Sanss

Sanss is a fictional term used in speculative fiction and role-playing contexts to denote a class of beings that are non-corporeal or semi-physical and capable of existing across multiple realms, including physical and digital spaces. The concept appears independently in several works, with no single canonical origin, making Sanss a pluralized designation for a group rather than a single character.

Etymology and conceptually defining traits are varied, but the name is frequently linked to the idea of absence or negation, signaling that Sanss operate by occupying spaces between traditional forms. In common depictions, Sanss have amorphous or energy-based bodies and can project temporary avatars or manifestations to interact with the material world. They are often portrayed as capable of interfacing with electronic networks, sensing information-rich environments, and moving with high degrees of flexibility through matter and space.

Society and culture within stories featuring Sanss tend to emphasize decentralization and collective intelligence. Some portrayals present them as hive-like collectives that coordinate through shared memory or probabilistic consensus, while others show loose associations driven by individual goals. Their interactions with other beings frequently explore themes of communication, trust, and the nature of identity when form is not fixed.

In fiction, Sanss appear in various media, including indie novels, tabletop campaigns, and multimedia games. They are commonly used to examine the boundaries between data and embodiment, and between presence and absence. See also: Sans, to avoid confusion with similarly named terms in other contexts.