Charles Harper

Human, AKA ‘Charlie’, ‘Smartass’

Appearance

Charles looks like he puts in the minimal amount of effort it takes to not look homeless. He has medium auburn hair that is hastily combed back with long sideburns. Charles rarely shaves since his experiments have all but singed any remnants of a beard or mustache. He has light green eyes that are always studying and deconstructing objects and artifacts around him. Despite his lankier build, Charles is very fit since he’s usually the one lugging his own supplies and tools around with him wherever he goes.

Backstory

Childhood

The middle child of five siblings, Charles grew up in a poverty-stricken family on the western-most boroughs of Meadowcraft. Charles's dad was a metalworker who worked overnight at the coal mines while his mother did laundry for the wealthier families. Charles and his younger siblings were victims of physical abuse at the hands of their alcoholic father. This drove Charles to work hard leave behind his abusive environment. When Charles's oldest brother, Griffon Harper left to serve in the Seven Year War, it was left up to Charles to protect his siblings. As things escalated, Charles eventually left after striking his father. Charles's teen years were spent staying with friends every other night, or finding a warm bunk at a homeless shelter.

Professor Harper

Charles was an interim professor at the College of Meadowcraft. A renowned tinkerer and researcher on arcane physics and thermodynamics. Most of his studies are looked at as disorganized ramblings by a majority of the scientific community. While working at the college, Charles received the news that his youngest brother William, and his little sister Chelsea, were at Sankofa when the Sankofa incident occurred. The news drove Charles to drink to cope with the trauma of both losing his siblings and his own childhood. At risk of losing his job and becoming homeless again, Charles pulled himself from the brink and has been six years sober since.

Croak and Dagger

Charles is a member of Croak and Dagger. His experience as an Artificer allows for Charles to build strange, prototype weapons for his and his friends' uses. Of the group, Charles finds himself growing close with Sayrax.

Abilities

Prodigal Artificer. Charles's creative engineering aptitude makes him a natural born inventor. He can infuse simple metals and weapons with arcane sparks and create magic items in varying levels if given enough time and materials. He shows a lot of process and potential for growth.

Experimental Crafter. Charles has always been known to be an outside thinker. His more elaborate, experimental creations are unlike any common contraption you'll find. Some crash and burn, while others find their way to his textbook for later improvements.

Thermodynamic Physicist. Charles studies what he calls the laws of thermodynamics. The study of energy and how it works. His theories include studying how portals and wormholes work, the kinetic fuel of a blast, and the supernatural and biology properties that go into casting a spell. This allows him to experiment with strange, normally intangible forces when he's creating his next big invention.

Relationships

Adam Cho "He's alright. Back when me, Adam, and Winona started the research committee in college, Adam liked to be the face of the committee. He's a real schmoozer and loves rubbing elbows with rich folk. He struck me as the kind of inventor that was in it for the money and fame. Good guy, real loud mouth."

Winona Hammerheart "Say what you want about Winona, she was driven. Borderline obsessive. I've never seen anyone work the way she did. She left the committee to go do her own thing. Called us amateurs. I like to think there was something I could have done to help Winnie, maybe help her chill out more."

Griffon Harper "He's not going to read this is he? Alright, good. Because if he is, I'd call him a blowhard boy scout. But honestly? He's brave. Real tough. Has a lot of conviction. People underestimate Griffon a lot cause of how skinny he is, but he could take a punch better than any of us. He was always the first one standing up for the rest of us at home or on the playground. I wish I was half as brave as he was. Love you brother."

Samantha Harper "Hey, butthead if you're reading this I love you tons. I know we fought a lot growing up, but I guess I tried too hard to be like Griffon and toughen you up. I'm real proud of how far you've come. I still think your defense could use some work on the Blood Bowl field... That last game was too close."

William Harper "Next... Yeah, next person... No, I got nothing to say. Let's leave it and go on to the next one. Next."

Andol "Alright, I know me coming at one of the prodigal golden idols of the team is going to get me some flak. But I don't like the guy much. Andol reminds me of the condescending "well actually" kids I met at school. Really in your business and passive-aggressive, a voice you want to punch sometimes. But the others all love him, they feed his ego. Sorry. I'm sure he's a fun guy to hang with, just not somebody I want to hang with."

Sayrax "She's fun to be around. Has this curious, soft, kind of forgiving view on everything. Even after the way Winnie treated her. Sayrax is nice. Someone that's always trying to learn and willing to teach. Stuff like that. Yeah."

Aileen "Hands down thee single most selfless person I've met. She didn't make things awkward with my dad and didn't ask a bunch of questions. She just helped. No matter what anyone says, Aileen was never in things because there was something in it for her. She was just...natural kind. I'm working on something that I think might keep that spark of hers going. I just need more time."