Ofolrodi

by Imploding Colon

Tales of the Blob

"Theah are beasties in the Blob," Jacko said.

"Beasties." Seraphimus blinked, leaning loosely against the shack wall opposite of the Tail-Blooder. "In the Blob."

"That's righ."

"I don't understand..." Seraphimus gestured. "How exactly is that a deterrant to the warring factions attempting to cross it?"

"The beasties leap out at any drongo foolish enough to try and cross that sea, aye?"

The former Talon Commander narrowed one hawkeye. "You mean the creatures are alive?"

"No, love."

"... ... ...they're dead, then."

"Neithah alive nor dead." Jacko grinned wickedly. "But in-between-mongrels. The sort of buggahs that feast for somethin'—anythin'—but they've long forgotten how to actually eat for shite."

"... ... ..." Seraphimus found herself blinking with uncharacteristic dreariness. "I'm afraid you have lost me."

"Oh, most of 'em are small," Jacko said. "Little beasties—beastlettes, ya reckon? Formah animals of the wastes, most gobb-o's think. Othahs—like me, for instance—think that they were unfortunate souls stuck in the Marrow."

"Like the imps were in prehistoric times."

"Good on ya for rememberin', shielah!"

"What makes you think some of these... beasties are that old?"

"Pfffft!" Jacko's ears waved like windsocks as he grinned. "Because some of them are bloody humongous, love! Heaps of tons of flesh and scales! Why—buggah all—I once saw a beasty the size of a platform from Peetra leap out and bite into a whole swarm of daft change-os!"

"Changelings?"

"Ate 'em whole! Then spat theah innards out eets sides! 'Cuz the bloody snake-thing had huge gapin' holes in its flesh! They weren't theah at birth, love. Oh no! Whatever thrust these dayum beasties into the Blob, it had a real go at 'em first, aye?"

"That's... the nature of all the creatures that have emerged from this ocean?" Seraphimus remarked. "They're violently mutilated?"

"Righ on. Like ragged spoils of the hunt, but too daft to stay dead." Jacko's eyes narrowed. "Some think eet's somethin' deep in the Blob empowerin' them with unnatural animation. All metaphysical like. Othahs—myself included—think theah just too damned pissed to stay drown." He laughed. "If I had nothin' but Blob to guzzle for eternity, I'd be pissed to, aye?! Hahaha!"

Seraphimus rubbed her beak in thought. "... ... ...just what is these creatures' reach?"

"OI!" Jacko pointed at claw up at her, frowning. "Don't be thinkin' of flyin' over that undead rubbish, sheilah. You'll be deadah than a purged Dihmah on Sunday!"

"Your culture has Sundays?"

"Ain't the question yer barterin' for, is it, now?"

"Right. Sorry—" Seraphimus rolled her eyes at herself, then growled: "At least tell me how it is that you and the Dihmers can ride boats across the ocean and somehow not incur the wrath of these... these..." She grimaced. "... ... ...'beasties.'"

"Hah! It's a fun word, ain't it, love?"

"Just answer the question."

"Trade secret."

Seraphimus frowned. "Now I thought I had earned—"

"No, I mean, it's a trade secret to the Dihmas."

Seraphimus blinked. "The Dihmers invented the means to cross the ocean?"

"Yes'm." Jacko nodded. "The one accomplishment they conquered—for all theah mopin' and scowlin' and muckin' about... they got one ovah us gobb-o's. But, thank Peetra, they's willin' to sheah." He gestured delicately. "It's somethin' to do with some sort of... home-made chemical compound. They take a tiny drop of the Blob's pink shite—don't ask me how they even contain the stuff—and then they mix that into anotha substance. Form themselves a varnish, ya heah?"

"What other substance?"

"We gobb-os have nevah found out," Jacko remarked, blinking. "Some sort of biomass. They ferry it back and forth from theah island out in the middle of it all. Pffftt... how they got theah in the first place is a damned bloody mystery. No goblin has evah bothered to go theah and find out what makes the the sole capital of the Dihmah culture tick."

Seraphimus raised an eyecrest. "Not even for a profit?"

Jacko folded his arms. "Would you maroon yourself on an island filled with them lazy-eyed drongos?"

The griffin exhaled. "You make a good point."

"Them Dihmahs have been at it for a bloody long time... masterin' this heah varnish and usin' it to... to... beastie-proof theah ships. We give them the right amount of streeps, and they sheah the varnish with us! That's how we've afforded skiffs of our own for the passage."

"But they don't give any of this material to the warring factions."

"Not that I know of."

"Do you have any idea why?" Seraphimus asked. "Seems to me like navigating the ocean freely would be an extremely useful tactic."

"Pffft!" Jacko smirked. "You evah seen a change-o squat down in a boat?"

"I... couldn't begin to imagine."

"And the Shard-os are too in love with theah floatin' palace thingies..."

"Floating palaces?"

Jacko shrugged. "Any livin' createuah who's gotten close enough to describe 'em bettah has gotten fried to farts, love."

"Somehow, I believe you."

"Only blokes who could benefit from havin' themselves a boat is the bats-os," Jacko remarked. "But they've nevah tried. 'ell, they leave us Gobb-os and Dihmahs alone." He shrugged again. "I guess negotiatin' for Blob varnish just ain't Lexxic's style."

"So they simply settle for flying around the ocean?" Seraphimus asked. "The Bloodwings, that is."

"Reckon theah's somethin' in it for them," Jacko said. "Word from the scavengeahs is that the bats-o's are buildin' forts and outposts all along the flankin' shores. Seein' as how neithah the shard-o's or change-o's bother with the heart of the Blob, Lexxic's dominatin' all the sides that he can strategically get his creepy hooves on. That leaves Blobstain heah and Peetra on the Curve's side. Heh... if nothin' else, Lexxic's decisions has been incredibly prosperous to the Gobb-o's business! It gives us breathin' room from the Shard-o's and Change-o's to make profit and multiply!"

"Indeed." Seraphimus nodded. "All the more helplessly meatier you'll be for him and his psychopathic midnighters to sink their fangs into—presuming he wins the War." She breathed. "I doubt his faction will leave any changelings or Night Shards alive after the fact. Not even for consumption."

"Huh..." Jacko scratched his pointed chin in thought. "I haven't evah thought of that."

"Maybe it's about time you and your kind did."

"Ain't no bloody time for that! I've got Penumbra to sniff about!" Jacko rubbed his hands together, grinning. "And I've just now told you heaps and heaps coverin' my side of the world, love! Reckon it's time you delivah some more juicy goodness of your own!"

Seraphimus folded her arms. "Perhaps not quite so poetically."

"Can't help it, love. Now..." Jacko leaned forward from where he stood. "...perhaps the biggest sluggah of them all."

"Make it quick."

His eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you and your Penumbral cobbahs ovah heah to do?"

"... ... ..."

Dead silence.

Jacko's eyes darted back and forth. Slowly—as the emptiness of the moment consumed his hearing—his smile drifted further and further away, replaced by a cold sweat.

Seraphimus finished with her heaviest breath since arriving here. "No. No..." She slowly shook her head as stood on all fours. "That is not something that will be answered."

"F-for real...?"

"And... seeing as how that cuts off our bartering system..." She turned to face the door. "...this conversation is over."

"Oh, come on, love!"

"And you can cease calling me that—"

Jacko scampered across the shack and pulled at her tail. "Buggah all! Stay! Stay!" He smiled nervously. "Won't you please?! I must know what our world means to youse Penumbral blokes! Are you heah for knowledge? Profit?! Or... or..." He grinned. "Maybe you're heah to get to what's inside the Sarcophagus—ULP!"

Seraphimus' claws had found their way around the raggedy imp's throat. Thwump! She slammed him hard against the doorframe while sneering into his face. "Our business on the Dark Side... is none of your concern..." She hissed. "And you and your friends will live longer if you remember it!"

"Snrkkk... snrkkk..." Jacko's eyes teared as he struggled to look up at her. "You're... n-not even h-heah for yourself, love?"

"... ... ..."

"It... it changed, ya reckon...?" He wheezed, smiling in spite of the pressure around his neck. "...saw it in your posturin'. Don't... know what burns you about the light... but you c-came heah for a reason yourself, aye?"

Thwump! He found himself tossed to the floor.

"Duaaaaah—!" His eyes bulged as he wheezed for breath. Feeling his throat, he sat up and looked at her.

"... ... ...that is none of your concern either," she muttered.

"What isn't...?" He winced.

"... ... ..." She turned tail and left. SWOOOSH! In a silver streak, the griffin was gone.

"Phweeeeee..." Jacko crawled across the floor on all fours. Finally—at some sappy point—he rested on his chest with a drunken smile. "Oiiiiiiiiii what a beaut."

Comments

[Phoenix Kitten]

Well... He pushed her buttons just a little too much, but perhaps she needed it.
A little seed has been planted in her mind
When it blooms will it be good, or bad?
The same could be said of Flynn's Dihmer.
He's planted a seed in her mind, and it's already taken root it seems.

-Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.

[Feigned Ignorance]

Y'know sera, your reactions to his questions is all the answer an observant imp would need.

[Dream of Ponies]

8905904
We can only hope hes just as observant as he looks.

[Blaster M]

More questions than answers

[Ass hat]

8905929
Might as well be a title to the whole series

[Campo]

Wonder what this varnish is made from... Seems like whatever it is, it's a dark secret the Dihmers are keeping.
Or maybe it's just raw Chaos, but in varnish form.

[Sir Mediocre]

Sharp gob, that Jacko.

Wonder if he'll follow the rainbow.

[Labyrinthine]

”No goblin has evah bothered to go theah and find out what makes the the sole capital of the Dihmah culture tick.”

...wait, really? They’ve been here for thousands of years and they never once went to the island? That seems like either a big missed profit or a big plot hole to me.

[Merula]

....yeah, those two are gonna be rollin' in the hay at some stage, aren't they?

[Panem et Circenses]

I’m thinking that ‘giant thing of scales and flesh’ might be the last divine.
Imagine a blobbified divine... shudders

[ThumsRipa]

Character development for both Flynn and Sera? Nice.

Also, mystery Dihmer to join the party. I feel like Jacko's gonna be in for a short time before dying being saved by Sera

[Boersencrash]

8906103

Jacko might become that one character who drastically alters the societal structures of the goblin faction. You know, the usual drill: he follows the Herald, butts some heads on their side, (re)claims a position of influence and introduces essential reforms. That would turn him into a temporary companion in the near future and into an important ally afterwards.

[Nevlamas]

Curiously, both cats and birds tend to stick to darker places as they lick their wounds.

"Righ on. Like ragged spoils of the hunt, but too daft to stay dead." Jacko's eyes narrowed. "Some think eet's somethin' deep in the Blob empowerin' them with unnatural animation. All metaphysical like. Othahs—myself included—think theah just too damned pissed to stay drown." He laughed. "If I had nothin' but Blob to guzzle for eternity, I'd be pissed to, aye?! Hahaha!"

i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/251/642/db9.png

[Codaulux]

Blobstain

varnish

Some sort of biomass

Cultivating lac bugs for wood treatment and interior design back home?

[Tim the Planes-pony]

I wonder if this Dihmer varnish also works on airships. Even if it doesn't still valuable information.

but you c-came heah for a reason yourself, aye?"

Not initially, I bet she is still working on finding what her reason is.

[ThumsRipa]

8906114

Oh, I agree. He definitely has the potential to be the leader of the goblin tribe. I just feel like there's as much potential for him to end up being a martyr for which the goblins reform is based around.

[Booster Spice]

A biomass coating treated with Blob to make Blobcompatible, antiBlob?

Im looking at Starlight Over Detrot here

The Dhimers are The Family.

To sail to Petra, The jury has to undergo a Fantastic Voyage.

Griffon Goblin cross, is a Harpy?

[Speckle]

Hmmmm, some alchemical shenanigans going on at this island. Hope Sera shares this info with Rainbow; it'd be destination #1 on their quest for Petra.

[Hazard]

I feel like the Dihmer island has some piece of this side's sentinel on it, and whatever it contains is the anti-smooze

[BleedingRaindrops]

8906568
You know, that story actually kinda grew on me, and I understand exactly why IC did it. It really added a new aspect to the tale, giving us a reason to care about red barge without having to resort to a big expo dump, and putting us emotionally behind the local denizens, meanwhile still showing what's happening to Rainbow Dash. We could infer the rest. Annoying as it was at first, it was a genius move on IC's part.

[IceKitsune]

We have learned quite a bit from this chapter. I wonder exactly what they mix with the Smooze to put on the boat. I'm sure we will find out eventually

[The_K_Man]

8907017
I propose we call it "Anti-Flume".

[BleedingRaindrops]

SeraJack OTP

[arancaytar]

Watch out, Logan; there's a new Sera-ship.

[Seraphimus]

8907248

8908068
Like i said... i ship it.

[Cold Bolt]

Much as I was appreciating seeing Sera engaging with a local, it's probably for the best that she ended the conversation where she did. Letting out word that they're a new faction after the Armory isn't likely to do anything beyond painting a bullseye over them.

[AppleTank]

Her anger is hot.

[thatguyvex]

*blinks*

I'm going to have to start shipping Seraphimus with Jacko soon, too, aren't I? Murder bird has got it going on, don't she?

Seraphimus x Logan Ship Confirmation Chapter Counter: 66

[Naterdoo]

A Dhimer island that noone has been to except the Dhimers. I wouldn't be surprised if everypony on that island was perfectly normal since they haven't been bothered. Wouldn't it be crazy if the Dhimers inserted themselves as a fourth faction in the Trinary War because they had a super secret chaos strip monster army?

[Cynderfall]

Cor blimey!

[star1wars3]

a deterrant to

Deterrent.

[RoboRed]

I'm...almost afraid to find out whatever it is they use to mix with that bit of Smooze to find safe passage. But we're going to find out anyways.

I'm expecting Jacko to become a part of the party. Temporarily at the least.

[kajisora]

Some sort of biomass. They ferry it back and forth from theah island out in the middle of it all.

It's going to be blood isn't it? Please let it not be torture blood harvested from dihmers impaled on chaos metal or something.

[Prism Break]

9089212
That makes a lot of sense. Blood is the most likely mixture because they keep cutting themselves open like its fun.

And Logan.....you’ve got competition buddy.

[hypervelocity]

I'm really starting to think Jacko is coming with us. He's way too curious to not want to.