Rules and Setting Mutants & Masterminds: Future Imperfect - General Timeline

[Joani]

There is no real recorded date of when the „first“ Mutant appeared/went public. It is rumored that they’ve been around for far longer than assumed (as far back as the mid 17th Century) but only recently, measured by historical standards the Mutants have become an everyday sight.

1950 – The word Mutant is first used to describe Humans with genetical alterations to their DNA that gives them their supernatural powers.

1951 to 1960 – More and more Mutants are born and live open, seemingly normal lives. Some Mutants with more drastic powers are invited by scientists for further study and training to control their powers.

1960 to 1980 – The Golden Age of Mutants, The following 20 years known as the Golden Age describes a time where Mutants started to help humanity using their amazing powers. Some help in crimefighting, others in terraforming and environmental threats. Mutants are reverred and admired, merchandise explode around the globe and the world economy thrives and flourishes. Roughly every 1000th Citizen worldwide is a Mutant.

1965 – Scientists find distinctive differences in Mutant DNA, especially concerning their potentials and powers. First classifications are mentioned and shortly after established. Mutants are now categorized from Class I to V based on their abilities and powers.

1968 – The first Superpowered Teams emerge. Team Justice and the Supremacy are among the first to act world wide. Small teams of local vigilantes follow in their image but none achieve as much fame as TJ and The Supremacy.

1975 – In some countries anti-Mutant sentiments grow. Small religious fanatical groups and political shady organisations start to protest against Mutants. Some demand higher taxation (financially) of Mutants because of their superior abilities to do a better job than your average Joe. Some claim the Mutants to be inhuman, Aberrations and against God’s creation.

1980 to 1999 – The Silver Age of Mutants – Economy is still growing and Mutants are generally looked well upon by the majority of the populace. While the Golden Age was dominated by new marvels and wonders of the ever increasing number of Superheroes, the Silver Age first introduced Supervillains and organisations that either strictly opposed Mutant society or where driven by the desire to vanquish the Supers and thus gain control of the World (literally World Domination). Especially the Class Is to IIIs are easily lured to join these shady organisations, wanting to get some of the spotlight the IVs and Vs are receiving on a daily basis.

2000/2001 – The Millenium hallmarks the end of the Mutant-Era. Over night almost half of the Mutant population died from the effects the Mutant Virus caused. The first 3 months of the year 2001 was dominated by an apocalyptic „theme“ as Mutants all over the world died and those that barely survived claimed it was the end of the world.

The Epidemic left a huge hole in the worlds economy and political stability. Mutants demanded proper medical care while scientists and doctors struggled to contain the epidemic with no or very little success. By May of 2001 over half of the Mutant population has been eradicated, the first victims being the most powerful Class Vs and IVs. Shortly after Mutant resentment started to exponentially grow and many fanatical groups claimed that it was God’s wrathful justice that has brought them down.

Present Day – The Number of Mutants has dwindled to about one fifth of the census before the Virus hit. No known Class V is still alive (see the news post of 12-24-2011) and the number of Class IVs still alive is in the double digits. Mutants are rarely seen these days in public or suspiciously observed. Parents try to keep their children away from them, as if they have some kind of contagious disease. Those Mutants that still work in public have to deal with daily prejudice and harrassment. Recently the Mutant Registration Act has passed and with it the Governments try to enforce to move the remaining Mutants into so called MICs for further observation and public safety.