DYSTOPIA GUIDE BOOK

STORY SUMMARY AND TIMELINE

Dystopia App is an afro fantasy, mythological and

historical graphics novel about a group of young men's roles

in uniting the 3 torn colonies of a former republic into one

Dystopia Timeline

1015- New Dictator enters.

1027- Constitution scrapped, declaration of state of war.

1032- Aarin Born, Rift broken.

1035- War starts.

1036- B.O.P.E created, Osas joins

1038- Amina dies, Aarin 6 yr old.

1040- War ends, Aarn * years

1045- Age 13, Joins B.O.P.E

1053- now. Aarin 21 years old

POWERS AND CHARACTERS 

(1) Veve:

 A contract made with a diety for power in exchange

          of a piece of one's soul. Open Use of Veves are presently

          illegal in the Dystopia Universe, as a result of the Null

          Endemic.

(2) Sacrifice:

 A spell that transacts your entire soul with 

(3) Nulls: 

These are untouchables. They feed off life itself

          so contact with them almost often lead to death. they are

          soulest creatures whose life force have been devoured by

          deities. They are the lowest of the low in the society.

(4) The Black Hands: 

These are shadowey creatures born from

          the-void(the realm between the deities world and the earthly

          realm). Their language 'Black Speech'if heard by mortals

          causes temporary paralysis.

(5)Hybreeds: 

A cross breeding of human /animal species.

          Their reseearch was forbidden after the creation of B.O.P.E,

          but a few living experiments still exist and are hunted

          down. They were originally created by the M.R.O corporation

          as mercenary soldiers for the Kaabu (Northern) dynasty, but

          were deemed a failed project after the creation of Drone

          soldiers

(5) The Worlogog: A failed wolf hybreed with telekinetic

          abilities. He helped assassinate Aarin's Mom

(6) Nmoru: The man who simplified Black Magic voodoo into

          contractual spells and popularized its usages . He was the

          first man to create a contract with a diety. When He died, a

          giant temple was built in his honor. He was a leader in the

          Sud army shortly before his death. He is worshiped as a Hero

          after his death

(7) Aarin: 

A neo-sud teen born in a war torn colony,

          nicknamed the Red-man. He joins the military insurgency that

          later became B.O.P.E, easily becoming one of their best /

          genius soldiers at age 21.His veve links him to Ogun (the

          God of iron and Blacksmiths),and he is fond of insulting

          people with 'Oguns' name. The day his mother died was the

          day his veve was formed, and he was found by insurgency

          soldiers in a pool of blood. Aarin became the new eternal

          after beating Eye (Although, it is alleged that Eye

          intentionally flunked that fight), but he's not recognized

          as an eternal because he's weak/average. As a result, he is

          constantly challenged by Veve users wanting his title of the

          10th Eternal. He is also nicknamed the "weakest Eternal"

Aarin's Attack Pattern

          Aarin's attack is called maleable armour, where he shapes

          godlike metal around his arms like gloves.It's very

          effective in close range combat and for defence. For long

          range attacks, he shapes the metal into gun pellets,

          shooting them with his antique modded gun. He can also

          connect these pellets into string like beads for use as a

          whip, or a grappling hook. Aarin is a calculating &

          strategic combatant.

          Ogun Diety = Earth element = Hero class.

(8) Uncle Osas: 

A father figure for Aarin. A sud and former

          soldeir in the Sud army. He is gifted with the powers of

          Divination, and is a top notch fighter who trained Aarin

          growing up. He saves and raises Aarin after his mom's death,

          and he was a close friend of the hero Nmoru

(9) Amina:

 A top official of the old regime . Was a close

          friend and allegedly rumored to be a lover to the dictator.

          SHe was a part of the dictator's cabinet. She was killed by

          Bithra soldiers during the was for being of Kaabu descent. A

          torn piece of her red scarf is what her son Aarin carries

          around with him

(10) Captain Eye :

 A former soldier and captain in the sud

          army who grew dissillusioned with war, death and life. He is

          an immortal whose veve links him up to Anyanwu, Mother

          Earth.  He lives for the thrill of hunting near death

          experiences that make him feel alive as he cannot kill

          himself or die of natural death. His powers awakened when he

          attempted suicide after the loss of his wife and daughter in

          a botched military attack. He was rewarded with a

          ministerial position in Abbi Metropolis after the war. He is

          corrupt , calculating and cunning. Eye's deity gives him

          immortality as a cheat code. His diety is Ala, Mother Earth,

          so he fights recklessly without care for his well being.

          He's also the 10th Eteral of B.O.P.E.

          Ala Diety = Earth element = Ancient type class

(11) The dead Dictator :

 He was the second man to create a

          contract with a diety. He used the power gotten to secure

          his power and that action was a catalyst to the 5 year civil

          war. In the end, he was decieved by the diety into ripping a

          hole between the fabrics of their universes, creating a

          portal entry for more dieties to create veves with men. This

          spread the use of veveswhich later became known by the

          colloquial slang 'juju'. He was a friend of Nmoru. The diety

          betrayed the dictator and tore a rift between the divine

          realm and the mortal realms. This action quickly spread the

          use of veves and supernatural powers among the populace and

          allowed supernaturals beings to cross over the void to the

          mortal plane1.

(12)Worlogog :

 A panther / man hybreed creature (werewolf)

          cooked up in a lab. A science experiment of human/ animal

          genetics mixup

(13)Rasaak : 

Also known jokingly as 'gee-boy'. He is the man

          in the hightech suit. He is of Kaabu descent, and he keeps

          it hidden so as not to be ostracized by the other suds. He's

          also a defective drone, making his social standing to be a

          little bit wierd. He's an excellent tactician and a computer

          programmer. He's a lower kaabu prince who was kidnapped and

          held hostage by the MRO; negotiations failed and he was

          turned into a drone by the corporation and used as a spy/

          assassin . He was rescued by a kaabuan scientist who gave

          him a robot back that disconnects him from the drone's hive

          mind.

(14)Yoma : 

Nicknamed Igbeaux. He's a friend and teammate of

          Aarin, although he is of lower rank. His Veve is to Aganju,

          the diety of volcanoes, brother of sango.

(15) Veronica Osaro: 

A popular Tv news presenter on crime  watch Tv channel

(16)The Politician Dr Malcom Eni: 

          He was an activist in the  Bithra revolution

(17) Wofai:

 A call girl at the club, one of Captain Eye's

          'strip' clubs. She has forged a veve with an unrevealed

          diety hinted to be Esu, diety of the gateways and trickery.

          she is also the key to closing the dimensional rift.

(18) Drones: 

A network of cyborg soldiers/ machines

          operating with a hive mind created by the MRO corporation.

          Drones are their main mercenary soldiers.

(19) The MRO:

 A weapons research conglomerate operating

          within the 3 colonies as both a weapons dealer, and a supply

          of mercenary drones. They also conduct human/ animal genetic

          engineering and Black magic research.

(20) Fishermen Ninja Tribe:

 A fishermen river tribe

          (reference: Makoko), that fight like Ninja, but wear

          fishermen strawhats

(21) Ayana: 

Random character name that means "Beautiful"

(22) Dr Silvana :

 A top researcher working with the MRO

          corporation on Veves and magic technology. He is of Kaabu

          descent and is considered a Kaabu traitor. He is secretely a

          diety in disguise with ambitions to become the Supreme one.

          He and Ogun are familiar.

(22)The Ukwani Bandits:

 Poor bandits who raid neo-sud

          borders but live in the Ukwani deserts

(23) Black Speech: 

This is the language of the void. Men who

          are possessed by the black hands can use it , but any mere

          mortal that hears it gets petrified and knocked out. Only

          veve users can fight its effects and neutralize it by

          activating their veves, since it bestows upon the god-like

          attributes. Black speech is practically just ordinary words

          to dieties.

(24) B.O.P.E, the Brotherhood Of Powerful Eternals: 

A

          peacefull movement that advocates that the use of

          contractual magic, leads all men to the divine realms.Their

          leaders are powerful veve users. They advocate that veve

          users shouldn't be feared, rather they should be embraced by

          all. They have a secret Police faction which Aarin, Rasaak

          and Yoma are a part of. When you beat an eternal, you take

          his/ her rank; and all the priviledges and responsibility

          that come with it. Like protecting your city and it's

          inhabitants.

(25) The Kaabu Empire: 

An empire that has achieved god

          killing technology.

(26) The Kaabu religion: 

The religion believes in Natural

          philosophy, and that the natural world is greater than the

          divine realms. They believe immortality is sin and both veve

          users and the dieties are false gods, infidels.

(27)Yoma: 

Son of a high ranking minister in the Neo-sud

          parliament. He joined B.O.P.E after his father's death. He's

          obliged to carry on the family's name and role as "leaders"

          of Neo-sud. He comes from an aristocratic family and was

          disillusioned with the corruption he saw in public office.

          He joins B.O.P.E to escape his "planned" destiny. His veve

          is to Aganju, a powerful ancient type diety. He loves

          telling corny jokes

(28) Dr Sylvanus: 

The founder of the kaabu religion, Esu

          trickster diety of the pathways, a lower class diety and

          friends with sango, aganju , and ogun. He tore the

          dimensional rift and disgused as a Top researcher in the

          M.R.O corporation. He was also a friend to the hero Nmoru.

DIETIES

     (1)oba: Diety of Marriage and domesticity

     (2)Babaluaye: Diety of illness and healing

    (3)Ibeji: Twin dieties of youth and vitality

     (4)Oko: diety of Agriculture

    (5)Olokun: Diety of the deep ocean

    (6)Osumare: diety of same sex love (rainbow God)

    (7)Ala : Mother earth

    (8)Ogun : Blacksmith God and god of technology

    (9)Aganju : Volcanoe and Desert god

    (10)Anyanwu : Sun God

    (11)Sango : lightening god

    (12)Esu: The devil/ diety of the cross roads, trickster god, messanger between humanity and the divine.

    (13) Osayin : Goddess of the forest

    (14) Oya : Goddess of the wind

    (15) Orunmila : Diety of wisdom, divination and forsight

    (16) Osun: GOddess of love, beauty and diviniy of rivers

    (17) Obatala : Diety of justice , the supreme God's second child

THEMES EXPLORED

(1) Science vs religion    

 (2) Man vs the divine

  (3) The Origin of Evil

   (4) Capitalism vs Socialism

    (5) The passage of time

JUJU 

Juju is colloquial term (slang) used after the war to

describe veve contracts and abilities. Use of Juju has been

made illegal in modern dystopia times as a way of

eliminating the Null scourge. There are two realms of

reality in the Dystopia universe. The divine realm and the

earthly realm. Early during the reign of the dieties of all

life, there arose a King who separated both realms, creating

a void between them. This move severly weakened some gods as

they were cut off from a source of their strength, human

life force When a rift between both realms was opened by the

dictator, it presented an opportunity for some dieties to

gain back their former strengths and glory; this began  the

creation of veves, contracts between a mortal and a god.

Mortals gained supernatural powers in exchange for a portion

of their souls. Mortals who over used their veves lost their

minds and identities often sucumbing to a vegetative state.

Those that persist become 'Blackhand', creatures who feed on

the souls of others; they exist mainly in the void . A piece

of one's soul, once lost, often takes a some time to

replenish, when it's low, the veve user risks death or a

near death coma

VEVES

Either a human or a diety can attempt to initiate a contract

but it takes willfull acceptance by both parties for the

contract to be forged. It is possible that a diety's raw

power can overwhelm a human's body, what occurs is madness

and/ or death. Once a contract is formed, a veve (a symbol

of that contract bearing the god's and the mortal's seal is

drawn on both their bodies.

Choosing a Diety

A diety's strength is ranked based on it's feats and

accomplishments.

(1) God type: The supreme beings, Zeus, Obatala

(2) Ancient type: Titans, primordial gods, anyanwu, aganju,

 Ala, Sango

(3) Demi-God type: Hercules, Demi-gods generally

(4) Monster type: Cyclops, siren, wraith, vampire, werewolfs

(5) Hero- Class: Mortal heros and great warriors, shaka

zulu, omiomwanfan, queen idia, Ogun

Each class is ranked in terms of strength and potential. A

veve user can also increase his dietie's rank by

- Accomplishing great feats

- It consumes an increasing amount of life force energy

(souls)

The device to initiate of/ summon a diety to contract is

called a "God Stone". It is cut from the rocks and meteors

that rained from the sky the day the rift was torn.

Possession of a god stone is seen as a treasure and sells

for a very high prices on the black market. Once a contract

has been forged with a god stone, it crumbles to dust. God

stones can also be used by veve users to boost the

connection to their diety for greater power, at risk of

having more life energy sucked out of them. Veves, when

activated boost their users basic stats and may grant them

some godlike attributes like increased strength, speed,

healing factor, e.t.c.

The first veves were formed with void creatures until the

rift was torn and veves were formed with dieties directly.

A diety's power may also be gotten from one of the following

elements

(1)light

(2)Air

(3)Fire

(4)Water

(5)Light

(6)Dark

(7)Mystics

Using a complementary element can boost your attack power

and give you a slight advantage in combat.

LIFE ENERGY (ORI)

              "Your life energy, also known as

                    your life force is the feeling of

                    life that is generated by your Ori

                    (your spirit). The more of it you

                    have, the happier you feel and vice

                    versa.  Creatures like wraiths  and

                    vampires feed on others life force

                    energy as they cannot produce life

                    force of their own"

 - Professor Silvana Ph.D Contractual Magic Studies

Your Life force is a mixture of your body strength, your

mental strength, and your identity. When you try to forge a

contract with a diety if he rejects you, he will try to

possess you and use the sacrifice spell to consume you. if

he does, you become a null, souless beings. If through

strength of will or conviction, you are able to bend that

diety's power to your will, your strength and ability will

place you among the ranks. To use the veve, just place a

portion of your Ori into it.

   "A person's strength can be

                    replenished, and so can his spirit;

                    but when a portion of your soul is

                    torn off, you loose a part of

                    yourself, a feeling, sometimes a

                    memory that can never be

                    replenished. Over use of a veve

                    would inevitably cause death or put

                    them in a vegetative state,

                    completely drained of their soul.

                    Empty, Null."

   - Professor Silvana Ph.D Contractual Magic Studies

MAP

North - Kaabu

 West -  Ajuran

 South - Neo-sud

 East - Bithra