Anyanka
Context
The demon Anyanka appeared during the third season (1998/99) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For more context about this TV show, you can first read our Buffy Summers character profile.
This creature later became more human, joining the main cast as a core character.
Background
- Real Name: “The Patron Saint of Women Scorned”.
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: N/A.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile
- Height: 5’6” Weight: 128lbs.
- Eyes: Brown, sometimes clear. Hair: Brown
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Powers and Abilities
In, approximately, her own words, for a thousand years, the demon Anyanka wielded the power of the wish. She brought ruin upon the heads of unfaithful men, she offered destruction and chaos for the pleasure of the lower beings.
She was feared and worshiped across the mortal globe. The power of the wish made her a righteous sword to smite the unfaithful on behalf of their scorned mates.
She’s also really strong and fast, in her demon form.
History
In or around the AD870s, a woman named Anyanka dabbled in the occult. She also began a romantic relationship with a man named Olaf. But Olaf had little self-control. After a night of binge mead-drinking, he cheated on Anyanka with a serving wench.
Fury in Anyanka’s heart, she summoned a demon to turn Olaf into a troll. It succeeded, but Anyanka still did not feel quite satisfied. So, she began casting spells without the demon intermediary on other worthy targets (unfaithful men). Like boils in the genital region, and similar attacks.
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Woman with a mission
This power and pain greatly pleased and impressed the lower demon D’Hoffryn. He took her to his world of Arashmaharr, and offered to elevate her to become a demon. Anyanka readily accepted D’Hoffryn’s offer. She thus gained the power of the wish, to balance the scales of justice.
Given her lingering pain and memories of Olaf, Anyanka chose to specialize, tormenting and destroying unfaithful men.
Interestingly, Anyanka’s mission has made her something of a nexus of dark events. On a mission to curse a shepherd in the Kastka Valley in the Urals in approximately AD1200, she stands as the only Earth-bound being to have witnessed and survived an Ascension. She encountered the vile being known as Santa Claus, early in his career in the AD1500s.
Not long after, just after cursing a man with excessive girth, she encountered Dracula.
Anyanka even attended some of the Salem witch trials in the late 17th century. There, she avenged some of the women whose lives were destroyed (both figuratively and literally).
Cut to the Chase
After more than a thousand years, however, Anyanka’s work brought her in contact with Cordelia Chase. Chase changed the entire world with her wish. In that world, Rupert Giles found her, and destroyed her power center. This both returned the world to normal, and rendered Anyanka powerless and human. Her reign of terror was over.
See the Anya Jenkins character profile for details beyond this point. But it should be noted that her position is currently occupied by the demon Halfrek (“Hallie”), for whom this writeup would also be mostly accurate.
Description
Anyanka is a hideous demon, with blank eyes, white and veiny skin, with a horrible, brown-toothed grin and a deep voice that snarls more than it speaks.
Personality
Anyanka cares deeply for the feelings of scorned women. She will go out of her way to comfort and console, on one hand, and mercilessly destroy the cause for such sadness on the other.
Beyond a certain point, however, Anyanka cares little more for her charges, themselves. She simply loves her work, reveling in the destruction and chaos.
Quotes
“Do you have any idea what I do to a man who uses that spell to summon me ?”
“I had no idea her wish would be so…exciting. A brave new world ! I hope she likes it.”
“This is the real world now. There’s no going back. This is the world we made ! Isn’t it wonderful ?”
“Trusting fool ! How do you know the other world is any better than this ?”
DC Universe History
No specific ideas strike me, since I can’t think of a DCU breakup that was followed up by horrible things happening to the man. However, relationships in the DCU go sour on a fairly regular basis, which means that Anyanka could easily make an appearance at any time.
Likely points for Anyanka to make an appearance would be any time Lois Lane gets wind of a relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman (i.e., their millenium-long Elseworld stay in Asgard, his reaction during the recent Imperiex War, or hints sneaking in from Kingdom Come), Jade’s separation from Kyle Rayner, and so on.
Given the potential (indirect) contact with Wonder Woman, in fact, it is conceivable that, rather than D’Hoffryn, Circe has empowered Anyanka. Perhaps she hoped to destroy Wonder Woman by slowly breaking down her friends.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Anyanka
| Dex: 06 | Str: 05 | Bod: 04 | Motivation: Seeking Vengeance |
| Int: 07 | Wil: 05 | Min: 05 | Occupation: Vengeance Demon |
| Inf: 09 | Aur: 08 | Spi: 09 | Resources {or Wealth}: N/A |
| Init: 018 | HP: 025 |
Powers:
Empathy: 25, Regeneration: 09
Bonuses and Limitations:
Empathy can only detect and locate sources of anger based on injustice.
Skills:
Charisma (Persuasion): 09, Occultist: 12
Advantages:
Connoisseur.
Connections:
D’Hoffryn (High).
Drawbacks:
SIA (helping wronged women), MIF (Bunnies).
Equipment:
POWER CENTER [BODY 04 SPI 08, Continuum Control: 08, Hypnosis: 08, Sorcery: 06, Time Travel: 25, all Powers are Mystic Linked where appropriate. Limitations: Continuum Control does not include Time Travel. Time Travel can only be used to displace the effects of the other Powers. Destruction of the Power Center rescinds all wishes granted.]
Anyanka’s Power Center resembles a fine gold necklace with a square charm held at one of the corners. The charm is a green gem wrapped diagonally with gold. Its possession grants the wielder the power of the wish, allowing them to alter reality to their whims.
Design notes
I toyed with giving her 1-2APs of Aura of Fear, since Cordelia and Giles—both of whom have faced horrors beyond imagining, looked genuinely frightened in Anyanka’s presence. In the end, though, I decided they were more likely startled than frightened.
Source of Character: Television, “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” episodes.
Helper(s): Danielle Mendus, Phil Dixon.