The Dreamland Chronicles
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| The Dreamland Chronicles | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Scott Christian Sava |
| Website | http://thedreamlandchronicles.com/ |
| Current status / schedule | Updates Monday through Friday |
| Launch date | 2006-01-05 |
| Publisher(s) | Blue Dream Studios |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
The Dreamland Chronicles is a webcomic created by Scott Christian Sava, and is about a boy who returns to a realm of dreams after eight years, and discovers that his childhood friends there have grown up. The comic was nominated for Outstanding Environmental Design, Outstanding Fantasy Comic, Outstanding Newcomer, and Outstanding Character Art in the 2006 Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards. The Dreamland Chronicles also won Best Graphic Novel of 2006 (beating out Halo, Fables, Lost Girls, and Pride of Baghdad) in Comics Buyer's Guide's 25th Annual Fan Awards (Published July 2006). The comic differs from most others in that each panel is a computer generated 3D scene.
Contents |
[edit] Story
Ever since he could remember, Alexander was a dreamer. Every night when he would go to sleep he would enter a world called Dreamland. Nightly he would have adventures with his very best friends, Kiwi the fairy, Paddington Rumblebottom the rock boy, and Nastajia the princess of elves. Together they would fly on winged horses, swim with mermaids, battle nightmare pirates, and chase after one eyed giants.
When Alexander was twelve, he and his friends discovered a lost tomb, which only admits humans. Despite his friends' objections, Alexander enters the tomb and discovers a sword, which was once used by the kings of Dreamland to rule. Unfortunately, he also encounters the self-styled 'protector' of the sword, a dragon, whom he injures. In the ensuing chaos, he vanishes in the tomb and disappears from Dreamland altogether, never to return for another eight years.
Eight years later, the twenty-year old Alexander is now a student at college, and shares a room with his twin brother Daniel, who had recorded his adventures in Dreamland as a child. A slacker, he is failing his classes, and in order to earn extra credit, he allows a medical student, Nicole, to do a study on his mysterious adventures in Dreamland. When his mother sends him a package of his old things, he uncovers a sword necklace, and realises that he had woken up with this necklace right after his encounter in the tomb.
When Alex wears the necklace and sleeps, he realises that he is able to return to Dreamland nightly again- along with the sword he found. Upon his return, he discovers that his childhood friends have grown up and are surprised to find him alive. Kiwi is now a fully-grown fairy with formidable magic, while Paddington has grown into a rock giant and is now a famous dance teacher. Nastajia, whose parents have vanished under mysterious circumstances, is now Queen of the Elves, but seems to have taken Alexander's disappearance the hardest; in his absence, she threw herself into her learning and became a driven, determined individual, although she has many bottled emotions (including her affection for Alex) which she suppresses.
As Alex reacquaints himself with Dreamland, he and his friends learn from the Elven adviser Arvanas that the realm is not what it used to be; the dragon Nicodemus rules the realm with an iron fist and allows pirates from the Nightmare Realm to run rampant throughout Dreamland. Alexander's reappearance leads Arvanas to reveal a tablet that tells part of the true history of Dreamland: the realm was supposed to be ruled by a human king who would wield the sword that Alex has. Arvanas reveals that Nastajia's parents had gone in search of the remaining tablets after Alexander's mysterious disappearance, but never returned.
With Alex's return, Arvanas gives him the armour that Nastajia's parents had left for him, and sends the group on a quest to find the tablets, and Nastajia's parents. They first go to Astoria, the capital, where Nastajia attempts to negotiate with Nicodemus for a pendant that her parents left. Meanwhile, Alex, Kiwi, and Paddington get into trouble with the corrupt guards, and Alex and Kiwi are imprisoned by Nicodemus.
Upon meeting Nicodemus, Alex realises that the dragon is the one whom he met at the tomb eight years ago, and Nicodemus attempts to ask him for the sword, which Alex has left with Paddington. Failing to get an answer, the dragon leaves Alex in the cell, where he meets Felicity, a street-smart cat-girl who helps him escape, and subsequently, rescue Kiwi. Despite Nastajia's initial mistrust of her, Felicity eventually joins the group, which escapes Nicodemus' wrath by jumping into the sea, where they are brought to the kingdom of the merpeople. It is there that they find the merpeople's tablet, guarded by a fearsome kraken.
[edit] Characters
[edit] People from the real world
[edit] Alexander Carter
Alexander, the main protagonist of the story, has visited Dreamland in his sleep since his childhood, until an encounter in a tomb in Dreamland caused him to stop dreaming. Along with his twin brother Daniel, he currently attends college, where he is failing his classes. Now, after 8 years without any dreams at all, Alexander is again visiting Dreamland in his sleep- with the help of a mysterious sword pendant.
[edit] Daniel Carter
Twin brother of Alexander, Daniel is unable to visit Dreamland, but faithfully recorded Alexanders stories of his adventures there in what he calls The Dreamland Chronicles. Though skeptical of what he cannot see, Daniel exhibits great faith in the existence of Dreamland, and Alexander's adventures there.
[edit] Nicole
A medical student, Nicole is studious and thorough in her work, leading her to excel in her studies. In addition, she is studying Alexander and his dreams, and uses logic and science in an attempt to interpret his travels in Dreamland.
[edit] Joey
The cousin of Daniel and Alexander. Joey can also travel to dreamland, and was used to prove it's reality to Daniel and Alexander by having Alexander meet Joey with his friends in the Fairy village.
[edit] Denizens of Dreamland
[edit] Kiwi
Kiwi, the fairy, is best described as bubbly, witty, and cute as a button. Being a fairy, she not only flies but has various magical abilities as well. Loyal to a fault, she is tougher than she looks and will gladly put her life on the line for her friends. She also enjoys playing matchmaker, especially to Alexander and Nastajia.
[edit] Paddington Rumblebottom III
The rock-boy, who grew into a rock giant, and renowned dance teacher. Paddington became one of the Dreamland's celebrities because of his friendly nature and his skill in all forms of dance, which he learned from the children who visit Dreamland. Smarter than he looks, he uses his great strength to help the group out of sticky situations.
[edit] Nastajia Ashenheart
Daughter of Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the elves, Nastajia grew up as royalty, but enjoyed her youth by sharing adventure with Alexander, Kiwi, and Paddington. When Alexander disappeared during their childhood, she became devastated, and threw herself into her learning to become a Queen. Already bearing heavy responsibility after her parents' disappearance, Alexander's reemergence into her life could very well lead her to unveil her bottled feelings, hidden beneath her driven and determined self.
[edit] Felicity
A cat-girl who helped Alexander escape from Nicodemus' prison, Felicity is a street-smart thief who is as mischievous as she is flirty- a trait that often puts her at odds with Nastajia, who remains suspicious of her. Although little is known about her, she has nevertheless demonstrated her loyalty to her companions in helping them on more than one occasion.
[edit] Arvamas
Adviser and confidante of Nastajia's parents, Arvamas is a loyal Elf who is dedicated to the cause of Ashendel, and Dreamland. Having watched Nastajia and her friends grow up together, he carries a certain liking for them and sends them to find Nastajia's parents, as well as the tablets that will reveal Dreamland's true history.
[edit] Nicodemus
Lord of Dreamland, Nicodemus maintains his iron-fisted rule over the realm through corrupt guards and treaties with the infamous Nightmare Realm. The dragon, who was injured by the 12-year old Alexander in the Tomb of Kings, is determined to acquire the sword that he wields, and destroy the true history of Dreamland, to reign forever.
[edit] Collections
- The Dreamland Chronicles Book One (2006, collects the first four chapters)[1].
- The Dreamland Chronicles Book Two (2007, collects chapters 5-8) [2]
