THE ANOA

V ID'S CHILDREN
O
A HUMANITE TRIBE IN THE FAR REACHES OF SPACE

A players guide to speculative Anoa Culture.

The Anoa are adapted to increase survival in space and to work in ZeroG
environments. Accused of worship of the Traveller in its darker aspect of the
Spider they are despised and enslaved by many in the Third Horizon.

BY Thomas Boulton

"This work contains material that is copyright Fria Ligan AB and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the
Community Content Agreement for Free League Workshop. All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Thomas Boulton
 ANOA VOID'S CHILDREN
CHILDREN OF THE VOID
The Anoa are mentioned in the Last Cyclades (p.103)
in a passing reference as one of a number of Humanite
Tribes to be enslaved by the Hegemony. This article
attempts to expand that entry into a playable option
drawing on both the Known Space and Polity Universes
for inspiration and maybe one little bit of Babylon Five.
What follows is all speculation, but it was fun to put
together. I hope you find it of use. Image sourced from
pixelbay with full usage rights
Image by Image by https://pixabay.com/users/
imaartist-11400164/
A SACRED MISSION
"We are the people of the Void, may the Icons
protect us, our voices raised as a single cho-
ral voice disrupting the plans of the Dark-
ness Between The Stars. Our changes were
wrought for a sacred purpose, to serve the
greater good and protect those who have no
such adaptations. You will see us in the quiet
places where the unadapted cannot tread with-
out their mechanics and smart materials, their
weakness is so obvious if it was not for the
Icons we would leave them to their fate."
e APPEARANCE
The Anoa are a humanite tribe found scattered across
the arms of the Third Horizon. Arguably the most radi-
cally bio-sculpted of all the Humanites, Anoa are adapted
for exposure and survival in space. These adaptations
are comprehensive and effective allowing the Anoa to
survive for surprisingly long periods of time in a Vacuum.
The Adaptions include the following:
• Nictitating membrane over both eyes,
• The ability to expel all gas from the lungs,
2
• Rapid oxygen saturation of blood
• Autonomic sealing of all orifices when exposed to
vacuum,
• Readily seal-able orifices (Anoa noses are small and
collapsed)
• Monkey feet, suited for gripping and manipulation in
Zero-G.
• Additional chromosome, operating as a checksum
against radiation-driven changes
• Thickened epidermis limiting chromosomal damage
and minor vacuum-related damage
Physically Anoa are odd, they are bow-legged, have
double eyelids, a small roundish mouth, reflective skin
which appears rough like tree bark, thin and tall as a re-
sult of low-g existence and awkward runners as a result
of their physical adaptions. In effect a tall thin shiny hair-
less scaled chimpanzee with a mouth like a Lamprey.
Interestingly because of their adaptions, Anoa resist
change to their genome, resulting in clear linages within
the tribe that can be readily identified.
e CULTURAL BELIEFS
The Anoa are colonist's from the Second Horizon, mem-
bers of a group who came to the Third Horizon along
with the Moghul Fleet and possibly the Order of the Pari-
ah. They are aware of and actively despise darkmorphs
(creatures who serve the Darkness Between the Stars)
and those humans who would follow the Darkness into
corruption.
Like the Sailors of Ancient Al-Ardha, the Anoa will of-
ten cast a prayer in the direction of the Traveler in their
darker aspect as The Spider. Active worship of the Spi-
der is an accepted part of Anoa life in the hope that the
prayers will protect an Anoa and their companions from
misfortune at its hands. The belief and active worship of
the Spider is not well regarded by others, often leading to
suspicion that the Anoa follow the Darkness, leading to
accusations of heresy and violence from others.
 ANOA VOID'S CHILDREN
Anoa tribes are part vagabond, part grifter and all
about family. Anoa work in the most dangerous of en-
vironments and often do it for very little. Above all, an
Anoa knows that trust is vital to survival. Once an Anoa
forms a bond, they will see it as binding in all things.
For an Anoa there are only four types of people:
• One to taste the void with - A trusted companion or
member of the immediate family group. These are
people who you trust to check your line and your suit,
to hold the line against the Darkness and to open the
Airlock at exactly the right time.
• One to protect from the void - An outsider with no ill
intent, not to be trusted with important things and one
who you would rightly take from in exchange for your
protection. Unaware and unwise, but with access to
more than they can possibly need.
• One who rejects the hand - An outsider whose acts
whilst not founded in active worship of the Darkness
harm the tribe or those who the Anoa has a bond
with. Worthy of contempt and more than legitimate
as a target of Anoa ire and a good source of birr in the
case of an emergency.
• One who has fallen to the void - A fallen one, like a
rabid dog, one who must be put down.
e Song
Anoa sing all the time to each other, it is their communal
practice and the thing that binds them as a people. Anoa
sign to ward off the Darkness, to count time and bind
them to their tribes. Anoa Chorals are famed throughout
the Third Horizon, for something so ugly to sing so beau-
tifully is surely proof of the love of the Icons for the peo-
ple of the Third Horizon. This ability can be represented
through purchase of the Blessing Talent.
e Alliances
The Anoa were part of the great exodus from the Second
Horizon and as such have a natural alliance with the
Nomads, esp. The Moghul Fleet. They are likely to be
3
allies to the Draconites, noting they do not share the
same beliefs but both have an understanding of the
Darkness Between The Stars.
e Enemies
The Anoa are considered heretics by many followers
of the Church of the Icons. In addition they do not
share beliefs with the Order of the Pariah and their
worship of The Spider draws accusations from the
more fanatical fringe of the Order. Finally they are
sought out by Zenethians and peoples of the Third
Horizon for enslavement.
PLAYER OPTIONS
The Anoa make natural space hands, engineers and
pilots. They are surprisingly adept explorers, but their
weirdness often causes trouble when they meet Hu-
mans, meaning careers related to influencing others
would be locked out.
Anoa are religiously suspect, radically different in ap-
pearance and have a strong dependency on trust based
relationships. As such an Anoa character should be
highly suspicious of newcomers, unforgiving of betrayal
but willing to die for someone in the party who they trust.
e Characteristics
Anoa favor Agility and Wits, as these characteristics are
vital for space survival.
e Preferred Archetypes
• Fugitive
• Pilot
• Trailblazer
• Ship Worker
An Anoa is given many gifts In particular they start
with the following Talents:
 ANOA VOID'S CHILDREN
• Vacuum Resistant (See Page 103 of The Last Cy-
clades)
• Zero-G Training (See Page 74 Coriolis Core Rulebook)
Like all Humanites Anoa get half reputation in Zen-
ethian Circles this should be lowered to 1.
An Anoa who takes Blessing as a talent should sing
their protection upon the person they are blessing.
e Skills
Anoa are often found in the remote regions of space,
away from the rest of Humanity and its persecutions.
They can be found in space stations, nomad fleets and
the most dangerous of regions.
An Anoa should begin play with at least one point in
the following skills to represent their experience in space
survival.
• Force
• Dexterity
• Survival
e Anoa Gear
Anoa always have access to an Exo Suit and a Hand Jet
as minimum tools of the trade.
HARIM - CLAN LEADER
Harim is the oldest of the Anoa on the station, working
hard everyday outside in the void. His work is of the best
quality, but his voice is what sets him apart, he is the
most gifted of all the Anoa on the station.
He is concerned with the safety of his people first
and foremost, but will help others especially against the
Darkness Between The Stars. He undertakes no dangerous
action without a quick sacrifice to the Spider, warding
himself and his endeavor from its gaze.
He knows all the nooks and crannies of the outer hull
and the ways of access Airlocks without triggering alarms.
APPERANCE: Over 2 1/2 meters tall when standing
straight (which he never does). Long limbed, lacking
any pigmentation and with bloodshot eyes Harim is no
beauty. Harim's mouth is shaped like a lamprey - a ring of
teeth with an ability to seal it shut. For all that when Harim
speaks, his voice is a beautiful Alto.
CHARACTERISTICS: Harim is not by nature aggressive,
however should his people be threatened he is a highly
capable fighter in a Zero-G environment.
ATTRIBUTES
STRENGHT 2, AGILITY 5, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
HIT POINTS: 7
MIND POINTS: 8
REPUTATION: 3 (1)
SKILLS: Dexterity 3, Force 1, Ranged Combat 2, Survival 3
Command 2, Culture 2, Technology 2
TALENTS: Vacuum Resistant, Zero-G Training, Blessing,
Faction Standing (Nomad), The Messenger
GEAR: Cutting Torch, Ordinary Tools, Hand Jet, Exo Shell,
Vulcan Pistol