Dragonstone

**Dragonstone** is a castle on the island of the same name at the entrance to Blackwater Bay, below the Dragonmont. It was the original seat of House Targaryen in Westeros, and had been colonized and fortified as the westernmost outpost of the Valyrian Freehold. Shaped from stone to look like dragons, the castle has a dark reputation.

After Aegon's Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, Dragonstone in the newly-created crownlands served as the seat of their heir apparent, known as the Prince of Dragonstone. The custom continues to be used.

Dragonstone, though old and strong, commands the allegiance of only a few lesser lords whose islands are too thinly populated to provide any great numbers of troops, although they have some naval strength. A short distance west of Dragonstone is the island of Driftmark, which is the seat of House Velaryon, a Valyrian house and historically a naval power. Other houses sworn to Dragonstone include Celtigar of Claw Isle, who are also of Valyrian descent, Bar Emmon of Sharp Point, and Sunglass of Sweetport Sound.

## Household

The maesters at Dragonstone are Rewan and Brynnan, and the castle's sept is maintained by Septon Corlin. At least two members of House Blackberry serve at Dragonstone.

At the start of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen's reign, Dragonstone had a garrison of twenty archers and as many guardsmen. When the Dance of the Dragons began, the castle had a garrison of thirty knights, a hundred crossbowmen, and three hundred men-at-arms.

## Layout

A grim place, Dragonstone was built by Valyrians with arcane arts, fire, and sorcery. Capable of liquefying and reshaping stone with dragonflame, the dragonlords used their magic to shape Dragonstone to look like multiple dragons.

Dragon architecture can be found throughout the castle, such as small dragons framing gates and dragon claws holding torches. A pair of great wings cover the armory and smithy, and dragon tails form archways and staircases. The citadel of Dragonstone is wrought all of black stone. Doors can be set in the mouths of stone dragons. Instead of merlons, gargoyles and grotesques serve as brooding crenellations along the three curtain walls. Designs include basilisks, cockatrices, demons, griffins, hellhounds, manticores, minotaurs, wyverns, and other creatures. Statues in the shape of dragons can be found all over the castle. Dragonstone has a castle yard and a library. There is a fishing village with a port beneath the curtain walls. King Aegon I Targaryen was fond of the salty air of Dragonstone, which smells of smoke and brimstone.

Notable locations at Dragonstone include:

* The Stone Drum is a massive tower which serves as the central keep of Dragonstone. It is named for the booming and rumbling sounds that can be heard during storms. To reach the Stone Drum from the Sea Dragon Tower, one must cross the gallery and pass through the middle and inner walls. A high stone roofed bridge arching over emptiness leads from the Stone Drum to the entrance towards the dungeons. Rhaena Targaryen kept her chambers in the Stone Drum.

* The Great Hall of the Stone Drum is carved in the shape of a huge dragon lying on its belly; the heavy red doors of the hall are set in the mouth, and those entering pass beneath the gateway teeth and through the dragon's maw. The kitchens resemble a curled up dragon where the smoke and heat vented through its nostrils.

* The Chamber of the Painted Table is a round room on the top floor of the Stone Drum. It has four tall directional windows and bare black walls. It holds a large table, the Painted Table, carved and painted in the form of a detailed map of Westeros. Here, Aegon the Conqueror planned for his invasion of Westeros. The Painted Table is more than fifty feet long: roughly twenty-five feet wide at its widest point and four feet at its thinnest. At the precise location of Dragonstone is a raised seat that allows the occupant to view the entire map.

* Sea Dragon Tower is shaped like a dragon gazing serenely out across the sea. The maester's chambers are located high atop the tower, below the rookery. The room has a long wooden table. Visenya Targaryen kept her chambers in Sea Dragon Tower, and Rhaenyra Targaryen kept her apartments in it as well. The turnpike stairs of the tower are narrow and twisting. Noble prisoners can be held comfortably in Sea Dragon Tower's cells.

* The Windwyrm is a tower shaped like a dragon which seems to scream defiance.

* Aegon's Garden can be reached when going down after the arch of the Dragon's Tail. Within grow tall dark trees, wild roses, towering thorny hedges, and cranberries. The garden has a pleasant piney scent.

* The sept of Dragonstone, dedicated to the Faith of the Seven, contained statues representing the seven aspects of the Faith of the Seven, carved from the masts of the ships that had carried the first Targaryens from Valyria. It was destroyed and turned into a sacred temple to worship the Faith of Valyria.

* A turnpike stair and smooth stony passages lead to cells beneath Dragonstone. Walls in the dark dungeon are warm to the touch.
* The temple at Dragonstone, once a sept, contains statues and portraits of the main Valyrian gods. The temple, much like the rest of the castle, has dragon shaped structures. The largest statue in the temple, is dedicated to the goddess Meraxes.

## History

### Foundation

Two centuries before the Doom, Valyrians took possession of the island and built a castle upon it, which became the westernmost outpost of the Valyrian Freehold. The castle towers were shaped by Valyrian magic to look like dragons to make the castle look fearsome, and they placed a thousand gargoyles upon the walls.

### Targaryen Lords

Twelve years prior to the Doom of Valyria, Aenar Targaryen, the head of House Targaryen, relocated his family, their five dragons, and all their wealth to Dragonstone, after his maiden daughter Daenys predicted the destruction of the Valyrian Freehold. In Valyria their rivals saw this as an act of cowardly surrender. Four of the dragons brought from Valyria eventually died on Dragonstone, leaving only Balerion. However, two eggs hatched and Vhagar and Meraxes were born.

Aenar ruled as the first Lord of Dragonstone, and was succeeded by his son, Gaemon the Glorious. Gaemon's children, Aegon and Elaena, ruled together as kin and a couple, and were succeeded by their own son, Maegon, and later Maegon's younger brother, Aerys. Aerys's three sons, Aelyx, Baelon, and Daemion ruled Dragonstone in turn. Daemion kept a maester at Dragonstone, as did his descendants. Daemion's son Aerion inherited the seat. His only son by Lady Valaena Velaryon, Aegon Targaryen, was the last Lord of Dragonstone before Aegon's Conquest.

### Aegon and His Sons

Lord Aegon Targaryen planned his invasion of Westeros from the Chamber of the Painted Table. At the start of the Conquest, Aegon called bannermen and allies to Dragonstone, including the Velaryons of Driftmark, the Celtigars of Claw Isle, the Bar Emmons of Sharp Point, and the Masseys of Stonedance. Aegon and his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, conquered six of the Seven Kingdoms, with only Dorne remaining independent. Ser Quenton Qoherys, the master-at-arms of Dragonstone, was named Lord of Harrenhal by Aegon.

Aegon established his new seat, the Aegonfort, where he first made landfall at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. The city of King's Landing, the new capital, eventually formed around it. Aegon divided his reign between King's Landing, Dragonstone, and royal progresses throughout the realm. The king raised his eldest son and heir, Prince Aenys at King's Landing, while Queen Visenya raised Aegon's younger son, Maegor at Dragonstone. In time, Maegor became known as the "Prince of Dragonstone". In 35 AC, the Aegonfort was torn down in preparation for the construction of the Red Keep, so Aegon the Conqueror returned to his beloved Dragonstone. Two years later Aegon died from a stroke while in the Chamber of the Painted Table. Vhagar burned the king's body in the castle yard.

Maegor remained the Prince of Dragonstone during the early years of Aenys I's reign, but after Maegor was exiled in 40 AC for taking Alys Harroway as a second wife at Dragonstone, Aenys established "Prince of Dragonstone" as a formal title by appointing it to his own heir, Prince Aegon.

At the start of the Faith Militant uprising, King Aenys I fled to the safety of Dragonstone, where he collapsed and died after hearing that his children, Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaena, were besieged at Crakehall. Aenys's body was burned at Dragonstone by Quicksilver, Vermithor, and Silverwing.

Maegor returned from his exile in Pentos, took Aegon's crown at Dragonstone, and claimed the Iron Throne. Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon, Aenys's widow, and her two younger children, Prince Jaehaerys and Princess Alysanne, fled from Dragonstone to Driftmark, but they were later kept at Dragonstone by Dowager Queen Visenya. Prince Aegon was killed by Maegor in the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye.

Following Visenya's death in 44 AC, Alyssa stole Dark Sister and escaped with her youngest children on Vermithor and Silverwing. After being found dead on the Iron Throne in 48 AC, Maegor's body was burned in King's Landing and his ashes were interred on Dragonstone.

### Jaehaerys the Conciliator

King Jaehaerys I Targaryen continued the use of the title Prince of Dragonstone for the heir apparent. When his advisors decided that Princess Alysanne Targaryen should wed Orryn Baratheon in 48 AC, Jaehaerys fled with his sister to Dragonstone, where the pair were wed by Septon Oswyck. Lord Rogar Baratheon traveled to Dragonstone and attempted to break up the marriage, but he acquiesced when faced with the Kingsguard and Ser Merrell Bullock's garrison. Jaehaerys and Alysanne remained at Dragonstone for the rest of his minority. The young king received visitors in the Chamber of the Painted Table and trained with the Kingsguard, Merrel, and his sons Alyn and Howard, and Ser Elyas Scales. The Wise Women were sent by Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon to aid Alysanne.

Jaehaerys departed Dragonstone for King's Landing in the ninth month of 50 AC. The king allowed his sister, Rhaena Targaryen, to hold Dragonstone in his name. Called the Queen in the West while at Faircastle, Rhaena became known as the Queen in the East. Rhaena's daughter, Princess Aerea Targaryen, disliked living at Dragonstone, which she considered dull compared to the Red Keep. Elissa Farman, Rhaena's close friend, eventually departed Dragonstone with three stolen dragon eggs. Rhaena's husband, Androw Farman, jumped to his death after admitting to having poisoned Maester Culiper, Cassella Staunton, Septa Maryam, Alayne Royce, Samantha Stokeworth, and Lianna Velaryon. Rhaena abandoned Dragonstone after the disappearance of Aerea on Balerion. After Aerea's death, Rhaena spent her remaining years at Harrenhal.

In 62 AC Jaehaerys granted the title of Prince of Dragonstone to Aemon Targaryen, and the title passed to Baelon Targaryen after Aemon's death in 92 AC. Princess Daella Targaryen wed Lord Rodrik Arryn in Dragonstone sept in 80 AC. The ashes of Daella and her sister, Princess Daenerys, were interred at Dragonstone after their deaths. During the First Quarrel, Queen Alysanne lived at Dragonstone in a self-imposed exile. She eventually died there in 100 AC.

After Baelon's death and the Great Council of 101 AC, Jaehaerys named his grandson Viserys as Prince of Dragonstone. The ashes of Jaehaerys were interred beside those of Alysanne when the Old King died in 103 AC.

### Dance of the Dragons

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen became the first Princess of Dragonstone in 105 AC, when she was officially declared to be the heir of her father, King Viserys I Targaryen. Angry at the decision, Prince Daemon Targaryen fled to Dragonstone with his paramour, Mysaria, and lived there for half a year. Rhaenyra took Dragonstone as her seat in 113 AC. Rhaenyra secretly wed Daemon at Dragonstone in 120 AC.

Rhaenyra was at Dragonstone when her half brother, Aegon II Targaryen, claimed the Iron Throne in 129 AC after the death of Viserys. Rhaenyra was crowned at Dragonstone, and from her own seat, she led the blacks against Aegon II's greens during the ensuing Dance of the Dragons. Ser Arryk Cargyll, a supporter of Aegon, infiltrated Dragonstone, but he and his twin, Rhaenyra's Erryk, died fighting each other. Dragonseeds attempted to tame dragons on Dragonstone. The Triarchy ignored Dragonstone during the Battle of the Gullet.

Joffrey Velaryon was formally installed as Prince of Dragonstone after the fall of King's Landing to Rhaenyra's forces. Ser Robert Quince, castellan of Dragonstone, protected Lady Baela Targaryen during the war. Joffrey died attempting to stop the Storming of the Dragonpit. After fleeing the capital, Rhaenyra insisted on returning to Dragonstone in late 130 AC. Ser Alfred Broome had orchestrated the fall of Dragonstone to Aegon the Elder, however, and the king fed his half sister to Sunfyre in the yard. Baela and Rhaenyra's son, Prince Aegon the Younger, were imprisoned in the dungeon. Sunfyre died of his wounds in the outer yard of the castle.

At the end of 130 AC, Aegon II returned to King's Landing from Dragonstone on Velaryon ships. After Aegon the Elder died of poison in 131 AC, Dragonstone's garrison refused to submit to Aegon the Younger, King Aegon III Targaryen. The servants of the castle rebelled, however, and yielded Dragonstone to Alyn Velaryon.

After the death of Lord Corlys Velaryon in 132 AC, his body was buried aboard Sea Snake in the waters east of Dragonstone. Alyn and Baela wed in Dragonstone's sept in 132 AC. Lady Rhaena Targaryen, Baela's twin, resided at Dragonstone after learning to ride Morning. After the death of Rhaena's husband, Ser Corwyn Corbray, Baela traveled from Driftmark to Dragonstone to comfort her sister.

### Later History

King Maekar I Targaryen's eldest son, Prince Daeron, became Prince of Dragonstone upon his father's ascension. However, he found Dragonstone such a gloomy abode that he preferred to be styled Prince of Summerhall instead.

## Recent Events

### Aerys the Mad King

After Prince Rhaegar Targaryen's wedding to Princess Rhaena Targaryen in 281 AC, the two move to Dragonstone. A pregnant Rhaena arrives at Dragonstone first, but not before suffering an attack prior to docking on the island. In the ensuing conflict, the ship is set on fire and sinks. She survives unscathed, one of seven survivors. As the ship bursts into flames, the five dragon eggs she owns hatch, being the first dragons alive in over a century. Rhaena has the hatchlings installed in their own living quarters at Dragonstone, officially naming them: Neferion, Urrisax, Syraxes, Viraxas, and Tyrrax.

Sometime later, Rhaena gives birth to her first child, Prince Aegon. Not long after, Rhaegar and Rhaena attend the tourney at Harrenhal in honour of their son. By the end of the year, they are called to King's Landing when war breaks out. They do not return to Dragonstone until after the end of Robert's Rebellion.

### Robert's Rebellion

After the death of Prince Rhaegar, and the loss of the royalists, King Aerys II sends his pregnant wife, Queen Rhaella, and their younger son, Prince Viserys, to Dragonstone for safety. And although advised against it, he imprisons the pregnant Rhaena and her son Aegon in the Red Keep, as a means to prevent Princes Aerion and Valarys from abandoning the royalists.

### Rhaegar the Magnanimous

Having lost the war, Rhaegar takes sanctuary at Dragonstone, planning to retake the Iron Throne. His forces had been depleted during the war, leaving him with few support. Instead, he turns to Essos. With the help of Rhaena, he forms an alliance with the Sealord of Braavos, Roggario Otherys. Roggario agrees to support Rhaegar against Robert Baratheon, in return, Rhaegar agrees to pay back the debts owed to the Iron Bank and promises his first daughter in marriage to one of Roggario's sons.

Roggario upholds his end of the bargain, commanding an entire fleet in support of Rhaegar in what became known as the Battle of the Blackwater Rush. Rhaegar personally slays two of Robert's men, Eric "Silveraxe" Fell and Willem Cafferen, before taking Robert as a prisoner. After his victory during the battle, he remains at King's Landing.

Queen Rhaella gives birth to a daughter named Daenerys the day after Rhaegar leaves Dragonstone for King's Landing. Worried sick for the safety of her son, Rhaella has a long, troubled labour. Fortunately, having formed a recent bond with the hatchling Tyrrax, she was able to survive the fever that followed the birth.

Queen Rhaena Targaryen leaves King's Landing for Dragonstone in early 286 AC. She gives birth to twin daughters named Rhaenys and Visenya some weeks later. Rhaegar arrives with Aegon and Aerion just a fortnight before the birth. They remain at Dragonstone for over a moon's turn before returning to King's Landing in time for Prince Aegon's fourth nameday and inauguration as Prince of Dragonstone.

Rhaena returns to Dragonstone again in 290 AC. After having fought on dragonback in the Greyjoy-Blackfyre Rebellion, she settles on the island with her children. There, she gives birth to another son named Baelon. She remains there until the following year. Her children hatch dragon eggs and bond with the hatchlings.

Prince Aegon flies upon Neferion for the first time just near the end of the year, landing atop the castle's tallest tower.

Just after the turn of the year, Rhaena ties a moons old Baelon to her and mounts Syraxes alongside Rhaenys and Visenya. Aegon and Aerion ride on Neferion back to King's Landing.

#### The Silver King's Sons

Princes Aemon and Aegon move to Dragonstone in 292 AC. Aemon's wife, Lady Laerra Waxley, moves there as well.

Laerra gives birth to five children at Dragonstone, Rhaenyra in 292 AC, Lacaenys in 294 AC, Alysanne in 296 AC, Saelyna in 298 AC, and Laena in 302 AC. For all five births, the king and queen are present at Dragonstone. Queen Visenya attends Laerra during all of the labours except for Alysanne and Saelyna's, as she gives birth herself at Dragonstone. In 296 AC, Visenya gave birth to twins, Princes Visenys and Jaehaerys, and in 298 AC, she gives birth to Prince Valerion.

Laerra is in labour for two days when giving birth to Saelyna, as a result, she is bedridden for half a year. Saelyna is born sickly and half the size her elder sister Rhaenyra had been at birth. The sickly princess dies less than a month before her first nameday. She is cremated and her ashes interred at Dragonstone.

Visenya helps all five of Aemon's children hatch their dragon eggs. In 295 AC, after Princess Rhaenyra's third nameday, Visenya helps her hatch her dragon egg from which the she-dragon Mythar is born. In 297 AC, Lucaenys hatches his egg from which the dragon Stryx is born. In 299 AC, Alysanne hatches her dragon egg from which the dragon Darkraven is born. Although Laena hatches her egg, the small dragon dies within hours, however, she claims Dowager Queen Rhaella's dragon, Tyrrax, as her mount in 318 AC.

In 299 AC, two years after Princess Saelyna's death, Prince Lucaenys passes away just a fortnight after his fifth nameday. He is cremated and his ashes interred beside those of his sister Saelyna. After the young prince's death, his dragon Stryx is claimed by his cousin and namesake, Lucaenys.

In 326 AC, after King Rhaegar's death, Prince Aemon is crowned king, after which he, Laerra, move to King's Landing.

### Aemon the Merciful

As Princess of Dragonstone and Aemon's heir, Princess Rhaenyra lives at Dragonstone along with her husband, Prince Daemon, her children, Jacaerys, Rhaegon, Rhaeron, Jaehaera, Daemor, and Rhydian.

## Quotes

> A grim place? Yes. And yet I feel the safest there, and my dragons are free there. And despite being bound by this crown and this throne I am free there.
>
> —thoughts of Rhaena Targaryen

> Perhaps the old tales were true, and Dragonstone was built with the stones of hell.
>
> —thoughts of Davos Seaworth

> What kind of dragons are full of rooms and stairs and furniture? And windows. And chimneys. And privy shafts.
>
> —Salladhor Saan to Davos Seaworth

> A place of dragons and dragonlords, the seat of House Targaryen.
>
> —thoughts of Davos Seaworth

> The Valyrians had raised it, after all, and all their works stank of sorcery.
>
> —thoughts of Kevan Lannister

> Valyrian magic still runs deep here. They can sense it.
>
> —Rhaena Targaryen to Maester Aemon