"One faces down fears of today so that those of tomorrow might be engaged." --Alice Walker Saviors, cultural icons, campy objects of satire, hated outcasts: Superheroes have been portrayed in many ways over the years. Imagine a world where they've actually embodied all of those elements, where they began as beloved icons, faded from glory, were coopted by corporate interests, and finally became the public enemies of the very nation so many of them had sworn to protect. We had built them up, only to tear them down--and make criminals of our heroes. Then, when the world needed them most, our heroes showed up anyway. Superhumans had been forced to register with the government or be condemned as criminals, regulated and treated as outsiders, at best a public resource--at worst a menace to society. But in Earth's greatest moment of crisis, the heroes protected their home anyway. Some emerged from retirement, and others had barely even discovered their powers, but they stood toe to toe with the worst humanity had seen. They put it all on the line when all else failed. And while there were losses, they won the day. Earth endured. Like superheroes, HeroMUX has been around for a long time and taken many forms. In this incarnation, we're exploring the idea of renaissance, a rebirth of what it means to be heroes--and villains. With an eye toward more focused storytelling, weaving players and characters more fully into the game world, we invite you to join us in the City of the Future, where spires of shining hope mark the site where the world refused to kneel. ^[1]