Book 3, Chapter 42: A Unity Of View
Bewilderbeast: Tidal-Class dragon
Overview: Amphibious-aquatic infrastructural/industrial dragon. In modern economies, they are helpful with construction of aquatic and submersible infrastructure and mining, as well as offering chemical and traditional refrigeration services. Militarily useful primarily in naval defense, as their speed is too slow to keep pace with a modern fleet, but are extremely useful for securing harbors and amphibious landing zones when called for.
Breath Type: Flash-Frozen water mixed with Ammonium Nitrate.
Identification: Medium to Gargantuan size. White, gray or black scales and hide, studded with large blunt spines along the back, neck, and tail, holding up a vestigial pair of wings along the lateral sides of the thorax. Four pillar-like legs. Two large tusks jut forward from the temples, aiding in water streamlining during swimming. Long tail with wide fin at terminal end, supported by more spikes. Overall teardrop body profile.
Strategic Role: Naval auxiliaries, submersible ship protection, mine-sweeping, submarine hunters, logistical support, construction support, amphibious assault support.
Known Weaknesses: Slow speed, semi-obligate aquatic, with larger individuals able to spend increasingly less time out of water without risk of harm. Modern mines and torpedoes can easily penetrate their hide in the absence of armor or countermeasures. Needs to breathe.
Phenotype Cluster: B5F3+SØSØSØT7+T5!
Populations: Moderate, but restricted to coastal and riverine regions, for obvious reasons.
—North Sea Empire, Office of Draconic Intelligence, Dragon Breed Profiles (Declassified), 1822 Edition
Tropes that appear in this chapter:
- Awesome, but Impractical: It is noted that while Bewilderbeasts are powerful, their size and slow speed means that they're better suited for naval defence rather than as part of an attack force.
- Crazy-Prepared: Mildew had the foresight to have his post-mortem message delivered to Dubh Linn then Berk instead of directly to the latter, to lower the risk of it being intercepted.
- Dead Man's Switch: Fraser triggers Mildew's switch by mailing his copy of the incriminating letter to Berk, indirectly through Dubh Linn per Mildew's instructions.
- Due to the Dead: Fearless' sacrifice moved people so much that one of the Christian priests in Verdrarfjord places a monument for her to venerate her and Christians and Norse alike give offerings.
- Humanity Is Infectious: The Nadders have begun mimicking humans in wearing jewellery and having their horns carved as their version of human tattoos.
- Ignorant of Their Own Ignorance:
- Stoick thinks that Bladewit was unaware that the restrictive law she wrote would result in the clans becoming so large, finding new clan leaders would be impossible. What he doesn't know is that she was counting on just that happening. He cannot comprehend that a clan head would intentionally set up their own clan to shatter.
- Valka imagines that Stoick took a new wife after she was abducted by Cloudjumper and pictures Hiccup having been raised with the traditional view of "extremely dangerous; kill on sight" regarding all dragons amid various half-siblings, rather than guessing that Stoick loved her too much to remarry after her "death" or that Hiccup would be more like her than his father.
- Pragmatic Villainy: It is noted that Mildew was a variation of this, in the sense that he was only loyal to whoever could offer him safety; Mac Bethad notes that if Hiccup had captured Mildew in Iceland, he would have immediately told them the identity of his patron to save his own neck.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Stoick has no problem amending Berk's existing oaths so that anyone swearing loyalty to Berk can swear according to whatever religious practice they wish, rather than 'demanding' that they convert.
