I just started my own RT campaign because our former DH gm switched to our saturday rpg group. Thus I took the vacant place and opted for a try to do some Rogue Tradering which seems to be developing quite well. At the moment I'm adapting the 6th comic book of the Yoko Tsuno line from Roger Leloup which gives my players the room the grow into their chars without the danger of beeing wiped out by mean Xenos on the third play round

Well, to infuse some fluff I searched around the web for a Warrant of Trade to actually show them. I stumbled over a post in forum.rpg.net by a "cappadocious" who had taken a company charter from the Dutch West India company and transformed it into a Warrant of Trade. Quite a nice idea, since I was searching for a charter from the better known East India company. Well, I read his example and found it wanting. There was still some space to infuse more awe and God-Emperor into it, to lengthen it up and to improve it. I printed it out then and gave it to our captain, which was quite reluctant to read it that evening, being more than 7 A4 papers glued together into a lengthy paper roll.

I'm going to post my full version of it here, perhaps anyone would like to use some excerpts for his own Warrant. I beg for pardon in regard to any grammatic or orthographic mishaps, I'm not a native speaker

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0499621.M38

The Terran High Lords and the Senatorum Imperialis of the Imperium of Mankind, to all who shall be allowed to see these writings, or hear them read, or be told of their contents and meanings in ways they are able to comprehend, Greetings.

Be it known,
that we understand that the prosperity of the Systems of the Segmentum Obscurus and the welfare and safety of their inhabitants and tithes depend principally on reliable navigation and substantial trade, which in all former times by the said systems were carried on fortunate and with a great blessing to all worlds and sectors under the benign and benevolent watch of our gracious God-Emperor.

Be it known,
that we desire that the aforesaid systems and inhabitants should not only be preserved in their actual state of subsistence and quantity, but also that their well-being and protection from the enemies and dangers within, without or beyond the domains of Mankind, shall be increased as much as possible in special conformity to the agreements, treaties, contracts, pacts, alliances, leagues and covenants made with all concerned worlds, Adepta and people - which we give them to understand must be in all parts punctually kept and adhered to, under the punishment of death or worse by all authorities credited with the vigilant vanguard and safe-keeping of the Imperium of Mankind.

And we find by experience, that without the common help, assistance, and interposition of Imperial Men and Women, the people designated for the tasks of navigation, traffic and trade cannot be profitably protected and maintained in their great risque from pirates, extortion and otherwise, which will happen in so very long a voyage.

We have, therefore, and for several other important reasons and considerations for finding resolution as not mentioned here, with mature deliberation of counsel and guidance from our advisers many, and for highly necessary causes, found it good, that all exploration, defense and Holy War against all that stands against the united strength of our Imperium of Mankind, all navigation, trade, and commerce, and not excluding but rather encouraging all other steps deemed vital and necessary to the preservation of the structure and magnitude of the Imperium of Mankind as it stands to date, especially in the rimward parts of the Systems of the Segmentum Obscurus, the so-called Fringe worlds and all that lies beyond the borders of our beloved God-Emperors holy domain of reign, including the newly found accessible expanse of Koronus and the Halo Stars, and other places hereafter described, should not henceforth be carried on any otherwise than by the common united strength of the Rogue Traders and loyal Imperial Men and Women; and for that end there shall be elected diverse Rogue Traders, and in especial, the Line of

<ENTER NAME OF ROGUE TRADER CAPTAINS LINEAGE HERE>

which we, out of special regard to the common well-being, and to keep and preserve the inhabitants of aforementioned places in loyality and orthodoxy, will maintain and strengthen with our Help, Favour and assistance as far as the present state and conditions of this Warrant will be accredited.

With these lines, signed by our name and blood, we furnish them with a proper Warrant of Trade as laid down in archetype on paper, stone and adamantium by the God-Emperor himself, including the following Priveleges and Exemptions, to wit:

I: That until the male blood of the Belaris from Scintilla shall perish from the stars, no inhabitant of the Imperium of mankind shall be permitted to sail to or from, and beyond the realms of Mankind and the Segmentum Obscuris; nor to traffic in the systems and worlds within the expanse of Koronus from the Rifts of Hecaton to the warp storms known as The Cauldron; nor to traffic within the worlds of the Halo; nor to traffic to the Heathen Stars, beginning at the one hundred and fourth world of Callixis, by the straights of Benetek and Nostromo, or any other straights and passages situated thereabouts to the straights of Anaian, both to spinwards as well as trailing, or to any worlds situated on the one side or the other, or between both; nor in the rimward or trailing lying sectors, and between both the meridians, from the God-Emperor's Scourge, from spinwards to trailing, to the Galactic Rim, inclusiv, but in the Name of a Rogue Trader of theImperium of Mankind, blessed by our God-Emperor to explore and rediscover what once was lost to our realms during the Age of Strife.

II: And whoever shall presume without the consent of these Peers, to sail or to traffic in any of the Places within the aforesaid Limits granted to said Trader or others of his kin, but outside the realms of Mankind, he shall forfeit the ships and the goods which shall be found for sale upon the aforesaid worlds and stations of the Imperium; the which being actually seized by the aforesaid Trader and bloodline, shall be by them kept for their own Benefit and Behoof. And in case such ships or goods shall be sold either in other systems or havens they may touch at, the owners and partners must be fined for the value of those ships and goods: Except only, that they who before the date of this charter, shall have sailed or been sent out of these or any other worlds, to any of the aforesaid regions, shall be able to continue their trade for the sale of their goods, and cosine back again, or otherwise, until the expiration of this charter, if they have had any before, and not longer: Provided, that after, 499621.M38 the day and time of this charters commencing, no person shall be able to send any ships or goods to the places comprehended in this charter, although that before the date hereof, this Trader was not finally incorporated: But shall provide therein as is becoming, against those who knowingly by fraud endeavour to frustrate our intention herein for the public good: Provided that the ore trade at Iniquity may be continued according to the conditions and instructions by us already given, or that may be given respecting it, any thing in this charter to the contrary notwithstanding.

III: That, moreover, the aforesaid Trader may, in our name and authority, within the limits herein before prescribed, make contracts, engagements and alliances with the limits herein before prescribed; make contracts, engagements and alliances with the princes and natives of the worlds comprehended therein, and also build any forts and fortifications there, to appoint and discharge Governors, people for war, and officers of justice, and other public officers, for the preservation of the places, keeping good order, police and justice, and in like manner for the promoting of trade and orthodoxy; and again, others in their place to put, as they from the situation of their affairs shall see fit: Moreover, they must advance the peopling of those fruitful and unsettled parts, and do all that the service of those worlds, and the profit and increase of trade and orthodoxy shall require: and the Trader shall successively communicate and transmit to us such contracts and alliances as they shall have made with the aforesaid princes and worlds; and likewise the situation of the fortresses, fortifications, and settlements by them taken.

V: And if the aforesaid Traders Lineage in and of the aforesaid places shall be cheated under the appearance of friendship, or badly treated, or shall suffer loss in trusting their money or Goods, without having restitution, or receiving payment for them, they may use the best methods in their power, according to the situation of their affairs, to obtain satisfaction.

VI: And if it should be necessary for the establishment, security and defence of this trade, to take any troops with them, we will, according to the dicatates of the Ministorum of the Imperium, and the situation of affairs furnish the said Trader with such troops, provided they be paid and supported by the Trader.

VII: Which troops, besides the oath already taken to us and to His Imperial Majesty, the Holy God-Emperor of Terra, shall swear to obey the commands of the said Trader, and to endeavor to promote their interest to the utmost of their ability.

VIII: That the factors and agents of the Trader may lead any of the military, that have inlisted in the service of the aforesaid Trader, and may discipline them aboard any of the Traders ships above whatever world, station, or jurisdiction they may be stationed; provided, the factors and agents first inform the highest available militaery officers and the Trader himself about the measures.

IX: That we will not take any ships, ordnance, or ammunition belonging to the Trader, for the use of this Imperium, without Need.

X: We have moreover invested this Trader, and favoured them with privileges, and we give them a charter besides this, that they may pass freely with all their ships and goods beyond the reach of these Lords; and that they themselves may use their liberty in the same manner as the Great Lords of this Imperium enjoy their freedom, when beyond the pacified borders of this Realm.

XI: That all the goods of the Trader and his line during the eighty hundred next ensuing years, those carried out of the realm of Mankind the parts of the Koronus and Halo, and other places comprehended within the aforesaid limits, and those which they shall bring under our God-Emperors ever-vigilant watch, shall be free from local planetary taxes and thus only be taxed as deemed acceptable by representatives from the involved Adepta; and provided, that if at the expiration of the aforesaid eighty hundred years, the state and situation of our worlds will not admit of this Freedom's continuing for a longer time, the said goods, and the merchandises coming from the places mentioned in this Warrant, and exported again out to these worlds, and all established trade routes and licenses, shall not be rated higher by us than they have formerly been rated, unless we should be again engaged in war and crusade, in which case, all the aforesaid goods and merchandises will not be rated higher by us than they were in the last list in time of war.

XII: And that the Traders Lineage may be strengthened by good leadership, to the greatest profit and satisfaction of all concerned, we have ordained, that the said Traders Lineage shall be audited every fifty years, Terran, by the Adeptus Administratum, with all records and returns opened to their perusal, as requested to make a good and complete accounting.

XIII: That the accounts of all interiors and exteriors of all vessels used by the Trader for his travels, explorations, trade and war, with their dependencies, shall be made up not more than three years after the departure of the vessels, and one year after, copies shall be sent to to us, and to the respected Adeptus Administratum: and the state of the returns, and their sales, shall be given freely the Adeptus Adminustratum as often as we see good, or they are required thereto by the Adeptus Adminustratum, and send to us.

XIV: That every sixty years the Trader shall make a general account of all outfits and returns, together with all the gains and losses of the trading; to wit, one of his business, and one of the war, each separate; which accounts shall be kept secret from the wider throng of Humanity, but open to those appointed by this Body; and if by the expiration of the sixty and one year, the accounts are not kept in manner aforesaid, the Trader shall forfeit his commissions, which shall be appropriated to any use seen fit by this Body, and they themselves be held to render their account as before, till such time and under such penalty as shall be fixed by us respecting offenders. And notwithstanding there shall be a dividend made of the profits of the business, so long as we find that term per Cent shall have been gained.

XV: The ships returning from a voyage shall come to the place they sailed from as those from Port Wander, or those from Footfall, with the city and station, or those from Scintilla or Malfi, in Calixis; and if by stress of the Immaterium the vessels which sailed out from one port shall arrive in another, the ports local authorities shall nevertheless have the direction and management of the vessels goods it brought from aforesaid places outside the Imperium, and shall direct or send a transport with the goods to the places from whence the vessels sailed, either in the same or other vessels.

XVI: And if any of the Sector Governors think fit to appoint an agent to collect the tithes from the inhabitants of worlds brought into our embrace by said Trader, the Trader shall be obliged to give such agent access, that he may obtain information of the state of the disbursements and receipts, and of the debt.

XVII: Those in vassalage to the Trader shall not deliver or sell, in whole or in part, any of the Traders own ships, merchandise or goods; nor buy or cause to be bought, of the said Trader, directly or indirectly, any goods or merchandize nor have any portion or part therein on forfeiture of one year's commissions for the use of these Lords, and the loss of office and life, unless they are authorized by the Trader to perform these actions in his name and can sufficiently prove their privilege to any representative of the Administratum or any other Adepta involved in the trade.

XVIII: The Trader shall give notice by advertisement, as often as they have a fresh importation of goods and merchandize, to the end that every one may have seasonable knowledge of it, before they proceed to a final sale, notwithstanding when the representatives of these High Lords, or the Holy Inquisition, shall deny this advertisement.

XIX: The governors of the respective worlds claimed by this Trader shall be responsible for their respective tithes as the Trader shall be responsible for the governors he elected for the aforementioned worlds.

XX: And when any ship in service to this Trader shall return from a voyage, the generals or commanders of the fleets, shall be obliged to come and report to us, via Astropathic transmission, the success of the voyage of such ship or ships, within ten days after their arrival, and shall deliver and leave with the Administratum a report in writing, if the case requires it.

XXI: And if it happens (which we by all means expect) that any person will, in any manner, hurt or hinder the navigation, business, trade, or traffic of this Trader, contrary to the contents of the aforesaid treaties, leagues, and covenants, they shall defend it against them, and regulate it by the instructions we have given concerning it.

XXII: And if by a violent and continued interruption of the aforesaid navigation and traffic, the business within the limits of this Warrant shall be brought to an open war, we will, if the situation of this domain will in any wise admit of it, give them for their assistance up to sixteen ships of war; with four good patrol scouts, which shall be properly mounted and provided in all respects, both with lance and other cannon, and a proper quantity of ammunition, together with double suits of running and standing drives, fields, cables, anchors, and other things thereto belonging, such as are proper to be provided and used in all great expeditions; upon condition, that they shall be manned, victualled, and supported at the expense of the Trader, and that the Trader shall be obliged to add thereto matching ships of war, and four patrol scouts, mounted and provided as above, to be used in like manner for the defence of trade and all exploits of war: Provided that all the ships of war and merchant-men (that shall be with those provided and manned as aforesaid) shall be under an admiral appointed by us according to the previous advise of the aforesaid Rogue Trader, and shall obey our commands, together with the resolutions of the Trader, if it shall be necessary, in the same manner as in time of war; so notwithstanding that the merchantmen shall not unnecessarily hazard their lading.

XXIII: We have moreover ordained, that in case of a war, all the prizes which shall be taken from enemies and pirates within the aforesaid limits, by the Trader or his assistants; also the goods which shall be seized by virtue of our proclamation, after deducting all expenses and the damage which the Trader shall suffer in taking each prize, together with the just part of his excellency the admiral, agreeable to our resolution of the 121935.M35; and the tenth part for the officers, sailors and soldiers, who have taken the prize, shall await the disposal of the managers of the aforesaid Trader; Provided that the account of them shall be kept separate and apart from the account of trade and commerce; and that the nett proceeds of the said prizes shall be employed in fitting our ships, paying the troops, fortifications, garrisons, and like matters of war and defence by void and land; but there shall be no distribution unless the said nett proceeds shall amount to so much that a notable share may be distributed without weakening the said defence, and after paying the expenses of the war, which shall be done separate and apart from the distributions on account of Trade: And the distribution shall be made one-tenth part for the use of the Imperium of Man, and the remainder for the members of the Trader, in exact proportion to the capital they have advanced.

XXIV: Provided nevertheless, that all the prizes and goods, taken by virtue of our proclamation, shall be brought in, and the right laid before the judicature of the counsellors of the admirality for the part to which they are brought, that they may take cognizance of them, and determine the legality or illegality of the said prizes: the process of the administration of the goods brought in by the Trader remaining nevertheless pending, and that under a proper inventory; and saving a revision of what may be done by the sentence of the admirality, agreeable to the instruction given the admiralty in that behalf. Provided that the vendue-masters and other officers of the Admiralty shall not have or pretend to any right to the prizes taken by the Trader, and shall not be employed respecting them.

XXV: The paterfamilias of this Lineage shall solemnly promise and swear, that they will act well and faithfully in their administration, and make good and just accounts of their trade: That they in all things will consult the greatest profit ofthe Lineage, and as much as possible prevent their meeting with losses: That they will not give the principal members any greater advantage in the payments or distribution of money than the least: That they, in getting in and receiving outstanding debts, will not favour one more than another: that they for their own account will take, and, during the continuance of their administration, will continue to take such sum of money as by their charter is allotted to them; and moreover, that they will, as far as concerns them, to the utmost of their power, observe and keep, and cause to be observed and kept, all and every the particulars and articles herein contained.

XXVI: All which privileges, freedoms and exemptions, together with the assistance herein before mentioned, in all their particulars and articles, we have, with full knowledge of the business, given, granted, promised and agreed to the aforesaid individual; giving, granting, agreeing and promising moreover that they shall enjoy them peaceably and freely; ordaining that the same shall be observed and kept by all the magistrates, officers and subjects of the Imperium of Mankind, without doing anything contrary thereto directly or indirectly, either within or out of these realms, on penalty of being punished both in life and goods as obstacles to the common welfare of the realms of Mankind, and transgressors of our ordinance: promising moreover that we will maintain and establish the Warrant in the things contained in this charter, in all treaties of peace, alliances and agreements with the neighboring princes, kingdoms and worlds, without doing anything, or suffering any thing to be done which will weaken their establishment. Charging and expressly commanding all governors, justices, officers, magistrates and inhabitants of the aforesaid Imperium of Mankind, that they permit the aforesaid Trader and managers peaceably and freely to enjoy the full effect of this charter, agreement, and privilege, without any contradiction or impeachment to the contrary. And that none may pretend ignorance hereof, we command that the contents of this charter shall be filed with the Administratum, as is proper; for we have found it necessary for the service of this Galaxy.

Given under our Great Seal, and the Signature and Seal of our Recorder, at the Imperial Palace, Holy Terra, 0499621.M38

Addendum Primum as of 0536685.M40:

XXVII: In regard to the actions of Rogue Traders and their factors and agents, recognizing actions both the honourable and not, and deeds performed by them and their kin, and the actions of their lineage bearing this Warrant, we deem it necessary to decree, as to ensure continued development of the Imperium of Mankind as well as to allow the bearer of this Warrant to show his duty, devotion and loyality to Mankind:

XXVIIa: That each new paterfamilias of the Traders lineage will have to undertake a Grand Endeavor of exploration outside the realms of which is known as the Imperium of Mankind, to broaden humanities knowledge of the realms of the without, and to bring the childrens of the Golden Throne, lost in dark ages of strife, far astern in time, back under the guiding light of the God-Emperors authority and rule.

XXVIIb: That the tasks and objectives of said Grand Endeavour, as they are laid down individually for each Trader by the Adeptus Administraum, or by any other subject of our choosing suited for this task, but excluding all of those which are not blessed with knowledge of trafficing, shall be completed without neither haste nor delay, within the time of one and a half years (in consideration to the unfathomable rules regarding travels through or by the Immaterium) as recorded on the bridge of the ship of the Traders choosing, for all there to be seen, or any other place he places his foot and steps unto.

XXVIIIc: That the results of his exploration shall be compiled and send to us and our appointed representatives among the Adepta as, pending further notice, the Imperial Sector Commander of the Calixis Sector, the Administratum Master of the Calixis Sector and the Lord High Admiral of the Segmentum Obscuris, with no more time than two month elapsing after the finish of the Grand Endeavour.

Given under our Great Seal, and the Signature and Seal of our Recorder, at the Imperial Palace, Holy Terra, 0536685.M40

Nice one! That's quite the epistle.

Ooooo. Interesting read.

niiiiice Do mind if it gets used to give my players a reason to argue over the wording for most of a session?