The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Welldrinker Cult
A shadowy group is gaining power, drawing in people who are curious, vulnerable, or malicious, and turning them into Mystics. They are recruiting people into their ranks to spread the influence of magic in the world, but for what end goal?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Posted by Verdigris on May 29, 2010 19:32:31 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
512
0
May 15, 2013 18:46:44 GMT -6
What, exactly, did a secretary wear?
She had flicked through Google-images, but was fairly sure the short-skirts and low-cut tops she found there were not standard issue. Fairly sure. She had also taken the liberty of popping into a few offices to suss out what the secretaries there were wearing. Most that she saw, before politely being asked to leave, seemed to be wearing things with far more material involved. She decided to go the ‘more is more’ option. After all, charming and innocent as he was, her boss was a teenage male.
She had hunted through store after store, thankful for the work credit card tucked safely in her wallet. She would never have been able to afford even an undershirt on her own budget. Finally, after flicking through rack after rack of over sized, over priced and just plain ugly suits she found a suit she was happy with. Layers meant no matter how hot or cool it was at the labs she would be comfortable. After moving through the checkout- was it really necessary to look at her like that, she was wearing a clean shirt, just because it was a bit worn looking and she was wearing her bloodstained jeans didn’t mean she deserved the suspicious looks she was getting- she was out, laden with the packaged suit (did they have to make it that inconvenient to carry?) and on her way to the shoe shop.
~~~
Determined not to be wobbling around on shoes that were, in absence of a better word, deadly, Verdy spent approximately two hours hunting through shelf after shelf of spikey, sparkley, and downright scary shoes before finding a pair that weren’t too high; weren’t too low; didn’t sport glitter, or sequins, or sparkles of any kind; were a healthy, matte black; and stayed on snugly when she tried walking up and down in them. Her pants from the suit were long enough that she could wear whatever socks she chose under them, so her mind was made up.
Shoeboxes are difficult to carry when using both hands. When already juggling a package it gets dangerous, but she was determined to finish all her shopping in one go. Onwards to the stationary shop!
~~~
Stationary is, on the whole, smaller items, but by the time she had picked out pencils, pens, notebooks (colour co-ordinated!) and some other odds and ends she just might need- after all, who knows when you may need a stapler, hole-punch or mug with a green ‘V’ on it…
Exactly.
Balancing her items carefully, she selected a set of loose-leaf paper and placed it on top. Now, if only she could make it to the checkout and get a bag.
Elli flinched, shrinking away slightly as the nice, smiling man at the counter offered her the receipt she had asked for. She liked to keep track of all of her spending, for money did not grow on trees, and so usually asked for receipts even for cash transactions. The cashier, surprised, let go of his hold on the thing of paper, and Elli promptly snatched it out of the air and stuffed it in her back pocket. The guy looked at Elli strangely, but handed her the pens and pencils and paper, and stapler and hole puncher and folders and binders.... Okay, so Elli had a lot of stuff.
The way the man had been holding the receipt would have required Elli to touch him to grab it. It would have been a quick, fleeting tap of the fingers, but to Elli it struck her almost numb with fear. What if he grabbed her, did what the other did? What if Elli was, once again, helpless as she experienced the worst pain in her life? That was what scared her, what pulled her away from contact. She couldn't bear the risk that any person might do to her what that man had, that they might rob her of her control of her own life. So she shrunk from contact, retreating within herself to drive away the pain of the memories. Still, they followed her...
Four Months Ago
Elli screamed as he hit her, his massive, inhuman strength sending her sailing across the alley to slam into a full dumpster, the debris within tearing her uniform and scratching her skin. Bones were broken from the sheer power of the man, and Elli could barely stand. But stand she did, and when she reached for her gun, even knowing it wouldn't stop the enormous brute of a thing, it wasn't there. Her belt, it had been broken off. Her clothes were in tatters, showing more of herself than she would ever even consider showing in a bathing suit.
Weeping, and trying in vain to back away from the man that slowly advanced, that smile on his face, Elli felt her back hit brick. She had no more room to go. She screamed as he reached for her, hitting his hand and arms, doing nothing, but fighting and scratching and kicking for all her might. The creature grabbed her by the neck, holding her down, as he punched her in the stomach again and again. Then he grabbed her hair, forcing her head back as...
Present Day[/u]
"No." Elli snarled, forcing herself back from the horrid memories and back to her surroundings. She refused to let that man take everything from her, and she'd be damned before she gave up living because of him.
It was then that she realized she was surrounded by various stationary utensils, as well as shoes and a rather nice suit. Wondering how she had gotten on the ground, Elli looked to see another woman on the ground, one who looked rather cute by Elli's standards. Maybe some sort of secretary, or businesswoman of a kind.
"Umm... Sorry about that.. I was.. Distracted, I sorta forgot to watch where I was walking." Elli didn't mention the fact that she hadn't even known she was walking. That would make her seem crazy. She wasn't crazy, her counselors had assured her that. The had also assured her that her mind would heal slower than her body, and that while the scars on her body would fade with time, and the effect on her now was minimal, the mental wounds would have to be accepted and embraced if they were to be overcome.
Elli looked up to see the woman standing now, and offering a hand to Elli. Instinctively Elli reached for it, but about an inch from the woman's hand, her fingers twitched noticably, and Elli withdrew the hand to stand on her own. She sheepishly looked at the woman, and said "I.. Sorry it's just.. I don't like to touch.. People. I'm Elli," she said, regaining some of her confidence now that the moment of almost touching was past, "Sorry again, let me help you clean it up."
The bumping and crashing (literally) into someone reminded Elli of how she first met Cafas, and a smile touched her lips. It would be good to see Cafas again. She thought that maybe, she might even be able to bear to hug him.. But not yet. Elli needed to find herself first.
Posted by Verdigris on May 29, 2010 22:13:51 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
512
0
May 15, 2013 18:46:44 GMT -6
Verdy was inspecting the package of paper carefully. It seemed like it would be good for making side-notes on, or writing lengthy notes that didn’t fit in any of her five coloured notebooks’ categories (red for learning secretarial things; blue for notes (all innocent!) on her boss, because it was the colour of his eyes; green for things she really ought to know about her work; yellow for taking notes from clients or purple, yet to be decided but a really pretty shade.) with 250 sheets of loose-leaf she was sure she would be fine, the thin blue lines were faint enough not to draw the attention away from the words written on them, she opened the package carefully to feel the texture of the paper, hmm, soft but not slippery, good for neat wr-
Cwuh-thump.
The paper, blue lines and all flung up in the air and rained down on her and the young woman she had crashed into. Her packaged suit skidded across the floor before hitting the leg of a shelf and exploding its expensive filling across the floor. The shoe-box bounced once on her foot (for sensible shoes those things were damn heavy) before dumping its contents out for all to see. Had she not been so startled she might have made a fuss, as it was she merely pouted for a second at the mess before looking up at the other woman.
“Sorry! Are you ok?”
~~ “No!”
The woman snapped at her, kind of like a dog kicked one too many times, Verdy could almost see the ears going back and the canines ready to tear into the flesh of bare arms. She almost regretted wearing a T-shirt, but damn it, it was spring and she was shopping, far too hot for jumpers.
Now the doggy-lady was apologising and claiming the blame. Verdy grinned at her, sharing is caring.
“That’s ok, it was kinda my fault too, I was feeling my paper… and that came out weirder than it was meant to…”
Pulling herself to her feet she brushed her bloodstained jeans off a bit and offered a hand to the blonde woman. She feared for a moment for her bare wrists and arms before mentally scolding herself, this woman was no dog, just having a bad day.
“Here.”
The woman reached for her hand, then drew back, as if Verdy was the one about to do the biting.
Maybe it was a bad week.
~~ “I… Sorry it's just... I don't like to touch… People. I'm Elli.”
Verdy glanced more closely at the woman’s face, there was no tinge of green. Not even a tiny bit, and she was fairly sure Andy would have said something about having a sister with a mutation like her own. Then again, this woman wasn’t wearing gloves or sunglasses, so maybe she carried a different touch-activated mutation. Or was a germ-o-phobe.
Judging from the fact she touched the ground to push herself up, that one was a ‘no’. She smiled at the young woman.
“I’m Verdy.”
She would have held out her hand to shake, but she didn’t particularly feel like scraping slime, or worse, acid from her palms if this non-touching girl was a mutant. Instead she bent to pick up her suit, a little awkwardly. She should have brought her backpack, instead of leaving it safely in her room at the mansion.
~~ “Sorry again, let me help you clean it up."
She smiled and looked up at the girl, with her help it shouldn’t take too long. She glanced up and caught the soft smile on the woman’s face. It really changed her, from someone fearful and almost fear-inspiring, to pretty, if a little sad. Verdy grabbed a black shoulder bag, sporting a swirl of grey and white smudges off the shelf and began piling her items into it. Something she should have thought of before.
“That’s ok, it was kinda my fault too, I was feeling my paper… and that came out weirder than it was meant to…”
Elli laughed, a tinkling, musical sound, and shook her head. "Oh no, not weird at all. Trust me, I know weird." And weird she did indeed know, having been around more mutants than she could count. And also, one had to take in the fact that she was a cop, and saw more weird things in a day than most people saw in a week.
“I’m Verdy.”
Elli nodded as she saw the woman reach over for some sort of bag. Not wanting to hand things to the woman for fear of touching, Elli simply began to arrange things into neat piles based on what they were and who's they were. All Elli's stuff went into piles on the right, all of Verdy's stuff went into piles on the left, to be collected when ready.
Soon enough, all of their mess had been cleaned up, and they were standing with their supplies well in hand. Elli hadn't talked to anyone, really just talked for talking's sake, in a long time. Not since before that night, surely. So she was a little reluctant, yes, to leave Verdy behind, with all probability that she would never see her again.
"So, what brings you to this place, with those things?" She asked, gesturing as best she could at Verdy's items. "If you don't mind me asking, I mean. I don't want to pry or anything."
Posted by Verdigris on May 29, 2010 23:01:10 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
512
0
May 15, 2013 18:46:44 GMT -6
~~ "So, what brings you to this place, with those things?"
Verdy brushed the bag, bulging with items, off and smiled at the young woman, her load was kind of strange to be dragging around a stationary shop.
“I’m loading up to start my new job, I’m going to be a receptionist”
A very respectable, clean-cut, knows-what’s-going-on-and-assists-in-all-the-right-ways receptionist. With a smashing suit. She eyed the cover of one of the notebooks (purple, yet to be decided) peeking out from under the bag’s flap. The items seemed a little silly when someone else was looking at them and she considered putting them back on the shelves. Gritting her teeth she prodded the notebook deeper into the bag, Slate would not judge her notebooks, he was far too nice for that. And even if he did say something bad about them, it was likely to be said in such a manner that made it more amusingly helpful, than mean or hurtful.
“I’m not quite sure what I need though, so I kinda got everything…”
She hoped her pencil leads weren’t broken inside their wooden cases. She hadn’t noticed any rattling sounds from the box when she placed it in the bag, and she only hoped the bright claim of ‘unbreakable leads’ proved true.
“I’m loading up to start my new job, I’m going to be a receptionist... I’m not quite sure what I need though, so I kinda got everything…”
Elli nodded. It made sense that a nice suit would be required for a receptionist, as well as stationary. Elli's papers were considerably more plain than Verdy's, for it was for her desk at work. You'd think that, for both Verdy's and Elli's job, their bosses could provide the neccesary office supplies, but apparently not. For Elli, at least, the police department was always short of funds, short of officers, and short of patience due to the major mutant activity in New York. So, Elli had to get all her own stationary. It was a pain, but whatever.
"And you?"
"That's cool, a good solid job." Elli said, nodding. "I'm a cop, myself. Officer Elizabeth Fletcher, at your service." She said, more than a hint of pride in her voice. Though she was at the bottom of the dog pile as far as rank went, and though she had yet to be assigned back on active duty, Elli was a cop, and that made her so happy it was hard to quantify. "Yeah, I got to get some stuff for work as well."
"I actually haven't been on active duty in a few months, to tell you the truth. I got... injured... on duty a little while back, only just getting back into the blues." Elli's smile faltered for a second, but then she said "Though I am assured that I will be back on duty soon. We need every cop we can get." and it was back. "Mutants are really stretching us to the limit, and it still seems like we can't really do much about them. And not only that, but we are having to deal with anti-mutant protests as well..." Elli sighed, rueful at the stupidity of some people. "The few acting out are turning everyone against them all."
Posted by Verdigris on May 31, 2010 6:21:16 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
512
0
May 15, 2013 18:46:44 GMT -6
A cop. Verdy felt the twinge of fear that always accompanied seeing the blue-clad law enforcers. Being a ‘missing person’ for a few years did that to a person. Desperation breeds thieves, and while she had done her best to only ever take what she needed, the law frowned on stealing at all. While she was much taller now, and thinner than her year-book photo from year ten, roughly three years ago, and her hair had grown out of the bobbed green style she had it when her stealing days were full of fumbles and apologies, she still feared being caught out. No matter how easily she could deny it.
The cop, Elizabeth, was quite chuffed about her job it would seem, but not so happy about her injury. A few months, must have been quite the injury indeed.
“I bet that was tough on the pay-check.”
Not that she really knew anything about pay-checks. Especially those in the force. Perhaps they had sick-days, or work cover insurance or something, to make sure if they got hurt on the job they could get by until they could work again.
Was it right that she felt a twinge of guilt at the mention of mutants? She was fairly sure it wasn’t, but she recalled dimly a drunken confession to a bigot that she was a mutant, long after she had overstayed her welcome as one. She simply nodded at the protests comment, and frowned at the next.
“Yes, unfortunately you never really hear about the goodies, maybe the X-men, to a degree, but those of us who don’t do anything really good, or really bad, still cop the flack for being part of the same genotype- or expected to be some fancy-pants superhero.”
Let her figure it out for herself if she willed. Verdy, now, held no shame of her lot, drawing an active X-gene, but she knew there was bigotry out there. Perhaps her children, or their children, wouldn’t have to face such issues, but until then there was nothing much she could do but be a good-ish citizen.
“Pity there’s a need to act out, with so many unwilling to accept what no-one can change. Evolution will take its course, no matter how many mutants they kill or ‘fix’.”
She had seen petitions, in her day-to-day roamings, getting people to sign a ‘mutants should be neutered’ register. Worse, she had seen people signing them and helping to spread the word about them. In around ten minutes of watching she had seen at least a dozen people sign, and one or two offering to get clipboards of their own. She had found herself uncharitably hoping their children manifested abilities, while she pitied the children with bigoted parents perhaps, just maybe, the love for a child could turn the hate for a species around.
She realised she was being a little rude, glaring off into the distance, the cashier in her line of sight, while not intended to receive the glare seemed to be trembling under it.
“Sorry, got a little side-tracked there… want to go and grab some coffee or something?”
Elli frowned. Verdy had no idea. Elli had responsibilities not only to her job, but to her family as well. Her pay had been docked while she was recovering, and while the force took care of most of the medical bills, Elli hadn't had enough money to send back to her family in the time she was gone. That weighed heavily on her mind, and though her parents had assured her that her recovery was more important, she couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Yes, unfortunately you never really hear about the goodies, maybe the X-men, to a degree, but those of us who don’t do anything really good, or really bad, still cop the flack for being part of the same genotype- or expected to be some fancy-pants superhero."
Us? So Verdy was a mutant, herself. That explained some things. At least she wasn't one of the cop-hating types. Or, she didn't seem to be: one could never tell. Still, Elli was optimistic. "Yeah, it's been a repeated cycle in human history over the years, that's for sure."
“Pity there’s a need to act out, with so many unwilling to accept what no-one can change. Evolution will take its course, no matter how many mutants they kill or ‘fix’.”
Elli nodded. "A lot of the people just feel helpless. I'll admit, there are quite a few bigots, but most people are just scared."
And then Verdy seemed to space out. Elli didn't say anything or draw attention to it; she knew what it was like to be thinking about bad memories.
“Sorry, got a little side-tracked there… want to go and grab some coffee or something?”
Elli nodded slowly saying "Hey, no need to apologize. Um... I guess, you have any specific place in mind?" She couldn't really afford craxy starbucks coffee every day, or even every week, but Elli hadn't treated herself in a while and figured there was no better way to do it than with meeting a new person.
~~“Um... I guess, you have any specific place in mind?"
Elizabeth’s moment of hesitation spoke volumes and Verdy grinned at her. The advanced payment for clothes and other bits and pieces she had received from Mondragon far, far exceeded her expectations and, as such, she had had more than enough for the suit, shoes, stationary and plenty left over.
“My shout, in recognition of your return to the force.”
She tipped an imaginary hat to the young woman and began to lead the way, pausing only for a moment to fix the total with the young man her glare had startled a little while before. She knew just the place. A small business, fighting hard to raise its head against the chain-stores. The owner was a sweet young woman, only ten years older than Verdy, who made not only the best coffee for brilliant prices, but made a lunch deal to die for. She had washed dishes there on the occasion to earn a meal on a more cold day, and in return for delivering leaflets one winter she was allowed to sit by the real-wood-fire every day and choose one drink a week. Verdy’s terms, not the owners. She was far to generous as it was, and it was Verdy’s turn to be generous.
“I know just the little place. Friendly, old-fashioned almost, and they have some wicked-good staff”
Wicked-good was a phrase she had picked up from some of the younger mansionites, she had been determined to test it out on someone else before she shared it with Slate, and she checked the cop’s reaction carefully.
“My shout, in recognition of your return to the force.”
Elli chortled a bit as Verdy tipped an imaginary hat, and returned the gesture. Elli liked this woman, for she found that the friendly, happy, and seemingly care-free attitude she had was a welcome breath of fresh air for Elli, so normally immersed in a world full of masculine testosterone-induced ambition, where she herself had to be that much better than everyone else, just because she was a woman. Despite the official policies of the NYPD, there was a great deal of gender discrimination in the force.
"Why thank you, madame." Elli said, her smile flashing brilliantly.
“I know just the little place. Friendly, old-fashioned almost, and they have some wicked-good staff" Verdy said, beginning to lead the way to the place she had mentioned. Elli didn't have any better ideas, so she just followed, a small half-quirked smile touching her lips at the use of 'wicked good'. It sounded British or something, but Elli certainly wasn't a master in the subject, so...
"That sounds good to me." She said, gamely trotting after Verdy, laden with her supplies.
Posted by Verdigris on Jun 14, 2010 21:41:38 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
512
0
May 15, 2013 18:46:44 GMT -6
Wicked-good seemed to prompt no raised eyebrows, so she noted it to be suitable to teach to Slate.
The happy, smiling, chortling, Elizabeth was a far nicer person to take to coffee than the first glimpse she had of the snarling one. She dismissed the original version as having a bad moment, and vowed not to try and touch her again. Perhaps if she had a mutation activated by touch it was best that way anyway. Although she really ought to wear gloves if it was a dangerous one, no matter how pleasant the weather was starting to be.
Shuffling her items around so that carrying them was not so impossible a feat she set out in the direction of the little café with friendly staff and decently priced coffee.
~~~
The atmosphere in the café was warm and pleasant, the bell above the door tinkled their arrival and the boss looked up at her with a friendly but apologetic air.
“It’s a bit quiet today V, there isn’t really anything for you to do. Sorry, but it’s been a slow week and I can’t really afford it.”
Verdy smiled, it was about time she actually paid for something with cash, not work. Holding the door for the blonde with one hand she wriggled the fingers of the other, clutching her bags, in a semblance of a wave.
“I found a proper job, finally, and we’re going to buy coffee.”
“It’s a bit quiet today V, there isn’t really anything for you to do. Sorry, but it’s been a slow week and I can’t really afford it.”
Elli quirked an eyebrow at this, though she quickly tried to school her expression so as not to offend her newly found friend. It seemed that Verdy had at one point been in quite dire financial straights, at least from what Elli heard. She wasn't about to say anything, though. Still, it was an interesting bit of information that added to Elli's evolving picture of Verdy. Elli knew enough about financial hard times to sympathize, that was for sure.
As Elli walked through the door held open by Verdy, and nodded her thanks, she heard Verdy reply to the man's comment. “I found a proper job, finally, and we’re going to buy coffee.”
Elli nodded in agreement and said "If it's not too much trouble, that is." It was obvious from what he had said that business would be welcome, but it was always more polite to ask, and Elli had no problem with making a little extra effort in order to be polite.
Posted by Verdigris on Jun 22, 2010 16:46:59 GMT -6
Beta Mutant
512
0
May 15, 2013 18:46:44 GMT -6
It had been a long time since she had had a bought coffee, made with the proper machine by someone else. It really needed to be made from freshly ground beans, instant coffee was alright for an instant quick fix, or for warming the body on a cold winter day (it was also cheap and many places didn’t mind giving it away for free), but you couldn’t go past café coffee for taste.
The man smiled, whether it was for happiness for her luck in finding a job, or in anticipation of some money in the till it was hard to tell. It didn’t really matter. He brought over two menus, the drinks list on the lower section of the back, savoury and sweet food on the first two pages.
“Sure thing, just grab a seat somewhere and pop up to the counter when you’re ready to order.”
Verdy nodded, it was pleasant in the café, the temperature was the perfect mix of warm and cool, and she decided on a table for two. Indicating it with the menu she headed towards it and took a seat, the one that overlooked the door to the street, a force of habit.
Running her eyes down the drinks menu she frowned at what was a glorious blur and hunted in her bag for her reading glasses. When taking someone to coffee it was surely frowned upon to hold the menu a mere inch from your face to read it.
“So, what do you feel like having?”
The parcels, packages and bag were carefully stowed beneath her feet where they would be safe.
