The year is 2004, and the world has been at war for years; since 1984, when mutants were a public issue that terrified the human population with the possibility of being higher up on the evolutionary scale, with the truth that mutants were the replacements for homo sapiens. In most cases, the two species now openly battle across the globe. The X-Men and its satellite teams were never formed thanks to the early death of Charles Xavier, who was killed at the hands of his abusive stepfather. Other teams such as the Avengers and the Fantastic Four did develop, but quickly lost sight of their ultimate goals thanks to the global war, and eventually became reclusive before being slaughtered by the human forces.
In Japan, the ronin known as Yukio gradually established a place of power after murdering Tiger Tyger and Matsuo Tsurayaba, until the entire country was at her whim sometime in 1996. Since then she has spread her reign as far as Russia. The Western world, in turn, came across the iron fist of the Hellfire Club, and while the two forces rule separately, they are strong allies who come together when necessary, sharing the United Kingdom.
Battling not only the humans who wish to see them dead, but also the dictatorship of Yukio and the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle is an alliance of mutants based primarily in the United States. This alliance was first established by the man known as Logan, but over the twenty some-odd years it has existed (in some form or another), it too has mutated into half a dozen "teams" scattered throughout the U.S.
While the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle consists of Manuel de la Rocha (White King), Ororo Munroe (White Queen), Adrienne Frost (White Bishop), Roberto DaCosta (Black King), Elizabeth Braddock (Black Queen), Jean Grey (Black Bishop) and Monet St. Croix (Black Rook), its other members are such notables as James Braddock II, Warren Worthington III, Janet Van Dyne, Henry McCoy, Remy LeBeau and Mikhail Rasputin. Its infamous security team is led by Victor Creed and composed of James Madrox, John Proudstar, Jesse Aaronson, Alison Blaire, Paige Guthrie, and Lucia Callasantos.
Although Yukio's reign spreads far and wide, and she has countless individuals under her command. Her right-hand women, as it were, are known to be Xi'an Coy Manh and Mariko Yashida.
The United States alliance of rebel mutants, previously mentioned to be separated into six groups, goes as such from east to west:
In Boston, Massachusetts, the transplanted Californian Jubilation Lee leads Guido Carosella, Angelica Jones and Cordelia Frost while tending to their "ward," Leech.
Manhattan, New York is home to one of Logan's most well known proteges, Katherine Pryde, where she leads Robert Drake, Danielle Moonstar, Douglas Ramsey, and a teenaged charge named Illyana Rasputin, who came to the United States with her brother, Mikhail, but eventually ran away from him and the Hellfire Club for a more exciting life.
Logan's other "main" protege is the woman known only as Beatrice. She and her team reside in Reston, Virginia. They consist of the inventor called Forge, Sara Grey, Alexander Summers, and the immigrant Kurt Wagner.
In Boulder, Colorado, Lorna Dane leads James Proudstar, Theresa Rourke, Amanda Sefton and Scott Summers against the large population of humans who have taken up residence in Denver.
Laramie, Wyoming is where Logan himself lives with his young lover Lila Cheney, and Sean Cassidy, and Gailyn and Joseph Bailey, Sara Grey's teenaged children.
Finally, in San Jose, California, Angelo Espinosa leads Maria Callasantos, Rahne Sinclair and Julio Richter, while Angelo and his lover, Rahne, care for Franklin Richards, who has slipped into a catatonic state since the massacre on his family.
Although Logan was the man to find each leader of these teams and eventually set them out on their own to establish their own places in the country, he has had little to do with further "recruiting."
Outside of the U.S., there are primarily lone operatives. In England, the woman known as Raven Darkhölme serves those she deems fit. In Germany, Erik Lehnsherr is firmly on the mutants' side, and has gone so far as to start an underground. And in Scotland, Moira MacTaggert is seemingly one of the strongest supporters for the human side.
Canada is the home of an extended alliance courtesy Logan's connection, one which started out as the government team Alpha Flight, but has since evolved to something more.
Recently, a new faction in England has come to the attention of Yukio, opposing her forces and power. Grudgingly led by a former government operative named Peter Wisdom, it is made up of the seer Irene Adler, illusionist Martinique Jason, and the psionic Jonothon Starsmore. Although small, the group has left a heavy impact on Yukio, to the point where she has requested the Hellfire Club's involvement in destroying them.