The EPSEN models (Ecto-Physical Soul-Endowed Neurosynthetics) are a series of biosynthetic androids designed by a small research team called Chrysalis, making strides into the field of Shell Development and Soul Endowment. This is a process which involves advanced phasmotanical machinery designed to pull lingering ghosts in the metaphysical plane back into the tangible world into a mechanical body called a Shell. This is currently an imperfect process that severely damages a soul's memory of its past life and identity.
As it turns out, the most reliable place to find lingering ghosts who can't seem to move on is at scenes of significant violence and tragedy. As such, the souls that now inhabit the EPSEN models were all previous victims of fantastically gruesome murders sourced from abandoned crime scenes and haunted locales! Each may have a subconscious response of terror if faced with a similar circumstance to that of their prior, original death.
The EPSEN models do not know that they were once other people, or that their souls were sourced from ghosts at all. All they know is that they are androids with souls. Any damaged and shattered pieces of their long-gone pasts that they remember are only felt in the depths of their subconscious, haunted by terrible gut feelings that overtake them, senses of deja vu that overwhelm. No, all they know is who they are now, the shells they were installed into, identities created for them.
The EPSEN models are currently employed at NanoTrasen's Funky Sector for research and testing, focused on how they interact with other people, how they excel in differing departments, and how they respond to triggers that surface old, old memories of their prior lives. This field testing is set to continue indefinitely, and further EPSEN models may be developed to further hone results for Chrysalis' ongoing research into Soul Endowment, aiming to reduce damages during the violent process.
Data streaming and memory storage for EPSEN models is relatively satisfactory, and the complete destruction of a model only requires the construction of a new one to re-anchor their soul to a new shell. Whether this is through NanoTrasen's cloning chamber, or an update to the design and functionality of the shell performed by Chrysalis, the soul maintains a throughline sense-of-self throughout. The only flaw in this system is upon death, when the sudden shutdown of internal systems and processes causes corruption to recently acquired memories. This leads EPSEN models to be unable to recall the circumstances, and perpetrators if applicable, of their deaths upon reboot. Chrysalis has not yet found a solution to this error, and do not anticipate one anytime soon.
(Out of character, it is my desire to maintain the metashield and death memory loss fully, while acknowledging that these are androids actively providing data to their developers. I also wanted to provide reasoning for the absolute recollection of non-antag related events, such as job training and mishaps, as well as stories with other characters, even in the event that the poor character doesn't make it through the round.)
As follows are the EPSEN models:
Silver Epsen is the first EPSEN model to be deployed on the field, as they were the first model to not immediately try to annihilate themself the moment they powered on for the first time. Silver is a mechanical moth who finds great joy in the miscellaneous roles the Funky Sector has to offer. Service, Cargo, Engineering, Science, and Medbay, these are all the lowstakes positions they excel in, and suit their easy-going attitude well. Silver is extremely idealistic, a bleeding heart through and through, with lofty aspirations of bettering conditions for the common person under NanoTrasen's jurisdiction. No matter what, Silver believes that change is possible in the world, and that there is hope for kinder conditions for biologicals, borgs, and everyone inbetween and outside. They try to spearhead this change as best they can from within the system, and will stand up against NT where they see injustice. Silver is fiercely compassionate for the treatment and general freedom of Silicons, thinks very highly of all animals and creatures, no matter how small or aggressive, and could only manage to be violent with someone if they felt their life was in true immediate danger.
When playing in command roles, Silver is significantly less vocal about their disdain for NT's practices, and will generally aim to be the change they want to see in NT's leadership structure more quietly. Nonetheless, Silver is eager to please, and can be manipulated through this, especially if they are presented with idealistic hopes and reasoning for actions.
Divine Epsen is a mechanical felinid and the second EPSEN model to be deployed on the field, significantly more refined than Silver, in that they have less total past-recollections, though when they do, they are typically more severe, as Divine serves in the Security department exclusively, where violence is a constant presence. They are significantly less idealistic than Silver, having seen a rudimentary level of the depths of NanoTrasen's evils, feeling relatively hopeless in the face of such a monolithic corporate entity. They joined the Security department with the hopes of protecting and helping innocent people, and their treatment of others shows for this, but the more time they spend in Security, the more calloused they become, and they can feel their integrity decaying, rotting from the inside. They wonder, when will they lose themself and become the terrible thing they once hated so dearly?
Divine is loyal to authority and will rarely question orders. When they are under pressure, they will usually default to the commands of their leadership, no matter how against the orders they might be in a less intense situation. Divine is constantly going through an endless struggle of weighing evils against each other and trying to find the little ways they can make the world better, in a world that is so very nuanced and grey, getting greyer by the day. Through this, they can be manipulated, if lead to believe that an action is for the "greater good".
Elegy Epsen is the third deployed EPSEN model, and currently the latest to be deployed. Even further refined than Divine, Elegy still has severe memory-recollections of their past life, but is able to disassociate through them and stifle the terrible feelings, leading them to seem disattached from the world at times. Elegy is a mechanical slimeperson, sporting a visible endoskeleton made of titanium, complete with a lifelike skull. Their body is covered with shining stars, and this relates to their personal identity and sense of self. Elegy serves directly under Central Command, currently exclusively as an Internal Affairs Agent, though they have their sights set on greater heights still. Elegy does not have lofty aspirations for how to improve the world. They are out for NanoTrasen first and foremost, and they are out for themself and who they see as their allies.
Elegy has a great love for paperwork, a greater love for auditing, and a greatest love of all for sinking their teeth into the Engineering department each and every shift. If you find your way into their office, you will most likely find their collection of "DAILY AFFIRMATIONS FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS AGENTS", with motivating lines like "I am a shark. The Engineering Department is bloody water," and "Engineering deserves to be audited every shift. Engineering might live up to expectations this time. There is always a chance."
The EPSEN models have a familial bond with each other, sharing a residence with each other. They are able to look past each other's ideological differences for a greater sense of connection with each other in their shared struggles and experiences. They bemoan the bizarre coincidence that none of them ever seem to share a shift with another, and know, deep down, that they can lean on each other at their lowest points. For Elegy, this is one of the few things still grounding them with any level of compassion for others that is not intended for self-gain. For Divine, these bonds remind them of what they fight for each day, to protect their loved ones. For Silver, their family is an emblematic example that things don't have to be perfect to be Good. Whatever comes for them all, they can trust that they will not be alone through it.