Dblade26

DC Universe: Gods Among Us (Always Open)

I wasn't sure about what you've been doing, but I figure we can work it out together into something mutually agreeable if we have to and I might as well give you a chance. Plus, Court of Owls is so much more a Dick Grayson thing in my mind that I didn't feel like touching it regardless until all this has been sorted if at all.

DC Universe: Gods Among Us (Always Open)

As promised, so delivered. Got it done tonight, and if it is acceptable I'll be glad to hear what Wraith and any other interested parties have to say and hopefully work something out. If it isn't...well, back to the drawing board I guess, DCU's a big place.

Batman app

Name:
Bruce Wayne

Alias:
Batman, Al Xu'ffasch

Origin

Origin:

Bruce Wayne was born in the squalor and desperation of Gotham City's Park Row, otherwise known as 'Crime Alley'. The son of back-alley doctor Thomas Wayne and his wife and assistant Martha, Bruce grew up watching his parents tend to the wounded and downtrodden of Gotham who either couldn't afford medical care or couldn't risk going to a hospital because of the police or the mob, though in Gotham the two were often the same thing. Despite his harsh surroundings, young Bruce Wayne had a kind and compassionate heart reinforced by his parents teachings and example. Together they were one of many small lights of hope in an often very dark and unforgiving city, and Bruce Wayne lived in a small island of peace if not prosperity.

But this relative peace couldn't last forever and eventually the reality of the Wayne family's situation caught up with them. One winter day when Bruce was eight, a wounded witness to a brutal killing orchestrated by Carmine Falcone's mafia family and covered up by the police began knocking on doors in Crime Alley, begging for help. Any ordinary Gotham citizen would have ignored the man or turned him away but Thomas and Martha let him in and began treating his wounds. The man's survival was a threat to the city's corrupt power structure, so it wasn't long before the Falcone family noticed that the number of bodies at the sight of their latest hit didn't quite add up the way it should. Their response came just a few nights later, when hitman Joe Chill arrived on the doorstep of the Wayne Family's little apartment. Young Bruce was hidden under the bed while Thomas Wayne tried to negotiate with the man who had come to kill his patient, but when it became clear that the Waynes both knew too much and weren't willing to keep quiet while a man was killed, Joe Chill turned on them as well. Bruce fled from the scene in terror and wound up taking shelter in an abandoned wreck of a building with only roosting bats for company. From then on that night was forever burned into his mind and he belonged to the streets of Gotham.

Slowly, Bruce learned to survive as just another of Gotham's homeless kids, turning to begging, picking pockets and burglary to survive day-to-day, dodging police, mob toughs and bigger thieves as he did. At night he would return to the bat roost and dream of vengeance on every last person responsible for his parents' deaths, though exactly how to achieve these goals was a mystery to him. It was only after a year of living like this that an improbable twist of fate gave him a chance to make his dreams a reality after all. Specifically, fate came in the form of an obviously wealthy man dressed in a fancy suit and tie who was willing to walk through the roughest and filthiest streets of Gotham alone and completely without fear. Bruce figured that whoever this chump was, he was obviously the biggest kind of sucker, so naturally he attempted to lift his wallet. It was only then that Bruce learned what it meant to slip his hand into the pocket of Ra's Al Ghul. He found himself seized in an iron grip while a surprisingly amused voice demanded an explanation of him. He had none except that he was only doing what he had to do to live. Unusually, this seemed to do the trick as instead of being brought to the authorities or killed immediately as he expected he was brought to a penthouse overlooking the city and rented by Ra's, who gave him food and asked for his full story. When he was finished, Ra's seemed to contemplate for a moment then miraculously, he offered nine-year-old Bruce Wayne the one thing he wanted most: a chance at revenge. Thus began Bruce Wayne's life as a member of the League of Assassins.

Bruce was put to the test by League instructors for a full year, and though he was made to endure challenges mental, physical and spiritual that should have broken any child, his drive for vengeance prompted him to not just survive but absolutely thrive throughout his initial training. He was taught the basics of stealth and combat, forced through survival training in some of the harshest terrain on earth ranging from windswept deserts to ravenous jungles all while being hardened against more pain and suffering than Gotham's streets had ever given him. After the end of that year, Bruce Wayne was now a full-fledged member of the League of Assassins and remembering his days in the abandoned bat roost he chose to be reborn under the name Al Xu'ffasch, the Bat. Furthermore, both Bruce's instructors and Ra's al Ghul were so pleased with his determination and progress that he had the honor of being partially tutored by Ra's himself. He soon found that both the hardships and the training he had endured as a candidate for initiation were as nothing compared to the exacting standards of Ra's himself.

Under Ra's and other tutors brought in to instruct him, Bruce learned not only the arts of combat, quiet killing and deception vital to an assassin, but also scientific and academic subjects including economics, numerous languages, physics, chemistry, biology, mechanical and electrical engineering and more. These lessons he absorbed even more rapidly than the first year's worth, showing a hidden genius and a penchant for sacrifice and hard-work that surprised even his League instructors. With each passing year Ra's tutored Bruce Wayne personally more and more often, until it became apparent to both Bruce and the League as a whole that the former street urchin was being considered as a potential heir to The Demon's Head and his organization. This prompted a number of assassination attempts which Ra's made no effort to stop, though he certainly seemed to approve when Bruce survived the first few attacks on his life. In fact the more subtle poisonings, sleeping suffocations and outright physical assaults Al Xu'ffasch overcame, the closer Ra's Al Ghul seemed to take him under his tutelage. By the time he was nineteen, Al Xu'ffasch was considered all but unkillable and only foolhardy students needing lessons in humiliation and those whose ambitions outweighed their common sense still made attempts on his life. More importantly, he was unquestioningly Ra's Al Ghul's favored student and heir apparent and had even begun courting Ra's daughter Talia with impunity. However, even after nearly ten years of life among the League of Assassins and all that Ra's had given him there was still doubt in the heart of the man who had once been Bruce Wayne. Despite his burning need for revenge, he sometimes wondered if the life of an assassin was what his parents would have wanted for him.

The answer to that question came on the anniversary of his joining with the League. Ra's brought him into a hidden side-room with a prisoner at its center and without any further preamble, demanded Bruce kill the helpless man. When Bruce inquired as to what the prisoner's crimes were, he was bluntly told there were none, that the man was as innocent as could be. It was entirely a test to see if he could bare to stain his hands with the blood of innocents if that was what it took to create a better world. Despite having killed before in self-defense during his training and attempts on his life Bruce found the idea of killing an innocent revolting. In that moment all he could think about was that without realizing it, he was becoming no better than the man who killed his parents. He refused, insisting that there must be a better way, one that didn't involve needlessly taking lives, hopefully one that involved killing no one at all. He resolved then and there that he would prove to Ra's that they could change the world for the better without taking life, that even his revenge would come without killing. Naturally, Ra's found the idea ridiculous, but after much convincing consented to allow his favored heir to go out into the world and 'try and prove his ludicrous theory', confident that eventually he would come crawling back humbled at his failure to meaningfully influence the world. Thus Al Xu'ffasch left the League of Assassins behind with no small amount of League funds for his experiment. For five more years he travelled the world and further trained himself, learning even more of martial arts than the league had taught him as well as many more scientific subjects including criminology, forensics and other investigative techniques. Moreover, he used the lessons he had learned from Ra's and the resources granted him by the League of Assassins to establish Wayne Enterprises, which quickly became a multibillion dollar company with assets in nearly every imaginable business sector.

At the age of twenty-four Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham not as an unknown orphan but as the city's prodigal son, a child of reclusive but generous billionaire philanthropists and heir to a fortune and company that would make King Midas green with envy and all of the history and paperwork to back up his claims. In addition to his philanthropic work and the jobs and innovations Wayne Enterprises provided to the people with Gotham as its' headquarters, Bruce decided to take his crusade to the streets personally while enacting his long delayed revenge. Taking inspiration from his name amongst the League of Assassins and his experiences as a child, Bruce adopted the persona of The Batman and used his physical prowess, assassin techniques and the scientific gadgetry his immense intellect and wealth gave him access to in order to strike fear into Gotham's criminal element. No one was safe from The Batman's war on crime from the pettiest thugs to the most powerful mafia dons and politicians. Though Bruce upheld his promise never to kill, he cemented his status as a shadowy figure of Gotham's underworld with pain, violence and terror for all those who hurt the innocent. Bruce's war on injustice became more complicated along the way, as mishaps and Batman's unusual presence in the city contributed to a strange new wave of 'super-villainy' of which The Joker was only the first and he even took on a young ward from tragic circumstances not unlike his own. Furthermore in his quest to improve and protect the world as a whole Bruce has come up against allies and enemies of immense superhuman power, and the world as a whole has become a lot more complicated. Nevertheless after nearly six years of work as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, the one-time heir to the League of Assassins is finally beginning to feel like he has found a way to make a difference and that his parents' deaths and legacy will be more than repaid.

Attributes

Attributes:

Abilities

Peak Human Conditioning-Though he is by no means superhuman, Batman has achieved and maintains a level of physical fitness and ability that can only be described as the peak of unassisted human potential. His strength, reflexes, stamina, agility and durability and senses are all trained to the peak of baseline human possibility.

Genius Intellect-Batman has a naturally extremely keen mind and a gift for perfect memorization and rapid analysis. He is a true polymath and an expert on an extremely wide array of subjects with both equivalents of and actual doctorates in many areas of study ranging from medical science to economics to aeronautic engineering and more. He also has a wide array of interests including the study of mythology, exobiology and advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and cybernetics to name a few. Even outside of academic realms he has an exhaustively tactical mind and prefers to have already out-thought any opponent in any encounter provided he has the means and opportunities to do so.

Unbreakable Will-According to Bruce himself the sheer force and power of his will is his only true 'superpower' and is his most important asset in life beyond the training, intelligence and gadgets. It was this force of will that got him through the trauma of his parents' deaths, the hardships of the streets of Gotham and the torment of training by the League of Assassins. More importantly it allowed him to reject Ra's Al Ghul's teachings and attempt to find his own path that stayed true to the ideals his parents raised him to believe in.

Skills

Brilliant Detective-A combination of his vast resources, razor sharp intellect and numerous skills make Batman an excellent investigator to the point that several different sources have dubbed him "The World's Greatest Detective". He is highly skilled at numerous branches of forensics as well as criminal psychology, interrogation and intimidation techniques and numerous other disciplines that aid him in his criminal investigations.

Master of Stealth-After a childhood as a petty thief in Gotham City and a life raised among and trained by some of the world's foremost assassins, Batman is a master of stealth, infiltration and misdirection. Stealth, theatrics and surprise are key elements of his one man war on crime and injustice.

Master Martial Artist-In addition to receiving over a decade's worth of training from the League of Assassins and being personally tutored in fighting arts by some of the best the League had to offer including Ra's Al Ghul himself, Batman has traveled the world on his own and learned a variety of fighting arts beyond those practiced by the League. He has mastered over 127 styles of martial arts both armed and unarmed, as well as the more obscure aspects of pressure points offered by various martial arts, combining them into his own versatile fighting style.

Marksmanship-Though Bruce's history and training with the League means he detests guns on principle he's a highly skilled marksman both in terms of archery and more importantly thrown weapons, especially his batarangs. He has trained in the use of such weapons since he was first inducted into the League of Shadows and has only grown more accurate in subsequent years.

Acrobatics: Due to his early past as a thief and his training with the League and beyond Batman is a highly skilled acrobat and parkour practitioner, often using his skills to quickly navigate the rooftops of Gotham as he pursues criminals or otherwise move about an area in ways his enemies have trouble keeping track of.

Equipment
Though Batman is constantly attempting to invent or acquire new tools for his war on crime, there are a few in his arsenal that he uses most frequently. They are:

The Batsuit: The Batsuit is an extremely lightweight but durable suit of personal body armor tailored to both defend and disguise Batman in his crusade against injustice while striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. It is made primarily of a cutting edge para-aramid weave designed to be bullet, electricity, heat and impact resistant while still allowing for a great deal of maneuverability. The cowl of the suit is not only designed to give Batman his distinct look but also to be further resistant to impacts and bullets while the enlongated earpieces allow for a commlink and wireless receiver to the Batcave. After encounters with superman trace amounts of lead were added to its' makeup to prevent invasive examinations va 'x-ray vision' and similar things which had the added benefit of increasing the striking power of headbutts. The lenses of the cowl are designed not only to protect the eyes and hide Batman from retina scanning recognition but also to feed into and work with an analytical software of the Batcomputer primarily used for crime scene investigations. The gloves are hardened at the knuckles to increase punching power without losing dexterity and scalloped to allow for catching blades and if necessary close-range slicing. The palms of the gloves are also linked to a small electrical system primarily used in conjunction with the memory-cloth cape but also capable of delivering debilitating shocks to foes. The wrists of the gloves are hollowed to allow for storage. The boots have been treated to lessen impacts from high falls, protect from foot injury and provide a better spring-action for acrobatics and chases as well as allow for greater power when kicking. Finally, the cape is made from a high-tech memory cloth allowing it to snap into a set of bat-shaped wings for limited gliding when a specific amount of electrical current is applied, though it is also designed to be somewhat flame and shock resistant.

Utility Belt-Perhaps Batman's most famous tool, his utility belt houses a number of compartments that typically contain collapsible batarangs of various types, smoke pellets, adhesive plastic explosives and remote detonators, multiple high tension cables and a grappling hook pistol plus the small motor for operating the same, carefully stored corrosives, minature adhesive tracking beacons, lockpicking tools and grenades with payloads designed to stun, freeze, immobilize or momentarily blind though its contents often changes depending on Batman's needs. The belt itself is bio-metrically locked and can emit tear gas or electric shocks if someone other than Bruce attempts to wear it or open its' compartments. The belt also links to the batcomputer wirelessly in conjunction with the suit and is capable of sending Batman's life signs to the Batcave or calling any one of Batman's vehicles to him in times of need.

Batarangs-Though Batman doesn't refer to them as such, the "Batarangs" are his most often used weapon. Though the typical Batarang is usually a collapsible shuriken or boomerang, they are known to have variations that include micro-explosives, instant-freezing agents similar to those used by Mr.Freeze, electrical shocks similar to a taser, remote guidance systems and even debilitating sonic emitters. Batman is capable of throwing all of them with extreme accuracy despite their differences in weight and size.

Bat-Wing, Batboat and Batmobile-All three are highly specialized vehicles Batman uses for transport when walking to a destination is unfeasible. The Batmobile is as much experimental high-performance car as tank, able to maneuver through the sometimes twisted streets of Gotham with disturbingly good handling as well as endure repeated shots from a rocket propelled grenade and continue functioning with minimal damage. The Bat-wing is part long distance stealth aircraft and part jet-fighter, a Vertical Takeoff and Landing vehicle capable of operating at both high and low altitudes. The Bat-boat operates much like a speed-boat on the surface but is also capable of becoming a submarine capable of at least reaching the bottom of Gotham Harbor for several hours at a time. All three are equipped with grappling hooks and non-lethal countermeasures of various kinds as well as state-of-the-art automatic piloting mechanisms linked up to Wayne Enterprises satellites.

Stomping Grounds

Stomping Grounds:

Gotham City: One of the top three most corrupt cities in America and generally considered pretty high on any given 'worst places to live' lists worth their salt. Gotham has been improving bit by bit over the years since Batman's arrival and the expansion of Wayne Enterprises and some parts of it are actually livable for people who can't afford their own security forces. That said, it's still a wretched hive of scum and villainy in many ways, with those willing to stand up to a culture of corruption and the occasional rampaging theme-murderer being few and far between. Just a few of the individual locations in and around Gotham City include:
Park Row-Also known as Crime Alley, this is both the former worst area in Gotham city and the site of Bruce's parents death. Since returning to the city his dual efforts as Bruce Wayne and Batman have improved it somewhat and now a memorial to the tragic deaths of 'philanthropists' Thomas and Martha Wayne now stands on the former site of Bruce's dilapidated childhood home. Despite his efforts quality of life is just this side of tolerable and crime is still frequent for the residents that remain.

The Narrows-A portion of Gotham that became even worse than Park Row over the years, the Narrows is still recovering from the Joker's terrible mass killings and terror nearly five years ago. Wayne Enterprises is dedicated to rebuilding the area, but the psychological scars left on The Narrows' residents are slower in repairing and many of them have since turned to crime in the wake of the Joker's devastation.

Wayne Manor-A stately mansion now said to belong to the Wayne Family for generations but run down in Bruce's absence, in actuality Bruce bought and refurbished the old estate that had lain empty for some time and used it and the caves underneath as his headquarters for his war on crime and retrofitted it with state of the art security systems and secret entrances as well as falsified storied family history in just about every room along tasteful if expensive furniture and decorations.

The Batcave-Batman's lair and primary headquarters in his war on crime, the Batcave was built from the existing underground caverns and tunnels underneath Wayne Manor. It has of course been significantly built up and houses not only a full armory of gadgets and fleets of vehicles for land, air and sea but also Bruce's all important Bat-Computer. In addition, it houses state-of-the-art training facilities and labs for gadget building, investigative sciences and chemical analysis. The Batcave also links up to various tunnels and secret entrances/exits throughout Gotham along with water and sky entrances. More recently the Batcave has also become a museum of sorts commemorating Batman's accomplishments and battles, storing trophies and technology of encounters with his various rogues and allies. Batman has also set up a number of smaller emergency Batcaves hidden throughout Gotham that contain spare suits, utility belts, gadgets and vehicles.

The Docks and Waterfront-Gotham's harbor and seaside area is home to innumerable shipping warehouses, fisheries, boats both recreational and commercial and a number of abandoned buildings as well. More than a few criminals have used them as a hideout and before Batman was a reality it was a key spot for much of the criminal activity of the city. Even now among the labyrinths of huge metallic shipping crates, piers and old buildings, people of ill intent hide from the Batman's sight.

Wayne Tower-The Headquarters of Wayne Enterprises, meeting place for its' board of directors and general nerve center for its' operations. Ever since Wayne Enterprises began its' operations to restore and improve the city, the Tower has become a symbol of hope and optimism for Gotham's future.

Wayne R&D-The building that houses the research and development branch for the Waynetech division of Bruce's financial empire, from which he borrows the technology for many of his gadgets and vehicles. Headed by Lucius Fox, here they work on everything from Aerospace technology to weaponry to telecommunications in several labs throughout the building. Headed by Lucius Fox, Waynetech R&D helps Batman in more ways than they could possibly suspect.

People of Note

People of Note:
Who’s in your character’s life? Here you should list notable NPCs, be them friends, allies or enemies.

Organizations

Gotham City Police Department-One of the most corrupt police departments in the country, the GCPD is still barely less than one-hundred percent corrupt, and even that much is mainly thanks to the combined efforts of Batman and Commissioner Gordon's Major Crimes Unit.

Wayne Enterprises- Bruce Wayne's multi-billion dollar multinational conglomerate that has its' fingers in every industry from shipping and real estate to aerospace technology and weapons manufacturing. While it was initially funded through seed money from Ra's Al-Ghul Bruce has taken care to transform it into a completely independent entity both to fund his war on crime and provide jobs and charitable services for Gotham City and beyond.

The League of Assassins-The military of sorts of Ra's Al Ghul's criminal empire otherwise known as the Demon's Fang, the LoA is comprised of assassins and fanatics from around the world, most of whom are completely devoted to Ra's Al Ghul and his 'vision' of a better world purged of corruption and decay.



Supporting Cast

Commissioner James "Jim" W. Gordon- Batman's closest ally within the GCPD and the so-called "Last Good Man in Gotham", Jim Gordon is both the police commissioner and the direct head of his hand-selected Major Crimes Unit which was created to be incorruptible and handle even the strangest crimes throughout Gotham. Commissioner Gordon has given Batman tacit approval to operate in Gotham and the two are the main bulwarks and crime in the city. While Gordon doesn't always agree with Batman's methods, he understands that they are fully necessary and they get results.

Ubu-Bruce's faithful adviser, butler and bodyguard who is the latest in a long line of servants and bodyguards sharing the name Ubu. He is in fact a top-level member of the League of Assassins assigned as an assistant to Bruce as he carries out his endeavors, his family having served Ra's Al Ghul for centuries. Despite this, he has grown increasingly loyal to Bruce Wayne personally, especially after seeing the good that his efforts have done for the people of Gotham City. Apart from his hidden skills as an excellent assassin, he is also an extremely well trained butler, servant and cook.

Lucius Fox-The head of Waynetech R&D and one of Bruce's primary financial advisers and scientists, Lucius Fox has become fully aware of Bruce's identity as Batman though not of his previous ties to the League of Assassins. Fox is a brilliant research scientist and businessman in his own right and often deals with company matters when Bruce is otherwise occupied and together with the R&D department devises or suggests new gadgetry or vehicles on the rare occasions when a problem is beyond Bruce's scope.

Villains
The Joker

Harley Quinn

Ra's Al-Ghul: The head of the League of Assassins and Bruce Wayne's erstwhile benefactor and teacher from a very young age. Though he initially financed and supported Bruce's 'experiment' with Gotham City, he himself believes in much harsher and more radical methods when it comes to 'improving' society and protecting the Earth itself. Whether he's truly a noble figure who's simply willing to do what's necessary for the world and has redeeming or honorable qualities or is an outright megalomaniac and monster is a matter of opinion. What does matter is that he seems to have kept alive for centuries and has as much in the way of skills, knowledge and resources as Batman, if not more.

Selina Kyle/Catwoman-A thief and cat burglar who steals from criminals and Gotham's wealthy elite with equal regularity who's crossed paths with Batman with surprising regularity over the years. The two have a rocky relationship at the best of times given their opposing views on her life of crime, though she's definitely among the most agreeable of all of Batman's rogues and certainly the least prone to harming other people and there's a certain romantic tension between them to consider.

Black Mask-Though formerly one of the more traditional criminal masterminds of Gotham's underworld, Roman Sidonis became far more when a horrific explosion fused a mask he was using for intimidation to his face. Now he and his masked cronies are at the top of the food chain as far as organized, non-super crime in Gotham goes, with an army of lawyers to make sure he stays out of prison and the budget to afford top mercenaries and training for his henchmen.

Two Face: formerly District Attorney Harvey Dent and an ally of Batman's crusade against crime until a horrible facial disfigurement either drove him insane or revealed a deeper hidden madness within him. Now he's the criminal Two-Face, his identity split between the ruthless mob boss side of his personality and the moral former district attorney with which one he decides to act upon being decided by the flip of a coin.

Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy

Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow

Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin

Waylon Jones/Killer Croc

Edward Nygma/The Riddler

Matt Hagen/Clayface

Victor Fries/Mr.Freeze

Kirk Langstrom/Man-Bat

Bane

Character Goals:
I want to do a new take on Batman as a character as well as his training, background and motivations while still remaining as true as possible to the spirit and nature of the character. More than that I want to create new and exciting Batman stories and put new twists on old ones as part of a collaborative effort to make the best, most vibrant and fun DC Universe possible and collaborate with the other players as much as I possibly can to contribute to rich group stories and above all have fun with everyone.

Sample Post

Sample Post:

"Well, are you man enough to face your better?!"

It had been only a day since the young man once called Bruce Wayne had dared to defy the command of the man who had been his master, patron and only family for over a decade. One day since he had found it within himself to say that everything he had ever been taught was wrong, one day since he had decided to change the trajectory of his entire life for the sake principles he was only beginning to truly understand.

How much things can change in just one day.

For now, Ra's Al Ghul confronted him at the exit to the cavernous compound that had been their home for some time, a blade in each hand and one of them proffered to his former protege and ward. The two had rarely sparred directly and never with live blades, but now as he came so close to leaving for his new life the assassin known as Al Xu'ffasch began to wonder if he wasn't about to receive a delayed execution for yesterday's defiance. Still, if he was going to hold true to his beliefs there was only one response. He took up the offered sword.

"If you insist."

"Then fight for your life!"

The battle was on almost faster than the young man could step into a proper stance, Ra's opening with a series of fast but strong slashes that drove him back with their ferocity as he managed to bat each one aside just enough to avoid being cut open.

"When I met you Al Xu'ffasch, you were living in the gutter barely alive! I had already gone to see if there was even one thing in your city worth saving when I found that it had forced your thieving hands into my pockets! What makes you think you can save such a place?"

Thinking quickly the young Assassin rolled aside as a last slash came down and came to his feet with more distance between himself and his enraged master. Knowing that defending and evading forever would get him nowhere he lunged back into the fight and when the thrust was knocked aside almost contemptuously he lashed out with a knee to Ra's midsection that seemed to take the ancient man by surprise and stun him.

"I came from Gotham, I know it. There are still good people that are willing to do the right thing if they aren't powerless and afraid. I saw my parents make the city a better place every day without ever taking life."

Ra's moment of weakness didn't last long enough for a blow to the head to knock him out, instead his student suddenly found his wrist gripped as he was suddenly flipped onto his back, and only a lifetime of training let him keep hold of his sword through stars of pain and scramble aside in time to deflect what should have been a deathblow. He came back to his feet once more with sword at the ready, although now with his back to the stairs. This time as Ra's closed the distance and began attacking Bruce let each defense and counter flow naturally, focusing on keeping himself uninjured while slowly moving up the stairs to the outside.

"That may have been so, but in the end they were too weak and they died for that weakness."

"We aren't nearly so weak, and with the skills and resources you've given me I can do more than they ever could."

"You think that will be enough, or that the enemies you make won't kill you for trying?"

"With your full resources it could be done. We could protect the world without needing to kill!"

"And what of my daughter, Talia? Will you leave her behind Al Xu'ffasch? Sacrifice her for your grand principles?"

If that was an attempt to distract the younger man it worked, because at the same time they reached the top of the stairs he stumbled Ra's whipped his foot out from under him. In an instant the point of Ra's' sword was at his protege's throat.

"I do not believe you could possibly succeed..."

With his eyes closed in preparation for death he heard rather than saw the Ra's sword clatter to the rocks at their feet.

"But I do not believe I can change your mind either. Time and failure will do what I cannot, however. Rest until tomorrow, then go with my blessing. Ubu shall meet you in the nearest city with access to all I believe you shall require to carry out this ludicrous experiment. I have full confidence that once your childish idealism is wasted, you will return to us humbled, to take your proper place."

The now ex-assassin formerly known as Al Xu'ffasch could only stare in disbelief as The Demon's Head walked back inside. Seeing as he wasn't dead, he could certainly wait for one more day.

Because after just one more day, Bruce Wayne would begin his return to Gotham City

DC Universe: Gods Among Us (Always Open)

I've actually been working on a Batman App for some time now, should have it ready and done before the end of the day.

DC Universe: Gods Among Us

I'd be totally into this if I can figure out who I would play. Maybe Batman or The Flash or someone more obscure.

Fatal Souls

If anyone's interested, foreign merchant/ totally-not-a-spy/pirate/smuggler for hire. Will naturally need to make some edits from his original signup

Name: Sind gwa Bad, son of the sea (actual name Amir Sand gwa Nayram) A.K.A. Sindbad.

Age: 25

Appearance: Sind is the type of personal who's immediately noticable even from a distance. He usually dyes his long hair a vibrant purple through the use of highly expensive water-proofed pigments and he's consistently covered with bracelets, bracers, necklaces, rings and other assorted bits of jewelry and bling. He'll also often wear the traditional hooded 'burnoose' of Matar, although typically one with far too many swirling designs and cloak-tassels and far too rich a fabric to be practical. He wears an eyepatch over his left eye as well. underneath these odd excesses, Sind is a slim but muscular man tanned and hardened from endless days in the sun and aboard the decks of ships, his back and body crisscrossed with scars.

Personality: Sind generally projects an air of being larger than life, an utter peacock of a man who's a little too friendly to the world in general and whose appetite for parties, luxury and debauchery is exceeded only by his love for risk and adventure. He's the type to try to exchange pleasantries and banter with someone even if they call him lowborn pirate scum, and a firm believer in there being no problem that can't be solved with the right amount of alcohol. Sind himself naturally insists that he's not a pirate of any sort, merely a merchant and occasional mercenary who pursues 'aggressive business strategies and high risk ventures'.

Underneath the vain, friendly and hedonistic exterior lies the shrewd, complex and surprisingly noble mind of Sand gwa Nayram, adopted fourth son of the Sultan of Matar. He uses the mask of the foolish and hedonistic pirate Sindbad to hide his competence as a merchant, scholar and warrior, though if discovered or questioned he'll admit that he enjoys the role and isn't sure how much of it is an act.Growing up in the courts of Matar gave him all the benefits of a prince's life, and when his guise is dropped he's a courtly, restrained and keen individual with a nose for intrigue that comes naturally from growing up with three powerful elder brothers who all saw him as an upstart. His vain and highly recognizable appearance means all it takes for him to become invisible is a solvent for his hair dye and a quick change of clothes,the parties and revels are as much sources of information as entertainment, since few people can hold tight to their secrets after a few dozen rounds of drinks, and in the business of 're-selling goods', having friends and information everywhere is invaluable and having blackmail is better still.

While he is a pirate, a smuggler and a mercenary Sand hates slavery with a passion, sells his goods cheap both to undercut his competition and to help the poorer elements, treats his crew like a second family provided they don't try and usurp him, and only works for causes or people he likes even when doing otherwise would be more profitable. He's also an avid chronicler and explorer when he can be, taking advantage of sailing in order to write notes and journals on all the places he's been to and all of the cultures, people, and notable events he encounters.

Biography: Sand was born a lowly orphan in the capital of Matar, turning to thievery to survive, and barely being good enough at it to do that much. His fortunes only changed when he was desperate enough to pickpocket one of the guards in the Sultan's retinue as it passed by one day and was brought before the Sultan himself to be judged. Rather than punishing the boy, the Sultan was moved by Sand's pathetic state and adopted him, raising him with every advantage and kindness afforded to a son of his own house. His elder brothers welcomed and cared for him at first, but unfortunately after their father died they eventually came to see him as an upstart parasite taking that which he wasn't born to have, especially after the Sultan's will gifted him a sizable sum of money from his personal treasury. Many often subtle attempts on his life began soon afterward.

The instinct he'd developed on the streets and the training he'd received since made him harder to kill than anticipated and over the years he proved resillient, but rather than attempting to get his brothers killed or punished in return once he finally figured out who was behind the many threats he faced and risk causing both familial and political upheaval, he set out to sea under an assumed name to travel far from the shores of Matar.

Before his first journey could even really begin, the ship he traveled aboard was attacked by pirates from the notorious crew of the Wandering Blade and they, recognizing his wealthy appearance and more importantly his hidden stash of money, kidnapped him in hopes of extracting a hefty ransom. When he finally explained that he had effectively been disowned they were obviously quite disappointed, and wanting both to torment him and to get further use out of him they forced him to work as their cabin boy and powder monkey. Luckily, the captain and crew he was forced to serve found his princely education useful and he made himself indispensable over the years, to the point where once he was older and the previous captain died, he was elected the new captain of the ship in accordance with the Wandering Blade's charters. At this point the young Captain gained a lofty ambition: Since he'd been denied his place in the Sultanate of his land, he would become Sultan of the Seas, a goal he's subtly pursued ever since.

Maximum Comics – Insurrection \ CLOSED

” Are you still up for this Danny? That stab wound looked pretty bad.”

Colleen’s remark only served to bring up the twinge in my abdomen and remind me of the fact that we were about to take on a potential horde of mystically and chemically enhanced child assassins along with gods-knew-what else and on top of that my qi still hadn’t healed my injury from earlier tonight. That said if I had to face down this sort of situation, Colleen Wing is definitely one of the people I’d pick to watch my back. She was one of the first friends I made outside of K’un-Lun, plus her brilliant archaeologist of a father having theorized about the Heavenly City years ago and her own detective skills are the only reason I’m not dead or in prison now. Seeing her perched on the rooftop next to me with a daisho on her hips and a tekkan in-hand, I almost feel like we aren’t about to walk into our deaths.

“He’ll be fine Colleen, I patched him up myself… even if he did bleed all over my new couch.”

The addition of Misty Knight did even more to make death feel less likely, even if ordinarily her presence would drive me to distraction. She was a good shot with the gun at her hip even if it was loaded with low-velocity taser bullets, an even better fighter who could go more than a few rounds with me, and if it came down to it having a super-strong cyborg arm built by Tony Stark probably didn’t hurt either. Especially considering the first time we met, she used it to knock me out cold. I fell for her then in more sense than one, even if sometimes I think I’m one second away from earning another robotic sucker punch. Still, with the two of them by my side I feel like I could take down a hundred super-powered killers. That’s a good thing, because we might just have to.

The previous knife-wielding teenager’s faintly glowing blue-eyes and unusual abilities were unmistakably the symptoms of an Asura Dust user. The powdered drug not only artificially fuels a person’s inner qi to unnatural levels but heightens their ability to sense the flows of qi around them, to the point that even someone without the years of disciplined training it had taken me to open my senses could read the intent of hardened warriors. I knew that sometimes Lei-Kung used it in small doses to awaken the senses of initiates and healers sometimes used it to boost the body’s natural healing abilities, and even I’d heard delinquents occasionally used it as a quick and dirty path to power.

But the appearance of Asura Dust in New York unnerved me more than I was willing to admit, even to Colleen and Misty. It was a highly regulated substance in K’un-Lun, and as far as I knew, it should have been completely impossible for it to wind up in earthly hands. Worse yet, I’d always been cautioned that Asura Dust left its users open to manipulation and prolonged exposure to the oversensitivity it caused could drive strong minds to madness...

…and someone was deliberately giving it to kids for their own dark rituals.

Once I’d explained the situation it hadn’t taken long to get Colleen and Misty onboard, and with the feeling of so many people all gathered in one place giving off the telltale tainted qi of Asura Dust, it wasn’t hard to track the source to an abandoned storage warehouse, formerly owned by Rand-Meachum Inc, of all things. So here we were, on a rooftop overlooking a dilapidated building full of drugged-up, brainwashed kung-fu teenagers probably looking to kill us.

“Provided we don’t die tonight and it really makes you feel better, I’ll buy you a new couch and-“

“You wouldn’t have to if that macho bullshit between you and Jean’s boyfriend hadn’t wrecked my last apartment! Did you know that girl still won’t talk to-“

“Oh! So it’s suddenly my fault that I thought he was there to abduct you when-“

“MISTY! DANNY! Can we PLEASE focus on how we’re going to infiltrate the abandoned warehouse full of homicidal teenage cultists?!”

It takes a moment for me to school my embarrassment and to force the blush away from underneath my mask at Colleen’s rebuke, but then with newfound clarity of mind I focus everything I feel, everything I am, all that makes me Daniel Rand-Kai into my right fist. Then, I reach still deeper inside myself to grasp at a place both intimate and unknowable, to draw upon the Heart of the Dragon and the burning Qi of Shou-Lao. As I point at the warehouse below, I don’t even need to look to know that my hand is burning like a thing of molten iron.

“Personally, I thought we’d just…knock.”

---

BOOM

Ordinarily I’d take a certain amount of satisfaction in the way a portion of the wall simply disintegrates under my punch, but already there’s a pack of softly glowing blue eyes staring at the three of us from the darkness within and the gleam of drawn knives in the night signal that the battle’s begun. I lash straight out with a barely-pulled elephant kick at the first to attack me though he can’t be older than fourteen, but he slips around my strike like wind through a forest and it takes all my speed to evade his counter-cut. Out of the corners of my vision, I can just make out Colleen having equal trouble disabling her near-clairvoyant assailants though an occasional bang-zap-thump indicates Misty is having no problem utilizing the stun-bullets to good effect, at least in the cases where they manage to hit.

Their technique is rough and formless but that hardly matters when they outnumber us more than tenfold, possess speed and strength no untrained kids should have and know our moves as soon as we make them. I find myself having to draw on reserves of qi to just out speed their battle-precognition, but I know that just like Misty’s taser bullets, it won’t last. Colleen’s working on a level of skill and grace I’ve rarely observed in anyone, the blunted false-sword a whirling blur keeping the brainwashed hordes at bay and occasionally even striking a successful disabling blow. But we were fighting to defend and disable and they were fighting to kill. It was inevitable that we were going to get cut.

Then it gets worse.

As soon as blood starts to flow still more children and teens with the same knives and glowing blue eyes pour against us, and all of them begin chanting in unison, first at a whisper but building into a howling scream:

"Blood for the Master! Blood for the Master!"

Now I’m, certain we’ll be overwhelmed. I draw on the fiery Qi of Shou-Lao, knowing if I have to I can extend the Iron Fist to blow them all away…

…but I can’t bear to strike. Not at innocents caught up in someone else’s sick scheme, so many of them the same age as my students at the Thunder Dojo. But how can we beat them when their enhanced sensitivity lets them read us so effortlessly…

Then it hits me. Immediately I pour all that I think, all that I feel, all that I am into my fist as I did before, but this time rather than channel the Qi of Shou-Lao into punch of force I release it in a broad, gentle wave that washes across the warehouse. With it I send every feeling and memory of calm, safety, love, gentleness that I’ve ever experienced.

For just an instant, I feel my heart and mind linked with dozens of others through the flow of qi. Then one by one, their eyes clear of the glow, and they each begin to slump into what seems like a soft sleep.

Like this, it becomes painfully clear that these kids are runaways or maybe homeless, a few of them probably no older than twelve or thirteen, almost all of them grimy and starvation-thin, and just as I wonder what kind of monster would possibly do this an answer literally steps out from the shadows.

“That was quite an impressive display, Fist. My Master was unsure of your survival, but I see you were able to negotiate things without a single life lost. Well done!”

Before I can say a thing Misty empties the rest of her ammunition at the figure, but the blinding flash of an energy blade vaporizes the stun-bullets in mid-flight with only a look of annoyance from the man, and just like that, I recognize him. A fanatic I hadn’t crossed paths since last year…

“Scimitar! I thought you a man of honor, not some putrid drug-peddler and slaver of children!”

“Bah! Honor comes from serving one’s cause and master, and the two of us were younger still when we were trained to serve our causes.

“If that’s the kind of master you serve then I’ll destroy you both!”

My fist burns with rage and all three of us move to attack him, but the flash of his blades is blinding and when my eyes clear again, he’s gone.

<<you motherless pile of dogshit!>> Even without the Iron Fist, my punch cracks the wall, but the only response I get is echoing laughter and then: << “Master Khan shall rise, Young Dragon!”>>

I’m shaking, numbed by rage and a vague sense of dread at a name used to haunt my childhood, but then Misty is there steadying me and somewhere far off Colleen is saying

“Don’t worry Danny. We won. These kids are safe, and we stopped whatever they’re planning.”

So why does every instinct I have tell me this is just beginning?

Fu Sonzai no Genso: An Urban Fantasy Mystery RP

"It was a bleak day, the kind of day where storm clouds hang over your head and mix together with an air of unease and boredom so thick that the downpour comes as a relief. As usual the office reeked like old cigarette smoke, the only thing distracting me from the fact that I'm once again flat broke and worse yet, running criminally low on candy..."

Nine year old Iwajima Jun lay sprawled on the floor with his child-sized 'detective' trenchcoat spread out under him, staring at the slowly spinning ceiling fan as he launched into another one of his patented 'hardboiled monologues'. He was incredibly easy to overlook from that position, especially given the fact that sheer boredom had reduced him to an uncharacteristically near-catatonic state and he had previously been partially buried under some old papers and bills.

"The few of my employees gathered here are probably as strapped for cash as I am, and even my own boss, cruel woman that she is, cut me off from the only precious, sugary thing that keeps me sane in this cockamamie town with some excuse about funds. So here I am, a washed-up P.I. three days into a sugar-crash with no money, no cases and no respect."

Jun was half-aware of the conversation going on above the level of the floor, but he was too caught up in entertaining himself with his narration to really notice. Besides, he had trouble maintaining interest in books considering the only ones he'd read before coming to live at Fu Sonzai were either instructional texts on onmyoudo or stories profiling various youkai. Now TV, that was great entertainment. Unfortunately, Toshiko's old TV barely worked when magic wasn't being used to make it function, and she set strict rationing on the amount of time he was allowed to watch regardless. He also occasionally wondered why Akemi bothered to dress like a maid, but chalked it down to the same reasons he dressed like a detective.

"Will someone please tell me we have a new case already?"

Fu Sonzai no Genso: An Urban Fantasy Mystery RP

Name: Iwajima Jun

Age: nine years old.

Appearance: ] definitely the appearance of a reliable supernatural detective!

Personality: Jun can at times be incredibly focused, serious, and mature, which is only natural for someone who has worked hard enough to nearly master certain areas of Onmyoudo at such a young age. On the other hand the fact remains that he's still a child despite his high level of skill and his tendency towards hyperactivity is made worse by an overactive imagination fed by a combination of living in a magical world and ready access to media.

Abilities: Possess a high degree of skill with Onmyoudo, his affinity being the number 9. This allows him to use a variety of spells and techniques with his ofuda so long as they ultimately have something to do with the number nine either conceptually or concretely. He also has a surprising amount of martial arts expertise for someone his age, due to being raised to fight yokai.

Weapons/Equipment: Has his trusty detective's trenchcoat, though the only thing unique about it is that its pockets have ofuda on them that allow them nine times as much storage space. mainly used for carrying ofuda.

Brief Backstory:
Jun was a son of a powerful family of onmyouji who primarily made their living combating rogue yokai and other supernatural creatures. Toshiko knew his family from the time when she was in training and owed them a few favours for reasons she'd rather not mention. Because of his family's work, Jun was strictly trained in onmyoudo and related lore before he even started primary school, even to the extent of being given the Gazu Hyakki Yagyo in place of ordinary picture books. However his entire family died under mysterious circumstances. Under previous instructions his father had given him just in case anything ever happened that left him on his own, Jun sought out the Fu Sonzai no Gensō Detective Agency and has been living and occasionally working there part-time ever since, hoping to become a real detective some day and solve his family's case.

Fu Sonzai no Genso: An Urban Fantasy Mystery RP

Will have my post up tomorrow if not tonight.

Fu Sonzai no Genso: An Urban Fantasy Mystery RP

I'm here and will shift my character over and post soon.