ArmoredBuccaneer on Apr 11, 2015 wrote:

is there an explanation to why the islands float in the game?

I'm sure that Anne Radcliffe and Anecorbie have probably already answered this. We've been speculating on what makes islands and ships float for a while now.

The islands may be floating for a variety of reasons, it could be from a substance called Aether, or it could be caused by gravitational anomalies, or knowing the spiral it could simply be caused by magic. However, I prefer things to make sense in a nice logical way, even if it's game about pirates in The Spiral. So let's say it's something other than magic. There are a few reasons for this.

1) Only larger islands remain floating, smaller islets such as those seen in Aquila tend to bob up and down. As if the smaller islets can float, but just barely.

2)Broken ships sink. When a ship is damaged to the point that it breaks apart, it sinks, suggesting that the ships' size, shape, or something else determines if the ship will float or not.

3)Some being made objects don't float. Bestia is carried on the back of Atlas, and flying eagle. This does suggest that Bestia cannot float on it's own. Also Flotsam requires a large number of broken ships to stay afloat.

4)small animals such as sky gar, appear to need wings in order to stay in the sky. The only exception appears to be squid, and lighting sharks.

To me this suggests that there is something in the air that allows objects of certain size and shape to float. This suggests either aether or gravitational anomalies, possibly causes by the spinning of the Spiral.

I'll need to make a second post to explain further, I'm running out of characters to type.

I suspect it is the same reason that our ships appear to float. Just call it magic or a natural phenomenon.

There is a theory, put forth by Virtuous Anne Radcliffe that the islands and our ships are supported by an element called aether. I think its also this but also a combination of light, less dense wood and magic ( for our ships ).