Charles Harper
Charles Harper | |
|---|---|
| Born | ~1698 |
| Occupation | Adventurer |
| Era | Age of Passage |
| Organization | Croak and Dagger |
Notable work | “A Study of Arcane Thermodynamic Energies” |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Griffon Harper, William Harper, Samantha Harper, Abigail Harper (Deceased) |
"I'll get to it when I get to it."
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
Professor Harper
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.
Charles journey wound him up as 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.
Campaign 1, Heroes for Hire
Charles joined Croak and Dagger not long after they began accepting members in the aftermath of Caelrogh's attacks. His experience as an Artificer allows Charles to build strange, prototype weapons for his and his friends' uses. Charles became invaluable when it came to approaching unconventional situations with even more unconventional solutions. He often brings the main party's strangest ideas to life whether through experimental magic or incredible physical machinations. Charles is never afraid to speak his mind and remains an incredibly loyal, dedicated member of the party. He is most often seen with Logan, Skulk, and Sayrax. Two of whom he is often berating, and one of whom he is romantically involved with. Logan thinks it'd be more fun for people to guess who is who.
Miscellaneous Facts
- Charles was the first NPC to ever express the belief that science ought to triumph religion
- Charles was originally a villain character in Isaac's game who wore magic proof armor and killed adventurers
- 'Charles Harper' has been my most used name/character across a number of stories. He is almost always a celebrated, or vilified, scientist of some sort