diff --git a/src/character_awareness.cpp b/src/character_awareness.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab8faac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/character_awareness.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#include "character_awareness.hpp"
+#include "character_actor.hpp"
+#include "utils/godot_macros.h"
+#include <godot_cpp/variant/callable_method_pointer.hpp>
+
+namespace godot {
+void CharacterAwareness::_bind_methods() {
+#define CLASSNAME CharacterAwareness
+    GDSIGNAL("detect_actor", PropertyInfo(Variant::OBJECT, "character", PROPERTY_HINT_NODE_TYPE, "CharacterActor"));
+    GDSIGNAL("lose_actor", PropertyInfo(Variant::OBJECT, "character", PROPERTY_HINT_NODE_TYPE, "CharacterActor"));
+    GDSIGNAL("detect_node", PropertyInfo(Variant::OBJECT, "node", PROPERTY_HINT_NODE_TYPE, "Node"));
+    GDSIGNAL("lose_node", PropertyInfo(Variant::OBJECT, "node", PROPERTY_HINT_NODE_TYPE, "Node"));
+}
+
+void CharacterAwareness::_enter_tree() {
+    this->set_collision_mask(0x2);
+}
+
+void CharacterAwareness::_ready() {
+    this->connect("body_entered", callable_mp(this, &CharacterAwareness::on_body_entered));
+    this->connect("body_exited", callable_mp(this, &CharacterAwareness::on_body_exited));
+}
+
+void CharacterAwareness::on_body_entered(Node *node) {
+    this->node_awareness.insert(node);
+    this->emit_signal("detect_node", node);
+    CharacterActor *actor = Object::cast_to<CharacterActor>(node);
+    if(actor) {
+        this->actor_awareness.insert(actor);
+        this->emit_signal("detect_actor", actor);
+    }
+}
+
+void CharacterAwareness::on_body_exited(Node *node) {
+    this->node_awareness.erase(node);
+    this->emit_signal("lose_node", node);
+    CharacterActor *actor = Object::cast_to<CharacterActor>(node);
+    if(actor) {
+        this->actor_awareness.erase(actor);
+        this->emit_signal("lose_actor", actor);
+    }
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/character_awareness.hpp b/src/character_awareness.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3440fd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/character_awareness.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#ifndef CHARACTER_AWARENESS_HPP
+#define CHARACTER_AWARENESS_HPP
+
+#include "character_actor.hpp"
+#include <godot_cpp/classes/area3d.hpp>
+#include <godot_cpp/templates/hash_set.hpp>
+
+namespace godot {
+class CharacterAwareness : public Area3D {
+    GDCLASS(CharacterAwareness, Area3D);
+    static void _bind_methods();
+public:
+    virtual void _enter_tree() override;
+    virtual void _ready() override;
+    void on_body_entered(Node *node);
+    void on_body_exited(Node *node);
+private:
+    // awareness of characters specifically
+    HashSet<CharacterActor*> actor_awareness{};
+    // not a character :( cringe
+    HashSet<Node*> node_awareness{};
+};
+}
+
+#endif // !CHARACTER_AWARENESS_HPP