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 Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 10:02:06 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Contrary to Lee’s belief, Tarin did not think that she was talking about Robert. No, Tarin knew exactly why Lee had burst into his room after her brother had left, what was shocking was that she’d actually done it. Tarin had known that Lee was going to be mad, but everything about her posture screamed more than mad.
Lee was livid.
“Then you must be talking about the aliens,” Tarin said, hoping to buy himself enough time for her to calm a bit, “I was shocked they were real actual aliens too, and that the kid was his the whole time. We didn’t have a chance to talk about any of it after the movie because Robert showed up.” And at the time they’d both kind of forgotten they’d been watching a movie at all.
Tarin did sit up though, moving out of his reclined position and sitting his phone down so he could sit on the edge of the bed.
“Because, Emily Smith, there’s absolutely no way on either Earth that you thought you were going to get your brother out of this apartment without him knowing that I’m staying here.”
Maybe his death wish was back. The warning look that Tarin had gotten earlier had instructed him, in no uncertain terms, to never use any part of that name or its derivative again. Hopefully he’d guessed right, or it was just going to be awkward.
“What was I going to do, leave with him and walk back? You somehow think that would have gone better with me there?” He asked, “Previous biases aside, he’s your older brother, and with Rachel as your sister, he’d have known the first time they talked anyway”
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 10:01:18 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Well. The Mets had won. That was good considering the way the season had been going. Tarin had looked at the game stats, then poked around the other scores from the division for a bit before stopping to think about just how absolutely insane the day had been one more time.
At some point throughout the day he’d seen Rachel, Lee, and met Robert for the first time. He’d had delicious Chinese food, taken a nap, and then…something had passed between him and Lee. What that something had been, Tarin had no idea, but it had definitely been something.
Then Lee had explained the somewhat strained relationship she had with her brother and Tarin had felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He could still picture it in his mind’s eye, multiple times…worse than what had happened a week before. Bad enough that Robert had been convinced that Lee had been being abused.
Clipped footsteps pulled him from his thoughts, and if they hadn’t the very small, very angry woman who burst into his room would have.
“I know…Robert was absolutely right. That rivalry is so intense. It was like those were two completely different teams that played all season.”
He said,doing his best to look completely unbothered while he reclined against his headboard, legs casually crossed.
Boy was Lee pissed. It was a glorious sight. Tarin hoped he’d survive to remember it.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:59:57 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
By virtue of the fact that there was literally nowhere else to sit on the couch Lee was right there next to Tarin again, maybe even a bit closer than she’d been before they’d gone to the kitchen to clean up the leftovers.
The quiet intensity was gone though, replaced by something considerably more awkward and Tarin tried to casually scoot as far into the arm of the couch as possible to give Lee a bit more space.
The game was, as expected, a good one. The rivalry between Toronto and Boston pushing both teams into a wild frenzy that could only be personal. It was competitive, and close, and all the things that the seventh game in a series should be.
In the end, Toronto pulled out the win in incredibly satisfying fashion.
Tarin had managed to give Lee as much space as possible, and Lee had Robert had avoided sniping at each other for most of the game.
But now the game was over, and Tarin realized that Robert had never gotten an answer about why Tarin was there.
God, he just didn’t have the energy to be a part of that conversation tonight. Not after the lack of sleep the last week, the ultimately insufficient nap, and whatever it was that had been happening between him and Lee when Robert had shown up at the door.
So. Tarin Brooks, coward, stood up, walked his lone beer can to the trash and stood by the kitchen for a moment before he said, “Well, it was nice to meet you Robert, maybe we can do this again sometime. Night Lee!”
And off he went down the hall. To his room. Where he shut the door. Had he looked back a single time? Nope. Had his steps gotten progressively faster the further he got from the living room. Yep.
Was Lee going to probably kill him? Maybe, but it would probably wait until morning and that was good enough for Tarin.
Quickly changing into his pajama pants and stripping out of his shirt, Tarin dropped down on his bed, intending to spend just a few minutes checking out the baseball scores he’d missed tonight before getting the rest of the way dressed for bed.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:59:19 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
“Game just started.” Tarin said when Lee made her way back out to the living room a few moments later.
She looked okay, but Tarin just couldn’t get what they’d talked about out of his head. So many things made so much more sense now. This whole thing that Lee was doing, with him, had just been a way of life. A way of life where she had not only taken care of these merges when they’d happened, but had picked up the pieces afterwards, and defended the other Tarin to the detriment of her relationships with her siblings.
It made Tarin’s heart hurt for her. It made his mind drift back to the distance he’d sought to put between them over the last few days. The distance that had shrunk to virtually nothing in a single evening.
This wasn’t the time though, or the place, to worry about it. Lee had clearly been excited about this game when she’d made plans to watch it with Robert and Tarin was not going to put a damper on the fun.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:58:23 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Oh yeah…that…that was a lot of context.
Tarin's jaw may have dropped slightly when Lee said it because she didn’t seem able to look at him.
It had been that bad? It had been so often that Lee’s brother had been concerned that there was something that Lee was hiding about what happened behind closed doors between her and the other Tarin.
No wonder Lee had gone to such great lengths to cover up the bruises she’d gotten when he had hit her with a chair. Twice. No wonder she’d gone to such great lengths to hide the truth of his presence here from both her sister and her brother.
It made Tarin feel a little sick about his role in this entire thing…because what brother would want their sibling to be in such a situation. What would it have been like to hear her try to explain away what had happened, and kept happening.
Tarin liked Robert even more. Tarin knew Lee though, and he knew how much Lee valued her independence. God, what a mess that whole thing had to have been.
Tarin wanted to hug Lee, sorry for bringing up painful memories and putting her in this situation with her brother when they’d just been trying to watch a hockey game. He wasn’t going to make things worse though.
“I’m sorry.” He said simply. It just wasn’t his place to say any more, and he was sorry.
“I’m gonna head back out there. I think the game is starting.” He said, reaching a hand out as if to put it on Lee’s shoulder but letting it drop because he didn’t want to hurt her…and because it suddenly just felt wrong.
So back Tarin went to the couch, amiable and relaxed…because what else was he going to do?
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:57:51 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Once the leftovers were safely stowed, Tarin turned and leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed. It was better that way.
Lee said she was okay, but Tarin could tell that something was up
It turned out to be the fact that Robert apparently liked him and Lee didn’t know what to do about that. Tarin looked across the kitchen and down at Lee, wanting to ask for more details, but also keenly aware that they were in here and Robert was out there.
“I guess that means I’m 2 for 2 on Smith siblings?” he said with a small smile, “But I’m guessing from the way you two were going after each other that I’m missing a whole lot of context.”
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:57:13 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
He was going to have to ask Lee more about what had happened about Columbia. At this point it had to have been a while ago, but it came up often enough that it had clearly been a formative experience. Someone else had apparently tried to impress upon Lee the art of the sport, but had been discouraged by her nationality.
Tarin was not so weak, and when Lee suggested that he was attempting to back out of helping her learn he scoffed, “Not a chance…”
Robert chimed in again there, pointing out that Lee had never even attended his games..or Doug’s? Was there another Smith sibling? Were they going to pop out of the closet the next time Tarin thought he was alone?
Lee was getting up now though, and gathering the takeout that they’d eaten earlier in the night.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Robert gave Tarin an odd look, “She actually agreed to watch baseball? With you? Why?” He asked, and Tarin shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of beer before setting the can and standing to gather the rest of the food. “Technically she didn’t agree to watch it with me. She said she’d fall asleep while I watched it and I expressed firm belief that I could get her interested.”
He grinned at the other man guilelessly, “I guess time will tell who was right.”
To the kitchen Tarin went, intending to drop the food in the fridge, but when he came around the corner, Lee was standing with her hands braced on the counter with her eyes closed. Instantly concerned, Tarin sat the food down on the counter and moved to her side, “Hey, you okay?”
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:56:32 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
”Oh it does, does it? How so?”
Tarin had opened his mouth to respond, but Robert answered instead. Tarin didn’t know why, but he felt like Lee hadn’t been asking about the game.
Why was his mouth so dry?
“Well, Tarin was frustrated with my lack of interest and knowledge in sports in general earlier, so I was wondering why he thought it changed everything.”
Tarin shook his head at Lee’s shockingly unfair assessment, “I just can’t believe you’ve lived in New York all this time without developing a healthy respect for baseball.” He said, still watching Lee’s face the whole time.
Lee turned away then to talk to Robert and Tarin took another drink of his beer as she pointed out that he could have been talking about anything considering how much was different between the worlds.
He hadn’t been, but again…he was not going to get between Lee and his brother unless he was directly spoken to.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:55:48 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
The smile that Tarin gave Lee in response to the look he got when he questioned the nickname that Robert had used suggested they might be coming back to the topic later.
But then, there was hockey.
Tarin listened to what Robert had to say intently, pieces of a larger puzzle slipping into place that explained a lot of what he’d seen in the few games he’d watched this season.
”Ahhh, a rivalry explains so much.” He said, gesturing with his free hand at the TV, “I have to admit that I haven’t looked into the history of rivalries on this side much, but that explains why things have been so intense in this series.”
Rivalries always had a different energy. As Robert had said, it didn’t matter if one team was objectively stronger than the other. It didn’t matter if the teams had been rivals for so long that the players didn’t even know what had initially started the bad blood. Rivalries ran deep.
“That changes everything.” He said with a grin, nodding at Lee like everything made sense now.
As he looked at her he couldn’t help but think, if only everything were so easy to understand.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:55:14 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
“James, my older brother.” Tarin offered when Lee asked which brother Kevin looked like, he assumed this was one of the little details that were different since he didn’t have a brother named Josh.
Some things were the same though, and Tarin’s heart did a funny little skip when Lee mentioned his Mom….no the Mom of the Tarin on this side of the rift. Whose eyes he apparently shared. For not the first time since he’d been around Lee, Tarin wondered about his family on the other side of the rift.
“Really?” He said, a conflicted little smile on his face.
“As interesting as that all is, Em, that doesn’t explain why he’s here.”
“Em?” Tarin said, head tilting slightly. It hadn’t ever occurred to him that Lee might be short for something…like Emily. It honestly kind of suited her.
Tarin tuned back into the conversation between Lee and her brother to realize she was very carefully avoiding the real reason that Tarin was there. Again, he completely deferred to Lee’s wisdom in dealing with her brother…but Rachel knew the gist of why Tarin was staying with Lee and he couldn’t imagine that staying a secret in any universe.
It also made it sound like they’d been having a movie date. Tarin liked that more than he would have ever admitted.
Still. It was none of her business, and it seemed they had successfully transitioned the conversation to hockey. Giving Lee a look when she trashed baseball, yet again, he leaned forward a bit to talk to Robert.
“I’ve honestly been impressed with Toronto. Their center is really fun to watch and they definitely aren’t afraid to mix it up out there.” As for Boston, Tarin waved a dismissive hand, “Boston is fine, but I never really seen anything that made me want them to win. It should be a good game if the rest of the series has been any indication.”
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:54:19 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Nope, Tarin was not going to answer that question for Lee. If Robert didn’t already know why Tarin was there in the apartment, Tarin was not going to be the one to fill him in. Lee could handle that one and give her brother as much or as little detail as she chose. To that end, Tarin simply popped open the can and took a sip. Robert, for his part, seemed to be taking Lee’s irritation in stride.
When Tarin had asked why people were reacting the way they were when they found out who he was, he’d meant it more rhetorically than anything, but Lee actually had an answer.
“Huh.” It was a loaded word this evening.
It wasn’t that it was a particularly outlandish thing that he would look different from his counterpart here. It varied by the person how many differences there were in that regard, but with as similar as Lee had described them being in some ways Tarin was surprised that the visual dissimilarities were apparently so striking.
“Kevin looks a lot like my brother did when we were kids.” He didn’t have any visual evidence to corroborate the claim and hadn’t ever seen his brother as an adult to confirm, but it was suddenly amusing to think that the other Tarin could be wandering around on the other side of the rift not knowing that a random Texan that could be his twin was running around.
In all the shifting around and movement of the last several minutes, Tarin had ended up with the remote again and flipped through the channels until he found the pre-game. Game 7s were always exciting and while he wasn’t a particular hockey fan Tarin was familiar enough with the sport to enjoy it.
“You guys are going to have to fill me in a bit. I’ve been following the playoffs, but I’ll admit I don’t keep up much during the season.”
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:53:31 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Well, Tarin decided, at least Robert had brought beer.
Lee said they were watching hockey and Tarin couldn’t help but smile at her a little, “I knew it.” He said with no small amount of satisfaction regarding Lee’s interest in the sport.
Off Lee went to the kitchen and into the living room came Robert. “Hey.” He said casually with a little wave and nods of the head, attempting to appear far more relaxed than he was feeling.
Lee returned and made a more…formal introduction and Tarin found himself a bit confused at the other man’s reaction to Tarin being well…himself.
“Why do people keep doing that?” He asked Lee as she sat back down in her previously occupied spot. Tarin supposed that was probably better than the alternative, but he was definitely grateful for the beer to occupy his hands.
Then Lee was snapping at her brother in a way that made it clear that there had been some…tension between her older brother and the other Tarin.
This Tarin honestly couldn’t blame the guy and wondered if Robert had gotten the only dose of self-preservation available to the Smith siblings.
Still, Tarin stayed out of this one. He vastly preferred the type of attention he’d had from Lee before her brother had arrived to the ire directed at said brother right now. Heaven forbid that ire be turned in his direction.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:52:59 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
“Sometimes in real life…”
They were the words of someone who had experienced exactly what Lee had been talking about. The kind of love that transcended silly little things like time and space. The kind of love that didn’t fade over time or distance, but just settle in.
What was that like? The words were forming on his lips, when a loud knock rang through the apartment and Lee gasped, pulling away and moving to her feet. It had a similar effect, Tarin decided, as if someone had run past and dumped a bucket of ice water on his head.
What had that been? What had he been thinking? Why hadn’t Lee moved away from him? Why? Why did it feel like every single nerve ending in his body was on fire? Was his hand shaking?
All those questions and more were destined to go unanswered as Tarin heard the voices filtering in through the rest of the apartment.
Who was Robert, and why was he here to watch the game? Pulling his arm down from the back of the couch, Tarin turned so he could see the man pushing past Lee into the apartment in a way that told Tarin exactly who he was.
Only an older sibling would body their sister like that.
This night needed to stop getting interesting.
But hey, at least there would be hockey. It was a poor substitute for the night’s previous activities, but it was something.
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:52:23 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Lee turned back to talk to Tarin again and as she did, her hair brushed up against his arm. Such a small thing, but it sent little goosebumps running up his arm and down his neck as Lee explained that the silly sidekick kid who’d been doing silly sidekick things the whole movie had actually been the hero's son.
“Huh” Tarin said, in response to the explanation, not really watching the movie any more, but watching Lee as she spoke. Watching Lee as his fingers ever so slightly touched her hair. Watching Lee as that same blush from earlier started to creep back up over her face.
Listening as she explained why exactly the two people on the screen were getting married.
It wasn’t exactly what Tarin had meant with the question, but her answer had him nodding his head, “Sometimes,” he said, his voice just above a whisper this time, “It’s just meant to be…” A slow, slightly sad smile spread across his face as he glanced back at the TV, “At least in the movies…”
Posted by Tarin Brooks on May 11, 2024 9:51:44 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,497
4
May 11, 2024 10:39:57 GMT -6
Watching the movie was a good thing, there were Russians, and more aliens, and an honest to God alien spacecraft. Tarin didn’t know why, but it had all seemed more realistic when they were dealing with religious artifacts. This all seemed a bit…outlandish. Even more outlandish than the way Lee had been looking at him a few minutes before, all blushes and worried lips.
Still keenly aware that Lee still had not moved to the other side of the couch, room, or apartment, Tarin did his best to figure out what else was happening on the screen. That worked for a while and the intensity with which his heart had been beating in his chest lessened just the slightest bit. Every now and then he found himself glancing in Lee’s direction, but hopefully never long enough that she’d be compelled to look back.
A wedding appeared on screen and Tarin frowned a slight bit, “Isn’t that…Isn’t that the lady from one of the first movies?” He asked. “What’s her part in all of this? Why are they getting married?” He asked, glancing over at Lee once again. He’d apparently missed more than he’d thought.