Future Plot: The New Member SparkNotes

• In short: The Future Plot takes place in 2018; you get to play your character as being 10 years older than normal. In the hypothetical Summer of 2009, the Order released a "Haywire virus" that kills humans and makes mutants lose control of their abilities. Toss in ten years of global climate change, and the world of the Future is quite a different place.
  
• New members are being asked to wait a month before joining this plot; we'd like to see you get settled at our site and in the "present time" (aka, the normal, non-plot RP) before you jump into the Future. Feel free to use this time to read up on threads and think about your character's powers, history, and place in the Future world. Note: you do not have to join the FP, if you don't want to. It's for purely voluntary fun.
  
• In the "present time" (Winter of 2008/2009), the Haywire virus has NOT been released yet; the vast majority of the world hasn't even heard of it, though the Order's infamy is certainly spreading around New York, as their violently carefree terrorism of humans continues to escalate.
  
• Any thread marked with the "FP" tag in its subject is taking place in Future Time. Everything else is in the present.

After you have been with us for a month, if you choose to join the Future Plot, this is what you'll need to know:

The Future Plot

This plot began on September 1st, 2008; it will conclude sometime in April/May of 2009. Please read this announcement carefully, as the Future Plot is probably the most complex thing MRO has ever put on.

The time: 10 years in the future

[/i]. While the Future Plot lasts, we will be able to play as our future selves. We will remember all of the history leading up to the Future Plot--ie, we won't just wake up one day and wonder what is going on; if your character has gone to college and is now working as a doctor, they will remember everything that has happened to them from the Current time until the Future.

There will be no site-wide scripting: this will be a mostly free-form plot for character development. One common element will unite us all: nine years ago--in the Summer of 2009--a group of New York-based mutant supremacists called the Order unleashed upon the world a devastating virus known as Haywire.[/ul]

The Haywire Virus:

[/url]. For more on how the Haywire Virus was developed IC in 2007, please read up on the KP incident.[/ul]

The Setting:

The World:

[/color]
The Haywire Virus struck here as in the rest of the world; however, in 2018, the main viral threat in Africa remains the AIDS virus. Political conditions are about what they were in 2008.

Antarctica
Tired of the same-old same-old hate and fear, a group of mutants has established an all-mutant colony in remote Antarctica. Their beautiful home is a sculpted dome of ice raised by resident ice manipulators; they live in self-sufficient comfort with thanks to resident fire manipulators, crop manipulators, healers, and others. They have also stabilized the Antarctic ice shelves from the corrosive effects of global climate change. They are open and friendly to visitors, but if you'd like to stay long, they'd like to see a demonstration of your X-gene, please.

Asia
Fears of the Haywire Virus prompted China to brand all of its mutant citizens as public health risks: this lead to mass imprisonment, with rumors of mass graves hidden somewhere out of the foreign media's sight. Many of China's mutant citizens and their families have fled over China's borders into Mongolia and Russia, where they live in refugee camps. Prompted by the global climate change which is rapidly cooling all of northern Europe and Asia, Russia is welcoming these mutants with open arms, embracing them as potential saviors from failing crops and creeping cold. China, however, is demanding the immediate return of their citizens. Russia is denying their demand, and escalating border skirmishes between the two large nations are becoming more common.

Australia
When the Haywire Virus struck, Australia's human population took one of the heaviest blows. Now, its resident mutants are in a violent power struggle with the few remaining humans for political control of the world's only island continent. Their goal: repression of the unworthy human population.

Canada
In a bizarre twist, the Haywire Virus proved to effect only three species on the planet: mutants, humans, and... moose. The virus twisted the genetic code of these large antlered herbivores in a way that left them with mutant-like abilities. Canada is now well known for its Telekinetic Moose, who repel all bodily threats with an omni-directional force pulse that can easily send a seven member wolf pack flying for twenty feet in all directions. Since they also cause massive property damage when they wander into suburban areas--and since their sudden lack of natural predators has caused a dramatic population expansion--there is a substantial bounty on the heads of all Telekinetic Moose. Hunters from all parts of the globe are flocking in for a shot at these strange new creatures. Casual bounty hunters beware: a single Telekinetic Moose has been known to send twenty of Canada's Armored Anti-Moose Mounties flying with a single pulse.

Europe
The Haywire Virus was the least of Europe's concerns. In 2012, as the last of the perennial Arctic ice caps melted, the Gulf Stream collapsed, depriving Europe of the warm air currents it has historically enjoyed and setting into effect what scientists are beginning to call the European Ice Age. Fueled by a more globally conscious fear, many European governments are turning to mutants for their answers: charter schools such as the Pax Academy, which specialize in raising humans and mutants side-by-side with strong socio-ethical principles, are beginning to gain in popularity as politicians and spiritual leaders advocate an age of mutants using their powers publically for the good of all. Many of China's fleeing citizens have gone straight through Russia and ended up in Europe. Most of the continent has switched within a mere decade from the usual fear and hatred to a warm embrace of mutants and their abilities. The belief that the power to restart the Gulf Stream and rescue Europe from wide-spread crop failures and increasingly longer winters lies with mutants has reached almost messianic proportions.

South America
A death here in 2010 made Brazil one of the richest nations in the world: an oil manipulating mutant, infected by the Haywire Virus, lost control of his powers and was gunned down by local police. Not before he had brought a long undiscovered deposit of oil to the surface. With oil at $607.87 a barrel and rising, South American politics have suddenly become of great interest to world leaders.

The United States of America
Life goes on in America much as it always has. McGrease King still deep-fries its burgers, the Home Shopping Network still has 12-carrot diamond bracelets, and not much has changed in ten years. The Order, the X-Men, and the Kabal still operate in New York, and public opinion towards mutants is about what it was.[/ul]

What You Need to Do to Join:
The Future Plot is non-mandatory. If you don't want your character to participate, they don't need to. While the Future Plot is going on, the "Current" time will also exist: ie, you can keep playing normally. All Future Plot threads will be marked with an "FP" in their title to designate them. For example: "[FP] Katrina's Bedroom" would mark the "Katrina's Bedroom" thread taking place in 2018. If you don't want to play in the Future, just avoid the FP threads. Every player will be allowed to run three threads during this time: either two in the Current time and one in the Future, or two in the Future and one in Current time.

If you are interested in joining this plot, you must:

• Send to the [e-mail] account an e-mail with your character's planned Future powers and weaknesses/limitations. Power growths for the Future are allowed, and even expected: remember, though, you can not and can never be all-powerful. Be creative, but keep things within reason. All power growths should be directly related to powers your characters already have.
  
  
• After your Future powers/weaknesses have been accepted, you may create a Future Plot attribute profile. All players will have up to 100 attribute points available to them; use them wisely, and send your attribute profile to [e-mail] (after your powers are approved).
  
  
• Players should add their approved powers to their profile for ease of look-up. A section on "how you got where you are" history to bridge the 10 year gap is also suggested, but not required--but it could be fun to write! If you're feeling really motivated, you may create an entire "Future Plot Profile", using the normal profile formatting but making it for how your character will be ten years from now. It's recommended that you post such a profile below your normal profile, if you choose to make one.

Ending the Plot:

[/i] to remember what their characters did in the Future Plot, so feel free to do things you might feel inhibited with in the current time; ie, I could have Calley be revealed as a spy in the Future Plot, but ask that no one remembers that detail when we wake up in the Current time. This is a "What If?" scenario plotline; a chance to explore things with your character that you might not, otherwise. Enjoy it![/ul]

A Note on Technology: With all the havoc that the Haywire Virus caused, large advances in technology would be a little unrealistic. Electric cars, more advanced holograms, and cell phone reception on every inch of the planet are attainable, but personal scooters that travel at the speed of light and teleporting machines are out. Just remember: we're a mutations site, not a technology site.

A Note For New/Returning Members: Members who join MRO later then July 31 or who have been inactive for long stretches of time will be asked to wait at least a month before they send in their Future powers/weaknesses to the [e-mail] account. This is so they have time to get their character settled in the Current timeline. Once they have read up on the Future Plotline and are feeling comfortable in our community, they may join the Future Plotline if they so choose. A good rule of thumb is that if you're still asking "...What's going on?", you are not ready to join.

In Conclusion: Start thinking of your Future powers/weaknesses, and send them to the [e-mail] account!

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Questions? Ask them in the Cbox, post them here, or e-mail the Mod account at <[e-mail]>.

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The Newb Guide Series

((Originally posted by Calliope, back when this was on the Current Plot page.))

[FP] World War III: Which side will you choose?

Russia has opened up her arms to mutant refugees from all over the world, especially from China, after the Haywire plague. They give the mutants free land and encourage them to farm and help contribute food for the good of the whole country. Once the mutants are in Russia, though, they aren't allowed to leave again. It is also highly suspected that the Russians have conducted kidnappings of mutants from around the world in order to add their talents to her own “national resources”.

China panicked during the plague and the president did everything in his power to get mutants out of his country. Mass quantities were dumped at the borders and told never to come back. Even larger numbers disappeared into thin air. Possibly fleeing into the mountains, or possibly being buried in the mountains in mass graves, no one is really sure. Now that the climate is failing, the Chinese people are starting to experience famine. Mutants have shown their usefulness in Europe by helping to boost agriculture, so now China wants its mutants back.

The final straw that broke the camel's back came in the winter. A group of American students was trying to lead a refugee group to safety and was discovered by the Russian military. The Russians tried to coax the mutants to join them, and upon failing, decided to make a few examples out of the refugees. That was about the time a small branch of the Chinese army happened upon the two groups. The Chinese now had proof that the Russians were stealing their citizens and captured the Russian soldiers. The Russians now had proof that the Chinese were unwilling to submit to diplomacy. The armies were mobilized against each other.

There is no “good” or “bad” side. There are just sides.

More info on the build up to the war, here.

China's Allies

• North Korea, Laos, Vietnam:
  
  
• Cuba:
  
  
• Australia (mutants) & the Order:

Russia's Allies

• The UN:
  
  
• South Korea:
  
  
• The US & the X-men:
  
  
• Japan:

[/url]. They are also hopeful that by helping the Russians, they may get the Kurils back.[/ul][/li][/ul]


The time line:

The following is an approximate time line outlining what will be happening during the war. While countries from all over the world will be involved with sending troops and supplies, the action will all take place in Asia. Feel free to have your character read about these events in the papers or even be involved in the events themselves, but only after the date listed that those events begin. Or, if you are not interested in participating or reading newspapers, your character does not have to be affected at all.

Feb 7:

Feb 14:

Feb 21:

Mar 1:

Mar 7:

[/url]starts creeping into battles. Asphyxiates seem to be a favorite on both sides.[/ul]
Mar 14:

Mar 21:

Apr 1:

Apr 7:

Apr 14:

Apr 20:

[/ul]