"I worry about how democracy survives when one man can move cities with his mind"

The future of humanity is uncertain.  Mutants, appearing in greater and greater numbers, pose a significant threat to the established order.  Only a tiny minority of the new subspecies of humanity are endowed with superhuman powers (the rest either have minor abilities, or nothing more than a physical deformity), but those who do are beyond the ability of local law enforcement to control.  Some are beyond the reach of the state and its armed forces too.  It is easy to understand why normal, everyday people are so afraid.  Imagine living in the shadow of these god-like beings.  Of having no recourse, no one to turn to - not even your own government!, in case one of them takes offense to you.  And since not all mutations are obvious, who's to say that elected officials are not secretly mutants, trying to infiltrate and control the government from within?

Fear spreads like wildfire, coupled with Ignorance, and Envy.

It is into this world that our heroes (or anti-heroes) are born to.  Prejudice is all too common, with peaceful demonstration steadily giving way to violent protests and outright rioting.  Some fear that a global conflict between mutants and humans is inevitable, with devastating consequences to the world.  Others are all too eager; humans who want to put an end to the Mutant Menace 'before its too late', and on the other side - the Mutants who desire to take their rightful place as the heirs of humanity.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:31, Sun 01 Nov 2020.

Our heroes-to-be are all relatively young Mutants - early twenties, at most.  Their powers manifested recently, and their control of them is limited.  All are members of Freedom Force.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:05, Sat 22 May 2021.

Here are some common opinions about the Mutant Situation.  Use them as guidelines for developing your own character's way of thinking.

Peaceful Coexistence
Humans and Mutants are NOT two competing species, and there is no real reason why they can't co-exist.  Mutants are brothers, sisters, parents and children of normal humans.   The fact that some (a very small minority, in fact) are endowed with supernatural powers doesn't change that.  Of course, evil, self serving mutants do exist, but they must be judged on an individual basis; the actions of the few shouldn't reflect on the peaceful majority.   To ensure the acts of self-serving mutants don't stain the reputation of the rest, some mutants band together as groups of vigilantes to subdue them before they become a problem, and to protect innocents lives.  But the fact that they too operate outside the purview of the law doesn't endear them to the authorities or the general populace - no matter how noble their intentions may be.

A Cold War
As long as Humanity are not openly antagonistic to Mutant-kind, all will be well.  But if someone so much as thinks about harming a Mutant - then Mutants are justified in fighting back with all their strength.  With rising tensions, and with world governments taking active steps to 'control' Mutants, this philosophy garners more and more supporters by the day.  After all, if they're given the choice between being labeled a terrorist, or death, they'll happily (or reluctantly) choose the former: they will not go like lambs to the slaughter.

Social Darwinists
Some Mutants believe they have an inborn right to take control of the Earth.  Seeing themselves as the next stage of Human Evolution; different from the present man like he was from the Neanderthals.  They embrace the conflict with humanity, which they see as inevitable, and with a foregone conclusion.

Out For Themselves
And then there are mutants who care little about the state of affairs between humans and mutants.  For them, their powers are merely a mean to improve their own welfare.  That doesn't necessarily make them malevolent (capitalizing on one's powers could benefit others as well), but their indifference could easily make them appear that way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:33, Sun 01 Nov 2020.

Current X-Men Roster:

Cyclops
Jean Grey
Beast
Storm
Colossus
Gambit
Rogue

Current Freedom Force Roster:

Mistress (NPC) : Exhale toxic gasses, resistance to poison
Fiona Dunn (NPC) : Raising the Dead, Drain Lifeforce
Tank (PC) : Super Strength and Invulnerability
Gwenyth Blake (PC) : Godlike Reflexes and Physical Durability
Kate Messer (PC) : Animal Transformation
The Aesculapian (PC) : Biomanipulation
Windtalker (PC) : Telepathy, Telekinesis
Shiva (PC) : six extra arms, 'computer' brain
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:21, Thu 24 Feb 2022.

How many mutants are there, anyways?

No one really knows.  Check ‘Yes’ for Mutant doesn’t appear on the US census (yet!), and even if it did, there would be no way to know if someone was lying without performing a blood-test.  Guesstimation range from 0.01% of the population to as high as 0.1%.

What is the cause of human Mutation?

The most widely accepted theory is that Mutants are the next stage of human evolution, but it is by no means the only one.  Some believe that the changes in human DNA are so radical they could only have occurred by deliberate, intelligent design.  The identity of the culprits depends on the brand of conspiracy theory you subscribe to; from Aliens, evil corporations, the CIA, or God himself.

Why now?

Mutants are a relatively modern phenomenon; the majority emerged in the last fifty years or so.  The rise in global background radiation is commonly put to blame for human mutations.  Alternatively, those who believe human DNA was deliberately tempered with point the finger on the recent advances in the science of genetics.

What do people think of the X-Men?

For the vast majority of the population, two gangs of mutants fighting each other on the streets is no different than a Bloods vs Creeps match where both parties are armed with bazookas; the distinction between the self-styled protectors of humanity and those who would do them harm is immaterial when you’re caught in the crossfire.  The media can’t provide an accurate report of what went down if they could be bothered to, or imagine what might have happened if the ‘heroes’ hadn’t intervened when they did.

What year is it?

Its 2020.  The world resembles our own in most respects.  There HAVE been some breathtaking technological innovations, but those are kept out of the hands of the general population (the iron-man suit, for example)

Any other superheroes out there?

Operating out of New-York, the world-renowned Avengers boast as being 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes'.  They're probably right, too.  Current roster includes Captain America, Ironman, Dr. Strange, Thor, Ant-Man, and Hawkeye.
Less mighty heroes who are still worthy of consideration are Spiderman (New-York), Captain Britain (Great Britain), Iron-Fist, Moon Knight, and of course; squirrel-girl

Fantastic Four?
Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm were all killed after being exposed to 'cosmic' radiation.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:18, Sat 29 May 2021.