RULES / THINGS TO KNOW:

The "mirror universe" is the "evil twin" of the Star Trek universe--a world of sex and violence, manipulation and intrigue, treachery, villainy... and death.  Denizens of the mirror universe are dark reflections of familiar Trek characters, who often scheme and plot with deadly results and meet violent ends.  Instead of a Federation, here there is an Empire, which expands by conquest rather than peace, and in Starfleet one succeeds in rank by assassinating superiors... provided the one being replaced does not have allies waiting to exact revenge.  Starships are ran similar to pirate ships.

Despite the abundance of treachery, there is a deadly system of check and balance at work in the mirror universe.  The overriding goal of those in service to the Empire is to expand its power, as well as their own.  If those around you feel you are weak or too dangerous, you'll find yourself on the business end of a phaser, or with a knife in your back.  You are expected to launch a "coup" if and when superiors become too weak, compassionate or unable to follow the "will of the Empire".

You will need allies.  Allies = Power.  As one gains power, others will want to work for you--provided you give them incentive--while yet others will want to eliminate you.  You'll need protection, so don't dismiss, ignore or kill your allies too quickly.  Reward those who are loyal, but don't trust them or let them get too close.  When one has power, others will always try to take it.  Survival in this world is a constant battle.  One slip and you're through.  You command power and respect when your goals coincide with the goals of others.  Lose it or let your guard down, and you will die.  Period.  Be careful not to make too many enemies, or they may gang up against you.

CONTENT:

Though not an utter prerequisite, it is strongly advised that you be familiar with the "mirror episodes" of the Star Trek shows.  In chronological order, as dated in the Trek universe, they are:

    Enterprise - "In A Mirror, Darkly" Part 1 & Part 2

    The Original Series - "Mirror, Mirror"

    Deep Space Nine - "Crossover", "Through the Looking Glass", "Shattered Mirror", "Resurrection", "The Emperor's New Cloak"

These episodes are essential to see how the mirror universe works and what has or has not happened in that realm.  You can read the DS9 scripts by clicking here.  Look for the above titles.

The basic premise of this sim {simulation) is "the mirror universe according to Arcadia".  If you don't know what Arcadia is, click here.  We're set in the same timeframe (the year 2385-'86) as that sim, and "our" universe is the "mirror" of Arcadia's.  Being familiar with Arcadia will help one gain a better appreciation of our mirror universe continuity.  However, it isn't absolutely necessary.  Currently, we are based on the warship ISS Arcadia.  While it is preferable that you portray a member of this ship's crew, any character who "works" in the mirror universe setting (and who may logically cross paths with our ship) may be permissible.

Be mindful of the history of the mirror universe.  [See the Mirror Universe timeline].  Mirror-history has been dramatically different from that of the "main" Star Trek universe.  This restricts the types of characters you can portray.  Since the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance conquered the Terran Empire and enslaved its peoples (Terrans, Vulcans and probably other races), we can infer that no Starfleet existed for several decades.  Hence, on any "Starfleet character" bio, there will be no Starfleet service record or training before 2375 at the earliest (since there was still no "new Starfleet" yet at that time).  Note also that our version of mirror history after 2375 may differ from what has yet to be officially established.  Think about where your character came from: Where they started, how they were brought up, what they did before, during and after the rebellion, so on and so forth.  Your bio may be as detailed or as sparse as you like, but the more detailed it is, the more consistent your character will be, and you'll have a better handle on that character.

Some Trek books set in the mirror universe (such as William Shatner's Kirk novels and the "Dark Passions" series) can provide great inspiration.  While these publications may inspire material in our setting, they are not considered official.  For example, in Shatner's works, Kirk betrayed the Empire and Picard worked for the Alliance as an Intendant.  Since novels aren't regarded as "canon", those events may not have happened here.  Don't take them too seriously.

Despite any similarities, this is not Star Wars.  Adventures in this realm should have a genuine Star Trek "feel", in the mirror universe vein.

Since this is an adult setting, with stories written by adults for adults, no one under age 18 is permitted.  There may be graphic, "R-rated" content in our setting.  If you even ACT like you're not an adult, you may be removed from our group with or without warning.  Take care in this regard.  Do not be immature by putting this rule to the test.  If you're an adult... act like one.

All posts are moderated before appearing on the group forum.  They may be edited for continuity or proofreading purposes.  The goal is to tell "quality" stories.

CHARACTER STIPULATIONS:

There is an old saying: "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen."  Although this world features conflict, remember not to take other characters' actions personally; it's all part of the story.  We may appear to be trying to kill each other at one time or another, but no one can kill another character without permission of that character's player.  In the case of recurring or supporting characters, unless you created them, seek permission before killing them as well.  Some of us invest a lot of time and effort creating such characters.

The most important rule is to create a character that works in this setting.  NO "SUPER"-POWERED CHARACTERS!  This means characters who are genetically or artificially enhanced, with super-speed, super-strength, super-intelligence, etc., former slaves whom the Alliance "experimented" on to make them "super-agents", or characters who can simply do anything, are not allowed.  This is not the X-Men.  This is Star Trek, in the mirror universe.  Minor enhancements might be okay, if it makes sense in a "Star Trek" context.  If you have questions, consult the webmaster.  Remember: Suspense--the willing suspension of disbelief--makes characters and stories interesting.  "Super"-characters rarely achieve this.  If you can get away with anything, there's no suspense.

No one can be "Emperor", or any figure which automatically has great power over others.  "Power", like influence, is a fluctuating medium--difficult to gain, and easy to lose.  Either is achieved via plot and character interactions.  The point of this is to keep characters relatively "equal".  (And no one can be "captain" either.)

* Other character types not allowed:

    -- Q (anyone from the Q Continuum)

    -- Original characters from the shows (Picard, Sisko, etc.)

    -- Shapeshifters, telepaths or telekinetics

    -- Again... no "super-powered" characters.

    -- No one from the Federation universe.  Weak-minded bleeding hearts will end up in a torpedo casing... after a long spell in the agony booth.

    -- No Borg.  The Borg have not been seen in the mirror universe (and no one knows for sure what the mirror-Borg would be like).

    -- No "Section 31".  This can be rationalized by saying, since decades went by without Starfleet, there was no Section 31 either.  Section 31 was never officially established in mirror universe episodes, although it may have existed before the Empire fell to the Alliance.  This doesn't mean you can't play intelligence agents or covert operatives.  The point of denying Section 31 is to prevent characters from becoming too all-knowing/all-powerful and fomenting "conspiracies" of mass infiltration.  Keep this in mind for such characters.

    -- Avoid using established characters from the UFS Arcadia, or their counterparts, unless you created them.  In many cases those characters are the intellectual property of other writers.

Be mindful of others.  Try not to "out-do" other characters to the point of leaving them "no way out" -- any situation which is utterly impossible for them to overcome, and may force them to resort to extreme measures which might seem "superheroic" in proportion (and would thus violate the "superhero" rule).  Also do not try to solve the majority of problems yourself.  This is known as "superhero syndrome", and may leave others with nothing to do.  It will also make you highly unpopular.

Unless given permission, don't write other people's characters, or use them for anything more than simple responses/minor actions.  Characters created by others have their own "style" and mode of thinking, speech and behavior; this will determine how they act/react.  Let THEM decide what they should say or do.  This extends to recurring supporting characters.

Restrict your number of "main" characters--one, two at the most.  Unlimited supporting characters are allowed, but don't overdo it ("crowding")--use only as many as you need.

ABOUT RANKS:  We follow the Starfleet ranking system.  If playing a crew-member on our ship (currently the ISS Arcadia), most new members start as Ensign (Lieutenant if a department head) (unless civilian) and advance in rank (provided you've executed a successful assassination) based on participation and writing quality.  Otherwise, promotions are gained annually for each full year of membership.  Rarely does anyone start with "command rank" (Lieutenant-Commander or higher).  If you feel you can't incorporate this, contact the webmaster to discuss it.