diff --git a/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua b/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua
index a284260..bdb0974 100644
--- a/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua
+++ b/rsc/scripts/setup_server.lua
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ print("Lua script check")
 mapMaker = require("map_maker")
 mapSaver = require("map_saver")
 roomSystem = require("room_system")
+characterSystem = require("character_system")
 
 local function dumpTable(t)
 	print(t)
@@ -11,26 +12,23 @@ local function dumpTable(t)
 	end
 end
 
---debugging (only works correctly with one room)
-globalTickTest = {
-	ticks = 0,
-	start = 0
-}
-
 --test the room hooks
 roomSystem.RoomManager.SetOnCreate(function(room, index)
 	print("", "Creating room: ", roomSystem.Room.GetName(room), index)
 
-	globalTickTest.start = os.clock()
-
 	--called ~60 times per second
 	roomSystem.Room.SetOnTick(room, function(room)
-		globalTickTest.ticks = globalTickTest.ticks + 1
+		local character = characterSystem.CharacterManager.GetCharacter("handle")
+		if character ~= nil then
+			--debugging
+			local x, y = characterSystem.Character.GetOrigin(character)
+			print("character.Origin(x, y): ", x, y)
+		end
 	end)
 end)
+
 roomSystem.RoomManager.SetOnUnload(function(room, index)
 	print("", "Unloading room: ", roomSystem.Room.GetName(room), index)
-	print("Time: ", (os.clock() - globalTickTest.start), "Ticks: ", globalTickTest.ticks)
 end)
 
 --NOTE: room 0 is the first that the client asks for, therefore it must exist
diff --git a/server/characters/character_manager.cpp b/server/characters/character_manager.cpp
index 2d7cf7c..300ee18 100644
--- a/server/characters/character_manager.cpp
+++ b/server/characters/character_manager.cpp
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ void CharacterManager::Unload(int uid) {
 }
 
 void CharacterManager::Delete(int uid) {
+	//TODO: when deleting a character, move it to an archive table
 	//delete this character from the database, then remove it from memory
 	sqlite3_stmt* statement = nullptr;
 
@@ -252,6 +253,15 @@ CharacterData* CharacterManager::Get(int uid) {
 	return &it->second;
 }
 
+CharacterData* CharacterManager::Get(std::string handle) {
+	for (std::map<int, CharacterData>::iterator it = elementMap.begin(); it != elementMap.end(); ++it) {
+		if (it->second.GetHandle() == handle) {
+			return &it->second;
+		}
+	}
+	return nullptr;
+}
+
 int CharacterManager::GetLoadedCount() {
 	return elementMap.size();
 }
diff --git a/server/characters/character_manager.hpp b/server/characters/character_manager.hpp
index 3a24c34..48cc54f 100644
--- a/server/characters/character_manager.hpp
+++ b/server/characters/character_manager.hpp
@@ -44,13 +44,18 @@ public:
 
 	//accessors and mutators
 	CharacterData* Get(int uid);
+	CharacterData* Get(std::string handle);
 	int GetLoadedCount();
 	int GetTotalCount();
 	std::map<int, CharacterData>* GetContainer();
 
+	//API interface
 	sqlite3* SetDatabase(sqlite3* db);
 	sqlite3* GetDatabase();
 
+	//hooks
+	//TODO: character hooks
+
 private:
 	friend Singleton<CharacterManager>;
 
diff --git a/server/characters/character_manager_api.cpp b/server/characters/character_manager_api.cpp
index 25e621a..eca3d6f 100644
--- a/server/characters/character_manager_api.cpp
+++ b/server/characters/character_manager_api.cpp
@@ -23,9 +23,70 @@
 
 #include "character_manager.hpp"
 
-//TODO: triggers, accessors
+static int setOnCreate(lua_State* L) {
+	//TODO: (9) empty
+}
+
+static int setOnLoad(lua_State* L) {
+	//TODO: (9) empty
+}
+
+static int setOnSave(lua_State* L) {
+	//TODO: (9) empty
+}
+
+static int setOnUnload(lua_State* L) {
+	//TODO: (9) empty
+}
+
+static int setOnDelete(lua_State* L) {
+	//TODO: (9) empty
+}
+
+static int getCharacter(lua_State* L) {
+	//integer vs name
+	CharacterManager& characterMgr = CharacterManager::GetSingleton();
+	CharacterData* characterData = nullptr;
+
+	switch(lua_type(L, 1)) {
+		case LUA_TNUMBER:
+			characterData = characterMgr.Get(lua_tointeger(L, 1));
+		break;
+		case LUA_TSTRING:
+			//access characters via their handles
+			characterData = characterMgr.Get(lua_tostring(L, 1));
+		break;
+	}
+
+	if (characterData) {
+		lua_pushlightuserdata(L, static_cast<void*>(characterData));
+	}
+	else {
+		lua_pushnil(L);
+	}
+
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static int getLoadedCount(lua_State* L) {
+	CharacterManager& characterMgr = CharacterManager::GetSingleton();
+	lua_pushinteger(L, characterMgr.GetLoadedCount());
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static int forEach(lua_State* L) {
+	//TODO: (1) find a way to update the clients when a script alters a character's data
+}
 
 static const luaL_Reg characterManagerLib[] = {
+//	{"SetOnCreate", setOnCreate},
+//	{"SetOnLoad", setOnLoad},
+//	{"SetOnSave", setOnSave},
+//	{"SetOnUnload", setOnUnload},
+//	{"SetOnDelete", setOnDelete},
+	{"GetCharacter", getCharacter},
+	{"GetLoadedCount", getLoadedCount},
+//	{"ForEach", forEach},
 	{nullptr, nullptr}
 };