NEWS:
The attack at the conference is used as a springboard for an emergency bill, allowing a number of high-profile companies and government branches to make X-gene testing compulsory for employees. Stark Industries is amongst a small number of companies opposing the "knee-jerk reaction", as quoted in a recent interview with its CEO following the incident.

Negotiations have fallen through between the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Genoshan ambassador for the release of press agents detained whilst trying to illegally enter the port city of Hammer Bay. The family of one reporter appears on national television on Wednesday to repeat the appeal for their release.

Basil Dopes, the Vice President, is reported on Monday as having referred to Speaker of the House Havelock Vetinari as having a "stick up his ass". Vetinari declines to comment.


THE XAVIER INSTITUTE:
New arrivals and students coming back to the Institute following their Thanksgiving break will find it not an especially happy place following the Brotherhood's simultaneous attack on the conference and arrival at the school on Wednesday – Milla Vodello, the X-Man known as the Mental Minx and the Xavier Institute's Dance teacher, was killed in the attack. Emma Frost has offered some reassuring words (and pointed out which students might need an adult), while Lara Raith makes a point of offering counselling for those not taking it very well. Lara, however, may have ulterior motives ...

The weather is increasingly cold; it snows heavily on Tuesday evening.


THE BROTHERHOOD OF MUTANTS:
The underwater base is suddenly home to a bevy of new bros in the form of recruits picked up from the Xavier Institute by Rune, Red Helen and the Gambler (who hasn't returned with them, instead having been posted to some stealthy work in New York City). Red Helen has posted a welcome message for the new arrivals.

A meeting is held on Monday during which Magneto welcomes the neophytes into the Brotherhood's folds. (You had all better have codenames.) He says that human governments like America's are bringing only catastrophe on themselves with mutant-hating legislation like the registration bill, which he condemns as little more than a tool to attempt to control mutants; those who say it could be used to mutantkind's benefit are, he says, giving humanity a benefit of the doubt they have more than proved they do not deserve. He speaks with certainty of the mutant revolution he considers inevitable: he will be only too happy to help bring that revolution about.

This sort of meeting is probably the most that anyone besides senior members of the Brotherhood will see of Magneto, but he is around in his private fancy submarine chambers. (He probably will not notice if you steal one or two of his many spare capes to use as hammocks.)


WHAT WOLVERINE DID THIS WEEK:
Tackled a massive genetically engineered iceproof bat that was menacing an Arctic research station.


OOC NOTICES:
• So we've had a pretty significant change this past week in that now there's a secondary focal point of the game besides the Xavier Institute itself – the Brotherhood of Mutants' underwater base is now home to quite a few characters. The Brotherhood base has its own network – if your character is posting to it, please use the !!brotherhood tag on xi_online and indicate in the post title that the post is being made to that network, because only Brotherhood members can view and respond to Brotherhood posts. (The Brotherhood can't view the Xavier Institute's network, either.)
If you've got a character who's now in the Brotherhood, remember to check out this post covering Brotherhood-y basics – and edit your character/s onto this list if you haven't already.

• If anyone has students who they want to join the Brotherhood of Mutants but were away for Thanksgiving or fighting at the conference when the Brotherhood arrived at the school, Lara Raith has made a deal with Rune to guide potentially interested students to the Brotherhood. More on that here. If anyone has students who they want to join the Brotherhood but it's just a case of the player having missed the event, feel free to handwave their having joined, but let us know so that we can update our lists accordingly.

• We'd like to remind everyone that we have a feedback post on which players can leave complaints, suggestions and feedback if they don't want to message a mod directly. Comments are screened and anonymous is enabled. We do our best to address problems with the game that are raised on this post, and, needless to say, we really really would rather hear your complaints there than on RP!S.
We mess up sometimes. We can't always please everyone. But we will damn well do what we can, especially if you actually tell us if you have a problem.

• As ever, this post is open for talking about what's going down for Xavier Institute classes and stuff, as well as Brotherhood training sessions and similar. We do encourage people to thread classes and mentor group activities where possible rather than just handwaving all of them, but if you don't want to do a thread or you want to plan something or wevs, this is the place!