diff --git a/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua b/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua
index b711273..ebceded 100644
--- a/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua
+++ b/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua
@@ -7,9 +7,19 @@ roomAPI = require("room")
 mapMaker = require("map_maker")
 mapSaver = require("map_saver")
 
+characterAPI = require("character")
+entityAPI = require("entity")
+networkAPI = require("network")
+
 --test the room hooks
 roomManagerAPI.SetOnCreate(function(room, index)
 	print("", "Creating room: ", roomAPI.GetName(room), index)
+
+	roomAPI.SetOnTick(room, function(room)
+		roomAPI.ForEachCharacter(room, function(character)
+			characterAPI.SetRoomIndex(character, 0)
+		end)
+	end)
 end)
 
 roomManagerAPI.SetOnUnload(function(room, index)
@@ -40,10 +50,6 @@ function createTrigger(handle, room, x, y, script)
 		)
 end
 
-characterAPI = require("character")
-entityAPI = require("entity")
-networkAPI = require("network")
-
 --simple teleporter
 createTrigger("trigger 1", overworld, 0, 0, function(entity)
 	if entityAPI.GetType(entity) ~= "character" then
diff --git a/server/characters/character_api.cpp b/server/characters/character_api.cpp
index c6a0414..bb35147 100644
--- a/server/characters/character_api.cpp
+++ b/server/characters/character_api.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@
 
 #include "entity_api.hpp"
 
+#include "room_manager.hpp"
+
+static int setRoomIndex(lua_State* L) {
+	//NOTE: type-dependant calls to various API functions, see bug #43
+	CharacterData* character = static_cast<CharacterData*>(lua_touserdata(L, 1));
+	RoomManager::GetSingleton().PopCharacter(character);
+	character->SetRoomIndex(lua_tointeger(L, 2));
+	RoomManager::GetSingleton().PushCharacter(character);
+	//TODO: (0) send character room change messages
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int getOwner(lua_State* L) {
 	CharacterData* character = static_cast<CharacterData*>(lua_touserdata(L, 1));
 	lua_pushinteger(L, character->GetOwner());
@@ -45,33 +57,34 @@ static int getAvatar(lua_State* L) {
 
 static const luaL_Reg characterLib[] = {
 //	{"GetOwner", getOwner}, //unusable without account API
+	{"SetRoomIndex", setRoomIndex},
 	{"GetHandle", getHandle},
 	{"GetAvatar", getAvatar},
 	{nullptr, nullptr}
 };
 
 LUAMOD_API int openCharacterAPI(lua_State* L) {
-	//the local table
-	luaL_newlib(L, characterLib);
-
 	//get the parent table
 	luaL_requiref(L, TORTUGA_ENTITY_API, openEntityAPI, false);
 
-	//clone the parent table into the local table
+	//the local table
+	luaL_newlib(L, characterLib);
+
+	//merge the local table into the parent table
 	lua_pushnil(L);	//first key
 	while(lua_next(L, -2)) {
 		//copy the key-value pair
 		lua_pushvalue(L, -2);
 		lua_pushvalue(L, -2);
 
-		//push the copy to the local table
+		//push the copy to the parent table
 		lua_settable(L, -6);
 
 		//pop the original value before continuing
 		lua_pop(L, 1);
 	}
 
-	//remove the parent table, leaving the expanded child table
+	//remove the local table, leaving the expanded parent table
 	lua_pop(L, 1);
 
 	return 1;
diff --git a/server/characters/makefile b/server/characters/makefile
index 7e666d5..998ca93 100644
--- a/server/characters/makefile
+++ b/server/characters/makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #config
-INCLUDES+=. ../entities ../server_utilities ../../common/gameplay ../../common/utilities
+INCLUDES+=. ../entities ../monsters ../rooms ../server_utilities ../triggers ../../common/gameplay ../../common/map ../../common/utilities
 LIBS+=
 CXXFLAGS+=-std=c++11 $(addprefix -I,$(INCLUDES))
 
diff --git a/server/entities/entity_api.cpp b/server/entities/entity_api.cpp
index 30daaea..13bda83 100644
--- a/server/entities/entity_api.cpp
+++ b/server/entities/entity_api.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #include "entity.hpp"
 
 static int setRoomIndex(lua_State* L) {
-	//TODO: (1) if this is a character, push/pop from the room system
 	Entity* entity = static_cast<Entity*>(lua_touserdata(L, 1));
 	entity->SetRoomIndex(lua_tointeger(L, 2));
 	return 0;
diff --git a/server/monsters/monster_api.cpp b/server/monsters/monster_api.cpp
index 06d6551..915b0c3 100644
--- a/server/monsters/monster_api.cpp
+++ b/server/monsters/monster_api.cpp
@@ -61,27 +61,27 @@ static const luaL_Reg monsterLib[] = {
 };
 
 LUAMOD_API int openMonsterAPI(lua_State* L) {
-	//the local table
-	luaL_newlib(L, monsterLib);
-
 	//get the parent table
 	luaL_requiref(L, TORTUGA_ENTITY_API, openEntityAPI, false);
 
-	//clone the parent table into the local table
+	//the local table
+	luaL_newlib(L, monsterLib);
+
+	//merge the local table into the parent table
 	lua_pushnil(L);	//first key
 	while(lua_next(L, -2)) {
 		//copy the key-value pair
 		lua_pushvalue(L, -2);
 		lua_pushvalue(L, -2);
 
-		//push the copy to the local table
+		//push the copy to the parent table
 		lua_settable(L, -6);
 
 		//pop the original value before continuing
 		lua_pop(L, 1);
 	}
 
-	//remove the parent table, leaving the expanded child table
+	//remove the local table, leaving the expanded parent table
 	lua_pop(L, 1);
 
 	return 1;