The Explorers of Obalan

From all around the world

Come take a walk around the world with me. Well, me and the explorers that is.

There are countless ways of telling a story, and as I have been writing “The Magic Lantern” I realized that there is one aspect that particularly enjoy, the World of Obalan.

I always imagined it as a familiar but unique setting, with a mostly unique caste of people, like the Caplium, Aquifarians or the Orchadians, all races you would not find in a traditional fantasy setting, but that I hope one day you will be just as familiar with.

This is a monumental task that I do with great pleasure, but in wanting the setting to fill coherent and lived in, I thought of navigating the world through the eyes of 16 explorers, each with their own interests and experiences.

The stories I share here will be from them, and I have had the best time ever hearing of their adventures, even if it’s from my own hand.

If you haven’t yet, now is the time to prepare a delicious beverage and retreat to a cozy spot so we can take you on a trip around Obalan.

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Stories

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Characters

• Alexander Woodchip - You can tell that Chip has been around by the smudges of charcoal and trails of doodles that he absent-mindedly leaves behind.

• Venerable Mother Magdahlia Vex - A vibrant and radiant energy of magic surrounds her, enough to make your skin tingle. A feeling only interrupted by her occasional swearing like an old sailor.

• Maestro Bufo Ranieri - With a strum of his mandolin strings and his voice of sweet nectar, he’ll fill the hearts and ears of any he meets with boundless joy.

• Lady Aléonor Copperclaw - She always carries some candy with her as a treat, or was that an animal pellet? She keeps mixing them up.

• Captain Rodric Blackwood - He always smells like a musty log that’s been far too long at sea. Something he takes as compliment really.

• Detective Alario Crawley - An admirer of the macabre and a highly achieved investigator, but above all, an intensely passionate storyteller.

• Dr Mugear Tuff - He doesn’t mean to, but he always has a scary aura about him. He is actually very approachable, it’s just unfortunate lighting really.

• Miss Agatha Cask - A hearty meal and a tankard of bitter ale will get you on her good side. Just know that men twice her size have regretted getting on her bad side though.

• Spelunker Keyon Hollow - There are not many people as enthusiastic about crystals than him, you will have a great time listening to his claustrophobic adventures. Just don’t taste his protein snacks, something is wrong with his taste buds, those things taste terrible.

• Prof Batty Y. Brimble - An academic of all things creepy crawly and an overachiever in most things except walking, always encumbered with so much clutter, he moves at a very leisurely pace. He does it with such confidence though.

• Chef Gaspar Bogavante - You’re going to eat something delicious, the chances that you run into him and leave without a tasty snack for the way are pretty much zero.

• The Graceful Julides “Ju” Calyx - A master of the thread and needle, he emphatically sees the beauty of all things, including you.

• Sensei Ōkukinoko - Seeing him wield his oak blade in a demonstration may be one of the scariest things you can experience, it’s both beautiful and a dreadful reminder of how dangerous weapons of war can be.

• Air Marshal Oliver Delta - Floating up in the sky, that is where he feels the most at home. He can get lost in it for whole days at the time, methodically tracing coastlines and measuring mountain ranges, slowly drifting in the cold air above us.

• Master Hunter Sidra Twinley - She is a rather infamous plant hunter, her contributions to the world are invaluable, but she is as thorny as her trophy collection.

To you, from the home of magic.

Marco D Blanco.