Application for vatheon
Original application link can be found here!
[ Player Name ] : C-chan
[ Personal LJ ] : derpchan
[ Age ] : 17~
[ Timezone ] : EST (GMT -5)
[ Character's Name ] : Carl Clover
[ Character's Age ] : 11 I am well aware he is underage. He's mature enough to fend for himself and isn't a whiny brat, so... more or less, I believe he would be acceptable.
[ Series ] : BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
[ Canon Point ] : Taken from the ending of the route where the player loses against Taokaka, is helped by Litchi. So assuming he fell asleep in her office before he could run away again.
The main history for the game can be found here, which will help clarify what I do not in this application, and an alternative source here, though it isn't all that helpful, so I'm really relying more on my own take here.
The history write-up part of this app is somewhat assumption on my part, but it's all logically sound and based on the given canon. I'm only including what's relevant to Carl, versus explaining all of BlazBlue's plot (and it is a huge plot), though.
[ History ] :
Carl Clover was born sometime before the Ikaruga Civil War broke out in Austria, with 2189 AD being the earliest possible date (going with the assumption he is ten years of age, of course). His sister, Ada Clover, while not given a canonical age in the game, was most likely born long before that. Therefore, one can assume Carl was likely a 'late' child, as Ada was in her teens by the time he was in his early years (that is, around five or six). He lived a fairly normal life, being babied by his big sister, and watching his dad, Relius, who apparently worked for a mysterious company by the name of Sector Seven, invent and otherwise tinker with things most men would not even be able to remotely fathom. Relius was an alchemist and a scientist on top of being known as the "Puppeteer," and his experiments in cloning were, unfortunately, likely hidden from Carl and Ada; it would only later become relevant to the rest of the cast that Carl's father is the cause (more or less) of the story's entire time loop. ... But that isn't about this. This is about Carl.
Carl was the first son presumably born to his family. They were well off; probably lived in Vienna, and he was raised to be courteous, polite, and well-mannered. Sure, they didn't have a mother, but he had his sister, Ada. It was hard at times, but not unbearable. After all, Carl enjoyed a lavish lifestyle for most of his early youth. Back then, he was likely still a perfectly content boy, healthy in both mind and body, who turned out to have an above average intelligence, and perhaps was a bit too babied by his sister who took care of things. And when I say "above average" regarding his intelligence, I really mean "child prodigy"; a genius for his age, in alchemy, puppetry, automata, and other things. Ever thirsting for knowledge, he would pick up the violin and playing chess as a hobby early into his life, and even become something of a tinkerer and inventor, dabbling into alchemy and learning it and how to use Armagus, or the name for 'magic' in the BlazBlue world.
Now, it should be noted the NOL or Novus Orbis Librarium is a dictatorship (you can read about it in the link), and controls the world and military. They accept many young soldiers or trainees in their Military Academy (like Carl, who couldn't have been over six), since most humans or soldiers living in lower altitudes tend to die of seithr exposure. Seithr is a poison mist that also grants humans the ability to use Armagus and is lethal in large amounts as well as addictive over time, though Carl proved to have the innate ability to more efficiently use it than others, making him more capable. His father for whatever reason shipped him off to the NOL's military Academy (location unknown; perhaps presumably near Austria, his home), but Carl didn't seem to mind. He loved learning and was treated well there for the most part.
Those were days of contentment for the young child.
His friends were the books and his upperclassmen (Noel Vermillion, Tsubaki Yayoi, and Makoto Nanaya), and he likely got along well with the teachers, even if he didn't speak up much. His grades were near perfect, and he was always seen carrying a book larger than he himself was, ever the inquisitive type, and always ready and eager to learn more. He enjoyed every minute of his time at the Academy; those were warm, kind days. Whether he wanted to be a soldier or whatnot he probably didn't know; he was just enjoying his time there.
But days that good, for anyone, as Noel notes in her storyline, would never last. Could never last. Now, while he learned he COULD live by 'himself,' or without his big sister, he still missed her. Eventually, it only served to make him wish to be near his sister more often... and what was to come would completely cement his fear of losing Ada, and make him a complete co-dependent on her.
Not long before Carl had gotten used to Academy life, the Ikarugan Civil war broke out. At the time, he was studying to likely become an officer himself (or perhaps part of the NOL's Information depart, which consists of covert spy operations), and by the time Noel Vermillion was ready to graduate several years later (albeit six months early), Carl had dropped out, despite his top-class grades, genius mind, and ability to analyze things from a perspective that any Military organization would find useful. Well, why? So, one might think that Carl, a seemingly sheltered, happy, innocent boy, would have been persuaded by his father, Relius, or his sister, Ada, to stay, right? ... This, however, was not the case, sadly. In fact, it's the exact opposite of what truly happens. So why does Carl disappear and suddenly and inexplicably reappear claiming to be a vigilante? His father, plain and simple.
Relius Clover, for reasons as of yet unexplained by the main story, took his own daughter, killed her (presumably), and used her soul (or perhaps body, as well) to create the Armagus weapon know as Deus Ex Machina Nox Nyctores: Nirvana. Or recreate, as it is hinted at perhaps more than one of this particular Nox has existed (or exists) before. Whatever or whomever it was created for, the only thing that is truly known is that because of this is highly likely the reason Carl dropped out of the Academy, and completely lost his marbles. Official art shows his sister, Ada Clover, being half-mechanical and half human still; it's extremely likely that Relius, as a scientist and alchemist, used her body and soul to create Nirvana. Carl himself in-game hints that "father turned you [Ada] into this," in fact, and the crack on the puppet's face is only further proof of it, as is the fact it sacrifices itself for Carl in one of his story mode endings. Regardless of whether or not this is really true, Carl believes it to be with his entire being, suggesting he may have even seen the event take place, which could account for his fractured mind.
This was what caused him to leave, drop out, and turn to the life of a vigilante. Some years later, he hears of Ragna the Bloodedge and his Azure Grimoire, and in hopes of fixing his sister with it, sets his sights on the 13th Hierarchical city of Kagutsuchi to capture him.
[ Personality ] :
As I've stated previously, Carl was once (in all likelihood) a very sheltered, well-off Austrian boy, who was more than just slightly clingy to his sister, Ada Clover, as they had no mother and she seems to have took care of Carl, cooked for him, and all of that. He was more likely than not raised around a plethora of knowledge in the books he would so grow to love, and would learn a refined sense of pleasure from the finer end of things in life, as most single sons from well-off families like his own would. Relius Clover, his father, was a brilliant inventor, alchemist and a scientist, lending his genius and talent for making things (as well as his thirst for knowledge, and genius mind) to his son; Carl is very much the son of the great puppeteer. He was raised to enjoy such regal activities as one would expect of that background for his age and smart mind, and having a refined sense of taste, he obviously enjoys the finer things in life--chess, expansive literature (especially horror, realistic fiction, and really anything but romance), the violin. Things of this nature.
BUT he's still very much a little boy, too! Much like any child, Carl is a fan of sweets (particularly cookies--the soft chewy chocolate chip kind, but he eats the messy crumbly kind because--and this is a devious secret--he liked the attention his sister gave him when he made a bit of a mess). Home-made meals are what he loves; he tends to only know Austrian ones, though. He also seems to enjoy dressing intricately or flashily; purple is his favorite color, and he seems to have a fondness for mechanical things, too, he's pretty good with gears cogs and other things his automata knowledge and alchemic knowledge aside. His understanding of Armagus for his age shows an intelligence and maturity beyond his actual age: he's skilled enough in his use of manipulating and controlling seithr (and knowledgeable enough) to know generally when not to overdo it, which says quite a bit about his advanced, enlightened mind.
... And while this is all well and good, there's a much deeper side to Carl once you get past his cutesy, intelligent glasses-wearing cookie-loving exterior.
After his sister was turned into Nirvana (likely right in front of him; it is assumed to have been a work of alchemy and something else using the girl's body and/or soul), then subsequently disappeared without a word, it broke the boy's sanity and fragile, young mind into so many fine pieces... not rather unlike his favorite chess set, to be honest. As Rachel puts it, "He could have been a bright star." ... But it isn't just the world holding him back... it's himself, as Carl is now a child who could have had a shining career, and possibly helped advance the world in many good ways, but is so far gone in so many ways that he cannot possibly be saved.
Carl projects the air of something similar to the 'young master' or 'young, perfect gentleman' archetype in that he bows to women, is seemingly always considerate of others before himself, and has all the markings and fine mannerisms that one would expect from someone raised properly in a wealthy family the right way. However, most of this, while once true, is more or less just an outer façade by the child, although it is ingrained in part of him. The reality...?
Underneath that cutesy exterior, Carl despises adults and liars most of all (often the two end up mixing in his presence, unfortunately, or are mistaken to be lying, as they do not know the whole truth; his hate of them, almost, borders on Juenism; the belief that the young are superior to the old). Oh, sure, he won't always outwardly admit it or show it, but in reality, he has extreme trust issues due to what happened with his father abandoning him and turning his sister into what she is now. Plus, to some extent, Nirvana DOES affect his mind, but he is ultimately responsible for his own actions. Thus, it makes it even more chilling when one learns the next part: his extreme lust for blood and battle. His thirst for blood is large, even if his stamina is not. What he lacks for in height and decent hit power, he makes up for in sheer technical genius, his automatons, speed, and the unrelenting stubbornness and cold logic of a child... and one with a brilliant mind, at that. Not to mention he has a 'partner' at all times: his marionette, or his "sister". He is the kind of child who will utterly decimate you using his adorable chess-themed puppets, and while you are bleeding to death, step over you and giggle, asking his sister if "she had fun," and leave you to die.
He is eluded to enjoying and knowing how to, in fact, even torture people.
He is suspicious of even the smallest of kindly gestures by almost anyone, even if he doesn't say a thing about it, generally. Though usually, you can tell what he's thinking, as he tends to calmly talk aloud to Nirvana (and yes... that's as creepy as it sounds). He over-analyzes most things, talks aloud to his marionette or big "sister" for permission to do everything from leave to kill a person, and will do absolutely anything to restore aforementioned puppet which is presumably his sister, sometimes jumping into a fight with sadistic, but eerily calm, glee.
Although this MIGHT seem like a huge difference, most of the time, Carl is just your above-average intelligence, polite, somewhat odd boy. He's a bit stronger than most his age, yes, and he's prone to attacking if his sister says you're dangerous (amazing logic, I know), and his logic might be extremely childish and broken, but... he's really a good kid. Life just happened to twist his mind a bit to make him think killing, torture, and other things were perfectly acceptable. You just need to beware his psycho buttons, really. Otherwise, you're golden, and he GENERALLY won't kill you or hurt you. Really, he's just a misguided kid with a sister complex and a heart in the wrong place, when it comes down to it.
[ Strengths/Weaknesses ] :
As Carl is from a fighting game, this is going to get long if I end up going into detail on each move he has... so I won't, here. The shorter answer is that Carl and Nirvana's strengths lie in teamwork. When the two work together in tangent, they can become an unstoppable force. If Carl manages to trap you between himself and his sister if you should ever get into an actual physical battle with the kid? Expect to be hit by automatons from his cape and hat, and punches or clawed at by Nirvana, giant cogs out of nowhere... things of that nature.
Individually, being the weakest out of all the fighters, Carl can't last long in a fight, and doesn't have a lot of stamina. Hit him quickly enough and hard enough and he'll go unconscious. Generally, he knows when to retreat. But sometimes he's bloodthirsty enough to have it get the better of him, or easily blinded by his extreme desire to do anything to restore his sister, even if it would mean his own death. This also makes him extremely easy to manipulate psychologically. He's also prone to trusting teenagers and younger people more readily than adults. ... This all said, do not underestimate him. You will regret it. In fact, if you live to regret it, that is.
Secondly, Carl isn't just helped by his sister--he's actually quite a capable young man. He can think on his feet, as well as having the ability to think logically in and out of battle. His automatons, all shaped like chess pieces, can do everything from kill you by gutting you with a lance or a flagpole to blocking your attacks for him. Carl himself is bordering genius-level territory in regards to his mind, so in battle, he's skilled enough to be able to figure out his opponent's patterns quickly. And he's always calm--he never panics. After all, Nirvana is powered by his emotions and some of his sanity... or so it's implied. So he really can't panic. That's how the Nox Nyctores work: they suppress emotions and thoughts not useful for fighting, and in Nirvana's case, use them.
Wikipedia states that, "Popular assessment of genius often relies not only on a vast intellect, but also upon a combination of an incredible ability to understand complex issues and problems, a profound creativity and imagination, and the ability to channel such skills into productive outlets." And that, more or less, is exactly what defines Carl's mind. Though it isn't exactly... psychologically well, his abilities otherwise and what he does choose to do with them, he does (usually) quite well.
[ Other Important Facts ] : Carl and Nirvana come in one flavor: together. Don't think you'll be separating 'em anytime soon.
Also... Carl has quite a few psycho buttons. I'll just... list them here for your sake.
» Do not call his sister "Nirvana". He will immediately get suspicious.
» Do not refer to her as an inanimate object; i.e., a "doll," or a "puppet". This also will make him angry.
» Do not underestimate him.
» Don't be named Noel Vermillion.
Carl likes to battle people he thinks are strong. But most times (usually with women) he tries to outright avoid confrontation, or if he thinks he can't win. And yes, don't worry--he won't be attacking anyone without permission or anything. Really.
Oh, and his ostentatious eyeglasses glasses are what allow him to talk to Nirvana, as well as lamp posts and mailboxes. ... Yes, you read that correctly. Really he is totally sane. Really.
[ Sample ] :
[ ... He was wet. He was cold. Okay, that was established, and his sister was nearby. He wasn't about to panic--don't panic until you need to, right? But then he noticed something very important:
... His glasses were missing. Why were his glasses missing? Carl fumbled around, looking for them, and as soon as he found them, put them on to be greeted by a friendly lamp post. It proceeded to explain everything to him about the SFC, and thanking it, he dug the communicator out of his pocket. ]
Um... is this on? My name is Carl Clover. I guess... wherever we are, I'm new here? This really nice lamp post helped me out, so I figured out how to use the communicator.
[ He smiles. Yes, that's all perfectly sane and normal, isn't it~? But a tentative pause follows his words, and he frowns, realizing why his wet head felt so cold. ] But more importantly... has anyone seen my missing hat?
[ Player Name ] : C-chan
[ Personal LJ ] : derpchan
[ Age ] : 17~
[ Timezone ] : EST (GMT -5)
[ Character's Name ] : Carl Clover
[ Character's Age ] : 11 I am well aware he is underage. He's mature enough to fend for himself and isn't a whiny brat, so... more or less, I believe he would be acceptable.
[ Series ] : BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
[ Canon Point ] : Taken from the ending of the route where the player loses against Taokaka, is helped by Litchi. So assuming he fell asleep in her office before he could run away again.
The main history for the game can be found here, which will help clarify what I do not in this application, and an alternative source here, though it isn't all that helpful, so I'm really relying more on my own take here.
The history write-up part of this app is somewhat assumption on my part, but it's all logically sound and based on the given canon. I'm only including what's relevant to Carl, versus explaining all of BlazBlue's plot (and it is a huge plot), though.
[ History ] :
Carl Clover was born sometime before the Ikaruga Civil War broke out in Austria, with 2189 AD being the earliest possible date (going with the assumption he is ten years of age, of course). His sister, Ada Clover, while not given a canonical age in the game, was most likely born long before that. Therefore, one can assume Carl was likely a 'late' child, as Ada was in her teens by the time he was in his early years (that is, around five or six). He lived a fairly normal life, being babied by his big sister, and watching his dad, Relius, who apparently worked for a mysterious company by the name of Sector Seven, invent and otherwise tinker with things most men would not even be able to remotely fathom. Relius was an alchemist and a scientist on top of being known as the "Puppeteer," and his experiments in cloning were, unfortunately, likely hidden from Carl and Ada; it would only later become relevant to the rest of the cast that Carl's father is the cause (more or less) of the story's entire time loop. ... But that isn't about this. This is about Carl.
Carl was the first son presumably born to his family. They were well off; probably lived in Vienna, and he was raised to be courteous, polite, and well-mannered. Sure, they didn't have a mother, but he had his sister, Ada. It was hard at times, but not unbearable. After all, Carl enjoyed a lavish lifestyle for most of his early youth. Back then, he was likely still a perfectly content boy, healthy in both mind and body, who turned out to have an above average intelligence, and perhaps was a bit too babied by his sister who took care of things. And when I say "above average" regarding his intelligence, I really mean "child prodigy"; a genius for his age, in alchemy, puppetry, automata, and other things. Ever thirsting for knowledge, he would pick up the violin and playing chess as a hobby early into his life, and even become something of a tinkerer and inventor, dabbling into alchemy and learning it and how to use Armagus, or the name for 'magic' in the BlazBlue world.
Now, it should be noted the NOL or Novus Orbis Librarium is a dictatorship (you can read about it in the link), and controls the world and military. They accept many young soldiers or trainees in their Military Academy (like Carl, who couldn't have been over six), since most humans or soldiers living in lower altitudes tend to die of seithr exposure. Seithr is a poison mist that also grants humans the ability to use Armagus and is lethal in large amounts as well as addictive over time, though Carl proved to have the innate ability to more efficiently use it than others, making him more capable. His father for whatever reason shipped him off to the NOL's military Academy (location unknown; perhaps presumably near Austria, his home), but Carl didn't seem to mind. He loved learning and was treated well there for the most part.
Those were days of contentment for the young child.
His friends were the books and his upperclassmen (Noel Vermillion, Tsubaki Yayoi, and Makoto Nanaya), and he likely got along well with the teachers, even if he didn't speak up much. His grades were near perfect, and he was always seen carrying a book larger than he himself was, ever the inquisitive type, and always ready and eager to learn more. He enjoyed every minute of his time at the Academy; those were warm, kind days. Whether he wanted to be a soldier or whatnot he probably didn't know; he was just enjoying his time there.
But days that good, for anyone, as Noel notes in her storyline, would never last. Could never last. Now, while he learned he COULD live by 'himself,' or without his big sister, he still missed her. Eventually, it only served to make him wish to be near his sister more often... and what was to come would completely cement his fear of losing Ada, and make him a complete co-dependent on her.
Not long before Carl had gotten used to Academy life, the Ikarugan Civil war broke out. At the time, he was studying to likely become an officer himself (or perhaps part of the NOL's Information depart, which consists of covert spy operations), and by the time Noel Vermillion was ready to graduate several years later (albeit six months early), Carl had dropped out, despite his top-class grades, genius mind, and ability to analyze things from a perspective that any Military organization would find useful. Well, why? So, one might think that Carl, a seemingly sheltered, happy, innocent boy, would have been persuaded by his father, Relius, or his sister, Ada, to stay, right? ... This, however, was not the case, sadly. In fact, it's the exact opposite of what truly happens. So why does Carl disappear and suddenly and inexplicably reappear claiming to be a vigilante? His father, plain and simple.
Relius Clover, for reasons as of yet unexplained by the main story, took his own daughter, killed her (presumably), and used her soul (or perhaps body, as well) to create the Armagus weapon know as Deus Ex Machina Nox Nyctores: Nirvana. Or recreate, as it is hinted at perhaps more than one of this particular Nox has existed (or exists) before. Whatever or whomever it was created for, the only thing that is truly known is that because of this is highly likely the reason Carl dropped out of the Academy, and completely lost his marbles. Official art shows his sister, Ada Clover, being half-mechanical and half human still; it's extremely likely that Relius, as a scientist and alchemist, used her body and soul to create Nirvana. Carl himself in-game hints that "father turned you [Ada] into this," in fact, and the crack on the puppet's face is only further proof of it, as is the fact it sacrifices itself for Carl in one of his story mode endings. Regardless of whether or not this is really true, Carl believes it to be with his entire being, suggesting he may have even seen the event take place, which could account for his fractured mind.
This was what caused him to leave, drop out, and turn to the life of a vigilante. Some years later, he hears of Ragna the Bloodedge and his Azure Grimoire, and in hopes of fixing his sister with it, sets his sights on the 13th Hierarchical city of Kagutsuchi to capture him.
[ Personality ] :
As I've stated previously, Carl was once (in all likelihood) a very sheltered, well-off Austrian boy, who was more than just slightly clingy to his sister, Ada Clover, as they had no mother and she seems to have took care of Carl, cooked for him, and all of that. He was more likely than not raised around a plethora of knowledge in the books he would so grow to love, and would learn a refined sense of pleasure from the finer end of things in life, as most single sons from well-off families like his own would. Relius Clover, his father, was a brilliant inventor, alchemist and a scientist, lending his genius and talent for making things (as well as his thirst for knowledge, and genius mind) to his son; Carl is very much the son of the great puppeteer. He was raised to enjoy such regal activities as one would expect of that background for his age and smart mind, and having a refined sense of taste, he obviously enjoys the finer things in life--chess, expansive literature (especially horror, realistic fiction, and really anything but romance), the violin. Things of this nature.
BUT he's still very much a little boy, too! Much like any child, Carl is a fan of sweets (particularly cookies--the soft chewy chocolate chip kind, but he eats the messy crumbly kind because--and this is a devious secret--he liked the attention his sister gave him when he made a bit of a mess). Home-made meals are what he loves; he tends to only know Austrian ones, though. He also seems to enjoy dressing intricately or flashily; purple is his favorite color, and he seems to have a fondness for mechanical things, too, he's pretty good with gears cogs and other things his automata knowledge and alchemic knowledge aside. His understanding of Armagus for his age shows an intelligence and maturity beyond his actual age: he's skilled enough in his use of manipulating and controlling seithr (and knowledgeable enough) to know generally when not to overdo it, which says quite a bit about his advanced, enlightened mind.
... And while this is all well and good, there's a much deeper side to Carl once you get past his cutesy, intelligent glasses-wearing cookie-loving exterior.
After his sister was turned into Nirvana (likely right in front of him; it is assumed to have been a work of alchemy and something else using the girl's body and/or soul), then subsequently disappeared without a word, it broke the boy's sanity and fragile, young mind into so many fine pieces... not rather unlike his favorite chess set, to be honest. As Rachel puts it, "He could have been a bright star." ... But it isn't just the world holding him back... it's himself, as Carl is now a child who could have had a shining career, and possibly helped advance the world in many good ways, but is so far gone in so many ways that he cannot possibly be saved.
Carl projects the air of something similar to the 'young master' or 'young, perfect gentleman' archetype in that he bows to women, is seemingly always considerate of others before himself, and has all the markings and fine mannerisms that one would expect from someone raised properly in a wealthy family the right way. However, most of this, while once true, is more or less just an outer façade by the child, although it is ingrained in part of him. The reality...?
Underneath that cutesy exterior, Carl despises adults and liars most of all (often the two end up mixing in his presence, unfortunately, or are mistaken to be lying, as they do not know the whole truth; his hate of them, almost, borders on Juenism; the belief that the young are superior to the old). Oh, sure, he won't always outwardly admit it or show it, but in reality, he has extreme trust issues due to what happened with his father abandoning him and turning his sister into what she is now. Plus, to some extent, Nirvana DOES affect his mind, but he is ultimately responsible for his own actions. Thus, it makes it even more chilling when one learns the next part: his extreme lust for blood and battle. His thirst for blood is large, even if his stamina is not. What he lacks for in height and decent hit power, he makes up for in sheer technical genius, his automatons, speed, and the unrelenting stubbornness and cold logic of a child... and one with a brilliant mind, at that. Not to mention he has a 'partner' at all times: his marionette, or his "sister". He is the kind of child who will utterly decimate you using his adorable chess-themed puppets, and while you are bleeding to death, step over you and giggle, asking his sister if "she had fun," and leave you to die.
He is eluded to enjoying and knowing how to, in fact, even torture people.
He is suspicious of even the smallest of kindly gestures by almost anyone, even if he doesn't say a thing about it, generally. Though usually, you can tell what he's thinking, as he tends to calmly talk aloud to Nirvana (and yes... that's as creepy as it sounds). He over-analyzes most things, talks aloud to his marionette or big "sister" for permission to do everything from leave to kill a person, and will do absolutely anything to restore aforementioned puppet which is presumably his sister, sometimes jumping into a fight with sadistic, but eerily calm, glee.
Although this MIGHT seem like a huge difference, most of the time, Carl is just your above-average intelligence, polite, somewhat odd boy. He's a bit stronger than most his age, yes, and he's prone to attacking if his sister says you're dangerous (amazing logic, I know), and his logic might be extremely childish and broken, but... he's really a good kid. Life just happened to twist his mind a bit to make him think killing, torture, and other things were perfectly acceptable. You just need to beware his psycho buttons, really. Otherwise, you're golden, and he GENERALLY won't kill you or hurt you. Really, he's just a misguided kid with a sister complex and a heart in the wrong place, when it comes down to it.
[ Strengths/Weaknesses ] :
As Carl is from a fighting game, this is going to get long if I end up going into detail on each move he has... so I won't, here. The shorter answer is that Carl and Nirvana's strengths lie in teamwork. When the two work together in tangent, they can become an unstoppable force. If Carl manages to trap you between himself and his sister if you should ever get into an actual physical battle with the kid? Expect to be hit by automatons from his cape and hat, and punches or clawed at by Nirvana, giant cogs out of nowhere... things of that nature.
Individually, being the weakest out of all the fighters, Carl can't last long in a fight, and doesn't have a lot of stamina. Hit him quickly enough and hard enough and he'll go unconscious. Generally, he knows when to retreat. But sometimes he's bloodthirsty enough to have it get the better of him, or easily blinded by his extreme desire to do anything to restore his sister, even if it would mean his own death. This also makes him extremely easy to manipulate psychologically. He's also prone to trusting teenagers and younger people more readily than adults. ... This all said, do not underestimate him. You will regret it. In fact, if you live to regret it, that is.
Secondly, Carl isn't just helped by his sister--he's actually quite a capable young man. He can think on his feet, as well as having the ability to think logically in and out of battle. His automatons, all shaped like chess pieces, can do everything from kill you by gutting you with a lance or a flagpole to blocking your attacks for him. Carl himself is bordering genius-level territory in regards to his mind, so in battle, he's skilled enough to be able to figure out his opponent's patterns quickly. And he's always calm--he never panics. After all, Nirvana is powered by his emotions and some of his sanity... or so it's implied. So he really can't panic. That's how the Nox Nyctores work: they suppress emotions and thoughts not useful for fighting, and in Nirvana's case, use them.
Wikipedia states that, "Popular assessment of genius often relies not only on a vast intellect, but also upon a combination of an incredible ability to understand complex issues and problems, a profound creativity and imagination, and the ability to channel such skills into productive outlets." And that, more or less, is exactly what defines Carl's mind. Though it isn't exactly... psychologically well, his abilities otherwise and what he does choose to do with them, he does (usually) quite well.
[ Other Important Facts ] : Carl and Nirvana come in one flavor: together. Don't think you'll be separating 'em anytime soon.
Also... Carl has quite a few psycho buttons. I'll just... list them here for your sake.
» Do not call his sister "Nirvana". He will immediately get suspicious.
» Do not refer to her as an inanimate object; i.e., a "doll," or a "puppet". This also will make him angry.
» Do not underestimate him.
» Don't be named Noel Vermillion.
Carl likes to battle people he thinks are strong. But most times (usually with women) he tries to outright avoid confrontation, or if he thinks he can't win. And yes, don't worry--he won't be attacking anyone without permission or anything. Really.
Oh, and his ostentatious eyeglasses glasses are what allow him to talk to Nirvana, as well as lamp posts and mailboxes. ... Yes, you read that correctly. Really he is totally sane. Really.
[ Sample ] :
[ ... He was wet. He was cold. Okay, that was established, and his sister was nearby. He wasn't about to panic--don't panic until you need to, right? But then he noticed something very important:
... His glasses were missing. Why were his glasses missing? Carl fumbled around, looking for them, and as soon as he found them, put them on to be greeted by a friendly lamp post. It proceeded to explain everything to him about the SFC, and thanking it, he dug the communicator out of his pocket. ]
Um... is this on? My name is Carl Clover. I guess... wherever we are, I'm new here? This really nice lamp post helped me out, so I figured out how to use the communicator.
[ He smiles. Yes, that's all perfectly sane and normal, isn't it~? But a tentative pause follows his words, and he frowns, realizing why his wet head felt so cold. ] But more importantly... has anyone seen my missing hat?