Morlocks

Purpose For some, the X-Factor comes with changes too drastic to be hidden from the rest of the world. Whether it is obvious physical changes that would cause them to be shunned in the normal world, or inconvenient powers that keep them from interacting with most of society, these outcasts are left without many places they can turn. Many of them have banded together to form the Morlocks, a loosely-organized group who lives on the fringes of society, slumming in abandoned buildings and subway and sewer tunnels, stealing food and money to survive. Heard of among mutant subcultures mostly through rumours, no one knows for certain where exactly they can be found, but if someone who needs to join their ranks looks hard enough, they'll be likely to find them. Structure Unlike some of the other groups here, the Morlocks are not bound so much by ideology but by necessity -- a need to carve out a safe home for themselves and protect it. There's not a lot of rules in the Morlocks domain except that they look out for each other, and deal (often violently) with outsiders. Many tend to be a bit clannish, a bit insular, a lot suspicious of people who aren't One Of Them. Morlocks who are capable tend to pitch in and do what they can to keep the group afloat. Scavenge supplies, steal supplies, offer medical or cooking or childcare skills, patrol the tunnels to keep intruders at bay. Helping out is not really enforced by anything except social contract, but if you can and choose not to probably you'll just end up with a rep for being That Jerk and have an uncomfortable time around the tunnels. It works out alright. Spaces A labyrinthine mishmash of miles of disused spaces under the city. Occasionally damp, often moldy, often dark. Sometimes they've managed to steal electricity and wire it up to be a little more livable. Sometimes their wiring is faulty and shit lights on fire. Such is life. It's impossible to get near the actual living spaces without running into many, many booby traps, if not the actual guards on patrol. Morlocks themselves are taught where traps are and learn well what to avoid and the best routes in and out. Recruitment Recruitment to the Morlocks happens via personal connection. Outside of mutant community, there are rumors of Weird Monsters living under the city but few people know for a fact that the Morlocks exist. Within mutant community more people might know Of them, but knowing how to find their underground home is a different story. In order to join the Morlocks an existing Morlock needs to personally invite and escort a potential new Morlock home. Characters who the Morlocks are likely to accept into their home, either on a temporary or long-term basis, are characters who have solid, unalterable reasons that they are unable to blend in and exist in aboveground society without persecution. Most commonly this means mutants with very visible mutations, particularly but not exclusively those that are commonly viewed as frightening/gross/monstrous/ugly. This can also mean mutants who have mutations that are not Overtly Visible but for other reasons keep them from being able to integrate into society. The Morlocks dislike outsiders, by and large. Including other mutants, most times! Their tunnels are a labyrinth riddled with traps and patrolled by guards both PC and NPC, and they don't take kindly to unannounced visitors. If you are not a Morlock, please do not roleplay in the Morlock tunnels as if your character is freely wandering/exploring their home. Roster The Morlocks are a small and tight-knit group; at any given time only between 50-70 people live in the core group in the tunnels, with a handful more temporary drifters who just fetched up for a very brief stay. If your character is actually living with Morlocks for any length of time, they will definitely know all the other Morlocks fairly well. The current PCs in the Morlocks are: Alex Carpenter Victor 'Anole' Borkowski Alejandro 'Bug' Garcia Flores Elizabeth Morten Gino Gabriel Del Greco Lumin Vitreous Marrow Nessie Grace Pelayo Nick Thanh Gleason Taylor Allen - murdered by police in Freaktown raid, April 27 2024.