Nuclear Scare [Marvel Heroic Roleplaying recap]
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| The Doom Pool at one point: 4d12, 3d10, 2d8, and 1d6 |
The Ferret, Abrasax, and Mr. Eternity had successfully stopped Empyrean from obtaining alien DNA from the Celestial, but only because the Celestial had mysteriously returned to life as the Dark Celestial. Now the Dark Celestial is on the loose, and the three heroes have rounded up most of the Ultimate Posse to help.
Scene One
The Ferret, Abrasax, Mr. Eternity, Samkhara, and Dr. Mind are approached at the HQ by Gen. Niles MacCauley of the USAF, who reports that the Dark Celestial is heading for the Strategic Air Command base at El Seguro. There's a nuclear arsenal there, and MacCauley fears the worst. After some very un-heroic dickering over what kind of future support the USAF would give to the Ultimate Posse, they head out in their new jet, which doesn't yet have a name.
The team also sees news footage of Empyrean's trio of clone bodyguards--Crimson, Cobalt, and Viridian--attempt to intercept the Dark Celestial and fail. Cobalt falls to earth, apparently seriously injured or dead.
Scene Two
The Ferret recommends heading for where Cobalt fell, to see if she had information regarding Empyrean's plans. The group finds her thankfully alive and very disillusioned by being abandoned by her "sisters." She immediately wants revenge on Empyrean and agrees to join the group.
This plot element was contrived to allow a visitor to have a PC in the group, and fit the story well.
Right after this Empyrean's other henchmen--Crowdsource, Feral, and Gale Force--show up with plans to claim Cobalt's body. They are curiously accompanied by another figure: King Crab! Feral accuses Cobalt of betrayal and they have a fairly quick fight that goes in the heroes' favor.
Questions remain: what is the somewhat dopey alien King Crab doing with these guys? And hadn't they just been hauled off to jail by Lancelot?
Scene Three
Continuing towards El Seguro, the group is attacked mid-flight by Empyrean and his bodyguards, Cobalt having been replaced by yet another clone, Goldenrod. The fight, conducted several thousand feet above the ground, proves to be a difficult one for the heroes until Samkhara uses her powers to prevent the trio of bodyguards from blocking attacks aimed at Empyrean. When he falls to the ground unconscious, the three ladies race after him, allowing the Posse to continue to the military base.
Samkhara's player had a great idea, but it wasn't immediately clear how that would work. There are rules for attacking powers, but nothing on how to attack a SFX or a Distinction. So I just winged it.
Another great moment occurred when I said Empyrean was using his mutagenic gas gun on Cobalt.
"At 2000 feet!?!" said Dr. Mind's player incredulously. I agreed to use the scene distinction at a d4, and still ended up with a substantial complication for Cobalt.
The Ferret also spent the entire flight clinging to Virdian in mid-air. That's almost worth a complication in itself.
Scene Four
The heroes finally arrive at El Seguro, where the Dark Celestial declares his intent to have all of humanity join him in experiencing the delight of dying. Obviously the heroes are having none of that, and immediately launch into the Dark Celestial, who proves to be not quite as tough as he looks. It doesn't hurt that the players only rolled a single "1" on a die the entire scene!
Following their victory of the Dark Celestial, the Posse oversee his containment and transport to Supervillain Jail.
Thoughts to follow. Comments welcome.
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