Erastus Lamertine
Erastus Lamertine is a Rogue Trader and the current heir of the prideful House Lamertine.[1]
History
Eras began his career as the overlooked son of Davos Lamertine, the "Void King" of the Rogue Trader alliance dubbed the Davamir Compact. Living under constant scrutiny, Davos initially seems poise to name Erastus' sister Evelyne Lamertine heir until she disappears and is presumed dead.[1a] However Erastus' fortunes changed when House Lamertine received orders from Roboute Guilliman to join the Indomitus Crusade. As father and son begin to argue over what comes next, Davos is murdered in his own sanctum and Erastus assumes command.[1b]
Summoning Lamertines allies such as Katla Helvintr, Gunther Radrexxus, Absalom Norastye, and Delvetar Astraneus, Erastus' right to rule is immediately challenged by his fathers former vassals, with Delvetar challenging him as head of the Compact. However thanks to the support of Helvintr and Radrexxus Erastus prevails in the power struggle and banishes Astraneus from his court.[1c]
The Compact fleet next embarked towards Endymica and Erastus has to battle constant intrigue and threats to his rule, particularly from the Norastye fleet which leaves them stranded after a rough warp transit.[1d] Erastus, Gunther, and Katla decide to raid Noatuin Station to acquire new ships and resources. During the battle, Astrid Helvintr, Katla's daughter, is captured and Erastus insists on launching a rescue operation.[1e] The group is successful in rescuing Astrid from the cruel station master Nikolai Vaskin and escaping via a teleportation device to new ships.[1f]
As they continue towards Endymica, Erastus learns of garbled messages left behind by his father indicating that his sister Evelyne may live and is in a Lamertine hold in Imperium Nihilus.[1f] Upon arriving Endymica the fleet discovers that the Norastye armada had arrived first, but was wiped out by Genestealer Cult elements. Gunther Radrexxus is amongst those corrupted by the Xenos, who have taken hold of Endymica in the name of a Genestealer Patriarch dubbed "Voidfather".[1g]
In the subsequent battle against the Radrexxus Cultists, it is revealed that Gunther had his servant Maximillian murder Davos, causing Erastus to kill him.[1h] However the Rogue Traders seem poised to be overrun by the Cultists until the Astraneus fleet arrives. While Katla is wounded and thought killed, Erastus is able to rally the remaining forces and uses Endymica's gravity as a slingshot to escape into the Great Rift.[1i]
Inside the Rift, Astrid comes to lead the remaining Helvintr forces and both she and Erastus pledge to enact vengeance against Radrexxus one day.[1k]
