"I think Magneto and I cancelled each other out. For a long time. And then... finally... we became irrelevant. The future walked around us." - Charles Xavier
On March 23rd, 2004, the New York Police Department sent out a call for assistance with a clear metahuman threat. With the Avengers off world, the Fantastic Four was the first group to emerge, joined shortly by Spider-Man on scene. When the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man went silent, the worst was feared, forcing the NYPD to make a call to Charles Xavier in upstate New York. In less than twenty minutes the X-Men, the least popular of any metahuman group, arrived on the scene. When the dust settled, nearly a quarter of Manhattan had been destroyed; the X-Men and their noble leader fallen. That the Fantastic Four, with Spider-Man, had failed went mostly unmentioned by the press. That the X-Men had given their lives seemed secondary.
The real story was that all the damage had been done by a single mutant; Apocalypse.
With public fears on mutants stretched to new heights after seeing the terrorizing power one single mutant, in Apocalypse, could wield, the fact that he and the X-Men had fallen against in each other in battle was seen as an unexpected blessing. Unlike the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, the X-Men weren't Gods or Iron-men or super syrumed patriots or scientists turned heroes. They were mutated private citizens; they were feared and misunderstood even by rational, moderate minded, humans. And with good reason, as the battle with Apocalypse had shown.
When even Steve Rogers suggested in an interview that the public was harsh on the X-Men, that they were no less heroic than the Avengers of Fantastic Four, the words of Captain America fell on mostly deaf ears. But while the X-Men were now a part of history, the mutant issue persisted. Changed by the loss of longtime rival and friend, Magneto worked with the UN Security Council to create a modern day 'Israel' for mutants. The UN ceded the island nation of Genosha to Magneto and his Brotherhood after Magneto proved he could work for a world of mutual benefit; a change attributed to the effect of Charles Xavier's death.
Ten years later, Genosha has grown into a working, breathing, nation of mutants and humans. The world had moved on from Xavier and Magneto's struggle, forcing Magneto to find a new role in the world; a role he would find as Genosha's elected leader. Whereas Magnet's followers went into a new future, on Graymalkin Lane the story was nothing but history and dust. The government of Westchester County, New York, refused to allow other mutants take up residence in Xavier's ancestral seat. For a decade the property as been gated and locked and made off limits while the legal battle over the X-Mansion's fate continues to rage.
In the meantime mutants have been legally banned from military service in most of the Western world. Separate 'charter schools' have been set up to take in mutant students, though by most measurements these schools are seen as a failure, with the most liberal minded Americans beginning to decry the segregation of mutants. Most of these schools seem more like prisons than schools, hoping only to 'hold' young mutants until they reach an age of maturation many believe makes them less of a danger to humans around them. But in a world where most parents are afraid a mutant classmate of their child will blow up said classroom as if it was their purpose in life, thus presenting a clear and present danger to human children, mutant segregation remains the way in many Western countries for now.
And this is preferable to countries like Russia, China, and Iran; where children revealed as mutants are simply taken away and never seen, nor heard from, again. There are stories of mutant children in African nations being forced into military service as child soldiers; the survival rate of these mutant child soldiers makes the survival rate of human child soldiers look promising.
Though the new, young, generation of people across the world on average see mutants as less a threat and equals, it remains politically advantageous to boast an Anti-Mutant policy in most countries across the world. Not unlike the political advantages of being anti-immigrant. And like the immigration system, the mutant system in the US is just as broken and heartbreaking, but too many see it as better (and more importantly safer) option than simply letting mutants walk around, able to harm anyone and anything at any given time.
Only recently has true pushback been seen, and not by humans; Thor has withdrawn from SHIELD following a whisleblower report that SHIELD was working with the US Department of Defense to 'tag and bag' young mutants. Spider-Man joined Iron-Man in pointing out 'mutant charter schools' as a part of the problem, not solution, as the young Spider-Man found himself thrown into one of the schools, thus witnessing first hand how isolation and starvation are preferred 'disciplinary tactics' of the administrators of such schools. And, as Tony Stark himself pointed out, "these schools don't teach young mutants anything about their powers except how to ignore them and pretend like they don't exist. Mutant powers that can't actually be ignored, and when there's an accident involving these poor kids the schools say the kid is the problem--not the school that the kid is forced to attend but refuses to teach them anything about said powers."
Although progress has been slow, the Left end of the political spectrum has slowly begun to take up the issues on behalf of mutants. Some, however, don't see that as enough. Some remember the X-Men, and what they stood for, and the good they did in the world. To that effect, some have begun to do something about it. As the world just begins to talk seriously of mutant rights for the first time since Xavier's death, a small shadowy group has begun to initiate the final stages of a plan to bring back the X-Men, to re-ignite Xavier's dream.
Working more like a terror organization than a school for the gifted, they have divided themselves into cells, with one never knowing what the other cell is doing. They are led by mysterious and extremely well funded and connected individuals who do little more than pick a leader for a cell, provide any support needed using untraceable means, and simply let the cell do what the cell will do.
Only now, a decade after March 23rd, 2004, has the first cell established begun to quietly recruit for a group of mutants to train in the high hills of New Mexico; away from eletronic and spying eyes. A group of mutants that just might make it long enough to be called X-Men.
Bakersfield is just big enough to (probably) have what you want. The main draw in town is the Wal-Mart supercenter with strip malls containing RadioShacks and PayLess and chain restraunts flanking it's massive parking lot, with a Super Target just across the road with an equally new age shopper friendly strip mall surrounding it as well. Most locals swear by the local Sonic for frozen treats, though if they want the best food in town it's either Jake's Diner or Bo's Eat Place in the Historic Main Street District--the old side of town. Folks say Jake's has the best coffee and breakfast in town, while Bo's has the best southern food in the region; so much so during the Civil Rights era white people were snuck in the back of the black ran Bo's Eat Place, not the other way around.
The only comic book store in town is located in the oldest building in town, a building that was once the town General Store in the Old West. Thick brick walls and hardwood floors, the smell of dust and age and nerds, make Avenger Comics a home away from home for any outsider in town. The Friday Night Magic: the Gathering tournaments can be a good time, but the real thrill at Avenger's is the Saturday Night pinball tournament, an event that draws a crowd to Avenger's from nerds to ol' cowboys.
Red County Community College is a decent place to learn some things, or to attend a debate between the only academics within a hundred miles. At least one young member of the group has attended class here in the last year under false identity. Bakersfield High School is the only highschool around, kids from both the Community College and the High School jokingly refer to the young people at the Ranch as 'the Cullens'--to the townies, they're as mysterious and unknowable as a coven of vampires hiding in plain sight. X doesn't get the reference (thankfully), but likes the idea behind it. Rob simply snickers and states, "I do not sparkle."
Bakersfield sits in the shadow of Round Rock, a mid sized mountain that looks plenty tall enough for any resident of Bakersfield. While the town sits at the base, plenty of privates homes dot the mountain side. On the front side of the mountain is a level road that most vehicles can make it up to the top using, the back side of the mountain having only one 'road'--and it leads straight to the former ranch being used by X and Rob for, as the locals know it, a sanctuary for troubled teens. Don't have a four wheel drive vehicle? Don't try the back road.
The last five acres of the mountain are reserved for the top of the mountain and the high mountain valley in which the old ranch rests. Named by locals nearly a hundred years ago: The Last Five Acres Ranch, or simply 'the Last Five' as most locals have shortened it to today.
The Last Five Acres include a Ranch house, a Mess Hall, a stable, a barn, several animal pens from chickens to pigs, a pool, and several out-buildings. Most out-buildings are small individual cabins for each team member, each cabin holding a small kitchenette (sans-stove), a bedroom with closets, and a bathroom that includes a bath/shower combo. Each cabin is locked/unlocked using computer sensors with a small keypad just next to the door in case of sensor failure. No alcohol is allowed in individual cabins. The Mess Hall hosts a restaurant quality kitchen that can easily cook for twenty, and numerous industrial fridges and freezers and pantries where students are told to keep their personal food. Rob recently installed a few flat screen TVs in the Mess Hall for the World Cup. Alex and Helena, the only known cooks in the youthful group, typically switch off cooking duties. For this reason, it's not unusual for folks in the group to refer to Alex as 'Cookie'--a nod to Old West cooks.
The Barn has been turned into an air-conditioned sanctuary for the students; every video game console, numerous computers for use, printers, an old school arcade, a juke box, and a decent library for both books and movies. It's not unusual to see the Midnight Poker game move into the Barn on the occassion when too many people show up to host it in Rob's cabin.
Helena is in charge of the Stable, and spends a good deal of time on the quick moving, big hearted, black with white spots horse named 'Eddy.' Where most students fire up a four wheeler should they need to get from the Ranch area to the more remote testing and combat areas higher up the mountain, Helena typically rides Eddy anywhere and everywhere on the Ranch. This is no mistake; Rob put the girl in charge of the animals on the Ranch the moment he realized her telepathy extended to the animal kingdom.
Cabin inspections are held once a week, every Wednesday afternoon after lunch, to ensure the 'health and wellness and cleanliness' of each student. Any drawer or closet pad locked is off limits to the Inspection. Although since Rob usually conducts the Inspections, if you forgot to vacuum your carpet Rob's more like to kick his feet up and wait for you to vacuum then he is to write you up and fail you. Room inspection failures stand re-inspection at 6AM, Saturday mornings. The only time anyone has Rob truly grumpy is when he's forced to wake up 'at the ass crack of dawn' to hold a re-inspect because one of the students was too lazy to get their room ready for Wednesday afternoon.
The Ranch House itself is the dominion of X-23, where she has her bedroom, her office, and the other bedrooms used for filing cabinets and computer servers. Recently the resources of the Last Five have been more opened up to students, each one able to withdraw a hundred dollars every week from X should they request it. Larger requests are directed to X, as Rob refuses to 'handle our slush fund.' When asked during Midnight Poker, Rob has admitted the Ranch's fund has at least five million in it--making many students feel less guilty for asking for cash in the first place.
OOC Information:
[*] I'm currently the only GM for the game. Feel free to contact me whenever you require assistance or information.
[*] High Casual standards; and they will be enforced.
[*] Only looking for a small group.
[*] Character Sheets should be posted to the CS thread for approval/disapproval. Not all decisions will be made public.
[*] You are assumed to be an adult by submitting a character for this game; please act like one.
[*] Don't make my job harder than it has to be; read the IC info, get a good handle on the setting before going IC.
[*] Applications may take a few days before a decision can be made. Generally issues will be resolved over pm.
[*] The game starts in the fictional desertous mountain small town of Bakersfield, New Mexico. More to come on the locale.
[*] So far as most students know, their cell's leaders (X-23 and a middle aged blonde surfer guy named Rob) are the top of the command chain.
[*] Expect to do an 'Impressions' OOC post before the IC kicks off, as most the group has been together a little while now.
[*] Want to help the storytelling? Let me know! I'm all about making players part of the process, not just witnesses stuck to reaction only.
[*] Curious about the story and don't care about spoilers? PM me.
Character Sheet Thread
Keep in mind when filling out your CS; the Cell targetted young mutants with the potential for power, and from all walks of life. The Cell recruits like 'hackers' in the Matrix--as anonymous and mysteriously as possible until the final, face-to-face, meeting with X-23.
Appearance: (Picture/art/description.)
Name:
Age: (16-22)
Mutation:
Personality:
History:
OOC/Misc: (A catch-all in case you wanted to include something IC or OOC, but didn't have a space for it.)
Impressions: (To be filled out later.)
X-23/Leader (NPC)
'Rob'/Co-Leader (NPC)
Helena Britt (Ruby)
Annelise Freign (El_Tigre)
Noel Shaw (Killed In Action)
Alexander Elhanan (Zacharius)
Will Helena Carson (Violet)
Jack Taylor Smith (Altered Tundra)
Chase Fletcher (Ruugard)
Ethan Hunter (Javier)
Questions, comments, ideas? Let me know!
