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.
"No duh they're my issues!" Jacen muttered, the annoyance obvious in his voice as he tried to keep from staring at Vega but failed miserably. For a moment his eyes locked on her before finally he pulled his gaze back to the road, making one of the fastest and most illegal U-Turns in history in order to head back toward the turn he had apparently missed. "And you're one to talk about 'mutant freaks' missie. I'll make it quite clear that I never thought of mutants as freaks even before I found out I had an ability. Mutants can be freaks just the same as humans can. Depends on the person."
Finally making the correct turn, Jacen pulled onto the road that would head out of the city and further toward the school. "But let's see... what are the options that I have with my ability? Oh, I know... I can join up with some of the radicals that want to round up all of the mutants and kill them. That's what my ability would be perfect for, now isn't it!" He exclaimed rather sarcastically before falling silent to stew in his own juices for several minutes.
Why in the world did he have to meet someone like this TODAY? If he had met her any other day they might have had a pleasant conversation and then both gone off in their separate directions. Instead of that, Jacen was now beginning to ponder whether he should really drive her all the way to the school and just make her get out on the side of the road. After all, if he let her stay in the car she would probably drive him absolutely insane!
Jacen grinned at Kealey as she launched into her tirade about the Irish and their love of alcohol. "Hey, if I had made a comment about how much the Irish loved their whiskey, I would have been stereotyping. Just like if I said how all painters are drunks. At least you can never accuse me of being insensitive!" Jacen said with an obvious twinkle in his eye.
The food had apparently disappeared at some point and as Jacen looked down at the empty serving dishes, Kealey reminded him that there was something much more interesting planned for the rest of the evening.
"Little lady, I hope you brought you dancing shoes." He said with a smirk as he placed the cowboy hat back on his head and then slid out of the booth. Offering a hand to help the young woman out, Jacen's eyes met her challenging gaze with a challenge of his own. "Think you can keep up?"
In short time the couple was out on the dance floor amidst the other dancers. There was a good mix of absolutely horrible and then pretty good dancers spread out in different areas so Jacen purposely took up a spot near some of the dancers that were doing much worse. This way at least anyone looking from the outside would automatically compare them with those dancing nearby and thus would think that Jacen and Kealey were doing absolutely wonderful.
"This isn't to formal so we don't have to worry about any fancy steps." Jacen said with a grin as he placed his hands on either side of Kealey's waist, "Have you done or seen any dancing before?"
Vega's suggestions of how she could react if Jacen was truly an attacked weren't even worthy of any sort of response. Sure, some of those options might work with your standard mugger but they wouldn't be stopping him any time soon. He was a friggin' ex-army Ranger for crying out loud! A civilian like this woman wouldn't stand a chance!
"I'm not blaming people. I'm blaming things that are caused by people." Jacen replied quietly, "The idea that nature randomly selects and chooses that certain changes should happen in a species just because Mother Nature feels like it is ludicrous. Nothing is truly random. Everything has a cause if you just look for it."
That was his belief stated in a nutshell and he sure wasn't going to let some little slip of a girl convince him of something else. Who in the right mind believe in complete randomness and chance anyway? That was a scarier proposition than believing that everything had a cause. Hadn't a mutant ever thought about the idea that if 'Mother Nature' could randomly change their DNA, she might suddenly decide to change the DNA in bird, making them huge monsters that wanted to come down and kill all life?
"And whether it's fresh or not has nothing to do with it. I was adjusting just fine to the idea that I was a mutant. It's the whole, You're Not A Mutant thing that's completely throwing me off my game. Come on Vega, be honest. How would you react if multiple sources suddenly came to you and said that you weren't a mutant and that they had no clue how you got your abilities. Nothing in your blood work shoes any abnormalities. How in the hell would you tak esomething like that?!"
"No, I'm not going to hurt you." Jacen said with a slight snort of disbelief, "I'm not one of those perverts that gets my kicks from assaulting helpless young women, thank you very much! If you want to get mugged or attacked you'll have to jump in some other strange man's vehicle."
Which, now that he'd said it, Vega had been pretty stupid. Even in the strange situation she'd been put in, what woman in her right mind would accept a ride from a complete stranger simply because he said, "Trust me. I'm not out to hurt anyone!"
"I will say, you've got to learn to use your head." He said out of the blue, "If I had been out to hurt you, what would you be able to do about it now? Or what if I was a mutant that could stop you from doing whatever it is you do by some other means? You're just asking to get shot, stabbed, or worse acting like that."
That was the way for Jacen to make himself feel more like a man. He was hurting and confused so he lashed out verbally at a helpless young woman. Wonderful... just peachy. Chalk an extra point up to the former Ranger.
"Sorry." Jacen said somewhat grudgingly after a few moments. He didn't really want to admit he'd been out of line but he still knew he had been. "I seem to have a way of confusing mutants thanks to whatever it is I do. And I have no clue why mutants happened." He continued, finally answering the last question she had asked in a barely audible voice, "We could always blame pollution, excess greenhouse gasses, or maybe the ever popular global warming. That's for better minds than mine to figure out."
"Well, I'm not gonna play all innocent and say that I've never participated in a 'no strings attached' night of intimacy. It's not the norm, but it has happened. Sometimes the opportunity to get pure satisfaction is something to leap at but it can never be with someone you actually care about, otherwise strings get attached." Jacen said quietly after he had finished chewing his chicken finger. Grabbing one of the Jalapeno Poppers he placed the whole thing in his mouth and began chewing as he enjoyed the instant heat that flooded his mouth. Now was the time to focus on food and forget any more conversation about one night stands and 'no strings attached' sex. What in the world would Kealey have thought if she knew he was looking for just that sort of thing the other night when he began to put the moves on her. "She'd think I was even more of a jerk than she must already think."
Sipping at his beer, Jacen listened to Kealey talk about her first experience with alcohol and he found himself just having to smile a little bit. If he had gotten her to be a little more uninhibited the other night they might never have gotten together at this western bar but they sure would have had some wild memories.
"The key to drinking is to make sure it never controls you. Just like with anything else." Jacen said after taking another swallow of beer and placing his mug back on the table, "You can take some social drinks and even get a little tipsy but you have to be willing to admit that you're tipsy from the very beginning. Like tonight, I won't drink any more than this one beer because I plan on driving you home. Any more than one and I begin to be a danger to myself and anyone else on the road. That's why there are cabs."
Turning back to the food, Jacen was silent for several moments as he just snacked along with his blond friend. The conversation was getting altogether to serious for just a light evening to hanging out which meant that it was most definitely time for a subject change.
"So, have you thought about becoming a fashion consultant full time?" Jacen asked with a grin, "It sounds like you were able to help Elle out, so maybe there are other women that could use some of your fashion sense."
Jacen's harsh chuckle was the first thing to come fro his mouth when Vega asked her question. Did it matter who he was? Who in the world besides friggin' Mr. Rogers would ask that kind of question? "It matters to everyone around me." He responded quietly, the raw emotion still in control as he battled to try and find some semblance of reason for this whole thing, "Humans don't want to accept me because they think I'm a mutant and no amount of blood tests will disprove that theory. Mutants, like yourself, hate or fear me because I lack the X-Gene and yet somehow cancel out their abilities rendering them weak and helpless like any other person."
For a brief moment Jacen's head swiveled over, his gaze burning into the woman at his side before he had to look back out at the street in front of them. "And don't even try to argue that you're not afraid. It shows in every bit of your body language. You're scared beside around me you have a chance of being hurt."
He didn't really know what Vega's power was and honestly he didn't want to know. It was enough to see that she was afraid of him. Hell, most mutants seemed to be unerved by his powers and so far only two women had accepted him for the person he was. Maybe that would mean that if there was a small group of mutants that accepted him there might also be a small group of humans that would accept him.
"Another thought for another day."
"Could it be you are nature's answer to mutant kind?"
The question came out of nowhere and it was all that Jacen could do to keep his eyes on the road instead of staring at the woman beside him in some sort of disbelief. Who in the world would come up with some sort of crazy idea like that? As if nature could control something like this. Besides, even if it was nature, why would it choose him?
"That's just crazy talk from someone that wants to find a reason for the unexplainable." He spoke bluntly as he made another turn, drawing the vehicle ever closer to the Xavier School, "I prefer the idea that I was exposed to chemicals while over in Afghanistan and Iraq. That makes more sense that Mother Friggin' Nature deciding to have a field day and chance my molecular structure or some other damn bit of lunacy."
Jacen laughed, but it wasn't exactly a nice laugh. In fact it was a down right angry sounding laugh but there was no question that the anger and emotion was not being directed at Vega. "No, I'm not a mutant hater... not a human hater either. In fact, I don't know what the hell I am!" Jacen replied a little more forcefully than necessary as the frustration of the past several hours and days finally bubbled over. "You want to know why you fell into my truck? Because I nullify powers. That's right... I emit some sort of field, or aura, or friggin' fairy dust that makes mutants unable to use their ability. Obviously that means I'm a mutant right? Hell, no! My hospital ran blood work and then the Church of Humanity ran blood work FIVE FRIGGIN TIMES! I'm as human as they come but obviously I'm not!"
Vega didn't deserve to be the target for his venting but at the moment Jacen had nowhere else to turn and she just happened to be in the truck with him. In fact, now that the words were out he actually regretted having told some stranger what his abilities were but could anyone blame? Honestly, could anyone in the whole messed up world blame him?
"I'm on the S.W.A.T. team and I work along side guys that bitterly hate mutants." Jacen replied after a moment, his voice evening out slightly but still maintaining something of an edge to it, "So you would think I'd be a mutant hater but I'm not. Of course, since I'm friends with mutant haters you're probably wishing right this moment that you'd gotten a ride with someone else. Practially anyone else."
"King." Jacen replied after only the slightest hesitation. He didn't want to provide these two with his full name but neither did he want to make an obvious lie. By offering his last name it was possible that they might assume that was his first name of his nickname or something like that. At least it would keep them from discovering who he really was for the time being.
After having his attention focused on the crowd for the past several moments Jacen turned his gaze back on the other two individuals with just a touch of the usual kindness creeping back into his eyes to replace the worry that had been in them since this latest chance meeting had begun, "You two take care of yourselves. We'll meet again sometime, I'm sure."
Turning away from the two once again, Jacen's combat oriented mind took over. There were some slightly larger figures scattered through the chaos but for the most part noone was of a size that should give him much trouble.
"Stay close." Jacen snapped suddenly as he saw a slight gap open up. Immediately wedging his shoulders into the area, Jacen shoved through, pushing, shoving, and punching whenever it became necessary to clear the next section so that they could continue their progress to the door. Off in the distance Jacen could already hear sirens approaching and he knew that neither he or his two aquaintances wanted to be around when they arrived.
The young woman insisted that she didn't need a ride but after several moments of trying to use whatever ability she might normally possess she admitted that perhaps she did need a ride.
"So, I take it that you're not one of those psycho human haters." Jacen observed dryly as he put the truck into gear and drove forward, ignoring the frustrated and angry honks that continued to sound from the vehicles behind him. Even though his mind was still whirling from his earlier discovery he noticed two very important items about the young woman beside him. She was extremely nevous and skitterish and she said she new Garret. In fact, if her words and tones were to be examined more closely it was quite obvious that the two of them must have been friends of some type.
"If the mansion you're referring to is the Xavier School, then I already know where it is." He replied as he made a turn to begin heading in the apropriate direction, "I had to take a couple of young men and a young woman there a few months back. What were their names... Slate and his brother and a young woman... Patty? Petty? Something like that."
If Jacen had known he was a mutant or at least something other than human back at that moment he might have paid more attention to their names. As it was the only one of the three he remembered was the conversation young man that hadn't seem the slightest bit fazed by his own nudity or the nudity of his companions. Wierd, very wierd.
"You're right in your assessment that this is more of a beer place." Jacen said with a slight chuckle, "Either that or whiskey, burbon, or a decent martini. I'm sure they have the stuff to make some of the fancier drinks but I'd be willing to bet that they're rarely ordered."
Kealey seemed wary of the pile of fried pickles and as such Jacen was forced to dig into that particular item first. Dipping the fried food into a dipping bowl of ranch dressing, he popped the item in his mouth without the slightest hesitation. The smoothness of the ranch immediately melded with the crispiness of the breading and the slightly sour tang that came from the pickle. Most people thought the idea was disgusting but if they would just give it a shot they might be surprised.
"Your new friend sounds a lot like someone I met a while ago." Jacen observed as he realized just how much Kealey's description would fit with the current woman in his life, "That ideal is a rough way to go through life though. Sure you protect yourself from hurt but you also never give yourself the chance to truly enjoy what a relationship can offer."
Jacen was talking about himself as much as he was talking about both Lori and Elle. He had been quite a fan of the one night stand for several years but as he began to meet more interesting women that had more to them than their body, he was beginning to realize that he was most deffinately missing out on some very important things.
"So how'd you like the Long Island Tea and the Chocotinis?" He asked with a grin as he reached over and grabbed a chicken finger for himself, dipping it in BBQ sauce and then lifting it to his mouth, "And what was it like to feel tipsy from from your own making?"
Shoot her? Shoot her?! Where in the world had that come from? Jacen just looked at the young woman blankly as his overwrought brain tried to make some connection between her words and whatever would have given her the idea that he might be out to hurt her. Did he look like a murderer or something? He thought he was dressed normally but maybe she could see something that he couldn't.
The honking was getting louder and stronger as the cars stacked up and it was beginning to annoy Jacen. "No, I'm not going to shoot here. Here, get in the truck. I'll give you a ride." Turning toward the cab without waiting for a response a thought suddenly occured to the man and he glanced over his shoulder at Ghost. "You weren't going to the Sanctuary were you? I know a guy named Garret and a woman named Isabel over there."
That was a lie... he didn't really know those two names but maybe saying he knew a couple of other mutants would make the young woman more comfortable. There was no way he was going to mention Lori since she probably wouldn't have given her real name to this particular mutant anyway, but perhaps one of the other two names would open doors.
"Look, I can give you a ride and you'll be safe. Trust me. I'm not out to hurt anyone!" Jacen said before opening his door and climbing back into the vehicle. If Ghost was going to ride with him then she'd have to climb in but he couldn't just sit around waiting for her to make a decision... not if he didn't want police to be called out for a traffic backup.
An invitation was to go to the Sanctuary was almost enough for Jacen's blood to quite literally run cold. So far all of the mutants he had met had considered his gifts a novelty and as such as simply smiled, laughed, and enjoyed the opportunity to temporarily be away from their powers. If the scuttlebut about the Sanctuary was true then he wasn't going to find that same sort of reaction over at the Sanctuary. What could he do? How could he handle the situation without looking suspicious?
"I touch other mutants and I get their opposit abilities." Jacen lied with the first thing that popped into his head, "I'm weak in their strengths and strong in their weaknessess."
Was that even a viable power? What the hell? Had he just completely blown his cover with that sort of explanation? Who had ever heard of a mutant that copies the opposite power from his opponent? This was stupid. He had to get out right away!
"I'll help you get through the crowd but I can't come to the Sanctuary with you right now." was Jacen's quiet reply as he did his best to put at least a note of dissapointment in his voice. He had to sell this... he had to convince them otherwise there would be hell to pay far sooner than later. "But I have your card and everyone knows where the golden doors are. I'll come by first chance I get."
Stuffing the card in his pocket Jacen stood ready, broad shoulders and arms poised to begin pushing through the crowd. "Isabel... Garret... hopefully I'll see the two of you again soon." It was a lie... a blatant lie, but it was all he could offer. As soon as they were ready he'd push through the crowd but he still had to get separated. Somehow he had to get caught up in the crowd so that they wouldn't get away from the crowd and realize that his abilities were the cause of all their problems!
"Yes, I ordered fried pickles and I'm sure your friend would understand choking under the pressure." Jacen said with a chuckle and a bright smile at Kealey, "I know fired pickles sounds strange but they're really good with Ranch dressing."
Watching Kealey looking over the dance floor, Jacen could see a range of emotions going over her face. She seemed unsure, as though she were trying to decide what to do and perhaps even a bit cautious but then when she looked back over at him her smile as bright as any she'd already given him.
"Well, if you're interested then I'm most definitely offering." Jacen responded immediately, "Though we should probably wait until after we've eaten a little bit. Wouldn't want the food to get cold after all."
For the next few minutes, the two of them just enjoyed and music and studied everyone around them. The Rodeo Bar was something of an electric place with various state's license plates hung up around the walls along with different signs. One of the ones that Jacen thought was the funniest was the sign that said, "If you're drinking to forget, please pay in advance."
"So who's this Elle you mentioned earlier?" Jacen asked as he returned to a normal sitting position after the waitress had brought over their snacks and drinks, "I've never heard you mention her before."
Jacen was a little out of it as he began to drive down the street, heading away from the Church of Humanity. His worries had been confirmed and now he was left in an awkward position that not even mutants had to face. Humans knew what they were as did mutants but he... he was left wondering. What was he? He didn't have the X-Gene but yet he still had a mysterious ability that nullified mutants nearby. How did he do it? What was happening to him? Was he some sort of freak? Had he been exposed to some sort of chemical while over seas?
"What the hell is going on?!" Jacen suddenly yelled as he slammed his hand against the steering wheel in frustration. Suddenly out of nowhere he heard a thud on the roof of his truck followed by a slightly softer bump in the back of his truck. Quickly braking, Jacen's eyes immediately moved up to the rear view mirror and widened slightly as he took in the young woman that had suddenly appeared in the bed of his truck.
"Oh no... not again." He groaned as he put the truck in park and then quickly climbed out. Walking around the vehicle he stopped at the side of the bed and look down, momentarily forgetting his own problems with his concern for this young woman.
"Are you OK? Here, let me help you out of there." Jacen said quickly as he offered a hand to the young woman, "Are you hurt?"
"Well you'd make a beautiful runway model or fashion designer." Jacen replied with a quick grin as Kealey explained her dreams, "And who says you can't still do one of those things? Last time I checked New York is a thriving fashion town. Besides, since you can read emotion it should make it easier for you to design items that people will really like."
Right then the waitress made her way over with the bright cheery smile that would just make a person feel welcome. "Hey sugah, what can I get for ya'll?" The woman asked with a slight southern drawl as she pulled out her order pad.
"I'll take a beer, whatever's on tap and whatever my friend's drinking. Along with that we'll take a couple appetizers to share. An order of fried pickles, jalapeno poppers, and chicken fingers." Jacen answered immediately before turning his gaze back over to Kealey with a raised eyebrow.
"And what can I get for you hon? Beer? Wine? Martini?" The waitress asked as she to turned her attention back over to the blond.
A few moments later, after the waitress had left to procure their orders, Jacen slid back in the booth so that his back was up against the wall and one leg was stretched out across the rest of the seat in a very relaxed way. "Do you like dancing?" He asked out of nowhere as he gave Kealey a quick smile, "They've got a small floor right over in front of the stage."
