The Dark Empire Charter
Article I: Membership Requirements
Article II: TDE Costuming: Approval Process / Judging Protocol
Article III: Code of Conduct
Article IV: STAR WARS Canon and Non-canon Costuming
Article V: Club Organization
Article VI: Membership
Article VII: Disciplinary Action
Article VIII: Elections and Voting
Article IX: Merchandising and Promotion
Article X: Charter Amendment Procedure
Mission Statement
The purpose of The Dark Empire is to promote multi-generational fandom and appreciation of STAR WARS through acts of charity, and to encourage creative costuming as custom characters and canon characters representing the “dark side” of the Star Wars universe.
ARTICLE I: Membership Requirements
A) Membership Details
The Dark Empire is an equal opportunity organization and will not discriminate against existing or prospective members on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, religion or philosophy. In order to gain full membership one must be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age and own an approved “dark side” or “dark side-affiliated” costume from within the Star Wars canon or non-canon genre. See the costume standards, or Costume Reference Library, linked on our website, here:
https://www.thedarkempire.org/crl/
TDE is a costuming home for fans of the dark side of the force. We welcome custom and canon Sith, Dark Jedi, and Fallen Jedi. Other dark side-affiliated custom and canon costumes accepted include force users and non-force users such as Sith Troopers, Sith Inquisitors, Imperial Agents, and Non-Mandalorian Bounty Hunters and Pirates / Smugglers. These costumes must represent Sith-affiliated characters from any of the STAR WARS movies, or from any era within the Expanded Universe including books, games, comics, and animated series.
The Dark Empire costume club, in addition to accepting custom and canon Sith, Dark Jedi, and Fallen Jedi costumes for full membership, also accepts within its ranks custom and canon Sith-affiliated costumes of the following types, from the Old Republic Era, Movie Era, and post-Movie eras:
1. Non-Mandalorian Bounty Hunters
2. Pirates
3. Sith Assassins
4. Old Republic Sith Troopers (Clone Troopers and Movie Era Troopers are not accepted costumes within TDE)
5. Other costumes associated with the Sith Empire, both canon and custom versions of the following classes / sub-classes of the SWTOR and related eras including the following:
Sith Warrior: Sith Juggernaut and Sith Marauder, Sith Inquisitor: Sith Sorcerer and Sith Assassin, Bounty Hunter: Powertech and Mercenary (non Mandalorian only), and Imperial Agent: Operative and Sniper.
6. Movie-era and Expanded Universe-era smugglers that operated for the Imperials or Sith factions are also accepted costumes within TDE. However, costumes representing a canon or customization of a canon “Rebel” affiliated smuggler costume are not authorized for membership in TDE.
All costumes of these types, canon or similarly-constructed custom versions thereof, must be shown to be affiliated with the Sith or Sith Empire.
FOR EXAMPLE: In the Clone Wars animated series, Cad Bane was hired by Darth Sidious. Therefore, Cad Bane is an acceptable costume within The Dark Empire.
When depicting a custom character for The Dark Empire, the character must reflect the Star Wars universe costuming and will be expected to represent integrity in its construction that George Lucas himself would expect. Examples of a custom character reflecting on the Star Wars universe could be a Zabrak Black Sun pirate, a Chiss smuggler, etc.
All newly-approved costumers of these types of characters will not receive an alternate designation number when approved, however, will receive the standard TDE designation.
For example: TDE-113 (multiple approved costumes on file)
1. Official Membership requires a minimum age of 18.
a. Applicants must be legal adults. Official Membership, also referred to as Full Membership, is defined as a costumer with a TDE number with an approved costume. Forum Members, persons who have joined TDE on the forums only, must be at least 13 years of age. Persons under the age of 18 attending events are required to have a parent or guardian present.
b. Forum Members are not Official Members, and therefore cannot represent TDE (by wearing a costume) at any approved TDE event (charitable events, events supporting and promoting Star Wars, etc.) However, those who are forum members only may assist TDE at such events by working as handlers or in other support capacities. TDE t-shirts (that do not indicate the words “Official Member”) and/or other items bearing the TDE logo are strongly encouraged for wear by Forum Members at events, however, are not required.
c. All persons utilizing the TDE forums are required to have, as a minimum on their forum profiles, their age and Temple region (or general location). This information shall serve to assist forum administrators in identifying users within the TDE forums.
2. Forum Membership status may be granted to those who do not possess a costume yet wish to participate in an event or on any existing web forums if the following criteria are met:
a. Prospective member meets the minimum age requirements.
b. Adheres strictly to all codes of conduct set forth within this charter.
3. Membership Approval
a. Forum members are approved by the TDE Council.
b. Official members of the TDE are recommended for approval by the TDE Costume Judges. (See Article II, section B, The Costume Judging Process).
4. Official Member privileges
Official Members, in addition to being considered full members of TDE, are also eligible to troop as full members, vote within TDE elections, and purchase TDE Official Member merchandise (See Article IX).
a. Forum members, while they cannot purchase Official Member merchandise, can still purchase other merchandise when offered. Forum Members may also participate in trooping events as handlers, photographers, and table staffers, however Forum Members may not troop in costume while representing TDE. Forum members cannot participate in TDE elections.
b. Official Members may not troop in an unapproved costume while representing TDE at a LFL/Disney sanctioned event. At conventions or similar events an Official Member may wear an unapproved costume at the discretion of a Costuming Acolyte or ranking TDE leader on a case by case basis, with the understanding that the member requesting this action enter with the unapproved costume into the Dark Trials (See Article I, Table Duty Guidelines at Conventions and Similar Events, section 4.)
c. Official Members agree, as part of their full membership status within the club, that their likeness in approved costume may be used for club promotional purposes, including but not limited to posts on social media and club literature. This rule also applies to persons no longer active within the club; images of former members in approved costume during their active membership may also be used for the purposes of promoting The Dark Empire.
5. TDE Younglings
Full members of TDE with children that wish to troop along with their parents at events may do so; Minors under the age of 18 may be considered Apprentices of TDE; younglings are not full members, but may costume at conventions or events along with a parent/guardian who must be an Official Member of The Dark Empire.
a. The Empire accepts no responsibility for the well-being of any younglings at events where the Empire is represented.
b. The Official Member of TDE that is the parent or Guardian of the minor in costume representing TDE must be present at all times, and is responsible for the conduct of their TDE Youngling.
c. Costumes of TDE Younglings are not judged, however, builders of such costumes are encouraged to follow the same standards as would be adhered to when constructing a costume for Official Membership within The Dark Empire.
B) Meetings and Event Planning
There are no regularly required meetings and no membership dues collected by The Dark Empire. TDE is strictly a non-profit organization devoted to charitable causes and assisting similar organizations at events upon request.
Event planning is coordinated within our website forums. However, TDE members residing in a local area may wish to organize a special meeting prior to an event for planning purposes.
Table Duty Guidelines at Conventions and Similar Events
As outlined in Article III, subsection 3, part A of this Charter, an event such as a convention, in which TDE has a table or other similar display, cannot be left unmanned during the operational hours of the event. As such, Temples, Spires, or other persons planning a convention or other event in which TDE shall have a table, shall create a table duty roster in the forums where the event planning is being conducted.
1. Table duty roster shall ideally be in two-hour increments, and shall cover the entirety of the operational hours of the event. Time increments can be changed to fit the number of members attending, but the table must be manned for the entire event.
2. Members committing to table duty must arrive on time to represent The Dark Empire for their scheduled two-hour shift. Proper notification and communication with a Jen’ari or other leader or Official Member attending the event is required if a member cannot attend a scheduled table-duty shift, as planned on the TDE forums, due to an unforeseen circumstance.
3. Table duty shifts, just like all memberships within The Dark Empire, are on a voluntary basis. Representation of TDE at a table during a convention by a member is indicative of a person’s desire to serve TDE as a club.
4. Conventions are a great time to test out new costumes, masks, make-up, etc. Forum members that are working towards Official Membership and Official Members that are just wanting to try something new out. Doing table duty in a “test” costume should only be done with the approval of a designated Costuming Acolyte or ranking TDE leader.
a) The Costuming Acolyte or TDE Leader will give the costume a “day pass”. If they feel it is good enough they can help to document the changes and work with the member to get a trial/update posted to be judged.
b) If the Costuming Acolyte or TDE Leader determines that it is not acceptable, they are the final say at the event, and the member will not be permitted to represent TDE (Man the official table) unless they change to their approved TDE costume.
c) This section does NOT apply to LFL/Disney sanctioned events, for those only Official Members in their approved TDE costumes will be permitted.
Article II: TDE Costuming: Approval Process / Judging Protocol
TDE Costume Reference Library (Costuming Standards):
https://www.thedarkempire.org/crl/
A) APPLICATION PROCESS – Dark Trials
(How to apply to The Dark Empire for Full Membership.)
1. Potential Applicants are encouraged to post a Work in Progress (WIP) thread on the TDE forums. Here, the general membership of TDE can share their experiences and offer suggestions for costume development. Recruits can ask and get answers to their costuming questions.
a. While encouraged, posting a WIP thread is not required. However, be aware that the costume judges will be evaluating costumes based on written and posted costume standards (Costume Reference Library). Recruits whose costumes do not meet the TDE costume standards may be asked to upgrade or modify their costume before having their costume approved for TDE membership. Posting a WIP thread is meant to help avoid costuming issues.
2. Once a potential applicant is ready to submit their costume for judging, thus becoming a TDE recruit, they should upload pictures of their costume to an offsite photosharing site (such as PhotoBucket, Flickr, etc.). They will then send their costume photos to the Membership Officer via the Dark Trial form located within the Costume Reference Library section of the website.
a. Photos sent for judging should be of sufficient quality and resolution to allow the TDE costume judges to clearly and easily evaluate the costume. Photos should be unaltered (no photoshopping of any kind, including rotoscoping of lightsabers). Finally, recruits are encouraged to take their photos against a plain and contrasting background (a single color wall, siding, brick wall, green screen, etc.)
b. Required photos for the costume application:
(the following full body poses should be without a robe)
i. front
ii. back
iii. right side
iv. left side
-For Right and Left side poses, the arms should be raised if there are any costume components of note that would otherwise be covered if the arms were at the side and at rest.
-Additional photos for costume application:
v. a pose with a robe (if applicable)
vi. a post WITHOUT a mask/helmet (or other costume component that would cover the face) (if applicable)
vii. any close up of a costume component where there is insufficient contrast to easily evaluate the costume component in question (examples would be: gloves, boots, lightsaber, etc.)
viii. an action post that would be preferred for the official membership picture
ix. If you are costuming as a certain race from Star Wars your makeup/mask/prosthetics need to remain consistent with that race, or any make-up that is total or near total face covering though minor deviations for “cosmetics” are certainly allowable. Any such “makeup” will need to be included in a Dark Trial. More can be found on this at https://www.thedarkempire.org/makeup-guidelines.html
c. The costume application should also include information about the costume. Such information may include, but is not limited to:
i. materials used in construction (for soft (leather, pleather, fabrics, etc.) and hard parts (fiberglass, ABS/HiPS plastic, etc.))
ii. colors of various components
iii. commentary on any costume components that were hand crafted versus purchased in a store
iv. any modifications that were made to, otherwise, Earthly components (examples may include: motor cycle boots, toy weapons that were modified to appear real, masks and or other wear purchased from commercial sources, etc.)
3. The recruit will then wait to hear from one of the judges (with correspondence that may require clarification of components, additional pictures or upgrades/modifications to the costume) or from the Nes’ari granting full membership to TDE.
B) COSTUME JUDGING PROTOCOL
The costume judging protocol for TDE is a private affair. While members of the TDE Council, including the Sith’ari, have access to the Costume Deliberation forums, only the opinions of the TDE Costume Judges will be considered for membership approval (or denial). There are up to ten (10) Costume Judges within The Dark Empire, including the Nes’ari Apprentice (if applicable), but not including the Nes’ari, Anik’ari, or Sith’ari. Costume Judges within TDE are also referred to as “Costume Inquisitors”, and are selected and overseen by the Nes’ari.
1. Once an application is received, the Membership Officer (Nes’ari), or an inquisitor that the Nes’ari has designated, will create a new thread in the private Costume Deliberation forums, at which time the judging will begin. The Membership Officer, may at their discretion, assign a given application to a particular TDE costuming judge. That judge will become the sole person through which any communication with the applicant will take place. Otherwise, judging of costumes for TDE largely takes place by committee (rather than being the responsibility of a single person).
2. The Recruit’s costume will be judged. The recruit will be contacted by the chief judge, or a representative of if there are any issues to be clarified, additional pictures are requested or if there are any components that need upgrading or modified.
a. It is the responsibility of the TDE Costume Judges to help recruits get approved.
b. All costumes will be judged against the posted Costume Reference Library. The judges will take into consideration individual costume components as well as how the costume appears as a completed work.
3. Membership Approval/Denial
Once the judging is complete, the TDE Costume Judges will make a recommendation for either membership approval or denial.
a. Any costume applications that are denied will be handled discretely by the chief costuming judge who is overseeing the given application in question.
b. The Nes’ari after reviewing the judges votes and discussions will then pass or fail the costume.
c. In the event that a costume passes that is believed to be below standards the Sith’ari may step in and overrule the Nes’ari.
i. In the event that the Sith’ari has to overrule three (3) costumes passed by the same Nes’ari. The Nes’ari will be temporarily relieved of duty, until it can be investigated and the Nes’ari either replaced or returned to duty. Two (2) such removals will call for replacement of the Nes’ari.
d. All full members within TDE shall have a member page on the club website that features photos of their approved costumes for membership within the club.
e. Forum members that purchase a TDE approved costume from an existing Official Member must still submit said costume into the Dark Trials as a prospective costume for full membership. All new costumes to be considered for TDE approval, even for existing members, including major upgrades to approved existing costumes, must be entered into the Dark Trials.
f. No prospective member shall borrow a costume from an existing Official Member within the club for expected admittance as a full member. Costumes worn by applicants in the Dark Trials must belong to the applicant undergoing the process for full membership.
ARTICLE III: Code of Conduct
Our members are expected to maintain professionalism and respect toward others, in and out of costume, while representing TDE.
There is a zero-tolerance policy in The Dark Empire when reports of illegal activity or complaints of inappropriate activity by any of our members, in or out of costume, is received by the Council.
Any complaints of criminal activity or inappropriate behavior received by the TDE Council about any member of The Dark Empire will be reviewed by the Council and dealt with as per Article VII of this Charter.
2. Official Members in costume, and any member of TDE wearing TDE merchandise (refer to Article IX), and persons posting on the TDE forums are representing The Dark Empire as an organization. It is therefore the responsibility of the Member representing TDE to remain respectful, courteous, and professional toward other people at all times.
Any slandering or negative statements about other members of TDE, Lucasfilm (including celebrities, Lucasfilm staff, etc) are strictly prohibited. Professional criticism with regards to costuming is permitted, provided no personal attacks are made.
It is understood that all costumers within this organization represent the “dark side,” and therefore a “bad guy” image. However, this image is strictly limited to costuming and photograph purposes only. All outward gestures, conversation, and mannerisms toward other people, be they other costumers or the public at large, shall be professional and courteous while representing The Dark Empire. There can be no exceptions to this rule.
3. The Dark Empire expressly forbids active lightsaber choreography demonstrations while at conventions or any costumed event. Persons representing TDE are not permitted to swing or handle any blade or elongated object in a manner depicting lightsaber combat while in a crowded or confined area. “Battle scenes” may be posed for the purpose of pictures as long as they are completely posed.
We also understand that we have members that are with lightsaber stunt groups as well we ask while representing those groups in active choreography that any removable TDE branding (i.e. badges, etc., but not including vital elements like belts, armor, etc. that has the logo tooled into them.) be removed during demonstrations.
a. At events or conventions in which The Dark Empire has a table, booth, or other similar display representing the group requiring the presence of an approved costumed member, at no time shall the table, booth, or similar display requiring the presence of an approved costumed member be left unattended during the operational hours of the event in which the display is involved.
Although it is understood that there are some conventions and events in which a table or other attended display can be left unmanned, it is also understood that to do so can compromise the professional image of The Dark Empire. Any violation of this section, therefore, shall be considered to directly impact the group as a whole.
4. Member Hygiene
All costumed and non-costumed members of TDE representing the organization, inside and outside of any event, are required to maintain a socially acceptable standard of personal hygiene. This is considered an essential part of professional appearance and composure that cannot be neglected.
5. Member Representation
It shall be understood by all Official and Forum members within the organization that activity
representing The Dark Empire, either in costume, or even when posting on the forums, is
activity that also represents Lucasfilm, the owner of all things in the Star Wars universe,
including The Dark Empire. Professionalism shall be maintained by all members at all times on the forums and at events while representing TDE.
a. Any misconduct toward Lucasfilm employees or employees of The Disney Corporation by members of The Dark Empire (Forum or Official), while representing the club in any capacity, either on the internet or physically at an event, shall be grounds for disciplinary action as outlined in Article VII of this Charter.
6. Forum Etiquette
It is proper etiquette within the TDE forums to keep the topic of discussion related to the title of the thread in which posts are being made. It is permitted for members to post small responses to thread discussions, such as “I like it,” or “Nice job,” etc. However, multiple posts of said type, done simply for the accomplishment of posting in the forums, cannot be kept at a constant.
7. Monetary Donations to Charity
The Dark Empire was purposefully created to support charitable organizations, and encourages donations to charities it works with and supports. TDE does not accept any payments or funds for its services, other than to bring direct donations to a specified charity organization.
a. Violations of this section are to be considered “malfeasance” violations, as described within Article V of this Charter, and will be dealt with accordingly by the TDE Council.
8. TDE POLICY OF MUTUAL FAN GROUP SUPPORT
It is the policy of The Dark Empire to maintain an open gesture of goodwill and cooperation with the other costuming fan groups, in terms of charitable work. TDE recognizes that, as other groups like it were formed prior to its existence, other groups may be invited to events where The Dark Empire might not be. Nevertheless, The Dark Empire shall make a practice of fairness and openness to working with other groups, especially at events coordinated by Temples within TDE. The Dark Empire supports all other fan groups like it.
a. At no time whatsoever shall costumed members of TDE arrive at an event sponsored by another group uninvited. Such an act is not representative of this policy, and is considered detrimental to the image and integrity of The Dark Empire. Members of TDE committing such an act shall be subject to actions as outlined in Article VII of this Charter.
b. Members of TDE are forbidden to request permission or seek invitations to appear at any event or venue in costume, with the prior knowledge that the event is hosted by another Star Wars fan group. TDE respects other groups of its kind, and will never seek to include themselves in an event hosted by another group without an invitation. Persons planning events may consult with other groups or staff members of prospective event locations, should it be deemed necessary, in order to avoid any conflict of interest. The TDE policies prohibiting appearances of members in TDE-approved costumes at non-TDE events without an invitation, and prohibiting the seeking of invitations, shall be strictly enforced.
c. Although The Dark Empire maintains a policy of open invitation to other STAR WARS clubs like it that may wish to participate at charitable events created by The Dark Empire, TDE nevertheless reserves the right to rescind that invitation to other clubs or individuals that may be unsuitable or may possibly cause a conflict of interest at a TDE event, as so deemed by the event organizer, Jen’ari, Sedriss, or other TDE leader responsible for the operation of the particular event.
For example, if TDE has a “face character,” such as Darth Sidious, scheduled to be at a TDE event, then a Darth Sidious costumer from another organization might cause a possible conflict of interest.
d. If a member of TDE or another group has caused prior antagonism or negativity against The Dark Empire or any other costuming group, then The Dark Empire reserves the right to deny an invitation to troop to the TDE member, other group member, or other group entirely.
9. TROOPING POLICY FOR POLITICAL / RELIGIOUS VENUES
At no time shall conduct by any member of The Dark Empire, be they Full / Official or Forum Members, either on the forums, or in public, in or out of costume while representing TDE, be undertaken in any political or religious gathering. Members of The Dark Empire shall not use their TDE-approved costumes or any other item associated with The Dark Empire in a manner with the intent to represent the organization at any such event.
a. The policy of The Dark Empire to not involve any religion or politics within its forums or at any event shall be enforced.
b. A violation of this policy, in which a member causes The Dark Empire to be represented in any way at such an event, shall be considered a “malfeasance” violation, as outlined in Article VII of this Charter, and enforced as such.
c. TDE may conduct charity work at a church or other political institution for charitable purposes, however, may not conduct itself in anyway that shows support or non-support for any specific religion or political organization or agenda.
10. MEMBERS FORBIDDEN TO REQUEST SPECIAL FAVORS OR TREATMENT
The Dark Empire does not ask for gratuities or gifts for appearances or events; it is the policy of TDE to never ask for any item or other service in return for appearances by our members at a charitable event (The inquiry for a place to change and access to restrooms and possibly water fountains is allowable if done so in a courteous manner. Nothing is OWED to us, but for the abilities to present better at a given event we may inquire about those means to do such.), or other similar function. If they are offered, then we may accept them.
a) If TDE members are offered cash, the protocol is to direct the person(s) offering to our website, and to then choose one of our sponsored charities.
b) Members of TDE are expressly forbidden to request anything in return for any services rendered by its members, such as trooping in costume, under any circumstances.
c) Violations of this section are to be considered Malfeasance violations of the TDE Charter, and will be handled by TDE leadership in accordance with Article VII of the TDE Charter.
11. SOLITARY TROOPING AT EVENTS PROHIBITED
Members of The Dark Empire are forbidden to troop an event while in costume alone, unless another adult serving as a handler, photographer, or other assistant is also present. At no time shall TDE be represented at an event by a lone individual. An Official Member may troop an event alone in costume only if another adult is present on behalf of TDE, or present to assist the Official Member within the capacity of the trooping event being attended. If local 501st, Rebel Legion, or Mandalorian Mercs are present at the event as well then this article can be waived.
12. COUNCIL MEMBER ACCOUNTABILITY
This policy is set in place in order to maintain a safe and satisfactory leadership environment, while keeping at the same time a system of accountability for each member of the TDE Council.
a) Should a member of the TDE Council suspect, or have cause to suspect, that another member of the TDE Council is negligent in the performance of their duty, or is in any way conducting business or other wrongdoing that could be detrimental to the operation of the club, the Council Member must directly contact the other member of the Council they suspect (or have cause to suspect) of the negligence or other activity in question that could affect The Dark Empire.
b) Both Council Members shall attempt to rectify the situation between themselves, so that both are in understanding with each other and an agreeable solution for both parties is reached.
c) If the issue cannot be resolved directly between both Council Members, then both Council Members shall contact the Sith’ari, and have a conference arranged and discussed, either by telephone, in person, internet voice conference, or other similar medium, so that the situation can be permanently resolved in a final ruling by the Sith’ari.
d) With issues that involve the Sith’ari, or when the Sith’ari is not available to handle a meeting of above type, then the Anik’ari shall be contacted, and a conference shall then be convened in like fashion.
e) A meeting with the Sith’ari (or Anik’ari if above conditions are in place) shall not be necessary if the issue can first be resolved in discussion via the private Council Room area of the main TDE forums.
13. TDE LEADERSHIP FORUM PRESENCE
All TDE Council Members, Council Member Apprentices, Temple Jen’ari, and all club officers shall log-in to the main TDE forums at least once every 72 hours (three days), in order to ensure adequate communications between leaders and members, and so that club operations are not compromised. Should a leader not be available for more than a 72 hour period, they must declare as such on the forums, so that other leaders are properly informed. Emergency situations are excluded from this requirement.
14. DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR VAROUS ACTIVITIES AT TDE EVENTS
All TDE event activities shall be delegated to a full member responsible for the operation of said activity. A Temple Jen’ari or an Event Organizer (always a full member within the club) may elect another Official Member to conduct a TDE activity at a charitable event, such as the Sith Inquisition, to ensure its smooth operation.
15. DISCLOSURE OF FUNDS RECEIVED FOR CHARITY AT EVENTS
All Temple Jen’ari and/or event organizers shall report the amounts of all funds generated at club events for charity to the Anik’ari, for record keeping purposes. This report must include the ending grand totals of the venue/charity organization’s efforts as a whole, in which TDE contributed efforts in the raising of funds for charity. Reports shall be made to the Anik’ari directly via PM or email (email can be done via the Council Members section of the TDE main website). This policy shall be enforced by the Judge Advocate.
16. EVENT INVITATIONS FROM OTHER CLUBS TO TDE & TDE TO OTHER CLUBS
There shall be no posting of event invitations on the TDE forums from other fan group message boards without a direct written invitation from an officer or event organizer from the other group, and/or viceversa. Invitations to club events must be sent or received by a club officer or event organizer of TDE and the other pertaining fan group(s).
a. When TDE receives an event invitation from another club or fan group, The Dark Empire shall recognize that the inviting group will have priority if any canon characters are requested for the event. For example: If the inviting club is providing their own Darth Vader (or other canon or “face” character), TDE shall NOT provide a duplicate of the same character. Event planning and coordinating with the inviting organization shall keep such a scenario from occurring. TDE custom characters are, of course, exempt from this policy.
b. The same policy shall apply in reverse when The Dark Empire extends invitations to other clubs at TDE-sponsored / TDE-coordinated events. Should The Dark Empire provide any canon / “face” characters at a TDE-created event, then TDE members shall have priority should they wish to costume as such a character. As a courtesy, The Dark Empire may inform invited clubs about STAR WARS canon characters it intends to provide at the event in question ahead of time, in order to avoid two of the same canon character appearing simultaneously.
17. CAMPAIGNING FORBIDDEN IN TDE.
Campaigning of any type is not permitted in TDE. Before, during, or after an election, there shall be no attempt by a candidate for any position of office within the club, or attempt by anyone on their behalf, to win votes from other members in the club. This policy is extended both on and off of the TDE forums.
a. The TDE Council, specifically the Judge Advocate, shall be notified if such activity is encountered.
b. Members found in violation of this rule shall be removed from any ballot for office, and be subject to Article VII procedures.
18. SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS (FORUM AND OFFICIAL)
Social media statements made by members on their own social media pages shall remain the personal statements of the members making such posts on their pages. However, if the statements being made on social media are made in such a way that The Dark Empire is specifically represented or implied, or posts are made on behalf of the club, then those posts may become a club concern. Social media posts by full members or forum members made to directly cause harm to the image of The Dark Empire are prohibited.
Article IV: Star Wars Canon and Non-Canon Costuming
The Dark Empire encourages costuming creativity by allowing membership of custom Sith characters, in addition to characters from the Star Wars movies and expanded universe (books, comics, etc) as laid out in our current costuming standards found at https://www.thedarkempire.org/costume-reference-library.html and our process for membership as found in Article II of this charter. TDE therefore includes characters of Star Wars canon and non-canon within its Official Membership base. All Official Members pursuant to Article II of this Charter, however, must represent the Star Wars universe with as much attention to detail as possible to their costumes.
Article V: Club Organization
The leadership of The Dark Empire is composed of a hierarchical command structure, with a Council of five (5) positions overseeing Temples and Spires (regional chapters) within the club that contain command structures of their own. All positions of office within TDE may be occupied only by Official Members in good standing within the club.
A “member in good standing” is defined as a member that has not undergone any recent disciplinary action within TDE, as defined in Article VII of this Charter, resulting in a current suspension, probationary period, or membership revocation.
ACTIVITY REQUIREMENT FOR LEADERSHIP
All leadership from the Sith’ari to Sedriss will need to participate in at least two (2) Spire, Temple or TDE level activities per year while wearing an approved TDE costume owned by said member as recorded in the Census. One year is defined as the period from TDE Census to TDE Census which takes place in February. Examples of an activity include, but are not limited to; conventions, charity events, or any activity designated as an official event by a coordinating administrative unit of TDE. Failure to do this will result in loss of eligibility for leadership positions for one (1) year. Exceptions will be considered by the TDE Council on a case-by-case basis.
LIMIT OF TWO POSITIONS OF OFFICE FOR MEMBERS
Official Members may not occupy any more than two (2) positions of office within the club, official (Jen’ari, Sedriss, Council, etc) or unofficial (Spire cabinet serving a Sedriss, Temple cabinet serving a Jen’ari) at any given time.
CLUB CORRESPONDENCE WITH LUCASFILM
Only the Sith’ari (or the Anik’ari acting on behalf of the Sith’ari), and the Tyran’ari may contact LFL (Lucasfilm Ltd.) on behalf of The Dark Empire concerning club matters. However, if a local leader, specifically a Jen’ari or Sedriss only, is contacted directly by LFL concerning event planning in their local area of responsibility in TDE, then communications with LFL on those matters are permitted. It shall be the responsibility of the Tyran’ari or higher up position on the Council to keep LFL apprised with an accurate list of all TDE local leader email addresses.
GALACTIC SENATE
The Dark Empire, is a founding member of the Galactic Senate, which is a body of communication and goodwill between the major Star Wars Costuming organizations and protects their interests in the greater community. The Galactic Senate is comprised of, but not limited to: the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, Mandalorian Mercs, The Dark Empire, Saber Guild and the Droid Builders.
While the Galactic Senate has no binding authority over the individual organizations internally, it serves as a method to communicate and resolve disputes to make our community more unified. The Dark Empire will have at least one representative to the Galactic Senate. Typically, this will be the Sith’ari(CO), unless he/she chooses to appoint a representative in their place.
It is The Dark Empire’s commitment to be part and serve in the greater Star Wars Costuming Community and continue to work with LFL.
A) The TDE Council
The TDE Council consists of five (5) positions, so that there is a majority vote at all times during matters of decision making. In the event that one person occupies two positions on the Council (i.e., XO and PR Officer are same person), resulting in a split vote, the vote of the Sith’ari (CO) will be the deciding vote. A minimum of three people are required to maintain a functional TDE Council. The TDE Council reserves the right to make any decision that it deems would overall benefit the club as a whole.
Council Structure:
Sith’ari (CO)
The Sith’ari (commanding officer) has ultimate authority over the club and has wide latitude to run the club as they see fit, within the bounds of the Charter. The Sith’ari has significant responsibilities, duties, and powers. They delegate tasks to the appropriate people. In addition, the Sith’ari is the political face of the Club. They are to represent TDE to the other clubs and to the community as a whole. This would include but is not limited to; the club’s involvement in the Galactic Senate, planning of Celebration, and any relations with Lucasfilm/Disney. They should be available to help with areas where help is needed.
Job Duties:
– Acting Representative on the Galactic Senate
– Make sure all essential areas of the club are staffed
– Assist with other departments when necessary
– Conduct Council Command Calls when Necessary
– Delegate tasks to the council and other leadership so club business is handled in a timely and efficient manner.
– The Sith’ari does have veto authority for all aspects of the club, however when a veto is called by the Sith’ari the council can overrule a veto with a majority vote.
Anik’ari (XO)
The Anak’ari (executive officer) is the second-in-command and reports directly to the Sith’ari. The XO is typically responsible for the management of day-to-day activities, freeing the commander to concentrate on being the public face and representative of the club. The Anak’ari is responsible for helping the Sith’ari keep the club running smoothly. They are expected to be familiar with all the other council positions in case they need to step in and help. The Anik’ari shall fill in for any council member that needs to take a leave of absence (either short or long term) (i.e. vacations, bereavement, medical issues, etc.) As the direct apprentice of the Sith’ari, they can be removed at the discretion of the Sith’ari. While this is the case the remaining Council (excluding the Sith’ari and Anik’ari) can override the removal with a majority vote.
Job Duties:
– Serve as the treasurer, or person responsible for all club financial records and disclosures regarding funds raised for charity
– Maintain relations with local leaders (Sedrisses). The Anik’ari represents the Council to regional leaders within the club, coordinates meetings, and manages active roster (on Facebook group and Leadership chats).
– Assist with the formations of Spires
– May speak on behalf of the Sith’ari in subject matters that require a statement and the Sith’ari is unable to answer in a timely manner
– The Anik’ari will also take on special projects to help with the betterment of the club overall or where they see the need or is asked of them by the council.
Tyran’ari – Public Relations Officer. Club liaison to media and other organizations, tasked with representing TDE to Lucasfilm and other entities as its official ambassador.
Nes’ari – Membership Officer. Oversees recruiting, applications and special inductions. Example: Honorary members. Can grant Official Membership approval.
Judge Advocate – This is a multi-faceted role. Much of the time the responsibilities are remaining active on Social Media, acting as the first point of contact for new members and adding new and returning members to the FB group and moderating and activating new members to the forums. Occasionally because we are human beings issues will come up and need to be handled At this point the position serves as mediator and primary impartial investigator. During this time the JA will gather all relevant information from both sides to be presented to the rest of the Council. Once a decision is made the results will be passed back to the accuser and accused and if necessary a prepared statement about the situation on social media and the forums.
ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS
While this is primarily a job for the Anik’ari, any council member should be willing to step up if needed. If they need to step into an area ran by another council member, they are to work to assist that council member. They would essentially be acting as an “apprentice” while assisting with that department. If the council member in question is on leave (short or long) and has apprentices, the job of the assisting council member is to assist them in the running of the area never to take it over. If they notice any behaviors or bad habits it is their responsibility to report these issues to the Sith’ari and the Judge Advocate.
APPOINTED COUNCIL MEMBERS
When a Council Member steps down or is removed (pursuant to Article VII) rather than holding an election the remaining members of the council can choose to appoint either that Council positions apprentice or another qualified person. As with a newly appointed Jen’ari or Sedriss the appointed member of the council will not face election until the election period after their first year in office. (ie if the Nes’ari is appointed in December and elections are in April the Nes’ari position will not be up for election until the following April one (1) year later.) This allows for the appointed council member to have time in the position to work, and is not just a placeholder.
NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS
New persons elected to the TDE Council are to be trained by the outgoing Council seat occupant, or another selected member of the Council, over a period of one week, or longer if needed. New Council members shall not have voting capabilities during their first week in office, for the purposes of training.
Non TDE Council officer positions:
Webmaster – Oversees the maintenance of the main web site. This is not an official Council position. The webmaster has no voting power, however, he/she is a TDE Officer charged with the maintenance of the TDE website and therefore has administrative authority, under the direction of the five existing Council members.
Merchandise Officer – Organizes all business relationships between TDE and Council-approved Vendors. The MO will ensure that all vendors used for Official Member merchandise are first approved by the Council, and will then place orders on behalf of TDE Official Members with the approved vendor for said merchandise. Official Member merchandise cannot be for resale outside of TDE (general public); refer to the Merchandise section of this Charter. The Merchandise Officer is not a TDE Council postion and bears no voting power in Council decision making. However, the MO serves as an assistant to the Public Relations Officer and has the authority to speak for The Dark Empire as his/her position warrants.
Jen’ari (Temple Master) – A Jen’ari, or Temple Master, is an elected leader of a Temple within TDE. The Jen’ari is not a TDE Council position, but a position of leadership over a Temple region of The Dark Empire. The Jen’ari reports on all Temple activity and represents his/her corresponding Temple directly to the TDE Council. In Temples with a large amount of members, a Jen’ari may appoint or have elected (at his or her discretion) no more than two additional positions of office within the Temple for the purposes of assisting in the following duties:
a) Maintain an accurate list of Official Members within your Temple.
b) Keep yourself appraised of forum members within your Temple who make Official status, and update the Temple Roster accordingly. Monitor the Dark Trials forum for any new Official Members announced within The Dark Empire. KEEP YOUR ROSTER UPDATED.
c) Post campaign reports, or request campaign reports of any Temple member who attended a campaign (trooping event).
d) Keep your Temple informed about any upcoming events within your Temple area. A good idea is to have an “Upcoming Events and Campaigns” thread within your Temples forum. Regularly refer to your Events and Campaigns thread, so that a separate thread can be posted about each upcoming event. KEEP YOUR TEMPLE INFORMED.
e) If a Temple member is “MIA” for over six months, try contacting them via an e-mail to see if all is well.
f) Keep abreast of old threads within your Temple’s forum, and advise a Council Member regarding threads which are dead and outdated, so that they may be moved to the Holocron Archives.
g) It is the responsibility of the Jen’ari [Temple Master] for your Temple (or representative designated by your Jen’ari) to organize trooping events for your Temple to participate in. There is, of course, no minimum trooping requirement within The Dark Empire. For advice on coordinating events within a Temple region, see the “Events” section of the TDE forums, or consult with a TDE Council Member.
Only Official Members of The Dark Empire are eligible to hold positions of office on the TDE Council, Temples, or Spires.
TDE Council Member Apprentices
Members of the TDE Council may appoint an Official Member within the organization as an “apprentice” – someone who may serve as a helper to that particular Council member. An Apprentice does not hold any decision-making abilities or voting abilities regarding TDE policy, but is considered an Officer within TDE. For example, the Nes’ari Apprentice serves as an advisor to the Membership Officer, and assists the Nes’ari as needed with Membership Officer duties. Council Member Apprentices are considered of equal rank to a Jen’ari (Temple Master).
1. Council Member Apprentices shall have access to the Council room, in order to facilitate communications with the TDE Council. The Merchandise Officer also has Council room access. There are therefore between six (6) and eleven (11) TDE Officers with Council room access, five (5) of whom comprise the actual TDE Council.
2. Council Member Apprentices are appointed by the Council as needed. Unlike the body of the TDE Council, the Council Apprentice posts are not required to be filled, however, they exist for two reasons; to train Official Members that may be interested in leadership within the group, and to help maintain the overall operations of The Dark Empire.
3. There are only three (3) Council Member Apprentices positions. As indicated within this section, these positions are not required to be filled, unlike the TDE Council itself. If a TDE Council Member does not desire an Apprentice, then that position may remain open (for example, if the Tyran’ari does not desire an apprentice, then the Tyran’ari Apprentice position may remain open). The three Council Member Apprentice positions are:
– Tyran’ari Apprentice
– Nes’ari Apprentice
– Judge Advocate Apprentice
The Sith’ari and Anik’ari do not have apprentices. The Anik’ari, being the Executive Officer to the Commanding Officer of TDE, is therefore already apprenticed to the Sith’ari.
Due to the nature of the Nes’ari position they are allowed to take more than one (1) apprentice at a time, but no more than three (3).
B) TDE Temples
As The Dark Empire is a growing international organization, different areas throughout the world are grouped into sections called “Temples.” A similar command structure to the TDE Council shall exist within each Temple, but only when enough members exist within a Temple area to for such a necessity to exist. In Temples that have a small number of members, overall governance is allocated to the TDE Council.
When the amount of Official Members within a TDE Temple reaches a minimum of five (5), Official Members within that Temple shall elect a Jen’ari, or Temple Master, who will serve as the CO of that Temple and report to the TDE Council. All matters of governance within a Temple shall be overseen by the Temple Master and his/her Temple Officers (if applicable), unless the Temple membership is not large enough to govern itself accordingly. In any such case, Temple governance is undertaken by the TDE Council. A Temple Jen’ari may also be appointed by the TDE Council in lieu of a Temple election, if necessary. Initial Jen’ari selection (by either vote or appointment by TDE Council) may be conducted at any time. Otherwise, Temple Jen’ari and Temple Officer elections are held during regular annual TDE elections (usually in April, coinciding with the anniversary of the founding of TDE).
The TDE Council is the overall governing body of The Dark Empire, and administrates all Temples, including Temples that are self-governed.
When Temples within The Dark Empire achieve a membership of twenty (20) or more, once a Temple reaches this level two (2) more positions are added to the Temple leadership Assistant Jen’ari and Temple Acolyte.
a. The Assistant Jen’ari serves as an XO for the Temple and if the Jen’ari steps down or is removed (see Article VII) would then step up as Jen’ari.
b. The Temple Acolyte is the Temple membership officer it is their job to facilitate on a local level our standards and costuming rules. In order to qualify as an Acolyte, you must complete a training course put together by the Nes’ari. Jen’ari and Assistant Jen’ari are strongly encouraged to complete the course as well. A Nes’ari or one of the Nes’ari apprentices CANNOT be an Acolyte as they are over that area of the club leadership.
All TDE Temples shall have no more than three Temple Officers each.
C) Spires
A Spire is a local area within The Dark Empire where a significant number of TDE Official Members are concentrated and trooping events are organized and conducted. A Spire may lie within a Temple region, or even intersect Temple borders. Spires within The Dark Empire, their nomenclature, logos, and area locations are recognized and approved by the TDE Council prior to their formation.
1. All Spires shall elect or have appointed by the TDE Council one (1) “Sedriss,” or Spire leader. The Sedriss will be responsible for planning and conducting trooping events within the Spire area. However, overall governance of the Spire shall be allocated to the Jen’ari of the Temple that the Spire resides in. The Spire Sedriss shall be subordinate to the governing Temple Jen’ari. The Temple Jen’ari, in turn, is subordinate to the TDE Council.
If a Spire lies completely within a Temple region of TDE, all members of the Spire shall be under the overall leadership of the Jen’ari for that Temple
If a Spire lies within more than one Temple region of TDE, all members of that Spire shall be under the overall leadership of the Jen’ari for the Temples the Spire lies within.
For example: A Spire occupies an area within the Korriban and Iridonia Temples; the Jen’ari of the Korriban Temple and the Jen’ari of the Iridonia Temple therefore have equal governing authority over the Spire.
2. Whereas Temples are named after worlds within the Star Wars universe, Spires may have any name of their choosing, other than a planet name. All Spire nomenclature must be approved by the TDE Council.
3. The TDE Charter shall be the overall governing document from which all activities in the main TDE forums, Temple forums, and Spire forums are based upon.
4. A minimum of three (3) Official Members are required within a localized area to form a Spire.
All Spires shall maintain a complete and up-to-date list of all Official Members (full members with a TDE number and at least one approved costume) within their forums.
Prior to the formation of a new Spire, the prospective Sedriss and his/her members must complete a list of three (3) separate possible names for their new Spire, in order of preference, and must also create three (3) different possible logos that the Spire will use, in order of preference.
The prospective Sedriss for the new Spire will then submit both the three Spire names and the three logos to the TDE Council; the list of three possible names for the prospective Spire will be with the most preferred name at the top of the list, and the most preferred logo will be at the top of the list submitted. The names and the logos can be similar in nature, or completely different. The graphics on the logo being submitted, however, should represent the desired name of the Spire in some capacity.
The Council will then either approve or deny the name and logo of the prospective Spire, in order of preference (if the preferred name is not approved by the Council, then the second or third preferred name will be either approved or not approved; the same goes for the prospective Spire logo design). The resulting Spire name and Spire logo chosen by the TDE Council will then be the approved name and logo for usage by the new Spire and
its members.
At the time of submission to the TDE Council, the new prospective Spire must include the above, plus include a list of all Official Members in the Spire, indicate who has been elected the first Sedriss, and indicate the exact regional area the new Spire will be serving.
A new Sedriss will be given three (3) months from appointment or election to complete the Acolyte Training. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from office.
Once approved, the above information will be included on the “Spires” page on the TDE website.
5. The aim of the Spire concept is to zero in on areas that are more active within The Dark Empire. As TDE membership grows within Temple regions, more Spires will be added on an as-needed basis, should a large concentration of Official Members exist within a single metropolitan or localized area. Official Members of TDE wishing to form a Spire must submit a written request to the TDE Council to petition for the formation of a Spire.
Article VI: Membership
Active Members
An Active Member is defined as a member in good standing who meets the following requirements:
1. Meets all TDE Membership Requirements (i.e. ownership of an approved costume, is over 18 years of age, etc).
2. Has an approved costume in The Dark Empire.
3. Maintains active contact with their Sedriss, Jen’ari, and/or TDE XO. Active contact and participation will be confirmed during the annual Census held each year during the month of February.
4. Maintains contact information and costume either through their Sedriss, Jen’ari and/or TDE XO.
5. Participates in at least one Spire, Temple or Club wide event per year while wearing an approved TDE costume owned by said member as recorded in the Census. One year is defined as the period from TDE Census to TDE Census. Examples of an activity include, but are not limited to; conventions, charity events, or any activity designated as an official event by a coordinating administrative unit of TDE.
6. Members who serve in military branches are exempt from activity level requirements if their service renders them unable to meet these requirements.
7. Members with severe illness will be reviewed on a case by case basis, and the member must contact the council with their situation before the census following the illness.
These Minimum Activity Level Requirements should be administered as justly and with as much common sense as possible.
A member may retain active status, even if they do not meet all the requirements listed above at the discretion of the TDE Council.
Alternatively, if it is determined at any point during the year that more than twelve consecutive months have passed since a member’s most recent Spire, Temple or Club wide event, a local Sedriss, Jen’ari or the TDE XO may exercise their discretion to move that member to reserve status.
The Membership Officer is the final arbiter of a member’s activity status.
An Active Member is eligible to:
1. Vote in polls of the Active Membership.
2. Vote in local and TDE elections.
3. Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in The Dark Empire
4. Coordinate/host official TDE events as designated or allowed by their local leadership.
5. Buy or create official TDE / member-only merchandise.
6. Have their picture and/or profile displayed on thedarkempire.org in the membership section.
7. Participate in official TDE events (i.e. charity benefits, celebrity appearances, guest escorts, etc).
8. Have access to the TDE Members Only section of the forums.
9. Have access to the TDE Official Members Facebook group.
Reserve Members
A Reserve Member is defined as a member in good standing who meets all the requirements of an Active Member, except for the annual costumed participation in a Dark Empire event, as defined above.
A Reserve Member must still participate in a supporting role for the Spire, Temple or Empire at least once per census year as defined above.
Examples of supporting activities include, but are not limited to the following: armor parties, out-of-costume event help, and/or any other non-administrative support functions to be approved by their Sedriss, Jen’ari, or TDE XO as qualifying activities or contributions.
A Reserve Member is eligible to:
1. Have limited access on The Dark Empire forums.
2. Have a picture and/or profile displayed on the Dark Empire Members page, marked with a “Reserve” indicator.
3. Have access to the TDE Official Members Facebook group.
A Reserve Member is NOT eligible to:
1. Vote in polls or elections.
2. Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.
3. Buy or create TDE merchandise.
4. Retain access to the Merchandise Forum section
Retired Members
A Retired Member is defined as a member in good standing who (one or more of the following):
1. Does not have an active costume or does not own a TDE approved costume.
2. Does not maintain active contact with his/her Sedriss, Jen’ari and/or TDE XO, nor participate in the annual Census held each year during the month of February.
3. Has been listed as Reserve for more than one year, and has not actively contributed to TDE via non-costumed activity during that time.
4. Leaves TDE voluntarily.
A Retired Member is eligible to:
1. Retain a displayable profile with *Retired* indicator.
2. Return to active status via a written request, re-approval of their costume, and completion of or immediately pending completion of a troop.
3. Have their membership information and ID number saved/maintained in the membership database with the member from cradle-to-grave.
A Retired Member is NOT eligible to:
1. Vote in any polls or elections.
2. Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.
3. Buy or create merchandise.
4. Coordinate events.
5. Participate in limited access events or requests.
6. Access the Official Members section of the forum.
7. Access to the Official Members Facebook group.
Suspended Members
A Suspended Member is defined as a member in poor standing as imposed by a governing Sedriss, Jen’ari or Council member during, or as the result of, a disciplinary action, administrative action or investigation. This status is meant to be temporary, pending either a return to active status or a change to Discharged status.
All event, forum, merchandise, voting, polling, administrative, election, and membership privileges are suspended, pending the outcome or any proceedings that were the catalyst for said status change, or at the end of the duration of the suspension that is established by said hearing.
Discharged Members
A Discharged Member is defined as a member in poor standing who has been removed from The Dark Empire based upon disciplinary proceedings or criminal offense or a member who leaves deliberately to avoid the loss of good standing or to avoid administrative or disciplinary action.
A Discharged Member is NOT eligible to:
1. Vote in any poll or election.
2. Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices
3. Purchase or create merchandise.
4. Have their picture and/or profile displayed on thedarkempire.org.
5. Coordinate/host official TDE events.
6. Participate in official events and functions.
7. Have access to the Official Members Section of the forums.
8. Have access to the Official Members Facebook group.
Members who are discharged shall have a record of the discharge noted in members profile.
In Memoriam
An In Memoriam Member is defined as a member in good standing, Honorary Member, or Friend of the Empire who has passed away.
An In Memoriam member will have:
Their profiles, minus contact information, displayed perpetually on the In Memoriam page of thedarkempire.org.
Honorary Members
Honorary Members are special members who have contributed their time, skills and talents to the Star Wars saga in some special way and have been recognized by The Dark Empire for their efforts and contributions while working on the Star Wars universe.
Honorary members must be nominated by an active TDE member to the Council.
An Honorary Member is eligible to:
1. Have their picture and/or profile displayed on thedarkempire.org on the honorary members page.
2. Participate in official TDE events (i.e. charity benefits, celebrity appearances, guest escorts, etc).
3. Have access to the TDE forums.
4. Have access to the Official Members Facebook group.
5. Purchase official TDE merchandise.
An Honorary Member is NOT eligible to:
1. Vote in polls or elections.
2. Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.
3. Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in TDE.
Friend of the Empire
Friends of the Empire are individuals or organizations who may not have specifically worked for Lucasfilm, but who have shown tremendous support of TDE and Star Wars fandom. These people can be local to the Spire or Temple as well. Friends of the Empire must be nominated by an active TDE member to the Council.
A Friend of the Empire Member is eligible to:
1. Have their picture and/or profile displayed on thedarkempire.org on the honorary members page.
2. Participate in official TDE events (i.e. charity benefits, celebrity appearances, guest escorts, etc).
3. Have access to the TDE forums.
4. Have access to the Official Members Facebook group,
5. Purchase official TDE merchandise.
A Friend of the Empire Member is NOT eligible to:
1. Vote in polls or elections.
2. Run for office or accept an officer or administrative position.
3. Run for and/or hold elected or appointed offices in TDE.
TDE Temples and Spires are prohibited from inducting their own honorary members. All Honorary Members and Friends of the Empire are inducted into the club as a whole.
Article VII: Disciplinary Action
The Dark Empire is a volunteer based organization created for the joy and celebration of Star Wars. This charter has been created in order to ensure a safe, just, and enjoyable experience for its members, and to preserve the best interests of the Star Wars franchise, its fandom, and the general public against complications, internal or external. Should any violation of our Code of Conduct occur, corrective courses of action will be taken, as outlined below.
A) Classifications of Charter Violations and Corrective Measures
When a complaint is received by the Council about a TDE member, or if a club officer encounters a TDE member in violation of this Charter, the complaint or violation will be investigated by the Judge Advocate, and dealt with as indicated below. It will be the responsibility of the Advocate to investigate the matter and bring charges against the accused, if deemed necessary, and to provide all evidence to the accused and to the tribunal panelists, should a tribunal of club officers be needed (see below).
The disciplinary action process for violation(s) of this Charter shall not exceed a period of ten days from the date the accused member is informed of any allegations or complaints against them, unless any new evidence is introduced within the final 72 hours of the ten (10) day period of this process. If new evidence is introduced within the final 72 hours of the ten day period of this process, then an additional 72 hours may be taken to deliberate evidence and vote on a verdict, if no verdict has yet been reached. Should the ten day period elapse, (or thirteen day period elapse, if additional evidence is received within the last three days), without a verdict being reached, then all charges are to be automatically dropped.
All violations, minor or major, will be treated confidentially while the disciplinary process is in motion. The outcome of the process will not be announced, unless there is an absolute need for the public to be informed. The accused shall not contact, during the course of this process, anyone at all regarding the disciplinary process taking place.
Witnesses: If the accused has one or more witnesses, the witness must be named in the rebuttal being submitted by the accused. The witness may be contacted by a Council Member (such as the tribunal moderator), but not by the accused during the course of this process.
Tribunal Moderator: The moderator of the tribunal (see below) shall be a the Imperial Hand, independent of the tribunal itself, and is the entity that informs the accused, provides evidence, and delivers the final verdict. The tribunal moderator ensures that the tribunal process operates fairly and in accordance with rules set forth within this charter. The tribunal moderator has no voting power during the course of the disciplinary process.
Tribunal: A tribunal, usually formed in cases involving one or more major offenses (but can be formed in cases of one or more minor offenses), is comprised of three club officers (non council members), appointed by the council, consisting of any combination of a club Jen’ari, Co-Jen’ari, and/or Sedriss. The tribunal reviews all evidence and votes on a verdict / final outcome of the disciplinary proceedings, concerning the accused.
Once the accused is informed of the Article VII charge(s) and is presented with the evidence against them, they will have no more than 72 hours to submit a written rebuttal in their defense. The rebuttal may be written and submitted in the “Article VII Procedures” section of the TDE forums, or via another means, such as email, as deemed appropriate by the TDE Council.
CLASSIFICATION / TYPES OF OFFENSES
Infraction – a minor offense, consisting of false statements, insulting another TDE member, etc. An infraction is any violation that does not do damage to other people or to the image of The Dark Empire directly, although it may have the possibility to do so if left uncorrected. Repeat complaints or violations of this Charter may be deemed as a more serious offense, and upgraded to the Malfeasance category.
Malfeasance – a major offense, consisting of a crime, or serious complaint or charge that directly causes damage to another TDE member, and/or the image of The Dark Empire itself. Any inappropriate or unprofessional behavior toward another person while representing The Dark Empire at an event or convention can be considered a Malfeasance Violation of this Charter.
POLICY OF CONFIDENTIALITY DURING DISCIPLINARY PROCESS
The accused, witness(es), tribunal members, or Council Members, shall not divulge any information or have contact with anyone not involved in this process concerning matters undergoing Article VII procedures. A violation of this policy by the accused shall constitute automatic removal of the accused from the club, regardless of the verdict of the tribunal. A violation of this policy by a Council Member or tribunal member shall constitute removal of that member’s leadership title and responsibilities, but not status as a member within the club.
B) Zero Tolerance Policy
As stated in Article III of this Charter, The Dark Empire maintains a policy of zero tolerance against reports of criminal activity, or complaints of inappropriate conduct of our members toward other people. Such reports or complaints received about any TDE member while representing The Dark Empire will be treated as Malfeasance Violations of this Charter.
C) Vote Of No Confidence
This procedure is designed to maintain order within Council leadership. A “Vote of No Confidence” may be called against any Council member by another, should it be determined that a member of the Council is not performing their duties adequately pursuant to this Charter. Only members of the TDE Council may call a “Vote of No Confidence” against another Council member. A “Vote of No Confidence,” if declared by a Council member, must also be seconded by another member of the Council, before the procedure may take place.
Members of the TDE Council may also apply this procedure to positions of office that are not part of the TDE Council, such as the Webmaster, Merchandise Officer, and Temple Masters.
Vote of No Confidence procedure
When a Council member feels that another Official Member of TDE that holds a position of office within the organization is not performing their duties adequately enough to satisfy the requirements of that office, the council member may call a “Vote of No Confidence” in one of two ways:
At a regular Council meeting, the Vote of No Confidence is declared against a specific member; the reasons why must also be stated. The declaration must then be seconded by another member of the Council that agrees that the reasons for declaring the vote are valid.
The “Vote of No Confidence” may also be declared by a member of the Council in a separate thread in the private Council forum. In the same way, the reasons for the declaration must also be stated, and seconded by another agreeing member of the Council.
In either scenario, the Council must vote on the matter immediately, or set a specific date and time for the vote to take place, in order to investigate the validity of the accusations made, should it be deemed necessary. Once the vote is completed, the person whose position of office was vacated must be informed within a 72-hour period. That position of office will then be temporarily filled by an appointed Council member until an election to fill that vacancy can take place.
D. Reciprocity of Disciplinary Actions by Other Clubs Taken Against Dual Dark Empire Members.
1. In situations where a Dark Empire member is also a member of another Star Wars costuming club (i.e. 501st, Rebel Legion, Mandalorian Mercs, etc.), and that costuming club has taken disciplinary action against a member that is also a Dark Empire member (i.e. probation, suspension or expulsion), that organization may request that The Dark Empire also consider upholding and imposing the same action in this organization. This would not be automatic and only considered on a case-by-case basis where the circumstances of the case and action were serious enough to warrant reciprocal implementation for the best interest of The Dark Empire, its members, its reputation and in the best interest of our relationships with our sister organizations. In this situation, formal charges from a Dark Empire member has not been filed and there has been no formal hearing conducted by TDE.
2. The Commanding Officer, Executive Officer or Captain of the Guard (or organizational equivalent) can submit to The Dark Empire Judge Advocate in writing the request for reciprocity of action which should contain what action was taken, and a complete summary of the circumstances that led to the decision of action. The JA can then work with the organization’s COG (or equivalent) for more information and investigate as necessary.
3. The JA will then bring the matter to the Council to review and discuss. The Council will decide and vote to support or deny the request by a simple majority vote. If suspension is considered, the Council must also determine if it is to be imposed only at established known joint troops where TDE is participating or if it is to apply to all TDE activities.
4. If the action is ratified and approved, the JA will notify the requesting organization in writing that the request has been approved and when the member has been notified of the action taken by The Dark Empire. The JA will also draft/send the notification to the TDE member and get acknowledgment/understanding of the action. The JA will also ensure the member’s Jen’ari and Sedriss (if applicable) is also notified of the action.
TDE Forum members and Official members alike must remember to be professional and respectful at all times toward others while representing The Dark Empire in costume, or while posting in our forums.
Article VIII: Elections and Voting
The Dark Empire recognizes a democratic practice in the selection of the leadership roles within its organization. The following is a description of the election and voting procedures to fill these offices. Elections for all positions are held once per year, on specific dates to be announced.
1. Elections and Voting Procedures for positions of office
a. Notice of upcoming elections will be posted on the forums and be sent out by a mass email at least one week or more prior to the election by the Council. However, notification of any elections to individual members of a Temple is ultimately the job of local Temple leader.
b. The Council and members are nominated and elected by a simple majority vote of the Official Membership. Candidates for any position must be nominated and seconded, and then the candidate must accept the nomination to be included in the election. Voting is conducted in special “Poll” thread in the forums for the specific election taking place. Only Official Members of TDE are eligible to vote in Council elections, or any election for an office of responsibility within The Dark Empire.
c. Regional elections of TDE are limited to the Jen’ari (Temple Master) of a Temple region, and the Sedriss (leader) of a Temple Spire. Temple Officers may be appointed by a newly elected Jen’ari, and Temple Spire Officers may be appointed by a newly elected Sedriss, as needed.
1. Only a new Jen’ari and/or a new Sedriss may be elected in regional elections, conducted annually on the TDE forums.
2. If a new Jen’ari or Sedriss is elected, then the new Jen’ari or Sedriss has the right to keep the current roster of Temple Officers, or appoint new ones to their Temple administrative staff.
3. The Nominated Leader MUST reside within the local Temple for which he/she will serve.
4. Only members of a specific Temple may vote in elections being held for a position of office within a Temple, such as “Temple Master”.
d. A Jen’ari or Sedriss that is elected or appointed is not required to run for re-election until after having served a minimum of one year in office. Persons appointed to an office by the TDE Council prior to an election will not be subject to re-election until the following election / voting period.
2. Nominations Procedure
a. All nominations must be seconded. An Official Member may nominate themselves, and that will require a second and third nomination. Standing officers must post their desire to seek another term or decline to seek another term (no response is considered a decline). No second is required for incumbent officers.
b. If no nominations are made for a particular office, then the officers holding these positions will remain in office.
c. If a standing Temple Leader does not seek another term and no nominations are made for that temple, the Temple Second in Command must accept or decline being promoted to Temple Leader. If the Temple Second in Command declines (no response is considered a decline) then the Council is empowered assume governance over the Temple until new Temple leadership can be formed.
d. Any person nominated for a position of any kind within TDE has the right to decline the nomination; The Dark Empire will never force a position of office and/or responsibility upon anyone that does not desire it.
3. Incumbent Council Members
a. If an incumbent TDE Council Member desires to remain in office during an election, that Officer has the right to remain unopposed during an election, provided the majority of the Council agree to such a stipulation.
TDE Council positions shall become vacant and therefore available in an election when a position is voluntarily vacated, or when a TDE Council Member is removed (see “Vote of No Confidence Procedure” in Article VII).
b. This Incumbent policy shall be limited to the TDE Council only. The TDE Council also shall appoint election dates and reserves the right to vacate and temporarily fill any elected position outside of the five-member TDE Council.
4. CAMPAIGNING NOT PERMITTED WITHIN TDE
There shall be no attempt by TDE members to campaign for any position of office, as outlined in Article III, Section 17 of this Charter.
Article IX: Merchandising and Promotion
The Dark Empire is a non-profit organization, and does not seek to gain financially in any manner. The sale of all products that are listed for sale are for specific purposes, as outlined below.
This set of standards includes any item, print, or paraphernalia that bears The Dark Empire name, logo, or URL.
1. Any items bearing the words “The Dark Empire, TDE, the TDE Logo, or the club URLs are considered representative of The Dark Empire. Such proposed items are to be submitted to the Merchandise Officer, who shall be responsible for the review and approval of any proposed merchandise of TDE or any subdivision therein. The Merchandise Officer may impose additional regulations governing the production and/or distribution of such merchandise and make them available to TDE. In the case of questionable material, the TDE Council has final word on approval.
2. Merchandise of TDE is considered to be, but is not limited to, the following items: Wearable clothing items, Hats, Patches, Coins, Pins, Bottle Openers, Bottle Caps, Trading Cards, Banners, Flags, Keychains, Cardbacks and figures, or any other item that can be customized and reproduced as a TDE branded item.
3. All TDE Merchandise must bear The Dark Empire’s name either as “The Dark Empire or for small items “TDE”.
4. All Temple and Spire Merchandise and logos must include both The Dark Empire name as noted in part 3, and the Temple or Spire name.
5. TDE items must be free of vulgarity.
6. TDE items must be as free of copyrighted material as possible (including use of unmodified Lucasfilm LTD photos, artwork, official LFL/Star Wars fonts, and movie titles.)
7. TDE items must be sold only to members of The Dark Empire, and with permissions of the Merchandise Officer and the TDE Council, The 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, Mandalorian Mercs, and Saber Guild; and at cost except in sanctioned cases of fundraising approved by the Merchandise Officer and Lucasfilm Ltd. Approval for these fundraising items will be obtained from Lucasfilm Ltd by TDE Merchandise Officer.
8. TDE items must not be advertised offered for sale anywhere open to the general public, except for sanctioned cases approved by TDE Merchandise Officer, the TDE Council and Lucasfilm Ltd.
9. TDE items must not be tied to any outside commercial entity or venture without the express permission of Lucasfilm Ltd. Approvals for these items will be obtained from Lucasfilm Ltd by TDE Merchandise Officer.
10. TDE items must not misrepresent or misidentify its user/wearer in any role other than as a member or supporter of The Dark Empire. No shirt will bear the label “Security” or “Staff” unless created with the full permission of an event organizer and labeled specifically for that event only.
11. TDE items specifying an official sub-unit of the club are allowed and encouraged. Such examples would be items promoting TDE Temples or Spires. All such items are still subject to the same rules that apply to TDE merchandise. Sub-units that are not recognized as official units may not contain any version of The Dark Empire name/logo, Temple name/logo, or Spire name/logo.
12. Unofficial merchandise, those that do not represent any official units of TDE or its officially recognized sub-units, are made at the individual’s own risk and are not monitored or controlled by The Dark Empire.
13. All items not designed by the Merchandise Team must be sent to the Merchandise Officer for validation before being used in any form. This is solely to ensure a level of quality and consistency with ALL of The Dark Empire’s available merchandise.
Charitable Donations
The Dark Empire works to encourage and promote donations to individual charity organizations, and does not accept monetary donations of any kind on behalf of any charity, except in cases where charitable funds are raised at a specific event. In such cases, a responsible member designated by The Dark Empire will directly bring funds collected to the charity itself. TDE may not post any links on any internet site requesting donations, however, direct links to charitable organizations themselves are permitted. Money collected by TDE for a charity at an event (such as a raffle at a convention) shall be delivered by a TDE Officer (Council Member, Temple Master, or specifically appointed Official Member) directly to the charity itself.
Article X: Charter Amendment Procedure
This Charter was designed to be amended, as deemed necessary by the TDE Council. A majority vote of the five-member Council shall be required on all decisions pertaining to amendments of this Charter. In the case of a majority vote (3 of 5 members) There will be a 72 hour delay for the minority votes to comment as to why they voted against the amendment after this discussion is complete a revote may be called to see if the votes have changed. In the case of a super-majority (4 of 5) members voting on an amendment it will immediately pass with no further discussion necessary. Once an amendment decision is made by the Council, the change must be posted to the Charter within a 72-hour period.