Tackytaff

Gotham City: Shadow of the Bat

Sunset Valley, West Gotham
Valley High
12:11 AM

Steph was favouring her right side again. The bullet wound had healed perfectly ages ago. But it's disuse had made her less dependent on it. Didn't help that she hadn’t been getting any real combat training, with Batman & Co all going dark right after giving Spoiler his blessing. No practice, aside from the small time punks that pestered the suburbs. They weren't even good enough to be considered practice really. The one directly in front of her was gearing up for a roundhouse so obviously she almost felt bad. Steph ducked sideways, careful to keep her footing. Her opponent had put too much weight into the swing and staggered forward just enough for Steph to bring her knee to his chest, spin, and drag him down on his back. His two friends still hesitated.

"Who are you?" To his credit the he looked about ready to give up then and there, but the third of their merry trio went around and circled her, and on cue he began to charge towards her.

“If you don’t mind I’m a little busy” She pulled a thin metal rod from the back of her belt, with a very quiet click it stretched out to a full bo staff. Just as she placed one end of the ground, the attack from behind hit her, hard. Fat kids apparently. She lost her balance, but used the momentum to lean on the staff, and roll into the opponent in front of her. Two down, her staff a few feet away, and her cape had flipped itself, blinding her.

Very smooth.

But these where suburban teens, not even a gang. She spun in what she hoped was the last one’s direction, stepping on another along the way. She didn’t make contact, but her cape fell back into place and she could see him going after her bike. In two swift steps she kicked his shins out and buried her elbow into his back, hard.

"Ow. Bitch!"

“Yeah well don't try to steal from crazy people in masks.”

All three stayed down, but only the last one was hurt, even then not badly. Clearly, they weren’t looking for a fight, or even trouble. Unfortunately for them, Steph had been. Practice. Not that the three combined had been worth much more than one of Oracle's fortune-cookie bots.

Yes, curse these suburban streets free of hard crime, you'd think I was in Metropolis.

She pulled her bo staff out of the ground and collapsed it while staring at the brick wall of her high school. A rather wobbly but recognizable bat symbol was sprayed on. She kicked one of the cans the vandals had dropped and tried not to laugh.
Spoiler; fearsome vigilante. Trained by assassins, master martial artists, and the world’s greatest detective, protecting the streets of Gotham from tacky street art.

“Don’t supposed I can get one of you to sign my community service form for this.” A groan and what was very close to a whimper was the only response.

They were just kids, messing around with spray paint at night. Truly the dark underbelly of Gotham’s suburban crime. Getting pushed around a bit was probably enough to knock some better sense in. Not to mention the nearest station was eleven miles away, her motorcycle could only hold two at a time, and Steph really had better places to be.

“Thanks for the dance!” She kicked her bike into gear and headed for the west bridge, going over a number of possible greetings once she got to the cave. Oddly it would be easiest if Batman was there. Hoping to run into the Bat was an odd change of pace, a sign of how much she really had changed. Or she really had just gone plain crazy.

Stephanie slammed her breaks forcing her bike to a halt with a screech loud enough to wake everyone in a four mile radius. Since she was halfway across the west bridge well after midnight on a Tuesday; that would be no one. The dark figure she'd so nearly run over appeared not to notice and continued to walk across the bridge without even looking up.

“What the hell!” She shouted jumping off the bike and chasing after the unknown person as it toppled to the ground. “You're really-”

Shit. Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit.
The man, -the wind had picked up enough to push the hood of his sweater off his head- was climbing the damned guardrail.

Manually identify fingerprints? Sure thing.
Kick the teeth in of a man twice her size? Probably.
Double backflip onto different elevations? Did it blindfolded.
Play grief counselor to a potentially suicidal teen? …

Well the first thing would probably be to get him the hell away from the ledge. She took a few steps towards him.

“Bit late for diving practice.”

Wow.
Stephanie was very confident in her limits, there where things she could, and could not do. Ten seconds in, and already whatever it was she was doing, was falling deep into the latter. Not that doubt had ever stopped her before, and it wasn’t like she could just watch a teenager jump into Gotham River. She’d have to go in after him. The guy was shaking, from the back it was impossible to tell the cause, cold, fear, tears?

“What’s your name?” That didn’t get a response either, Stephanie took another step as to stand beside the teenager. He turned to face her – smiling. Laughing. Vacant eyes with dilated pupils, even directly under the street-light. Joker venom was the first thought that came to mind, but that wasn’t possible, Joker was gone and his recipe with him. Not to mention the man’s laughter was more akin to a giggle than the maniacal ravings of venom’s victims. Still, Steph knew a user when she saw one, and this guy was certainly wacked out on something, something that reminded her of the data she’d had to study in the cave over a year ago. She took a more stable stance and reached out, ready to grab his arm.

“This conversations gotten a little bit one sided for-Hey!” He stepped forward.

Always have to say something don’t you Steph? Even to the hyped up junkie that wasn’t listening.

Her hips slammed hard against the guardrail, trying to brace against the weight of the man now dangling some hundred feet above the river. Judging from the pop and following shrieks bellow, she’d dislocated his arm.

Half an hour before everything went to hell. Well done Girl Blunder.

VIGILANCE: Blood & Justice - A Superhuman Roleplay (Always Open)

@FantasyChic
Where you still looking for ideas for Priya at this point?

Gotham City: Shadow of the Bat

Stephanie Brown

Stephanie Brown

_{“I always thought the worst part of this job was the creeps trying to kill you, not me trying to kill myself."}

Name: Stephanie Brown
Alias(es): Spoiler/Robin(formerly)
Age:17

Appearance:

Stephanie is pretty, but not in any unique way. She has blond hair, blue eyes and a rather normal face. Her physique only stands out because of her fitness from vigilante work and training, otherwise she stands at a respectably average 5’5. The only really unique feature she has are the scars remaining from Black Face’s torture, most conveniently placed on her back and pretty much always hidden by clothing.

Biography:

For the most part Stephanie Brown was raised by her mother, as her father spend most of her childhood in prison. Her younger years where rather normal for someone who would become a vigilante and while home life was never idyllic, she wasn’t terribly unhappy; until her father left prison for what he vowed would be the last time. Eventually Stephanie would discover he was in fact still working with the organized crime in Gotham under the alias ‘Cluemaster’. The discovery enraged Stephanie enough to steal his plans and create a persona, ‘Spoiler’ who left hints to Cluemaster’s plan around Gotham for Batman to find. The then Robin, discovered her true identity and convinced her to aid himself and Batman more directly.

Home life didn’t improve much for Stephanie, even with her father in prison. When the news that Cluemaster had escaped, Spoiler emerged again, only to stumble upon Robin who was also looking for her father. Just as the two teamed up Stephanie was kidnapped by the Gully Carson Gang; offered as ‘insurance’ by Cluemaster that the gang would get their cut. After being rescued by Batman and Robin and once again sorting out her father, Stephanie decided to become a full-fledged vigilante. She enjoyed the thrill and spending time with Robin, whose identity remained a mystery, even after they began a rather tumultuous relationship.

Stephanie discovered she was pregnant from an ex-boyfriend who had recently skipped town. Spoiler retired for a time, but her relationship with Robin continued throughout the pregnancy and after she gave the baby girl up for adoption. Batman, seeing Spoiler wasn’t going to leave anytime soon, offered Stephanie the opportunity to train with himself, The Birds of Prey, and Batgirl. Thinking Robin was missing, Batman also told her his real name; Tim Drake.

It wasn’t long however until Batman decided Stephanie wasn’t cut out to be a hero, and her training stopped. For a period, Stephanie seriously reconsidered living as a vigilante; until hearing about her father’s death in a suicide squad mission. The news sent Spoiler out on a solo crime-fighting rampage, where she sought out all the criminals her father had ever worker with, not to even hurt them, but to get a better idea as to who her father had been. After her crime-fighting spree, Stephanie decided to continue her ‘night work’, and helped alongside Robin until Tim Drake was forced to hang up his cape. Stephanie, looking to comfort him went to his school to see one of his classmates kissing him. Furious, she ceased all contact with him and spent 3 days locked in her room to make her own Robin uniform. Batman, finding the ill-equipped Stephanie in his bat cave agreed to take her on as the new Robin, so long as she followed his orders to the letter. For close to two months the new ‘girl wonder’ trained harder than ever before, going out with batman with increasing frequency and developing a more comfortable relationship. She preformed quite well as Robin, and thought she was actually close to passing her probation until she tried to save a blinded Batman, after he had directly ordered her to stay put. In her mind, Stephanie had done it to save his life but it was a blunder that led to their target escaping. She was promptly fired by Batman for a second time, told to wipe her files from the batcave computers and go home and not return and either Robin or Spoiler.

This time Stephanie didn’t doubt herself, and instead became furious. In a desperate attempt to prove herself she stole Batman’s plans to rid Gotham’s organized crime completely and enacted them. Unfortunately, she did not account that the plan hinged on one of Batman’s other identities and unintentionally began a city-wide gang war. She was captured by Black Mask as the city raged, and was tortured for information on Batman’s informants. Suffering severe injuries including a gunshot wound she manages to get to Thompkins’s Clinic, and to the knowledge of all who knew her, died there hours later.

In reality, her death was staged; she spent a year in Africa, volunteering alongside Leslie Thompkins. Upon her return to Gotham she re-claimed the identity of Spoiler, and did some work for the penguin, ultimately setting him up for failure. All without notifying any of her former friends/accomplices. The purple outfit didn’t stay secret for long, and after some misguided attempt to aid Robin, she reveals herself to be alive and well. Batman apparently knew the entire time she was still alive, but was alright with her returning to hero work, agreeing that she now understood it wasn’t just a game. Since then she's largely been keeping her distance from the Batfamily and urban Gotham, returning to watch over the often over-looked suburbs as before.

Skills:

• Physical Training: Stephanie’s had training from Birds of Prey and the Batfamily. She’s learned acrobatics as well as improved her physical strength well beyond what could be considered normal for a teenage girl.
• Stealth: Stephanie didn’t start real training until after already spending time as Spoiler. In the beginning her main method of not getting hurt was to just avoid fights and, that failing, get out of them as soon as she could.
• Programming/Hacking:Oracle has, somewhat begrudgingly taught Stephanie a good deal about computers. She’s no Tim Drake or Batman, but can make her way through basic security systems.
• Combat Training: More training form Batman/Birds of Prey. Stephanie has proven herself capable of holding her own against some of Gotham’s worst criminals; including beating down black mask after hours of torture.
• Tools/Weapons Training: Another method to avoiding/escaping tight situations before being trained in proper combat. She is a reliable thrower with batarangs and such, but no longer having contact with the family she doesn't usually have many laying around.

Gotham City: Shadow of the Bat

<Snipped quote by Tackytaff>

Me too! Honestly good Steph/Damian interactions are like 50% of what I've wanted since I first started playing Damian at all. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out and what kind of dynamic they'll develop because the interactions they had in some of the comics were probably some of my favorite things for Damian as a character! Super excited!

@Dblade26

Trips to the zoo? Soccer games? Damian's eyes popping out when she tries to compare growing up with Cluemaster to R'as?

Edit: @Ruby I'm fine with group NPC unless someone wants to do it alone.

Gotham City: Shadow of the Bat

@Tackytaff Perhaps Tim could vouch for her. We all know the kind of relationship those two have....

@Nightwing95

Yeah maybe, but their relationship would probably invalidate anything he has to say on the matter. Again, she just came back from a year out of the game completely plus the last thing people remember her doing was sending all of Gotham to hell. Go for it by all means but it would also be up to the other batfam members to not shoot down the idea right away. I'm going to send you a PM about their relationship by the way, looking forward to many over-dramatic moments that could have been sorted out by just talking!

I can see the fallout now if Damian works out any of the details between Tim and Steph if Tim vouches for her.

'Forgive my ignorance Drake, I wasn't aware that kissing ability counted as a qualification for vigilantism. Ah wait, I take that back. I'm actually confident she's more than capable of replacing you. But then, would that not cut into your plan to spend long moonlit nights awkwardly staring at her while hoping your pants don't become tight enough to impede your already disappointing combat abilities? No no, I've entirely changed my mind, having her around will be much more entertaining.'

@Dblade26

lol I'm stupid excited for Steph/Damian encounters, I think the timing is just right that they would never have met before, as she's been away for a full year (and back for a few weeks) and he's been around for just over one.

Gotham City: Shadow of the Bat

Nah, the more I think about it the more I like where she is now; Batman disappearing shortly after she reveals herself. Not to mention without Cass I don’t know who would vouch for her, and making Cass a NPC just isn’t something I want to do. She’ll probably stay as Spoiler throughout.

Gotham City: Shadow of the Bat

@Ruby You said old continuity, but not exactly what time so I didn't put any bat-girl stuff. Seeing as @Dblade26 isn't making Damian a robin I'll probably stick with that.

Still a bit of a WIP.

Stephanie Brown

Stephanie Brown

_{“I always thought the worst part of this job was the creeps trying to kill you, not me trying to kill myself."}

Name: Stephanie Brown
Alias(es): Spoiler/Robin(formerly)
Age:16

Appearance:

Stephanie is pretty, but not in any unique way. She has blond hair, blue eyes and a rather normal face. Her physique only stands out because of her fitness from vigilante work and training, otherwise she stands at a respectably average 5’5. The only really unique feature she has are the scars remaining from Black Face’s torture, most conveniently placed on her back and pretty much always hidden by clothing.

Biography:

For the most part Stephanie Brown was raised by her mother, as her father spend most of her childhood in prison. Her younger years where rather normal for someone who would become a vigilante and while home life was never idyllic, she wasn’t terribly unhappy; until her father left prison for what he vowed would be the last time. Eventually Stephanie would discover he was in fact still working with the organized crime in Gotham under the alias ‘Cluemaster’. The discovery enraged Stephanie enough to steal his plans and create a persona, ‘Spoiler’ who left hints to Cluemaster’s plan around Gotham for Batman to find. The then Robin, discovered her true identity and convinced her to aid himself and Batman more directly.

Home life didn’t improve much for Stephanie, even with her father in prison. When the news that Cluemaster had escaped, Spoiler emerged again, only to stumble upon Robin who was also looking for her father. Just as the two teamed up Stephanie was kidnapped by the Gully Carson Gang; offered as ‘insurance’ by Cluemaster that the gang would get their cut. After being rescued by Batman and Robin and once again sorting out her father, Stephanie decided to become a full-fledged vigilante. She enjoyed the thrill and spending time with Robin, whose identity remained a mystery, even after they began a rather tumultuous relationship.

Stephanie discovered she was pregnant from an ex-boyfriend who had recently skipped town. Spoiler retired for a time, but her relationship with Robin continued throughout the pregnancy and after she gave the baby girl up for adoption. Batman, seeing Spoiler wasn’t going to leave anytime soon, offered Stephanie the opportunity to train with himself, The Birds of Prey, and Batgirl. Thinking Robin was missing, Batman also told her his real name; Tim Drake.

It wasn’t long however until Batman decided Stephanie wasn’t cut out to be a hero, and her training stopped. For a period, Stephanie seriously reconsidered living as a vigilante; until hearing about her father’s death in a suicide squad mission. The news sent Spoiler out on a solo crime-fighting rampage, where she sought out all the criminals her father had ever worker with, not to even hurt them, but to get a better idea as to who her father had been. After her crime-fighting spree, Stephanie decided to continue her ‘night work’, and helped alongside Robin until Tim Drake was forced to hang up his cape. Stephanie, looking to comfort him went to his school to see one of his classmates kissing him. Furious, she ceased all contact with him and spent 3 days locked in her room to make her own Robin uniform. Batman, finding the ill-equipped Stephanie in his bat cave agreed to take her on as the new Robin, so long as she followed his orders to the letter. For close to two months the new ‘girl wonder’ trained harder than ever before, going out with batman with increasing frequency and developing a more comfortable relationship. She preformed quite well as Robin, and thought she was actually close to passing her probation until she tried to save a blinded Batman, after he had directly ordered her to stay put. In her mind, Stephanie had done it to save his life but it was a blunder that led to their target escaping. She was promptly fired by Batman for a second time, told to wipe her files from the batcave computers and go home and not return and either Robin or Spoiler.

This time Stephanie didn’t doubt herself, and instead became furious. In a desperate attempt to prove herself she stole Batman’s plans to rid Gotham’s organized crime completely and enacted them. Unfortunately, she did not account that the plan hinged on one of Batman’s other identities and unintentionally began a city-wide gang war. She was captured by Black Mask as the city raged, and was tortured for information on Batman’s informants. Suffering severe injuries including a gunshot wound she manages to get to Thompkins’s Clinic, and to the knowledge of all who knew her, died there hours later.

In reality, her death was staged; she spent a year in Africa, volunteering alongside Leslie Thompkins. Upon her return to Gotham she re-claimed the identity of Spoiler, and did some work for the penguin, ultimately setting him up for failure. All without notifying any of her former friends/accomplices. The purple outfit didn’t stay secret for long, and after some misguided attempt to aid Robin, she reveals herself to be alive and well. Batman apparently knew the entire time she was still alive, but was alright with her returning to hero work, agreeing that she now understood it wasn’t just a game.

Skills:

• Physical Training: Stephanie’s had training from Birds of Prey and the Batfamily. She’s learned acrobatics as well as improved her physical strength well beyond what could be considered normal for a teenage girl.
• Stealth: Stephanie didn’t start real training until after already spending time as Spoiler. In the beginning her main method of not getting hurt was to just avoid fights and, that failing, get out of them as soon as she could.
• Programing/Hacking:Oracle has, somewhat begrudgingly taught Stephanie a good deal about computers. She’s no Tim Drake or Batman, but can make her way through basic security systems.
• Combat Training: More training form Batman/Birds of Prey. Stephanie has proven herself capable of holding her own against some of Gotham’s worst criminals; including beating down black mask after hours of torture.
• Tools/Weapons Training: Another method to avoiding/escaping tight situations before being trained in proper combat. She is a reliable thrower with batarangs and such, but no longer having contact with the family she doesn't usually have many laying around.

Other:
Pretty rocky relationship with most of Batfamily, due to stealing plans, starting a gang war, and lying about her own death. Individual relationships TBD.

Edit1: Typo fix#1.

Broken Skies: War in the Eversky

@Bazmund I'm going to have to withdraw my interest. It still looks great, I'm just busy. Best of luck!

Broken Skies: War in the Eversky

@Bazmund This looks awesome, but I'd like to know more about the rules of magic, is it something learned or naturally occurring, can Dryads use magic in addition to the passive magic they're born with?

I'm probably interested if you have room.

VIGILANCE: Blood & Justice - A Superhuman Roleplay (Always Open)

Beware the young mysterious scholar of ancient magics who can't hold her drink for shit.

@Lord Wraith I added a person to Jacqueline's supporting cast if that's okay.