1. Applicants must be at least 13 years old to join. Applications from anyone under 13 will not be accepted.
2. Each character must be an original creation. Canon characters, plagiarised characters and characters copied from other simulations are not permitted without appropriate authorisation.
3. Biographies must be reasonably detailed, with all relevant fields completed. A sample post must accompany the application.

1. Characters must be realistically balanced. God-like powers or extraordinary abilities without meaningful limitations are not permitted.
2. Augments, Q Continuum members, Species 8472, unliberated Borg and hostile Delta Quadrant species are not accepted as playable USS Wayfarer crew.
3. Officers should normally have attended Starfleet Academy; enlisted personnel must have completed the appropriate training.
4. Officers must normally be at least 22 years old and enlisted crew at least 20. Younger dependants or suitable non-crew characters may be permitted.
5. Characters must not claim a major part in established Star Trek canon events. Junior/background service aboard a canon ship may be acceptable, but commanding a canon ship or replacing a canon character is not.

1. New Starfleet officer applicants normally begin at a maximum of Lieutenant Junior Grade or equivalent, including department-head applicants.
2. The Command Team may negotiate rank and position in light of biography quality, experience and the needs of the simulation.
3. Characters may not outrank their department head without Command Team approval.
4. No player character or NPC may outrank the Commanding Officer or Executive Officer within the Wayfarer command structure.

1. NPCs must have a basic biography establishing their identity and duties.
2. Players must obtain permission before writing another player’s primary character or linked NPC.
3. Creating NPCs or secondary characters in another player’s department requires that Department Head’s permission. If there is no playing Department Head, obtain the Commanding Officer’s permission.
4. Removed or deactivated characters normally remain on the Inactive Manifest for archival purposes.

1. Posts should meet the minimums shown above. Occasional shorter posts may be acceptable, especially when balanced by longer contributions; consistently short posts may be reviewed.
2. Joint posts can be split into separate parts, provided each part meets the relevant word-count standard. Splitting is not mandatory.
3. A “Previously On…” recap in a split post should be no longer than one paragraph, or two short paragraphs where needed for clarity.
4. Credit only writers who contributed to the particular part of a split post. Each credited contributor must write at least 200 words for that part.
5. Count human writers, not characters. One author writing several NPCs still counts as one author.
6. A player writing multiple characters still counts as one author for monthly participation reporting. The Commanding Officer may apply administrative reporting adjustments where needed.

1. Active members must contribute at least one mission post or personal log every two weeks.
2. Members unable to meet this requirement should contact the Command Team and request Leave of Absence when appropriate.
3. Keep unfinished posts in Saved status until complete. The Command Team may return unfinished published posts to Saved status.
4. The Command Team may moderate posts to provide writing guidance or make necessary content, continuity and timeline corrections.
5. Do not edit a published post in a way that changes another writer’s contribution without that writer’s and the Command Team’s permission.

1. These local standards encourage meaningful contributions, clear authorship, consistent storytelling and fair recognition of writers. Quality remains more important than simply meeting a word count.

1. Mission posts must be written in the third person; personal logs should be written in the first person.
2. Write in clear English. Characters may speak another language when appropriate, provided a translation is supplied to the reader.
3. Keep character actions realistic and consistent with established abilities and personality.

1. Place spoken dialogue inside double quotation marks.
2. Do not italicise ordinary dialogue in its entirety; reserve italics for internal thoughts or suitable emphasis.
3. Internal thoughts should use first person, single quotation marks and italics.
4. Communication badge signals such as =A= or =/= are optional rather than required.
5. Use bold text sparingly for emphasis.

1. Mark opportunities for other contributors using tags such as (TAG — Character Name), or an appropriate open tag.
2. At the start of a new paragraph or section, make it clear which character is speaking or acting; established two-person conversations may allow natural pronouns.
3. All posts require a title and location; the timeline field is optional.
4. Each participating character, including NPCs and contributors to split posts, should have a signature containing rank, name and position.

1. Posts must follow the USS Wayfarer’s PG-13 content guidelines, suitable for a community accepting members aged 13 and over.
2. Mild or moderate language may appear when appropriate to the story, but excessive strong language, targeted abuse and harassment are not permitted.
3. Romantic relationships and non-explicit references may be portrayed appropriately. Explicit sexual descriptions, sexual role-play and sexualised content involving minors are not permitted. Use fade-to-black for intimate situations.
4. Action and non-graphic violence are permitted within PG-13 limits. Avoid excessive gore or graphic injury descriptions. Handle sensitive subjects carefully and discuss potentially disturbing storylines with the Command Team first.
5. No discriminatory attacks against real players. In-character difficult subjects require agreement and care.
6. Canon characters must not be written as active participants without suitable Command Team permission.
7. The aim is enjoyable, collaborative storytelling; contribute positively and respect fellow writers.

1. Members must follow the USS Wayfarer’s rules and community policies.
2. Treat other writers courteously. Bullying, harassment, racism, discrimination and personal abuse are not tolerated.
3. Resolve disagreements respectfully; out-of-character intimidation, arguments and personal attacks are unacceptable.
4. Respect the duties of the Command Team, Department Heads and appointed staff.

1. Ordinary concerns should go through the Department Head, Second Officer, Executive Officer and Commanding Officer.
2. For serious or sensitive matters, bypassing the ordinary chain of command is permitted; contact the Commanding Officer or another appropriate independent authority.
3. In-character Starfleet personnel generally follow lawful and reasonable orders unless an agreed storyline requires otherwise. Story-based disobedience is not automatically player misconduct.

1. Administrative access must only be used for authorised responsibilities. Department Heads may manage appropriate aspects of their departments and personnel.
2. Misuse of administrative privileges may lead to restriction or revocation.
3. Never access or interfere with another member’s account without appropriate authorisation. Hacking or unauthorised account use is prohibited.

1. The usual disciplinary process is First Warning, Final Warning and Removal.
2. A first incident may lead to a warning, the next to a final written warning, and further breaches to removal.
3. Serious misconduct may result in immediate suspension or removal without the normal warning sequence.
4. The Command Team may remove a member or character whose conduct is seriously inappropriate or damaging to the community.
5. Members may request a review of decisions they believe are unfair by contacting the Command Team or an appropriate independent administrator.

1. The USS Wayfarer Discord community is intended for crew members and authorised guests.
2. No bullying, harassment, racism, discrimination or inappropriate content; moderators may remove or ban members for violations.
3. Use the correct channels and keep discussion relevant to their intended purpose.
4. Fake and unauthorised alternate accounts are not permitted.
5. Friendly teasing is acceptable only when all involved are comfortable and boundaries are respected.
6. Spamming, repeated unwanted messages and deliberate disruption are prohibited.
7. Avoid divisive political or religious arguments that create conflict. Respect others regardless of their personal background or beliefs.
8. Conversation about other sims is welcome, but targeted recruitment, unsolicited advertising, member-list harvesting and unsolicited invitation links are prohibited.
9. Respect restricted-channel confidentiality. Sharing private discussions without consent is prohibited except when necessary to report misconduct or seek help.
10. The server is LGBTQIA+ inclusive; harassment or hate speech targeting LGBTQIA+ members is prohibited.

1. RED — STOP: End the conversation immediately.
2. YELLOW — CAUTION: Slow down, change subjects or take a break as needed.
3. GREEN — ALL CLEAR: The issue has been resolved and normal discussion may resume.
4. All members must respect red and yellow signals. Contact moderators when help is needed; no one should be pressured into continuing an uncomfortable conversation.

1. New Starfleet officers normally start no higher than Lieutenant Junior Grade or equivalent unless special circumstances are approved.
2. Starting rank and senior appointments may be negotiated based on biography, past service and player experience.

1. Promotions reflect participation, writing quality, development, activity and contributions to the sim. They must be earned, not demanded.
2. No character may be promoted above the authorised rank of the Commanding Officer or Executive Officer within the Wayfarer’s hierarchy.
3. Department Heads may recommend promotions, subject to approval from the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer.

1. Demotion may follow serious violations of the Code of Conduct when justified by circumstances.
2. The Command Team may reassign or remove characters from senior roles when prolonged inactivity affects the department or sim.
3. Department Heads may recommend demotion or reassignment with a valid reason and approval from the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer.
4. Players may adjust their NPCs’ ranks where authorised but cannot promote or demote their own primary characters without approval.

1. Members can request Leave of Absence (LOA) at any time by informing the Command Team.
2. LOA is for genuine circumstances affecting participation, not simply for skipping less-preferred missions.
3. Standard Leave of Absence may last up to four weeks from approval.
4. Extended Leave of Absence may last up to eight weeks from approval.
5. Longer absences may lead to character or player deactivation, depending on individual circumstances.
6. On return, inform the Command Team to restore active status.
7. Where possible, share expected return dates and changes to help with mission planning.

1. Spelling, punctuation and grammar checking.
2. Proofreading and identifying mistakes.
3. Researching background information relevant to a story.
4. Brainstorming plots, characters and ideas.
5. General writing feedback or guidance.
6. Other supporting uses that do not replace the member’s own writing.

1. Submitting AI-generated mission posts, personal logs or character responses as your own writing.
2. Publishing complete AI-written tags or substantial AI-generated narrative passages.
3. Using generated writing to inflate word counts or satisfy USS Wayfarer posting requirements.
4. Presenting generated work as original human writing for simulation awards or recognition.

1. AI may support the creative process, but the actual storytelling and character contributions must come from players. Breaches may be addressed under the Code of Conduct.

These rules exist to help the USS Wayfarer remain creative, welcoming and enjoyable. Communicate clearly, respect your fellow writers and contribute to the stories we tell together.