Blanket Permission from the King - What does it say?

[Ignatius]

Hey everyone... I am posting this so that I can stop myself going crazy searching on the net.

So, my players managed to kill off a messenger who was carrying a decree from the newly self-appointed king (just had a civil war) and they decided to take it because they thought it might come in handy. (which it probably will... but could also cause them trouble.)

So, one of them wanted to get an actual copy of what it said... so I have put together a photoshop image of an old scroll with wax seal and crest etc...

However, I am now stuck on what a decree from a king giving full authority to the bearer actually says...

I havent been able to find anything on the net, as I am unsure of what this sort of document is called.

Can anyone help me here?

[herrhauptmann]

Carte Blanche might be a good search.

By order of the king, Bob, fifth of his name, list of titles:
To all and sundry, know that the bearer acts with my full knowledge and trust. Treat him as you would myself, to raise a hand to him would be the same as raising a hand to myself. All such treasons shall be dealt with summarily.
And so on and so forth.

[Savannah]

I searched for "carte blanche", which seems to be the type of document you are talking about, but I didn't find anything really useful in terms of historical examples. Basically, carte blanche (from the french for 'blank paper') is a blank sheet of paper with the King's signature and seal. The bearer can write whatever they want on it.

To make it less powerful, it could also be a carte blanch warrant or pardon: the standard warrant or pardon with the name of the person to be arrested or forgiven left blank.

Finally, you could go with something along the lines of "The bearer of this document is hereby authorized to act in my stead. Signed the king." I'd make it short, for your sake.

EDIT: Ninja'd! Curse my slow typing!

[herrhauptmann]

I probably started first, mine took a few minutes to write and preview. So it's less of a ninja than you think.

Did a quick search, carte blanch seems to be partially a blank check, use it to pay any bill.
Though I had always heard it used in fiction as a "Go anywhere, get out of jail free card". Timothy Zahn's Conqueror Trilogy makes a big stink about them.

edit: If you're playing with photoshop for this, might as well go big and impressive. Kings tend to be in a pissing contest with their neighbors for titles, often taking the title of those they conquer, so your new king could have a few lines of text following his name. Like a really old university professor.

[Savannah]

I'd be willing to bet that I started first, given the amount of previewing, editing, and previewing again that I did. Doesn't really matter, though!

Back on topic, here's (http://everything2.com/title/Carte+blanche) a history of carte blanche that I found. It doesn't have any examples of the wording, but it might give you some ideas for the gist of the letter.

[hamishspence]

A favorite fictional example- in The Three Musketeers:

"It is by my order, and for the good of the State, that the bearer has done what has been done"

I doubt real ones worked quite this way though.

a Writ Of Iron, in the Malus Darkblade series of novels, seemed to work like what's being described- granting the bearer full authority to go anywhere and do almost anything, on the Witch King's behalf.

[taltamir]

if they try to make too outlandish a claim then the person who is supposed to fulfill it might insist on verifying their identify and the authenticity of the document before granting it.

[cZak]

What the bearer does is done at my order and by my authority. Obey, and keep silent at my command.
Siun Sanche
Watcher of the Seals
Flame of Tar Valon
The Amyrlin Seat

R Jordan: The Wheel of Time

This seemed pretty impressive. Short and vague, yet with the signature and seal of the person provides a pretty intimidating prop.

[HenryHankovitch]

Here's the text from an 1812 letter of marque (authorizing a ship as a privateer against American ships):

http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~jacktar/packetmarque.html

Obviously very circuitous and heavy on the legalese, which is another way to go at it.

My dad had a couple of framed certificates from his service days, from when his ship crossed the Date Line and the Arctic Circle respectively. They had a similar sort of deliberately overblown language; what always stuck in my mind was the last sentence: DISOBEY THIS COMMAND AT OUR IMPERIAL DISPLEASURE.

[iamstillwater]

Was reading through Player's Guide to Eberron, and on page 41, there's a picture with readable text showing a Royal Decree. You might be able to rig that into something you can use. :)

[Ignatius]

Thanks for all the help... this has given me plenty to go on and plenty to read!

I will post the resulting document when I am finished (and maybe what happens to the players who use it).

[comicshorse]

Of course using it is the Highest of high treason and punishable by.....pretty much what king's do to those who really annoy them. And in a world where bits can be regrown it's going to be prolomged and nasty

[herrhauptmann]

My dad had a couple of framed certificates from his service days, from when his ship crossed the Date Line and the Arctic Circle respectively. They had a similar sort of deliberately overblown language; what always stuck in my mind was the last sentence: DISOBEY THIS COMMAND AT OUR IMPERIAL DISPLEASURE.

Your Dad's a golden shellback? (dateline and equator together. Dateline alone I don't think is worth anything) And he's got his bluenose...

I'm afraid I can't really say anything else though, the king of the sea would strike me down for revealing the secrets to a bunch of wogs. :)

[dragoonsgone]

License to Kill