Charles Collins

Charles Collins was the Collins family patriarch living at the lavish Collinwood estate in the early 19th century. In 1810, Charles Collins had an affair with his brother Gabriel’s wife, Angelique. Angelique loved Charles more than she could ever love Gabriel, and the two enjoyed a passionate if albeit brief love affair. Charles learned that Angelique was actually a witch, and that she had cast a spell upon him, which forced him to fall in love with her.
One evening, Gabriel learned of his wife’s mystical heritage, as well as her extra-marital indiscretions with Charles. The two brothers came to blows and Gabriel’s marriage to Angelique was essentially destroyed. Gabriel alerted a local clergyman named Reverend Strack who promptly had Angelique arrested for witchcraft (he charged her with the mysterious murder of a fellow clergyman named Harridge).
After Angelique’s trial and subsequent execution, Charles went insane. He tracked Reverend Strack down and trampled him to death beneath the feet of his horse. Laura (Charles's wife), who had also played a role in Angelique's death, would also die under mysterious circumstances, having unexpectedly drowned in a nearby lake. After this, in retaliation Gabriel sealed alive Charles in the family crypt with Angelique's corpse.
The story of Angelique did not end with her death, however. Her ghost lived on through the years and manifested itself at Collinwood in the year 1971. By this time, Charles' descendent, Quentin Collins had become the heir of Collinwood. Quentin was the reincarnation of Charles Collins. Angelique’s ghost used her magic to slowly infuse the spirit of Charles Collins inside the body of Quentin. As Charles’ influence became dominant, he attempted to eradicate all emotional ties to Quentin; namely, his wife Tracy and his friends, Alex and Claire Jenkins.
Before long, Charles Collins took full and permanent possession of Quentin Collins.
== Life ==
* Charles Collins had a small scar that ran down the left side of his cheek.
* Charles Collins walked with a limp. The nature of his injury has never been revealed.
== Personality ==
Charles appears to be the epitome of a well-bred, capricious gentleman, as was fitting of a scion and head of the Collins family. He is ruthless and willful, cold and calculating. He was also a considerable opponent, as seen when he bested his brother Gabriel in a fistfight after the latter had learned of the affair between Charles and Angelique. When angered, annoyed or provoked, Charles can act with great cruelty, violence and depravity, willing to kill mercilessly when driven far enough. While in possession of Quentin, he had even attempted to both sexually assault and to murder Tracy, seemingly equating her with Laura in terms of being an obstacle, despite the marked difference between the two women. It is not difficult to see when Charles has control of Quentin's body, as Charles's cool, distant and subtly menacing demeanor shows through, in addition to the physical quirks Charles had in life. 
With all his flaws and dark tendencies, Charles was not without a few positive qualities and tragedies. This was seen particularly when it came to Angelique, whom he held a very strong passion for (although this may have stemmed mostly, if not entirely, from Angelique's spell on him). He remains devoted to her even beyond death. He was also a talented artist, a trait passed down to Quentin in such degree that Quentin is able to complete a painting that Charles had never finished. Charles could be seen as somewhat pitiable in a way; his ultimate fate could be considered far harsher than what might have been appropriate in light of what he had done, having been left to die in a tomb with the rotting corpse of his lover.
Category:Night of Dark Shadows Characters