Missions
Somewhere out there, something is going wrong. Nobody will hand you the full story: you will have to go and find it.
Design Philosophy: Missions run themselves. You don't need a Storyteller online to find one, investigate it or fight it: the world sets the scene, rolls the dice and tells you what happens, and all you have to do is play your character. A Storyteller can always step in and take a mission over, but nobody has to wait for one.
Missions are in development. This page describes how they will work; details may change before they go live.
Leads
Every mission starts as a Lead: a Threat stirring somewhere on the grid. You won't be told which Threat, or how bad it is. What you get is a little lead. It can take the form of some breaking news on the News board, a magic omen, or a psychic cypher, now and then, about something going wrong in a part of the world:
============== Post #125: New Group Seeks Rally Permit in Salem ============== Author: WSLM 98.7 FM Posted At: 10/07/2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Before the traffic on the hour, a call-in from Salem: the pastor of a small church that runs a mutant outreach program found the mailbox stuffed with pamphlets about "the mutant problem" near Salem Center. Neighbors say they saw nothing, though one admits she "understands the frustration." If you know anything, the lines are open. ============================== @boards News/125 ==============================News is deliberately vague, and different Threats can make very similar headlines. You never know for sure what you are about to walk into. A Lead nobody looks into deepens. Over time, it moves a stage further: from rumour, to pattern, to screams in the night, as it grows in danger and scope. A Threat has four stages. Let it reach the end of the fourth and the world pays: innocent people suffer, Krakoan Gates nearest to where it all started go dark.
Once someone takes up the storyline, though, that Threat stops deepening while players work on it. Players will never be rushed through a story they are going through.
Investigation
To find out what is really going on, go there. Gather whoever you can, travel to the part of the grid the Lead pointed at, and play out the scene. When the scene is turned in, the system will roll what needs to be rolled. The scene needs not to be about the Lead itself: sometimes the plot finds the X-Men when they go out to the movies, or when they are doing something unrelated. The focus of the system is roleplaying, as always. You don't even need to set the scene as something special: sometimes your character will be roped into adventure just for roleplaying!
====================== Something Doesn't Add Up ======================= Something you saw at Salem Center keeps nagging at you. Investigation rolls Elizabeth d20 16 + 0 = 16 success by 5 2 points Laura d20 5 + 1 = 6 failed 0 points Becca d20 11 + 1 = 12 success by 1 1 point Inez d20 14 + 2 = 16 success by 5 2 points The group gathered 5 Investigation Points. Elizabeth will have the findings now. ======================================================================= ⊗ New Report: You have found something in Salem Center... (Type +report 2) ======================= Report #2: Salem Center ======================= Status: Ready to send to the Council Leader: Elizabeth Participants: Elizabeth, Laura, Becca, Inez ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Someone in Salem is trying to start something. The flyers, the graffiti and the late-night calls all point the same way: whoever is behind them knows exactly which houses to target, and they are only getting started. Threat: Unknown Danger: Unknown Points: 5 Investigation Points to spend in Preparation ----------------------------------------------------------------------- +report/send 2 send it to the Quiet Council =======================================================================When the scene is turned in and posted, each character will automatically roll Investigation. Every success earns Investigation Points, and the whole group's points are pooled. The findings arrive at the end of the week, to the character who started the log. Then it is up to them to gather the group and talk them through it.
The Report & the Council
The findings become a Report: what you have learned, how dangerous it looks. However, no mutant goes to war on Krakoa's behalf without the Quiet Council's blessing. The Report must be sent to the Council, who discuss it and give their official statement. The Councilor who writes that statement becomes the mission's Sponsor. Maybe each Councilor gets a number of points they can use for projects, and they can dump some on the Mission for the next stage? Once approved, the Report comes back to you.
⊗ New Report for the Council: Something is happening in Salem Center... Report #2 is on its way to the Quiet Council. ====================== Council Docket: Report #2 ====================== Status: Awaiting a statement Time left: 6 days Leader: Elizabeth Points: 5 Where: Salem Center ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Someone in Salem is trying to start something. The flyers, the graffiti and the late-night calls all point the same way: whoever is behind them knows exactly which houses to target, and they are only getting started. ---------------------------- Council Notes ---------------------------- Psylocke (Oct 8): As a Councilor, I must say, I find this leader remarkably handsome and exceedingly clever. She has my seal of approval, without question. Psylocke (Oct 8): I concur! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- +council/note 2 = <text> add a private note +council/statement 2 = <text> approve it with the official statement ======================================================================= ⊗ The Quiet Council has answered: Report #2 is approved. (Type +report 2) ⊗ Councilor Psylocke sponsored Report #2. You approved Report #2 and are now its Sponsor. ⊗ New post on Missions: Krakoa Answers: Salem Center (To read, type @read 4/128) ================== Post #128: Krakoa Answers: Salem Center =================== Author: Councilor Psylocke Posted At: 10/08/2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I suppose it is only fair I lead this one." - Councilor Psylocke Elizabeth is gathering a team for Salem Center. ============================ @boards Missions/128 ============================
Going Rogue
The Council has one week. If they say nothing, the mission is approved by the System, and your character may proceed. This is, however, now a Maverick-style Mission. The characters are going off-script. A Maverick mission is harder, because the Council's silence has given the enemy time to grow. But when Maverick heroes win, it is the people of Krakoa who talk about it, and the people remember.
Decide what to do if the Council does not approve. Can players go in anyways?
Preparation
The pooled Investigation Points can be used by the preparing group to buy Advantages for the mission. Some examples:
| Advantage | Cost | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| [Recon] | 2 | You know which Threat you are facing |
| [Ambush] | 3 | You automatically win initiative |
| [Sabotage] | 4 | Every enemy takes −1 on all rolls |
+prep 2 ======================= Preparation: Report #2 ======================== Mission: Salem Center Points: 5 of 5 left Leader: Elizabeth ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Bought Nothing yet. Available [Recon] 2 You know which Threat you are facing. [Ambush] 3 You automatically win initiative. [Sabotage] 4 Every enemy takes -1 on all rolls. The enemy 5 unspent points -20% strength ----------------------------------------------------------------------- +prep/buy 2 = <advantage> spend your points +prep/refund 2 = <advantage> take one back ======================================================================= +prep/buy 2 = Recon You bought [Recon] for 2. 3 points left. +prep/buy 2 = Sabotage [Sabotage] costs 4; you have 3 points left. +prep/buy 2 = Ambush You bought [Ambush] for 3. 0 points left. +report 2 ======================= Report #2: Salem Center ======================= Status: Approved by the Quiet Council Leader: Elizabeth Participants: Elizabeth, Laura, Becca, Inez ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Someone in Salem is trying to start something. The flyers, the graffiti and the late-night calls all point the same way: whoever is behind them knows exactly which houses to target, and they are only getting started. Sponsor: Councilor Psylocke Statement: "I suppose it is only fair I lead this one." Threat: Friends of Humanity Danger: Unknown Points: 0 of 5 Investigation Points left Advantages: [Recon], [Ambush] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- +prep 2 spend your points on Advantages =======================================================================
Squads
The Report's leader recruits the team and splits it into squads, as needed:
| Squad | What they do | If they fail |
|---|---|---|
| Strike | Fights from the first turn. The vanguard. Every mission needs one. | — |
| Rescue | If the Mission is a Rescue mission, these get the civilians out, then join the fight on its second turn. | Nobody is saved |
| Infiltration | Sabotages the enemy's home ground to take away their Advantages, then joins the fight on its second turn. | They take a beating |
The Mission
With the team ready, travel to the location and start the mission. The scene sets itself, the squads do their work, and the fight follows the ordinary Combat rules. The deeper the storyline, the more dangerous the opposition and at its darkest stage, one of the Threat's own named villains may be waiting. Beaten, they withdraw to fight another day.
If you lose, the story isn't over. The mission goes back out into the world one stage deeper. Someone else may investigate it next and their Report will name you as someone who might know something.
Afterward
Win, and the sponsoring Councilor announces it on the board, congratulating the heroes by name. What you earn is who you become:
- Recognition. People notice. On Krakoa and at the school they wave, ask for pictures and gossip about what you did.
- Secrets. Mosaic Fragments about the Threat you fought — and every mission against the same enemy digs one layer deeper, toward the oldest truths about where it came from.
- Experience for every enemy you put down.
