Flobbage, as he is known to his peers, is a middle aged man who works as a construction worker in Paris.
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Flobbage | |
|---|---|
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| Vital statistics | |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | Elderly |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Construction Worker |
| Location | Cafe de la Chandelle Verte, France |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | White (Broken Sword 1)
Grey (Broken Sword 3) |
| Status | Alive |
| Appearance | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars
Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon |
Personality
When initially encountered in The Shadow of the Templars, Flobbage seems to be an aggressive, rude and ill-tempered individual who is quick to snap at those who interrupt his work. Further conversation with him does not change this notion and is even added to when he feigns remorse for Plantard’s death in an over-the-top manner. When asked if he has a lunch break coming up soon Flobbage exaggerates the ruthlessness of his boss to demonstrate the long hours he has to work, this is done to make George feel sympathy for him but it comes across more as complaining needlessly. Flobbage even shows a crude sense of humour as he looks at the topless photographs published in the newspaper and openly comments on the size of the assets without any shame.
Despite his negative, uptight attitude shown in The Shadow of the Templars, Flobbage shows a lighter side to his personality in The Sleeping Dragon as, despite the danger he risks by ignoring many health, safety and insurance rules, he allows George to scare Alphonse into driving away with a manhole cover dragging along behind the truck he’s in simply because he dislikes Alphonse and wants to revel in his embarrassment. His overall personality seems to be happier than before and his work ethic is still equally as impressive, just like in The Shadow of the Templars, indicating that he much prefers to be his own boss. To this end he even thanks George and shows humbleness at how much that one betting tip has changed his life making him a more likable character.
Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars
Flobbage is first introduced digging up the road near the Café de la Chandelle Verte after the bomb blast. Despite being merely several yards away from the blast he states that he didn't even hear the explosion since he was busy constructing the road. Analysis of the immediate environment around Flobbage identifies a sewer key that can be used to open the same sewer grid that the costumed kiler has escaped down. However, Flobbage will not share his tool with George and so he must distract him in order to attain it.
In order to do this George gives Flobbage the newspaper he picked up after he regained consciousness in the hopes that Flobbage will take a break from his work and turn his attention away from George. After various humorous comments from Flobbage on various world affairs he notices the writing scrawled on the newspaper that George could not decipher. Revealing the information to be the name of a race horse and the time it races respectively, Flobbage asks George to watch over his hole so that he can put a bet on the horse.
Flobbage’s absence allows George to attain the sewer key and descend into the sewers beneath Paris. He is neither seen nor heard from again for the rest of the adventure.
Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon
Flobbage is encountered again by George during his investigation into the Cult of the Dragon several years later; his leads point him to Mountfacon where Flobbage is still working as a construction worker. During their reunion Flobbage reveals the betting tip George gave him in their first exchange won him a resounding amount of money that he has used to create his own construction company and asks if George has anymore tips he could use. Through dialogue Flobbage reveals that the recent earthquakes have ruined the nearby church and cafe, this explains why Mountfacon Square is almost empty and why he and Alfonse have to work there.
Remembering the secret catacomb he stumbled across that was a meeting place and sanctuary for the Knights Templar the last time he was here, George hatches a plan to borrow Flobbage’s sewer key again and go down into the same sewers he entered a few years ago. After sabotaging the compressor powering the pneumatic drill and swiping the sewer key, George repeats history and tries to lift the manhole cover before learning, to his surprise, that it has been welded into place in response to Sewer Jacques panic. Flobbage confirms as much and so George has to alter his plan in order to enter the sewers and sneak into the church catacombs undetected.
After learning of Flobbage’s dislike for his work partner Alphonse, due to his medical exemption from work due to seismophobia and his general lazy attitude, George decides to use Flobbage’s pleasure in Alphonse’s embarrassment as a means to open the manhole cover. After the arduous task of attaining a length of rope, whilst avoiding the pissoir concierge, George ties the rope to the back of Flobbage’s truck and to the handle of the sewer key. George then sets the last steps of his plan into action and yells to Alphonse that there is an earthquake going on, the previously sleeping Alphonse wakes up and drives away from Mountfacon in a blind panic, to the appreciative pleasure of Flobbage.
Topics of Conversation
Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars- Important:
Plantard
Costumed Killer
Newspaper
Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars- Miscellaneous
Inspector Rosso’s Card
Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon:
Flobbage
Sewer Key
Alphonse
Quotes
“Quelle Bitte! I could have knocked his block off!”
“That’s too bad. Now I wish I hadn’t called him what I did.”
“Tchach! Save the dolphins? Catch them and eat them I say!”
“Now that’s more like it! Look at the size of those! Like Champagne bottle corks, non?”
“Do me a favour won’t you? Keep an eye on my hole…
“You can’t argue with a piece of paper – can you…”
“Positive discrimination. We have to take on a set number of cowardly idiots every year”
“You’ve got a thing about sewers- haven’t you?”
“No, that’s what sells you’re crazy scheme to me”
Trivia
Flobbage looks completely different in The Sleeping Dragon compared to his appearance in The Shadow of the Templars, his features have changed a lot and his voice seems to be a lot less gravelly.
Although Flobbage seems to be happier than the first time George met him, presumably down to the windfall he received from George’s racing tip, he still remembers the fact that his original sewer key went missing not long after he left George to look after his work hole.
Nico meets Flobbage's brother whilst he was boarding up the bombed out café. Nico notices the similar features and asks him if they are related, to which he replies that he didn't want to talk about Flobbage since he had recently won a lot of money on a horse and wouldn't lend him any money. Nico tries to defend Flobbage by explaining to the brother that it's his money but he stated that Flobbage used to beg him for money telling him "Brothers should look after each other!"
Gallery
Flobbage as seen in Broken Sword 3