And do we want all the new rules this game or the next? Discuss while I read through and write endings for the rest of Game 1's, then start on Game 2 stuff. I don't care either way. We did at my venue (One of the guys there printed them up for us as he works at Kinko's) and it went fine.

I think we should wait till next game. I'm sure there's going to be lots and lots of questions for the new rules, so it'd be good to have some time to get them asked and answered on the rules forum.

I think we officially start using rules when they release.

These rules don't drop until May 1st. So, I would think we would start this round with the old rules and then break them in next round.

@Kontrol: The schedule is listed in the "Team Thread" halfway down the page.

Attendence upgrades are virtually useless for my team.

Remember you can't use them for Feats.

I forgot that for your team, except evey other time for the Swordsman.

And Wonder Man.

Are games up yet???

I need to send you a team, and I need to remind Charlie to send one. Unless someone wants to do that for me while I write?

Chapter 2 Identification

{Scott, we need to talk.} Magneto's mental projection was brought into Scott's mental landscape via his lover, Emma Frost.

{It's your dime, Eric.} Scott projected. {Make it quick.}

{Warren suspect something.} Magneto floated to over the X-Nation leader. {Iceman also. They fought like good soldiers, but in the end...}

{I saw, Emma kept me appraised through our psyshic link, and I hand a temperary one with Sam. Everyone did what they were supposed to do- keep anyone else from storming the prison. Only your team was defeated, Magnus.}

{That is not the issue here!} Magneto said angrily, e{It's about you keeping secrets from your oldest teammates! If you don't trust them, then you might as well let Luthor blow this place up.}

{As usual, Eric,} Scott patted him on the back {you get angry before knowing all the facts. You might have all falen in battle, but I fell for Trick #5.}

{Play possum, then fullfil the objective while the battle rages on around you?} Magneto put a hand to his chin. {I seem to recall you stopped me on one occasion by having the Beast do that.} Magneto smiled. {It was Cold's nemesis, the Flash, right?}

{You guessed it.} Scott shook his head. {Luthor sent us video of who we might fight, but seeing it...Pietro is fast but this guy was FAST! So we hit him first, while he was dicussing strategy, and he just vibrated to not be hit, but laid down to look like he did. He then got up, told the Amazon that he was going to bust our prisoner out, then used his speed powers to find the right vibrations (he somehow overloaded the micron-thin layer of vibranuim on the cell) to creat a portal for J'onn to get through. he then just ran him and the JLA members we had KOed-which was the whole team-until Wonder Woman also stood up right after I had knocked her down. She was quickly joined by the Flash.}

{Ah, I see.} Magneto nodded. {I bet Logan didn't like what came next?}

{Not at all. She stated that, since the prisoner was gone, we should have no quarrel and left them withdrawl. I agreed,since through my links I knew your team was down and Sam's was barely hanging on. My own was sucking wind, looking at a guy who made Quicksilver look like a snail and a woman who could arm wrestle Rogue and Colossus at the same time-and win.}

{And what will Luthor say?} asked Magneto.

{I don't care.} said Scott matter of factly. {I'll deal with this first.}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone was outside (as that was the only place everyone could be), waiting for Cyclops to speak word was he had a big announcement.

"My fellow mutants," he began, "First, I'd like to say "Thank You for putting your trust and Faith in me, it means a lot." Scott paused as the audience cheered. "But some of you have questions, question which maybe answered here. Questions you may not like the answers to."

"I know the choices of who I let into my inner circe may seem strange to some of you" Scott continued, "But you have to trust me there, also that they as well, have only the best interests of Utopia at heart. Will you trust them and follow them like you would me? again Scott paused as the crowd cheered in their approval. He then turn toward Archangel, who had been frowning the whole time.

"Something on your mind, Warren?" Scott asked quietly.

"Yeah, I want to know what the that last battle was about, Scott." Archangel flew above the crowd. "Who were they? Why did they attack"

"I'll answer your question with this question:" scott looked right at him and pointed his finger. Where were you and and a few others s few weeks ago?"

"I...what does that matter?" Warren now seemed a little flushed.

"Full disclosure is what this is about, Warren." Cyclops's stare became more intense. "You want Magneto to disclose information that I swore him to secretcy, yet you want to keep your secrets. It doesn't work that way. You tell us what you were doing last week, and I'll tell you who and why."

Warren thought for a moment. "Fine. But this still isn't right."

"But that's the way of it." Scott turned toward the microphone. "Fellow mutants, I also brought you here to tell you of a recent inter-dimensioal attack upon the island." the crowd gasped. "I sent the New Mutants to one entry point, a team led by Magneto and Emma. and a their led by myself. Despite this, they were able to do what they came to do-break a prisoner out of a cell we had for him." a murmur ran through as the crowd processed this information. "Trust in me, that's all I ask." "We do, Cyclops!" came a random yell from thr audience, which set off more yells and cheers."

"Thank you, I will continue to strive to do my best! But now, I must attend to urgent matters" "Go kick ###, Cyke!" and "shoot 'em dead, One EYe!" were heard through the applause as he left to settle with Luthor. Even Warren was cheering, because, while he would never warm to anyone in Scott's own Hellfire Circle (Scott could agrue all he wants,but if it walked like a duck,,,), he did trust Scott with his life.
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The rest of the Guardians appeared in the JLA's matter transporter, catching the JLA by surprise and allowing all to escape.

Enroute to Rimbor (even in this century, a place to hide out), Phylla asked the question.

"Why so far away?"Phylla did ask. "Moondragon could..."

"No, se couldn't just make everyone. forget." said the Star-Lord. "They may not have a many mind people as we do back home but they do have one quality person, according to their files-J'onn J'onzz."

"But he wasn't ther. said Rocket Racoon. "So one brain blast by bald and..."

"It's not so simple, Racoon." Moondragon spoke. "Not all of theirmembers were present. The Flash (who brough the Martian back throgh right before you showed up) moves so fast, for instance, it's hard to get a bead on. The Green Lantern has impressive shields, thanks to his ring, and don't get me started on the Batman." she shuddered just a little.

"Anyway, the League itself doesn't have interstellar capabilities, even if certain members do." answered Star-Lord. "In this dimension, their aren't as many Earth spawned threats, so we'll have some time to lay low."

"I AM GROOT!" said the Tree man shaking his left branch for good measure."

"Yes, yes you are," Adam Warlock said, nodding to him.

"I AM GROOT!" Rocket Raccoon laughed.

"Care to share?" asked Phylla.

"Sure, when I land this bucket of bolts." answered the Racoon. "I forget I'm the only one who can understand Groot, and he just told the funniest joke!"

"I...AM...GROOT!" the tree Elemantal was literally quaking all over.

"Don't worry, big guy, I'll tell them the joke." he set down the ship on a deserted plain and they departed. "Why here, Racoon? Phylla said looking, and not seeing anything."

"Oh, no reason." Laser fire erupted from Rocket's and Star-Lords's drawn guns as they fired on her back. Luckily, Moondragon mentally actived her Nega-bands to protect her, knowing she didn't have time to shout.

"What's this....oohumph!" Warlock first doubled over as Gamora swiftly side kicked him in the gut, the n went down as she piledrived her elbow into his back. The three looked to Groot, who had found a pond. He had waded to the deepest end, drinking his fill, and scrubbing the sticky sap off of his trunk.

"Help us, you lumbering oak!" said the Raccon as dodged one blast from Bug...only to be caught by one from Phylla.

"Why are you doing this, Gamora?" Drax and her circed each other uneasily. Neithwer really wanted to does this, neither was certain of the outcome. Before Gamora could make her move, Moondragon sent a powerful pyshic bolt through that put her to sleep.

"Adam, get up." Moondrago went over to her. "Thank Pama she only used her natural weapons.If she had used her knife..."

"Yeah*cough,cough*, lucky me" Adam stood and went over to Groot who had come out of the lake. "Thank you for the early warning. If I hadn't warned Moondragon telepathically, she might not have been in a position to save Phylla.

"Now, let us combine my mystic/Power Cosmic might, Heather's psychic tough, the Nega-Bands ability to find and quantify energy, and Drax's...Indomitability to find the cause of this and exorcise it!

"Entity, in the Name of holy Vishnu, begone!" howls came from the Guardians, but nothing happed.

"You are envoking the wrong entities, young Warlock." A voice came from behind.

"Who?" Drax drew his daggers.

"Put you weapons away, Drax." the Stranger. "Although I may never truly Thanatos, I am not he."

"Then who are you?" Moondragon frowned. "Your mind...is a blank?"

"Of course, my dear Heather Douglas, for after all, am I not the Phantom Stranger?" he said.

"He a reserve Justice League member." said the Star-Lord from his Nega-Band cage. "I read about him in my files."

"It's true. I've assisted the League in the past, but as a Stranger, I cannot trulybelong anywhere, even if I desire to. Such is my curse. But I am here to help you exorcise the evil that festers in your teammates."

"What do I need to do different?" asked Adam Warlock.

"Ask in the names of Lord Order and Master Chaos." the Stranger said. "Here, I'll help." With him in the lead, the virus that was evil Cancervise was drawn out, and it formed the face of Captain Mar-vell, "This is far from over!"


"I AM GROOT!" Groot pointed with his branch holding something.. a portal appeared next to the face, sucking the energy through it. "NOOOOO!" pop! as the portal closes."Thank you, Groot!" Moondragon said, scanning everybody. "Everyone's clean."

"So, Adam, you sandbagger." said the Raccoon. "You understand Groot now, do you?"

"Only since yesterday, when I cast a two different translation spells-and realized I could understand him. I made them permenent, and was waiting to tell you. Anyway, yes, he of course said, the others are infected with some sort of "smoke" from the Avenger Scarlet Witch kissing us when where knocked out. I was as well, but, being a tree, I was able to isolate a sap up the smoke until I expelled it from my body."

"What do we do now?" asked Bug?

"We get more intel" said Star-Lord. "It looks like that stuff we fought in the rift. We need to be on our toes. Stranger, thank..." But the Sranger was gone.

"

Captain America emerged from the Scarlet Witch's private rooms. He did not look happy. She had a scrying pool to lok in on the Guardian's with, but instead of seeing new recruits for Lord Mar-velll's army, they saw his taint being removed, and sent back to his home plane. "What were they going to do?


"Cap," Iron Man caught up next to him. "Hate to bother you, but that Checkmate inspection is today. Cap?"

"You dont say?" Cap mused. "Avengers Assemble, then! we need to be ready to greet our guests." Cap's smile was particularaly big.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"You've tripled checked"? The Wall asked the Pawn.

"Yes Madame." the Pawn answered. "The energy is coming from Avengers Mansion."

Amanda let out a sigh. "Of course it is. Time for their annual government inspection, right?"

A Pawn ran it through the computer. "Not until.." He looked up. "I meant, yes, Next Monday at 10."

"Good. Hopefully, that will get us with too much trouble." She shook her head "but after that..."
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The Stranger walked through the beaded back room door of Madame's Xanadu's shop. "The entity tried sneaking in by hitching a ride in boding of dimension hoping heroes" the Stranger said. "I helped them purge the evil from their teammates, and also fought out who this entity is."

"Who is it, Stranger?" Zantanna asked.

"His name is Lord Mar-vell." the Stranger said. "In the universe we were just in, he was desinated protecter of the universe and given powers above and beyond. But they could save him from the cancer that killed him. It is said he embraced Death and met her as a friend."

"Touching story, but why do we care?" said Nightmaster.

"Because this all makes sense now." said the Stranger. "The energy I felt was positive life energy-but tainted with old cthonic death magic also. I believe he is looking to other dimesions to feed."

"If only we had more information to go by..." said Detective Chimp.

"We could always ask the other Captain Mar-Vell." Shazam said. "The wisom of Solomon say your right and wrong, Stranger, about the motive, but we need to talk to the original Captain."

"Let us go!" the Stranger open a portal, and off to superhero Limbo they went!"
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"So let me get this right." Osborn said, barely keeping his anger in cheeck, "Luthor just waltzs in and steal right from under you and you're happy!"

"Yes." Immortalus stood up. "When he busts those crystal and seal off those worlds, I don't have to worry about errant superheros coming to my door, either. Plus, I was able to wire my other world power throgh the two take Luthor gave me, which gave me significantly more power."

The Greaper came into the room. "Sorry, Master, but did you feel that? "

Immortalus closed his eyes. "yes, someone teleported into Elysium. Come we must attend to this."

"This meeting isn't done!" said Osborn "It is for me, unless you really want me to freeze you all in time (with full knowledge of what going own), then come back and unfreeze you?"

"Doom excuses you." Dr. Doom stood up. "Go attend to your kingdom. Those that do not have one cannot understand the responsibilites one has to it."

"Thank you, Doom." And with that, Immortalus left!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, all went well?" asked Hawkman as Superman Batman and Wonder Woman left the Museum.

"If, by well, you mean that we came back alive, then yes, it went well." Shiera took off her mask at looked at her husband. "If you ever, do that to me again, you will be sleeping alone until our next life!"

"But, I needed someone to watch them, and it certainly wasn't Johnny." Carter also took of his mask as they walked up to their private quarters. "I thought you wanted this."

"Yes, No, Maybe...How do you do it, Carter?" she said. "I watched Diana get struck down by this pup of a boy...and I was too far away to do anything about it but last out at the nearest enemy which was a teenage girl, Carter! They were defending their home with young people, and I...I struck them down! I told others how to do it! I can't do it again!"

"It's okay, Shiera, shhh." Carter held her. "Next time, I'll send Alan. But we need those 3 ready. Can't you feel it?"

"I did, but now it's faint." said Shiera. "But it's still sending chills up my spine."

"That's what a good leader does, darling." Carter said. "He prepares for the bad times in the good ones. I'm preparing them now."

"How long before he recovers?" Batman said to Wonder Woman as she exited the satellite infirmiry.

"Why, so you can start interrogating him!" Wonder Woman barely held herself in check.

'No, Diana." Bruce put his hand on her shoulder. "So I can tell him sorry."

"Oh, Bruce." Wonde Wonder straightened herself. "I have no idea if the Purple Ray will haveany effect on his Martain phyisiology, he never used it in Happy Harbor." Thinking of better gave Wonder Woman pause for a moment. "Remember when things seemed so-simple?"

"Yes I do, Princess." Batman replied. "But I look to the future also. A future that I have to safeguard anyway I can. And J'onn can help that."

"I know, just promise me I won't be sidelined like Clark was when we finally bring the Legion down? I'm good for more than just Cheetah and Giganta, you know." Wonder Woman said, heading toward the main hall.

"I know." said Batman, joining her. "You can help me with Riddler and Scarecrow."

"Please." said Wonder Woman, waving her hand. "It's not like they are the Joker or Ra's or even Clayface. Sure, they are twisted geniuses, but in a hand to hand fight, forget it."

"Hey," Batman laughed. "Both have held their own against me..."

"Riddle me this then..." Wonder Woman intoned. "What's Gray, tied up, and in a death trap designed by the Riddler or Scarecrow? You, holding back."

"Yeah, well..." And then they turned the corner.
================================================================


"First item: the unknown Super-Team that managed to bust into the Satelitte, operate our most senstive equipment, engage our 3 most powerful members, and then leave without pursuit. Does that about sum up the encounter?" Batman looked around.

"When you put it that way," Green Lantern said.

"I was there, Hal, we were caught completely off guard." Batman said. "This team seemed to know what we were doing, hitting us right when we split up. They also targeted Zatanna and our teleporter systems right off the bat, ensuring the fight would stay here, where you and Clark wouldn't cut loose for fear of ruining equipment. Then, they appear to have the mean to travel interstealler distances, as the satellite tracking goes out to Pluto and we have nothing."

"I've put the corp on alert for this group." said Hal. "If they are anywhere in civilized space they will find them."

"Then Second Item: Zatanna, will you present this?" said Batman.

Zatanna stood up. "As you all know, I became a Sentinel of Magic and went to reserve status here with the League. We noticed something strange in the ether, so we investigated, and found that we couldn't enter Limbo, the boundless space that touches everywhere."

"Limbo...touches everywhere? Including the Entities's dimension?" asked Batman.

"Conceiveably, yes, that's what "boundless" means." Zatanna said irritably. "But I..."

"Then I don't see the fuss." said Superman. One less entry point for this entity to come through."

"Were souls still able to get through?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Yes, Diana."Zatanna nodded her head. "The Stranger confirmed that those poor souls condemned to spent Eternity wandering the Afterlife in Limbo could pass the barrier unhindered. Only we seemed affected."

"Then we just need to concentrate on finding out who this is." the Flash said.

"To that end, the Starnger has set up at Madame Xanadu's-in 15 minutes. I better get going! "!kroY weN oT" Ans she was off, on the wings of magic.

"Third item: J'onn is stable, it appears he will recover, but it's anyone guess as to how long." Batman looked up. "I believe he survived through sheer force of will. But we have no idea when he will awaken, or what he will remember when he does."

"So what do we do in the meantime, Bruce?" the Atom asked.

"We wait for Hal's work buddies to trak down that team-then we have a chat with then about people using our equipment with asking first." Batman cracked his knuckles. "As in, it's a no-no."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Snap! A small flash of light was that showed something special had happened breaking this little marble looking thing.

"Are you sure it worked, Luthor?" asked Grood.

"The Hall of Doom's computer scanners are showing a barrier of some sort at the Limbo border, models show we couldn't get in the same way again."

"That answer your question, Grood?" said Luthor. "We cut both that "entity" and the Cabal from this and our home Earth."

"Not necessarily, Luthor." said the Cheetah. "There's still Loki, Norse God of Mischief. If his has access to the Rainbow Bridge..."

"They can still go anywhere." growled Luthor. "But the Entity can't, so we still achieved our goal. Now, for some entertainment, the daily torturing of the Martian."

Still no games? Man, all my games are gonna start around the same time. Darn...wanted them to stagger so I can have constant games....they're all converging!

"So let me understand this, Summers: You had the prisoner in the most hi-tech cell imaginable, guarded by some of the most powerful people on the planet, and you still couldn't hold on to him!"

"Yep, that's what happened, bub." said Wolverine.

"You know, you mutants have become more trouble than you're worth." Luthor brought a big, red button. "Maybe I should get rid of the whole lot of you."

"You could," said Cyclops, "But how are you going to explain it? Freak explosion? Methane upheveal? We have great sympathy in San Fransciso, anything like that will trigger a city outpouring of support for those mutants not here. Celebraties might jump on the bandwagon, as they wont to do. What then?"

"I can handle a couple of Kardashians." Luthor replied drolly.

"How about the media? This conversation is being taped and sent to MoxNews, FSNBC, and others with a cavaet. Run only with all the tape is sent. I only have to hit enter and it's a do. An explosion triggers to go response, along with a taped remark by me about why the island suddenly became a mini-volcano."

"You're bluffing, the population doesn't care what happens to you." Luthor sneered.

"True," affirmed Cyclops. "but they will be shocked to know Checkmate's behind it. Yeah, that's right. I'm not mentioning you at all, the shadow super group no sees, but the government group that has taken over everywhere. Oh, that part didn't get recorded."

"So, is this how they beat you in the past Magneto, with bluff and bluster?" Luthor. "Did you let up when you were the greater, Namor? And you, Emma? You had them by the short hairs-until some unforeseen, some unplanned for event, allowed them to win. Well, I plan for everything!" Luthor pushed the button. Nothing happened on Utopia Island.

"No! How is this possible?" lamented Luthor as kept pressing the button, over and over.

"Easy, the enemy of my enemy is my friend principle." said Scott. "The first day Scarecrow, Grodd, and Riddler dropped him off, I made sure to brush up against him, making contact with him. I made my intentions known, and even throught the dampeners and Groods shields, my determination and his will allowed one word to slip through: Batman."

"I had Magick take me over there to let him know we had J'onn, and we'd be willing to "help" in his escape in return for help with out problem-you." Cyclops continued. "He readily agreed to my terms, then I gave him the layout of the island, out personnel, and the specifics of the cell. In xchange, I gained his knowledge of you, his knowledge of how your tech operates, and his resources."

"It took a week, then Magick and I returned." Cyclops continued. "He gave us these." Cyclops held up a little ball. "They are full of little robots that attach themselves to any Luthortech with a 4 mile radius-then negate it by any means necessary. We released them during the fight, and confirmed at least the ones that are underwater were non-operational and removed by Namor. This confirms that the rest were nullified as well."

"Thus ends our whatever this was, Luthor." Magneto said. "Threaten us again, and we WILL strike back."

Luthor threw the button away. "I can seenow why you still live. Fine. You now have crossed the line where has become more work to kill you that it is to let you live. By the way, have fun with this." As the screen went blank, the monitor blew out, and sparks flew from the computer console.

"So much for that idea, darling." said Emma. "And I do so like blackmail."

"Eh, it was a longshot." said Cyclops. "The important part is, we are out of their thumb, and we didn't have to fight them to do it."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How long are you going to cling to this?" Betsy asked Warren, as they outside the inner circle's comm's hub. Only Scott, Magnus, Emma, Namor, Storm, Sam and Logan were in there. Not him. He was only good enough to provide money and oh, yes get crucified, let's not forget that. He was also good enough to be sent out like a contract killer, to be a X-sword, if you will. Whenever Scott didn't want to get his and his X-Men dirty. send in Warren and the X-pendeblies...and Logan not him is still the one in there!

"Cling to the fact that he has secrets, or to the fact that he trusts someone who once put Storm and him in a cage over me, who's been with him since the beginning?
Warren fumed, "Because both are good things to cling to."

"That may be, but it isn't healthy, for you-or us." Betsy said softly.

"I...I can't help it, Bets. I can't let it go, but I can't walk away like Hank did either." Warren held held his arms out to envelop Psylocke, who eagerly went to them."

"Then you need to hash this out with Scott, once and for all." Psylocke said.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's finally over." said Sam. "Scott had an' ace up his sleeve, like an' old time gambler, which allowed him to defuse those bombs under the island."

"How?" Dani said. "I thought no one could get near them..."

"Long story." Sam looked at Magick. "Suffice to say, he was able to do it. Luthor is out of our lives!"

"Good riddance!" said Magma. "I loathe him! So very much!"

"Simmer down, lady." said Sunspot. "He can't hurt you anymore."

Gotta take Sophie to a doctor's appointment. When I get back, now that I've posted tidbits for everyone, I will post yours first (still no word from Charlie!)

Sorry sorry sorry! RL has been really really hectic....sending in team