Suul Akhandi's staff

[Herpetophilia2]

Byond key: Herpetophilia

Discord key: Herpetophilia#1638

Character Name: Suul Akhandi

Item function(s): The ability to tap against the floor to make noise and do the same amount of damage as the loadout cane. I do not request it to have the same exact functions as a null staff (i.e deconverting cultists) because I want to use this outside of the Chaplain role as well, when I am playing Suul as a Visitor. The staff is pretty big IC and CAN NOT be worn in any suit storage, pocket, waist slots, or fit into any containers or bags. It CAN be worn in the back slot (where backpacks and satchels go), though. Sprites for this are included.

Item name: akhanzi staff

Item description: This type of staff is usually carried by shamans of the Akhanzi Order. It is made out of dark, polished wood and is curved at the end.

Item appearance:

Why is your character bringing this item to work?

Suul is an Akhandi, a Th'akh shaman of the Akhanzi Order. He uses the staff to connect with spirits when preaching and holding services.

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

After joining the order, Suul's first task, although seeming rudimentary and useless at the time, was to find a big, hard tree and carve a staff from it. After searching for a couple of weeks, Suul was finally rewarded with a giant oak-like tree that stood proud and old in front of him, maybe two hundred or more years old. Although sad to hurt such an ancient thing, he scaled the tree and found a thick unbroken branch, which he cut off and took to his temple. For two days he worked carving, oiling, and polishing the two meter branch until it became a smooth, hard staff with a curved end.

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

When the staff was finally finished, Suul's teacher revealed it's purpose. The staff was to act as a catalyst for shamans, a joint between the material and spirit world. Using it, Suul would be able to more easily connect to the spiritual realm and communicate with spirits and ancestors. Suul was amazed with this, and carried it with him ever since, using it to preach, hold services, and carry it around as a general good luck charm.

After the Maraziite Order started razing the Hegemony of all Th'akh, Suul was forced to take to the stars with his teacher aboard a smuggling shuttle. He took this staff with him, knowing that he will need the support and power of his ancestors to get through these dire times. Now that he is employed as a religious leader by NanoTrasen and is expected to hold actual sermons and the like, he keeps it on him at all times.

How will you use this to better interact with crew and/or stimulate RP?

The staff will allow me to express Suul's character better, as he is a shaman and shamans use staffs to connect to spirits and to preach. Carved from hard and unbending wood, it represents his steel-hard belief in Th'akh and his ancestors. I understand there is a null staff, however I do not think it fits Suul's character or theme because it is made of obsidian and looks out of place with Suul's attire and over-all behavior, and I am not able to have that staff when playing as a visitor. 

Sprites: akhanzistaff.dmi

Additional Comments:

This is my very first custom item! This is also the first sprite that I have ever done by myself. I understand that it looks very generic, but I tried really hard, and I hope this goes through. 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Herpetophilia2

[Wigglesworth Jones]

Suul is a good shaman, and I've had fun interacting with them. I think the staff would add to the character.

[AmoryBlaine]

Nice work for first time spriting, I've seen this character around but never directly interacted with them. You already have a whitelist so we know you're good for RP. I'm not sure how much this staff adds to RP, though.  If no one else sees anything wrong with it, I think it's good.

[StationCrab]

While the staff may seem like a generic item, the player has obviously put a lot of thought into how it would be implemented into their RP, and the mechanical aspects of the item sound really cool (attaching a sound effect to it upon activation). My borg character does not get much of a chance to interact with Suul directly, but from what I have witnessed their player can make this otherwise simple item really work with their character.

+1

[Lady Fowl]

Going to accept this, however it just acts as a cane and can tap the ground, no null staff sort of abilitys.

[Herpetophilia2]

thanks!