Several are acting like Alex is selfishly and foolishy asking the Dwarves to storm the Nightmare Realm only out of his selfish desire to find and selfishly save his love. Well, maybe Alex does have that “I love her” motivation but consider that the Dwarves also view The Elven Princess as an ally and friend. The Elven kingdom has been shown to have quite a strong standing in the entire DL realm. There would be ramifications within DL if the only heir to the Elven throne were killed and the Dwarves know it. So even for the future of Dwarf/Elf relations and quite possibly stability and power and peace in all of Dreamland, it’s worth it for the Dwarves to help in the effort to 1) save the Elven royal bloodline and 2) fight the Nightmare Realm beasts to save all of DL. With the side bonus that none on the ship yet know, possibly save hundreds of children trapped within nightmare cocoons.
Alex isn’t selfishly asking Dwarf strangers to just rush in INSTEAD of him and fight his battle…He’s asking Dwarf friends to fight WITH him for a greater chance at WINNING the battle. How would the Dwarves feel about themselves (and how would we feel about them) if they just stood on the sidelines and let their friend go into battle alone? That is what would be selfish. DL is their home too. Nastajia is their friend too. Alex is putting his flesh and blood body on the line too. And from the look on his face he realizes exactly what he’s asking of his friends and it weighs on him.
I honestly think it would have been more awesome if Bognok was no taller than his kinsmen, but was presented in a way similar to Warhammer Fantasy Dwarves: standing on a shield large enough to be held by two or four of his bodyguards.
I do get that, safyrejet and agree. It just hasn’t looked that way. Alex had no idea if pulling the mermaid onto Earth might’ve resulted in her immediate death. He doesn’t think. If there was some evidence that Alex was thinking about the global plan and not just saving Nastajia, I wouldn’t be as annoyed. I’m definitely not saying they shouldn’t go after Nastajia, I just would like to see Alex (by this time in his story arc) giving some thought to a bigger picture than just what he wants.
No respite on any front. Poor guy.
Bognok’s size as a dwarf still bothers me.
“This is mad. It’s suicide. There’s no way we will even make it past the first wave, much less survi-…”
“Sire, we’re out of ale”
“… Ah. Well. We’ve had a good run of it, haven’t we; but everyone’s gotta die sometime.”
Dwarven healing potions are probably all alcohol based, but they are probably out of them, too.
See, Bognok, I told you you could find even more to dislike about the situation! 🙂
“Sire, I heard a rumor, the nightmare creatures have stolen some of our ale!”
No kidding
LOL “you’re sure?” with big wobbly eyes
“But why is the ale gone?!”
Only now do I notice the entwined snakes on the armor. As if someone had overturned a caduceus.
“What are we waiting for? Attack!!!!!”
“All right, which one of you buggers said it couldn’t get any worse?!?”
“You all have to sacrifice your lives so I can find Nastajia!”
I do love this story, but dang…Alex has become so unlikeable.
Why does Bognok need ale???
Uridan: “We burned all the food, the shade, the ale for ammo against the Nightmare Realm.”
Bognok: “But why is the ale gone?”
Alex, your need to save Nastajia is admirable, but must you kill half of your allies to do so?
What? We’re out of ale?!?!
It’s the end of the world as we know it!
And I don’t feel fine!
Reminds me of Airplane 2: the Sequel.
“The loud banging you hear are asteroids smashing into the hull of our ship. We are heading on a collision course for the sun.”
“Okay, are you telling us EVERYTHING?”
“…No, we’re also out of coffee…”
*mass panic*
This must be a dwarf fortress reference. When the ale runs out, the dwarves riot.
Dwarves come to kick butt and drink ale, and looks like they’re all out of ale.
Guess they’ll have to drink rum instead.
Several are acting like Alex is selfishly and foolishy asking the Dwarves to storm the Nightmare Realm only out of his selfish desire to find and selfishly save his love. Well, maybe Alex does have that “I love her” motivation but consider that the Dwarves also view The Elven Princess as an ally and friend. The Elven kingdom has been shown to have quite a strong standing in the entire DL realm. There would be ramifications within DL if the only heir to the Elven throne were killed and the Dwarves know it. So even for the future of Dwarf/Elf relations and quite possibly stability and power and peace in all of Dreamland, it’s worth it for the Dwarves to help in the effort to 1) save the Elven royal bloodline and 2) fight the Nightmare Realm beasts to save all of DL. With the side bonus that none on the ship yet know, possibly save hundreds of children trapped within nightmare cocoons.
Alex isn’t selfishly asking Dwarf strangers to just rush in INSTEAD of him and fight his battle…He’s asking Dwarf friends to fight WITH him for a greater chance at WINNING the battle. How would the Dwarves feel about themselves (and how would we feel about them) if they just stood on the sidelines and let their friend go into battle alone? That is what would be selfish. DL is their home too. Nastajia is their friend too. Alex is putting his flesh and blood body on the line too. And from the look on his face he realizes exactly what he’s asking of his friends and it weighs on him.
I honestly think it would have been more awesome if Bognok was no taller than his kinsmen, but was presented in a way similar to Warhammer Fantasy Dwarves: standing on a shield large enough to be held by two or four of his bodyguards.
I do get that, safyrejet and agree. It just hasn’t looked that way. Alex had no idea if pulling the mermaid onto Earth might’ve resulted in her immediate death. He doesn’t think. If there was some evidence that Alex was thinking about the global plan and not just saving Nastajia, I wouldn’t be as annoyed. I’m definitely not saying they shouldn’t go after Nastajia, I just would like to see Alex (by this time in his story arc) giving some thought to a bigger picture than just what he wants.
Not the ale! D:
You can blame the old trope of “in the kingdom of the small, the large one is the king” for that.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LargeAndInCharge
Nowhere but up.
Oh right, they’re flying.