Ruby

Marvel: Judgment Day

She was the last to be told. She was not the last to know. The message was cryptic and guarded from both Scott and Xavier, Scott with his texting code words and Xavier with his arm’s-length-telepathic signal. There had been a short discussion about heading off to Westchester for the meeting, but the truth of it was the old mansion had seen far better days. Instead, they all opted for a property along the Massachusetts shore.

There was irony to a mutant nation being discussed in such early stages at the white beach shores of Cape Cod. It was all such a distant memory. Jean Grey walked into a room filled with family, and a few others. There were clearly those who had found out already, and those who either hadn’t or hadn’t cared to listen to what had been whispered in their ear weeks ago.

Xavier went one by one, around the room, as the X-Men, past and present, and had it out about his change of direction and ambitious new plan for mutantkind. Unsurprisingly to her, each of them focused more on the change in direction of Xavier’s ideology. Living together, united, had become just co-exist peacefully as possible on the same planet. Now that was just gone, and some of the people who had spent their lives fighting and dying for that dream were more than just a little surprised to hear it was no more.

That they were all just moving on.

The last person Xavier came to. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was just star-crossed destinies. As a room filled with X-Men stared on, there was absolute silence as two preeminent telepaths stared coldly at each other, their discussion between them. When Gambit protested that everyone else had heard everyone else’s words, Xavier replied that privacy would be respected. Jean was the one who linked everyone into the room into the conversation.

Into Jean Grey warning Charles Xavier. “I will uphold my values. I will keep us honest…Charles, I will keep YOU honest.” He feigned some level of outrage at the suggestion, but Jean hadn’t a single moment’s patience for it. She said precious little about the dream he was giving up. There was a sense of knowing something, of some second sense that Jean couldn’t shake regarding the direction they were taking.
And it was all focused on Xavier.

Half a year ago, now. Yet it was a memory that didn’t shake the red-head in green and gold bodysuit as she smiled and greeted those nearby, those who approached, as she made her way through the dense crowd, exiting the northern most giant tree within the vast valley of the Carousel; centrally located on Krakoa, the Carousel was an area used for lavish Krakoan festivities and celebrations. The giant trees lining the valley were used for a variety of functions, from residential to industrious, their lobbies holding numerous Krakoan gates that linked around the world.

Concussions burst in the sky as the night dazzled crimson hues, burnt oranges, brilliant blues, pale purples, vivid pinks, glowing greens, and seemingly to Jean every color in the spectrum of color. Scott was waiting for her, but her most pressing matter was the new Council: Magneto had taken the unusual step of asking for her directly, privately, regarding a Quiet Council matter. Given the Quiet Council ruled the mutant nation of Krakoa, Jean felt the appoint was pressing and meant braving the thick crowds of mutants celebrating the birth of their nation, the vote of the UN on the issue of Krakoan sovereignty now in the past, a much needed win for all of mutantkind.

Once she was outside and on the ramp she felt safe to focus her telekinesis and lift her frame from the ground, taking flight in a bright haze of dark pink. She saw the points, she heard what was said: “That’s her, one of the originals. Yeah. The one that killed trillions.” If it bothered her, Jean didn’t show it, the look on her face pleasant, taking in the sights and sounds of an event that changed world history, and an event Jean wasn’t sure she would ever see.

At least in this reality. The House of M was a tall, slender, palace of intricate, delicate, beauty woven into every room and corner of the home of Magneto. He had helped craft the large building with Krakoa, itself, a collaboration of earth and metal that left the Master of Magnetism content enough to call The House of M his new house on his new home. Jean Grey approached the structure with a familiarity, landing on an upper balcony and letting the psychic force of telekinesis open the glass doors for her, stepping in and catching sight of the man immediately.

She nodded, as his eyes stared into her’s, a meager greeting. “Erik. You wanted to see me?”

Marvel: Judgment Day

01.general.overview

[01][marvel.judgment-day]................................[GENERAL OVERVIEW]

The Avengers have moved their base to the body of a dead Celestial, the world calls it Avengers Mountain. Word has reached terrestrial governments of Earth that a new Empress has been crowned in the Shi’ar Empire, while the Kree/Skrull Alliance threatens the status-quo of the cosmic order. For the first time in a long time, all members of the Fantastic Four are alive, and back together. Thanos reigned as Eternal Prime until just recently, when the Uni-Mind elected Druig following Thanos’ mysterious demise. The mutants of the world have gathered on their living island of Krakoa, announcing to every mind on the planet the birth of a mutant nation, where all mutants are welcome.

Current planned ‘background’ events for everyone to jump in-or-out of will be: Cotati Invasion, Gameworld, and the First Annual Hellfire Gala. And, of course, the roleplay main plot will see the entire planet caught up in the Judgment Day of a single, untethered, Celestial as it passes judgment on each character, as well as the planet of Earth as a whole.

General RP Information

[*] This game is a re-launch. Why are we re-launching? To center the game around one big general Marvel event that, by nature of Judgment Day, allows every character and player to have their moment in the spotlight.
[*] This will be a hybrid MCU/comics timeline, with the rule of thumb that if the MCU didn’t cover it, defer to the comics history.
[*] This is a Marvel game. You are not restricted to Avengers, or mutants, or Eternals, or…anything. You are not restricted to heroes. Be a villain. Be the UK Prime Minister.
[*] Speaking of restrictions…you are not restricted to canon characters. Earth has a large metahuman population; make up your own character if you want. Pick an obscure character and re-imagine them. Multiversal fuckery? Sure. Street level, God level, everything in-between. Judgment Day comes for all.
[*] This is a sandbox game, with large events that you will be able to be part of or ignore. Likewise, bring your own stories and plots for others to bounce off of and interact with.
[*] Play entire teams, play multiple characters. We do not have a large number of players in mind for this. Join if you want to collaborate and build something for the long term.
[*] Game will be casual, accepting of both those who knows comics lore well, and those who've only seen some cartoons and MCU movies.
GM is myself, Co-GMs are Zeke and Fiber.

02.setting.overview

[02][marvel.judgment-day]................................[SETTING OVERVIEW]

As stated in the general overview, the setting will be a mix of MCU and comics. So long as you have some familiarity with the MCU, and don't mind doing some wiki reading on larger comic events, then you should be easily able to start making characters and stories for the setting without running into major roadblocks. Any questions or guidance needed the GMs are happy to answer and provide. Of course, should there be a character or event not covered by the MCU, so long as it doesn't conflict in major ways with setting continuinity the rule will be to defer to the comic books. This isn't a perfect solution, and there will be some holes to fill, but it should create a common foundation for players to begin collaborating without needing to be a 'well, actually...' level comicbook nerd.

Examples of large comic events that will factor into the game setting include House of M and Secret Wars (the recent one).

New York City, Avengers Mountain, and Krakoa will factor largely as IC locations, though given Marvel technology there's nowhere your characters and stories can't go. Much more information on Krakoa and Eternals locations will be given in the OOC, so if you're unfamiliar don't worry, we will have you covered on a detailed level (everything from geography, defense, housing, to economy). In the meantime, feel free to ask any question you might have, or do your own search—there's plenty of information out there.

2A.timeline.overview

[2A][marvel.judgment-day]................................[TIMELINE OVERVIEW]

MCU history; stopping at End Game/Phase 3.

House of M/Decimation (2005)
—Scarlet Witch uses her powers to create a world in which mutants are in charge. The world is a racist society, with mutants controlling governments, businesses, and culture; and humans are looked down on as inferior.
—"No more mutants." Scarlet Witch has stripped nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.

Annihilation: Conquest (2007)
—In an effort to expand his empire, Annihilus leads an invasion army from the Negative Zone into the positive matter universe. He commands The Annihilation Wave, an immense armada of warships, bent on conquering the positive matter universe and adding its territory to his own. Galactus wipes out the majority of the Annihilation Wave, more than three star systems and even vaporizes a Watcher. Peter Quill and Nova manage to stop Annihilus on his flagship.

War of Kings (2009)
—Vulcan is rapidly expanding the Shi’ar Empire, while Black Bolt and the Inhumans become leaders of the Kree empire, and a cosmic war begins, drawing in Nova, Darkhawk, the Starjammers, and the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Avengers vs. X-Men (2012)
—The return of the Phoenix Force, the cosmic entity of death and rebirth, as it looks for its new host, believed to be the teenage mutant Hope Summers. Cyclops and the other X-Men want to protect her and prepare her as if she’s to be the mutant savior, while Captain America and the Avengers want her handed over to them so they can figure out what to do with her and keep the world safe from a potentially deadly fate. Tony Stark attempts to destroy the Phonie Force, leading to a five-way split of the cosmic entity with five different mutants as hosts. Cyclops ends up the last, and most powerful, of the hosts. He threatened greater conflict but would go on to stand down at the urging of an old friend.

Secret Wars (2015)
—As Doctor Doom, Doctor Strange, and Molecule Man confront the Beyonders in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the end of the Multiverse, the final Incursion of Earth-1610 and Earth-616 begins. Heroes from each universe confront one another. The world fades to white as the two Earths collide. Doctor Doom’s mask appears out of the white void, before the white turns to black. Battleworld and the Multiverse as Doom saw it were quickly broken down and reversed as Reed Richards recreates the multiverse.

Final Host of the Dark Celestials (2018)
—Four billion years ago, an Alpha Celestial known as The Progenitor crossed paths with a swarm of cosmic insects called the Horde. Becoming infected with these space bugs, the omnipotent space god grew ill and crash landed on the planet that would become Earth. The Progenitor died a slow and painful death, bleeding and vomiting its infected fluids all over the surface of a young Earth. The cosmic vomit mixed with the primordial stew, spawned more of the Horde, as well as creating life on Earth and turning the planet into a treasure trove of super-powered individuals.

Now a Final Host of Dark Celestials returned to Earth to finish the planet, to exterminate those unknowingly gifted by The Progenitor. The Avengers were able to unite with a Celestial Host in order to end the Dark Celestials, for once and for all. In thanks, the Celestial Host raised the body of the Progenitor to the surface of the Earth and gifted it as a new home for the Avengers, believing it a better way to honor their fallen fellow Celestial.

House/Powers of X (2019)
—"While you slept, the world changed." With those words, Professor X announces to the people of Earth the new mutant nation of Krakoa. It is a safe haven for all Homo superior, with its own rules and its own language. In return for international recognition, Xavier will offer humanity great scientific advancements, borne of Krakoa's unique flora. But the time for integration has ended. Xavier's old dream is dead—and now a new one begins.

2B.mutants.overview

[2B][marvel.judgment-day]................................[MUTANTS OVERVIEW]

Mutantkind has found itself going in a wide multitude of directions. To Rogue and Wolverine turning into Avengers to Jean's resurrection that resulted in her leading the most recent incarnation of the X-Men, even the quiet parties such as Magneto and the White Queen have been pre-occupied with plots the last year or so.

Being a mutant either meant living in secret among family or loved ones, being a resident of what was then called 'Mutant Town' under the protection of Mister M, or being of the rare lucky ones with the mutant ability to be something more or just having the right connections still.

This has all changed radically over the last month with the announcement of Krakoa. Some may require a little time, others need to believe it before they'll try it, while many more rush to a mutant homeland promised by a coalition of the strongest mutants alive. From Xavier to Apocalypse, Magneto to Storm to Kate Pryde, all mutants seem stirred by the Krakoan announcement.

2C.krakoa.overview

[2C][marvel.judgment-day]................................[KRAKOA OVERVIEW]

Professor X ultimately repurposed Krakoa into a sovereign nation state for mutants. Now donning a portable Cerebro, Xavier seemingly recruited and experimented on Krakoa with the help of Cypher and Warlock. Together they expanded Krakoa's consciousness and cultivated its biome to include exotic flowers used for various purposes, as such becoming the primary economic resource of the mutant nation.

These Flowers of Krakoa could grow Habitats, self-sufficient offshoots of Krakoa that served as embassies around the solar system, while remaining connected to its hive mind via Gateways, which provided ways to instantly travel from one part of Krakoa to another. Krakoa grows it's own food, it's own shelter. The island has even been known to change overnight.

[2C][marvel.judgment-day]................................[KRAKOA DEFENSE]

Krakoan defenses aren’t as obvious as they may be on other nations, but there’s very much an active effort at all times to ensure Krakoan security and defense. Krakoan defense is overseen by the Krakoan Great Captains and the Quiet Council. Monitoring falls to Black Tom and Sage, albeit each with their own very different method.
The island has early detection in terms of underwater growth in all directions and varying depths around the island.

Pollen and fungal spores are used as an early detection network for the air of Krakoa, and actively reports dangers through the island’s nervous system. All gate activity is documented and overseen by Sage from Control. There’s a telepathic observation network active at all times on the island, keeping track of any psychic warnings.

Great Captains have been conducting live action island defense war games, though nearly all parties agree Krakoa’s defense will only be able to prove. Its greatest weapon is still considered the mutants on the island, especially the Omega level mutants of the population.

Krakoa Locations

Akademos Habitat / The Sextant
ALPHA House
BETA House
DELTA House
The Fort
Kinney Residence
Lifedeath
OMEGA House
The Pod
SIGMA House
ZETA House

Arakkii Pillar
Arbor Magna / The Hatchery
Arena
The Armory
Bar Sinister
The Boneyard
The Bower
Broken Baths
Carousel
Data Analysis
Dead Mutant Cove
External Systems
Forked Towers
The Green Lagoon
The Grove
Quiet Council Chamber
Pit of Exile
The Grove of Theoretical Gates
Healing Gardens
Hellfire Bay
Blackstone
The Red Keep
The White Palace
Hellions Staging Theater / Purgatory
House of M
House of X
Cradle One
Moira's No-Space
Cradle Five
Nanny's Cove
"Nightcrawler’s Perch"
Observation
The Oracle
Port Genosha
Prison Grotto
“Psychic Rescue Room”
The Quarry
The Reservoir
Rosetta
Singing Falls
Storm’s Garden
Sunset Cliffs
Transit (Main)
Various Transit Hubs
Voltus Glade
Sanctus Sacrum
The Wild Hunt
The Crow's Nest
Shadow King's Cave

2D.avengers.overview

[2D][marvel.judgment-day]................................[AVENGERS OVERVIEW]

The Avengers have experienced an almost unheard of period of relative calm, at least relative to most of their history. The roster is in major flux, with the only known members currently being Captain America, Iron-Man, Captain Marvel, and Thor. They’ve fully embraced their new home and headquarters, Avengers Mountain, located in the Arctic Circle near the North Pole. Reserve members of the Avengers have been visiting to see the new location.

Most recently, the Avengers have been fielding questions and concerns from most of Earth’s various governments seeking re-assurance from the Avengers regarding the ‘new threat’ of the mutant nation of Krakoa. Captain America has visited with Cyclops, Iron-Man has met with the Fantastic Four’s Mr. Fantastic on the issue, but for the most part the Avengers have stayed true neutral, promising only to do what they’ve always done: protect the innocent and fight the good fight, whatever they deem that to be.

For some in those human governments, that was enough, but for many more it was not. The United Nations have begun discussing the issue of Krakoa, even as the issue of Krakoa’s entrance into the General Assembly is brought up. And behind closed doors, many governments have begun reaching out to Orchis regarding their Krakoan concerns, resulting in even more resources being funneled into the anti-mutant organization.

2Di.avengers.mountain.overview

2E.eternals.overview

[2E][marvel.judgment-day]................................[ETERNALS OVERVIEW]

The Eternals have had one of their most traumatic decades in their history. The Final Host of the Dark Celestials saw Eternals turn against each other, and mass suicides were committed across the Eternals population on Earth, as the dark secret of their true purpose on the planet finally became known to them. After the fall of the Dark Celestials, some Eternals began to resurrect.

The first resurrected was Phastos, and it he who uncovered the Machine’s greatest secret: that every time an Eternal resurrects, a human loses their life, as the Machine pays for life with life. Shocked and disturbed, Phastos enacts a plan to use Thanos in order to bring a final end to the Eternals, and make Earth uninhabitable to human life. Druig is the first to uncover Phastos’ treachery, and murders Phastos, while attempting to manipulate Thanos and his fellow Eternals for his own fanatical quest.

The Mad Titan proves too much to be controlled, especially after being made Prime Eternal by the Uni-Mind, and the resulting conflict sees Thanos’ defeat only due to a contingency plan of Phastos. Druig is able to manipulate events in order to appear the Eternals savior, thus resulting in his succeeding Thanos as Prime Eternal. Certain his time is limited until the truth is revealed, Druig begins looking for an external enemy to rally the Eternals behind him, and finds it:

The mutants of the newly created nation of Krakoa, whom he plans to announce as violating an excess of deviation from humanity, thus making mutants as Deviants in the eyes of all Eternals. Cooperating with Thanos’ grand-father, the immensely powerful Uranus, the two begin to plot their attack on Krakoa and mutantdom, in secret for now.

2Ei.eternals.society.breakdown

2F.orchis.overview

[2E][marvel.judgment-day]................................[ORCHIS OVERVIEW]

Orchis is a human-centric para-military organization focused on research, design, and solving what they, and it’s important to most in science to underscore the ‘they’ here as a minority in their fields, but what they consider the answer to the ‘mutant problem.’ They have near-future resources, some of the best and brightest minds in a generation, and have come to possess what had been Tony Stark’s Forge, along with several large spacecraft.

Though they have their own secrets and aces up the sleeve to play, Orchis rarely misses any opportunity to express their ideology and control the narrative around human/mutant relations. They come armed with a private army, a field research division that’s second to none, a marketing arm that effortlessly crosses national border and culture without losing its messaging, and enough A.I. assistant to nearly restart major Sentinel production on their own.

While both Krakoa and Orchis have clashed in recent weeks leaving Sentinel production practically zero, some Orchis analyst have been careful to rule out the notion the mutants swooped in, ruined their plans, and kicked their ass. Corpses have been found and cataloged. Orchis command is uncertain if any mutant survived the attack.

Whatever the case, this has been seen by both sides as merely an opening to wider escalation and confrontation.

03.rules.charactersheet

[03][marvel.judgment-day]................................[RULES/CHARACTERSHEET]

Right now we're keeping these rules relatively simple.

Don't violate site rules.

Don't metagame, or godmode.

GMs reserve the right of final say, and after a conversation's been had.

As for the Character sheet, the look/format is up to you. Just make sure the information is there.

character.sheet

Character Image.

Name.
Alias.
Age.
Place of Birth.

Powers.

History.

Story Arcs.

One or two overall plot arcs for your character, their group. They can be solo or shared.

Marvel: Judgment Day

[01]................................[GENERAL OVERVIEW]
[02]......................................................[SETTING]

Yes. There's a Discord for the game. We don't mind if you don't join it and just communicate on the forum.

Marvel Comics: Dawn of X

_{Jean Grey, Magneto, CIA Deputy Director Greg Joseph [NPC], Paul Bailey [NPC]
Location: Albany, New York, United States of America
Plot: The Trial of Jean Grey}

"I know this isn’t really what your ‘team’ does, Jean, but I have to ask…are you going to avenge them?"

Jean Grey gave no outward sign of so much as having heard, let alone understood, what her brother-in-law said to her through the temporary telepathic link between them. Watching them, as the humans clearly were, it would certainly appear that Jean’s ears were perked to the chat between Max and the CIA Mutant Desk Director behind her.

No one would guess where her thoughts really were.

“Mr. Bailey is under Federal protection, at his own request,“ the Director of the Mutant Desk explained, “When he requested to come meet his sister-in-law, Ms. Grey, we certainly weren’t going to say ‘no.’ The transport and security for this meeting was handed to our desk.”

Jean gave a squeeze to the arm of her brother-in-law she was hugging, before letting it go, and turning to directly face him. To take that face in her hands. To smile, at him, and at the memory of her sister, Sara, and their babies, her beloved niece and nephew. Green eyes smoldered with the kind of emotion that made people nervous to see in her features, her voice reduced to little more than a whisper. “I love you. I will always be here for you, Paul.”

It took little effort for the woman in heels to lean up and press her lips gently upon the man’s forehead, before her heels touched back down upon the pavement next to the entrance to the parking garage, and Paul embraced Jean with a tight, emotional, hug.

A smoke grey 2022 Bentley Bentayga Speed with blacked out windows emerged from the shadows of the parking garage at the kind of slow, deliberate, speed and perfect timing that hinted at telepathic coordination as it came to a stop just beside Jean and Paul as the two broke their embrace.

“Deputy Director Joseph,” Jean said as her head turned to his direction, noticing the harder look that had replaced the formerly charismatic expression on the man’s face, “take care of your people, and mine, please.”

Emma’s driver, an ebony skinned man hidden behind mirrored sunglasses and an expensive, perfectly tailored, suit got out of the SUV registered to the Hellfire Trading Company, holding the back door open for the two mutants present. “Thank you,” Jean said it quietly to the driver as she got in, giving a final smile to Paul before the mutant they knew best as Magneto got in, the driver shutting the door after him, and taking up his post at the wheel.

“We need to stop at a pharmacy before we arrive,” a quick pause as her mind evaluated the options, before, “a Walgreens is preferred.” She always liked their selection just a little more than alternatives, and they were small enough that, maybe, she and her companion wouldn’t be immediately noticed.

Her tone quieted, something closer to the kind of whisper that was reserved for private moments, her head turning so she could look the man next to her in the eyes, so he could see the sad little smile burned onto her red lips, “You’re not the man I first met. I’m not the girl you first met, Max…and if I address you, I would rather speak to the man I trust now; the real you.” Her eyes returned to the front, to the windshield and the streets before them as they began their trip to the funeral. After a quiet beating of hearts, she added, “Not the mutant everyone thinks they know.”

We aren’t the people they think we are.

Marvel: Judgment Day

This seems like it could be interesting and I have been itching for a super hero RP as of late if you're still accepting new players.

@sly13

Sure, hop in. It won't re-brand/re-launch until later this week.

Marvel Comics: Dawn of X

_{Magik, Sunspot, Mirage
Location: ALPHA House, Akademos Habitat, Krakoa}

“Where did the coffee g—”

The question died as it slipped from Sunspot’s mouth, as his brown eyes met the cold blue ice of Illyana Rasputin’s eyes, and to the giant mug of steaming Krakoan coffee she nursed protectively.

“We’ll brew more,” Dani said, as she came into the main opening of ALPHA House’s first story behind Da Costa. Illyana’s arms untensed around the mug, as she returned to taking thirsty sips of the dark, strong roasted Krakoan coffee bean that was new enough to the island nation that of all places it could be found…the Akademos Habitat was the only place on the island, so far.

Although Blob had managed to trade some favors for a bag, in order to serve the occasional cup at the Green Lagoon. Da Costa kept his eyes on the black leather clad mutant, his body stiffened just enough to convey tension, and an audible sniff from him hinting at a dissatisfied Sunspot. Given his entitled nature, Illyana thought, she would continue keeping her mug safe.

“Aren’t you Manhattan bound?”

Dani peeked up from her work brewing the next pot, doing what Dani did in trying to keep her curiosity from leaping over the table and assailing Magik. “What for?,” she asked it, so casually, before being unable to offer a leading question, “Is it Great Captain business?”

“It is Apocalypse’s idea, supported by Frost and Xavier; they would have Stephen Strange visit the island. There is information the big blue man is wanting,” she said, shrugging, as she took another deep drink, her blue eyes keeping wide as if Illyana Rasputin could will herself into a hyper-alert, hyper-caffeinated state. “They believe he can help.”

Even without coffee, Da Costa perked, “Strange? Here?”

“How many people know?”

Illyana shrugged, “The children gossip and giggle. We do not want to scare the poor, nerdy, man, so they have asked me to provide transportation outside of the Gates for his arrival, so that he may be spoken to by members of da Council before.”

“About this thing they need information on?” Dani asked, as Da Costa tried to pay more attention to making his cup of coffee than to Illyana’s answer.

She noticed, but didn’t care, “I do not know what it is. I only know of the Great Captains, I can teleport, and I know magic.”

“That’s what I like about you, Illyana, you know when to stop caring. Can’t say that of everyone around here…” Da Costa quickly mumbled that last bit, as he avoided the gaze of Dani Moonstar.

Illyana, herself, just rolled her eyes. “You are more pathetic than usual without Sam, Roberto.” He protested, deflected with ego and humor, but she had already set down her empty mug and picked up her blade, leaving the irritation that was Roberto missing Sam to Dani, and the rest of ALPHA House.

The thin flesh of the ethereal sliced open at the glow of the Soulsword just outside the front door of ALPHA House, a group of four pre-teen mutants in the field nearby blinked and watched as she waved at them, and stepped through.

_{Magik, NYPD Patrolman
Location: 177A Bleeker Street, New York City, United States of America}

Her journey was quick, as Limbo was unsettled, and she lacked the patience to deal with it today. The screams seemed to echo a little louder, curdle the blood a little thicker, she thought, as she stepped out into the street shaded from the sun by the building that stood before her.

“..what the fuck?!”

The human man that happened to be walking down the Manhattan sidewalk near the edge of the street where she appeared said it out of concerned surprise, probably due to the hellish screams, defensively reaching for his black belt, with the weapon holstered. His clothes were blue. Or, rather, his uniform was dark blue. NYPD. Illyana offered him something that sat on the blade’s edge, between a smirk and a smile, as she answered him with a shrug. “Is portal.”

He watched her, but the moment she hit those stairs, there seemed to be a new understanding in the man's brown eyes. Oh. One of those. She ignored him as his hand drifted to the radio on his shoulder, and he began to whisper something into the device.

As if even the NYPD knew the reputation of where it was Illyana approached. The portal closed behind her as she stepped up to the stairs of 177A Bleecker Street, the sheer energy pulsating from the very ground, from the doors, from the walls, was enough to make her lightheaded. Or, maybe, it was the coffee. Her arms crossed over her chest, and her lips parted in a silent sigh, “Come now, Doctor, do not make me knock.”

Marvel Comics: Dawn of X

Although quiet drives were rare things, he found the pickup of the protectee from the small airport just north of the Capital District of New York, and the subsequent drive into Albany, to be a landscape of gentle, green rolling foot hills that seemed to melt into the Hudson River valley, with the Catskills Mountains hazy in the distance.

It would have been downright relaxing, if not for the protectee, and the reason for their presence. The handheld encrypted radio bleeped into activity, breaking the quiet drive.

“We have a problem.”

The man seated behind the driver of the large, black, General Motors SUV gave a wry smile, and brought the radio closer to his mouth to answer, “What problem?”

“She’s here, but she isn’t alone. Fucking Magneto came with her.”

Greg Joseph found his eyebrows perk at both the mention of the man, and the way in which the Agency analyst on the other end of the radio said it. Fucking Magneto, the senior analyst said, and he found himself not blaming them for it.

Joseph found himself pausing before responding, exchanging a look from the Special Agent in the front passenger seat, before turning his head to the right, to the man seated quietly in the seat behind the front passenger seat, eyes perking at the protectee, “News to you?”

“I had no idea, no. I just knew she was coming.”

Everything about Paul Bailey told the former US Army Intelligence and Law Enforcement turned CIA Mutant Desk Chief that he was being honest. A soft sigh escaped him before the radio went back to his mouth, Joseph taking another pause as his mind raked across the files and reports in his mind. “…we don’t normally see her alone, do we?”

Even the Special Agent in the front passenger seat looked back at his boss, a curious look on the Agent’s face. What are you getting at? Their senior analyst’s feminine tone softened, as her mind played catch-up, “Jean Grey?”

He didn’t have the patience for them to find it, themselves, “Think about every time we’ve seen her go through a Krakoan Gate. Is she ever alone?...no, right? Never? Meanwhile, Ororo Munroe sneaks out and surprises our analysts on the subway, or pops into Wakanda, or Kitty Pryde is boating around the world's oceans, or Emma Frost is strolling through gates solo like she owns the world…why is this woman different? Why is she never alone?”

“Could be coincidence,” the tall, blonde, former college athlete Special Agent in the front passenger seat offered.

The senior analyst came back over the radio, ”…she’s either always with teammates, family, or children. Or…”

“Or the woman who zapped an entire star and killed an entire solar system of people because she got godly levels of bitchy isn’t someone they want walking around the world alone.”

A surprise voice chimed in, the man next to Joseph, the woman’s former brother-in-law, “She’s not like that.” Even the driver peeked back in the rear-view when Bailey spoke up, as the thin man with the crown of brown hair on a quickly balding head shifted slightly, realizing every eye in the vehicle was on him, now, before continuing, “…I lost the love of my life, my wife. I lost my children.”

There was a knife’s edge of emotion deep enough for Paul Bailey to lose himself in, but Bailey took a slow breath before speaking more, “I knew her parents. I knew every sister and brother. I knew every member of that family. None of them ever spoke of her like that—not even remotely. And I knew her, myself. She’s not like that, Deputy Director. I would have told those Shi’ar aliens the same thing when they murdered my family, and her’s, adult and child alike. I would have died too, had I not been working late that night. Whatever this Phoenix did, it wasn’t Jean Grey. My wife and our babies bet their lives on that. They killed them all anyway. Justice, they called it, I was told…I don’t know about this Shi’ar Empire, Deputy Director, but I should hope MY government, THEIR government, wouldn’t be so quick to assume the same horrible thing.”

The car slowed to a stop outside the four-story over-a-century-old red-brown brick building that shared the entire city block with the cement parking garage that acted as secondary parking for New York State government buildings in the area. The corner space of the old red-brown brick building was The Hollow, a bar and restaurant popular with both the state government employees from their state buildings surrounding the street and the lawyers from the US District Court just a block down the street, across the 797 Interstate that divided Albany from the riverfront of the Hudson. They stood outside on the sidewalk, staring into the backseat of the long, black, American-made SUV.

“…okay,” Greg Joseph said, nodding, “Let’s do this.” The tall, youthful, former college athlete of a Special Agent was out of the car, first, not saying a word, just opening the back passenger seat to let Paul Bailey out.

Bailey got out, immediately embracing the sister of his late-wife, and aunt of his late-children, Jean Grey. Joseph watched for a second, until he looked past the two, and saw the man still staring at him. The mutant, Greg Joseph corrected himself in his thoughts as he got out, putting on his best Sunday morning church of a smile. “Greg Joseph, Mutant Desk Chief,” he walked right up to Erik Lensherr, offering his hand, same as he always did, same as his daddy always taught him to do when meeting someone for the first time. Friendly, but respectful, firm. Same as he taught his son, he thought, as he looked at Paul Bailey and the woman, again.

“It’s okay.” Jean smiled at Paul, doubtless telepathic words passed between them as they stared at one another, Jean slipping her arm into Paul’s, pointing them down the sidewalk and heels clicking on pavement as the two started walking, towards the end of the city block, towards the car park, casting bright green eyes over her shoulder, at Magneto, then, to him. “Hello, Mr. Joseph. I hope we’re not keeping you too busy? Thank you for bringing Paul.”

He nodded, that Sunday church steps smile cemented on his features, the Texas in his accent as clear as the sunshine of the day, “Yes, Ma’am, one of the few times the Mutant Desk gets to do something so wholesome. We’ve been busy the past year since the uh…what do you call it? Birth of your nation?” He asked, not wanting to just call it ‘that Krakoa thing’, looking to the man keeping pace with Bailey and Grey next to him to answer the question, to Lensherr.

Marvel: Judgment Day

I'm just popping in to say I'm still pretty interested in this.

@Hey Im Jordan

Thanks!

We've gotten feedback Krakoa-only has been a difficult approach for people, so we're likely retooling this into a Marvel: Judgment Day game based on the AvXvE event of the past summer. Shouldn't effect who people picked to play, just giving everyone a wider scope and trying to make it a touch easier for those who've told us Krakoa, in isolation, was a high-learning curve.

Marvel Comics: Dawn of X

Re-starting this next week. Let us know if you wish to continue/jump back in.

Marvel Comics: Dawn of X

Greg Joseph, CIA Deputy Director of Metahuman Operations