Marvel Super Heroes D100 - Gaming Notes #3

Previously, on Marvel Super Heroes RPG - X-Men...
The heroes defeated the Marauders in downtown Omaha in search of Mr. Sinister's base so they can rescue the kidnapped baby, Nathan Summers.

Angry crowds gather around the street-clothed heroes and the villains they just defeated. Devastation surrounds them in the aftermath of the battle. Two cops are calling in reinforcements but the mob surges forward, chanting anti-mutant phrases. Rocks are thrown at the unconscious Marauders by a few irate rioters. The situation is quickly spiraling out of control until Wolverine steps forward and calms the crowd. The mob disperses with some interested onlookers lingering to see what will happen next.

Cyclops and Colossus enter the orphanage in search of Mr. Sinister's base, which they believe to be under the orphanage. Finding the orphanage empty, they go to the basement where they hear sniffles and children crying. The children are huddled together in the basement with the orphanage staff trying to sooth their fears as best as they can due to the loud, destructive fight that just occurred outside the orphanage. Cyclops tell them the danger has passed. One of Cyclops's old orphanage guardians from when he was a child at this orphanage recognizes him and agrees to let me look around the orphanage. Their search is fruitless - it turns up nothing.

Meanwhile, outside more police show up and rope off the crime scene. Freedom Force, the mutant government team, has been called to take the evil mutants into custody. Wolverine catches Marvel Girl saying as she calls Nathan "her baby," when, in reality, it's Madelyn Pryor's baby. He confronts her but she dodges the question. A blind lady in the crowd catch's the Beast's eye - it's Destiny from Freedom Force. She warns him, "Beware the red death. It's an end to all mutants. Stop the coming Apocalypse!"  then disappears back into the crowd. Knowing that the rest of Freedom Force can't be far behind, the X-Men redouble their efforts to find Sinister's base.

A search of the exterior of the orphanage and the sewer turn up nothing so in desperation, the X-Men have Jean Grey read the mind of one of the Marauders, Scalphunter. They discover that their is a dimensional portal nearby that is activated by a device the Marauders have. Jean lifts the device and they proceed to the nearby door.

Upon entering, they are transported to a long, dark corridor with a large, bright room at the end. "Welcome, my brothers!" Mr. Sinister greets them warmly. A force field prevents them from attacking Mr. Sinister and Dazzler, who is with him holding Nathan. Mr. Sinister and the obviously mind-controlled or possessed Dazzler explain their master plan to the X-Men: They had to have the Morlocks killed to weed the mutant gene pool of those unworthy. Sinister claims that the Morlocks were created by somebody else using his technology. He explains how he has manipulated Cyclop's, Jean's, and Madelyne's lives so that Nathan can be born - the mutant he hopes will grow to be capable of destroying the ancient, evil mutant - Apocalypse. He reveals that Apocalypse most likely has their missing teammates (Rogue, Sunspot, Magma, and Angel) and that he desires to rule the world. He doesn't know where Apocalypse is, but he is guessing that the one who stole his technology to create the Morlocks does. Sinister has Dazzler return Nathan to the X-Men saying, "I have what I needed," before disappearing.

Mr. Sinister's tesseract base starts collapsing and the X-Men struggle to get out. Uncharacteristically, Marvel Girl seems reluctant to save anyone except Nathan. Finally, she does but once outside Dazzler hands Nathan to Marvel Girl and both of them start walking away. The team pursues Marvel Girl and after Cyclops strikes her with an optic blast, she reverts back to her normal self. It seems Madelyne Pryor had taken over Jean's mind when Jean had made mental contact with the comatose Madelyne earlier. Freed from Madelyne's influence, a weakened Jean flies back to the X-Mansion with the rest of the X-Men. Jean stays behind with Nathan and Psylocke at the X-Mansion while the rest of the X-Men return to the Morlock tunnels in search of the one who can lead them to Apocalypse.

After ten hours of fruitless searching in the scorched-clean tunnels, Beast's "kit-bashed" radar device detects an energy signature. Opening the door, the X-Men discover in a room crowded with computers and lab equipment... A blue, furry Beast!?! How can this be? Is this another clone or imposter or something else? Find out next time...