Gogpodda is a floating island on the Steaming Sea and the larger Arcadian Ocean, formed naturally from flotsam, jetsam, animal carcasses, and seaweed that accumulated on the waves into an artificial landmass miles wide and dozens of feet thick. A group of gnome explorers discovered the island after a shipwreck and found it habitable thanks to the fish and shrimp living in the wreckage and plants fertilized by gull droppings. After repairing their ships, many of the castaways remained on Gogpodda and formed a settlement and were soon joined by new gnome settlers from the mainland.[1]
The gnomes of Gogpodda live off the island's scant bounty, supplemented by supplies from the mainland. Many of the island's inhabitants are only temporary, lured by the promise of new discoveries in the wreckage. Gogpodda floats throughout the Steaming Sea and larger Arcadian Ocean, and has at times come within distance of Hermea, Mordant Spire, Avistan, and even distant Arcadia, facilitating trade with those locales. Efforts to control the island's movement have so far met with failure.[2]
References:
1. James Jacobs et al. (2011). The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 181. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
2. Colin McComb et al. (2010). Gnomes of Golarion, p. 17-18. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-223-4
From the message boards on Paizo.com
Thomas LeBlanc RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
Dec 7, 2014, 02:12 pm
But the one I think is the most potentially interesting places is Gogpodda. Imagine the Pacific garbage patch inhabited by gnomes. Besides just rubbish, imagine lost wrecks from all over the Arcadia, Avistan, Garund, and possibly even flotsam from Azlant all mixed together in one place. One of the most inquisitive races of Golarion dwelling therein, with access to magic and technology from many different locales.
From James Jacobs et al. (2011). The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 181. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
Gogpodda: In the blue vastness of the Steaming Sea, swirling ocean currents pull together flotsam, jetsam, and driftwood, binding it with seaweed and the bloated corpses of dead animals to form a morass miles wide and dozens of feet thick. While such conglomerations are not unknown to sailors, the debris field known as Gogpodda has something unique: terrestrial residents. Shipwrecked long ago after a mission of exploration ran afoul of the garbage patch, the gnomes of Gogpodda quickly realized that large swaths of the floating debris were stable enough to support their weight, and that what appeared to be nothing but junk was in fact teeming with life, from shrimp and fish that made homes in the wreckage to plants that had sprung up from gull droppings. While many of the gnomes eventually repaired their ships enough to return to the mainland, several of the crew members decided to stay and explore their new floating home, telling those who left to spread the word that all were welcome on newly settled Gogpodda.
Gogpodda from Colin McComb et al. (2010). Gnomes of Golarion, p. 17-18. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-223-4
In the blue vastness of the Arcadian Ocean, the swirling of ocean currents pulls together flotsam, jetsam, and driftwood, binding it with seaweed and the bloated corpses of dead animals to form a morass miles wide and dozens of feet thick in places. While such conglomerations are not unknown to sailors, the debris field known as Gogpodda has something quite unusual: terrestrial residents.
Shipwrecked long ago after an expedition to Arcadia ran afoul of the garbage patch in a storm, the gnomes of Gogpodda quickly realized that large swaths of the floating debris were stable enough to support their weight, and that what appeared to be nothing but junk was in fact teeming with life, from the shrimp and fish that made their homes in the wreckage to plants that had sprung up from the droppings of gulls. While many of the gnomes eventually repaired their ships enough to return to the mainland, several of the crewmembers decided to stay and explore their new floating home, telling those who left to spread the word that all were welcome on newly christened Gogpodda.
Those few individuals who live full time on Gogpodda survive by fishing with lines and nets, cultivating seabirds and plants brought from the mainland, and bottling water garnered from elaborate rain-catchers. Far more of the gnomes on the garbage patch are temporary residents, drawn by the lure of salvage. Thanks to the ocean currents, Gogpodda’s composition is constantly changing, and while much of it is trash, there remains the occasional startling find plucked from a shipwreck or captured by the morass after having been thrown overboard thousands of miles away.
Due to variances in the ocean’s current, Gogpodda is constantly moving within a range of hundreds or thousands of miles. At times it has been known to pass within sight of Hermea and the Mordant Spire, and some claim it even approaches the shores of Avistan and Arcadia, allowing for trade. More often, trade is accomplished by means of the dozens of small boats employed by its residents, many constructed from the detritus of Gogpodda itself. Though efforts have been made in the past to direct Gogpodda’s wanderings, either through sails or the use of harnessed creatures like sea turtles and whales, its composition is such that the portions bearing motive force simply tear free, despite the gnomes’ best efforts to reinforce the mass.
