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.
It was hard getting yourself out there after being out of the game for so long. You get used to life and routines and tell yourself there's no time or space in your life, and you can accept your new status quo. There's also risk that comes with putting yourself out there; being out of practice only made screwing up more likely. No one liked how messy things could get if things didn't work out, but there was so much satisfaction in getting back on top and scoring big.
And so, Stephanie was at a high-class gala in her finest dress, ready to commit her first crime in three years.
Okay, maybe there was some jaywalking and petty pickpocketing here and there over the course of three years, but this was different. Steph was casing a building to pull off a real heist. She was back in her element, with only the smallest bit of guilt manifesting in clear blue eyes looking on in disappointment from the back of Steph's mind.
Steph wasn't in financial straits. Theft started as a way to keep food on the table for Malia, but they were managing, even without a second adult's income in the house. Steph could tighten her belt and survive the high cost of living in New York, so if she wanted to make a moral stand, she could have ignored the tip passed along to her from a representative of "The Syndicate." She chose to be here, pursuing a Renaissance Era painting from a trust fund manager's personal collection for one big score so she could keep things better-than-comfortable for her daughter and herself.
And it's not like there was anyone in New York to chase her down or scold her. The X-Men surely had better things to do. She could grab a ridiculously expensive glass of wine from a server and look around, ready to mingle and passively map out the layout of this jackass' gallery in her head.
So… Raine was Zero. And they were not talking about it.
Early on in their relationship, there were hints, but you only dated a mutant for so long before they shared their power with you. Stephanie did her best to feign ignorance when Raine explained how her power worked, but Steph recognized it right away. The way she tethered gravity was too distinct to forget. Steph waited another week, but she eventually shared her own mutation. Raine was clever; she would recognize the telltale shadowplay.
They both knew, and they both silently came to the agreement: they would not talk about this shared secret. Things were going well! Malia liked Raine and it was not like Steph was picking up jobs anymore. There were still requests, some more persistent than others, but Steph was ignoring the siren’s call of exciting Syndicate contracts. Her access coin had admittedly gone missing amongst her things, which helped deter her from testing the marketplace, so she was not looking around the apartment for it.
Stephanie woke up feeling the familiar warmth of Raine in her bed. Steph kissed the tip of Raine’s nose to gently wake her for the start of the day. ”Morning, sugar,” she purred in Raine’s ear. ”I was going to get breakfast started if you’d be willing to get Malia awake and dressed. I promise there’ll be coffee waiting for you when you’re done.”
They had found their routine. After a messy, risky life, Stephanie had something domestic and peaceful with Raine. It was comforting. Maybe it was quieter than she was used to, but that was the goal, right? Steph had never been in a real relationship before this, and it took two months before she felt confident enough throwing around the word “girlfriend” to describe what they had. Nowadays, Steph used the word as often as she could. It felt good in her mouth when it was paired with Raine.
Grabbing a shirt and undies, Steph wobbled to her feet and managed her way to the kitchen. Grabbing bread from the pantry, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. On the floor in front of the door to the apartment was an envelope. Mail was traditionally delivered to the box on the first floor, so this solitary letter was delivered by hand to her door. Without opening it, Stephanie had an idea of what to expect.
Picking up the lavender envelope with no text or markings except a single “S,” Steph found the pile of yesterday’s mail on the counter and dropped the innocuous envelope atop the pile of opened letters. She would throw it out later, probably. In the meantime, she would get to work on scrambling eggs, mixing pancake batter, and as promised, starting the coffee pot. And only occasionally would she glance at the mystery envelope.
Ride or die was one of those phrases that rose to popularity during the years Stephanie no longer remembered. She understood the idea now, because Shelby, with no advanced warning or established relationship, was ride or die. Not many people threw themselves into a crime so readily; this had some promise.
Mental note: it would be very unfortunate for this girl to be an awful thief.
When Steph touched the framed portal, nothing happened, proving Shelby had to be the one open the door. Without liquor, Steph could have considered how terrifying a power that was, to be able to trap people in paintings. Not tonight, though. Tonight, it was more of a, “Fuck yeah, art portal world!”
Holding her breath, Steph waited until, all at once, she popped into the real world. As promised, instead of the sidewalk, they emerged in the abandoned backroom. The sounds of high society, muffled by doors and hallways, could be made out from the other room. Success!
Time passed before the swimming of Steph’s head stopped. The feeling was different from shadow-hopping. She got to be a shadow for that. Shelby excused herself and Steph—who should be Silhouette any minute now—could not argue before she popped away. That gave Steph the chance to look at the painting Shelby left behind in earnest.
Wait. No, no, no, that was dumb and made no sense. Steph was here on a Syndicate freelance job to steal one specific piece and at least three others to keep the target less obvious. Why on earth, of all the paintings, did the mysterious benefactor of this job want Shelby’s painting?
On cue, the pink-haired artist popped back and Steph had to fight the instinct to jump. Not only was that mutation a weird little jump scare, but Steph suddenly felt guilty knowing she was sent here specifically to steal her new friend’s art.
”Ambitious, I like that.” There were some high-priced pieces stored here. Why were those not the target?
Steph followed, grimacing at the voice of the pretentious bigot on a microphone, switching her change of thought. ”Dumb men like to be loud, she muttered. ”I’m sorry part of being a creative is selling yourself to idiots like that.”
Getting to the back of the hall, Silhouette looked into the two doors. The office was useless to her, though she noted what she saw, in case it became useful. The other door had a small window near the top. Discretely, her shadow peered under the door, but the thief felt the resistance as it met darkness within.
Thinking for a moment, the best idea she came up with involved her phone. It was disconnected from service because she researched phone tracking since her return, but she could turn on a flashlight function. Looking at the window, it was easily in Silhouette’s reach, but… well, she had a significant number of inches on Shelby. ”Do you think you can hold the light up through that window? On your tiptoes maybe? I swear I’m not teasing you for being a shorty.” It only sounded like it.
The reaction was what Steph should have expected from Raine; supportive and positive. It was a low-risk secret, but the thief needed to start getting secrets off her chest. The big ones might not be so easy, so for now, she would take progress. She would gladly let Raine catch her up with modern pop culture. "Hey, I've learned no cap! I downloaded Clik-Clak and everything! But if you're up for mid-twenty-tens movie nights..."
The mood shifted when the fate of Malia hit Raine, but Steph was quick to ease her concerns. "No, no, no worrying! The de-aging erased memories past the age I ended up. Same for everyone, including her. Woke up with no clue where I was."
Hoping to keep her bedpartner from worrying out of the goodness of her heart, Steph kissed Raine's cheek. "We're starting fresh. I don't know much about who we were, but Malia and I weren't lucky enough to meet you last time. I'll say that's a win for us. If you'll have me."
It took all Steph’s restraint not to wince at Raine’s joke. The blonde had no way of knowing how hard she hit the nail on the head. That was a confession for another time; Steph could not drop that on Raine yet. She trusted the blonde, but that was a heavy secret. It potentially made Raine an accomplice of all things.
Maybe, instead of confessing, she could see this as a chance to tone down her night activities. She was still getting photography work. She had a nest egg to pull from. Maybe… well, could she try a trial run of a normal life?
Steph’s chest did fill with warmth at the idea of a “future them.” A Steph and Raine, together and connected on that deeper level the lonely thief only heard in stories.
And when they were at that point in their lives, Steph would admit to who she was. She would open up about her powers, which still unfortunately identified her too easily as the Silhouette Raine might have read about in news stories.
Though there was something Steph never admitted to that carried less consequence. ”No dealbreakers I can think of,” she admitted. ”And you? Because I sorta never had the right time to tell you, because it feels like a weird thing to tell people, but… full disclosure.” Well, partial disclosure.
”I used to be in my thirties. Malia and I were de-aged by that weirdo in the news. I don’t know much about who I was,” because it turned out, all evidence of her was on the other side of a closed rift. ”Who knows? I might be a magnet for weirdness, so that’s your fair warning. Also, I am a pop culture dummy.” That part was not her fault; she missed most of the two-thousands and twenty-tens. At least she finally had an excuse for her lack of song lyric knowledge.
The way Raine deliberately chose to stretch her body was not missed, hinted at by Steph biting her lower lip. That could have derailed their entire morning if they did not have a weighty conversation they could only put off for so long. Sex probably could have delayed things, which made it all the weirder when Steph realized she wanted to talk about this.
Raine admitted she wanted to try. Steph was so used to casual flings hoping girls did not wake up with feelings. Today, she felt a rush of relief knowing last night was something more for both of them. Steph would have played it off, but something would have deflated in her if Raine called this a one-time fling.
Face to face in bed, still close enough to feel the warmth of Raine’s body, Steph met those eyes asking for a shot at something more. She faltered, if only for a moment, in her expression. Raine was so good. So deserving of something wonderful. She deserved someone better than Stephanie. If Steph was a selfless woman, she would accept that and cut things off here.
She couldn’t; she selfishly wanted the girl with the soulful blue eyes so badly. She wanted Raine enough to imagine herself as someone better. Could she do that? ”I… Raine, I need to confess. I’ve never done this before. The dating thing. I’ve never wanted to be with someone like that.”
Stephanie paused, taking the deep breath before the plunge. ”But… I want that with you. I really do. If you are willing to be patient with me, and I agree, take it slow. I really… I really want to learn how to be with you.”
Amazing night. Top five nights ever. Not just for Steph, but for the greater history of nights.
Steph slowly faded into consciousness when she felt Raine stir beside her. Well, beside and beneath. Honestly, until she started actually waking up, Steph could barely grasp the way their bodies configured themselves throughout the night. She could tell there was next to no space between them. She liked that part. Her arm was also asleep somewhere under Raine. That part, she could endure.
The way Raine grumbled made Steph smile sheepishly. She felt Raine's hair brushing her cheek and tilted her neck to plant a kiss atop that golden crown of bedhead. "Maybe you'll get it next time, champ." In the half-awake tussle for cuddle dominance, Raine put up a heck of a fight, but Steph was the one with Raine's butt pressed against her.
The night was a wonderful blur of couch kissing moving to the bed and just... fireworks. And peaceful cuddling. And checking on Malia when Steph heard coughing on the baby monitor. And then somehow, another round of fireworks into a surprisingly peaceful sleep.
The time was early. Stephanie never slept in after drinking. The alcohol burned away and woke her up with the dawn, sadly. She took time to bask in the morning until her eyes were willing to open for more than a blurry peek. They were awake and left with the question. "So about that next time." Steph had implied it, and it sounded right in the moment. In the morning light, maybe Raine felt different about the choice they made. Even after a night like that, she did not want to presume. "No pressure, I just... I want to be on the same page."
Steph used her functioning hand to run her fingers carefully into Raine's hair. "How are you feeling?" She left details out of it. Stephanie just wanted to know where Raine's head was at.
It was very easy to get lost in a moment. Easier still when the moment was this good. The thought of it crossed her mind before, constantly after almost losing control on the dance floor. Finally being this close to Raine, bodies pressed and lips at play, it was better than she imagined. More fulfilling. When had kissing been fulfilling?
This was probably dangerous.
A kiss like this felt nothing like the casual making out Steph liked to believe she was good at. It felt intimate and somehow familiar. The way she looked at the woman who subtly found her way on top of Stephanie did not feel casual.
Raine broke the kiss because they both knew they were at the precipice of the point of no return. Stephanie could take this out. She could admit this was more than she was ready for. Raine was more than she could let herself want. But God, did she want this. "I promise you're not. I want this, Raine. I want you. Badly," she added, her last admission murmured into Raine's lips.
It wasn't a game or a con or a lustful need. Steph just needed Raine; as much of Raine as the beautiful blonde was willing to give her.
Despite a reputation as a loner, Stephanie did work jobs with other thieves occasionally. In those situations, everyone used her codename and she worked alongside career professionals. Despite her youth, she sought partners who would not slow her down. Inviting a crime-virgin who knew her first name was a terrible idea, but it did not feel wrong. Sometimes terrible ideas offered interesting results, she reminded herself!
…Did this gallery have a panic room?
Fortunately, Shelby wasted no time at all jumping on board with the plan. Her enthusiasm almost sent her spinning, so Stephanie quickly grabbed the artist by her sides to keep her stable (or at least split some momentum.)
Shelby was excitable, but she offered more scouting details than Steph had collected so far. Not slowing things down yet at all, and Shelby doubled down in picking up the pace and keeping Steph on her toes.
Pulled into a kiss, the tipsy thief only needed half a second to melt. Soft lips, swirling tongues, and… they had a thing to do. An important thing. Right! Crime!
”Your French is.. way, way welcome. In fact, let’s maybe keep that in mind when we make our grand getaway.” Stephanie reached down into the neckline of her dress, tugging out her domino mask and a spare opaque black cloth mask. It paid to keep one of those on hand. ”Hide your face, just to be safe. And, um, if I have to use certain… talents of my own, try not to freak out until we’re long gone.”
Stephanie drifted herself toward the frame, gesturing toward their escape. ”Alright. Your masterpiece, your revenge, your lead, Shelb.” Steph prepared herself to move quick and quiet once they made it to the other side, ignoring the tingling sensation lingering on her lips.
Teasing the bigot’s toupee forced a snort out of Steph. It was unexpected and petty and Steph was one-hundred percent here for it. The guy deserved it. Him and his dumb hairpiece.
Before Steph could thank Shelby’s interest in her own kind of art, the frame shifted the narrative. Evidently, the possibility of this escape window existing occurred to the lovely young artist. Discovering it was even worth a very enticing off the cuff offer.
Not only was this frame a portal into the real world, it led to the hidden back room of the art gallery. The place Stephanie was planning to get to tonight. Not only that, Shelby was asking the right question to the right person. She was a tipsy woman wronged! Now the question was: was she wronged enough to see the gray morality of what Steph wanted to offer?
”Absolutely, and you should absolutely consider that whole ‘I could kiss you idea,’ she suggested playfully, but the mischief in glinted in her eyes. ”But why stop there?” Steph met her eyes with a winning grin. ”People like this guy have no respect for artists, and they damn sure have no respect for mutants. Elite assholes like this think they’re untouchable.”
Stephanie was taking a chance here. If Shelby was morally disgusted, Steph never gave away her last name. She could get out of dodge and lay low. But they were on the same wavelength so far, right? ”This guy makes his money with paintings like yours. I.. may have had some plans of my own tonight. I genuinely had no plans to bring you into this, but if you really want to get back at him… would you be interested in taking part in your very first art heist?” Well. She assumed.
Sometimes it took time to get acclimated to people, but occasionally, you find someone you are instantly on the same page with. With Shelby not even hesitating to slip an arm around her and jump forward with both feet, Steph was beginning to think this was a girl worth knowing better. Maybe she should thank that jackass of a gallery curator as they slipped into Wonderland.
Wonderland, as it turned out, was in space. Gorgeous, vibrant space to float through and admire. Hovering back for a bit of distance and a shift in perspective, Stephanie saw the grand picture Shelby painted. All these unique, striking elements coalescing into the form of a woman—a celestial, awe-inspiring woman.
Grinning from ear to ear, Stephanie propelled herself forward through the space toward Shelby. She collided into the artist from behind and wrapping her arms around Shelby’s waist, leaving them both spinning together in the colorful void. ”Shelby, this is amazing. Your artistic vision is just brilliant and that scumbag’s gallery doesn’t deserve your goddess.” The peaceful goddess smiled warmly; she was too innocent to condone Stephanie’s tone, but the thief was no goddess of purity.
Justice, though…
The liquor had the mood light and Stephanie may have stayed noticeably closer to Shelby as they floated toward the framed paintings at the edges of this painted universe. ”I’ve always been a photographer, but I capture beauty. You really create it, Shelb. And to have a power that spins a web of worlds you’ve painted.” Though there was one frame Stephanie spotted that contained… well, not a painting.
”Hey… did you ever paint a hyper-realistic portrayal of an art gallery storage room… or is this another exit?”
Steph saw Raine because Raine was the one who made her feel real. She wanted to say it; to tell her the way she saw life with Raine around and the things she would give up for a life like that.
The words never came, because Raine's hand reached, finding the stray strands of hair draped in front of Steph's face. As her friend moved to tuck the strands to the side, Steph closed her eyes and leaned her cheek into the warmth of Raine's hand. By the time her eyes fluttered open, all she could focus on was Raine.
Biting her lower lip one last time before she found her courage, Stephanie leaned forward slowly. She wanted to give Raine the moment she might need to decide things needed to stop. She would eliminate nine-tenths of the space between them if Raine could meet her there. She didn't need to; Raine found her somewhere in the middle and Steph melted into she softest kiss she could remember. The kind of kiss that made you feel safe.
Their first kiss was the closest thing to perfect Steph could imagine, and it bled into the next kiss, and another. Stephanie wove her fingers into Raine's hair and her free hand rested at her hip. It was a chaste touch for now, but those kisses were definitely deepening...
Stephanie felt responsible for giving off some mixed signals, though how mixed were they at this point? Maybe the signals were right and she was the one all mixed up, her tipsy head filled with thoughts of Raine and Zero. But... more and more even the thoughts of Zero became thoughts of Raine as those striking eyes stayed with her.
There was the briefest moment of contact as Raine brushed her thigh and Steph's breath hitched. The touch left her alert, like her whole body was waiting for something to follow.
>> "Do I look lonely?"
The held breath finally released. It was not a question Stephanie expected, and while her instinct was to say no, her brain had to catch up as she wondered: why that question? Was Raine lonely? Was Stephanie, the girl who had an ongoing affair with her nemesis and yet pined for her best friend? "You look beautiful," she admitted, resigning herself to a smile, "but no, I don't think you're lonelier than anyone else. I'd ask it back, but... well, I guess I don't feel lonely with you around."
Stephanie had no clue how to best explain what was happening with Zero, whether it was sexual tension or she was pulled in by the blonde's gravity. (When did she develop a thing for blondes?) Regardless, Raine was not someone Steph needed to fill a space. Having Raine there made the night more complete. Keeping her gaze locked on Raine's eyes, Stephanie spoke softly. "Thank you, Raine." It wasn't Steph thanking Raine for coming to her in a time of need. She just wanted to thank Raine for being with her, whatever that meant.
Alexandra did not seem to take issue with Stephanie’s forward and somewhat flirty energy, though she might not know what to do with it. So maybe she was straight or maybe just not interested, and Steph could handle either.
After briefly sharing the samples on her camera for Alexandria to glimpse, the woman with the jewels seemed content with awaiting the final results. ”I should be able to get those to you in a day or two. I want to set aside some time to really highlight the beauty of your jewelry. I won’t need to do too much, since the gems speak for themselves, but I know a few tricks to really show off that natural beauty.”
And speaking of natural beauties, Stephanie offered her hand to Alexandria, smiling warmly. ”In the meantime, please give my thanks to the lady in charge for the opportunity. And as for you, well, you have my number! Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
The night at the club was a speed bump in their friendship, but it was comforting to know Raine did not hold the night against her. Maybe that was why they needed the speed bump; just a reminder to slow things down. Raine was just glad she made it home, which was true. Kind of. She eventually made it home, but not after the club. No, first she had to take a very physically and emotionally confusing detour through a Mansion, a panic room, and a vigilante's clothes. "I think we were both a little off-kilter that night. Let's just resolve to send those check-in texts next time."
Now that they had the apologies out of the way, they could return to music. Raine moved the choice to Steph, who mulled it over with her near-empty glass of wine. There had been a song in her head the last few weeks, but... well, maybe she should preface it so Raine did not get the wrong idea.
Swiping through the music app on her phone, she searched for lyrics and spoke. "I think I have one, but... so the chorus is kind of thirsty." At least she was picking up on the slang of her adopted generation. "But the song isn't really that. Er, look for." She showed her screen to Raine, feeling the pink in her cheeks preventing her from naming a song like, "Undressed."
After giving Raine time to find the chords she would need, Steph took a breath and eased her way into the lyrics, which thankfully started slow. If asked, she would say Raine was not the one she was thinking about as she sang, which was true. Again, kind of. Maybe she did think of Raine as the one girl at the club that made the others fade away. Maybe Zero was still the one she had vivid memories of, longing to peal away that outfit one more time. Hell, maybe her thoughts and feelings toward that troublesome heroine were misplaced after how things went with Raine.
At the very least, having misplaced feelings for Zero felt somehow safer than dealing with feelings she had for her friend.
