Omniteras

[DISCLAIMER: This place is considered to be extremely isolated from the rest of the world. Because of this, it's unlikely that any races live in this place that are not explicitly mentioned, nor is there notable deviation from the culture that's described. For more details on making a PC from this place, please direct message Gray_Guard#8584 on Discord.]

Common Knowledge

Thousands of years have passed since the time of the Holy Etani Kingdom, led and guided by Serphala himself, yet its impact on Ilkatu can still be seen and felt throughout the continent as many of the mountains that dot the horizon were once floating islands in Etani's time, only to be thrust down in the chaos of war. However, of the few dozen islands to remain airborne, one rests higher in the sky than all others, and some claim that perhaps there may still be people up there, a living time capsule from the Etani Kingdom.
Discussion among historians about Omniteras is often heated and hotly debated. The name takes its origins from the few Parch tomes about the War of Wing and Fang that have been released to outsiders. There, it is briefly mentioned that Omniteras was the first island stronghold created after the initial assault on the major Etani cities. The only other evidence comes from a list of floating island strongholds that descended back down to the surface following the end of the war. More specifically, how Omniteras was not one of the strongholds listed as returning from the sky.
There have even been a few daring arcanists over the years who have attempted to fly up to the floating island, but all of them have been thrown back downwards due to an immensely powerful gravitational field that seems to surround a massive area near the island.

The Truth

For the sake of conveying accurate information, yes, Omniteras is real and is in fact the very floating island people suspect it to be. For those who do not wish to have knowledge about a place that is otherwise unknown to outsiders, stop reading now.

City of the Devout

Following the war, the most devoted and fervent followers of Serphala opted to not join the rest of their countrymen in service to the new Yarran kingdom. While King Yarran was a respectable man, they deplored his tactics as underhanded and savage, and they were afraid of sullying Serphala's good name with their full support. Instead, they collected in Omniteras and ascended even higher into the sky, using their extensive knowledge of Cradle usage to create a barrier of gravity to prevent any outsiders from attacking them. While still making trips to the surface to interact with the people of the surface as well as gather resources for expansion, they used this newfound isolation to devote themselves to making a utopia based on Serphala's teachings of self-reflection and selflessness.
While a seemingly impossible task, for many generations the goal seemed within reach. Crime lowered to near non-existence, people fell into necessary routines, and everyone learned to look after their neighbors. They continued to take on new members from the surface, while only occasionally having to exile those that were repeatedly unable to follow Serphala's teachings.

Blessed by Serphala

Looking upon Omniteras with great pleasure and seeing their aspirations as commendable, Serphala gifted the city with a number of his personal Devas to further guide and watch over the people. These Devas were called upon by the Serphalan Church, and with the permission of the Prime Mysta, these Devas would link to prominent adolescents and transform them into Aasimars, guiding them for many years before returning back to the church to repeat the cycle.

Continued Isolation

Following the Invader's War and the long period of little civilization established on Ilkatu, Omniteras retreated into more isolationist tendencies. They too were ravaged by the war, something they didn't conceive as possible, and in this crisis of faith the Church seemingly doubled down on their strictness of action. While the city would continue to expand upwards and outwards across the floating isle, the population began to slow as more people were being exiled for heresy. Moreover, the act of returning to the surface began to be seen as a corruptive influence, especially following the massive influx of other cultures and groups following the Confederation's establishment. Thus, the people accused of heresy became the ones to make any trips to the surface world as a test of faith and resolve, ultimately leading to more people abandoning the city while simultaneously justifying the church's suspicions of malice.
One may ask then: if there have been so many exiled from the city, why does it remain such a mystery to the populace? Reasons may differ from person to person, but almost anyone born into Omniteras would know of the various artifacts and advancements discovered by the city, as well as the likely outcome if outsiders were emboldened to reach the city uninvited.

Population: ~120,000
Demographics: Human, Orc, Aarocockra, Protector & Scourge Aasimar.