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.
There. She'd admitted it to herself. Somehow that always made it easier to deal with the nerves, and Janelle allowed herself a tiny big of hand wringing as she made her way towards the greenhouse that always looked so lovely on the Mansion grounds.
It wasn't that the redhead had avoided the place, but she hadn't needed to take any classes that brought her out there during her last year of school and she hadn't really been able to find a reason to visit since. Janelle knew that the teacher who occupied the space had her own set of powers specifically geared towards the plants and it had almost felt wrong to intrude.
Things had changed recently though. It seemed like everyone Janelle met provided more proof to her that her powers were something to sutured and expanded, not simply controlled and left to be. Gawain had been the first, and he'd been far more direct than Max. Max had just shown Janelle that control over your powers could do some pretty awesome things.
Resolved to make her case and ask the woman in the greenhouse for help, Janelle made her way inside. Immediately, the redhead could feel all of the plants within the four foot radius that her powers were able to extend. It was warm and comforting, and it made what she wanted to do just a little bit easier.
"Hello!" she called, softly, but loud enough that her voice would hopefully carry, "Is anyone here?"
Ugh. Why hadn't she bothered to research what the teacher's name was?
Luckily for Janelle, she couldn't blush any more than she was already blushing. Nobody had ever called her amazing before, and at best she'd always considered herself painfully average. Max pointed out that he didn't think anyone would mind the changes in the flowers and that the scientists would probably be fascinated by trying to figure out what she'd done.
The redhead shrugged her shoulders slightly, smile still plastered across her features. She hadn't really done anything. It had just happened...that's how it worked with her powers a lot of the time, and the most spectacular demonstrations always came when she wasn't completely in control of herself. Maybe it was time she did something about that...
Max spoke and stepped away and Janelle sighed slightly in protest. It almost felt cold in the lab now that they weren't in contact, but the little redhead watched intently as Max approached the pont, hand clasped firmly in his.
It only took a few moments, Janelle could tell that Max was concentrating so she kept quiet as he stepped with first one foot, then the other out onto the pool! He was literally walking on water. He'd said the other day that his powers could affect gravity, but this was absolutely next level.
"Care for a stroll?"
Janelle's eyes widened slightly, he could do it to her too?
"Absolutely" she said eagerly and moved forward, letting Max take the lead. This was, after all, his show.
"You said what I did was amazing...but I didn't have any control over it...it just happened because I was so happy...this is amazing."
A first kiss between a couple was always something special. The tension, the electricity, the sheer unknown of the entire act was made it something completely unique.
This kiss was no exception.
Max pulled her close, and Janelle leaned into him, her hands moving up to his chest as they kissed. It was, in a word that described most of the night so far. Perfect. Not too much, not too little, not too long, but maybe just a little too short if she were honest with herself.
He pulled away and Janelle opened her eyes, grinning back at his grin and grinning right back.
Something was different. Not just in the little bubble of space she and Max were currently sharing, but in the room itself
Max spoke, and the little redhead had to laugh, cheeks still pink. "I'd say so." she said, nodding her head just a little to the side to indicate the pool.
As sometimes tended to happen when she was in a state of heightened emotion, Janelle's powers had gone a bit willy nilly on their own. Several of the lilies in the pond had nearly doubled in size, and were now glowing a brilliant purple in contrast to the other blue hues.
Janelle shrugged, "It happens sometimes if I'm not careful." she said, "I hope they don't mind."
Who could have guessed that a bio-engineering lab in the middle of New York City could also double as the most romantic place possible? Janelle couldn't have at the beginning of the night, but she supposed that was the thing about surprises. If they were easily predictable, they simply wouldn't be very good surprises.
Max's arm slipped around her back and Janelle turned into him more, mildly and pleasantly surprised at how the distance between them seemed to have evaporated. She hadn't noticed how much taller he was until now, that was interesting. Then Max spoke, and trvial things such as height and breathing simply disappeared in favor of a pounding heart and a deep blush that crept across the redhead's cheeks. At least it wasn't too bright.
"I'd like that..." Janelle said breathily, looking up to make things easier "Very much."
The further they went into the building, the more curious Janelle got. There was an elevator, and as Max explained what the facility was for, the redhead listened intently and nodded her head.
Genetic engineering of plants was one of those things that could be a very hot-button issue for people. Janelle, surprisingly enough, didn't mind the idea as long as the plants in question were safe and happy. Most of the things that Max was describing were things that would improve the health of the plants, or even give them a way to defend themselves against the types of pests that hurt of damaged their chances of growing. It was a fascinating subject.
That's not why they were there though.
The room they entered as the elevator opened seemed to be some sort of observation room. There were monitors and all of the things that people generally needed to do science stuff. Max opened a door that was in the room and walked through, Janelle followed.
The room was huge, and had that smell that could only be attributed to a large source of water. It was weird to find something like that in the middle of a building in New York City, but this research facility was obviously well funded. Technology could overcome many obstacles that would be insurmountable in the natural world.
Janelle was just moving to examine the pond more closely when the lights in the room suddenly went out. It was startling for a second, but then the redhead saw the glow. For a moment, Janelle was completely lost in the softness of the light that was coming from each of the flowers.
Again, Max explained what was happening, and Janelle nodded her head. This didn't seem as practical as some of the other applications he'd mentioned, but they sure were gorgeous.
"Absolutely gorgeous." she breathed, happily taking the offered hand and pulling Max closer to the pool.
There was a moment when she knew it would happen, it always did when she was close enough to a plant, but Janelle crossed that magic threshold and suddenly could feel at least some of the plants in the pond.
She smiled.
"They're happy..." she said, "Well, at least to the degree that they can be..." she trailed, a bit absorbed by the warm individual presence of each plant. How could anything be wrong with something, when it felt so natural?
Turning slightly so she could see Max better in the dim light, Janelle grinned, "They're amazing." she said, "Thanks so much for bringing me to see this."
Max didn't release her hand as they started to walk and Janelle grinned as they made their way through the crowded masses in and around Time's Square. Her hand felt good in his and the move slightly past casual contact was perfectly fine.
Janelle had to be honest with herself, none of the dates she'd been on since moving to the city had been anywhere near this good. It was a bit terrifying to be honest...what if she messed things up? Or said something wrong? Max had taken the eccentricities of her parents in stride, and had even been able to empathize, how lucky had that been? Now he was leading her towards some kind of surprise.
Pulled from her slight mental reverie by Max's voice, Janelle nodded her head at the context he was giving to their short walk. He had been doing things at work and had stumbled onto something he thought she would like. Janelle nodded and smiled. They approached the door and Max entered a code. The building was one of those old brick buildings that didn't take much of a stretch of the imagination to picture in the black and white photos of old New York. The updates were obvious, but the character remained.
"Demeter..." she murmured, "Goddess of harvest and agriculture.". A thrill of excitement ran through Janelle, were there going to be flowers?!
Max invited her to enter the building first, and Janelle obliged, making her way through the door and waiting just inside.
Janelle didn't argue with Max. When it came down to it, Janelle's parents really did want her to be happy. They were convinced that she'd grow out of the science phase and that she'd eventually pick a more appropriate career, but at least for the time being, they were content to leave things as they lie.
Max said he was up for horseback riding and Janelle had to laugh out loud at his jockey comment. "Riding clothes really are the most comfortable for riding though. Besides, I think you could pull it off."
All things considered, things were pretty darn great at the moment and Janelle nodded her and smiled her agreement that she was also happy to be where she was.
Max stood and offered a hand and Janelle took it and rose. He had a surprise? Curiosity peaked, the redhead tried to figure out what sort of surprise there could possible be.
"I like surprises." she said, letting him lead the way.
Law school. Janelle tilted her head slightly and tried to picture Max in front of a court room, doing all of the things that she had seen lawyers do on TV. It was kind of weird. She still didn't know Max all that well, but there was something non-sequitur about the idea.
Janelle knew all about expectations though. She nodded at the idea of private schools, "School wasn't so bad though. There are lots of private schools where I grew up and it was basically the same as regular school." At least it was the same as what she thought regular school was like. Lockers and gym class, and all of the other things that made up school.
"I was honestly shocked when I managed to convince my parents to let me finish at Xavier's. They'd taken the whole mutant thing totally in stride though, and they'd heard that the connections to be made here were the best possible." She smiled slightly, "They're really not bad people...just disconnected. They've almost forgiven me for going into science instead of something more appropriate. I think they still think it's a phase."
Janelle giggled a bit, "My Mom has absolute fits that I insist on working park time too."
Etiquette classes are debutante balls? The little redhead couldn't stop herself from grinning at the thought, "With suits and big poofy, fancy dresses?" she said, "It had to be at least a little fun. With your dancing, it had to be a trip." Again, it was a little hard to picture Max as part of such a formal world. Everything about him was so laid back.
Max mentioned horseback riding and Janelle smiled, "It really was. It's probably one of the things I miss most about home. Horses are funny animals. They've go a lot of personality for a large herbivore." That said, she finished off her pizza and dusted her hands against one another before taking another sip of coke.
"Strange where you end up, isn't it? A few years ago, you couldn't have convinced me I'd be here right now."
Janelle had to laugh at Max's response, "I was actually speaking literally and not metaphorically." a lot of times people did the opposie, it was funny that in this case it was the literal case.
As Max considered his answer to his question, Janelle took a few minutes to people watch. It was one of the greatest things about Times Square, it was a little slice of the whole world. There were tourists, but there were also native New Yorkers going about their daily business, irritated by the tourists. It was interesting to see the people who were experiencing the Square for the first time though. It brought back shadows of their previous conversation. How could anyone feel alone in a place like this.
Max revealed that his secret was that he had never learned to ride a bike because his Father had been to busy working to teach him.
Janelle could help but, 'huh' at that.
"Would you believe that I'm in almost the exact same boat? I wanted to learn, but my parents thought it was way to plebeian to ride a bike. They got me horseback riding lessons instead...which were great, but I always kind of wanted to know how to ride a bike."
It was another secret of Janelle's that her parents were horrible snobs...well meaning snobs...but kind of horrible all the same.
This was their ecosystem. It was almost ironic how well the word worked for the situation. An ecosystem was a biological community of organisms and their physical environment. The normal connotation of the word brought to mind wild places with animals and trees. It just seemed to fit Time's Square though. Janelle kept the musing to herself but was still pleased with the thought.
Comfortable silence took over for a bit and Janelle continued to work her way through the large slice of pizza. Eating a slice of this size with a crust this thin was a skill that every New Yorker had to learn if they didn't want to wear their pizza after each meal. The key was in the fold. Janelle was a master if she did say so herself.
Max asked a question, a tough one, and Janelle "Hmmm'd" in thought before grinning, "Well, I eat cereal in a bowl, with a spoon and no milk." she admitted candidly. For some reason, people thought it was weird, but milk always made the cereal soggy and after a while it all just tasted like milk.
This was tough. Janelle liked to think of herself as an open book. She wanted to share something good though, so she didn't seem boring. The problem was...there just wasn't very much.
"I think the best I've got is that despite the fact that I spend so much time outdoors and with plants, I cannot stand bugs." she shuddered slightly at the very thought, "Things without a spine really weird me out."
That answer hadn't been very good at all, "Now it's your turn." she said, hoping to deflect a bit from her answer. Quid pro quo was only fair.
Janelle shook her head slowly as Max asked if she could conjure a bouquet of roses out of thin air. "Nope, can't make something out of nothing. Though, if I had a rose bulb, I could grow a rose bush, cut the flowers, and make a bouquet." the thought was a funny one and something she hadn't ever tried. "My boss gets upset if I tinker with things too much though. It messes things up when I'm not at work."
Across the crowded square they walked, and proceeded to order food. Janelle ordered a pepperoni slice and coke, but before she could even reach into her purse, Max had paid for the food and was heading out the door. Making a mental note to thank him later, Janelle followed.
Bleachers had been set up to give tourists and others a place to sit in the hustle and bustle that was always Times Square. Max took a seat and Janelle climbed up next to him, balancing her plate on her knees so she could open her soda. Something about this place was just...something.
Max must have thought something similar because he started to speak. Janelle listened intently, head tilting slightly to the side as he explained exactly what it was. A symphony of life... Where had he learned to speak so eloquently?
Like a loon?
"I don't think you sound like a loon at all." Janelle demurred, "What you said was perfect. I was just trying to figure out what it was about this place, but couldn't find the words. It's impossible to feel alone in the world when you're sitting somewhere like this"
Janelle cast her eyes around the bustling crowd and the glowing billboards, banners, and signs. There were so many people, things, and sounds. "I came here as a kid once and figured that this had to be about all the people there were in the world." It was funny how perspective changed with time.
Janelle took a sip of her soda, "I know soda is supposed to be bad for you, but I think coke might be the best tasting thing in the world sometimes."
EMax's offer for help was more than appreciated. That darn sculpture class had been the bane of Janelle's existence since about three weeks into the semester. The teacher knew she didn't have any talent for the art, and instead of helping and encouraging her to do her best, the woman simply seemed annoyed that Janelle had dared to take the class. It would be a relief to have someone to help. There was open studio time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, maybe Max would have time.
All and all, the work Max did seemed fascinating. It also made a ton of since with the major he had mentioned when they'd had their lunch the other day. Homeless shelter improvements, blood drives...
"Wow." the redhead breathed, "It must be amazing to get to do so much that matters. I'm all for keeping the parks clean, but it always makes me sad to see so many people who need help...I just work, predictably, in a flower shop."
The cab reached its destination, Time Square, and Janelle grinned as she exited the cab. Time Square had been nicknamed the crossroads of the world for nothing. It was one of those places where you could stand and watch the world go by. It was also one of Janelle's favorite places in the city. Crowds had never bothered her, and there was simply too much to do and see.
And eat.
Max asked if she wanted a slice, and mentioned wanting to show her something. Janelle nodded enthusiastically. Even bad pizza was delicious, and there was rarely a bad slice of pizza to be found in New York...especially in Time Square. 'I'm game for anything." she said with a grin, "As long as we can eat outside. It's too nice to sit inside."
Janelle listened attentively as Max spoke, daring to hope just a little bit that she'd managed to set herself up on a date with some kind of sculpture savant who was going to swoop in and save her from what was turning out to be a disastrous final project. Prospects looked good, and as he asked for more details, Janelle let her head drop back against the taxi seat, "I have to make no more than two pieces that showcase all of the skills we learned this semester. The problem is that I've pretty much gotten a C on every project, so I can't really hope for better than that, can I?" she turned her head so she was looking across the cab at her companion in the dim light of the cab, "I'd take any help I could get though. Like I said, I'm terrible with my hands."
Max continued to speak and Janelle was surprised to learn that he had not one, but two jobs. It was incredible how some people were able to do that, she could barely hold down her part time gig at the flower shop while she was in school. Max's jobs seemed cool too. He worked for some kind of community enrichment company and they apparently had a private club that he waited tables at too. There was something he' said earlier that had caught her attention though. He'd lived at the Mansion? It was amazing how many people actually lived at the Mansion, she was always running into folks she hadn't met, even though they'd lived under the same roof.
An invitation was extended, and the redhead grinned, "I'd like that. It sounds like an interesting place. " she would have to look into it more, "What kind of volunteer projects does your work sponsor? There are so many in New York, sometimes it's hard to keep track."
As to her plans after finals, Janelle shrugged, "When I was finishing up high school I would go home in the summer. I've got this class that messes things up with my schedule and it's offered in the summer, so I think I might just stay here this summer. The folks at the Mansion don't mind, and I could work a bit more. My parents haven't been down to the city in a while, so they may come visit. Did you end up taking any summer classes?"
Well, so far there had been no awkward silences. Their conversation was moving along at least as well as the taxi, which was working its way through New York traffic with the skill that only a cabby could possess.
What kind of finals did a botanist take? Janelle laughed softly, "I'm just a Freshman. Nothing special at all, not yet. Freshman English, freshman biology, gen Chem, American History, and....sculpture. I needed a fine art...I might fail. It's killing me, but I'm terrible with clay."
Max had mentioned something called Haven, and paperwork, and a club. Surely that was more interesting than her sculpturing woes.
"Is that what you do? Do you work in a club? What kind of club?".
Janelle was glad for the relatively dim light outside the gates, the warm flush creeping up her cheeks was a good indication that she was blushing as she took Max's arm, and that just wouldn't do.
It was always interesting to date in the city, and if she was honest with herself, Janelle had to admit that she hadn't done a whole lot of it. Sure, there had been a few dates off and on while she'd been a student in the Mansion, and a couple since...but each time there were these nerves and anticipation. There had also not been very many second dates.
Things were off to a swimming start, Janelle had to admit as Max hailed a cab and she thought about what they could do. The fact of the matter was, in all of the excitement over trying to figure out what to wear, Janelle hadn't had a thing to eat since around noon.
"I could use a bite to eat." she said as she climbed into the cab and waited for Max to join her. Hopefully he hadn't eaten too recently.
How had the rest of her week gone?
"Not bad." the redhead replied, "Finals are next week, but I'm not too worried...at least not right now. Ask me sometime next week and I'll probably have a different answer. What about you?" by this point the taxi had started moving and Janelle figured they could count the start of the date as a success.
