"I am Vengenace! I am the Night! I am Batman!"
Name:Bruce Wayne
Alias:The Batman
Origin:Silver Spoon; 1981-1989Bruce Wayne was the first born son of Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne, wealthy philanthropists in the high society of Gotham City. Their family was eventually completed by the addition of another son, Bruce's younger brother Thomas Jr. The brothers were brought up in the stately Wayne manor, enjoying happy and privileged lives until one fateful night, when Bruce was eight and Thomas Jr was six, their parents are shot and killed by small time crook, Joe Chill.
Responsibility for Bruce and Thomas Jr was willed to an old friend to the family, Alfred Pennyworth, son of Thomas' Sr deceased butler Jarvis Pennyworth. Alfred had led an interesting life , having served in Her Majesty's Royal Marines, been a counter intelligence agent with MI5, and performed with the the Royal Shakespeare Company, but nothing in his past could have prepared him for what was in store. Suddenly and without expectation becoming the guardian to two boys is difficult enough, but when those boys have gone through a tragedy that could unman full grown adults? A nigh on impossible task, or at least that's what it first felt like to Alfred.
Initially he struggled to make any connection with the young Waynes, as they spent all their time locked in their room, speaking to no one but each other, always in whispers. After several weeks Alfred was at the end of his tether, contemplating contacting someone in social services who would be better suited to help the boys, when they finally opened up to him. They approached him, telling how they believed their parents were killed due to a conspiracy, rather than a random act of violence. They wished to meet Chill, and find out who hired him. Pennyworth tried desperately to dissuade them, knowing that their belief in a conspiracy was the defensive mechanics of a child's mind, protecting them from the grim and senseless truth. However he was soon to discover the Wayne boys were possessed of fierce wills, and he realised that if he didn't acquiesce to their request then they'd find some way around him.
It proved surprisingly easy to smuggle two young boys into prison to have a clandestine meeting with an accused murderer. Gotham was that corrupt, and the Waynes were that rich. While scornful of the criminal, the boys went on to offer Chill and obscene amount of money to reveal who he had been working for the night he killed Thomas and Martha. The answer was, of course, no one. When he realized that this wasn't the answer the boys were looking for and that he was in danger of missing out on his payday, Chill changed his tune, blaming just about everyone in Gotham for the deed. The damage was done however, the boys illusion was shattered. They left the prison. Chill, unsurprisingly, never did get the money.
An Oath by Candlelight; 1989The boys retreated from society once more, Alfred cursing himself for stupidly following their plan. He felt he had lost them for good this time. In actuality the boys were planning their future. In the secrecy of night the Wayne's swore an oath by candlelit. An oath to avenge their parent's deaths, to enforce some measure of sense upon what had happened. Criminals had taken from them, and they were determined that criminals would pay.
Preparation for a War; 1990 - 2008Enlisting the help of Pennyworth, they begin to train body and mind in readiness for the day that they initiate their war on crime. At first Alfred merely thought the training was a good way to help the boys work off their emotions after the loss of their parents, but their conviction was unwavering and eventually their guardian was forced to admit that this was no passing fancy. He worried for them, but could not dissuade them from their path. Realizing once again that they would go through with their plans with his blessings or without he resolved to support them as fully as he was able, even hiring experts in several different disciplines of science and combat to teach them.
The time eventually came when the boys could learn nothing more from Alfred or the teachers willing to travel to Wayne Manor. Instead Bruce and Thomas Jr, eighteen and sixteen respectively at the time, realised that if they were to continue their training then they would need to travel to the teachers themselves. The official line was that the two were taking some time to tour Europe and Asia while Alfred looked after their interests in Gotham. They rarely contacted Alfred, other than to give him a progress review every six months or so.
While they were away the city continued to fall into ruin, with established mob families like the Bertinelli's and the Falcone's strengthening their hold on the city while hungry up and comers like the Maronis, Sionis and the Dimitrovs eager to carve themselves a piece of Gotham. Things seemed to come to a ill balanced head when Carmine Falcone united the families in an uneasy truce under his banner, promising each group would get their fare share of Gotham if they followed him and helped make him mayor.
It was to this volatile atmosphere that Bruce returns to Gotham, alone. Despite Alfred's pressing Bruce refuses to explain his brothers absence, instead fixing all his attentions upon the Roman, and breaking his vice like grip on Gotham
Whispers of a Legend; 2008 – 2010Bruce sets to trying to prove Roman's criminal affiliations, a task the corrupt police force of Gotham, led by Commisioner Loeb, never got around to doing. However despite all his training his first night on the town nearly ended in disaster. While investigating a ship he suspected of smuggling guns earmarked for helping Falcone's schemes he was nearly caught and killed by the Roman's men. Returning to the manor, dejected and injured, Bruce was ready to give up the crusade that had seen him lose his brother, and seemed certain to prove his end. That night he dreamed of Tommy, which made him realise that merely being a man made him vulnerable in the eyes of his enemies. To truly defeat them he had to become something more. Drawing on a childhood incident he chose his knew identity.
The Batman.
With new vigour he struck at Falcone again, striking terror into his forces. Under this new pressure cracks began to form in the gangster alliance that had so painstakingly formed, and it wasn't long until they turned upon each other like the rabid dogs they were. In the months that followed Batman picked them apart, dismantling their operations piecemeal.
As effective as he was taking the criminals down, there was still something missing. No matter how many times he took down the crooks, they always ended up back on the streets. Loeb's corrupt police force seen to that. Batman began to realize he needed an ally in his war, someone more firmly on the side of the law. Someone who could make sense of a system long since broken.
He picked James Gordon.
Gordon was a Detective Sergeant with the GCPD, and one of the few honest officers on the force. A little weathered and whiskey soaked maybe, but the best of the bunch in Batman's opinion. Their initial relationship was strained, Gordon being reluctant to work with a vigilante, but eventually the two men hit a stride that seen them make major inroads in their mission to rid Gotham of crime, though they were still hindered by being forced to work around the corrupt elements of the GCPD.
Eventually the pull in a third man to aid their crusade, Deputy District Attorney Harvey Dent. With Dent's help they began a state investigation of the GCPD. It wasn't long before the dismissals began, and with it a major reshuffle of the forces command structure. Gordon was promoted to major and Dent became the new district attorney.
The Dark Knight; 2010 – 2011While the new year started on a high, it wasn't long before things soured for the Batman. Salvatore Maroni, a mob boss on trial, decided to get revenge Gotham's new guardians. Batman seemed untouchable, and Gordon's role as a police major kept him out of reach, meaning Harvey would have to be punished for the three. During his trial Maroni flung a bottle of acid into Dent's face. The trauma fractured Harvey's mind, causing the emergence of a split personality, called Two-Face. Batman and Gordon scrabbled to deal with the fallout, while trying to come to terms with the loss of one of their greatest ally and friend. Two-Face was arrested, and Gordon made Commissioner for his contributions.
While both Batman would have rathered to return to dealing with 'regular' crime after his first encounter with a 'super-villain' he was never given the chance, as Two-Face opened the flood gates of Gotham's craziness. It wasn't long until Batman was matching wits and abilities with similar mad men, such as the Mad Monk, Victor Zsasz and the Penguin. While it proved to be a trying time, Batman's resolve and training seen him triumph again and again, though a little more worn and battle scarred after each encounter.
It was during this time that Haley's circus returned to Gotham. It was to be the show of the century, with everyone who was anyone in the city due to make an appearance. Even the enigmatic Bruce Wayne, well known to be something of a recluse, was rumoured to be attending. The festivities turned tragic however when the Flying Graysons, famed high flying acrobat troop, fell to their deaths, leaving their youngest member, Richard 'Dick' Grayson, an orphan.
Bruce, ever sensitive to the plight of children, was struck by Dick's plight. This feeling became all the more powerful when he discovered that the Grayson's tragedy wasn't a mere accident, but the deady design of 'Boss' Tony Zucco. Realizing that Dick's situation mirrored his own, Bruce took him in as his ward, while Batman tracked down Zucco. While originally only meaning to take Dick out of an uncaring juvenile services system, the boy quickly showed himself to be possessed of a remarkable resolve, conducting his own hunt for his parent's killer. Batman allowed Dick to join him, believing that getting his own vengeance would give the boy a sense of closure, and togther they put an end to the Boss' operations, though Zucco apparently suffered a fatal heart attack before he could be apprehended.
While on patrol Batman began to get an idea of Dick's potential, and he began to wonder about offering the boy a place in his crusade. Maybe he felt the boy could be a valuable asset on his war on crime, or he felt that after his close encounters with the maniacs of the city it was time to start readying a succsesor. In his more introspective moments he feels it might be because Dick, with his cocksure and confident demeanour, reminded him of Tommy as a young man. Whatever the reason, he began to leave small clues to his dual identity. Dick didn't dissappoint, and quickly 'discovered' Batman's secret. Bruce offered to take the boy as and train him in the skills he had developed himself. Dick quickly accepted, and so began a partnership which would soon become as legendary as any that came before it.
The Dynamic Duo; 2011 – 2012Dick took to his training with gusto, especially the physical ones, though Batman was hesitant to allow him out into the field once more, not until he had been sufficently prepared. One couldn't grow complacent in Gotham after all, as once you feel like your growing used to it the city has a habit of throwing something new and unexpected at you. Something like the Joker.
[POTENTIAL PLAYER INTEREST IN THE JOKER. WILL LEAVE BLANK UNTIL I HAVE MORE DETAILS]
In the wake of his confrontation with the Joker, Batman became a widely accepted savior of Gotham, in the most part shedding his urban myth status, though there are still some today who refuse to acknowledge his existence.
Dick, tiring of never been allowed out on patrol, began to chafe under his mentor's rules. Despite his claims to the contrary, Batman insisted the young man was still unprepared for what lay in wait for him. However things came to a head when one night the Dark Knight fell into one of The Riddlers traps. While Batman maintained he would have broken free eventually, Alfred equipped Dick with his own suit and sent him to the Caped Crusaders rescue. Grudgingly accepting that his protege was ready for whatever the streets could throw at him, Bruce informed Dick that there was one last test. 'The Gauntlet' - Dick had to elude the Dark Knight on the streets of Gotham for one night - from sundown to sunrise - without any outside help. Dick passed, simultaneously bringing Gotham gangster Joe Minette to justice. And like that, Robin, The Boy Wonder, was born. The criminals of Gotham had a new name to fear.
Later in the year Batman had a run in with a street orphan named Jason Todd. Todd was in the process of trying to steal the tyres from the Batmobile, an act that seen him receive a swift and none to gentle reprimand from the Bat. The following week seen Jason recieve a surprise scholarship to a prestigious boarding school in England, funded by Wayne Charities.
A New Family; 2012 to PresentReports of a female vigilante, seemingly inspired by Batman, began to circulate. While difficult to corroborate, Batman did begin to build a case. While this wasn't the first impersonator to emerge, the rumours seemed a little more concrete than usual.
He didn't get to dig into the mystery as far as he would like before the next crisis loomed over the horizon, though this one was larger and more far-reaching than any the Batman had faced before. Darkseid, a God-Tyrant from another realm had opened gateways to earth, his armies spewing with the goal of conquering. Batman joined forces with several other heroes to push back the invasion, succeeding in thwarting Darkseid's plans. That day the Justice League was formed, a team designed to always stand firm in earth's defence. Though a principal member of the original line up, Batman declined full time membership, instead insisting he was a 'reservist' who would be on hand when the situation called for his aid, but for the League not to expect him 'to bail them out' every time they got in trouble. Gotham was still his priority.
In his absence Robin had protected the city on his on, exerting some long deserved independence. Things returned to the old status quo with Batman's return, though things did change when they discovered the rumours of a 'Batgirl' were more than just rumours. Discovering that this new vigilante was in fact Barbara Gordon, daughter of his long time ally Commisoner Gordon, Batman started tracking her down, meaning to get her to swear of her crazy quest. However after watching her dismantle one of Penguin's gun smuggling rings he realized that, like Dick before her, she had a lot of potential. In the end he gave her an ultimatum. Either work with him and learn, or cease her activities at once. Barbara chose to learn.
For a while Batman, Robin and Batgirl made major progress in their crusade. Seeing the effect of having more feet on the ground (while under his tight and uncompromising command) Bruce begins to wonder how much a difference one more soldier could make. It was a war after all, and to fight a war you needed soldiers. Remembering Jason Todd and the spirit he showed, Batman begins to train the boy, though in secret from Dick an Barbara.
While they'd found their stride as Batman and Robin, Bruce and Dick were beginning to fall afoul of one another. While Bruce had been willing to turn a blind eye to Dick's infatuation with Barbara (mostly because Barbara was completely uninterested) it was a different matter entirely when he discovered the young man had used the Robin identity to seduce a young socialite. Bruce was furious, feeling his ward had endangered their identities, shown a complete lack of respect for the seriousness of their situation, and unfairly and cruelly tricked the girl. Dick retorted that Batman constantly did similar with Catwoman, an not entirely unfounded claim. They fell into a sullen stalemate, with Bruce considering sending Dick overseas for training and time to cool off. Alfred convinced him against it, but it was obvious that things couldn't go on the way they were.
The inevitable came to pass when, after being injured by Scarecrow, Robin was put on 'Cave Arrest', Bruce worried about the boy being hurt further. While on his own Dick discovered the existence of Jason Todd, a boy he assumed Bruce was training to replace him. He confronted his mentor, and while Bruce tried to explain that they were at war and Jason was a soldier for their crusade, things quickly became heated. Dick attacked Bruce's mission and left. Bruce, hurt by this seeming betrayal, accelerates Jason's training with the intention of bringing him in to become the new Robin, ironically making Dick's fears a reality.
For a while Batman worked mostly alone, happy to let Batgirl out on her own. Things changed for the worse when Barbara was paralysed by the Joker in an attack meant for Jim Gordon. Bruce worked tirelessly in pursuit of the Clown Prince of Crime, racing against time to find the maniac before the Commissioner did. Dick returned to Gotham, the old Dynamic Duo reunited for a while in their common cause, working through some of their many issues in the process. The Joker was brought in, and Jim pulled back in from the edge of madness.
Though the incident reminded Batman of just how vulnerable his allies were, he still went ahead and gave Jason the Robin mantle, while watching with silent pride as Dick – now going by Nightwing – and Barbara – calling herself Oracle – begin to train a new soldier, Tim Drake.
Now he stands ready to face the next challenge Gotham throws at him.
Attributes:- Indomitable Will
The closest thing Bruce has to an actual superpower. His strenght of will and indomitable determination truly sets him apart from the average man. He can keep functioning while suffering tremendous amounts of pain, push himself past his own incredible limits and even work through conditions like mind control and telepathy.
- Peak Human Physical Conditioning
Years of intense physical training, regimented diet, vigilantism, and good genetics has allowed Batman to achieve near superhuman levels of strength, endurance, speed, agility and reflexes. His mental faculties are in a likewise excellant condition.
- Expert Combatant
Trained in over two dozen martial arts, and with some basic understanding of the forms and sets that make up many more, Bruce is easily one of the most skilled combatants of modern times. He employs a very grounded, pragmatic style which economises movement and momentum to maximise the damage he inflicts on foes for limited stamina expenditure. Even after his training ended and his mission began, he has still found the time to increase his skills. After all, there is no substitue for experience, and he has gained a great deal of that on the harsh streets of Gotham. His knowledge of pressure points, and the nerve strikes needed to incapacitate them, is supreme.
- Genius Intellect
Bruce's childhood was one of intense study. When he wasn't training his body he was training his mind. Has spent nearly two decades studying at the feet of some of the days greatest minds. Nigh unparalleled skills in deductive reasoning. Has in-depth knowledge in criminology, psychology, biology, medicine, anatomy, computer and natural sciences, economics, botany, chemistry and forensics. Some working knowledge of the law, but ironically it isn't comprehensive. Bruce could be called an omniglot, as he is fluent in over eight languages, while being proficent in several more.
- Stealth Skills
Bruce is a master of stealth. He is able to move silently and mask himself so well that even an individual with super senses would have trouble tracking him. He has entered and exited high security facilities without anyone ever realizing he was there. (ARGUS are still none the wiser.)
- Wealth
Wayne is a multi billionaire, more than able to fund his campaign against crime. The term 'Richer than God' is usually changed to 'Richer than Bruce Wayne' while in Gotham.
- Expert Tactician
Part of what makes Batman so dangerous, what allows him to keep up with the likes of the Justice League while just being a normal man, is that he always has a plan. Whoever he's fighting, wherever he's fighting, whenever he's fighting, you can bet he's planned for it. Not only this, but he's flexible too. All that forward thinking is apt to make a man too rigid, but not Batman. He can incorporate new information into his plans and adjust them as necesary on the fly.
- Theatrics and Deception
A bizarre skillset for a vigilante you might think, but not so. Theatricality and deception, powerful agents against the uninitiated, are major weapons in Batman's arsenal. Bruce is a master of disguise, maintaining several aliases across the city, the most notable amongst them being 'Matches Malone'. He uses intimidation to great effect, striking fear into the hearts of criminals and do-gooders alike.
- Master in Escapology
Knowing that his mission would inevitably lead him into tight situations, Bruce prepared himself to be ready for when that day came. He has trained extensively in escapology. He claims to be able to escape from a regulation strait jacket in 2.73 seconds.
- Information Gathering
Batman always finds out what he wants to know. You can hide your information from him behind vault doors, firewalls, or locked lips, but eventually the Dark Knight will get what he wants. He is a master of interrogation techniques, his efficiency matched only by his imagination. In his quieter moments he is secretly disturbed by the satisfaction he takes in apply these techniques, but see's them as a necessary evil in his war on crime.
- Markmanship
Batman's history has lead him to despise guns. Not those who wield them, but guns themselves. However, though he would never use one himself he does have an intimate understanding of the weapons. How to assemble them, what size of rounds they take, the weight of a loaded gun versus the weight of an unloaded gun. He knows his enemy, as it were. He is a consumate marksman when armed with throwing weapons, specifically his batarangs.
- Driving
Bruce is proficient at driving many vehicles like cars, motor bikes, trucks and he is also skillful at driving jets, helicopters and auto boats and small ships
- Tracking
Bruce is equally adept at tracking through either urban or wild enviroments.
- Gadgetry and Gear
Batman is notable for his use of gadgetry. Due to his wealth, money is no obstacle to the development of various gadgets and paraphernalia he uses in fighting crime. In fact the only obstacle is Wayne's own imagination and the time he can spend developing these tools (Though he has negated both this obstacles by recruiting Lucius Fox and Harold Allnut, Bruce still prefers to develop the vast majority of his own gear).
- Batsuit
The suit itself is made of several interweaving layers of nomex, kevlar and micro-ballistic mesh, making for a light-weight, flexible, but extremely durable body armour. It gives excellent protection against blunt force, piercing, slashing and explosive damage. The suit provides an insulation against electrical shock good for up to 26,000V, while the nomex supplies a degree of fireproofing. Upon the chest, where his armour is thickest, Batman wears his insignia, the Bat logo. The suit is light sensitive, darkening when there is more light in the area. His suit houses various hidden compartments for his gadgetry such as smoke pellets, fire extinguishing pellets, batarangs, and small bombs.
- Cowl
A black, full face cowl with two pointed ears, part of a larger piece that fits over the neck and part of the shoulders. The entire piece meant to invoke a bat. Located inside the eye slits are lenses containing a miniature head-up display featuring facial recognition, GPS tracking, electromagnetic spectrum vision, spectrum analysis, detect radio waves, computer uplink, and being capable of giving detailed analysis of scenes and fights. A compact gas mask can also be fitted on the lower part of the mask to prevent inhalation of dangerous gases. The cowl is armoured, while also being resistant to acids and corrosives. Inside are small grids which unleash an electric shock that will incapacitate an enemy should someone attempt to remove it. He also wear's small ear dampner's to protect him from sonic attacks. A compact gas mask can also be fitted on the lower part of the mask to prevent inhalation of dangerous gases.
- Cape
An experimental military fabric nicknamed memory cloth, which gains a rigid, stable shape when an electric current passes through it. It allows Batman to glide over large distances. The top of the cape is fitted with a neck brace, which resists shock. It is flame-resistant (to temperatures which have not been conclusively gauged) and can be used to help conceal Batman in the shadows, to protect him from debris as a result from explosions, and even, sometimes, as a weapon in combat. Bruce has experimented with heavier, bullet resistant fabrics but has ultimately found them to heavy and cumbersome
- Gloves and Gauntlets
The gloves feature reinforced knuckles, while the fingertips contain a needle which can give chemical analysis and even sports lockpicks. The gauntlets are custom-made bracers that wrap around Batman's armored wrist; three sharp blades adorn the sides. These are retractable, so as to prevent accidental bloodshed in combat. They can also be used in a defensive manner, as Batman blocks enemy attacks with a cross arm stance, often using the blades to break knives, and, in extreme situations, swords.
- Utility Belt
Batman keeps most of his personal field equipment in this signature piece of apparel. A belt with pouches to store his gear, the sizes of the pouches depend on the equipment stored within them, though he tries to keep it as streamlined as possible. Over the years it has contained items such as plastic explosives, nerve toxins, batarangs, smoke bombs, a fingerprint kit, a cutting tool, a grappling hook gun, torches, and a "re-breather" breathing device. He even keeps a kryptonite ring in it, contained in a lead pocket, in case of any rampaging kryptonians. The belt also its own automatic security systems.
- Batarangs
Throwing bladed weapons, shaped like a bat.
- Grapple Gun
The grapple gun shoots out a claw shaped projectile on a retractable high-tensile cord, which grabs onto a surface. Then this cord pulls Batman to his target. Used for traversing areas quickly or gaining tactical advantages over his foes. Can also be used to yank objects towards Batman.
- Explosive Gel
A foam-like substance which can be remotely detonated for an explosion. It is contained in a spray device which also acts as a detonator.
- Explosive Pellets
These small explosives are often used to even the odds against stronger foes, distract mobs or knock down walls and barricades.
- Flashbang Pellets
Emit bright light and loud sound to completely blind and deafen enemies. The effect wears off in a few minutes, however. Batman is unaffected by these due to his mask's lenses and sound dampening systems.
- Smoke Pellets
Large amounts of smoke can be deployed by throwing or breaking open these small hardened-gelatin spheroid capsules. Often used to quickly provide cover for Batman's stealthy exits and entries. Due to the lenses in his cowl, he can see perfectly through the smoke.
- Gas Pellets
Gas pellets are used for incapacitating opponents. Lachrymatory, anesthesia, nerve, and regurgitant agents are deployed by breaking open the capsules. A nose-piece gas filter is necessary to ensure he doesn't fall to his own weapons.
- Thermite Grenades
An incendiary used to burn through obstacles. The fires produced by these grenades are fuelled by thermite, and thus are impossible to extinguish and burn at over three times the temperature of molten magma.
- Re-breather
This cylindrical device allows Batman to breathe underwater or in low oxygen environments. It is very small and compact so it fits easily into the gauntlet compartments. The standard rebreather gives 2.5 hours of oxygen
- Laser
A strong miniaturized laser used as a cutting tool.
- First Aid Kit
Contains all the essentials for Batman to patch himself up on the field.
- Flexible Restraints
Used to restrain foes.
- Forensics Kit
Everything a detective could require to search a crime scene for clues.
- The Batmobile
Batman's main mode of transport around the streets of Gotham. While he merely refers to it as 'the Car', it has been christened the Batmobile by the media.
Stomping Grounds:Gotham City
People of Note:The Bat-familly- Richard 'Dick' Grayson
Ward of Bruce Wayne. Formerly Robin, currently Nightwing. Has recently had a falling out with Bruce.
- Alfred Pennyworth
Bruce Wayne's butler, oldest friend, and surrogate father. Confidante of the Batman.
- Barbara Gordon
Daughter of James Gordon. Formerly Batgirl, currently Oracle.
- Jason Todd
Current Robin
Allies of the Bat - Commisioner James 'Jim' Gordon
Commisioner of the Gotham City Police Department. Batman's staunchest ally.
- Lucius Fox
President of Wayne Enterprises. Technological genius. Confidante of the Batman
- Harold Allnut
Wayne Enterprises Chief Executive Engineer. Mechanical and engineering genius. Handles much of Batman's R&D for new gadgets.
- Dr Leslie Thompkins
Medical Doctor operating a clinic in the Narrows. Chief medic to the Bat-Familly. Confidante of the Batman.
- Timothy 'Tim' Drake
Gotham youth. Genius intellect.
Rogues Gallery - The Joker
No known alias. Clown Prince of Crime. Batman's antithesis
- Niccolai Tepes
'The Mad Monk', Cult leader, uses illusion and misdirection to make it appear he has 'mystical powers'. One of the first 'Crazies' Batman ever faced.
- Dr. Jonathan Crane
'The Scarecrow', self titled 'Master of Fear'. Former psychiatric doctor and master chemist.
- Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot
'The Penguin', casino owner and arms dealer. Notably, is one of the few members of Batman's 'Rogues gallery' who isn't certified insane.
- Selina Kyle
'Catwoman', cat burglar. Occasional enemy, occasional ally, occasional lover of the Batman.
Character Goals:Honestly, I just want to write some fun stories. Have a little bit of character development, a little bit of character interaction, that sorta thing. I've got some ideas for solo Bat storylines involving some of his lesser known, older Rogues, as well as some larger 'Blockbuster' ideas that could pull in our Bat-family characters.
Sample Post: First Night on the Job
Alfred was right. I'm not ready. I'm not looking forward to the 'I told you so's' he no doubt has in store for me. . . That's if I get out of this mess alive.Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, had just made an inauspicious start to his vigilante career. He had attempted to sneak on-board a transatlantic freighter by the name of
The King Penguin that had docked in the Gotham harbor, after tracing the vessels ownership through several subsidiary companies and eventually coming to the Falcone crime family. Bruce's suspicions were that the Falcone's were using the ship to smuggle guns into Gotham, guns that Carmine 'The Roman' Falcone, head of the family, had promised to deliver to the Maroni's if they fell in with him and his, that's if the street chatter that Alfred had picked up on was accurate. Bruce's fears were confirmed when, after some dedicated searching, he had discovered four containers not on the shipping manifesto.
Each container was filled wall to wall with assault rifles, shotguns, high powered handguns, ammunition, grenades and all manner of deadly weaponry. He had even spotted a katanna of all things! It was sorry indictment of how brazen the criminals were getting in Gotham that they felt they could use swords now, and there would still be no one to stop them. His intention had then been to evacuate the freighter and send an anonymous tip off to the Gotham City Police Department about the guns, but on his way out he had taken a wrong turn on the C deck, and ended up walking into the ships messhall, disturbing a poker game being played by a dozen crew members, each one under the Falcone's employ.
'Surprisingly' the gangster-come-sailors hadn't taken the appearance of a strange, masked man dressed head to toe in tactical black body armour well, and after a few moments of confusion had opened fire. Bruce had been equally surprised, believing he had memorized the lay out of the boats innards perfectly, and had only narrowly avoided being perforated, slamming the porthole door on the mess-hall and fleeing down one of the side corridors.
After that the freighter had become the scene of a frantic game of cat-and-mouse, Bruce trying to evade the Falcone men and quit the ship, the gangsters doing everything in their power to locate him and stop him from fleeing. The twisting hallways, claustrophobic atmosphere and darkened passageways all lended themselves to Bruce's favour. So far he had engaged three patrolmen, each time managing to subdue them before they had time to alert their comrades, but the last had been a close call, the Falcone managing to tag Bruce with a knife before falling, leaving him a long, painful cut just above his left hip.
So much for the nigh on 'impenetrable' Wayne-tech armour. Probably explains why these things never went into mass production. He heard the sound of alarmed shouting from behind him, meaning the Falcone's had found their fallen comrade. They weren't far behind him by the sounds of things. He had to get off the ship. Increasing his pace he made it to the stairway to the upper level, all that time pouring over
The King Penguins design's finally making itself useful. Now all he had to do was make it to the exit porthole and disembark and he was as good as gone. Dropping into a slight crouch he edged forwards, careful not to become too over-eager at this stage and make another blunder.
He turned a corner, coming onto a long corridor. On the left was several doors, store cabinets for the most part, and on the right was only one door, this one leading to the captains deck and viewing platform. At the end of the corridor was his objective, the exit. Clenching his teeth, he pushed forwards. He could feel his nerves building in anticipation, building up inside him and threatening to overwhelm him. This close to the end, he knew something had to go wrong. They always had before.
This time was no different than any other.
Bruce was less than five feet from the exit when the burly form of a gangster stepped in from outside, his mass taking up the whole portal. The man must have been about six' four", with ox-like shoulders and fists the size of hams. The Falcone came to a surprised stop when he spotted the intruder in front of him.
"HE'S HERE, I FOUND HIM!" The thug began screaming, going for the pistol holstered at his side. Luckily for Bruce he was the faster, his hand flicking out and sending a throwing knife at the big ox. The vigilante's aim was a touch off, missing the wrist he had been aiming for and instead sinking into the man's upper thigh.
Dammit Bruce, calm down. You're better than this! It still had the desired effect though, the pain making the Falcone thumble his weapon. Bruce wasted no time in closing with his enemy, leaping in close and delivering a brutal knee strike into his opponents groin, followed by an upper palm strike to the chin. The blow dizzied and disorientated the thug, making it all the easier to grab him by the side of the head and smash his skull against the metal walls of the ship, though Bruce was careful to be not
TOO rough.
No killing, he'd already made that promise to himself, and it was much to late to go back on it now. What had happened with Tommy had seen to that.
The sounds of alarmed thugs was closer now, and he could hear the thumping of feet as they stormed up the stairs behind him. No time to waste. Bruce burst into a dead sprint, only three quick steps and he would be out. Unfortunately his luck turned sour. Again.
A Falcone once more appeared in the exit, but this time Bruce was far too close to for either man to properly react, the velocity from his sprint to great to slow himself down now. Instead the vigilante hunched his shoulders and barrelled on, meaning to barge straight through.
He hit the thug a moment later with a bone shuddering impact. Bruce's momentum seen the two men plough straight on, the thug totally unprepared to weather the impromptu tackle. The air rushed to escape the thugs lungs with an
*ooof*, and the two lurched backwards. They tumbled out through the exit, across the short walkway that lined the edge of the boats tower and straight into the safety rail. With both men consumed with their furious struggle neither had the presence of mind to try and grab the rail, and instead went spilling over.
The King Penguin wasn't a massive freighter, the walkway being no more than twenty feet of the top deck. It still felt to Bruce that he was falling for what felt like an eternity though, with nothing but the cold embrace of complete emptiness to comfort him and a man who meant to kill him for company. The thug screamed as they fell, but Bruce refused too.
No fear Bruce. Show no fear The two combatants fall was broken by some loose crating that had been dumped underneath the walkway, ironically enough in a no loading zone. The timber crates were reduced to little more than match sticks and splinters under the impact. Bruce's fall was broken by landing on the Falcone, an entirely unplanned event that showed that maybe, just maybe, his luck wasn't as bad as he thought it was. It still hurt though, hurt so bad that there was nothing more he wanted to do than just lay there until the pain went away. The sound of more approaching sailors put paid to that idea though, and with a bone-tired weariness he pushed himself to his feet.
The Falcone who had taken the plunge with him coughed gingerly as Bruce picked himself up, before moaning piteously.
Good. Still alive. Though maybe he'll rethink his career choices now. The vigilante went too take a step away, but he was overtaken by a burning agony as soon as he tried to put weight down on his right leg.
"Dammit!" He snarled. It felt like his ankle might be twisted, but he didn't have time to check, not with all the Falcone's practically breathing down his neck. Sore as it might be he would have to press on. All that mattered was getting off the ship. He took several deep, calming breaths, allowing his mind to dip into a meditative state. Not too deep, as he needed his wits about him, but just enough to allow him to control the pain. It was a variation of the first level of
The Illusion of Elsewhere, a state taught to him by Master Shihan Matsuda, a legendary martial artist who lived among the peaks of the Himalayas.
Bruce tested his ankle now, the searing pain of a moment before becoming little more than a dull ache. A useful trick, though apt to exacerbate the initial injury if overused. Unfortunately the current situation warranted the risks, the sounds of pursuit closing in. Bruce took off at a run, as fast as he could manage, directly for the port-side.
"THERE'S THE FUCKER!"
Spotted already. Tremendous Bruce barely managed to glimpse the sharp eyed gangster who had revealed him, perched atop the walkway he had so recently fell from, before the sounds of gunfire exploded across the quiet night air. The vigilante crunched low and powered forward, giving his antagonists as small a target as possible. Bullets screamed past him, some ricocheting from the metal walkways around him, others rebounding from the container-walls at his left. He spotted a tight corridor between two of the containers and went to dive in between them, meaning to cut off his assailant's line of sight.
The vigilante nearly cried out as he felt a tremendous force strike him in the back. The power nearly made him stumble from his feet, but he caught himself at the last moment, bracing himself against the tight walls of the containers.
I've been shot! He realized, the thought filling his dumbfounded mind for a heartbeat, before he savagely pushed it aside.
Remember your training. If your body doesn't fall after been shot then it doesn't NEED to fall. Keep moving! He increased his breakneck pace, ignoring the cries of protest from his tired muscles and battered body, instead pushing at the levels of his endurance. He'd trained his whole life for this. No way he was going to fall at the first hurdle.
He knew his pursuers would be quick to follow him down the corridor, so as he ran he grabbed a smoke pellet from the pouches on his belt and smashed it at his feet. He had already tested all his gadgets and tools rigorously before hitting the streets, so he knew without looking back that a thick cloud of cloying black smoke would quickly waft from the pellet.
He took a few more running steps before taking an angled leap at the left wall, bending his left leg like a suspension spring to absorb the momentum and use it to then power himself back off, corkscrewing he body midair to turn and cat grab the top edge of the right hand container. He quickly pulled himself up and over, the whole maneuver taking him less than three seconds. From there he rolled onto his back and lay still and quiet, taking deep, steady breathes. He trusted in the darkness of the night to keep him concealed from any Falcone's watching from elevated positions.
It wasn't long until he heard the sounds of his pursuers charging down the corridor he had just evacuated.
"Where'd all this smoke come from!" One man growled.
"Guy must have smoke grenades, probably SWAT or something." Responded another.
"Couldn't be, Loeb's too tight with the boss to sanction something like that. Some nut with a death wish more like." Came a third voice, sounding more distant now as the group where rushing away in the wrong direction. Despite themselves the trio had given Bruce much to think over, and confirmed his belief that commissioner Loeb was dirty. He gave it a few more minutes before he moved on, keeping low to the container roof, slithering quietly towards the edge. A quick glance told him that the thugs had the port side closed off the him, which meant that he'd now have to take the starboard side, and swim to safety. At least he'd had the foresight to bring the re-breather.
He managed to evade detection and evacuate the ship, slipping over the side and into the water with only a small splash. If anyone heard it then they didn't think to check.
He'd triumphed against the odds and survived his first night. Maybe there was hope for this budding vigilante after all.
Member
Roman
