Jah on 12/7/2007 at 10:48

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Exactly, and I think it's implied (at least Karras certainly seems to think so) that although the nobles are all trying to court Karras' favor because he's powerful and important, and because they want to get all the latest mechanist toys for their mansions, they're still snickering at him behind his back. I think the conversation between the Rotschilds in Life of the Party demonstrates this quite well: Mr. Rotschild is upset at not getting an invitation to Angelwatch, not because he cares about Karras or the mechanists as such ("it's not like we're going to join their church or anything"), but because everybody else, especially the BUMBLESONS, was invited.

Karras has been clearly traumatized and has possibly become paranoid because he feels people are not taking him seriously enough, which is one of the reasons he wants to destroy them and replace them with machines. In that sense, I don't think Karras is meant to sound impressive or awe-inspiring, which is why the French version of him doesn't sound quite right. And with Karras, it's really the voice that makes the character, since we never actually get to meet him face-to-face, apart from a small glimpse through a protective glass in Soulforge.

Jah on 17/7/2007 at 20:23

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I'd say there's got to be at least a few years between them. Even though some of the mechanist strongholds (such as the seminary) are former Hammerite temples, I assume that Soulforge and Angelwatch, at least, were built by the mechanists themselves. Those are pretty huge buildings that wouldn't spring up overnight, not to mention that the mechanists must have been fairly powerful already before they could even start building them; they would have needed both manpower and money for the materials to start such projects, not to mention everything else they have going on, such as the submarine and other stuff on Markham's Isle.

Jah on 21/7/2007 at 12:51

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My current theory is this:

After the defeat of the Trickster, the Hammerites decided to reward Garrett by giving him a mechanical eye to replace the one that was taken from him. The task of crafting it was given to a high-ranking Hammerite named Karras, who was the one most familiar with complex mechanical devices. He obviously wanted to know who the eye was for, and after finding this out, why would a filthy thief be worthy of such a wondrous creation. This way at least, Karras became familiar with Garrett's role in defeating the Trickster.

There is no indication, however, of any direct contact between Karras and Garrett regarding the eye. I believe the eye was sent to Garrett by some random Hammerite emissary, not by Karras personally, as it doesn't seem like Garrett is familiar with him before he learns Karras wants him dead, and since Garrett never cared that much for the Hammerites, anyway, I doubt he would really be interested in which particular Hammerite crafted it. So I would say that Karras was familiar with Garrett, but not the other way round; therefore the idea that Karras was hoping to win Garrett over with this gift still sounds a bit illogical.

Then again, by the time of Soulforge, Karras has obviously lost the remaining bits of his sanity. He is practically equating himself with the Builder, so I suppose one could argue that he is already so delusional that he believes it's self-evident that any marvelous mechanical creation like the eye must
be his creation, and he thinks that Garrett must have known all along it was he who crafted the eye.

Solabusca on 25/7/2007 at 22:08

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I was always under the impression that the 'security cameras' in Cragscleft were nothing more than periscopes (perhaps either crank operated or turned by waterwheel), as opposed to prototype Watchers.

.j.

Linda on 14/9/2015 at 01:51

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Listen to the robot's voice and way of talking, did it reminds about someone? Found the original inspiration. Doctor Who serie 1966, the cybermen.
[video=youtube;FBHGbBJwyh0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBHGbBJwyh0[/video]