Mark Rand Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Hi all, In the 1980s, Mayfair produced a licensed DC superheroes RPG. As part of the second edition, they came up with a book entitled The Batman Role Playing Game. The idea they had follows. Batman, wondering who would protect Gotham if something happened to him, searched the nation's newspapers for reports of new superheroes. He contacted some and invited them to Gotham to join a team he was founding. He would provide them with jobs at Wayne Industries that didn't take up much time and arrange for their residences in the city. They would report to the Batcave every morning at 9 am for training. Batman would know their identities and they would know his. Would Batman do this? If so, since Batman has safehouse and vehicle caches and a second Batcave in the Gotham area, would they be based in his cave or their own? Before you answer, please note that we aren't in either the main DC universe or the main Champions universe. Yours, Mark Rand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jogger Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I would definately go for Batman passing the baton to the next level of superheroes. However, unless Batman's identity was exposed on worldwide television, I wouldn't believe it was Batman if he just went to a bunch of superheroes, "Oh, and by the way, I'm Bruce Wayne" especially if he's still using Wayne Enterprises as a cover for everything he's doing as Batman. But then again, if one of the superheroes was smart enough to discover Batman's identity, that would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drrushing Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 The Bat Team Well, organizing a super team is right up Batman's "alley". He's led the Outsiders, The JLA and several other groups. Starting a new team in HIS hometown........I don't know. Batman suffers from continual paranoia.........planning and plotting for anything and everything. I don't think he could set up a super team without having at least 5 different ways to stop each member recruited. On top of that, he would have to personally smack down each new member just to prove who was in charge. If we're talking "Superfriends" Batman, I see it happening........in the more "realistic" approach to the Batman character, not a chance in this or any other universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I can see the majority if the team quiting. Even the original Robin finally got fed up w/Batman's controling nature. How could a group "new" heroes tolerate it for an extended period of time. That aside, Bats would probably have Wayne Ind purchase some land and then hire the heroes to work there in their ID's. While he would know their ID's it would be a long time before he would allow them know his ID...if ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 The idea that they knew Batman's ID was in the Mayfair book. Of course, that came out about 15-years ago. Universe-wise, we're in the movie one, after the fourth movie. Barbara Wilson, Alfred's neice, is Batgirl and she is a redhead and wears the same costume Barbara Gordon wore. Magic does exist in the universe. Batman occasionally visits occult expert Jason Blood, from the second animated series. He has met the Slayer (not Buffy) and knows that there's a Hellmouth in the Gotham area. (In the Buffyverse, we're after the show ended.) Would she be on the team? If the team has its own base, how many people would be on their support staff and what would their jobs be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 I got all set up to run the bat-team campaign once but it never got started. I still have the flash animation and logo I made for my website... http://home.earthlink.net/~webstudio/docs/flash_test.htm At the end it'll forward you to a page that doesn't exist (since I nuked it). I was going to have batman missing and have that be the first thing the team investigated. The team would have been assembled by Alfred and Oracle. Batman would later, theoretically, take them under his wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Originally posted by Blue Jogger But then again, if one of the superheroes was smart enough to discover Batman's identity, that would work. Yeah, if someone were that good at Detective work and deduction, Bruce would likely think they show a lot of promise. If they cheated (telepathy or such ) he'd probably think they need watching. Either way, it could be rationalized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Blue, I like your idea. Think I'll use it. Barbara Gordon (Oracle) could've easily trained Barbara Wilson as the new Batgirl. (In the comics, she trained Cassandra Cain.) The team would, of course, use Bruce's Batcave. Besides Alfred, how many people would be on the support staff and what would their jobs be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSword Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Originally posted by Mark Rand The team would, of course, use Bruce's Batcave. Besides Alfred, how many people would be on the support staff and what would their jobs be? Depending on the team, I think they would more likely start in second batcave, no reason to show all their cards too soon. The supporting staff would likely depend on the abilities of the PCs. Required areas filled by NPC or PC would (partial list) include: Mechanic - to keep all of the vehicles in working order Science Guy(Gal) - Someone to test materials, do the typical CSI stuff that Batman does, also same person or second person who is able to do the chemistry stuff to make antidotes, knockout gas, other serums that bats seems to use often Technician/Engineer - Someone who puts together and improves the bat-gadgets Alfred typically does the cooking, cleaning and emergency medicine work, so if he is present then those areas are covered. Oracle obviously does the cybersnooping stuff so that is covered. Of course either of these areas might be covered by PCs as Alfred and Oracle might be busy with other work at any given time. (Alfred is probably doing his best to cover for the abscence of Mr. Wayne while Oracle has other duties along with her being Batman's help desk) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted October 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Okay, the team is using the backup Batcave, now Barbara Wilson's. (In the comics, Cassandra has her own cave.) Barbara isn't the scientist Bruce was, nor is she an engineer. She's just the socialite-daughter of a wealthy family with a penthouse in a wealthy neighborhood. Two days before Bruce, Dick (Nightwing), and Tim (Robin) vanished, a pulse of mystical energy (possibly, from the Hellmouth) rolled through Gotham. It created two gates. The first linked Barbara's apartment to the her Batcave. Only Barbara and her housekeeper can use it. The second linked Batgirl's cave to a pocket universe containing buildings from an earth where all life died out in the 1960s. Aside from a computer link to the system Batman uses, what's in Barbara's and what's in the other realm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2003 If Robin (Tim) died in combat and Bruce was crippled for life in the same combat and had his identity exposed on television, would the team use Bruce's cave? If so, aside from Alfred, how many people would be on the Bat Team's support staff and what positions would they fill? Assume that they see Bruce's nurse and Maggie, his secretary, when they come upstairs to visit him and that there is on staff, pretending to be Bruce's houseguest, is a woman that has a masters in electronics engineering and drives a Ford Probe GT in amateur races sanctioned by the Sports car Club of America, serving as Batman's engineer. She is skilled in both electronics engineering and vehicle maintance and built Batgirl's car, a 2001 Pontiac Ram-Air TransAm lookalike that has gadgets that would make Michael Knight and James Bond drool, by hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealmForge Posted November 2, 2003 Report Share Posted November 2, 2003 Blue: Flash Programmer Slightly off topic: Blue (and others), I am looking for a Flash programmer to assist in the design of a somewhat new medium for presenting a Hero setting. I am just a writer/artist, but I do have a coder working with me as well. He has expressed a serious interest in learning Flash and working alongside an experienced coder and I would like to know if you are interested in joining our "little project." In my coder's interest, he is extremely capable and a quick learner who will provide countless hours of sarcastic, caustic humor to keep everyone on their toes and crying with laughter. Let me know if this is something that might interest you. Thanks for your time. email any replies to realmforge@yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 Originally posted by Stone I can see the majority if the team quiting. Even the original Robin finally got fed up w/Batman's controling nature. How could a group "new" heroes tolerate it for an extended period of time. That aside, Bats would probably have Wayne Ind purchase some land and then hire the heroes to work there in their ID's. While he would know their ID's it would be a long time before he would allow them know his ID...if ever. I think the idea of the new heroes being alienated by Batman's paranoid controlling nature is great. This could be played as a macroplot, very slowly unfolding across time and sessions, with Batman seeming like a fine guy if a little brooding at first, and then mind games and backup plans starting to become apparent. He could even cut the heroes off from solving something on their own (that should be done after the players have had plenty of successes on their own) and disregard them when they complain or question him. It would make for an interesting dynamic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 Re: The Bat Team Originally posted by drrushing Well, organizing a super team is right up Batman's "alley". He's led the Outsiders, The JLA and several other groups. Starting a new team in HIS hometown........I don't know. Batman suffers from continual paranoia.........planning and plotting for anything and everything. I don't think he could set up a super team without having at least 5 different ways to stop each member recruited. On top of that, he would have to personally smack down each new member just to prove who was in charge. If we're talking "Superfriends" Batman, I see it happening........in the more "realistic" approach to the Batman character, not a chance in this or any other universe. I think the Dark Knight series points to the only likely way in a "realistic" setting that he'd form a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 Re: Blue: Flash Programmer Originally posted by RealmForge Slightly off topic: Blue (and others), I am looking for a Flash programmer to assist in the design of a somewhat new medium for presenting a Hero setting. I am just a writer/artist, but I do have a coder working with me as well. He has expressed a serious interest in learning Flash and working alongside an experienced coder and I would like to know if you are interested in joining our "little project." In my coder's interest, he is extremely capable and a quick learner who will provide countless hours of sarcastic, caustic humor to keep everyone on their toes and crying with laughter. Let me know if this is something that might interest you. Thanks for your time. email any replies to realmforge@yahoo.com I'm definitely not your man. Flash was kind of a brief hobby; one that it turns out I didn't have enough time for. I'd love to do more, but I don't foresee it happening anytime soon. Besdies, I'm not all that experienced. What I know I learned from doing the tutorials that came with the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Barbara's Batcave now exists in my computer. I used the old Wayne Foundation Batcave as the basis for it. The Tech Shop is 7 x 25 feet. The Vehicle Shop is 20 x 25 feet.Since the two shops are connected, we have a total shop space of 27 x 25 feet. The Library/Meeting Room is 20 x 25 feet. The computer Room is 15 x 25 feet. The computer here is linked to the one in Bruce's Batcave. The central hall is 7 x 70 feet. The Laboratory is 15 x 20 feet. The Trophy Room is 20 x 30 feet. The vehicle parking space/turntable is 20 x 25 feet. That's all that's in this Batcave, which only Bruce used. It doesn't have a gymnasium, locker rooms, a first aid area, equipment and disguise storage or rest rooms, all of which were in Bruce's penthouse or the Wayne Foundation Building. Since Barbara doesn't want to change upstairs when the others can't, the areas listed above, plus quarters and a garden will be through the portal. I'm in the process of creating them. Keep in mind that the portals were always there. They just weren't active until the Hellmouth had a fit. Comments are invited. If you want to comment on Hellmouth and Slayer-related stuff, check out the Sunnydale thread on the Champions forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 By the end of Batman and Robin, Batman's need for control seemed to lessen somewhat. Is this reasonable? If so, would it be enough to enable him to form the Bat Team without driving them away? If so, would the team use his cave or their own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 The time: about six months after the motion picture Batman & Robin. The place: the Batcave, beneath Wayne Manor. The people: Bruce Wayne (Batman), Richard Grayson (Robin), Barbara Wilson (Batgirl), and Alfred Pennyworth (Bruce's butler). "We're agreed then," Bruce said. "We'll form a secondary team to protect Gotham City if something happens to any of us. Although they'll come here each day at 9 am for a training session, they'll be based in the backup Batcave that Dr. Arcane found for us." "I thought you didn't like magic, Bruce," Dick said. "I'm not comfortable with it," Bruce admitted. "However, I trust Dr. Arcane's judgement in such matters. I also trust the Slayer and her associates. However, they won't be part of this team. Don't forget, while we fight regular foes, they deal with supernatural threats to the world." "What will the new heroes get out of this?" Barbara asked. "They'll receive jobs at Wayne Enterprises that give them decent pay for very little work. I'll also make arrangements for their housing in a middle-class neighborhood." "What sort of support staff were you thinking of for them, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked. "An engineer, a nurse, a forensics expert and a chemist," Bruce replied. "I understand either PRIMUS or the NSC is trying to get a liaison into our group. I'll make sure the liaison joins the new team." Comment is invited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 Batman, Batgirl & Robin know about vampires, the Slayer, her associates and the Hellmouth. They share intelligence and, when necessary, help each other. The public is aware that Stargate Command exists and is 30-miles northwest of Gotham City. It was secret until the NID (National Intelligence Department) told the world. Now, the NID has been disbanded and the people that released the secret are in jail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 Would it do any good to comment on the excessive universe-melding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 If you want to, but there will be other universes joining the ones here. Keep in mind that were not in either the DC Universe or the Champions Universe. Until the existance of the Stargate was revealed, the public didn't know that there was life in outer space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 One thing about the idea of a Bat team, that is what the book Batman Gotham Knights is really about Batman Nightwing Robin Oracle Batgirl Spoiler Azreal (RIP) etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 Good point from JmOz. Thank you. I've found sheets for Batman and Nightwing on the net. Anyone know where I can find sheets for Robin (Tim Drake), Oracle, Spoiler, and three Batgirls (Barbara Gordon, Barbara Wilson & Cassandra Cain)? Here's a bit more universe information. Gotham City is the Southern Part of Ocean County, New Jersey. There is no Bludhaven. However, Atlantic City is located, in my campaign universe, where Bludhaven is in DC's main universe. Also, there was no earthquake, no plague, and the "No Man's Land" mess never happened. While the DEO doesn't exist, PRIMUS and the DOSPA do. The names that DC gave to many places in Gotham City were removed and the original names, where possible, were restored. Where I didn't know them, I just made my own names up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2003 In my last post, I said that Gotham City is the Southern Part of Ocean County, New Jersey. I should've said Gotham County is the southern part of Ocean County, New Jersey. Now, for some crossovers. Archelogists have didscovered that the following legendary heroes and places existed: Xena, Gabrielle, King Arthur, Camelot, Santa Helene, California, and the Queen of Swords. In a related note, according to a Discovery Channel special entitled King Arthur, he lived in the fifth century and Camelot was a wooden fortress atop Cadbury Hill . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 15, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 How does this sound to all of you? We're post season seven on Buffy. The Slayers in the United States, with the knowledge of the Trismegistus Council, are working with the federal government. Those not working with Initiative teams are working under PRIMUS's authority. Some stay at hotspots, like Hellmouths, including Gotham's, in Sommerset Township. Others patrol a certain area of the country. Police, medical examiners, crime labs and superheroes, including Batman, the authorities trust are aware of them and how to deal with them. Gotham City has a PRIMUS base. It's Silver Avenger, Mariko Namura, has met Batman and thinks highly of him. The two meet, she explains that PRIMUS is creating superhero teams in various cities, and asks him to run Gotham's team. How does he react to PRIMUS creating a team in Gotham? Is he willing to lead it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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