Astrum Gravitas

The Mysterious Floating Island

How Gravitas came to be is a mystery unsolved. When the first explorers from Sanctum Vitae rediscovered it they were awestruck, as they were unable to figure out what kept the city afloat. There was one thing they knew for sure though, the massive chains kept the island from moving away, keeping it secured to the mountain chain it drifted above.

Being near the island made people feel lighter, as if the gravity near the isles was changed. Climbing the chains was easier than expected, the metal having worn over time creating more grip to hold onto. As the first people explored the island it became clear that this place was once inhabited and was thriving. Many huts and houses were found, some withered and broken down into nothing more than ruins, nature having slowly reclaimed the territory.  The explorers also discovered a network of tunnels connecting different parts of the main island. Maps were carved into the walls of these tunnels showing the complex connections, though many of these maps seemed to be incorrect. Deep in one of the main tunnels a central ring was found wrapped around a massive shining violet colored crystal in the center which continuously lets off sparks of energized arcane energy.

After the first people settled in the ruins, they took the time to slowly build the city back up into its former glory by restoring the ancient architecture, recreating what was once there. The mystery around this civilization was enthralling, and the explorers sought a name to refer to them. Many names were given to the people from this one thriving city, but only one stuck through the years: Mythratu. 

Over time word spread, slowly new visitors settled down as they travelled from across Aeora or even from Volandra or Xuc’tor. Researchers took great interest in finding out who lived here, how this city has been kept afloat and why suddenly all these people are gone.

Two hundred years passed and the city of Gravitas became a thriving and established city with over 25,000. The streets bustling and busy, as with time trade routes had been set up between mainland Aeora and Gravitas.

Over time the researchers that worked there have made many discoveries. The crystals seem to grow with time, and gliders made from fabric with an inlay of a small piece of crystal from the main cluster can be used to glide through the air, as long as they’re close to the city. It seemed the lowered gravity could be used for getting around quicker, giving access to places that were previously hard to reach. Eventually it was unearthed that the previous civilization that had vanished used similar devices. After awhile the crystal gliders rose in popularity and became the primary mode of transport around the isles.

Thinning of the Veil

Gravitas exhibits a number of unique phenomena that scholars have been studying for centuries since the very first settlers. Researching the ring of intricate Vahenite crystals that holds the isle afloat, studying the lingering planar magic that seems to leak off these crystals for some further purpose that is not yet understood. The history of the city is filled with anecdotes of ghostly encounters and mysterious sightings with a regularity that far outweighs those of other cities. What were once merely urban myths have crossed the veil into reality, as merely a couple centuries ago the number of phantasmal events began to exponentially increase. Researchers theorize that the cosmic shifting of the planes have been nearing alignment, resulting in a resonation of deeper planar energies within central arcane ring, allowing these specters to seep in through the ethereal plane.  

The folks of Gravitas, born of immigrants from many lands, aren’t unfamiliar with the strange and have adapted to these new ways of life. These days it is not uncommon to find a number of wandering spirits as you walk through the streets of the floating isle. The majority of these drifting phantoms are harmless and barely capable of coherent speech, with the exception of the occasional malevolent spirits. There are some ghosts with a stronger presence in the world that have accumulated themselves into society as the culture of Gravitas has adapted to these changes.  One such place these spirits have been welcomed is at the Vindresti Lyceum, Gravitas center of mage education, and one of the main campuses of the Calytrix University.

Government

The governing body of this city and its direct surroundings is a small council consisting of three people. One native to the area, one researcher and one tradesman. The law enforcement on the island are called the Astral Guard. While they are well armed they are often bought out or frightened by the gangs populating Gravitas. This has led for many among the common folk and gangs to refer to them as the "Astrumutts" as they feel the nickname fits this ineffective and weak group.

Culture and Social Hierarchy

The people of Gravitas are a curious bunch, their general demeanor is open and friendly to everyone including strangers. They’re insightful, using all sorts of unusual metaphors to seemingly instill wisdom in those that care to listen.

Since this place is such a melting pot of cultures due to the many different people that eventually found their way to Gravitas, the society there gravitated towards like minded individuals that have similar views to them, creating more distinct groups. The people like to portray themselves as open and respectful to one another and on a macro level that view would be relatively correct. However, as with most civilizations that have many different cultures and values in life, an undercurrent of infighting is present on a lower level within the society. It’s not unheard of to have occasional arguments in the streets getting physical. With the majority of people holding up the façade of ‘Everyone Gets Along’ the government is oblivious to these issues. In recent years, crime has been on the rise according to the public and reports of gangs forming have been occasionally popping up among citizens as the city grew in numbers. 

Those who end up in Gravitas as refugees from other countries and lands often live in the more worn down ancient structures on the island. They await the promised repairs of the government, but often must live out their lives in these old and decrepit ruins. The average citizen of Gravitas tends to be a merchant, farmer, miner, or other tradesman, spending their days working to help rebuild and build up this growing city. The wealthy merchants and folk of Gravitas have journeyed to the island hoping for a safe place to settle down and avoid conflicts and danger. Setting up a stable location for their trade empire from which they can peacefully oversee their affairs. These people are usually those who buy into the "everyone gets along" idea put out by the government, and should that idea fall they will likely be the first to leave the city behind. There are also the explorers and archaeologists of Gravitas that come from across the lands in the hope of uncovering the mystery of the floating isle. While their numbers are much fewer due to the lack of recent major discoveries, a core group still dives deep into the labyrinth of tunnels, hoping to finally uncover the mysteries of the island. 

Alongside the growing importance of airships in the world Gravitas too has grown in turn. Advancements in the production and quality of airships have aided in the ease of access to the floating isle and allowed for an expansion in their trade partnerships. The folks of Gravitas have established a number of posts upon the mountain peaks nestled around the floating isles to guide and protect the routes for airships. In current times, the floating city has grown in a central hub of air trade throughout the world, as a popular destination for travel due to its many interesting phenomena.

The primary language of Gravitas is Common, with other major languages being Dwarvish, Elvish, Giant, Gnomish, Halfling, Draconic, Infernal, and Celestial.

Related Pages:

Sanctum Vitae/Noirtisser (Where the explorers who rediscovered Gravitas hail from, also a close trading partner to Gravitas)

Örndalur (Another friendly nation to Gravitas from Aeora, they worked together to form the Marquez foundation)

Calytrix University (The university that the Vindresti Lyceum, is a member of)