New Frontiers Areas of Responsibility

New Frontiers Areas of Responsibility (AORs) are a storytelling mechanism for the 2024 campaign New Frontiers. When the Beta Quadrant powers gain access to the mysterious Shackleton Expanse, starships of the Fourth Fleet will be among those venturing into the region on missions of exploration, investigation, and diplomacy.

In New Frontiers, each member may claim an Area of Responsibility for their campaign mission. This can be a world, system, or region in the Shackleton Expanse their ship visits during the campaign. The story does not need to be set wholly within that location; ships may travel from place to place. But it is a corner of the Shackleton Expanse that is the member’s own to flesh out, in accordance with the campaign mission briefing and other guidance.

The member can depict a new region within this campaign about exploration, defining what is discovered - and how the system is left. This builds up the lore of this new area, giving members freedom to make their own decisions without infringing on the stories of others. This is made all the easier by the existence of the Shroud, the effect upon the Shackleton Expanse that, until recently, limited interstellar travel to warp factor 2. For centuries or millennia, the systems of the Shackleton Expanse have been isolated. Though that time is ending, even worlds in close proximity to each other have developed independently.

AOR Types

There are two types of AORs in this campaign:

Member canon AORs, regions that have been created by members. Members have ownership of any member canon AOR they create.
Intelligence Office AORs, which have been created by the Intelligence Office. Members who apply for and are allocated that AOR have ownership of it.

The Intelligence Office also offers Priority Tasks for New Frontiers. While Intelligence Office AORs are unique storylines, Priority Tasks are story prompts which do not specify any unique locations and are missions that multiple ships could undertake. While less developed than other briefings, they provide more specific detail and guidance than the campaign overview.

Member Canon AORs

Under member canon, members can create elements of the Star Trek setting that are their own to write, flesh out, and determine the nature and fate of. For this campaign, that includes a whole new Area of Responsibility. This AOR must be within the Shackleton Expanse.

This is functionally the same as creating a new planet for a one-off mission. Member canon locations are still ‘real,’ but must be sufficiently unobtrusive to the setting that it is believable for the writing of other members and the Intelligence Office if that location is never mentioned. This reflects both the reality of a large organisation like Bravo Fleet, where no one person can keep track of the writing of every single member, and keeping our storytelling policies fair, where no non-staff member can unilaterally make changes to the setting by which everyone else must abide.

Within New Frontiers, it’s very easy to make a member canon AOR: it’s any world or star system within the Shackleton Expanse, with the Shroud having isolated it from influencing regional affairs. Until recently, the region should have had great difficulty with interstellar travel, though may be highly technologically complex, and may have mastered technology such as subspace telescopes or subspace communications. They may thus be aware of, or even have dealings with, alien life, even if travelling to nearby stars is a matter of months or years. They may have even encountered Klingons or Romulans in centuries past, if the system is near their territory, though these meetings would be few and far between.

People living in member canon AORs will almost always be original alien species; it is perfectly appropriate within policy for writers to invent these species and cultures.

Many cultures in the Shackleton Expanse were, at some point in their history, under the rulership or influence of the Vezda - but not all. Members may determine the presence of any Vezda in the past or present, any lingering remains of technologies or cultural influence, or decide their AOR was never affected by the Vezda at all.

Intelligence Office AORs

Intelligence Office AORs are fleet canon locations created for this campaign by the Intel Office. They are set areas of the Shackleton Expanse about which certain things have been predefined, ranging from name and location to details about worlds, species, and cultures. Every Intel Office AOR has its own wiki article. Intel Office AORs are not necessarily more ‘important,’ but depict key examples of the environs of the Shackleton Expanse.

To own a canon AOR, members will fill out the (upcoming) Intelligence Office form, selecting their chosen AOR from a list. Once the Intelligence Officer confirms this allocation, the member may write a campaign mission depicting this location. As New Frontiers is a story about exploration and travel, the mission need not be solely set at this location - but it should play a major part of any completed mission.

Please remember that to take on an IO AOR is to commit to completing the campaign mission. This does not have to be a long mission, but it should be written in good faith and to conclusion within the eight-week period. Members who fail to do so may be excluded from participating in unique storytelling systems in future campaigns.

Some Intel Office AORs present simply a setting, the wiki article explaining a planet and culture, like any other locational article on the wiki. Members should remember that the presumption is that they and their ships will be the first Starfleet officers to ever encounter these places or people; unless a writer chooses otherwise, the information in the wiki article is not known ahead of time IC. Of course, Starfleet survey ships may have ventured into the region, or Klingon or Romulan records may have some information on an AOR if a writer wishes their characters to have some forewarning.

To support storytelling in New Frontiers, all AOR articles include an ‘Encounters’ section. This section provides guidance for writers, such as story prompts to help members plan their mission. These prompts are often suggestions, though not always; in some cases, an AOR’s concept is reliant upon not merely a location, but a ‘scenario.’ The Thalor System, for example, is a mysterious, icy world, with suggested Encounters that can help members build a mission concept - but they are all merely suggestions. The Vraxir System, on the other hand, not only presents a warrior culture, but introduces it as a setting where these people have already met and are dealing with the Klingon Empire, a situation Starfleet crews must navigate. Articles will be clear what is a suggested prompt, and what isn’t.

Some Encounters sections may include secret information not included in the rest of the article that may be discovered during the story. For example, a wiki article that mentions mysterious surface ruins would give enough information for a writer to depict their initial discovery - but it is the Encounters section which confirms whether these ruins are Vezda in origin, or if that is up for the writer to determine.

Beyond the bounds of what is written in the wiki article, including the Encounters section, the AOR owner has the right to determine everything else: undefined features of a setting, or how the crises or challenges presented are resolved.

Allied Ships and AORs

All AORs are written with the expectation that they will be undertaken by a Starfleet ship. This is not required, though writers should study the AOR closely to understand its core concept or conflict if they want to take it on with a Klingon, Romulan, or even civilian ship. If an AOR challenges Starfleet principles, but is very easily resolved under Klingon or Romulan approaches, it should probably not be picked as a mission for a Klingon or Romulan ship.

Writers should feel free, however, to include these allied ships in their AOR missions. This could be by sending them alongside Starfleet vessels, representing their faction’s interests in the Shackleton Expanse, which may add support or complications to the proceedings. They may be your protagonists of a mission, showcasing how the Empire or Republic navigate the Expanse. This might take a reinterpretation of the AOR’s Encounters list or framing, but so long as you adhere to the core tensions or challenges of an AOR, that is welcome and encouraged.

List of Intelligence Office AORs

The following articles are the Intelligence Office-written AORs. This list includes a quick summary of both the content and the likely or expected themes/genre of any mission set there.

Atrix: A resource-rich planet inhabited by the Atriari, a peaceful but xenophobic species with a deep religious connection to Vezda ruins. An AOR focused on mystery and overcoming prejudice towards outsiders. (Assigned to Fleet Admiral James Neidlinger)
Brynar: A rugged world home to an Iron Age pre-warp civilisation, its landscape scattered with ancient ruins that hum with mysterious technology. An AOR focused on horror and intrigue, with opportunities for scientific discovery and diplomacy. (Assigned to Lieutenant Commander Michael Angelus)
Caelari System: Home to the Caelarians, bound by a single, devout faith that now stands tested as the Radiant Spires, sites of enormous spiritual importance, have gone dark since the end of the Shroud. An AOR focused on science and diplomacy, with opportunities for horror. (Assigned to Lieutenant Commander Ludvig Traven)
Ceryne: A potentially uninhabited jungle world, where a deep rift and ancient ruins lead to a mysterious subterranean network. An AOR focused on horror and intrigue, with opportunities for scientific discovery and diplomacy. (Assigned to Captain Zachary Murphy)
Draxan Imperium: A militaristic government spanning several systems. With the fall of the Shroud, they have ambitions of violent expansion. An AOR focused on politics or conflict which would make an excellent choice for multiple writers seeking to collaborate. (Assigned to Fleet Captain Keziah Nazir)
Drekar System: A star system centred around an ageing yellow dwarf star, and home to the Kaelthri who experiment with unstable wormholes to escape the inevitable death of their sun. An AOR focused on diplomatic negotiations and ethical conflict. (Assigned to Lieutenant Commander Hrelle 'Rune' M'Hark)
Faruun Verge: A cluster of systems once home to miners and scavengers turned dangerous hub for smugglers and pirates. An AOR focused on conflict and diplomacy, with opportunities for intrigue. Would be appropriate for multiple writers seeking to collaborate. (Assigned to Lieutenant Junior Grade Juliette Bristo)
Harha’kuva: A mysterious planet with a powerful psionic field, where each visit is different and challenging in its own way. An AOR focused on science and intrigue, with opportunities for horror. (Assigned to Captain Jason Devron)
Ivalis System: Home to a unified interplanetary civilisation, recently beset by the fanatical violence of a dangerous cult. An AOR focused on scientific intrigue and horror, with opportunities for diplomacy and conflict. (Assigned to Fleet Admiral Luke Duncan)
Kelerond Monarchy: Three star systems under the absolute rule of a throne-world, now facing a succession crisis and nascent rebellion. An AOR focused on politics and diplomacy, with the opportunity for the ethical question of helping the oppressed. (Assigned to Lieutenant Commander Fabien Oteng)
K’Shar: A desert world whose sandstorms periodically swallow and expose the mysterious ruins on the surface. A lightly defined AOR focused on scientific discovery with opportunities for political intrigue or horror. (Assigned to Fleet Captain Henry Maxwell)
Leytan III: An arid world home to ancient Vezda ruins whose locals may help or hinder investigation. An AOR focused on scientific mystery with opportunities for diplomacy or ancient horror. (Assigned to Rear Admiral Tikva Theodoras)
Marrak IV: A rugged world home to the stubborn Marraki, who are on the verge of holding their ancient festival, the ‘Black Feast’ in honour of ancient legends, the ‘Lords of Hunger.’ An AOR focused on horror and intrigue, with opportunities for diplomacy and scientific discovery. (Assigned to Captain Anna Caldwell)
Nelith III: A world of great wealth, already home to a Romulan Free State research outpost that risks exploiting the planet or its people. An AOR focused on politics and intrigue, with opportunities for scientific investigation.
Orvas Protectorate: An interplanetary government positioning themselves as guardians of the Shackleton Expanse - including against the interlopers of the Beta Quadrant. An AOR focused on politics or conflict that would make an excellent choice for multiple writers seeking to collaborate. (Assigned to Admiral Alexander Beckett)
Paldor system: A system with a massive, rich gas giant mined by technologically advanced but peaceful locals, who are at risk of exploitation by a Klingon House who insists they need their protection. An AOR focused on politics and diplomacy, with the opportunity for conflict or intrigue. (Assigned to Commander Rynar Jast)
Quorath System: A system where a Romulan crew crashed centuries ago. Today, they are a thriving settlement, and both the Star Empire and Republic seek to bring them under their wing. An AOR focused on politics and diplomacy, with the opportunity for conflict or intrigue. (Assigned to Fleet Admiral Teylas Ramar)
Roscessa VII: A tidally locked planet characterized by extreme temperature variations between the hemispheres and home to two distinct cultures on either side. An AOR with a scenario focused on diplomatic negotiations, with the chance for conflict in supporting either side. (Assigned to Captain Cressida Brennan)
Thalor System: Thalor V is a frozen ocean world with a fascinating and mysterious ecosystem. A lightly defined AOR focused on scientific discovery.
Tysla System: A hostile and only marginally hospitable system inhabited by the militaristic Rosvakaar. As a consequence of the removal of the Shroud, the Rosvakaar are now looking to expand outside their star system. An AOR focused on diplomacy and the study of a culture whose values conflict with those of Starfleet.
Tyrena System: Home to several scientifically advanced worlds of one species, whose historic unity risks collapsing with the fall of the Shroud. An AOR focused on diplomacy and science. (Assigned to Captain Olivia Carrillo)
Vareen I: A metal-rich planet with a thin, volatile atmosphere and dangerous landscapes that served as a resource hub for the Nymvok and the Sirelians, until a catastrophic event destroyed all colonisation efforts. Both species are looking to Starfleet to investigate the incident and smooth diplomatic relations. An AOR with a set scenario focused on diplomacy, intrigue and scientific investigation.
Varjon: A rogue planet enveloped by a psionic field that allows the native Varjokh to engage in communal dreaming. An AOR focussed on scientific investigation, medical intrigue and character development. (Assigned to Captain Khim Samnang)
Velantri System: Inhabited by an advanced civilisation who have genetically bred the perfect hybrid of their two species, and now live under their rule in a complex caste system. An AOR focused on diplomatic intrigue and science, with questions around politics and ethics. (Assigned to Fleet Captain Varen Wyll)
Vorethi System: A resource-rich system inhabited by the industrious Vorethi. Before the Shroud fell, their long-haul trade of minerals was a cornerstone of their cultural identity and economy. Now, the Vorethi must confront both societal change, and visitors seeking to exploit or even steal their wealth. An AOR focused on politics and diplomacy, with the chance for conflict in helping the Vorethi defend themselves. (Assigned to Fleet Captain Edwin Wagner)
Vraekton IV: A verdant planet inhabited by lizard-like megafauna, where a Free State listening outpost has gone dark. An AOR focused on science and adventure, with the opportunity for horror and conflict. (Assigned to Lieutenant Commander Alexander Dubois)
Vraxir System: Inhabited by the martial Vraxiri, who resolve internal conflicts through ritual combat. The arrival of enthusiastic Klingons who participate in their societal rituals threatens to destabilise their culture. An AOR focused on politics and diplomacy, with the chance for conflict. (Assigned to Commodore Sazra Kobahl)

Interpreting the Map

The Shackleton Expanse is featured on the Bravo Fleet map, with IO AORs included. Members may freely choose the location of their member canon AORs, just as they would any other member canon locations. The map includes a rough scale, with each map square representing an area approximately 20 light-years by 20 light-years, considered the size of the average sector. For illustration, travelling between two star systems five light-years apart takes 2 months at Warp 3, 9 days at Warp 5, a day at Warp 9, 6 hours at Warp 9.99, and 80 years at full impulse.

Space is also depicted on a two-dimensional map. While we know the distance between some stars, through canon and contemporary astronomy (we know, for example, that Alpha Centauri is 4.367 light years from us), for others, all we have is guesswork and the map. What the map doesn’t capture is height/depth. The Milky Way is 1,000 light-years tall, which means that the Federation (rarely more than 200 light-years across) could very easily be just as deep as it is wide. Two systems that the map shows in the same square don’t have to be within 20 light-years of each other.

It’s to our benefit to be vague about this when it suits us. Being too precise adds more restrictions than opportunities, and it’s essential to note that Star Trek ships always travel at the speed of plot. For illustration, based on warp speed charts and the Star Trek charts, it should take 25+ days for the Defiant to travel from Deep Space 9 to Earth - a journey that certainly doesn’t take that long in the episode ‘Paradise Lost.’

All of this is to say that space is big. Really big. Conveniently big. And, at other times, conveniently small.

Sharing an AOR

Although AORs have only one owner, members may write together within an AOR. This might include starships deploying directly alongside each other, or collaborative but separate missions within a larger AOR. For example, one member may invite another to write in their AOR during the campaign, with one writing about diplomatic outreach at a civilisation’s homeworld, while another assists with a problem at the periphery of their territory. This is even easier for AORs about a small regional power, where encounters by different commands could be wholly unrelated.

Whether an AOR is shared is a decision for the owner to make. Once someone has been allocated or has created an AOR, they have full control over the sharing or participation in that space. Other members should be included by invitation only. While, once other members are involved, it should be down to the participants to collaborate as they see fit, the AOR owner effectively has final say in decision-making.

It is absolutely critical to note that whether an AOR is shared is the decision of the AOR’s owner. If the owner wishes to share, the Intelligence Office encourages them to reach out directly to people they want to write with. If they want to be very open, they might use the #writing-partners channel on the BF Discord. The owner of the AOR has the right to refuse anyone else’s request to participate in their AOR for any reason, and does not need to even give a reason. They may include some members but not others entirely at their discretion. If you ask to share someone else’s AOR, it is perfectly acceptable for them to reply, ‘No,’ with no explanation or apology.

Do not badger people to let you share their AOR. I don’t care how cool it is.