Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "Guide:Starbase Bravo" and "Melkot"

Difference between pages "Guide:Starbase Bravo" and "Melkot"

From Bravo Fleet
(Difference between pages)
 
 
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''Not to be confused with the in-character article about [[Starbase Bravo]].''
{{icons|bfc}}{{Government
| name = Melkot
| image =
| species = Melkot
| homeworld = Unknown
| founded = Unknown
| warp = Unknown
| language =
| currency =
| government = Unknown
| leader =
| advancement =
| military = Unknown
}}
The '''Melkot''' are a xenophobic species and minor power with territory in the [[Alpha Quadrant]]. Historically xenophobic and deeply territorial, they have long jealously guarded their borders and resisted encroachment or even peaceful visitation by any outsiders. The [[Federation]] made a [[ma:Spectre of the Gun (episode)|fraught first contact in 2268]], with the USS ''Enterprise'' earning permission to enter Melkot space. Since then, relations between the Federation have been cordial at best, non-existent at worst. There are rarely interactions between the two powers; [[Starfleet]] ships may not approach or enter Melkot space without permission, and the Melkot have only communicated with the Federation in times of dire need for either side. In those times of necessity, however, contact has been possible, and the Melkot wary of engagement but open to discussion.


'''Starbase Bravo''' is an ongoing open sandbox for members of Bravo Fleet. Open to everyone (pending completion of the New Member Program), this space is meant to provide people with an opportunity to write character development stories and organic plots to their hearts' content, without relying on direct game manager intervention like a traditional RPG. Members start off in entry-level enlisted and junior officer roles and gain access to higher level positions by posting with others. The more Duty Ribbons you earn on Starbase Bravo, the greater access to ranks and positions you earn. Though meant primarily as a collaborative writing space, this is also a place where members may write solo stories about junior officers, though those posts do not count towards their advancement within the sandbox. This guide is meant to help you understand how to join, what (and how) to write, and what sort of positions you have access to.
== Melkot Species and Culture ==
The Melkot themselves are non-humanoid and powerful telepaths. They have bulbous bodies without limbs, which appear to float through unknown means, and have bright, round eyes. They are capable of projecting telepathic illusions that are indistinguishable from reality to the recipients, especially in non-telepaths. These illusions are so potent that experiencing injury and death can cause sufficient psychic trauma to hurt or even kill. Other telepathic species, such as Vulcans, have proven capable of resisting the illusions with varying degrees of success.


Before you proceed, please read the [[Guide:Starbase Bravo Rules|Starbase Bravo Rules]].
The only confirmed survivors of a telepathic illusion intended to be lethal for the victim was the crew of the ''Enterprise'' in 2268. They were immersed in an illusion of the Old West and were expected to be killed in a gunfight. It is believed that the Melkot identified an experience, setting, or period that the crew associated with violence, where death would be an inevitable outcome. It was through resisting this expectation of violence, when Captain Kirk refused to kill an illusory opponent, that the Melkot became curious enough about humanity to make contact.


== Initial Character Creation and Joining ==
Little else is known about the Melkot people. The Federation highlight their xenophobia and territorialism, but also point to the fact that they were stirred by unexpected mercy from those they viewed as invaders. Starfleet presumes the Melkot border policies to be dictated by fear, and thus strives very hard to follow the example of mercy and compassion set by Kirk in all their dealings with them.
Members must have completed the New Member Program in the Academy before they can apply to join Starbase Bravo. It is highly recommended, but not ''required'', that you complete the Character Creation Program, which is necessary for advancement beyond entry-level positions and can help you find many helpful resources here on the wiki to create realistic characters.


Unlike a traditional game, characters are not evaluated based on their fit for the sandbox other than whether or not they follow the [[Loremaster Policy|lore policy]]. It would be wise to look at the [[Lore Office Guides|lore office guides]] as well. Generally speaking, as long as you're not attempting to play as a non-canon or prohibited species, and you're proposing a character within the rank and position guidelines listed below, it will be accepted.  
== Border Defences ==
The Melkot leave warning buoys at the edge of their territory, which all communicate a message directing anyone approaching to leave. Those ignoring such warnings are treated harshly, with the Melkot demonstrating their xenophobic tendency to view such outsiders as 'aliens' or even 'disease'. Most ships which ignore the warnings meet a grim fate, the Melkot sentencing them to death. Either technological defences repel encroaching ships or, if possible, the Melkot kill the crews through their telepathic illusions.


Initial characters should be Tier 1 characters, which means they should have a generic position like Science Officer or Security Officer and hold either an officer rank of ensign or lieutenant junior grade, or an enlisted grade of Crewman or any of the three Petty Officer Ranks. Cadets and enlisted trainees are allowed, and have their own rank guidelines. Civilian characters are allowed, unrestricted by tier. The titles available in the open positions list are available to initial characters.
Ships which need to approach Melkot space are advised to establish a communication link with a warning buoy, state their business and identify themselves as part of Starfleet, and await further contact. If no response is heard, no ship has permission to violate Melkot territory.


You should create a character on the BFMS, set to Story Mode, and assigned to Starbase Bravo. Then click [https://bravofleet.com/apply?cmd=34941 here] to fill out the application. Note: for the writing sample, you can provide a sample if you desire or just write "Starbase Bravo initial application" in the box, as we will not be evaluating your sample post, just making sure that your character follows the lore policy.
== In Play ==


Note: You may apply for more than one position, but the staff will be judicious about approving secondary characters, based on demand. While there can be an unlimited number of junior officers on the station, we'd prefer that people not create a slew of characters all at once, especially in the same department, as this can discourage joint writing. If you'd like to have characters in a few different departments to give yourself more opportunities to write with others, though, that is encouraged!
* The Melkot are a deeply inhuman and unknowable species encountered in one episode of TOS, who are also deeply isolationist. This combination gives writers only limited storytelling opportunities with them, as it is inconceivable Starfleet would not leave them alone unless they had no other choice.
 
* With the right level of emergency or accident, Starfleet ships may still have encounters in or near Melkot space. It is up to the writer if the Melkot would accept any request for access, or how indulgent they would be of transgression, especially intentional. This might be an opportunity for intense and difficult diplomacy, or a story of a crew trying to survive an encounter with Melkot telepathic illusions such as those seen in TOS: Spectre of the Gun.
== What to Write ==
* Melkot telepathic illusions feel real to all but the most disciplined of minds or powerful of telepaths. If your crew is hit by one, it's entirely up to you how much Vulcans, Betazoid, or others are affected, or how much they can affect the illusion in turn. The Melkot are clearly very powerful, but it's up to you decide what's best for your story.
Free reign can admittedly be a little intimidating, but this really is your oyster. While station-wide story beats will be handed out relatively frequently, but we're leaving the individual stories on the ground level to you. The advancement structure hinges on joint posts, so we encourage you to reach out to your fellow members to organize stories together. As long as you don't change the environment/political situation or hurt anyone else's character, feel free to write as you see fit!
 
This means that you should keep posts and their storylines relatively small in scope. People participate in and write on Starbase Bravo at their own pace, and the game by-design is a sandbox for focused and character-based stories. The game also is very open in terms of who can participate and who can write, and to accommodate for this, no player should be put in a position where they have no choice but to write with a certain storyline or other player. As such, no member-created storyline should ''necessitate'' other players and characters knowing about it, to allow people to opt-in and opt-out as they see fit.  
 
This means no plot should affect the whole station - but SB Bravo is a veritable floating city, with over a hundred thousand people aboard. A lot can happen - even big, dramatic, or dangerous events - about which another crewmember has absolutely no idea, or at least doesn't need to drop everything and get involved. Think about it this way: if your idea would necessitate one of the senior officers being informed—a major disease outbreak, an accident involving a starship in the docking bay, an external security threat, major damage to station components—it is likely too big for a member-initiated plot line, so it would be best to ask about it first.
 
Keep in mind, too, that Starbase Bravo's content is restricted to 111 on the RPG Ratings scale. More information on acceptable content is found in the rules.
 
=== How to Write ===
The Starbase Bravo staff will create a mission either every annual quarter, or sometimes for an applicable fleet-wide [[Campaign]], which will lay out the present storyline. You can directly post in this mission, either on your own or with other people.
 
It's considered polite to request a joint post with someone ''before'' you start the post, so reach out on Discord. If you have a higher tier position in a department, try to be willing to write with others as much as possible. Again, check the rules on content guidelines, and the guide on joint writing if you need technical assistance.
 
== Advancement within Starbase Bravo ==
There are seven tiers of positions, each of which have rank guidelines. These tiers contain increasingly more specialized and increasingly more senior titles. At each tier the number of positions available gets smaller, because realistically there can only be so many Heads, Deputy Directors, and Directors. Access to these tiers rests on your contribution to the sandbox by writing joint posts, which is a model that is widespread in the wider RPG universe. The actual positions available are listed in the [https://wiki.bravofleet.com/index.php/Guide:Starbase_Bravo_Positions Starbase Bravo positions guide]. Members may earn access to the first six tiers, with the sixth tier being reserved for members of the Bravo Fleet Senior Staff, the Deputy Loremaster, and the Deputy Operations Officer and the seventh tier being reserved for the Loremaster and Operations Officer.
 
Note: You are not ''required'' to change your character's position or rank just because you have access to a higher tier. You're also not required to keep the same character, or only use your original character, when promotion to a particular position or rank wouldn't make logical sense for the character's age and service record. (i.e. You don't need to end up a 22 year-old commander because that's what position tier you gained access to.)
{| class="wikitable"
|+Starbase Bravo Position Tiers
!Tier
!Position Examples
!Rank Guidelines
!Post Requirements
!Other Requirements
|-
|Tier I - Entry Level
|
* Security Officer/Specialist
* Science Officer/Specialist
|
* ENS, LTJG
* CN, PO3, PO2, PO1
|
* None - Initial Join
|
* Complete New Member Program
|-
|Tier II - Specialists/Supervisors
|
* Patrol Shift Supervisor
* Geology Officer/Specialist
|
* ENS, LTJG, LT
* PO3, PO2, PO1, CPO
|
* 5 Duty Ribbons earned on SBB
|
* Complete Character Creation Program
|-
|Tier III - Section Heads
|
* Head of Patrol Section
* Head of Geology
|
* LT, LTCMDR
* CPO, SCPO
|
* 15 Duty Ribbons Earned on SBB
|
|-
|Tier IV - Department Deputy Directors
|
* Deputy Director of Promenade Security
* Deputy Director of Planetary Sciences
|
* LTCMDR, CMDR
* SCPO, MCPO
|
* 30 Duty Ribbons Earned on SBB
|
|-
|Tier V - Department Directors
|
* Director of Promenade Security
* Director of Planetary Sciences
|
* LTCMDR, CMDR
* MCPO
|
* 60 Duty Ribbons earned on SBB
|
|-
|Tier VI - Division Assistant Chiefs
|
* Assistant Chief Security Officer
* Assistant Chief Science Officer
|
* CMDR
* MCPO
|
* 100 Duty Ribbons earned on SBB
|
|-
|Tier VII - Division Chiefs
|
* Chief Security Officer
* Chief Science Officer
|
* CMDR, CAPT
* MCPO
|
* None - BFSS/Deputy Lore/OPS Only
|
* Must maintain staff role to keep this position
|-
|Tier VIII - Command-level Officers
|
* Executive Officer
* Commanding Officer
|
* XO: CAPT
* CO: Flag Officer
|
* None - Loremaster & Operations Officer ''ex officiis''
|
* Must maintain staff role to keep this position
|-
| colspan="5" |Notes:
 
* Post requirements are cumulative, not specific to each tier. It could reasonably take a person a year or longer to reach tier VI, at 8 or 9 posts a month, and this is intended to be aspirational and to encourage you to be as social as possible!
* For the sake of clarity, cadet and trainee guidelines aren't included here, so check the [[Guide:Starbase Bravo Positions|available positions guide]].  
|}

Revision as of 14:07, 21 March 2024

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.








Melkot
Basic Information
Major Species

Melkot

Homeworld(s)

Unknown

Founded

Unknown

Warp Capable

Unknown

Political Information
Governance Type

Unknown

Military Branches

Unknown

Template:Government

The Melkot are a xenophobic species and minor power with territory in the Alpha Quadrant. Historically xenophobic and deeply territorial, they have long jealously guarded their borders and resisted encroachment or even peaceful visitation by any outsiders. The Federation made a fraught first contact in 2268, with the USS Enterprise earning permission to enter Melkot space. Since then, relations between the Federation have been cordial at best, non-existent at worst. There are rarely interactions between the two powers; Starfleet ships may not approach or enter Melkot space without permission, and the Melkot have only communicated with the Federation in times of dire need for either side. In those times of necessity, however, contact has been possible, and the Melkot wary of engagement but open to discussion.

Melkot Species and Culture

The Melkot themselves are non-humanoid and powerful telepaths. They have bulbous bodies without limbs, which appear to float through unknown means, and have bright, round eyes. They are capable of projecting telepathic illusions that are indistinguishable from reality to the recipients, especially in non-telepaths. These illusions are so potent that experiencing injury and death can cause sufficient psychic trauma to hurt or even kill. Other telepathic species, such as Vulcans, have proven capable of resisting the illusions with varying degrees of success.

The only confirmed survivors of a telepathic illusion intended to be lethal for the victim was the crew of the Enterprise in 2268. They were immersed in an illusion of the Old West and were expected to be killed in a gunfight. It is believed that the Melkot identified an experience, setting, or period that the crew associated with violence, where death would be an inevitable outcome. It was through resisting this expectation of violence, when Captain Kirk refused to kill an illusory opponent, that the Melkot became curious enough about humanity to make contact.

Little else is known about the Melkot people. The Federation highlight their xenophobia and territorialism, but also point to the fact that they were stirred by unexpected mercy from those they viewed as invaders. Starfleet presumes the Melkot border policies to be dictated by fear, and thus strives very hard to follow the example of mercy and compassion set by Kirk in all their dealings with them.

Border Defences

The Melkot leave warning buoys at the edge of their territory, which all communicate a message directing anyone approaching to leave. Those ignoring such warnings are treated harshly, with the Melkot demonstrating their xenophobic tendency to view such outsiders as 'aliens' or even 'disease'. Most ships which ignore the warnings meet a grim fate, the Melkot sentencing them to death. Either technological defences repel encroaching ships or, if possible, the Melkot kill the crews through their telepathic illusions.

Ships which need to approach Melkot space are advised to establish a communication link with a warning buoy, state their business and identify themselves as part of Starfleet, and await further contact. If no response is heard, no ship has permission to violate Melkot territory.

In Play

  • The Melkot are a deeply inhuman and unknowable species encountered in one episode of TOS, who are also deeply isolationist. This combination gives writers only limited storytelling opportunities with them, as it is inconceivable Starfleet would not leave them alone unless they had no other choice.
  • With the right level of emergency or accident, Starfleet ships may still have encounters in or near Melkot space. It is up to the writer if the Melkot would accept any request for access, or how indulgent they would be of transgression, especially intentional. This might be an opportunity for intense and difficult diplomacy, or a story of a crew trying to survive an encounter with Melkot telepathic illusions such as those seen in TOS: Spectre of the Gun.
  • Melkot telepathic illusions feel real to all but the most disciplined of minds or powerful of telepaths. If your crew is hit by one, it's entirely up to you how much Vulcans, Betazoid, or others are affected, or how much they can affect the illusion in turn. The Melkot are clearly very powerful, but it's up to you decide what's best for your story.
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