Oboro Torioi, also known as Oboro Moonrise, is a non-playable character in Final Fantasy XIV. He is a Ninja from Doma and the guildmaster of the Ninja guild. He was introduced in Patch 2.4 "Dreams of Ice", with the release of Rogue and Ninja.
History[]
Early life[]
Though Doma was already under Garlean rule at the time of his birth, Oboro was raised in a secluded village where his master Gekkai instructed him in the art of ninjutsu. Blessed with equal measures of innate talent and dogged determination, he rose through the ranks and was awarded the title of jonin, given only to the most skilled shinobi.
When Lord Kaien led his rebellion, Oboro proudly fought by his side. After a hard-fought battle, they reclaimed Doma Castle, and for a fleeting moment it seemed that Doma's liberation had been won. Victory, however, was brief—owing in part to the actions of a fellow shinobi, who had already defected to the Empire. Zenos's XIIth Imperial Legion was upon them, and Lord Kaien's revolt was crushed.
Oboro survived, and upon returning home, the elders tasked him with making for Eorzea, and pursuing the traitor who had betrayed his homeland.[1]
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn[]
Oboro and Tsubame Oshidari established a safehouse at the docks of Raincatcher Gully near Wineport under the guise of "travelers from the south seas". The Rogue's Guild sent the Warrior of Light to investigate them.
The ninja were in conflict with a man named Karasu Redbeak, where they clashed in Upper La Noscea. After he escaped, Oboro came clean on his and Tsubame's story. The Soul of the Ninja resonated with the Warrior, and so Oboro agreed to teach them ninjutsu, beginning with the mudra Ten. As the adventurer gained skill, Oboro taught the mudra Chi, and explained how to combine them into ninjutsu techniques.
Later, at Fool Falls in Upper La Noscea, Karasu interrupted a planned training session, resulting in the two driving him and imperial shadows off. Oboro confessed his history with Karasu and how the Garleans had massacred their village after he sold them out, and how he had discovered his master's body disfigured beyond recognition. Karasu was going to assassinate a notorious pirate leader in Aleport on behalf of his imperial superiors, and they unsuccessfully attempted to corner him in the port town.
As the Warrior of Light became more adept at the skills of a Ninja, Oboro ordered a new set of ninja gear from Doma. Karasu's agents intercepted the courier, who hid his cargo throughout La Noscea, and challenged the Warrior to defeat the imperial agents guarding them. Once every piece except for the body armor was retrieved, Karasu was not present at the meeting place, Oboro only discovering a memo indicating the Garleans were attacking the safehouse. Oboro quickly taught the third mudra Jin before rushing back to Eastern La Noscea.
With the doorman injured, they trailed Karasu into the rain forest, where Tsubame was kneeling and injured. Karasu appeared and taunted Oboro. They finally took him down, and as he sat defeated, Oboro proclaimed to execute Karasu for betraying their village. A laughing Karasu asserted he did not betray the village to Garlemald, but had found the one who did: their former master Gekkai, who had faked his death and forced him to serve. Karasu hinted that a showdown would occur at Candlekeep Quay, and seemingly committed suicide with explosives.
Though the Ninja had fulfilled their stated mission, Oboro remained troubled by Karasu's words. As they prepared to depart for Doma, Oboro wanted some time to think. Tsubame implored the Warrior of Light to look for him and find out what troubled him. At Fool Falls, Oboro confessed to still feeling turmoil despite defeating Karasu, and wanted to find the truth. Remembering what Karasu had said, Tsubame suggested they shadow Oboro and see what would transpire.
At Candlekeep Quay, Oboro confronted a group of imperial agents, their leader confirmed to being the imperial spymaster in Doma. The older man, Gekkai, turned and suggested he be addressed as master for old times' sake. When Oboro pressed him for his defection, the man claimed that Ninja had always served various masters, and admitted he preferred imperial culture. He taunted how Oboro was confronting him and his agents alone. Tsubame and the Warrior of Light made their appearance and assisted Oboro in battling his turncoat master.
After Gekkai was slain, Karasu appeared out of his ninja garb. Though exonerated, he declined Oboro's offer to return to their village, as he still had blood on his hands from when he had worked under Gekkai and felt he'd rather find a new life. He tossed his old soulstone to Oboro, and returned the body armor he had confiscated earlier. In gratitude for helping him confront the true traitor and helping him reach presence of mind, Oboro taught one final skill to the Warrior of Light.
Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward[]
Oboro was pleased to meet with the Warrior of Light once more, sensing they had surpassed his expectations, and said he lacked any further ninjutsu to teach them. He invited them to join him in meeting Jacke Swallow, the leader of the Rogue's Guild, and the Warrior of Light's previous teacher. Jacke proclaimed that there was a thief in La Noscea, and one who was notably not Eorzean—likely another shinobi. He asked the Warrior of Light and Oboro to investigate the robberies.
Hired by a Lalafell named Mulfa Kelfa to search for his missing orb, they tracked the thief to the Woad Whisper Canyon, where Mulfa Kelfa turned on Oboro and the Warrior of Light. Their suspect made quick work of the turncoats, and her assistant Akagi revealed her to be Princess Yuki Yatsurugi of Doma, who was searching for the true bandits who had taken her family's treasures. She refused the help of the shinobi, proclaiming that the rogue shinobi had assisted Garlemald in crushing the Doman resistance.
Akagi requested the Rogue's Guild assistance in spite of Yuki's resistance, asking them to save her from certain injury. As Yuki pursued a connection to La Noscea's black markets, the Warrior of Light sought to clear the obstacles ahead of her, but Yuki made quick work of the pirates. Oboro continued to shadow Yuki in her excursions alongside the Warrior of Light. They fought a man named Redway the Relinquished, who sought to stop Yuki, and they dispelled his lightning magick. After learning from Jacke that Yuki's final treasure was to be sold at an auction, they spoke to a connection of Jacke's, who told them that Redway would be quick to attack the pair should they approach the pirates, as he was incredibly vigilant and volatile. They discovered that the dagger Yuki was searching for had been taken to Ishgard, where Oboro planned to confront the pirates by chasing them to the Smouldering Wastes. After the shinobi used a lavender incense to knock out the crew and Yuki recovered her dagger, Redway appeared and held the group hostage, taking Yuki with him as ransom. Akagi, wounded by the pirates, begged Oboro and the Warrior of alight to rescue her.
Oboro and the Warrior of Light tricked Redway into trying to send his sellswords to kill them, and confronted him properly. Oboro, furious that Redway would kill their countrymen just to feel superior to traditional shinobi, kneeled to be taken hostage to try and save Yuki's life. Akagi and the Warrior of Light chased the pirates, where Yuki, Oboro, and a vassal of the Yatsurugi family were held hostage. Captain Rosalinde killed Redway, leaving the shinobi to recover among themselves.
Before Yuki could embark for Doma, she sought Oboro out to thank him for his diligence and compassion, and for helping her realize how to trust others. She would write a letter of unity between her house and the village Oboro hailed from. As she left, Oboro realized the village elders would discover he was on new missions and not taking a break, and chased after her.
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood[]
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers[]
Oboro was met once more in his hideout in Eastern La Noscea, wearing a "shite-eating grin" and gleefully talking to himself about locating Karasu to obtain the stolen forbidden scroll. When he noticed the Warrior of Light's arrival, he proclaimed their visit a gift from the heavens, as the two of them would be able to track Karasu down just like old times.
Following Jacke's tip that Karasu was in the Hermit's Hovel of Outer La Noscea, the two made their way across the island. He explained his plan to distract Karasu as he bathed, and had the Warrior of Light steal back the scroll as he was distracted. As the Warrior of Light found a suitable hiding spot, Karasu exited the Hovel and found Oboro offering peace and a bottle of Hingan rice wine. Though Karasu did not believe his offer of peace to be genuine, Oboro insisted that if the forbidden mudra was separated by Karasu's traveling, then it may never fall into the wrong hands again. He also insisted that his ninjutsu skills would never match those of Karasu's, and he knew Karasu would never risk his freedom to steal the whole scroll. Karasu was aghast that Oboro was "finally" saying something intelligent. As they partook in the wine and bathed together, the Warrior of Light stole back the scroll, and the two reconvened at The Long Climb, where Oboro confirmed the scroll's legitimacy.
They reunited with Jacke at the hideout, where he invited them to celebrate at the tavern called Bismarck. Oboro reflected on how defeating Karasu had left him seeking a new mission. He asked the Warrior of Light what they had been doing since their last mission together, and they told him of their time in the First and confronting Renda-Rae.
At the Bismarck, an intoxicated Oboro told his story of outwitting Karasu several times. A second Oboro appeared—wearing nothing but his undergarments. He insisted that the Oboro they were dining with was an imposter. The Warrior of Light said that the one in his undergarments was the real Oboro, which Jacke agreed to, that only the real Oboro would be willing to run through Limsa Lominsa almost entirely naked. The clothed Oboro revealed himself to be a shapeshifted Karasu, who transformed into a crow to escape.
Jacke took the group back to the Rogue's Guild, where he gave Oboro gaudy clothing from his closet. Oboro explained that Karasu had a higher tolerance of Hingan rice wine than he did, and Oboro only realized what had happened when he awoke in the Hovel with no scroll and no clothing. Invigorated, he swore to capture Karasu again, and left the Rogue's Guild, bright clothes and all.[2]
Oboro and Tsubame arrived to assist the Bozjan Resistance by the order of the Eastern Alliance against the IVth Imperial Legion. They fought alongside the Resistance, where they assisted in collecting valuable materials from imperial forces. They pursued the Onmyoji Yamatsumi pyr Urabe and joined with Atori Moribe's forces to combat Gilbrisbert quo Buteo. Oboro assisted further in the attack on the Dalriada.[3]
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker[]
When Oboro learned that a great beast had emerged from the tower in Yanxia, he headed to aid his countrymen. He discovered that the threat had already been defeated, and supposedly by Oboro's own hands. Because the witnesses to the battle said that the hero had been laughing all the time, it became clear that Karasu had disguised himself as Oboro and performed feats in his name. Oboro chose not to reveal the truth about Karasu's disguise so that he could continue to monitor him from afar.[4]
Characteristics[]
Appearance[]
Oboro is a midlander Hyur with black hair, olive eyes, and a scarred face. He wears the traditional garb of a ninja, a purple-black set of chainmail, tekko, hakama, and kyahan. When in his "casual disguise" clothes, he wears a purple Riveria doublet, black sarouel, and black shoes. When training, he wears nothing but black knickers. In Oboro's Big Idea, he wears a bright pink open shirt and metallic gold Elezen-style Hempen underwear.
In battle, he wields two twin daggers named Yoshimitsu, which is available to the player as a Ninja relic weapon. The daggers are named for the armorer who crafted the blades.
Personality[]
Oboro bears a generally stern countenance, but being a stranger to Eorzea, he is unfamiliar with local customs. Though serious-minded, he is passionate about defending others, and would sooner give his own life than risk one of another. His reckless nature brought upon by his unwavering loyalty to others has earned him the admiration of other shinobi. Oboro struggles with romance due to his devotion to work, but he has begun to pick up on the Eorzean manner of courtship.
Gameplay[]
During the Save the Queen story, Oboro and Tsubame appear in Zadnor as allied NPCs. They fight alongside the Resistance in the Skirmishes Parts and Parcel, A Just Pursuit, Mean-spirited, and in A Relic Unleashed. They can also be seen alongside the resistance during the invasion of The Dalriada.
Etymology[]
Oboro means "hazy" or "cloudy" in Japanese. It also means "moonrise" when translated into Chinese as Long.
His family name Torioi means "bird chaser" in Japanese.
Gallery[]
Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Final Fantasy XIV, Field Notes on Oboro
- ↑ Final Fantasy XIV, Oboro's Big Idea.
- ↑ Final Fantasy XIV, Save the Queen: Blades of Gunnhildr.
- ↑ Final Fantasy XIV, Dialogue with Yomei.