Nightshadow

Context

This character is an original creation. We often call these “homemades” or “homebrewed” – think home cooking or craft beer.

Many of these characters were created to take part in tabletop role-playing game sessions. Others were invented as a creative writing exercise, often as part of a community event.

This specific character was part of a RPG campaign run by writeups.org contributor Bil.

Background

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Powers and Abilities

Nightshadow is a kunoichi, or female ninja. For unknown reasons she possesses superhuman reflexes, speed, and powers.

She has an uncanny ability to know her entire surroundings, even while blindfolded. Nightshadow also appears appears to have a danger sense of some sort.

When moving silently and hiding, she becomes almost totally invisible and quiet. To the point where someone can stare at her, and see a sign behind her.

She is capable of leaping almost 80 feet (24m) with a brief few steps, and can see in darkness as if it was twilight.

Her reflexes are fast enough for her to deflect low powered attacks off of her palms, which she claims are shielded by chi . Or even re-aim them at her attacker.

Skills

Nightshadow is also one of the world’s greatest martial artists, and is extremely dangerous in hand to hand. She is adept with nearly any weapon she gets her hands on, save for the really big ones.

Furthermore, Nightshadow can perform acrobatic maneuvers that would make any circus performer green with envy, and is a master thief.

She also has displayed considerable training in detective work, and an excellent knowledge of military matters.

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History

The only thing about her that the other members of UNION know is that she showed up at a battle in 1992, stepping in and taking the place of the deceased Windwalker on the team.

She has, however, proven an absolute loyalty to the members of the team, beyond even national loyalty to Japan.

Description

The kunoichi known as Nightshadow is a small woman, with long black hair flowing out of her ninja’s garb. She wears a katana, and not a ninja-to, as the latter was a creation of mass-marketing.

Personality

Lethal and swift in battle, she has finally allowed herself to relax somewhat in peacetime. She only recently took off her mask in front of the others, to show a pretty Japanese woman under her kunoichi hood.

She is not very traditional, from a Japanese standpoint, but she is somewhat shy. It took Blacksmith almost literally throwing her at the third Scorpion to get her to admit she liked him.

When a full, grand melee occurs, she dives in, swatting less dangerous foes with backfists, kicks, and occasionally the back of her sword. However, she will use every trick in the book to take out a foe who threatens another member of UNION, especially Blacksmith, her leader, and Scorpion, her lover.

Blacksmith, of course, laughs inside at the thought of her trying to protect him. If it could hurt him, she couldn’t stop it. Could she?

DC Universe History

Ho, hum, yet another super-ninja. Yes, it’s true. But, if she happens to be a super-ninja that just up and joins the heroes’ group, demonstrating absolute loyalty, they could have some veerrry strange reactions… especially if she starts blushing a lot around one of them…

(Hey, it’s how it happened in one of our games. It was so much fun watching the two players, a guy and his girlfriend, do the awkward verbal sparring stuff, and everyone spreading misinformation, that we spent an entire game night at our base !)

By William Chamberlin.

Source of Character: Homegrown.