Frequently Asked Questions

A place for answers for all your most asked questions! Have a question that isn't on here? Ask a Story Mod or in the #questions channel in the official sim discord!

Xavier Institute
"How many X-institutions of whatever types are there, and where? Do they specialize in meaningful ways?" There are three facilities currently owned by the Xavier Institute. The primary school is the Xavier Institute proper, in upstate New York in Westchester near the city of Salem Center. There is another facility that is primarily a scientific research base located in Scotland which is operated by Dr. Moira MacTaggart, Lead Scientist of the Institute. The final facility is in San Francisco, which is significantly smaller than the Institute proper and usually just acts as a local safehouse. "How do they handle living situations for things like age differences, unstable persons of mass destruction, etc.?" All people currently attending the Xavier Institute are 18+ and they all have their separate housing. The school does accept mutants of any age (powers can manifest as early as 14, though usually it's 15-21), but due to some kind of crazy coincidence there aren't any right now and there won't be anyone new joining under 18 at any point. Additionally, teachers and older members can choose to live on their own in the nearby town of Salem Center, with apartments and private housing paid for by the Institute. "Should we expect any particular major canon characters to be about and active, or will they be largely off-screen doing Important Shit in a birdplane?" Yes! There are a multitude of active recognizable canon characters in the world. While a very tiny amount are unplayable for the sake of story, even they exist and have an impact on the world and the stories that unfold within it. For more information about Canon characters, check out the Canon Character wikia page! "Is there any Phoenix Force in Earth 289? If so, can the sim never, ever encounter it? Please? Can we like get it in writing?" No Phoenix Force! It exists, somewhere in space, but Earth has never encountered it, and neither has Jean. Nor will they, unless we start to get extremely desperate. "How do X-institutions feel about the Brotherhood, officially and unofficially?" Their opinion varies, with the general one being contempt but also pity. Most of the X-Men considers the Brotherhood to be a scared group of victimized people who have been forced into being bad by society’s hate and rejection of who they are. So, they understand why the Brotherhood is the way they are, and they feel bad for them, but they don’t condone their actions whatsoever. But if a Brotherhood member ever needs help, the X-Men will obviously be there for them. "What is the goal of X-institutions and what stops them from achieving it?" Xavier’s Institute for The Gifted exists so mutants can be offered a safe haven, housing, as well as education in a safe environment and the potential to learn how to master and control their abilities. But also, the Institute offers help not just to mutants, but humans as well. It means to achieve Xavier’s dream of humanity and mutants coexisting in peace and prosperity."Have there been any major historical setbacks?"Yes! See the canon timeline page for more information. At the moment, things are relatively stable though tensions are high. "What is the political standing of X-institutions?" Political tensions are high. The Xavier Institute has several political agents who try to fight for mutantkind in the legal system. As for the Institute itself, it is seen as a high-risk low-priority target. The powers-that-be are wary of attacking the Institute due to the sheer concentration of mutant powerhouses that operate out of there, and it is not politically viable to attempt to invade it since in large part the Institute keeps to themselves or just sends out aid missions and the like. They are seen as annoying but more trouble than it's worth to try to stop them. "Can I make an OC teacher or are Canons the only teachers?"You can absolutely make an OC teacher! Just make sure to note that on your application.

Brotherhood of Mutants
"Who leads the Brotherhood, globally? What do they want?" The Brotherhood has no official one single leader. They lead themselves, with various ‘cells’ spread across the whole world. Think of it like the pre-Alliance days of the Rebellion in Star Wars. There are various cells with various goals and methods. Some are relatively peaceful and just try to stay alive. Others are terrorists. Most are somewhere in between. "Who leads the Brotherhood locally? If an NPC, what do they want?" Nobody. Each individual member can chime in their opinion, and based on popular vote, that’s what the group does. However on occasion a high-profile member of the Brotherhood (NPC) will come to the local cell needing manpower for a mission and looking for volunteers. "What stops the peeps above from having what they want?" Humanity and human society. Most members of the Brotherhood are people who had their lives ruined by society and humanity rejecting them. In return, they rejected modern society also, swearing humanity off and deciding to live under the system and off the grid, away from anyone else and on their own. This is largely the reason the Brotherhood also dislikes the X-Men, thinking of them as if they’re trying to appeal to people who’ll never accept or appreciate them. "Are there membership dues? Expectations of contributing in some way? What do they ask of members?" The only expectation that the Brotherhood has is that you will absolutely, always step in and help when another mutant needs you, with no questions asked. If you see a mutant in trouble, or in need of help, it’s your job to go over there and help them out. Also, the Brotherhood has a zero tolerance policy for snitching or ‘betrayal’. If you go to the cops or anyone else and rat them out, they WILL know and they’ll come after you. "How do Brotherhood mutants feel about non-Brotherhood mutants? What are their official stances towards other mutants and flats, and how do they differ from the prevailing attitudes of their NPCs, globally and locally?" On average, each individual Brotherhood member would be sympathetic for other mutants. They’ll try to help them out, but unlike the X-Men, the Brotherhood’s way of helping someone out is a lot more… anarchic and destructive, as well as just generally negative. The Brotherhood see the X-Men and the Xavier Institute as naive in thinking that humans and mutants can ever peacefully coexist, though they don't look as negatively on the students as they do on the faculty and members of the X-Men themselves. Many in the Brotherhood got started as students at the Institute themselves, before they went a different way. "Do they have any ties to crime/terrorism that have blown back badly on the Brotherhood?" Some members do. But it varies on the individual cells. They generally don’t care about what’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’ as long as mutants don’t end up hurt or victimized in the process. But, there’s some Brotherhood cells that are crazy, unstable or violent, yes. There’s also criminals and thieves since a group like the Brotherhood would definitely attract shady types too.

General
"Does my OC need to start out as part of a faction? Can I start out undecided and choose to join a faction later on?"Absolutely! Keep in mind of course that most of the content on the sim is geared towards the Xavier Institute and to a lesser extent the Brotherhood, so as a neutral there will be a lot more need to 'make your own fun' as it were, event-wise."Does weird shit still exist like the Savage Land, Inhumans, or Genosha? Apocalypse? Mr. Sinister?" The Savage Land exists, yes. Inhumans, no. Genosha exists, but it’s a barren no man’s land that’s been almost entirely destroyed. Apocalypse exists too, but has not appeared in modern day thus far. Sinister, yes. See the Official Timeline page for more information! "Do any supers exist in Earth 289 continuity that aren't mutants?" Nope! "Is Earth 289 in contact with aliens?" The US Government has found evidence of extraterrestrials in the past, but it’s been extremely well hidden from the public. The X-Men have launched independent missions to investigate the so-called "Blue Area" of the Moon. There has never been any direct contact with aliens."Is mayonnaise a mutation?"No. Mayonnaise is not a mutation.