[h1][The Setting][/h1]

[h3][Basic information][/h3][b]Country:[/b] Upstate New York, USA
[b]Time:[/b] Summer 2015
[b]Government:[/b] PEACE Party
[b]President:[/b] Nathaniel Goode

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[h3][Recent history][/h3]Rumours of fantastically gifted people being born had been circulating for years, but mutants first made themselves officially known in the early 80s. Sick of hiding and being shunned from their communities, the Mutants Against Prejudice organisation was formed. MAP took their case to the White House, where they explained the importance of education on both sides; the public must be taught that mutants are not a threat, and mutants themselves must be taught to control their abilities in order to avoid accidents. 

Faced with little option, considering what these people were capable of, the Protection of Mutants through Education bill was passed. Part of this involved setting up a school specifically for young mutants, where they would be taught to control their powers and blend into normal life. Alan Portwood, a member of MAP with a wealth of teaching experience, was elected to run the school, which became known as the Government Academy for Mutant Education; GAME. 

However, not all went to plan. Whilst Portwood and his school were a huge success, little was done to convince the public that mutants were not a threat, and there was still a lot of global hostility towards the gifted. But Portwood's teachings encouraged mutants to persevere; one day, he said, humans would recognise them as equals. 

By 2006, it seemed that day would never come. Disillusioned and enraged, a group of mutants graduating the school, now with expert control over their abilities, took a stand and attacked the White House. Each of the group was swiftly terminated by armed forces before they could cause any harm to the president, but the damage was done elsewhere: now, the world feared mutants more than ever. The PME act was overturned and GAME was closed, seemingly for good. Mutants were back where they started; shunned by their communities and forced into hiding. 

But now, it's 2015. The new, liberal 'PEACE' government has reinstated the Protection of Mutants act, and after years of closure the GAME academy is now re-opening its doors; with a complete refurbishment and a new name in honour of its founder, the Portwood Institute for Talented Youths. Everything seems to be heading in the right direction for mutantkind again... Or is it?

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[h3][What is a mutant?][/h3]'Mutant' is the commonly accepted name for humans who have developed non-human talents through genetic mutation. There is no specific 'mutant gene' that is passed down through generations, it is a rare mutation that occurs randomly and, despite being public knowledge for over thirty years, very little is known about it. Mutants are always human-looking to a degree, but some may have physical mutations to accompany their intrinsic abilities. This can range from an abnormal hair or eye colour to more dramatic traits such as scaled skin or height abnormalities, for example. Note that most mutants do not have these traits and, when not using their powers, can easily pass as regular humans. 

Abilities tend to materialise during the later teen years, often around the age of 16. Some theories suggest that abilities simply do not manifest until this age, whilst others claim that youngsters are born with the mutated gene and that it simply lies dormant until it is triggered by puberty. Regardless, this is around the time that most individuals display their abilities and, if they are unfortunate enough to inherit physical disfigurations, these tend to develop at this point, too. (In the same way that no mutant is born able to conjure flames, no mutant is born with physical distinction. Everything manifests in puberty.)

From the '90s to the '00s, mutant equality seemed to be on the rise, but that fateful day in 2006 set the cause back by decades. Since then, even with the PEACE government's Equality For All campaign, the general attitude towards mutants is still one based in fear. As such, most mutants choose to keep their genetic identity a secret and live normal lives, but without proper training abilities can be difficult to control. Abilities are easily triggered by emotions and one wrong move can out a mutant in an instant. Mutants with physical mutations have even more difficulty concealing themselves and tend to go into hiding altogether.

Mutant homelessness is not as big an issue as one might expect. Most parents love their mutant children enough to know that they would never intentionally harm them. It is normal for families to go to great lengths to conceal the fact their child is a mutant, in order to save them from prejudice. Naturally, there are instances where families are less supporting and young mutants find themselves disowned. This is especially an issue for physically mutated individuals, whom most people find harder to accept.

Thus far there have been no successful experiments to replicate the mutation, and thus there are no examples of artificial mutants created through scientific means. 

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[h3][Organisations of interest][/h3][IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/nvzl2w.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i58.tinypic.com/29vym39.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/33zg31l.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/2qunsrs.png[/IMG]
[sub][i](Left-to-right: PITY, PEACE, MAP & HAM)[/i][/sub]
 
[hider=Portwood Institute for Talented Youths (PITY)]
PITY was founded by mutant and MAP member Alan Portwood towards the end of the 80s. A government-funded venture then-known as GAME, the aim of the school was always to provide mutant youth with an education that would allow them to blend seamlessly into society; and it worked. That didn't stop the government pulling the plug on the project in 2006, when a group of students from the institute attacked the White House in a display of political protest. The building sat in neglect for the better part of a decade until 2015, when it was re-opened as PITY with a complete refurbishment; once again able to provide state-of-the-art specialist education to mutant youths. [/hider]
[hider=People for Equal Aid of Citizens Everywhere (PEACE)]
PEACE is a political party founded towards the end of the '00s, based on the principles of equality for all. It was formed by party-leader Nathaniel Goode who, following their victory in the 2012 election, is now the President of the United States. PEACE are a well-loved government, who have not only brought about general equality but also have managed the nation's finances and global relationships far better than any party of immediate memory. Even mutant-kind appreciate their efforts; whilst PEACE may not shout from the rooftops about the work they do for mutant equality, they have made more progress than any other organisation before them. [/hider]
[hider=Mutants Against Prejudice (MAP)]
MAP was formed in the 80s by a group of successful and wealthy mutants, some of whom were in the public eye. Its purpose was to confirm the rumours and announce to the world that mutantkind did exist, but that they were ordinary, positive members of society. MAP did wonders for mutant rights in its time, and it was them who pushed for the first passing of the Protection of Mutants through Education act. They were also heavily involved in maintaining the Governmental Academy for Mutant Education (now PITY), with headmaster Alan Portwood being among their founding members. Concerned with running the institute, MAP faded from the public eye, and following the school's closure in 2006 they made little additional impact. Regardless, MAP are still the organisation that is most frequently interviewed for matters of mutant affairs in the media. [/hider]
[hider=Humans Against Mutants (HAM)]
HAM's roots can be traced back to a family in southern Texas, who upon the reveal of mutants to the world took it upon themselves to track down and execute any mutants they could find. They were considered extremists akin to the Westboro Baptist Church for some time, but following the events of September 1st 2006, the group gained a lot of traction and a lot of followers on the back of the fear felt by the public. Benefiting now from various wealthy sponsors, the group works to denounce "mutant scum" and encourages communities to hand over known mutants "For The Greater Good", their slogan. The group is considered illegal by law, and works in secrecy. [/hider]