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 Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
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.
The bouncing was bad. Javier felt bad about it. He had no intention of damaging the bike, in fact he really had been careful, but when he set it down, out of fright and because suddenly he was not sure of his own strength, it did not touch down as smoothly as intended. Javier could tell that the look in the other man's eyes was positively murderous. People tended to be protective of their vehicles. Javier was more of a public transport kinda guy.
>>”Look! I’m out! I would have just taken my bike and gone! You can’t just go around and pick up other people’s vehicles! Not even super strength gives you that right.”
Javier winced at the veiled accusation, and looked around. The last thing he wanted was for someone to start yelling about his powers. You never knew who was listening, and he preferred to be humiliated for only one thing at a time.
"I really didn't..." think it was his right. He was not that kind of a person.
>>”Okay. Let’s start again. I’m Ravi. That’s my bike you just moved.”
"I'm Javier." Javier answered, with his name as a meager peace offering "I didn't mean to... I was not going to damage your bike. It was just, people around here are particular about their parking places, and I..." did not want to have to listen to you being yelled at "... I'm sorry. You are right, I should not have moved it. I just wanted to help. I apologize."
Javier had really thought he had more time to move the bike. That was the entire reason he did. There were so many people in the shop! How could he know how fast the bike's owner would get out of there?...
When he heard the stunned voice behind him, Javier quickly released the bike. It had been a few inches above the ground still, so it bounced as it landed, but at least did not fall over. Javier held up is hands in an apologetic gesture, but the guy with the fabulous hair seemed too annoyed to notice. Javier felt a wave of guilt and embarrassment wash over him. Not only was he caught in what looked like him stealing someone's bike, he also pretty much put up a neon sign saying MUTANT.
>>”Why would you do that?”
Javier swallowed hard.
"Your... bike... was parked in an illegal spot." he said weakly "Not that, you know, it's fine by me, but the people who use that garage, they are about to go to work, and they would be really upset... You know, morning rush and all that, and I just, didn't, want that..." he trailed off. Was any of this an acceptable explanation?...
Javier was not sure what Booker was thinking, about the overload of produce and his offer to gift him some. Was this something people did? Hand things toothers for free at the farmer's market? Was it too weird an offer? They just met, after all... Javi could see Booker was considering things. It occurred to him that it would be really awkward if he said no.
>>”Alright, I can hardly pass up that offer. I’ll happily see what you got…so long as... You let me treat you to fresh honey roasted chestnuts. Deal Mr. Javier?”
"Yes! I mean, deal." Javier nodded quickly, and a little relieved "Um... it' just Javier." No need to be so formal about it.
Good thing he liked chestnuts, because he would have said yes anyway.
"So... are you a chef?" he ventured as they shuffled closer to the vendor. Instead of carrying it, Javier just lifted the basket and then put it down again.
They shook hands. Booker had a nice friendly handshake, which was no surprise given that everything else about him was nice and friendly too. The basket ended up on the ground, which was a little embarrassing. Was this because he was distracted? Javier noted that his powers were not reliable. Again. Or ever.
>>”You okay there? Eyes bigger than your stomach when you purchased so much?”
"Uh... I guess" Javier admitted, blushing some more. He couldn't very well admit that he could not say no to a good sales pitch, right? Did he seem like a crazy person? Who bought this much produce anyway? He gave an envious glance at Booker's much more reasonable tote bag.
>>”You know if you need the split up the weight a bit, I have an extra tote bag tucked in here. I’m more than happy to share. Us avid farmer’s marketers have to stick together, ya know.”
Javier would not have tagged himself as an 'avid farmer's marketer.' He just liked the place, and then ended up buying more than he needed. He let out a defeated sigh.
"Thank you" he nodded "Actually... if you want some of these, I am happy to share. I like... um, people are nice here, so I tend to buy things from them, you know, support the market and all, but... I doubt I'll ever eat all of this alone."
The line was not really moving. People muttered, some in frustration, some simply in impatience, as they pushed a little closer together, hoping that somehow that would make the buyers at the front conduct their business a little faster. Javier felt the pent-up impatience build behind him, and his shoulders slumped a little. There were people in front of him, but he still felt like he was somehow to blame for the hold-up.
The basket was growing increasingly heavy on his arm. So far he had had no problem holding it on one side, despite the weight of the things in it, but now it was beginning to put a strain on his shoulder. Was his strength failing again? It tended to do so at the worst possible moments. Like, in the middle of a conversation with a handsome and friendly stranger. Javier shifted, lowering the basket to get a better hold on it.
>>”Oh yeah. I love coming to these. I love cooking and working with fresh ingredients. I don’t always come to this market, though, I make my rounds between several. Today I’m just getting the peliminary stuff for Thanksgiving out of the way. Be on our doorstep before you know it!”
Of course he cooked. He seemed like the type. The typed that made food from fresh ingredients, and got excited about Halloween. Javier generally enjoyed Halloween, although his family did not quite celebrate it like other families did.
>>”Name’s Booker, by the way. You are…?”
Javier shifted the basket to his other arm, fumbled, almost dropped it, then managed to place it on the ground instead. His cheeks heated up from embarrassment, as he shook Booker's hand.
The many looked even more attractive when smiling. Also, about as excitable as a basket full of Labrador puppies. Some people really just had it all, the charm, the looks, and the complete innocence of someone who's never been disliked by anyone. It was an endearing combination. Javier relaxed a little as the blonde man gracefully glossed over his ambiguous comment.
>>”OH I agree. I feel more and more like they stockpile them all year just so they can sell out during the holiday months. It’s a nut conspiracy.”
That was... definitely not how things worked. Mostly because chestnuts had a season... But really, the guy was clearly joking, and in a light-hearted way. And at least he steered clear of the obvious puns. Javier chuckled a little. He was not sure what to say about the conspiracy. He also glanced towards the vendors. He would have hated it if they overheard the accusation.
>>"Wow, you came prepared! I take it you’re a farmer’s market regular?”
Javier glanced at his oversized basket filled with punishment-for-social-awkwarness produce. It looked like one of those "autumn cornucopia" pictures. He wondered if the handsome man thought he was some kind of a hoarder. Or a father of ten.
"Yes, I like the farmer's market. I eat a lot of... fruit." conversational dead ends. They were legion. "How about you?"
Javier liked the farmer's market. He liked the smells, the colors, the flavors. He enjoyed cooking on occasion, although it was not always worth it, given that he lived alone. Still, it was a nice place to visit, and, thanks to him being socially impaired, he usually ended up buying way more stuff than he needed, just because vendors struck up a nice conversation with him. It was hard to say no to nice people selling produce from their own gardens.
Javier was carrying a woven basket that was, at this point, overstuffed. It contained several decorative pumpkins (and some for pie), crispy apples, pears, sweet potatoes, an assortment of home-made jams and preserves, and a few pomegranates. It was not bothersome; even his crowd-strained mental state could handle carrying a heavy basket of groceries. He didn't need all of them, but he could always give some away.
The scent of roasting chestnuts lured him towards the hot food vendors. It was a distinctly Christmas-y smell. He stood in line a little awkwardly, trying to not make eye contact with anyone. People tended to be very chatty at the far...
>>”God, it’s the perfect weather for these, isn’t it? Been waiting all year.”
Javier blinked as he looked up. He had the sense that the question, rhetorical or otherwise, had been aimed at him, so it would have been rude not to do so. But when he did, he was immediately distracted by the fact that the man talking to him was, for lack of a better term, gorgeous. If there was anything worse than making small talk in a line, it was making small talk with someone really handsome. Javier cleared his throat.
"It is really nice outside today, yes" he agreed. Good. So far, so good. Talk about the weather. You can talk about the weather. "It is hard to find good quality nuts outside of the Christmas season..." he trialed off. Was something off? Something had to be off. Where was the nearest exit again?...
Javier worked on the pants. They were a little loose, but not hard to fit, and he had worked with Jack enough to know how things stood best on her. He pinned here and there, and listened to what she was saying about the job she was suiting up for.
>>“Well, I nean, I got dat nanegerial gig now, quit Chrysalis. Getting too old to 'e s’rowing guys around.”
Javier chuckled at that. He probably would have been good at throwing guys around. If he really put his mind to it. Which he was not going to do, because he did not like the idea. He could understand why Jack would move on to management.
"You're gonna be a serious businesswoman eventually" he smiled. Businessperson? Businessprawn? Was there a technical term?
>>"Should drott in sun tine. I'll get ya a drink on duh house."
"What is this new place like?" Javier asked, moving on to the shirt. He was curious what kind of a place Jack was going to be managing. If she vouched for it, it had to be worth her time...
So... that was it. Like an almost normal social interaction. Get in, get out. Say goodbye. Don't imagine you owe more to random strangers than you actually do while you are also trying to get...
>>”Wait!... Can… I come with you? I don’t want to get caught by the cameras…”
She sounded like she was pleading. Javier could understand that. The presence of cameras literally made his skin crawl. She was probably in the same boat, given how uncomfortable she looked. He really wanted to help her.
"Um... my shop's just across the street" he pointed "If you want, you can stay in there until the crowd breaks up?"
Did this sound weird? It probably sounded weird.
"It's a tailor shop." Javier added, then he hesitantly began moving again, showing the way, making a beeline away from the crowd (still dancing) and the cameras (still moving), hopefully getting out of the line of vision as fast as possible.
Javier was not really what people would call a 'party person.' Anxiety, social and otherwise, limited his options by ruling out places that were too crowded, too loud, potentially hostile, or simply unhygienic. Not to say that he did not like to go out or have fun. He just liked to do so with minimal risk and a comfortable amount of planning. ... which meant that he really did not get out all that much.
But tonight was different. Or at least it was bound to be. Determined to break out of his comfort zone, Javier decided to dip his feet into the pool, and stop by at the X-Gene Persuasion. He was a mutant, a bi mutant none the less, so the idea of a space where neither was going to cause a problem was definitely nice. The rest... the rest he could figure out as he went. Or he could bail.
For now, Javier made it as far as the bar, to which he was clinging, trying to look cool and not creepy. Since he was basically impervious to flirting, his goal for the night was some friendly conversation, and maybe a drink. Baby steps. Apparently, he was not the only one.
>>”This will be a lot easier after I drink all the alcohol.”
Javier chuckled at the woman in the black dress that took her seat next to him. And then he realized that making eye contact and chuckling was basically an invitation to small talk, and he momentarily panicked. And then hid the panic in his beer, and then coughed.
Javier noticed the motorbike parked in an illegal spot as he walked to his shop to open it. It was out of place, and in a place that it had no business in being, right in front of a garage door that was frequently used by the residents of the building. It clearly did not belong to any of them. Javier could tell that much. If it did, they would have known better than to park it there. Javier also knew that some of the residents were about to leave for work, and with the garage door blocked, there was bound to be a fight. Right in front of his shop. Where he would hear it. Being on a tight schedule in New York traffic, it was gonna get heated. Or maybe someone was gonna get shot. Motorbike people carried guns, didn't they?...
Javier really, really did not want to listen to people fighting. It was the next worst thing to being in a fight. He did not want to get involved, or get yelled at, or have to listen to someone being angry at someone else. And there was a solution to all of that.
Javier also did not like to touch other people's property. In New York, it was too easy to be seen doing so, even with the best of intentions, and then be called a thief or a vandal. But was that a worse risk than the fight outside his shop?... It was hard to tell Every risk was the worst risk.
He opened the shop, then turned back from the door. The bike was still there. He looked both ways. No one was hurrying back, or even standing nearby. He walked into the shop, then out again, and approached the bike. Someone came running. Javier sighed in relief... but the person got in a car and drove away. The bike stayed in the illegal spot. Javier turned back, then back again, realizing that he was beginning to look suspicious. If anyone was secretly looking.
This will only take a second.
Walking over with two long strides, Javier carefully lifted the bike, and moved it towards the empty, legal, spot nearby.
They were out of the crazy dancing crowd and behind some shrubs. It was far from being a perfect cover, but it was room to breath, which Javi sorely needed, and apparently so did the girl, who looker positively terrified. She did not want to be a part of the impromptu proposal any more than Javier did. At least they had that it common.
"It looks like a proposal" Javi noted, glancing through the shrubs "And they have cameras. And it is only a matter of time before some TV reporter shows up."
Flashmob proposal in Central Park? That was definitely going to make the news. Maybe it was someone famous.
Javier really wanted to be as far away as possible by the time the TV got there. He turned to walk away, but it felt awkward just leaving the girl standing there. It would have been read as rude. Or simply careless.
"Um... I'm going this way." Javier pointed in the direction of the path that led to the edge of the park closes to his shop.
Jack knew her way around the small shop. She went to change out of her outfit, and into the clothes that she had brought and that clearly needed some adjustments. Javier kept a polite distance, pretending to be busy with straightening up the work space while she changed behind the door that did not quite cover everything. She was not bashful, and given her unique physique, at least it was less embarrassing to be in a small space with her than it would have been with a non-mutant woman.
>>"You know how shirts are,"
"Let's look at the pants first." Javier suggested. He did not need to ask her to stand on the little podium; she was tall enough. Javier grabbed pins and the measuring tape, and began to see what he could do to make the pants fit better. "So... is this a new job? Or going back to the old place?"
Javier liked bookstores. They were quiet and cozy, no one bugged you if you looked at the merchandise too long, and there were plenty of things to turn your attention to when you did not want to awkwardly stand around in the company of strangers. Javier also liked cafes. They were quiet, they had nice drinks, and you did not have to yell over loud music or deal with drunk people if you wanted to have a conversation. And if you did not want to have one, that was fine too. For all the reasons listed above, Javier really liked this particular place. It was small, cozy, rarely crowded, and had a good selection of drinks. It was pretty much as far as the tailor was willing to go in terms of "hanging out" in public alone. Plus, hot sweet beverages were great for soothing his nerves.
Right now, Javi was sitting at a table in a corner of the shop, nursing a large mug of jasmine tea, and enjoying the fact that he was practically invisible. He was taking his time, drinking the tea one sip at a time while he read his book - he did not want to drink it too quickly and then sit there wondering if the barista was giving him the evil eye, wishing he would buzz off and give the table up to people who were actually drinking. There was nothing worse than sitting in a place like this with an empty cup. Javier shuddered at the thought.
The cup still had plenty of tea in it, and the book was good. There was some kind of an argument going on at the counter, something about who was allowed in and who wasn't.
"He's clearly a fire hazard, man!" growled a young guy with slicked-back blonde hair, staring at a man who seemed to have small blue-green flames licking at the tips of his beard and long hair. Javier glanced up, then registered all the second-hand awkwardness, and tried to shuffle his chair back to be out of sight behind a bookshelf. He did not need to take on other people's conflicts. Not today.
It was hard to make small talk, even with friends. Javier was not sure what to say to all that Jack had been through recently. It was a strange thing, when one was close enough to someone to actually care about their struggles, but not close enough to be able to discuss them without feeling like he was overstepping. So, Javier resorted to the only way he knew how to help - by doing his job.
Jack put a garment bag on the counter.
>>"New suits sore work. Dey need duh usual nits and tucks."
"Sure thing." Javier smiled. That, he could do. Jack had a good taste in suits, and she looked great in them, once they were properly adjusted to her dimensions. "Come on, if you put them on I'll see what needs to be done. We should probably double check your dimensions anyway, in case... you put on muscle, or something." He was not sure how growth worked for Jack. Or weight loss. A lot of people lost weight while struggling with their life...
