In October 2024, the roots team successfully launched one of the most anticipated NFT projects in the late bArtio (Berachain Testnet) days. Satori (Ticker: $ENLIGHT) is a kawaii hand drawn collection by Bate Banana that was originally a free mint with a supply of 3,333. The floor price rose from a free mint all the way to 0.05 Ξ in no time with the catalyst being the airdrop of the Berachain Foundation. Funny enough, creating Satori took only a month and a half thanks to the quick turnaround by artist Bate Banana, who impressively designed chains, clothes, glasses, hair, and more. It's amazing how swiftly Bate Banana completed and generated the entire collection just in time for the launch on Kingdomly.
Satori was always meant to be gatekept—protected from farmers, scammers, and anyone who simply doesn't fit the vibe. It's the necessary enlightenment Berachain needed, and the reason we'll all thrive again. When I, Ozzy, created the collection, the goal was always to stand out through a unique approach. How is it unique? Well, there’s no sales pitch here. Satoris are simply a group of people who vibe together—one big family. Not a cult. A Brotherhood.
We've seen countless NFTs repeat the same narratives. On one hand, collections joke: "We're going to zero, don't mint me!" On the other, they promise: "We have utility, mint now for $199!" But both paths lead nowhere. Both are equally clueless, and eventually, like 99% of NFTs, they'll trade near zero.
The goal of a project shouldn't be to create temporary hype and artificially pump prices. The goal is to slowly build a community—a community of diehards. It sounds crazy, but I'm dead serious. No money in the world can buy aura. Lessons in there. Try surviving a bear market rather than thinking short term. (my advice to all NFT project owners)
Unlike other NFTs during our minting phase, we opted for a free mint. We weren't chasing money—we were chasing visibility, aiming to stand out among numerous projects launching on Berachain. And as you’ve probably noticed, many didn't survive. Yet, Roots is still here.
Our vision was simple: pair the mainnet dApp with a bold, unhinged, and radical NFT collection, assembling a community ready to battle everyone. Though we held ourselves back a bit and went with a more approachable style, we remained unbiased, off the timelines, yet somehow always present.
Satori brought over 5,000 users to our Discord, and today, that number stands around 5,600 in total. Sure, bots are a part of that mix, but it speaks volumes about the hype even a "non-BERA themed" collection can generate. As a free mint, we had numerous people grinding for whitelist spots, and although things stalled at mint, we still sold out within an hour. Our initial goal, building a dedicated community of users eager for the mint, was successfully achieved. Even if some immediately flipped the NFT, they'll always remember this face:
Next on my list was to create a group of diehard Satoris who continued proudly repping the NFT even at its lowest point. We went from a free mint to 0.03 ETH on day one, only to see it quickly drop below 0.01 ETH. It became clear early on that Satori had no utility, something that remains true to this day. We briefly got a bit of an airdrop (RFA), but nothing substantial enough to justify or back our all-time high prices in terms of utility.
Expectedly, tight circles began forming. We established what we initially called “Satori University,” later renamed “Satori House.” Over time, I personally added and removed around 125 people from our Twitter group chat. Today, months after its establishment, Satori House still thrives with 35 dedicated members. We made a conscious effort to gatekeep and ensure our discussions were lurk-proof, preventing leaks and maintaining trust. Highly controversial opinions and valuable knowledge are regularly exchanged within the group. Ultimately, we’ve become one big family—gradually learning to trust each other more every day.
Now, after all those moves, it was time for something refreshing. It was time for us to put all the cuteness aside, it was indeed wartime. What happened next to Satori? After Mainnet finally went live, we gave holders the freedom to either bridge their NFTs to Berachain or remain on Arbitrum. Unlike other projects prioritizing protocol fees, we stayed true to being user-first, leaving the choice entirely up to our community.
We've officially announced Satori V2, a brand-new, hand-drawn collection by Bate Banana, who is currently finalizing the artwork for a much-anticipated launch on March 31st.
In its current form, Satori introduces a completely new concept—debasing. But what exactly is debasing? Simply put, debasing reduces the overall supply of our NFT collection. It allows Satori V1 holders to burn their NFTs to secure a whitelist spot for Satori V2. Here's how it works: if you hold two Satori V1 NFTs, you can burn both on our dedicated platform, Satori International, to become eligible for the upcoming Satori V2 mint.
To answer your immediate questions clearly:
> Do I have to pay for the mint?
Yes and No, besides fees of the minting platform there is no price tag in order to mint the NFT — however since you have to burn 2x Satori V1 you will essentially have to pay for the previous collection via purchases off the floor or via bids.
> Is there any util….?
No, please shut the fuck up.
> Will it ever mint out?
Probably not, as some folks want to keep Satori V1
*> Why should I even do that?*IDK, don’t you like cool art?
> Isn’t there an Arbitrage Opportunity?
Yes, when 2x Satori V1s are trading less than 1 Satori V2.
> What happens when Satori V2 is not doing great?
What happens when you don’t wash your ass tomorrow?
> Why did you guys even create Satori V2 if you have Satori V1?
Rinse farming bag holders and create new hype as well as tighten the current loyal followers.
We invited the Satori House members to a private Telegram chat called "Satori V2 - Community Involvement." Currently, 26 House members are actively contributing to the development of the Satori V2 collection. Our goal has always been to deeply involve the community, ensuring their voices shape the creative direction. How did this collaboration begin? Initially, we allowed artist Bate Banana to experiment creatively. Interestingly, during the creation of honorary pieces for Satori V1, Bate began altering the style for each recipient, sparking the inspiration for our V2 direction.
This led us to the concept of creating another collection without diluting the existing supply—thus giving birth to the idea of "Debasing." Bate Banana (Cate) began sketching the initial drafts, exploring how the new collection might look. Collectively, we agreed that showcasing style and character was essential, deciding that no Satori should be depicted looking backward or entirely to the side. We wanted the drip front and center, maintaining the iconic presence Satori is known for.So she started experimenting with the position of the NFT:
The “D” position emerged as the perfect stance to define our second-generation mint. We started discussing traits and visual styles, inspired significantly by Steve’s honorary Satori, which looked exceptional. Everyone unanimously requested a similar rendering style for the new collection.
The next essential step was laying a strong foundation. We knew the new version needed to feel fresh, distinct, and superior to the previous one. While Satori V1 Codename: Enlightenment was designed to be playful, cute, and appealing to the broader ecosystem, Satori V2 Codename: Ascension marks a new era. This generation will be darker, more sophisticated, and dripping with maturity. It's clear—Satoris have grown up.
https://x.com/onchainsatori/status/1888076112925712478
We needed it to be a little bit more like the OG. The initial drafts were drifting a bit too far from the original style. So, to bridge the gap, the very first Satori: Ascension was created:
Another quick test render for Satori: Ascension:
Enough teasing though. In less than 2 weeks, you will be able to grab your own piece.
Satori V1 (Needed for Whitelisting - 2x): On Opensea (Arbitrum), On Opensea (Berachain)
Satori V2 Whitelisting: Satori International
Satori on Socials: Twitter
Roots on Socials: TwitterTalk soon,Ozzy