Deviant Art: The Terrorizing Tikes Who Call Astra Nova Home
Astra Nova will be a home for the players. Cast into a new world, they will explore the fairy-glittered mountains and spirit streams of this brave new place. But they are not alone. The Deviants are watching, but they are not waiting. These pint-sized powerhouses are Astra Nova’s first inhabitants, and you are on their territory.
Who Are The Deviants?
Synthesised into being by the Weavers - beings of pure energy folded into the fabric of space time itself, the Deviants were created to test the cosmic lifeboat that is Astra Nova. The Weavers knew they had to prepare for the Accretion’s endgame, and the Deviants were their experiment.
This rancid raison d’etre has somewhat, shall we say, enraged the Deviants. They know they are the mutant outcasts, and act like it. The deviants may populate the lands of this new heaven, but they are a special type of hell, causing mischief and mayhem all over Astra Nova. Some of that chaos is innocent fun, the vignettes of sidequests and daily events. Some of that chaos will decide the future of the universe itself, and all the beings within it.
What Are The Deviants?
The Deviants are 10K NFTs that players can own. Completely unique, they are the result of genetic reproduction and splicing of the 15 species of the Five Worlds, compacted into Chibi form. As well as biological lifeforms, some of the Deviants are more silicon than carbon. These advanced robotic life forms, ‘Mag-Autons’, are the pinnacle of engineering, technological vespers of this expansive world.
Each Deviant will have its own story to tell. These stories will unfold through multi-channel lore that will grow and grow as Astra Nova does. As well as the in-game story that takes place, the lore will be available through Discord, Twitter, Medium and more. As well as standard prose, ongoing webcomics and animation will chronicle the Age of the Deviants and their ill-fated burst into existence. Owning a Deviant will give players exclusive first-access to these lore releases.
The Hidden History of Astra Nova
The Deviants will be the key to unpacking the hidden history of Astra Nova. This experimental Eden was not, is not, always the paradise the Weavers wanted it to be. The cataclysms are too numerous to mention: The Trials of Resilience. The Six Uprising. The Devastating Grand Vitrification*. That is just a few of the tales that have shaped the lands the players have found themselves in.
For Deviants, the player's presence is just the latest challenge in the long list that has embattled their existence and curdled their inner nature. To them, these strange interlopers are a threat - and an opportunity. A chance to break free of their cosmic shackles and show the universe who really is boss.
The Six Chibis of the Apocalypse
Leading that charge will be The Six. The special Deviants who have gone further than any others in mastering their nature. The Six have developed full sentience and self-awareness, and with it have developed primal powers, and the chance to bend the spirit of Astra Nova to their will, a result of their long communion with this mystical land. The Six are the core characters of the Deviants rampage across the metaverse.
How Do Deviants Work in Game?
Gameplay wise, the Deviants are a bespoke 3D avatar asset for download and use anywhere in the metaverse, as a custom profile or badge of honour for your presence in Astra Nova. At the start of the game, they will exist mainly as wearable Talismans that confer special attributes to player characters.
Deviants will also be critical NPCs who give quests, loot, start events, and operate important locations in Astra Nova. Some are in plain sight, not afraid of the big bad players, while others remain hidden all over the world, their secrets and their treasures ready for the players to find.
The Deviants are a central pillar of the Astra Nova metaverse and the MetaRPG they are building. Through webcomics, videos, lore releases and more, they are the engaging filter for players to learn about Astra Nova and the funnel through which the Astra Nova team will reward and build its community.
Each Deviant NFT a player owns will also unlock access to interactive game companions at launch. It may not be the sidekick you were hoping for, and they may cause you trouble rather than give you assistance. Yet with Astra Nova’s expanding lore, ecosystem, and utility, it will all be worth it.
Defy, Deviate, Destroy: The Deviants are the Key to Astra Nova
Owning a Deviant will be a key for early adopters of the world to maximise their benefit from it. Astra Nova’s Deviants will continue to provide rewards for the community as the game develops and new features are added over time. Individual Deviants will grow in importance as the story unfolds, and each of the different races that Deviants can be will have their time in the sun, with special events open to some or all depending on their connection to the unfolding story.
The Age of the Deviants has passed, the Age of the Players is here. Yet nothing is ever quite so simple in the hallowed lands of Astra Nova. These chaos munchkins continue to grow in power, their riotous nature and threat to all that is ordered. Yet their affectionate nature, and rampant curiosity, means they have broached an uneasy truce with the new settlers of their home. A thousand new stories are waiting to be born. By owning a Deviant, you can be part of them.
