The Moka (Avis duralapis) is a medium-sized, flightless bird native to the Asari Region of the Eastern Equatorial Section in the Habitual Belt on VOI 700 D.

Domesticated in the Beta Age, Mokas became a staple livestock species in exohuman settlement pens. They are prized for both their eggs and their lean white meat, providing an efficient and renewable food source for Exohumans in frontier settlements. Unlike wild species of the region, Mokas thrive in controlled environments, adapting quickly to enclosures and routine feeding cycles.

• Height: 0.9–1.2 meters at the shoulder
• Weight: 12–18 kg
• Body Shape: Stocky, with a forward-hunched stance supported by muscular legs.
• Head: Short, beakless snout ending in a keratinous grinding plate; small sensory whiskers fan out around the nostrils.
• Eyes: Forward-set, large, multifaceted pupils that shimmer like cut stone.
• Feathers: Iridescent scale-feathers that shift between bronze, green, and purple depending on light. Provide heat insulation and visual intimidation.
• Wings: Vestigial, bony flaps used for display and balance but incapable of flight.
• Feet: Three splayed toes tipped with dull claws, adapted for scratching soil and gripping pen floors.
• Skin: Leathery patches on thighs and neck, pale gray mottled with darker streaks.

• Scale-Feathers: Function as both plumage and light armor, resistant to small cuts and bites.
• Grinding Plate: Effective for breaking seeds, roots, and fibrous plants.
• Camouflage Pattern: Feather iridescence can confuse predators in twilight.

• Armor Class (AC): 11
• Hit Points (HP): 24
• Speed: 35 km/h sprint (in-game movement: 35 ft.)

• Beak Plate Peck: 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage.
• Claw Scratch: 1d4+2 slashing damage.
• Frenzy Peck (Defensive Flock Action): 2d4+2 bludgeoning damage if three or more Mokas attack the same target in one turn.

• Egg Layer: Settlements can harvest up to 3–5 eggs per week from a single Moka.
• Flock Instinct: Advantage on saving throws against fear*

• Diet: Omnivorous (grains, roots, insects, carrion scraps).
• Social Structure: Flock-based, hierarchical pecking order.
• Temperament: Generally docile but territorial during egg-laying cycles.

• Intimidation Display: Fans out iridescent scale-feathers and hisses to deter smaller predators.
• Flock Swarming: Large groups overwhelm attackers with confusion and noise.

Native Tribal Usage:

• Wild Harvest: Early tribes hunted Mokas for meat and collected eggs from nests.
• Symbolism: Considered a symbol of fertility and renewal.

Exohuman Usage:

• Food Production: Bred extensively for eggs and lean meat.
• Settlement Pens: Kept in timber or scrap-metal enclosures; feed composed of waste grains and cultivated roots.
• Selective Breeding: In the Gamma Age, emphasis placed on high egg yield and docile temperaments.

• Egg Clutch Size: 3–6 eggs per season.
• Incubation Period: 8 weeks.
• Fledgling Development: Hatchlings covered in soft down; develop scale-feathers after 4 months.
• Lifespan: 12–15 years in captivity.

To exohuman settlers, Mokas embody the practical and resourceful spirit of VOI 700 D. Their scale-feathers shimmer like alien gemstones in pen-light, while their gravelly clucks echo across the courtyards of settlements. Scarred harness-rings on some individuals reveal their dual role: both a food source and a semi-sacred symbol of continuity.

A twilight pen of Mokas — glowing eyes peering from the shadows, iridescent feathers flashing in sudden movement — is both alien and oddly familiar, an echo of Earth’s poultry reshaped for survival on alien soil.

• Settlement Resource Hook: Moka pens can be targets of raids, sabotage, or disease outbreaks, forcing players to protect or restore food supply lines.
• Wild Encounter: Feral Mokas in the Asari grasslands may swarm intruders, creating chaotic skirmishes.
• Economic Plotline: Controlling Moka egg distribution can be a minor but lucrative settlement power struggle.
• Cultural Ritual: Tribes may gift or sacrifice Mokas during fertility rites, offering roleplay opportunities.

• Habitual Belt
• Equatorial Sections East and West (Asari)
• Eastern Equatorial Section of the Habitual Belt
• Wildlife of Asari
• Federal Food Plant

Known Predators:

• Arr
• Zapor
• Korozo (targets feral flocks outside settlements)