Superhero/villain Name: Death Man
Civilian Name: Shousei Kougami
Origin city: Osaka, Japan
Hometown: Tokyo
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 175 lbs
Age: 122
Birth Date: October 2nd, 1897
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Costumed Appearance: "There's something really, *truly* wonderful about Sakura in bloom..."
Civilian Appearance: Here.
Icon: The Mon of the Death Syndicate

Costumed Personality: Lord Death Man has seen the highs and lows of life. And it shows. He's a tired, cynical old man who finds an inordinate amount of joy in sensational crimes- whether it's stealing an entire battleship, or converting large sections of the homeless population to monsters. He doesn't commit these crimes for the possibility of profit or power, but rather for the sheer spectacle of it- in an age where the heroes of children are in colorful costumes flying about and bench-pressing trains, the idea that one man could orchestrate the theft of Mt. Fuji serves as an excellent counterpoint. Believing that the natural home of the outcast is the criminal organization, he sympathizes with those on the fringes of society- from mutants and Ainu to aliens and the homeless. Of course, he also seeks to recruit these individuals to his organization. Bizarrely, he has a soft spot for disaster victims, and as such has a code not to mess with cities recovering from natural disasters. This does not make him any less brutal, however- he is known for over-the-top executions of those who wrong him and his love of violence.
Civilian Personality: Out of costume, he's a lot less dramatic and a lot more grandfatherly to his men.

Super abilities:
-Skills: Lord Death Man is a master contortionist, able to bend and squeeze his body into impossibly small spaces. He's also highly skilled in Jiu-Jitsu and Sumo, two of Japan's traditional martial arts.
-Powers:
--Yoga Mastery: Lord Death Man, despite his criminal nature, is a yogi of immense power- and one of the few superhumans of the Golden Age. He has achieved a number of siddhi and rddhi, the physical and psychic powers of a master yoga mystic.
--Siddhi: These are states of cosmic awareness that allow him to alter the way his body works.
--- svachanda mṛtyuh: Lord Death Man has the ability to choose when he dies. He just happened to choose "never," becoming completely immortal in the process. If his body is slain or dismembered, he returns to life- and full health- in a matter of moments.
---ājñāpratihatā gatiḥ: While commonly rendered as "your orders and commands shall not be impeded," a more accurate translation would be "your words will not be impeded by language." Death Man can choose to make his words understood by any living creature- extremely useful for evil monologues.
---manojavah: "The ability to send the body to where the mind wanders." This is, more simply put, Astral Projection. His mind and perception can leave his body and travel anywhere in the world. However, his body is left vulnerable- well, as vulnerable as an immortal can be, anyway.
--Rddhi: These powers are psychic in origin, and focus on affecting the outside world.
---Addhitana iddhi: Lord Death Man has attained an ultimate willpower, rendering him immune to mind control or mind reading- even from other Yogis.
---Replication of Self: Lord Death Man is capable of creating an endless army of clones. However, as his yoga secrets are stolen rather than obtained by his own merits, the clones are faceless, nearly mindless, and highly aggressive, possessing none of his skills or knowledge. They know well enough to obey his orders, though.
Civilian Occupation: Oyabun of the Death Man Syndicate.

Biography
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Character History/Origin: Ever since the first half of the 20th century, one name was synonymous with Japanese crime: the allegedly immortal Yakuza boss, Death Man. Generations of crimefighters, from the last of the Okkapiki volunteers to modern policemen, rose to face him, and withered in the face of father time. Death Man preferred to play the long game. No one is sure where this skull-masked marauder came from, who he really is, or what has allowed him- or, possibly, his successors- to avoid the ravages of time and violence.

The answers are surprisingly simple. Shousei Kougami was born in 1897 to a fisherman and a prostitute, and was left at an orphanage. At the age of nine, he was sent to live with Buddhist monks. These monks told him that through meditation and self-perfection, practitioners could achieve superhuman abilities... but these were extremely rare gifts that even some of the most dedicated monks never achieved. For eight years, he was raised in the strict environment of the monastery, watching as they performed amazing feats- to his young mind, these leaps and feats of strength were beyond the limits normal men. He came to believe that this was the mystical power the elders spoke of. In reality, they were merely the results of intense training in martial arts- the sort of thing anyone with the time and dedication could learn.

However, no matter what sort of talent he displayed at the yoga, acrobatics, or martial arts meant to teach him discipline, he was forever told that he would receive the mystical powers the elders told him of only when he was spiritually ready. An ill-timed outburst saw him get expelled from the monastery, and thrown from its gates. Thus, at the age of 13, Shousei committed his first theft- a small corner store- and left to join the yakuza. He worked loyally, serving as a lookout and decoy for years and slowly working his way up to an actual member of the family. It was with this criminal organization that he first truly felt at home.

While he wasn't capable of the incredible abilities like changing his size or teleportation that the elders told him were among the siddhi, he was more than capable as a contortionist, martial artist, and acrobat. Inspired by the (to his mind) noble criminals around him, he decided to use his talents to become the greatest Phantom Thief Japan had seen since Ishikawa Goemon. It was during this time he discovered a love of sensational crime after a number of well-documented heists in his now-iconic skull mask. While the Yakuza had a policy against covert crimes like theft or fraud, there was nothing covert about a man in a garish skeleton costume sneaking by security and foiling guards as he snatched a number of artifacts from their place in museums and noble homes. It wasn't long before the police- and populace- began talking. Calling him "Death Man," describing him as a twisted version of the American Actor Activists. Death Man took this new mantle and made it his own, becoming feared far and wide as an uncatchable thief.

Things began looking up for him during what he considers his true start as a supercriminal. In 1919, after leaving a note warning of his intentions, he successfully eluded the guards, foiled the security systems, and broke into the Imperial Treasury. In addition to the gold and jewels he stole, totaling in the neighborhood of a few hundred million yen, he appropriated a few scrolls. Of particular note was a set of three given to the emperor over two hundred years ago as a gift from Indian diplomats, offering a far more detailed study of yoga than the monks ever did. Seeking further knowledge of the alleged mystic secrets, he studied them fervently for years. Over time, he began noticing his body was more flexible than ever, and even that his aging had slowed. Of course, just like martial arts or yoga, these abilities were skills to be practiced, honed, and perfected. By 1937, he had discovered incredible secrets hidden in those two scrolls, and once more donned his now-iconic skull mask and costume to challenge the heads of a few of the smaller Yakuza families. One in particular managed to shoot him directly between the eyes... only for Death man to stand once more and shoot him in the back. Building a gang for himself, he declared himself an Oyabun. With his newfound immortality, it was easy to maintain the position.

As he worked to become the head of organized crime in a large section of Japan, using his yoga powers to maintain his position and gather followers- thugs, spiritualists, ninja, inventors, even the ethnically and religiously persecuted of Japan. Lord Death Man's syndicate was unstoppable... but never moved beyond organized crime. After all, while he had a powerful criminal empire, there was no sense risking it by getting greedy. No, he had a clear goal in mind: to maintain his power in Japan's criminal underworld and use that power to track down any scrolls with similar knowledge... as well as any other secret lore he can get his hands on. Some of his enforcers took a liking to the striking image of the skeleton costume, and created colorful personas of their own- the first syndicate of costumed criminals. Though they had no unusual powers, the reputation of Death Man's strange abilities was enough to strike fear into the hearts of those outside the syndicate's protection.

During the second World War, he sought to infiltrate the hidden city of Nanda Parbat with the sanction of the Imperial Government- such a city would be an invaluable staging ground for them, and likely contained one or more of the scrolls Death Man sought. The fact they offered total amnesty for the treasonous act of robbing the Imperial Treasury was just icing on the cake. It was here that he first came into contact with a costumed crimefighter- Jade Mantis was there to keep Japanese forces from finding the city. Believing absolutely in the advantage his immortality gave him, his overconfidence was his undoing. Jade Mantis humiliated him in the fight, leading him to slip and fall from the mountain. When he was found by Japanese soldiers days later, he was impaled on a number of icicles. Once his wounds healed and he returned to life, he knew he had to save face... and told them of a great, white, hairy ape that had ambushed him on the mountain pass through the Himalayas, a story from one of the guides they press-ganged into leading them through the mountains. (This was not the last time he would set his sights on Nanda Parbat, but that's a story for another time.)

Of course, things changed for Death Man- and the Japanese crimefighters who opposed him- in 1967, with the change in attitude towards costumed crime and crimefighting. Forced to surrender their masks and costumes to the authorities, the heroes were to return to civilian life. Being a criminal, he didn't obey the government's order to unmask at first... but discovered without heroes to oppose, being a costumed villain just wasn't as fun. As such, he focused on the more mundane operations of his syndicate- no more did Lord Death Man, the immortal terror, have an iron grip over the seedy underbelly of Japan. No, now Shousei Kougami, a distinguished gentleman of 70 (though he only looked to be in his mid-40's or early 50's) married 20 years, father of two beautiful sons, the skull-masked criminal kingpin, stood over an incredibly boring empire of gambling, protection money, loan sharking, gang politics, and smuggling. For fifty-two years, he kept up operations- and actually did better than anyone would have ever thought he could. It was profitable, yes, but it lacked the spark of the old days- and administration work just didn't compare to the sheer joy of robbery and assault himself. The only real joy he felt during that time (outside of time with his wife and sons, of course) was traveling the world in search of any surviving scrolls.

Now, though, the costumed heroes are returning- and Shousei's joy de vivre with them. There are even new costumed villains coming about- ones that will need an experienced, guiding hand. Perhaps even a home in an existing syndicate- after all, the Yakuza is a home for all the downtrodden.

Optional information
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Nemesis: Formerly Jade Mantis.
Allies: Veiniac (THE MAN WITH HIS BLOOD OUTSIDE HIS BODY!, one of his metahuman enforcers)
Team: The Death Man Syndicate

Basic Information
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Superhero Name: Tank.
Civilian Name: Girard Babcock.
Origin city/Planet: Nashville, Tennessee.
Hometown: Amnesty Bay, Maine.
Sex: Male.
Race: Human, Caucasian.
Height: 6'10.
Weight: 450lbs at minimum and stretching into the high tens of tons when he allows it.
Age: 37.
Birth Date: October 2nd, 1982.
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Costumed Appearance:


Civilian Appearance:


Icon:


Costumed Personality: Tank is rather cautious despite his power making sure to have a general plan set if the target is more than a couple of thugs let alone another powered opponent. He is quite confident in his own abilities but he can't just rely on blundering into everything, not anymore at least. Generally he does everything possible to play to his strengths while trying not to cause too much collateral damage in the process though its hard to avoid when just walking can rip up the ground if he isn't careful. To him getting civilians clear is a top priority before dispatching whoever in causing the trouble, no point in hurting innocents if there is a way to prevent it. He often plays off the 'big dumb brute' mindset to catch people off guard when it turns out he is a fair bit smarter than he first appears often improvising as the situation requires. He prefers to get in and out quickly if he can as to not be around for the news or police while simultaneously trying to make sure the cops have someone to arrest, the man isn't interested in the spotlight just keeping life manageable for his current home.

Civilian Personality: Girard is a happy and simple guy who can almost always find a reason to smile or laugh. Ever the optimist he believes with a bit of work you can improve damn near everything, might not be easy but its worth it in the end. The big guy was best known for his work ethic through the years hardly slowing down when he was young but managing to make time for his family and friends though he has slowed down a bit over time and promotion even if he still gets his hands dirty on the regular. Helping others is something he has always enjoyed whether its being the local handy man in his neighborhood or keeping an eye out for the other families, not to mention his own when they come to visit. The man genuinely cares about people hoping them the best up until they start hurting or making life difficult for others. Then it become significantly harder for him to just sit by to let them get away with it, he isn't one to sit on his hands in the first place either having gotten into more than his fair share of fights because someone just had to start something.

Super abilities:

-Skills: Construction, demolition, multitude of repair know how. Gives him the option of a quick entry or exit points through walls or structures without bringing the whole thing down. Also whittling, model making and wood carving, a hobby he has gotten quite good at since he was younger. He has gotten into his fair share of brawls and fights so he has decent street fighting experience to draw on. Lastly is his impressive skill at playing dumb or pulling reasons/excuses together to keep himself free of unwanted attention, like someone thinking they know who Tank is.

-Powers:

--Supernaturally Dense Tissue: Tank lives up to his name not only in appearance but in sheer durability as his body is significantly more dense than any human has a right to be able to easily shrug off most physical punishment allowing him to ignore many threats head on like bullets, vehicles, explosives and entire building complexes easily without fear of injury.

--Super Strength: The big guy's bones and muscles are magnitudes tougher as well as stronger than they used to be since gaining his powers allowing him to toss common vehicles like ragdolls, smash or lift buildings, and tear up the ground around him significantly. He isn't an earthquake but he can still do a fair bit of damage given the chance or no other options.

--Superhuman Endurance: Girard can remain highly active for extended periods without breaking a sweat, a perfect tool to help him grind down a fight while firing back with his own offense. Hes managed to do full night of crime fighting after a busy day on site and walk back to and from his home in the suburbs hardly breaking a sweat but he figures a bigger fight could take a lot more out of him quicker if he has to step up for one.

--Superhuman Weight/Mass and Manipulation: Coming in at little surprise Tank can be said to weigh a lot, though more specifically he can stretch up to 100 tons with all the mass that comes with it. While he isn't sure if he can go any higher it is possible for him to normalize his weight to about 450lbs at minimum which helps him to not cause as much collateral damage in populated areas or his during day-to-day life.

-Gadgets: Unless you count his truck or tools, nothing.

-Weapons: Tank improvises depending on need and environment.

Civilian Occupation: Foreman of Vale Construction.

Biography---------

Character History/Origin: Girard was born in Nashville to Deckard and Ellen Babcock who first met up in the small local diner, Morning Glory, which after some years they ended up buying the popular old building from the previous owners. They managed to carve out a nice life by the time their first son was born and much like his father he was quite the big guy even then. He had a rather good life with little to complain about and with a loving family who made him happy, he wouldn't have traded it for another if he had the choice. He was the eldest so when his two younger siblings, May and Jeremiah, were born he fell into caring for them without having been asked to because he was so ecstatic about being a big brother he could hardly contain himself. His parents were pleased and relieved by this as they were often busy at first when it was just the two of them running the diner but he never really stopped even once they had more quality time as he saw his family as the most important thing to him. The big guy couldn't help but be protective of them although he wasn't always able to help but he just tried to be there just in case they needed him.

As he grew up Girard did rather well in school eventually ending up doing woodworking in one of his classes which he really took a shine too and if you asked his parents it was pretty clear he enjoyed making things and working with his hands since he was little. It led him into a career as a freelance construction worker which paid decently and was fun for him since it was pretty much exactly what he wanted to do. It was the kind of simple job he could be happy with and kept him down to earth like his father who was fond of his work not to mention proud of his son for finding something that fit him. Unlike him his sister was all but a prodigy on the violin and his brother was interested in baseball with a good arm on him so the three of them had set off on very different paths. A big part of that for Girard was moving on from Nashville as he heard about some lucrative work up in Gotham which could get him set up nicely though he was hesitant at first about leaving home and family but he felt like it was the right thing to do. So he packed up his bags and quickly made his way over to New Jersey excited about new opportunities.

The big guy had heard plenty about how bad Gotham was after looking in to it but being there to see it for himself was kind of shocking. He had managed to net himself a small apartment in a fairly decent part of town, much to his relief, as he was not in a rush to find trouble with the locals. Once he was settle the job hunt was on to see who was interested in hiring out of the several companies he had contacted of which only a couple had a spot available. The one he ended up choosing was one "Kasimir Realty" who needed another good man on the construction crew and he ended up with the job shortly after his interview. He worked like a machine the first month to secure his position and it was during that time he met someone who he might not have otherwise. The city really was a nightmare at times with criminals deciding to screw with people at will and even if he hadn't personally seen any of it, possibly because he was just too big to trouble without back up, the thought upset him greatly so of course it was about time he got to see it first hand.

Girard had been walking to a nearby bar to get himself a drink when he noticed three nasty looking guys slip out of an alley and corner a woman against the side of a building up ahead. It was broad daylight out so it was a surprise to see some thugs harassing people freely and worse no one even did a double take as they moved on. "This is unbelievable. There is no way they should be able to get away with this shit." He thought about ready to knock some sense into the stooges himself regardless of the risk. Then the straw that broke the camels back, the woman resisted against the men and one of the threw a solid punch to the stomach knocking some of the wind out of her then a couple more hits from the other two chimed in. Moments later the thugs had a very angry giant looming over them and the big man went to work, it would not be the last time either, grabbing one by the neck to slam against the side of the building followed by a big knee to the gut which he was pretty sure cracked a rib or two.

The two other men wasted no time in coming for him forcing him on the defensive and while he definitely took some hits he was landing some effective shots back into both of them managing to get one of them with their back to the wall. He shoulder barged the guy straight into it and having lifted him up by the legs on the charge he turned around throwing him into the second assailant knocking them both over. Turns out the woman had recovered enough from before and was giving the first guy he engaged a savage kicking while he was down, a not totally unpleasant surprise, which just left him with the ring leader and his buddy who were getting up for another round. The ring leader came in first looking to avenge his buddy who was still struggling to his feet aiming a big punch at Girard who manged to get his arm in and around forcing the strike away from him while allowing him to get a grip on the shoulder of the stooge before delivering a vicious headbutt to the bridge of the nose sending the other man stumbling back where he tripped on the curb. This big man got a taste of his own medicine as the lackey he had charged before tackled him into the wall from the side starting to wail on him given the opening. Several punches to the face later and a big boot to force spacing he managed to free himself from the determined thug who was apparently done as they crumpled to the pavement leaving just the ringleader who was looking shaky while the woman had taken care of the other follower.

"Threes a bit too much company eh? Lets deal with that asshole and get out of here." Girard said to the woman tilting his head to the last man standing in front of them.

They made short work of it with the big guy holding the "asshole" in place while the woman got her just desserts leaving a few teeth lying on the ground after the pummeling. He leaned against the building afterwards to catch his breath, he was going to be sore in the morning for sure after all the hits he took, but he would be fine which he had to reassure the woman who offered to get him a drink to which he happily accepted after the cops hauled off the three criminals later learning she was Zoey Kasimir, he put two and two together realizing he had basically saved his boss' boss. It was a cause for some laughing between the two of them and was a good a start as any to a new friendship. It was also the start to a tradition of them going out drinking when schedule allowed for it years later. It made the stay in Gotham a lot more bearable for awhile but eventually it was time to move on again after a few years and so he did moving up the East coast, never really staying in one place long, further north until he eventually ended up in Maine.

Girard found himself in Amnesty Bay at age 27 and was extremely fond of the place since it was far more peaceful than a few other places he ended up in, it sure as hell wasn't Gotham. He also managed to find steady work for himself with a local company Vale Construction where he would eventually earn a promotion to foreman three years later and he was happy for sometime with that. He had found nice little house out in the suburbs which he saved up for and moved into, it was quieter than in the city while the community was friendly and welcoming to him, so it was a perfect fit in his eyes. The big man was pretty sure it couldn't get much better but he was quite wrong it turned out as one night he met a person who would entirely change his life. He had gotten roped into a bar trip, a couple of the guys on his crew got together once in awhile for drinks, it ended up being karaoke night at the place to the big guy's dismay and he was quite prepared not sit it out up until they got to the place.

He sat down at a table with the guys but he really wasn't paying them much attention, he already knew them well enough to know they wouldn't mind, while he checked the place out to see who else was inside. Most were your bog standard groups like his own with a few couples here or there but there was one woman off in her own corner of the bar who was totally alone but seemed rather happy with a big smile to reflect it. The big guy had met a lot of people but honestly no one quite stood out in the room the same to him and by the look of it she full well knew it when she looked right back with a little friendly wave. If he was being honest there was a part of him just saying to not bother going over to talk to her, having more bad experiences in relationships than good tends to do it, but at this point in time with him having put down roots as he had what was there to lose really? He went over after a few minutes of internal debate, also the rest of the guys egging him on kind of helped the decision, chatting lightly at first where he learned her name was Abigail and the fact she had been waiting to see who would come over to her first. Apparently she found him rather interesting since he was still kind of new to the city but, in her own words, "Feel like you belong here, like you didn't move all the way up from Tennessee besides the accent."

Girard was not particularly enthused by the idea of getting up in front of everyone to sing but Abby could be a very convincing woman plus the night was all set up for it anyways. He had to wait for a few other patrons to go before him but a few rounds of singing and he was moving up onto the stage under the watchful gaze of his friends who were cheering him on as well as Abi whose eyes were shining with excitement at the fact he was going up to sing for her and then started up with a song he liked quite a bit. It was one he listened to as a kid with both his parents which reminded him of home making the discomfort of getting in the spotlight almost nonexistent as he just let the music carry him through it. Turns out he did better than he thought getting a bit of an applause which made him relieved that he wasn't horrible, he could sing a bit but despite him being such a social person stage fright was an issue for him, then he went back to the table afterwards very happy to be back sitting with the beautiful woman next to him now.

The big man ended up finding out about the theater her grandparents and then parents had run, and she had performed in, downtown which was her pride and joy which had him wonder why she hadn't gone up to sing yet. She got to hear about his home as well as some of the places he had been too before he stopped traveling in Maine, something the woman had very much wanted to hear about having been in Amnesty Bay most of her life. The two of them kept talking for a couple hours after which they both had to leave but Abigail suggested he stop by the theater if he felt like it, an open invitation he would accept within the next couple days. They spent a lot more time together from there dating for several months before Girard decided to take the plunge the night after a big performance at the theater which Abby had been practicing for. He waited until after the show, he was never going to miss a chance to cheer her on, letting her relax a little bit after she used everything she had earlier before taking her back up onto the stage and giving her a small songbird carving which was holding the ring he picked out a week prior. It seemed to take a minute for her to get over the shock but then she jumped into his arms and knocked him off balance from the suddenness of it and he went back first into the stage, not to mention the creaky part he had been meaning to fix, putting both of them into a hole in the boards. It was probably the funniest thing that had happened to him period with both of them cracking up about it to this day thinking about just how stupid they must have looked.

The big guy years later is a dad now with two daughters, Haylee at five and Leila at four, and a little french bulldog named Toast basically living his dream and couldn't have been more content. Well that was up until he snapped his favorite handmade chair into splinters seemingly out of nowhere and making a split decision he got himself out of the house before anything else weird happened. He was alone thankfully with the girls over at a friend's house while Abigail was out on an errand so he had time to sort out what was happening to him in the backyard. Once he got his bearing and was no longer ripping up the ground the big man went back inside to figure out how to explain the damage to his wife as well as confer with her on what to do about the new development. When she got back his stress level had risen a fair bit as he thought more about it but with some reasoning and distracting him by humming a tune, to be fair it was for the both of them but Girard was taking this a lot harder, which had them relaxed more in strangely short order which gave her a little cause for worry. In the coming weeks they found out they weren't the only ones having changed seemingly out of nowhere but unlike the rest neither was keen about doing anything with the newfound powers. Family came first before anything plus Abi's power to calm and soothe or brighten up a mood were frankly not all that useful if she did try anything.

Girard was another case entirely practically being a walking talking wrecking ball who had to maintain a certain amount of control, and reinforce the furniture and house in places, to keep to the status quo in any reasonable way. With all the changes the criminal element in Amnesty Bay had seemed to get more active and aggressive making life less comfortable for everyone even if they were directly effected or not. While he didn't want to upset his wife, the big man really couldn't just sit back while there were threats to his family around so he became Tank using his powers for quick hit and run strikes against any offenders he could find doing his best to stay out of the limelight with a costume to help shrug off suspicion. Abby found out eventually knowing full well who she married just asking him to be careful for her and the girls which he made a promise on because they were why he did it in the first place. The man realizes that things are getting more and more dangerous all the time not just in Maine but everywhere and knows he might have to step up into the public view soon to help his city and maybe even more, its just the right thing to do.

Optional information
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Nemesis:
Allies:
Team:

Superhero/villain Name: The Arrow
Civilian Name: Marianna von Lüneburg
Origin city/Planet: Metropolis, Earth
Hometown: Subject to change, currently the Duanchang hideout in China
Sex: Female
Race: Homo Magi
Height: 5'9"
Weight: *slap*
Age: 19
Birth Date: November 1st, 2001

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Civilian Appearance:

Much like her father, keeping a public appearance of sophistication is of the utmost importance for the eldest Lüneburg daughter. To that end she is often seen at formal events with conservative dress, elegant jewlery and tasteful application of makeup. Marianna does not always play the part of billionair heiress however, and will rather often choose something far more casual and liberal for going out on the town, much to the annoyance of her father.

Civilian Personality:

Even before being sent away at the age of twelve to "learn discipline", the eldest daughter of Raymond von Lüneburg had been possessed of a particularly rebellious temperament that has long been the bane of her father's patience. In many ways she represents exactly what people expect of a billionaire heiress, a spoiled and arrogant child who believes that her station and riches is all she needs to prove her right. Those of authority in her life see the worst of this, first her father and the near nightly rows over some misguided idea of hers or another, and then Ra's al-Ghul and the League of Assassins and their principles. Despite, or perhaps even because of, the insufferable arrogance and stubbornness she is possessed of, Marianna has a firm moral compass that drives her to correct perceived wrongs. Nevermind that she retains an attitude of superiority regardless the circumstances and who she speaks with. After seven years with the League one would think that perhaps some humility would have been instilled in her, but even after the rigorous training, she still an insufferable brat. The only difference is that now she knows how to kill people.

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-Skills

League Training - Marianna has spent the last seven years of her life among the assassins in the Taklamakan desert, learning of the ways in which life can be taken, and how to defend herself in close combat. To that end, she is a highly skilled combatant with or without a weapon, but even more so with a bow. In archery she is unparalleled even among some of the finest from the League, able to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy up to 200 meters away.

-Powers

Pyrokinesis - Owing to her bloodline, the ability to tap into the arcane is a natural gift for one such as her. The gift is a limited one however, and she is remarkably unskilled in many theaters of magic with one singular exception. Marianna has an affinity for fire, and with little practice has managed to spark flames from her fingertips without need for accelerant. Manifesting them from a distance is a tougher feat, though it's a skill she has been practicing much to the annoyance of literally everyone around her.

-Weapons

Custom Oneida Kestral bow - A somewhat recent item she acquired from the League, the bow has served her quite well in training and is fine tuned to her figure and stance. With carbon fiber folding limbs, compact pulleys and lightweight materials, it is an exceptionally light yet powerful weapon more than capable of handling both standard and custom arrows with its 27" draw length. Along with the bow, she usually carries a set of carbon-shaft arrows with tungsten carbide broad heads.

Civilian Occupation: Owing to her whereabouts over the last seven years, Marianna has no actual occupation civilian or otherwise. She does have access to a metric assload of capital due to being the eldest daughter of Raymond von Lüneburg, so it's not like having a job actually matters *laughs in billionaire*

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Character History/Origin

Growing up, Marianna had been spoiled with the increasing fortunes of her family and for much of her early childhood was as normal as any other of the aristocracy. She was provided everything she could ever need or want, taught the basics of German and French before grade school, and easily formed bonds with others for a bright and happy life. Things began to shift ever so slightly only when she had been introduced to the family's business and their secrets. For most, it would be hard enough to come to terms that your father earns a living off other people dying, that everything you ever touched had the subtle stains of blood shed upon them. Most did not have Ramman of Akkad, the four-thousand year old pseudo-lich sorcerer of the darkest arts as their father.

After that rather touching revelation, her attitude slowly became more and more rebellious as the years passed. Ramman at first dismissed it as the early onset of teenage rebellion, and with her grades remaining firmly in the upper percentile it was never too much of a concern. It only became one when she began exercising her attitude on other people. An argument here and there, sassing her teachers, bullying a couple nerds, it started off small but everyone could see where it was going. The school tried to broach the subject carefully, well as carefully as one could discuss the topic of the daughter of a major contributor to a private school being an unholy bitch. Quite obviously Ramman did not consider their concerns. That changed when Marianna graduated from stuffing people in lockers for talking shit, to knocking their teeth out and "accidentally" setting a cheerleader on fire.

Being twelve at the time, her options were rather few in terms of sorting out her issues. Experts were called in, but a soft touch did nothing except waste retainer fees and time for everyone involved. She stayed a month at a summer camp that had boasted of being able to break anyone and instill manners and discipline in even the hardest cases. All that came of it was a couple hefty payments and Ramman shaking hands in public for years in order to keep them quiet about the camp counselor she tried to drown. In the end, he had one option left, and was finally forced to call in a favor from the one person he hated owing favors to.

Few people have a direct line to the League of Assassins, and fewer still have personal connections to their enigmatic leader. Since their founding, Ramman of Akkad has taken part in their activities, funded their rise when it suited him, and looked the other way when someone of importance met their end by their hand. As such, it was an easy ask of Ra's al-Ghul to take in his daughter and teach her some much needed discipline.

The first few years were simple, though rough all the same. Marianna found the assassins possessed of a singular purpose, and so were not swayed by threats or bribes. She went through countless days of physical training to at first get her into prime shape, and then to instill in her technique and finesse. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into four years of the same routine. Wake up, eat, run ten miles in the desert before sunrise, weapons training, eat, run ten more miles in the desert heat, meditation, eat, sleep. Her attitude did not once waver, giving sass to her instructors even though she would know it only ended with a slap across the face or more sets to do. It turned into a game before long, finding which buttons to push for who, and how to push them the hardest.

Back home in the states, her disappearance was cleverly covered by her father and those at his call. The school was informed of her withdrawal and gladly looked the other way when her records were sealed by the state. A couple reporters looking to find dirt on Raymond von Lüneburg followed those leads, asked their questions and got the answers that he wanted them to find. Those who pressed further found themselves with one of two options that all except one gladly chose to drop their investigations. The League took care of the man with principles, as anyone who dug that deeply into Marianna's sudden withdrawal from public life found things that they shouldn't have.

When she was sixteen, it was seen fit that she was finally ready to take on the black and become involved in the business. Knowing her attitude and the insufferable moral compass that she touted any chance she had, her superiors thought it best to give her something of a "justified" killing. She had been given the name, address and reasons for the man's death, sent out of the hideout with the means to enact it. At first she was conflicted over killing for hire, as she had always found time to speak out against it, but the more she looked over the portfolio for her contract, the more she found herself willing to compromise. With just a day left before the League sent out a team to collect her and deal with it themselves, she returned with proof of kill.

After her first it was much of the same for quite some time. She wasn't the best, but nor was she the worst either. Her skills were satisfactory, and as time went on her attitude even mellowed a bit as she found a slight bit of catharsis in removing those from the world she thought had no right to continue doing their misdeeds. Trouble came again at the hands of Nyssa al-Ghul, who she had formed a growing friendship with since coming to the League. Her ideas had been proving infectious in the so-called "daughter of the demon", and that was seen as incredibly problematic by those who ran the day to day affairs. Marianna had some bit of leeway when it came to speaking her feelings on killing questionably innocent people, but such could not be tolerated of the one who would one day inherit the League.

To that end they were gradually separated from each other, sent on opposing assignments and eventually different hideouts. Neither could be swayed so easily, and finally in March of 2020, Marianna had found the limit of Ra's al-Ghul's patience. She had completed a contract early, and though she had been instructed to return to the hideout in Ankara, she instead made way to the Tamaklan Desert refuge. It didn't take long for someone to discover the move and report it, though it was just long enough for Ra's to walk in on the two women engaged in some private sparring.

That had been the final straw, and on that night Marianna von Lüneburg was released from her oath to the League of Assassins, something very few ever accomplished, and put on a plane back to the US to be delivered to her father. With Ra's al-Ghul accompanying her, likely to make sure she doesn't find her way back, a "happy" reunion was looking less and less probable.

Villain Name: Bane
Civilian Name: N/a [A Luchador isn't meant for such a quiet life]
Origin City/Planet: "Peña Dura Penitentary" (Juárez), Mexico
Hometown: Mexico City
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Height: 5 ft 6 in
Weight: 285 lb
Age: Somewhere in his Late Thirties presumably
Birth Date: He refuses to tell (However he does 'demand more tributes' on November 26th for some reason or another.)
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Costumed Appearance:


Icon: La Máscara es el símbolo de el luchador enmascarado. (His Mask)

Costumed Personality: Bane is an individual whose behaviors and personality are very deserving of that moniker. This luchador is a cruel, wicked, and incredibly sadistic fighter. He is driven by the honor and thrill that is derived from the sheer spectacle of fighting. To most Bane can seem like nothing more than a predator which simply seeks to play with its food before enjoying carnage; this in many respects is true. However this interpretation is shallow and belies a bit of a 'warrior poet' nature present in Bane. Bane can espouse at length the virtues of strength, regardless of its field in or out of combat. And of course Bane has a highly addictive personality and does not take to withdrawals of his 'pleasures' well.

Super abilities:
-Skills:
Luchador: "The Fight" - The Luchador, aka the Professional Wrestler of South America, is a skilled and mighty athlete. Depending on the alignment a luchador either works a more technical style with high-flying spots to win the affection of the crowd or use brutish strength mixed with devious scheming to conquer the opponent. Bane is a "Rudo", also known as a "Heel", which is a villainous alignment in wrestling. As such Bane's typical moveset revolves around more mat-based offense, instead of high rope spots, and utilizes more brawling and striking maneuvers as opposed to technical chain wrestling. This is not to say that Bane has not been trained to do the techniques of a more heroic luchador, he just prefers the striking moveset more. And of course, while he could "work" those strikes, aka simply making it look real instead of being real, he prefers working stiff and "shooting" on opponents; which essentially means he loves hurting people physically and will deviate from any bookie's plan for his own amusement. And unlike certain rudos he is less willing to use 'foreign objects' such as a barbed-wire baseball bat or guitar and just simply uses his own limbs to achieve victory.
Luchador: "The Story" - Of course the art of lucha, and really with the art of professional wrestling regardless of your spot on the globe, is not just about the physicality demonstrated by the combatants it is about telling a convincing story. Professional Wrestling is also about the story being told in the ring; and Bane is no exception to that rule. In order to tell a proper story in the ring, a luchador must know how to "work properly" as to not hurt your fellow competitor, (which of course Bane does not do often as he is a sadistic bastard). They must have very convincing body language and facial expressions. Another must for a luchador to have is the ability to understand the emotions of a crowd so you can manipulate them for a proper response. Improvisational skills are needed in case flubs happen in the ring so you can create a new situation so they crowd doesn't pick up on the mistake in the show. And just as important, perhaps even more so than the actual wrestling prowess, is the ability to speak in order to get hated or beloved by the crowd. Bane is talented in all of these other necessary facets to be a true luchador.


-Powers:
"Performance Enhancing" Drugs - Bane is powered by a strange cocktail of HGHs, PEDs, and 'Super Steroids', known colloquially under a variety of names, such as "Iron Curtain", "Tiger Blood" or most commonly "Venom." The standard drug cocktail that Bane has inside of him takes several hours to fully immerse itself in the system, and it takes several hours afterwards in order to remove itself from the system. When these drugs are in the system it increases the strength, endurance, and the regenerative properties of the body in the user. The exact increase of these properties depends on the concentration of the particular drug cocktail ingested alongside the dosage being injected. Using Venom has been shown to cause manic behavior in users, with this effect being far more prominent in those suffering withdrawal. Other withdrawal symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and muscle aches.

Superhuman Strength - Through the use of drugs Bane's strength is super-human; lifting cars or flipping them is child's game to him as strongmen are easily able to perform such feats. Bane has demonstrated at least on three occasions that he can lift a passenger aircraft and toss it a good distance. Without any drugs in the system Bane is as strong as what you can expect of a trained professional wrestler, such as the capacity of lifting several hundred pounds, but his feats are simply what can be done by a man who has trained hard.

Superhuman Endurance - Through the use of drugs Bane's endurance is super-human. While some wrestlers are able to fight for perhaps an hour, Bane has been able to fight for a period of days without feeling much exhaustion. Besides that and more importantly, the drugs boost his body's tolerance to the wear and tear that'd come from his super-strength, this in turn makes his body much more durable to impact and makes him a very hard opponent to kill. In short he is a very tough man to put down through conventional fighting means. Without any drugs in system Bane has the endurance of a trained professional wrestler, such as being able to fight for an hour, and is as durable as one can expect from an experienced athlete.

Healing Factor - Through the use of drugs Bane has managed to achieve a bit of a healing factor. Bane's standard dosage allows him to recover deep cuts, internal wounds, and broken bones within a few minutes.
Of course without any drugs in the system, Bane lacks any sort of increased regenerative properties and his body repairs itself on a normal human level.

-Gadgets:
Drug Dispensing Collar and Canister Systems - Bane to this day continues to wear the metal prison collar he had shackled on him during his time in the Pena Dura Penitentiary. However this collar has been modified to have a series of internal syringes that automatically inject themselves into Bane's neck and automatically give Bane a dosage after a certain amount of time has passed. This collar has sections for four tubes which connect to a set of twelve canisters. These tubes and canisters are reinforced in order to protect from physical damage; this is not to imply that these things cannot break but rather that attempting to break these tubes and canisters are a rather difficult task. Opening up the canisters involves twisting off the top lid which is attached to the tubing system that feeds into Bane's neck.

Bane's Mask - This mask is a very important and serves as very powerful iconography for Bane. Besides the importance given to it by Bane and the culture of lucha, it does have a few other important features. The eyes of this mask can light up to a bright red which is very handy if a venue doesn't have power and it helps for giving Bane a spookier entrance. Beyond lighting up Bane is able to use his mask as essentially a pair of night vision goggles so that he can see in the dark and fight appropriately. And, oddly enough Bane's mask is as durable as the man himself; perhaps it was made of a highly experimental mesh, or perhaps it is empowered by the sheer mystical force of lucha traditions. In any case the mask cannot seem to truly come apart and will not come apart until Bane is either dead in a literal or figurative sense

-Weapons:
Bane IS the weapon.

Civilian Occupation: Full-time Villainous Luchador

Biography

Character History/Origin:
No one cares about the identity of a masked wrestler before he puts on the mask; for the act of putting on the mask is putting on a new identity and the mask only is to be removed when they are defeated by a superior foe risking their own mask, perhaps hair or their title belt, or when the wrestler chooses to remove the mask and escape the limelight to finally live a quiet life. It is because of this that the man known as Bane's story starts with a man who was probably in his early or mid twenties in the Pena Dura Penitentiary located in the state of Chihuahua Mexico, only a few paces away from the city of Juarez. Here in this brutal prison with vicious guards, crueler inmates, was where Bane had adopted not only the way the way of lucha, but specifically the way of the "luchador enmascarado", the masked wrestler.

In prison there is a particular code and rhythm to life; there is a certain honor among criminals who were bound to the codes of the 'street tough life'. Of course the tradition of lucha was based in a similar code of strength and honor, and while the 'modern perspective' of professional wrestling forgot the importance of proper shoots, physically breaking limbs of pupils who wished to actually join, and keeping the craft pure and away from outsiders, there were some prisoners who still valued the 'old days' of the bloodied territories of wrestling. It was from one of these old-timers that Bane, and a 'Mini-Estrella' aka a midget wrestler known as Osito, learned the roots and ways of professional wrestling. These training sessions, and a good couple of matches Bane picked with other inmates to hone his craft, were typically done during the few rec centers and cafeteria riots were brutal, as Bane alongside his little friend often found themselves battered, bruised, bleeding and in general broken conditions which sent them to the doctors one too many times.

The prison doctor, fed up after months and months of having to see Bane sent there for a diagnosis, first injected him with drug cocktail known as "Venom." This action would change the course of Bane's life in ways that the medical professional couldn't ever imagine.

As soon as the drug took hold in the body; Bane felt a rush. He was flooded with a bloodlust for fighting that was only truly seen in the ancestral 'Jaguar Warriors'.

He felt alive.

And so Bane proceeded to slaughter his way throughout the prison; guards, inmates, it didn't matter who he fought and destroyed, the only thing that truly mattered was freeing himself so that he could fight in the outside world. Unfortunately Bane's one true pal Osito was killed during the riotous escape; but while Bane lost a friend, he had earned his freedom and a few cans of "Venom" taken from the prison medical bay. However Bane knew that wouldn't be enough, though fortunately for him he was rather close to the seedy den of crime known as Juarez.

Bane quickly got work as a Sicario for La Linea Nueva, an "enforcement gang" that served as a subdivision for the larger Juarez Cartel. This gang was used to root out any enemies of the Juarez Cartel and kill them off; while other sicarios preferred a cleaner approach such as just a single gunshot to the head, Bane much preferred kidnapping his targets and taking them to small, local, wrestling promotions and murdering them in the ring. Through these jobs Bane was supplied with more cans of the Venom drug alongside an upgraded way to take these drugs; but this life didn't feel right to Bane. It was not a life that the greats of lucha's past, such as Azteca would've lived.

For Bane was not just a simple hitman, he was beyond that for he was a luchador. So he left for Mexico City where all the bigger promotions awaited him. There he could do 'independent contracting' work as he established his own "'Muerte Match' Belt" and would engage in shoot fights for that belt, but if he found himself amused by the promoter he would 'work' the match.

While Bane still fights for honor, glory, payment of Venom and of course the sheer thrill of fighting; his true goals have still yet to be met. As he traveled doing shows for various promotions he felt that lucha was not as visible as it should've been. So he has begun a quest to uncover the secrets of lucha's dark past so it can be revealed to the world in a bloody spectacle of awesome violence.

Optional information
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Nemesis: Nadie
Allies: [Formerly] Osito
Team: No tiene