Biography Guide

What's all the stuff on the bio form mean? Here's a handy guide. Take a look at the CO and XO biographies for more examples of how they are used. We will try to make sure stories have ways to use bio details as hooks for writing.

Character Information

Species

If you don't want to play a regular human, any Trek species is fair game, with certain exceptions. We do not allow Borg, Changelings, any Gamma or Delta Quadrant species, and anything vaguely godlike. Species that are not part of the Federation, significantly non-humanoid species like the Medusans, or non-cancon species will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Pegasus Fleet admiralty must approve characters who are androids, augments, or otherwise notably better than human. Also, for story purposes, it's often hard to work in general telepathy; while not prohibited, if your character can read minds it needs to have restrictions that make it hard to use to instantly solve problems.

Federation Members in 2360s Include:

• Andorian
• Aurelian
• Benzite
• Bolian
• Caitian
• Deltan
• Denobulan
• Edosian
• Efrosian
• Risan
• Human
• Rigellian
• Saurian
• Tellarite
• Trill
• Vulcan

Non-Federation members which may still be in Starfleet:

• Barzan
• Kelpien
• Orion
• Xahean

Unclear Status - Ask the CO First:

• Betazoid
• Brikar
• El Aurian
• Suliban
• Xindi

Species Which Are Not Eligible as Player Characters:

• Klingon
• Romulan
• Breen
• Cardassian
• Ferengi
• Gorn
• Tamarian
• Beluga Whales
• Horta
• Any Gamma- or Delta-quadrant species

Age

The minimum age for a human main character is 21, unless there are special circumstances for early Academy entry, or 18 for an enlisted NPC. Most department heads are going to be at least a few years older than this so that they've had time to gain the administrative and leadership experience necessary to run even a small department. Unlike a modern military there are not strict time in grade requirements - see the rapid rise of Geordie La Forge - but in general you can expect an average of three to five years per rank. Your character might be much older if Starfleet is a second career or they took time off for education or family reasons, or if they advanced slowly due to disciplinary issues or not seeking promotion.

Wondering how old your character might have been for certain life events? Check out the age table on the wiki.

Appearance

What does your character look like? Even if you've chosen an avatar, include anything that might not be apparent, like scars, hair style, or tattoos. Things like voice can also fit here.

Family

There are several fields for your character's family. As is tradition in Trek, you can feel free to fill these out later when they become relevant if you don't want to get locked in immediately.

Personality and Traits

General Overview

This is a summary of the character's personality. It should give people a quick overview of what they are like. One or two sentences will do.

Hobbies

What does your character do when they're not working? Or are they the sort of person who gets off duty and then works some more? Examples:

Sailing
Acting
Historical Holodramas
Painting
Photography

Ambitions

Does your character have a goal they want to accomplish? Examples:

Become a starship captain.
Win an award.
Write a book.

Strengths and Weaknesses

This is a quick summary or list of your character's strengths and weaknesses. You should have a couple of each. These could be skills, personality quirks, or even things like friends and enemies. Some might be good or bad, depending on the situation. Here's a few examples.

+ Computer Wizard
+ Loyal
+ Calm under fire
+ Quick Learner

- Clumsy
- Doesn't Know When To Shut Up
- Naive
- Black Mark

+/- The Admiral's Kid
+/- Friends in Low Places
+/- Headstrong

Values

What's something that your character feels strongly about? Come up with a couple short phrases. These may reflect their upbringing and other life experiences.

Personal History

This is a narrative of your character's life. It should include a brief description of their childhood and any other events before joining Starfleet, something about why they joined, and then a couple events from their career or time at the Academy. It can also include things from their personal lives, such as relationships or having children. You don't need more than a couple sentences for each.

One important thing to keep in mind is that Klingon War ended nine years ago. Anyone over the age of 27 almost certainly served in it, unless they joined Starfleet after the war, and those younger would still have been impacted on the home front, especially if they grew up on worlds that were cut off by Klingon blockades or even directly attacked. It's possible, of course, that their ship or home world was on the far side of Federation space and not directly affected.

If you're not sure what sort of career events to include, check out the Character Lifepath.

Career Summary

This is a brief summary of your character's career. It lists their previous postings and positions, and any awards they have received. This part is largely optional if you don't want to have specific dates yet.