaign notes 