25 Sept 2014

By the Numbers Commentary - Charles

Last week, I put up the character sheet for Charles, with comments interspersed.  That sheet was more about the game mechanics and potential role he could play in By the Numbers.  Today, the actual role.

Charles was the second character added to the roster, the first being Numbers.  The team would need a heavy hitter, someone who could both take and dish out punishing blows that, at the time of conception, Numbers couldn't.  Troll bodyguards are a known element in Shadowrun; their size and increased strength compared to a human makes them a natural.  I ran with that idea, then played a bit more with it.  Troll street muscle is almost a stereotype in the game; big as ox, strong as tractor, dumb as tractor.  Charles, though, is a little below human average in mental stats.  He's not thick as a brick.  He just acts as a wall of muscle.

Still, Charles didn't have as big a role in the story as I'd hoped.  The strong, silent type doesn't do much during dialogue, and tends to be the one watching.  Very much in line with Charles' personality, but, as a story element, strong and silent leaves Charles on the sideline.  With the opening chapter, I made sure to show off each member of the crew, giving them time to shine before the plot started.  Charles also had his lines of investigation; he has the in with the Seattle Mob, not ex-cop Oswald, not the former accountant Numbers, and not the flighty elf-wannabe rigger Treehugger.

If I write a follow up, I do want Charles to be more active.  The first half of the plot was bodyguard work, notoriously reactive in nature.  Worse, I had him stuck inside the hotel during the meeting while Oz and Treehugger retrieved Nabi's daughter.  I've written a snippet for the follow up, starting with a break and enter at a corporate facility; Charles will get a chance to be more than the imposing wall looming over everyone else.

Tomorrow, Treehugger's character sheet.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, Ocean's Eleven.
Saturday, over at MuseHack, the September news round-up for adaptations and remakes.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of Lost in Translation.

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