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.
Devon immediately frowned at not the Officer's response. No, this didn't sound like a police officer anymore. Now it sounded like Cafas talking directly. He wasn't surprised at most of what he'd heard but it was still troubling.
"Yeah, the fact they sent you wasn't lost on me," Devon smirked, his tone defeated. "I'm learning more and more about what used to go on here. Suffice to say I was already volunteering here when Odessa happened but at that point I had only heard a rumor of a group once operating out of here. I wanted to move past that. And while you put on a good speech at Times Square, I admit I didn't very much like it. Too much talk of peace and not enough what we're going to do to assure it. I and other volunteers, it's not just me, are trying to do so here. The people, the kids especially, need it."
He stopped his walk and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing over at the office door. "Maybe we could get you the numbers of some of our neighbors? They can tell you and your precinct about the good stuff we've been doing. Heck, maybe a few of your fellow officers might be willing to come volunteer in plain clothes? See it for themselves? We do background checks on the volunteers so I'm sure they'd come up clean," he chuckled slightly uncomfortably.
"I'm not here to force anyone to do anything, Cafas. But, we do need a police presence in this neighborhood again. It's their job, right? Maybe they sent you as an X-Man more than as a cop, but Sanctuary is still whatever the Order pretended it was in the past. These kids are scared and we're doing everything possible to make this more of a community house than merely a shelter," Devon said resolutely. He pointed to the shield, "We need more of that shield and less sword or gun around here."
Devon shrugged his arms as he opened his hands in inquiring gesture, "Do you have any ideas then how we make that happen? I mean, not just as a police officer but as Cafas the X-Man?"
Devon noted the knife gripping but didn't react to it. It seemed things were fine and he wasn't going to escalate. She was on edge. Why he didn't know exactly but the absence of the Order certain seemed upsetting to her. She had to be sympathetic to their ways then. If she'd been out for their blood then hearing of the attack would likely have made her happy.
He followed after her to Lisa's desk. She started to say one name but he had to guess that was a real one. Again he said nothing, but nodded when she said, "Geist. Cool." Like a Ghost, though he'd already met one of those. Ghost was hard to hit. Geist was hard to see. Sneaky.
Devon accepted the paper from Geist as he heard the whirring of one of Richard's bots coming from another room into the hall. "Okay, I can do that, and don't worry about the whirring sound coming in. It's like a glorified roomba," Devon smiled faintly. "And sure about the number. I won't write it down," he shook his head.
"There are a lot of people that come through, quite a few that stay though they are primarily teenagers like run aways though some adults and some kids. Some may have some checkered pasts, but we're not here to judge. It's about having a place to sleep, eat, and maybe find someone to talk to," Devon nodded slowly. "So if someone comes mentioning or looking for the Order, I'll give you a call."
"Maybe there's a button at the far end? Like that gladiator show, you cross the finish line and hit the button and everything stops trying to kill you?"
"Yeah that makes sense," Devon said loudly, speaking over the sounds of the mechanical weapons and his own buildings protective winds.
"Can you focus your power to stay inside this room? Otherwise the Sanctuary may get a quick wash upstairs and outside."
"Yeah..." Devon said, his pitch black eyes sliding in her direction though it might have seemed hard to tell. "You can feel that? I don't need to, but sometimes I still do. It won't rain unless I want it to." He gave a curt nod just as the buzzer sounded.
Maya was impressive, becoming a mere wisp of a woman to avoid quite a few shots and then blowing another from smacking him right in the face. Devon grinned; she was good. "Thanks, yeah, I don't think we should skip it that way-"
Long rifle-looking canons rose up along the wall with two obvious tubes running into their sides. A clear liquid churned through them as they clicked into place. A little click was the only warning before they began to shoot small spurts of flame, mostly to keep people from jumping over the electrified lines and posts. Then however one nearby spewed a line of fire that quickly was to become a cone.
Devon shifted in front of Maya immediately and crooked his head in a cant as he rolled his arms upward. The gusting winds rose and pushed away from them as cool air pummeled into the warm, humid effect he'd already gathered. A sudden focused downpour before him rained sideways, dousing a large subsection of the flaming cone and sparing them its wrath as the cut through it.
As the rest of the cone died and the weapon subsided, the wind around Devon shifted again as he gestured upward, creating a localized rain some twenty feet in diameter. The air was competing with humid heat and cool lows, churning the space above them into a fog-like, miniature cloudiness. With enough time, Tempest might have produced an atmosphere.
"No rain upstairs, just here, but I think it's time to move and turn this off!" Tempest shouted hastily, but grinned as he turned to May. Water dragged his black hair down over his face and dripped off his nose. "I don't want to get cooked," he shook his head and started to move, eyeing the weapons and the electro-lines warily.
"They are always interested in new members, especially eager ones." She responded.
"Great, I'll enjoy that," Devon smiled. "Thanks."
He pulled his backpack up tighter along his chest as she checked her hair before following her to the exist. He smiled and chuckled, nodding. He hadn't realized how long they'd already been standing with the classroom now completely empty.
"Wow, I'm impressed by your knowledge."
Devon grinned, not that he felt particularly intelligent. "Thanks, yeah, I mean I'd be shocked by any mutant who didn't do at least some basic level research on genetics," Tempest shrugged. "Even if I weren't a mutant between stem-cells, chemical genetic influences, and manufactured organic matter, genetics is a major scientific topic now. Mutants just make it more so."
She went on, noting quite reasonably she was still in the research phase. That made sense. He would be surprised if she didn't come to some interesting conclusions. She seemed quite smart.
"That's more than fair," he nodded as they went down the hall. "I'm going for a psychology degree, and I want to help mutants come to terms with their abilities. More than that though, after some of the abuses and other difficulties at home, mutants need someone to talk to. It's just one idea for practice one day soon," he nodded. "I've done some certification classes so I can lead group and individualized, though un-led therapy, where you talk things out but don't really push a treatment. Can't really come to any conclusions til you finished the research, and talking that out with a person can take quite a while."
"Don't worry about it," Devon responded in response to the admitted mistake. "I can understand why you'd have it-" But as Devon spoke he quieted for Richard's mind and tongue were clearly at work. Stream of consciousness would have been an understatement.
He wondered how often Richard stayed here. The mild shock to students sounded okay if surprising. The robots were knocked around as toys? Well that was no good; they were useful provided they wouldn't be shocking or killing anyone. Vibration dampening systems meant they could take a hit so either the gust would have to be stronger or he'd have to blast one if it went crazy. He seriously, well, he wasn't sure how much Sanctuary could actually pay. Probably not enough to cover wahtever it cost for these.
Devon nodded when the man used his nickname. He nodded as well about Lisa. The nodding continued about Sanctuary, counseling, greeting. After a few more moments the man paused his lines of thought. Devon was grinning, chuckling even.
"Efficient thought process you got there," he said. "Yeah I'm working for Sanctuary and doing a bit of everything. Glad we've got another volunteer with some serious skill. Keeping things clean and having some sentries in the form of these robots would be great, even if it's just to report strange activity if you can hook that up to send out text messages or something," he shrugged.
"But yeah, full weather based powers. I try to go with a measured gust of wind depending on what I view as the strength of my target. Your robot resisted what would send a person flying after all," Devon nodded slowly. "Your technical abilities sound quite applicable, maybe you can help tune things up around her? I'm not the greatest electrician but I got all the lights working in the foyer." He smiled faintly.
"I don't know that Syn person by the way... Lisa and I would like Sanctuary to just be Sanctuary, okay?" he asked with a quirked brow. "Or were you affiliated with the group that used to be here?" Devon purposely avoided using the name he knew for them to see who did know.
Devon nodded, chuckling briefly and smiling at the compliment. "Thanks, we're doing what we can," he nodded again. "And yes a half-way or even long term house. I'm trying to encourage the community aspect as well for kids who just need somewhere to crash after school, but also for adults who might be looking for like-minded people, a little community outreach, and even those who need someone to talk to."
"Thanks, I hope she contacts you soon," he waved Elliott off. Devon wasn't completely beyond believing the man was an alien - stranger things happened - but it sure seemed he was a mutant in need of something. If he ever wanted it, hopefully he'd return and try to find that.
After Elliott had finished writing his message with Lisa, Devon was already heading into the office he shared with the other volunteers. "Welcome!" he shouted, and headed through the door.
"Have a good day... sir," Lisa said with a thin smile to the alien man.
Devon sighed as Elliott fell into his silence, "Thanks, we're trying." He continued into a nod, seemingly letting the 'I'm doing fine' comment stand. If he didn't need anything, then Devon wasn't going to push. This conversation had exploded already over the alien's paranoia. Devon had no wish to feed into that.
Then he learned about the robot attack. Either there was poor programming and a series of unfortunate events or something more had happened. Considering the Order warning and the different groups at play, Devon was worried the coincidences were too great. Those details at least would help him with further investigation. Devon's attention remained on Elliott as he spoke, lips half pursed and half smirking in thought. He nodded again at the end.
"Thanks, that's all I was hoping for, some background. It seems hard to get details from people, so I appreciate that. They're scared. I'm sorry to come off so intensely or anything," Devon said, his tone far more familial and relaxed now. "I kind of took on more than I realized," he nodded slowly.
"But yeah, you can leave that message," Devon looked over to Lisa, "I'm sure Ms. Wilson can handle that for ya. Thanks." He smiled at the secretary.
"It may not be my business," Devon started, "But I'm certainly involved now. It would seem Sanctuary and the people here are going to have to worry about the Order for some time. Everything they were or did seems to draw danger." He inclined his head, eyes remaining on her.
"I'm sorry, though, I didn't mean to deflect your question. Apparently some other group posed as police officers and came in here. There was also a METAbot attack that was either a large accident or someone's plan. I don't think all their members died, but they aren't here anymore. I'm not sure if the police arrested them all or what," Devon shrugged slightly, frowning.
"I moved into the city a few months ago. I found out that Sanctuary helped mutants so I figured I'd put some time in helping and volunteering here. Lisa was eager for me to come down," Devon explained, his tone remaining calm. "Things were dirty, in disarray, not much organization. So I've been cleaning things, fixing things, helping gain volunteers and setting up some classes like first aid for students. With what happened in Odessa, we're being even more careful and trying to get out to the community more."
He cleared his throat, "Lisa's been otherwise mum on the Order. She seems to be focused on supporting what Sanctuary is. Maybe the Order gave her that as a final order or something? The fact that she's not here right now I can only conclude is on purpose so that we'd have this interaction."
"And thank you for putting the knife away," Devon nodded slowly. "Do you mind giving me a name or nickname I may call you by? I could perhaps share that or some message should another Order member come here asking around unless you'd prefer they not know."
It was a strong handshake. The X-Man's dad would be proud, so Devon assumed. Devon had to hope the man's dad was out there somewhere. The X-Men had a tough job, and not one Devon was sure he could fit into the mold of. The suit certainly seemed tailor made at least.
"Thanks, Cafas," Devon said in a pleasant tone, gesturing down the hall. "Please, call me Devon. I'm just a kid who volunteered enough that they're paying me some for my time." He chuckled and nodded at Lisa. She'd been the one to hand over that first check.
"Your positive influence is appreciated, Mr. Hadden," Lisa said matter of factly.
"Thanks," Devon smiled but started on the walk. "And thanks, I'm sorry if I was gruff. I'm glad you're here. I'd been hoping to talk to someone for a while since Odessa. Considering our open support of mutants, I was concerned of copy cats but we've started to make some positive steps both internally and externally for a number of reasons."
"Oh," he turned his head abruptly as they passed a rec room of kids and teens playing games and billiards, "I meant to say I did recognize you. I was at the rally at Times Square..." Devon nodded slowly, "I like the shield. Sends a 'we're here to defend' message I guess. But yes, as I hope you can see we are actually encouraging the shelter and the community aspect here..." He gestured but kept walking.
"I'm actually aware of the... history... of this place," Devon frowned slightly, "A few interesting events and I learned of the previous managers here. I came on a couple months ago and Lisa said she was happy for the help. I and the new volunteers we met quickly," they passed the dining room of various individuals eating, "and thought besides some community outreach like cleaning grafitti and first aid classes, we might talk with local government..."
His blue eyes ran over to meet Cafas', "And the NYPD to get an understanding, like hopefully some more patrols in the area." Devon laughed quietly and shook his head, "Sorry I'm rambling on."
She started crying and Devon's gaze softened. He frowned but stepped in between her and the knife, stepping back rather than toward her but still in the way. He lowered his head as he spoke to reply to the obviously distraught woman. "I'm sorry, but I don't know how to find them. I'm not going to keep you from your knife, but please understand there are children and innocent adults here," he spoke quietly. "You are in no danger that I know of."
Honestly, where was Lisa? She was always there, deliberate and attentive. This mean she wasn't here on purpose. Was it that she was in trouble and playing it careful because of this woman or was testing him?
"Were you with them or are you looking to hurt them? Again, they are not here, so please put your knife away once you retrieve it," he said slowly as he stepped out of her way. His eyes did not leave her. It had gotten easier to focus on her and now he wasn't going to stop. Until she calmed down and they got on a level, it would be most unwise to do so.
Devon knew one of the volunteers or one of the wandering patrols, maybe even a cleaning patrol bot of Richards would be by soon. He hoped things calmed by then. Something was wrong and all the training he'd ever had said hurting this woman wasn't the right approach. Make friends, as Ghost had said, seemed best.
Posted by Tempest on Jul 23, 2016 15:58:24 GMT -6
Tempest likes this
Haven
Founder of Haven
TEMPEST
4e9cf5 / 0555b1
Good Question
Single
877
335
Feb 3, 2024 10:42:17 GMT -6
Tempest
Make a wish.
He was 6, maybe 7. There were many kids from school at his house and his parents had rented out a number of inflatable playhouses. There were streamers and balloons. He could remember his parents happily socializing while he played. When they rolled that cake out with the candles and asked him to blow them out, he'd made a wish. A giant cake, the biggest ever. He broke the rule and told his parents.
Every year following that the cake was the bigger than the last time, but with more candles. He was 11 and they'd rented a hall at a hotel for a large birthday dance. His mother Maeja looked beautiful. A number of his dad's colleagues from BU were there, all wishing 'the young gentleman' a happy birthday. David encouraged his son to shake their hands firmly and thank them for their gifts. No one was dancing. Maeja encouraged her son to dance and the other boys made fun of him. Devon got so nervous that the wind outside broke a couple trees. The power went out; the generator kicked on. They all danced. Devon wished it would always be so magical.
He was drunk. He had forgotten his own birthday, but they were out partying anyway. His dad was so angry that he'd failed another pre-calc exam. Devon had rushed out in a huff, called a friend. They were at yet another club. Someone pushed another Long Island Iced Tea into his hand. His dad called furious. His mother texted for him to call her. They were so angry, so worried. He wished they'd leave him alone.
It was raining. There was an abandoned truck stop on 95 outside Attleboro, an old weigh station, without a pretty functional set of buildings. He'd been sleeping there a little over a month. His grandparents kept texting him. He turned off the network connection whenever he was sleeping. He'd stolen a glazed cinnamon bun, one of those prepackaged high in preservatives kind, from the gas station. He didn't know what to do or where to go. The floor was cold and the blankets damp. He wished he had a real bed.
A small cupcake sat on the table. He sat at his table alone. The cupcake was carrot cake. He loved carrot cake but he kept staring at it. The wax dribbled down the single candle. What did he wish for? What did he really need? What did he really deserve? Should he even eat such a sweet confection? He'd bought it at the little grocer at the corner. It had been a fine day, like any other day. School, a bit of work, some cleaning and food stacking at Sanctuary. It was any other day.
"Happy 21st," Devon muttered and blew out the candle.
Lisa Wilson looked up from her desk in that her pupils rose to the top of her eyes. Her chin remained declined until of course she lifted her head to keep her reading glasses from sliding down her nose. Instead, she looked down it at the officer while she stood.
"Good afternoon, Officer Johnson," she said with such a flat tone it had to be rude in its welcome. "I did not but I know who likely did. One moment please." She picked up the phone at her desk and type a couple digits.
A phone not far away, some office half way down the hall-like foyer, rang. A male voice muttered something while Lisa said, "Yes, Mr. Hadden. An officer from the NYPD is here. He said that someone requests a representative?" She nodded, "Yes of course. I recall, thank you." Her attention returned to Cafas as she said, "Yes, he did. He'll be out in a moment."
It really was only a moment before Devon stepped out of the office he shared with a few volunteers. He was dressed in a dark pair of black denim jeans and a loose, v-cut gray shirt. It was typical attire for him especially in a New York summer. His attention went immediately to Cafas, appraising his attire. It was impossible to miss an eyebrow raise in curiosity even as they then narrowed.
Still, Devon threw a smile on as he took a deep breath while approaching. "Hi, I'm Devon Hadden. I'm glad someone finally came down," he nodded slowly and offered a hand in greeting. "Officer, thank you for coming." He glanced to Lisa, "Thank you, Ms. Wilson."
The Order sounded diverse but so did her experiences the way Maya told it. Violence though, that was not surprising. A secret group operating out of a shelter was likely to have some strong criminal and dangerous undertones. Kirsi had been right.
"They all had a penchant for violence. Punch first and ask questions later. Mostly, though, we were able to find common ground. Eventually." Ghost said.
"It seemed your friendly method worked. They actually teach and encourage that for some, but authoritative for others," Devon mentioned idly. "It's good you found common ground." He nodded as he came around the perimeter of the large room.
He wasn't sure whom her friend was, but he wasn't going to ask. There was no need, especially if she wanted to keep the identity secret considering the police might be after this woman. It was the same line of questioning he resisted earlier and again about dating a member of the Order. There was some tragedy in this place. Sanctuary certainly needed some hope.
It wasn't surprising either to learn the mansion had a training room for the X-Men. It must have been pretty impressive. This wasn't nearly as impressive, let alone out of maintenance. How long had it been? A couple months or something she'd said?
"What-" Devon's eyes widened as the doors slammed shut. "Oh no."
"Initiating training program alpha 2 gamma."
"Er, stop initiating training program alpha 2 gamma?" Devon asked loudly, but to no avail. His eyes swam with darkness as he looked to the ghostly visage of Maya. "Well looks like this place has voice recognition to some degree..."
A series of posts shot up from the floor with tethered lines between them. They looked barbed and quickly the sound of electricity crackled along their lines. "Well fun, a maze? But to what?" Devon asked. But that wasn't all as panels opened high on the walls to reveal either taser guns or projectile throwers. "Well shit."
The air grew warmer, more humid as the scent of ozone filled the room. Farther outside, storm clouds eagerly began to gather as gray rolling clouds but inside Tempest demanded his power gather. A moment's breeze became a circulating curtain of building winds around him.
When a woman draws a blade and rushes at you, it's hard not to want to focus on her. You're going to watch her because that sort of thing just screams 'I want attention' and really it's for the best considering you probably don't want to meet that blade up close. It wasn't so easy this time however. While Devon was suddenly concerned, he was fighting to not pay her any mind. The blade was easier to be wary of and thankfully he found the sudden shift in the air easy to recognize thanks to his mutation.
Despite readily pumping moisture into the air and starting the brew of a confronting high and low pressure front, Devon did not call for wind or lightning. He could have rushed out a temperature change as the humidity was building in the foyer so that a cloud of fog could spread over them. Instead, he relied on some the martial arts training that now in hindsight he felt might demand some of his attention again.
As the blurry woman rushed him, Devon crouched slightly. His left arm snapped up and its hand went for her forearm, pushing and encouraging a bend at the elbow. His right hand shot forward to grab at her hand with the intent to turn the blade away, though instead it whacked it with almost the extent of his personal strength. It was hard to target her precisely. The ka-bar went flying through the air and skittering down the hall of the foyer as she made her demanding questions.
Disarming an opponent of a gun or blade was one of the more important lessons of both styles Devon had learned after all.
Yet he couldn't keep her off him as she still managed to get him up against the wall, right beside the door to the office. Devon was far taller and thankfully trained in some close combat melee, thanks to jujutsu anyway. His sensei would be proud - in a way - as Devon embraced the woman, one hand at a shoulder blade and another at her solar plexus. He didn't push or even squeeze firmly. She had come at him wildly, untrained and unprovoked, and there wasn't a need for that yet. Devon had always thought he'd need to be ready for an unruly patient but it worked just as well for unstable visitors to a homeless shelter.
Still, with his grip on her she wasn't moving either.
Devon's voice was calm as he answered, staring down into the woman's eyes. "I don't know Lori. I'm surprised Lisa's not at her desk. I'm not with the Order; they aren't here anymore," Devon clarified. Clearly she'd either been their target before or was with them. It was hard to tell but considering the sudden violence, it certainly didn't paint her in the picture of an X-Man.
"My name is Devon, and I'm willing to help you if you release me," he added.
Devon made a mental note that 100 mph was enough to knock the 'bots off balance but not enough to toss them. It had been a focused gust but it was still enough to toss debris out in a cone around the garage. Outside, a young tree would have been tossed with ease and an older one would learn to bend.
Luckily the dirty young man was also the mechanic and immediately gave the robot some commands and it stood down. Devon did as well, relaxing his arms as his eyes flowed back from pitiless black to blue. "No, no, I'm fine," he urged. It stung briefly but was passing. Tasers were nothing compared to lightning unless the connection continued. "Yeah I heard someone was making robots and then with the ruckus, I was afraid you were getting attacked."
Devon sighed as well, taking the dirty hand. "Hi Richard, I'm Devon," he said, shaking the hand firmly. He didn't worry of the grime. "...I'm glad you're at least taking care to clean this place. We can't have robots tasering people here though. I mean with all the kids and everything?" He frowned, brow narrowing. "I'm all for cleaning and sentries, but what if one of them had rushed in here to help you?"
The kid would be injured or worse, that's what.
"Maybe we can come up with a plan together? I'm sort of working for Sanctuary now."