Background
The Great Collapse
The Rise of the Patriarch
As increasingly corrupt leaders began losing the trust of their people their power began to wane. Factions rose up each promising a better way. Disillusioned and divided the people began fighting with each other, each in pursuit of their own agenda. Families turned on each other. Neighbors became enemies. The world fell into chaos. As the conflict intensified so did the weapons used in it. Until finally, the earth itself became victim to the chaos within it. The ground was made barren, water undrinkable, the air itself became a toxic fume. Most living things died. The things that did not, mutated into monstrous creatures. This hostile and deadly new world became known as The Outlands.
During the Great Collapse, several factions predicted this conflict would bring about the end of days. One of these factions was a group of religious extremists who insisted the only way to save the world that was torn apart by chaos and the overindulgence of freedom, was to adhere to a radical system of order. At first, they were disregarded as extreme fanatics but over time they gained support. The Patriarch gathered wealthy supporters and began building an enormous city protected from the outside world by massive walls and an energy field they referred to as the dome. As tensions in the outside world rose, more and more people flocked to the new city pledging their loyalty to the Patriarch in exchange for admission into Dios. When the rest of the world was destroyed in the chaos of the Great Collapse, the Patriarch was heralded as the saviors of humanity and their leader worshipped as a god.
Main Characters
Jett Lasting
Victor Karr
Grent Blackfur
Kane
After his parents were murdered Jett was taken in by the Karr family. He became best friends with their son Victor. When the Karr family was branded as heretics and sent to the Outlands, Jett and Victor were left to fend for themselves. Now the two friends must survive in an ordered world where they have no place.
Lilly Valen
Unlike Jett and most of his friends, Lilly belongs to the Artisan class where she is a teacher. She cares deeply for others, especially those who don't fit into the organized structure of Dios. Lilly, though sheltered from some of the harsh realities of Dios, refuses to look away when others are being wronged.
Jett's childhood friend. Victor is incredibly clever. He is strong, organized, and a natural strategist. He has served as the leader for a group of undesirable misfits keeping them fed, safe, and one step ahead of the Patriarch.
Commander Stone
Very capable young officer and leader of the Patriarch Defense Force. He believes that the system set up by the Patriarch is the only thing keeping the city safe from falling into another Great Collapse. He loathes anyone who threatens the peace of the Patriarch. While he believes his cause is noble, he is willing to commit incredible acts of cruelty to defend it.
The most wanted man in Dios. Leader of an underground resistance. Grent is a massive and menacing human being with a giant black beard and scars all over his body. He claims to fight for the people of Dios but is he a hero or just a different kind of tyrant?
Spike Raynar
He's the oldest undesirable in Jett's group and the most tech-savy. His playful attitude and effortless charm make him easy to like. His light attitude and casual demeanor hide a much darker past. Spike cares deeply for his friends and provides a surprising understanding of the underground world of Dios.
A mysterious and sinister seeming man. He leads the Nightlings, a beggar gang that operates in the market district. Kane is cunning and capable. His agenda and values are as mysterious as he is.
Pontiff Gregory Ignatius
High Father of the Patriarch and leader of Dios. He is the most important and powerful man in the city. Like the High Fathers who came before him, he hides his cruelty behind a warm smile and the facade of a public servant. He appears as a tender and loving old man. Any who would question that reality suddenly find themselves in the Outlands.