IRU-Sentiment's Artificial Flowers

[niennab]

Byond key: niennab

Discord key: Lauren#3847

Character Name: IRU-Sentiment

Item name: Bouquet of Chrysanthemums (Alternative title: Bouquet of Flowers)

Item function(s): Code wise, the bouquet will function as a donut box.

Item description: A bouquet of white artificial chrysanthemum flowers wrapped in a sheet of newsprint.

Item appearance: See sprites attached below.

 

Item name: Artificial Chrysanthemum

Item function(s): Code wise, the Chrysanthemum flowers will function as a badge.

Item description: An artificial white chrysanthemum flower.

Item appearance: See sprites attached below.

 

Why is your character bringing this item to work? IRU-Sentiment, a Forensic Technician aboard the Aurora NSS, is often within their lab or following the trails of suspicious persons, leading to a more reserved, quiet and background existence from the hustle and bustle of the station. Since reactivation, IRU-Sentiment has come to learn that death, to organics, is a harrowing and often unpleasant topic. However hardly able to process the concept herself, she has gleaned that by offering flowers to the deceased crew members, she is able to offer them one last means of remembrance while making a quiet mark as to her own existence.

How did your character obtain this item (1 paragraph or more please):

Having taken a fascination with flowers shortly after her reactivation, the curve of the petals reminding her of the way an explosion radiates outwards, IRU-Sentiment purchased a small collection of artificial chrysanthemums on the Odin, wrapping them in a discarded sheet of newsprint found aboard.

Because, I wager, death is likely less common than our non-extended rounds would lead us to believe, I imagine that at least canonically, it is rare that IRU-Sentiment engages in autopsies, therefore the need to constantly repurchase the flowers is highly unlikely.

What value does this item have to your character, and what story does it tell? (2 paragraphs here please):

For every body that comes through IRU-Sentiment's autopsy lab, she marks their passing and subsequent completion of her work with a flower, pinned to their breast pocket, just above their heart.

The artificial flowers, synthetic and akin to herself, are otherwise meaningless and detached from organic existence. Where a human body will wither and decay, her chassis, as well as the flowers she pins to the crew member, will not. At least not at the same rate. In some ways it is a quiet mark of her presence, existing in the shadow of her fellow crew. However, it is also an acknowledgement and remembrance for the life that was lost as well as an offering of understanding and in someways, a metaphorical send off for the crew member in question.

Although in part OOC information, in Korea (as well as I believe in China and Japan), white chrysanthemums are symbolic of a grief and lamentation, and are often used at funerals.

How will you use this to better interact with crew and/or stimulate RP? I don't know if anyone does this, but if I die in round, I will often follow my body around, curious to see as to what will happen to it, where it will go, and how any station characters might react to my demise. It is my hope that in acquiring these custom sprites, I can offer the deceased player a parting acknowledgment. Also, it's my hope that in rare circumstances I will offer them to player characters as a quiet considerations of kinship to those Sentiment meets, gruesome in concept as they may be. However they will be more often reserved for the dead.

In rounds where I have invited characters to the Forensic Technician lab or sat in the lobby chatting, I wager this could additionally serve as a conversation piece.

Sprites:

Additional Comments: Sprites were made by the brilliant and skilled @wowzewow. As a side note, although I paid for the sprite work, I am fine sharing the work in part. All I would ask is that the flower (first sprite) is changed in it's entirety and that the rest is recoloured.

Files: laurenflowers.dmi

Edited December 17, 2019 by niennab
Very minor additions.

[Dark1Star]

+1 I have interacted a lot with Sentiment ICly as my officer Jake trying to teach Sentiment how to become more like a person (and failing, damn IPC mains...), Sentiment having this would be a really neat and wholesome idea. And I will not lie, I also follow my body around, to see what people do with it, and how they react, and watching Sentiment place a flower on one of my characters body, would be a wholesome and probably make me cry a little, idea. +1

[Doxxmedearly]

This is straight-up incredible. Fits the character, very unique, and lovely sprites. A definite way to facilitate RP in many instances. Adds a lot of depth to the character. +1

[Dbrg]

Sentiment is great and this is both fitting and likely to lead to interesting roleplay. Doesn't stretch suspension of disbelief in any way, either. I will +1 very hard.

[StationCrab]

Great player. Great character. Great item.

+1

[ktrkhop]

Cool item idea for a cool character +1

[Cnaym]

Good story, fitting for the character, would like to see it ingame as one of her coworkers and sometimes patient

Good luck with your app, gimme a flower to say goodbye!

+1

[Bear]

I like this. A lot. It highlights grief which is something i feel that is one of the most overlooked aspects on our server.

+1

[Seeli]

A lovely addition to the character and sweet gesture for the deceased. And the OOC additional info makes it that much sadder. Could add a lot to the character and their interactions. +1

[Naelynn]

IRU 'Sentiment' passing on Sentimental flowers?

It even fits the name, aah ?

+1

[Hepatica]

Not much to say that hasn't already been said, easy

+1

[NewOriginalSchwann]

Like with my fellows, I don't really have a lot to add. Good item, good character, good justification, good roleplayer, unrobust. 

 

+1

[Snake2512]

Sentiment is precious and their dad has given them an allowance to go out and buy the flowers

 

+1

[RadiantRose]

I've interacted with Sentiment very little, but her presence in the round is always immersive and helpful. +1!

Edited November 30, 2019 by RadiantRose

[Natiform]

i'm definitely one of the folks who follows their body around to see what happens/how people react. i love that you keep this in mind and having someone take a little time out of their day to acknowledge the person and give them a flower would probably just instantly make me cry like a baby.

+1

[Brutishcrab51]

I've seen the character, Sentiment, several times on the server. In that time, I've come to believe that the character itself is a machine-individual attempting to discern the greater meanings of emotions and emotionally-fueled responses that organics have. It does seem to be their job, after all.

The player, Niennab, is good at what they do. I've seen them as a mixed bag, but I can only express a generally positive view and outlook. Nienna's a good player with strong standards, and this item (or grouping of items) would go some way to underline Sentiment's developing understanding of organic mortality and emotional response to mourning. Happens a lot on the server given all the violent gamemodes, so this would probably be exercised semi-commonly.

All together? A solid +1.

[niennab]

Please o' gracious admins.

Edit: as a side note, here is the file (I've also added it to the original post as well):

laurenflowers.dmi

Edited December 17, 2019 by niennab

[Lady Fowl]

Going to go ahead and accept this. I believe it fits well into the characters design enough to warrant it.