Ra's Al Ghul

# The Demon's Head

League of Shadows DCWW

Insert quote or description of Ra's Al Ghul here ~ Manta

## History

### Early Life

At the height of the Ottoman empire, and during the fall of the autonomous city of Madeira, Princess Sabella, made an orphan during the raid, was seized as bounty and held in captivity by a greatly feared conqueror who'd lived beyond his time. Known for her legendary beauty, and diplomatic tongue, Sabella endeavored to serenade the heart of her captor with the prowess of a few well placed words, and offer of a comforting touch. So adept was the princess, that in the process of time, she managed to bring down the emotional walls of the mighty conqueror... though in turn, found herself falling in love with him in return. Together, they sired a young female child they named Talia; the gentle dew from heaven, for she had been born in the wee hours of morning when the dew was freshest on the vine. Little had the conqueror realized that nurturing a child borne of his own blood, in the company of his life's greatest ardor, should steal his heart away from his original goal to work within ranks of the Ottoman regime to eventually reign over the world. And so, leaving behind the many good though disappointed generals who'd loyally fought by his side, he opted instead to take up the humbler role of overseer for the region of Morocco as a highly-esteemed governor, his daughter Talia, and his beloved wife Sabella living under his stead.

Unfortunately, little would he realize that his renown would be his burden as a group of guerrilla fighters mustered the numbers to occupy his castle in the dead of night, and slayed Sabella while she was still in sleep, mistaking her for the true element of their gripe. The fighters were soon quelled, except not soon enough, for when the conqueror discovered the tragedy that'd occurred in his own home, he flew into a blinding rage. Lining up every able bodied man from the city to determine who might bear the slightest tie to the recent insurrection, and afterwards had the guilty slain side by side. Being the only trace left of Sabella in his life, the conqueror had his daughter guarded tightly around the clock, refusing to let her out of his sight. No more the arcadian family man, but returned to his roots of dominance - he decided he could no longer discover those goals with the Ottomans. Instead, he brought his daughter with him on a journey to the east to establish his very own movement that he might head all on his own. Finding himself greatly inspired and influenced by the shinobi 忍び, opted to found his movement's first building blocks on such principles. Going on to bolster them with his own grand plans to be a savior unto the world. His movement would later be known as the League of Shadows. And the man himself would earn the name of Ra's Al Ghul, or The Demon's Head.

### 1804

Following Ra's to the world's new frontier, the land of America, Talia aided him in his surveillance of the territory to determine if America should be deemed worthy to come under the Immortal's control so that he might perform his good work to prosper it. Unfortunately, in the course of a misunderstanding had Talia nearly burned at the stake. Rescued at the last minute by a roaming vagrant, a bounty hunter, who went on to return her to her father and explain the scene that had almost consumed his daughter. Unfortunately, the news did little to comfort Ra's, but invoked the his terrifying wrath instead. A great purging occurred through the land, penance for the grievous affront - and afterwards, had his men move back to the east. Never to return to the land for at least another two centuries.

### 2004

The Lazarus pits, that'd sustained Talia's father for an exceeding amount of time, had begun to gradually wear off. With that in mind, the Immortal debated if he should take a second stab at occupying the land of America, as a potentially final hurrah - should the pits no longer prevent his impending death. This time, he would no longer need to survey the land, but he'd decided to turn their economy against itself, starting with the capture of one of America's wealthiest sons. A seventeen year old Bruce Wayne. Victimized at the age of eight, he'd been unduly turned into an orphan by the very system that promised to protect him. It was in him that Ra's believed he might forge an ally.

At the same time, upon understanding her father's predicament, Talia had taken to repeatedly hint at the potential transfer of ownership of the League of Shadows to herself. She'd been at his side for centuries, unlike his many other loyal servants. And she remained the child of his beloved Sabella. Who else should deserve the spot on his throne but her. Except Ra's made it clear, each time she asked, that he'd only accept a male heir to the throne. As precious as she was to him, she'd always remain a female. And a female's place is not on a throne, but beside it. It'd only proved a great insult when Ra's began to take a special interest in the Wayne boy, who'd turned out to be rather diligent in his studies. Going as far as to suggest that he could potentially consider Wayne for the throne. Realizing that she might some day have to bow at the feet of the wealthy brat, she strived to study all she could of him, and soon learned that his surrender to Ra's was truly all a ruse. The boy never wanted to be there in the first place. He did what he'd done to survive. And so, with the help of her closest confidante, Slade Wilson, they devised to drug the boy to sleep. And afterwards, with the help of an ancient remedy, sire a child in Talia's womb from him, so that Ra's would not be able to refuse. Especially if the Wayne boy was no longer going to be with them. And it'd been with a carefully placed key that inspired Wayne's escape, and return to America.

Though infuriated to hear of this effect, Ra's was soon placated with the announcement of Talia's pregnancy, and afterwards birth of a son named Damian. An actual blood heir, worthy to take over Ra's throne at the appointed time. Trained to be unwaveringly loyal to the League of Shadows, so that they would suffer no more disappointments. And in turn Talia, would play mother-regent to her son. Ruling the League of Shadows by proxy. Their plan would've been absolutely perfect, had Ra's not demanded that Talia should send Damian to live with his biological father at the age of ten. Though hesitant, Talia remained loyal to her father and would not dare deny him his wishes. Damian's role would be to plant a bug in his father's computers - for in the years that Wayne had been gone from their side, he'd re-created himself to be a vigilante, working against the system. And Ra's wanted to know what he knew, to see what he saw. Unfortunately, due to paranoia on the side of Wayne, this goal of bug planting was only made possible four years after the boy's stay in America. And it was such time that Ra's was finally ready to make his re-entry into America.

Gotham being the first stop.

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Immortal Longevity:** Due to the mystic waters of the Lazarus Waters, Ra's has been able to live longer then most individuals alive.

### Abilities

* **Genius Level Tactician**
* **Martial Artist Prowess**
* **Expert Hand-to-hand Combatant**
* **Genius Level Intellect**
* **Skilled Chemist/Alchemist**
* **Expert Swordsmanship**