About The World

Obojima is a world full of magic and spirits; where people live and explore, and where there are festivals for every occasion. Although life here is mostly idyllic with farmers tilling their fields and shepherds tending to their sheep dragons, there is plenty of adventure to be had. Travelers will find their fair share of it by simply walking from village to village, following rumors and spirit companions, and allowing the strange and wonderful tales of the tall grass to unfold.

Themes and Tone

Most tales told within Obojima are generally going to be pleasant and relaxing experiences both for you and your players—a journey into a realm of leisure fantasy where time slows down and descriptions delight in the small details: how the warm breeze blowing across the Gale Fields dances on the skin, or the cozy comfort of sipping from a hot cup of soup on a cool evening around a campfire with companions. In Obojima, these small, sensory vignettes are the biggest tool in a GM’s repertoire.

But that isn’t to say that everything in the world of Obojima is pastoral and easy going. There are monsters and plenty of peril here that the GM can use to turn a delightful stroll through the countryside into a harrowing situation where blades, bloodshed, and arcane magics are required. These contrasting facets of Obojima make for compelling storytelling as your moments of danger will feel that much more dangerous and your moments of tranquility will feel that much more earned.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you create your Obojima adventure:

Magic in the Mundane

An Obojima story is a journey into a world of wonder, where innocence, laughter, and simple joys are just as important as discovering magic, unraveling intrigues, and exploring the mysteries of the island. Tales told here feel small and contained, like getting to know every subtle nuance, quirk, and charm of a village and the various characters who inhabit it. We invite you to slow down and tell small stories here. Allow them to come to an end. Not every adventure here needs to continue as a long, epic campaign.

Roleplaying Heavy

The conclusion to an adventure is that much sweeter when the players are truly invested in the world around them, one that you have filled with multifaceted characters who bring your narrative to life. The stories that Obojima is best suited for telling are stories that revolve around the unique flavor of the world and the heartwarmingly odd people that inhabit it. So we invite you to try out “character driven” over “conflict driven” stories for your Obojima tales.

A conversation can be as fulfilling as combat!

Combat

Most situations on Obojima can usually be solved with some smarts, a bit of tact, heaps of creativity, and a dose of magic. There are conflicts and perils on the island to be sure, but not every confrontation has to result in combat. More often than not, combat can be averted with a creative solution.

However, the further east you go, the more dangerous the world becomes. Past the Gale Fields, being handy with a blade is more and more a skill worth having. Even if one is drawn into a conflict, it doesn’t always have to end in death; there’s always pleading, parleying, and good old fashioned fleeing. Creatures of all shapes and sizes tend to value their life over being the victor of a combat.

Evil and Villainy

Evil does not have a strong presence on Obojima, generally, creatures and monsters are forces of nature, motivated out of natural fear or greed rather than of evil. Most villains are comically ambitious, predictably greedy, or filled with obstinate conviction, but dig under the surface and they often have the reasons for their actions rooted in a misguided desire to do good. But that being said, there are evil forces here, spirits that have been corrupted into demons who seek unsettling ends; so there is a small pinch of the spice of evil that you can certainly throw into any story soup you simmer here on the shores of Obojima.