Short Fiction · Character

Oberlus

A red-haired misanthrope who crowns himself emperor of Hood's Isle, Oberlus turns shipwrecked sailors into slaves and broods on revenge against all humanity.

supporting

Also known as this King Oberlus, the Hermit Oberlus, Fatherless Oberlus, Emperor Oberlus

First appearance: Sketch Ninth: Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Oberlus is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The hermit and tyrant of the islands, representing misanthropy and cruelty.

In the storyThe EncantadasOpen this moment free

See Oberlus in The Encantadas Book page

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Oberlus scrapes a living from potatoes and tortoises on a barren island, hoarding dollars and grudges in equal measure. After smugglers whip him and destroy his hut, he conceals his rage and lures passing seamen with false hospitality, drugging them into bondage. His petty tyranny among the clinkers of the Enchanted Isles becomes a grim case study in what isolation and humiliation can make of a man.

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The fuller portrait of Oberlus sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Oberlus in Sketch Ninth: Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus

Character Web

25 connections

A slice of how Oberlus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Psychological
Other

Character groups

Isolated and Oppressed Figures
Narrators and Observers
Protagonist

+20 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt marks the climax because it reveals the story’s central psychological and moral crisis: the unres…

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Relationships

The Narrator (Bartleby)
psychological · negative
Oberlus, a misanthropic hermit, serves as a dark mirror to the Bartleby narrator's own… How this plays out →
The Narrator (Bartleby)
psychological · negative
Oberlus, a misanthropic hermit, serves as a dark mirror to the Bartleby narrator's own… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Oberlus in Sketch Ninth: Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus

In the story

Oberlus appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Encantadas
The hermit and tyrant of the islands, representing misanthropy and cruelty.
Sketch Seventh: Charles's Isle and the Dog-King
Not present in this sketch; the focus is on the Creole Dog-King and the island's history.
Sketch Ninth: Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus
The hermit of Hood's Isle, a European castaway who becomes a tyrannical slave master, kidnapping sailors and arming them as his army.
Sketch Tenth: Runaways, Castaways, Solitaries, Gravestones, etc.
His hut partially remains at the head of the clinkered valley, a relic of his solitary life.
Endnotes
Referenced in endnotes regarding sources for his character depiction and the letter found in his hut.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Oberlus unlock in the free preview.

See Oberlus in Sketch Ninth: Hood's Isle and the Hermit Oberlus

See Oberlus in The Encantadas