Mysterious and odd, the sight of an island of stone slowly floating through the breeze a hundred feet above the ground fills the mind with questions. Who built it? Why? What purpose does it serve? What treasures must lie upon the hovering boulder? An oddity like a hovering island slowly bobbing past a party of adventurers can serve as a fantastic location for a session or two of play. Use the tables below to create your floating oddity and populate it with danger and mystery.
Size and Shape:
A hovering island of stone can be almost any shape or size. For the purposes of this generator, you will be creating islands anywhere from roughly 8 to 31 square miles. That works out to between one to four 3-mile hexes, perfect for a session or two of fun. Use the table below create your hex map layout.
2D6 | Size & Configuration |
1 |  |
2-3 |  |
4-5 |  |
6-8 |  |
9-10 |  |
11-12 |  |
How do you get on that thing?
Of the many hovering island recorded by the sages, there doesn’t seem to be specific trend towards islands that merely hover above the ground or those that float with the winds. Below you’ll find a table for determining if your island is stationary or on the move. You will also see a table that lists a few ways PCs can make their way to these wonderous places.
D6 | Will we be able to catch that thing? |
1 | It seems to just bob up and down. It dips from ten feet above the ground all the way up to 400 feet above the ground and back again over the course of half an hour. |
2 | It's only 20 feet above the ground and moving three miles an hour in the direction of the wind. |
3 | It's perfectly still, 100 feet above us. |
4 | It seems to bob about no more than 15 feet above the ground at a quick 20 miles an hour in a random direction. |
5 | The island moves from one edge of the valley to the other over the course of the day, staying 20' above ground at all times. |
6 | It is stopped five feet above the waters of the nearest lake. |
D6 | How do we get onto it anyway? |
1 | Hidden within a copse of trees near the island is a crumbling teleportation circle that transports characters to a similar circle on top of the hovering island. |
2 | Great rusted chains hang down the sides of the island, stopping mere feet above the ground. |
3 | An anchor the size of a house, attached to the island by a thick cable, dangles over the side of the island, scraping along the ground as it goes. |
4 | A decrepit but still functional magical floating platform nearby can be piloted to the island before it ceases to work and powers down. |
5 | Vines and the long, thick roots of trees hang down to the ground from the underside of the floating island. |
6 | The island is followed along by floating carriage-sized jellyfish-like midnight blue creatures that can be persuaded through friendly interaction to allow characters to ride inside their bells up to the island. |
The Central Point of Interest
The central point of interest on a hovering island is usually the most visible part of the island. Whether that’s a ruined tower or a glowing fungal brain, the central point of interest is going to be the first thing that draws characters to your island and lets them know that there’s more here than meets the eye. It is best to decide which hex the point of interest is in at the beginning of this process. Use the table below to flesh out your central point of interest.
D20 | Point of Interest |
1 | A great fungal bloom the size of an oak tree shaped like a brain. This is the fruiting body of the great fungal intelligence Molanz, the Everknown. The creature exists simultaneously in multiple planes at once, granting him knowledge of the great mysteries of the universe. Molanz is willing to entreat with those who do not wish him ill will and have eaten of his flesh. Those who consume Molanz’s flesh are wracked with horrible stomach pain and vomiting. Once this has passed, the booming emotionless voice of the hyperintelligent fungus can be heard inside one’s head. By allowing others to eat of his flesh, Molanz gains the ability to talk with them. In exchange for knowledge and wisdom, Molanz requests seemingly outlandish or nonsensical items be cast into his fungal flesh, such rare animal organs, long-forgotten foodstuffs, or a specific child’s favorite toy. |
2 | A decrepit tower in the style of a long defunct empire. There are two intact floors and a basement. Everything Is old and covered in dust. The tower is 1) inhabited by ghosts! 2) warded against divine magic. 3) the focus of an endless time loop for the inhabitants. 4) Full of traps. |
3 | A bronze and copper observatory with a glowing blue glass dome. Magical machinery within the structure allows it to rotate. The interior of the dome tracks the currents and flow of magic throughout the universe, and odd psychic control panels studded with glowing crystals are used to operate the observatory structure. |
4 | A three-story tall statue of an elf in battle armor holding the hilt of a broken sword. The statue is carved of a single piece of bright green jade and has a spiral staircase in one leg that allows access to a chamber within the statue. The chamber is always 80 degrees Fahrenheit and humid. It is furnished with bizarre animals from the plane of Faerie that have been taxidermized into couches and tables. A seven-hosed hukkah as tall as a man has been left out with 1d4 lumps of charcoal, tongs, and 1d10 uses of magical pipe leaf in a box. When smoked, the leaf will engender feelings of calm and tranquility. As well, while the effects last, the imbiber will gain the ability to Detect Magic, like the spell. Due to the mind-altering nature of the smoke, smokers receive a -2 penalty to tasks that involve agility or mental acuity. The effects of the hukkah last 1d6 x10 minutes. |
5 | A temple to a defunct god. This crumbling structure is covered in carvings depicting worship practices at the temple. A spark of the god’s divine nature still persists within the temple’s innermost section which contains 1) an eternal flame. 2) an endlessly flowing fountain. 3) an endlessly flowing trickle of sand (like an hourglass). 4) a multihued shaft of light. Those who quietly meditate for at least one hour there will be able to communicate with the god. The god will answer a single question posed to it per day in this manner. |
6 | A massive alabaster pyramid with a giant golden point at the top. This structure is a geomantic resonator, a magical device that harnesses the energy of ley lines to lift the island and power its equipment. There are control panel-like devices throughout the island that operate different embedded machines; machines like hologram projectors displaying nature scenes, music machines, mechanical servants, and telepathic libraries. The panel to control the island's movement is hidden in a secret chamber underneath the pyramid. |
7 | A field of purple glowing crystals the size of houses. The crystals attract creatures from the Ethereal Plane that phase in and out of reality and feed off the crystal’s magical energies. These creatures can be dangerous if provoked. The field of crystals also pulses and throbs with odd oscillations that can cause characters to see and hear things that are not there. |
8 | The large barrel of a 20’ long iron cannon that hangs out over the island’s edge. The cannon is part of a large brick firing platform that the gun is attached to. With two large wheels, the gun can be raised, lowered, or rotated from side to side. There are five stone casks full of what was once soggy gunpowder and a long ramrod for cleaning the breach-loading weapon. On the ground nearby is a large brick sculpture of an unknown landscape like a large, three-dimensional map of a country. Dangerous antlered perytons nest inside the barrel and fly about the gun’s exterior. |
9 | A circle of blue basalt standing stones. The stones are carved with ancient arcane runes that glow in the presence of Lawful creatures. The stones are the corrupted remnants of a druidic ritual circle. They are infused with Chaotic magic and will suppress any spell cast by a Lawful character within the circle. Due to the propensity of latent Chaos magic in the air, summoning spells will likely draw creatures from the infernal realms instead of their intended targets. All saves against the magical effects of fear spells are made at a -2 penalty while inside the circle as well. |
10 | A 60’ tall obelisk of carved obsidian. Black lightning cascades off of the obelisk periodically, creating a coppery taste in the air. The obelisk is carved in abstract spiral patterns that seem to writhe and twist when seen through the corner of the eye. The structure allows creatures and objects from the dream plane to become physically real while on the island. Nightmares and fantasies are draped over the landscape like lurid shadows. |
11 | A ruined dwarven fortress. This ancient edifice bears the robust construction of the dwarves, with dwarven runic glyphs etched into the walls and a sturdy gatehouse with a lowered portcullis. The structure is three stories tall with a small basement. The interior has been engineered with moving hallways and staircases and arc lamps fixed to walls for lighting. Mechanical beasts of burden and an elevator complete the technological wonders found here. |
12 | A completely intact and abandoned village. There are no people to be found here, and the village looks as if it was just emptied. There are fires in the fireplaces and food on some of the tables that is still warm, but no people. This village is an exact replica of a character’s hometown, but all the houses have been painted differently. When characters leave rooms, they will often reenter them later to find that things have been moved about as though someone had been in there. |
13 | Jets of flame erupt from geysers on the island every 20 minutes like clockwork. The jets of fire are part of a pressure release system tied to the mechanical operation of the hovering island. Deep within the island is a series of machine rooms filled with odd mechanical contraptions that collect and burn gas to keep the island aloft. The heart of the island is a containment chamber that holds both a fire elemental and an air elemental in a perpetual state of conflict. Their magical attempts to destroy each other produce the magic necessary to keep the island hovering. |
14 | A monastery dedicated to the god of the sky. Tall thin towers of stone stretch 200 or more feet in the air. The ancient monks here were stylites who used to occupy the narrow tops of the towers, standing for years on end whilst hoping to experience a religious revelation. The tinkling of sacred windchimes can be heard drifting across the island from the central temple. There are libraries and monk cells scattered throughout the island alongside the empty rookeries filled with Roc feathers. |
15 | A large bronze cage the size of a fortress. This massive bronze cage has been expertly crafted out of a single humongous mold. There is no sign of what creature the cage might have once trapped. The space between the bars of the cage is large enough for a human-sized character to squeeze through without much worry. Those inside the vacant cage will immediately hear and see blue-skinned giants outside the cage battering on it to enter. These creatures only exist to individuals on the inside of the cage, and cease to exist if one exits the cage. To those inside the cage, they will rage and bellow and pound night and day without rest. |
16 | A two-story tall statue of a cat with three eyes posed as if waking from a nap. The statue is made of a massive boulder of amethyst that has been polished completely smooth. The small bones of rodents are heaped in piles at its feet. Quietly meditating in front of the statue for at least an hour will allow one to commune with Tikil, The God of Cats, for whom the statue is a shrine. Tikil is willing to grant wisdom and favor to those who worship it, as long as they are willing to make a pact with it. The pact involves killing a mouse or other small rodent and leaving it at the statue’s feet while swearing an oath to Tikil to kill any wererat that they come across. Tikil’s boon grants those who make the pact a +2 to their Dexterity and the ability to track wererodents by scent. (3-in-6 chance of success) |
17 | A massive telescope made of iron, brass, and glass roughly 30 feet long. This ancient telescope has been rusted into its current position for quite some time. Lying around the device are four horse-sized copper armillary spheres that have corroded and fallen into the grass. Individuals who look into the view finder will find themselves glimpsing the surface of another world. The telescope reveals purple fields and hills with green canals that cut across the countryside. What look like great bands of fish-headed humanoids can be seen herding fluffy yellow pigs and farming oddly shaped red melons. |
18 | Gigantic old-growth redwood trees filled with the iridescent glow of sprites and pixies. The trees tower up to 300 feet tall, and small faery houses can be seen far up in the fragrant branches. The fey creatures are skittish but will warm up to those who share food and treat them well. These beings have inhabited the trees since time immemorial and are knowledgeable about many things that are now lost. Odd eddies of fey magic wend their way through the island and can lead to unpredictable magical results. |
19 | A tower made entirely out of large animal bones, capped with an ancient dragon’s skull. This is the abode of a lich who styles herself the Lady of Bone. When she is not researching the ancient secrets of the universe to acquire more power, she collects rare animal bones and specimens. She uses spare bones to create bone servants that roam the grounds searching for intruders. In her throne room atop the tower she keeps a collection of animated skulls that she consults when she’s lonely. |
20 | A tall carillon tower with brass bells chiming away in song as it floats by. The massive 40-bell carillon is magically automated to continuously play music for eternity. Many of the tunes are older versions of popular folk songs. A keyboard and control system can be found underneath the bell tower. From there, the songs can be turned on or off, or a tune may be played on the island/instrument from the keyboard. Many of the doors and traps found on this island are musical in nature, often requiring specific melodies to be sung or hummed to activate them. |
Other Points of Interest
While they might not capture the eye from below like the central point of interest, the interest points detailed below are a great way of filling your island with interesting things to explore, interact with, and possibly exploit. The following table can be used to flesh out the other, less central points of interest on your hovering island. I recommend placing at least one other point of interest per hex to keep the island fun and full of oddness and new exploration challenges.
2D20 | Additional Points of Interest |
2 | Reflecting pool with a perfect mirror surface. The pool is tiled with repeating black, red, and white tesserae. The reflection makes a perfect replacement for a mirror in scrying rituals. |
3 | Large crystals of green, blue, and purple that resonate in harmonic frequencies when brought into proximity. The effect is very soothing and may lull animals into a stupor. |
4 | A small waterfall whose dancing waters endlessly transform between all the colors of the rainbow and back again. |
5 | Drooping fruit trees with green-blue leaves growing reddish-orange fruit the size of a thumb. The fruit will provide 2d6 fresh rations and taste peppery-sweet and grassy. The leaves may be dried and smoked, engendering lethargy and ease in its imbibers as well as granting a +2 bonus to Wisdom for the next 2d4 hours. |
6 | Three rusted poles fashioned with wicked-looking barbs. Bodies of humans have been impaled on the spikes; their bones still cling to some. Half-rotten carrion is scattered about as well, mixed in with foot-long bird feathers. |
7 | Piles of elf skulls. There must be at least a thousand skulls heaped into piles. |
8 | A solitary water nymph who inhabits a fountain. She is lonely and wishes to be adored and worshiped again. If she is worshiped to her liking, she will grant a character a boon of a decanter of endless waters and a kiss. |
9 | A beehive the size of a house buzzing with giant bees. The bees will generally leave characters alone as long as their young are not being disturbed. They make magic honey that grants a +2 bonus to saving throws against spells. |
10 | The pelts of giant purple and green lizards staked out in the sun to dry. They look fresh within the last three days or so, but there is no sign as to who did this. The pelts, if properly cured, are worth 500 gp a piece. There are 1d4+1 pelts staked out. |
11 | A chest intricately carved with vines and grape bunches containing 1,000 gold coins stamped with the face of a mythic emperor on one side and a rampant dragon on the back. |
12 | Patches of spikey blue melons that float on the vine with the lighter-than-air gas they contain. as long as the rind of the melons isn’t pierced, they will retain their gas and float. The gas is flammable. If the gas inside is lit the melon will explode, dealing 1d8 damage to any creature within five feet of it. |
13 | An empty shrine with a bare plinth in the middle. The plinth contains a secret compartment that houses a silver holy symbol in the shape of a pair of spread wings studded with pink agate, worth 55 gp. |
14 | A rusted suit of full platemail built for a giant. |
15 | A small ball court with a clay hoop set up at one end. A dark brown stain of old blood covers half the court. |
16 | Prayer wheels on wooden posts that have been pushed over on their side. The prayers are written in an ancient dialect of Draconic. If they are placed upright again and made to spin in the wind, they grant a +1 bonus to the next saving throw of the helpful characters who fixed the wheels. |
17 | Glass sculptures of dwarves, elves, humans, and halflings turning away from something with looks of horror on their faces. Some of the statues have shattered and are now nothing more than heaps of broken glass and sand. |
18 | Painted cutouts of human and elven adventurers posed in scenes of mutual slaughter. The painted characters’ faces are fixed in deranged smiles as they carry out their murders. |
19 | A glowing translucent dwarf hovering above the ground in meditation. The dwarf does not seem to be able to sense other characters and remains locked in meditation. Though he seems solid, a hand or other object will pass through the form of the dwarf without resistance. |
20 | An illusory carnival barker touting an exciting exhibition of entertainment and magic. Whatever remained of the actual carnival is now lost, leaving only the endlessly repeating cry of the barker harkening folks to partake of a carnival that no longer exists. If the area is searched for at least half an hour, characters will discover dirty and motheaten clown costumes, a half-buried dumbbell, and dry whip. |
21 | Polished metal trees with steel-grey bark and beaten copper leaves. The trees appear to be natural insomuch as they bear no tool marks. The copper of the leaves can easily be collected up to 10,000 copper coins worth. |
22 | A mirrored illusion of the characters suddenly appears around a corner. They can perfectly copy the movements and facial expression of the original characters, but cannot speak. The illusion will continue to mirror the characters as long as they stay in the vicinity. If the area is searched, a one-foot-long cube of translucent blue crystal is easily discovered. This magical relic is the source of the illusion. It mirrors biological creatures only, not mechanical things like golems or automata, and works within a radius of 50 feet. |
23 | A field of red and yellow daisies that grow almost two feet tall. If the blossoms are dried and steeped into a tea, they will grant a +2 bonus to Constitution-based rolls for the next 24 hours. There are 1d8 uses worth of daises growing here. |
24 | Toadstools that stand waist high, with wrinkled maroon tops and verdant green gills. One can make a powdered poison out of the dried caps of the mushrooms. There is a 3-in-6 chance to detect the poison before ingesting it in a beverage or food due to its distinct metallic smell. The poison takes effect after 1d4 rounds. Characters that save against the poison become paralyzed for 2d4 minutes, until the poison wears off. Characters who fail to save take 2d8 damage and become paralyzed for 2d4 hours. |
25 | A cloud of odd, floating jellyfish-like creatures that make quiet farting noises when they jet about. These wrinkly hovering creatures are benign and show no fear of anything. They tend to cluster near to sources of magic and will curiously fart along after creatures that don’t mean them harm. |
26 | Specimen jars the size of a hut containing the remains of three human adventurers. The tops of the jars have jagged holes wide enough to stick an arm through punched into them. One of the adventurers is carrying a scroll Invisibility on them. |
27 | A creek overflowing with gentle talking frogs. The frogs are a simple folk who relish the natural beauty of their home. They are friendly but will be unwilling to materially help characters they’ve just met, preferring to stay out of conflicts. The frogs sing and frolic most of the day in prayer to their rainbow god. |
28 | Three derelict gliders made of some kind of lightweight bird bones and stretched fabric. With minor repairs, these craft can be flown off the island. They are gliders, however, and are not self-powered. |
29 | Glowing crystal staffs that swirl and pulse with light. The light is very soothing and can aid in the quality of a character’s sleep if they keep it uncovered in their presence for at least an hour a day. |
30 | A small mechanical servant named Wembli with a dwarven accent that will prepare meals for you. Wembli is partially damaged and so does not remember his original masters. He is friendly and knowledgeable about anything culinary. He needs no food, drink, air, or sleep, and can carry up to 100 pounds of weight. |
31 | A friendly colony of giant bats. The large flying mammals are as smart as dogs and have pleasant and curious dispositions. If properly treated and befriended, a bat will allow a character to ride on its back, though it would be a dangerous journey no doubt. |
32 | Large boulders covered in humming yellow, red, and orange lichen. The lichen makes a spicy and sour tea if brewed and leaves one feeling energized. |
33 | A large chess board with child-sized pieces. If the board is set up for play, the pieces will transform back into servants and guards of a now long-gone kingdom. They were the servants of the king but were all cursed by a witch and transformed into chess pieces. They are distraught to know how far in the future they have been revived and mourn their lost king. |
34 | A heaping pile of stag skulls, all with massive racks of antlers. The bones are covered in a soft carpet of green moss except the antlers, which remain pristine. This is the remains of a sacrifice to the Stag God, a forest god of immense age. If the skulls are returned to the forest and buried, the characters responsible would be granted a boon from the enigmatic forest being itself. |
35 | A field entirely covered in purple-red roses. These flowers are in fact a magical variety known as Dreaming Killers. If the flowers are smelled for too long, characters must succeed in a saving throw against the magical effects of the flowers or fall asleep for 24 hours. |
36 | A life-sized gold statue of a legendary hero. Worth 20,000 gp, very heavy. |
37 | A half-collapsed wall with an intact stain glass window in it clearly depicting a party member. The details are exquisite, down to the clothes and boots. The window has clearly been a part of the ancient and decrepit wall for at least as long as it had stood. |
38 | Modest stone hovels with sod roofs, surrounding a glowing glass sphere the size of a horse. The huts are very old and very empty. They surround the large glowing glass sphere as a metallic vapor swirls about inside. If characters sleep in the huts or nearby, they will dream they hear pleas for help emanating from inside the sphere. |
39 | A free-standing mirror polished to perfection. The mirror is a portal to a pocket mirror dimension of the island. It is a recursive space, so one couldn’t leave the island within the mirror, or they would find themselves back at the mirror portal. It is possible that by manipulating objects within the mirror, secrets of the island could be revealed in the real world. There is no color within the mirror dimension Everything is a stark black and white. |
40 | A copse of apple trees with ripe golden-skinned apples hanging off the branches of the trees. The apples taste delicious, and an entire one fills the stomach as much as a full meal would. These apples can be used as fresh rations. The apples also grant those who eat them two additional hit points in healing due to their magical quality and flavor. |
Inhabitants
Although it is feasible that a hovering island would be encountered free of regular inhabitants, it’s far less fun, I think. Let’s give our players some fun friends to interact with or fight. Use the table below to get an idea of who or what might still live on your floating mystery rock. Feel free to use one or all of the suggested creatures in the table below to craft your weird and wonderful hovering island.
| D10 | Island Inhabitants |
| 1 | Dog men and their leader, a sentient crystal inside a rusted automata body. Gigantic neon roaches. Evil palm trees. |
| 2 | Miniature humanoids with green skin and blue hair. A disfigured count in exile. Blue and yellow gliding monkeys with webbing between their arms. Living statues. |
| 3 | Hobgoblins with a hot air balloon. Living hedge sculptures. Centipede people. Psychic cats. |
| 4 | Mud folk. A society of doll people. Dinosaurs. Mute tattooed dwarven priests. |
| 5 | Green pigmy rhinoceroses. Gigantic horned monitor lizards. Sentient bushes. Stone golems. |
| 6 | Crystal golems. Heron folk. Manticores. A lost explorer who’s been stranded for over a year. |
| 7 | Clockwork humanoids. Fire dogs. Giant spiders with human hands. A cargo cult. |
| 8 | Talking birds. Living shadows. A permanently invisible illusionist. Psychic mold. |
| 9 | Elven wind riders. Pygmy wyverns. Headless men with faces in their chests. Sentient color. |
| 10 | A demon cult. Flail snails. Satyrs with magical panpipes. An ancient dragon. |
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