Obsidian Fleet Frequently Asked Questions

Are you interested in joining Obsidian Fleet? Do you have questions about what we do and how we do it? If so, you’ve come to the right place.

What is Obsidian Fleet?

Obsidian Fleet is a writing community made up of Star Trek and sci-fi/fantasy fans who enjoy writing stories together in a shared universe. We use various formats, such as Play-by-Email (PbEm), Play-by-Web (PBW/Nova sims) and Play-by-Forum (PbF), to create and run our games, also known as sims.

We have four distinct groups of games, known as Task Forces.

Our Prime timeline games, in Task Forces 13 and 72, are set in the era just before Star Trek Picard, in the year 2398, and cover a wide range of genres and themes. The Fleet is headquartered in the Loki star system, in orbit of Obsidian III, a Federation Protectorate less than 1 light year from the former Romulan Neutral Zone. The Hobus disaster has changed the balance of power in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants and Obsidian Fleet faces challenges all along the border it’s sworn to defend.

Our Alternative Universe group, Task Force 29, covers the entire Star Trek multiverse and explores the “What if?” side of Star Trek.

We also have Task Force 47 which is dedicated to life outside of Star Trek and explores the infinite possibilites of fiction writing.

What is Community Writing?

Community writing is a form of collaborative storytelling where multiple writers create characters and scenarios and write posts together. Each writer controls their own character(s) and interacts with other characters and the environment. Community writing can be done in different ways, such as joint posts (where two or more writers work on a single post together), solo posts (where one writer writes a post by themselves), or tag posts (where writers take turns to write parts of a post). Community writing allows writers to explore different perspectives, develop their characters, and have fun with other like-minded people.

What rules are there?

Obsidian Fleet has a set of rules and guidelines that all members are expected to follow. In summary, these include:

  • Respect: We expect all members to treat each other with respect and courtesy. Harassment, bullying, discrimination, or any other form of inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
  • Quality: We expect all members to maintain a high standard of writing quality and creativity. We encourage members to proofread their posts, use proper grammar and spelling, and avoid plagiarism or godmoding (controlling other people’s characters without permission).
  • Activity: We expect all members to be active and contribute to their games regularly. Each game has its own activity requirements, but generally we expect members to post at least once every two weeks. If you are unable to post for any reason, please inform your game master (GM) or commanding officer (CO) as soon as possible.
  • Canon: We expect all members to adhere to the established canon of Star Trek and Obsidian Fleet. Canon refers to the official facts and events that have been shown or mentioned in the Star Trek TV shows, movies, books, comics, games, etc. Obsidian Fleet also has its own canon that expands on the Star Trek universe and provides background information for our games. You can find more information about canon in our Fleet Database.

Are there only Star Trek games?

No, Obsidian Fleet also hosts games that are not based on Star Trek. These games are part of our Task Force 47 (TF47) group, which is dedicated to alternative genres and settings. TF47 games can be based on other sci-fi franchises, such as Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, etc., or original concepts created by the game masters. TF47 games have more flexibility and freedom than Star Trek games, but they still follow the same rules and guidelines as Obsidian Fleet.

How do I join a game?

If you want to join a game in Obsidian Fleet, you can browse our list of active games on our website. Once you find a game that interests you, you can apply for it by filling out an application form on the game’s website. The game master will review your application and contact you with their decision. If you are accepted, you will be assigned a position and given access to the game’s communication channels. You can then start writing with your fellow players and enjoy the adventure!