Rules
1. Be respectful.
All players are expected to treat one another with respect, patience and basic courtesy at all times. This applies to posts, private messages, Discord, email, comments, planning discussions and any other space connected to the game.
Disagreement is fine. Harassment, bullying, intimidation, personal attacks, discrimination, hate speech, repeated unwanted contact, or behaviour that makes other players feel unsafe or unwelcome is not acceptable.
We are here to write together. Don’t make the table smaller.
2. Real life comes first.
This is a hobby. People have jobs, families, health issues, studies, commitments and lives outside the game. Players are expected to communicate when they need time away, but nobody should be punished for having real-world responsibilities.
If you are going to be absent, delayed, or unable to post for a while, please let the Command Team know where possible.
3. Activity expectations.
Players are expected to remain reasonably active and contribute to the game. As a general expectation, players should aim to log in regularly and contribute to at least one post, joint post, mission discussion, or character scene each month.
Department heads and senior officers may be expected to maintain a higher level of activity due to the importance of their roles in moving missions forward.
If a player becomes inactive without contact, the Command Team may place their character on leave, move them into the background, reassign their position, or remove them from the game after reasonable attempts to make contact.
4. Writing style.
Star Trek: Avalon is a collaborative written roleplaying game. Posts should be written in third person, past tense, using clear English and reasonable spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Nobody is expected to be perfect. However, posts should be readable and show care for the shared story.
Players are encouraged to use spellcheck where helpful.
5. Original characters only.
Players must create original characters for play. Established canon characters from Star Trek may not be applied for or played as regular player characters.
Canon characters may exist in the setting where appropriate, but their use is controlled by the Command Team and reserved for plot purposes. Players should not use canon characters in posts without prior approval.
Family links to major canon characters should also be avoided unless specifically approved.
6. No godmodding.
Do not control, injure, kill, speak for, move, or make decisions for another player’s character without that player’s permission.
This includes assuming their character’s emotional reaction, professional response, physical movement, private thoughts, or consent to a scene outcome.
Joint posts should be approved by all involved writers before publishing.
7. Respect character knowledge.
What you know as a player is not always what your character knows.
Do not use OOC knowledge, private logs, hidden plot information, or information from scenes your character did not witness unless there is a clear in-character reason for them to know it.
This is especially important in Avalon, where secrets, resistance cells, alternate history, station mysteries and Dominion intelligence will all be part of the setting.
8. Major plot actions need approval.
Players are encouraged to be creative, but major actions that affect the whole sim, mission, station, ship, faction, timeline, or another character must be cleared with the Command Team first.
This includes destroying major locations, revealing major secrets, making first contact with important factions, introducing powerful technology, killing major NPCs, starting battles, altering mission outcomes, or making decisions that would have large political consequences.
When in doubt, ask.
9. Character consequences matter.
Characters may make mistakes, break rules, disobey orders, clash with authority, or take risks, but those actions may have in-character consequences.
This does not mean players are being punished. It means the world reacts.
Avalon is a dangerous setting. The Dominion occupation, the Badlands, the alternate timeline, damaged station systems and resistance politics all carry risks. Actions should feel meaningful.
10. Chain of command.
In character, Starfleet chain of command applies aboard the USS Resolute and Avalon Station unless the story establishes otherwise.
Out of character, the Command Team manages the game, approves applications, oversees plots, handles disputes, and maintains continuity.
Players are welcome to suggest ideas, missions, NPCs and subplots, but the Command Team has final say on what becomes official game canon.
11. Department head expectations.
Department heads are expected to help involve players in their department, support mission writing, answer reasonable questions, and help create opportunities for others.
A department head role is not just a title. It is a writing responsibility.
Players in these roles should be willing to collaborate, communicate, and help move scenes forward.
12. Rating and mature content.
Star Trek: Avalon is intended for mature writers and may include dark themes, occupation, war, resistance, trauma, violence, moral conflict and oppression.
However, mature themes should be handled with care.
Graphic sexual content is not permitted. Sexual scenes should fade to black.
Excessive gore, torture written in explicit detail, sexual violence, or content written for shock value is not permitted.
Swearing may be used sparingly where appropriate, but should not dominate posts.
The Command Team may ask for edits if content goes beyond the game’s intended tone or rating.
13. Sensitive themes.
The setting includes dark material, including Dominion occupation, collaboration, forced labour, political violence, refugees, cultural suppression and resistance warfare.
Players should approach sensitive subjects thoughtfully and avoid using trauma, oppression, prejudice or atrocity as decoration.
If a scene may involve especially heavy material, discuss it with the other writers involved first.
14. Consent and comfort.
Players should communicate clearly about scenes involving romance, conflict, injury, interrogation, trauma, intense emotional material, or anything that may affect another character significantly.
If a player says they are uncomfortable with a scene direction, respect that. Adjust, fade out, or speak with the Command Team if needed.
No one should feel pressured into writing material they are not comfortable with.
15. NPCs and PNPCs.
Players may create minor NPCs to support their writing, such as technicians, nurses, security officers, civilians, refugees, or resistance contacts.
Major recurring NPCs, faction leaders, senior station personnel, Dominion officials, Lantern Network figures, or characters with significant plot influence should be approved by the Command Team.
PNPCs should not be used to bypass activity rules, hoard important positions, or dominate the story.
16. Technology and canon.
Avalon uses Star Trek canon as a foundation, but the game takes place in an alternate reality and includes original elements such as Avalon Station, the Janus Core, the Lantern Network and the Dominion-won timeline.
Players should avoid introducing technology that solves major problems too easily.
No personal cloaking devices, private fleets, Q-like powers, unstoppable weapons, miracle cures, time-travel fixes, or “I already know the answer” devices without approval.
The struggle is part of the story.
17. Character power levels.
Characters should have strengths, skills and flaws. They should not be perfect, unbeatable, universally loved, or capable of doing everything.
Special species abilities, telepathy, genetic enhancements, intelligence training, former Borg connections, Section 31 links, or unusual backgrounds may be allowed, but they must be balanced and approved.
Characters are more interesting when they have limits.
18. The Dominion and resistance factions.
The Dominion, Lantern Network, Klingon rebels, Romulan operatives, Cardassian dissidents, Ferengi smugglers and other factions are part of the shared setting.
Players should not take control of major faction decisions without approval.
Individual contacts, informants, enemies or minor faction NPCs may be developed with Command Team guidance.
19. Avalon Station continuity.
Avalon Station is a central mystery and setting. Sections of the station may be sealed, damaged, dormant, restricted, dangerous or unknown at the start of the game.
Players should not assume access to every area or system. Discovering, repairing and unlocking Avalon is part of the ongoing story.
The Custodian and other station systems are controlled by the Command Team unless permission is given.
20. The USS Resolute.
The USS Resolute is the crew’s original home and an important part of the game. Damage, repairs, upgrades, operational limits and mission use will be managed through the story.
Players should not assume the ship can instantly recover, overpower enemies, or solve every problem. The ship and station both have roles to play.
21. Joint posts.
Joint posts are encouraged and are often the heart of NOVA writing.
All writers involved in a joint post should have a fair chance to contribute before it is published. Do not publish a joint post without the agreement of the other involved players unless the Command Team has approved doing so due to inactivity or delay.
22. Mission participation.
Players are expected to contribute to missions in ways appropriate to their characters and departments.
Not every character needs to be in every scene, and not every post needs to be mission-critical. Personal logs, downtime scenes, relationship development and station life are all welcome, as long as players also help support the wider story.
23. Respect the tone of the game.
Avalon is a Star Trek game with dark themes, but it is still Star Trek.
Hope, ethics, curiosity, compassion, courage and cooperation matter. The setting can be grim, but the story should not become hopeless for the sake of it.
This is a game about what survives in the dark.
24. Disputes.
If a disagreement occurs, players should first try to resolve it calmly and respectfully.
If that does not work, or if a player feels uncomfortable addressing it directly, they should contact the Command Team.
The Command Team will review the situation and make a decision. Their decision is final.
25. AI use.
Players may use spelling, grammar or brainstorming tools to help polish their writing, but posts should remain their own creative work.
Do not use AI to write entire posts without meaningful personal input. Do not use AI to imitate another player’s character, continue another player’s writing without permission, or generate content that violates game rules.
If AI assistance is used, the player remains responsible for the final content.
26. Applications.
All character applications are subject to Command Team approval.
The Command Team may request edits to ensure the character fits the setting, tone, available positions and continuity of the game.
Applicants should read the premise, rules and available positions before applying.
27. Multiple characters.
Additional characters may be allowed with Command Team approval, usually after a player has shown consistent activity with their first character.
The Command Team may limit additional characters if activity drops or if too many key positions are being held by one player.
28. Leaving the game.
Players may leave the game at any time. If possible, please let the Command Team know so your character can be written out respectfully.
If a player leaves without notice, the Command Team may move, reassign, archive, or otherwise resolve the character in a way that protects the ongoing story.
29. Have fun and collaborate.
The goal of Star Trek: Avalon is to tell a shared story.
Bring ideas. Build scenes with others. Let your character grow. Share the spotlight. Help make the station feel alive.
Avalon begins as a ghost station, but the players are what bring the lights back on.