Ye Olde Warrante of Trade

The Terran High Lords of the Imperium of Mankind, to all who shall see these Documentes, or hear them read, Greetings,

Be it known that we, knowing the prosperity of the systems of the Segmentum Obscurus and the welfare of their inhabitants depends principally on navigation and trade, which in all former times by the said Systems were carried on happily, and with a great blessing to all worlds and sectors, and desiring that the aforesaid inhabitants should not only be preserved in their former navigation, traffic, and trade, but also that their trade may be increased as much as possible in special conformity to the treaties, alliances, leagues and covenants for traffic and navigation formerly made with other worlds, Adepta and people, which we give them to understand must be in all parts punctually kept and adhered to, and we find by experience, that without the common help, assistance, and interposition of a Man of Action, the people designed from hence for those parts 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 as thereunto moving, with mature deliberation of counsel, and for highly necessary causes, found it good, that the navigation, trade, and commerce, in the parts of the Koronus Expanse, 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 Men of these Worlds; and for that end there shall be elected divers Rogue Traders, and in especial, the combined Line of Drogar and the Line of Pikkofule, which we out of special regard to the common well-being, and to keep and preserve the inhabitants of those places in good trade and orthodoxy, will maintain and strengthen with our Help, Favour and assistance as far as the present state and condition of this Body will admit: and moreover furnish them with a proper Warrant of Trade, and with the following Privileges and Exemptions, to wit:

I. Grants, in perpetuity, the status of Rogue Trader. This establishes them as Peers of the planetary Governors, Lord High Commanders of the Sectors, and Chapter Masters of the Adeptus Astartes.

II. Grants the right to colonize, trade, conquer, make alliances, build and people defenses and civic infrastructure as well as economic projects, and appoint magistrates on behalf of the Imperium for the purpose of administration, outside the currente boundaries of this Great Imperium of Mankynde.

III. The House will maintain records as to who the officers of the House and its Fortunes are.

IV. The House has the authority to obtain reparations within the Imperium without recourse to the Adeptus Arbites.

V. The House and its officers have the authority to requisition Imperial Guard from planetary Governors, with their assent, providing the House pay their upkeep for the duration of the time requisitioned for.

VI. Imperial troops commanded by the House shall owe loyalty to the House except as it contradicts loyalty to the Emperor.

VII. The Imperium will not requisition ships, ordnance, munitions, supplies, or personnel from the House without Recompense and Due Notice.

VIII. The House will not conduct business with agents of the Ruinous Powers, nor engage in any commerce that concerns their manufactures or their goods.

IX. The House will not import xeno-technology, nor bring xenos, into the Imperium.

X. This Article is smeared and appears to have been deliberately sequestered.

XI. Upon due admittance of any planetary population to the Imperium, the House shall become responsible for the tithe of that body.

XII. Those working for the House cannot abandon the House without written consent of the House, or due notification to the House of at least a decade.

XIII. The House is required to report all discoveries and observations made during voyages of exploration.

XIV. The House is required to give transport to any and all Inquisitors and Ecclesiarchs, and their Agents, to any destination they have declared for the future.

XV. The House can, with prior notification, obtain the aid of the Imperial Navy, given the House pay for the maintenance, salaries, and battle damage of those ships. No more than ships of a suitable class and equal in number to those provided by the House shall be assigned.

XVI. The House will render assistance to any Navy vessel as required, unless said aid will assist the Ruinous Powers or counter the request of said Navy vessel.

XVII. The House will resist the unlawful damaging, destruction and capture of Imperial shipping to the best of their abilities, repatriation can be applied for from the Adeptus Administratum should proof of said actions be confirmed.

Given under our Great Seal in proxy, and the Signature and Seal of our Recorder, at the Imperial Palace, 1 318 809.M41

[Seal of Arcadia here]

Given under his Signature, at his Sectorial Palace, 2 318 809.M41

[Lord Sector’s Signature Here]

Given under His Signature, the Founding Trader, 2 318 809.M41

[Signature of the Founding Trader]