I wanted to post to this, but I've already badly goofed another post I wanted to do, so won't try to go line by line for the moment.<br/><br/>I will ask: do Rogue Traders have to have wives if they don't even have houses?  I imagine he's got a string of lovers and illegitimate kids out there.  Eventually one of his kids might get old enough and make him proud to take over.<br/><br/>If that's what happened with Tristan, then surviving a Warp Incursion might well be the thing that proved himself to his own father...and his father might not have survived the experience.<br/><br/>If you've ever read the Sword of Truth series, that's how one particular group manages to get a leader, and I'm kinda imagining things in that regard but don't want to give spoilers for those who haven't read it.<br/><br/>This sound at all reasonable or feasible?  Presumably the Heir gets selected in that way usually.<br/><br/>As far as Inquisitors, we'll just have to demonstrate to them that so much is for show, and that we want to make sure that the unwashed masses don't get it in their heads to move away from Imperially-sanctioned areas.  Frightening them with open displays of Xenos stuff is a great way to do that.<br/><br/>Granted that part of the real reason is appearances and showing that he's just so much better than others, keeping up that facade.  A little bit of it might also be that he's already got Corruption 10 and Insanity 10 and just doesn't care.