What is Checkmate?

Checkmate is a United Nations sanctioned worldwide intelligence taskforce. There are two sides of the Checkmate coin-- White, which deals with intelligence gathering and analysis, and Black, the operational detachment, who act where needed to bring about a better world.

Black cannot operate with intelligence approval from White, and White cannot undertake operational duties without back-up from Black. Theirs is a careful balance of accountability, but with the world changing, can the duality of Checkmate survive?

Kings and Queens operate independently but share resources and intelligence, and royalty is never allowed to be in the same place at once for security reasons. They each have a Bishop and a Rook, their seconds who act as both advisors and security. Bishops and Rooks rotate in and out of duty, so any strikes against the royal court wipe out all members of the upper echelons. Bishops are usually known for their combat abilities, while the Rooks exhibit psychic powers.

Knights are elite operatives, tasked with information gathering or operational strikes. They come from all walks of life and include humans and superhumans who have all gone through extreme vetting procedures. Many members of the superhero community-- and some supervillains-- have been drafted in to assist on Checkmate matters.

Pawns are usually the armoured foot soldiers of the organisation, rounding out the organisation’s manpower. Each pawn is assigned an armoured suit to enhance their natural abilities, though there is an informal dress code when subtlety is called for.

There is also rumour of a secret hierarchy in Checkmate, that of the ‘Jester’, an operative who acts as an objective foil to all decisions made by the Black and White sides of the organisation. If this role is in fact real, then nobody has claimed to be it, or know who it is…