Star Trek: Arbiters
Star Trek Adventures - Second Edition | Campaign
About the adventure
The Dominion War is over! The bloodiest conflict in Federation history touched every major power in three quadrants. What will happen in its wake? ... Diplomacy, that's what. Combining the best elements of tabletop and online roleplaying games this campaign will take place in an audio video meeting, supplemented between games with player and character discussions, images, files, clues and Easter eggs to help expand the mythology, mystery and adventure! Starfleet is short on ships and personnel. Member worlds and species have suffered greatly. So have the Federation's allies--who could become enemies again, now the Dominion threat is gone. After war and politics, comes diplomacy: the fine art of matching your words and deeds to avert catastrophe, build alliances and save the day! When every conflict ends, however, there are always those who thrived on the chaos and are not ready to give up the freedom and power that chaos provided them. You'll have your work cut out for yourself aboard a freshly re-fit vessel. There are precious few space-frames coming out of Utopia Planitia since the Dominion War, but you and your mission have priority. Pick your starship and finish the re-fit as you choose Arbiters aren't just diplomats: they are the best of the best. They can drink blood wine with Klingons, outwit Romulans, out-scheme Ferengi --and they live and die to save lives, forward civilization and protect the Federation. Are you ready to answer the call?
Game style
Theater of the Mind
“Theater of the Mind” uses little to no visuals for scene settings and combat. Instead, the narrative imagery comes from the Game Master’s descriptions and character action and movement comes from Players’ descriptions.
Rule of Cool (RoC)
“Rule of Cool” emphasizes creative story beats over sticking to a system’s rules as written. Players have the ability to push the limits of the rules or even break core rule mechanics at times if the Game Master thinks it is interesting, fun, or cool enough.
5.0
(5)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: World Builder, Creativity, Inclusive
Average response time: 17 hours
Response rate: 100%
Game Master Reviews (5)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
World Builder
Creativity
Inclusive
Darren
I was a new player joining an established group. John made me feel welcome, and quickly integrated my character into the ongoing plot.
Rlumpsrim
John does great world building with lots of detail for the universe the game is set in, but completely plays off what the players bring to help shape what the narrative is. He's also mindful of keeping the sessions on time since many of us have lives we need to attend to, yet he manages to end sessions on a satisfying conclusion or cliffhanger -- all while giving different players a chance for their character to shine. He checks in with the players before and after for feedback as well. High marks all around.
Kelly Brown
John brings a lot of energy to his games and gives his players room to express themselves and go off the map. He's been telling stories fora. long time and it shows in the richness of his world building and the memorable NPCs you encounter along the way. Highly recommended.
Moyen
John is an excellent storyteller and character machine. His years of experience as a writer and voice actor shine through. He knows the rules but has a light touch and will bend them for the betterment of the roleplaying experience. Expect to roleplay over strict rules for combat. His presentation has plenty of supporting material but doesn’t get bogged down with the quirks and drawbacks of the VTTs, so things move quickly.
Dave
There are several qualities that make John a superb game master. 1) He’s a gifted storyteller with many published stories in the world. 2) He’s a colossal nerd and connoisseur of all things speculative… SciFi (especially StarTrek), fantasy, and everything in between 3) His enthusiasm and commitment to a quality player experience Makes the energy around the table of delight to participate in. At the time of this writing, he’s still exploring his “Voice” as a game master, but that just means the collaboration around the table is that much more fun.
Additional details
How to prepare
Players are encouraged to prep a quiet environment and a good microphone (and headphones if preferred). Please create a Discord account prior to Session 0. The Star Trek Second Edition Quickstart guide is a free resource you can download to read up on the RPG. Highly recommended! Think about what you want from your game/campaign! In 'Session 0' we will discuss the basics of roleplaying, improv, team dynamics and consent issues. Gaming is supposed to be your happy place, so this is your chance to make sure 'Star Trek: Arbiters' is a good fit for you. Let's all aspire to act like our Starfleet heroes (both in-game and above-table) to ensure an inclusive, positive and fun playing environment AND continuing adventure for us all! See you on the bridge!
What I provide
Join this elite diplomatic team for immersive, team-based roleplaying adventure! The most important skills in this game will be improvisation, communication. Pack your imagination, creativity, team spirit and enjoyment of role-playing and beam aboard! Campaign sessions will be held over Discord audio/text channels (free account required). Occasionally we will use Owlbear Rodeo VTT (free account required) but he 'rule of cool' and 'theater of the mind' are most important! Session 0 will explore character goals and back-story, player preferences and consent. (paid session). Sessions will ALWAYS have a three hour hard limit.
Gameplay details
Players can expect rules-light, character-based, immersive adventure. Imaginative role-playing and team-building will be rewarded. Session 0 will cover character creation, the campaign setting and gameplay style, breaks and our open door policy as covered in Monte Cook's 'Consent in Gaming'.
Content warnings
• Death
• Violence
• Terrorism
• PTSD
• Mind Control
• Lifechanging Injury
• Mass Death
Safety tools used
• Debriefing
• Lines and Veils
• Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist
• Open Door
• Session 0
• X, N, and O Cards
How will character creation work
Character creation will be done during 'Session 0' using BC Holme's excellent Star Trek Adventures character generator. Mid-career or department heads are preferred for this adventure (the joy of this RPG is that it encourages the creation of 'secondary' characters of other ranks/ages). Feel free to discuss other characters you would like to play in 'Session 0'.
Players can expect
Combat / Tactics
Medium
Roleplay
High
Puzzles
Low
Experience level
Open to all
Platforms used
• Discord
• Owlbear Rodeo
$15.00
/ Session
Each player will be charged when a session starts.
Details
Bi-weekly / Tuesday - 11:00 PM UTC
2.5-3 Hour duration
1 / 5 Seats filled
Requirements
Experience required: Open to all
Age: 18+