Book II, Chapter 9
Draconic nests in the wild are universally situated atop geothermal sources, as high levels of heat (minimum 40 C, and optimally 50-55 C) are required in order for the eggs to successfully gestate. This is part of the reason why dragons are so often associated with high mountaintops, as they made use of the volcanic vents buried deep within.
Once dragons began their partnership with humans, however, they were freed from their dependence on these dangerous locales and their associated hazards of toxic gases, extreme heat, cave-ins, and the occasional decimation event of an ill-timed lava flow or eruption. Humans in collaboration with their dragons, beginning with the Hooligan tribe of Berk, built artificial Brooderies in which the environment could be more strictly controlled, ensuring the successful hatching of a greater percentage of the dragon eggs.
As a side benefit of these structures, the waste heat from their vents can be put to use for any number of productive ends, another concept that was pioneered by the Hooligans.
In the modern context, Broodery management is a mature science...
— An Introduction To Dragon Biology, 17th Edition, Oxford University Press, 1693
Tropes That Appear In This Chapter:
- Alternate Universe Reed Richards Is Awesome: Hiccup invents a wind-powered mechanism to turn a roasting spit, and he, Fishlegs, and Heather accidentally discover Prince Rupert's drops
when glassmaking. - Ludicrous Precision: Fishlegs knows that there are precisely 15,590 eggs in the Broodery, having counted every one.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: Kormak and a group of other thugs claim they were sent to kill Sigurd in the streets and make it look like a mugging gone wrong. Kormak gets to take revenge for his brother's death and the Emperor gets to kill a soldier that said "no" to him and can take his dragon for himself without Sigurd's popularity getting in the way of the Varangian's loyalty to the Emperor.
- Their First Time: Fishlegs and Heather after having a heart to heart decide to finally have sex.
- Twice Shy: Both Fishlegs and Heather thought the other was less interested in them than they were.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Fishlegs can't understand why he's desirable to many of the tribe's women. Heather breaks down exactly why she loves him, versus what the others see in him."I was picturing someone who thought with his ax, acted like he thought Bragi would show up at any minute to compose his personal saga, and would use me as a bed toy!
Instead, I ended up with you.
You, who composed welcoming poetry for me. Who would take time to just show me the book that you'd been working on! Who would ask me how my day was, and made sure that I was comfortable and introduced around to everyone. You, who, even when you caught me in the act of betraying you, literally let me rip open your arms with my bare hands rather than hurt me!
So, no, the gods didn't make a mistake, and I don't want to hear you selling yourself short like that again!"
