Dragonstone

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Dragonstone
Island and Castle
The Crownlands and the location of Dragonstone
The Crownlands and the location of Dragonstone
Dragonstone
Location Westeros, Blackwater Bay.
Government House Baratheon of Dragonstone, Feudal Lord
Religion Faith of the Seven (former), Cult of R'hllor
Founded 400 years ago, by the Targaryans.

Dragonstone is the name of the island located at the entrance to Blackwater Bay and the castle thereon, which was shaped from stone to look like dragons. Dragonstone was the original seat of House Targaryen in Westeros during the Valyrian Freehold, later serving as the seat of their heir apparent ("The Prince of Dragonstone") after their conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. After Robert Baratheon overthrew the Targaryens, he gave the island to his brother Stannis, creating House Baratheon of Dragonstone. The castle has a dark reputation.[1][2]

Description

Dragonstone is a volcanic island at the mouth of Blackwater Bay, created by the active volcano, Dragonmount. The castle of Dragonstone is a small fortress located on the face of the volcano. Outside its walls sits a small fishing village on the stormy coast.

Beneath the mountain Dragonmount are rich deposits of dragonglass. A short distance off the coast is the island of Driftmark, which is the seat of House Velaryon, another Valyrian house. 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.

Castle

File:9wLuP.jpg
An artist's depiction of Dragonstone

Dragonstone was built using advanced Valyrian techniques of masonry that were lost in the Doom, causing it to look unique among all the castles in Westeros. The citadel of Dragonstone is wrought all of black stone, its towers carved into the shapes of dragons, and thousands of gargoyles carved into various shapes serve as crenellations along the three curtain walls.[3][4] The design of the castle is very dragon oriented. Small dragons frame gates and dragon claws hold torches. A pair of great wings cover the armory and smithy, and tails form archways and staircases.[5]

Stone Drum

The Stone Drum is the central keep of Dragonstone, named as such because of the booming sound made by the powerful winds during storms. Cells in the dungeons beneath the citadel are warmer than they ought to be, but as dank as one might expect for an isle such as Dragonstone. It is said that there are shafts and secret stairs leading further below into the heart of the Dragonmont. The Stone Drum is connected to the dungeon tower by a high stone bridge that arches over emptiness.[3]

The Chamber of the Painted Table, located on the top floor of the Stone Drum, is a round room, with four tall windows, overlooking the north, south, east and west. It holds a large table, carved and painted in the form of a detailed map of Westeros. Here, Aegon the Conqueror planned for the Invasion of Westeros.[6] 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.[3]

  • The Great Hall and Kitchens, The Great Hall is carved in the shape of a huge dragon lying on its belly; its doors are set in the mouth and those entering pass through its mouth. The kitchens resemble a curled up dragon where the smoke and heat vented through its nostrils.[5]
  • Aegon's Garden, The garden lies near the arch of the Dragon's Tail. Within its confines grow tall trees on every side, as well as wild roses. Cranberries grow in a boggy spot.[4] Aegon's Garden has a pleasant pine scent.
  • Windwyrm, Windwyrm is one of the towers of Dragonstone. It is shaped like a dragon and arches into the sky, screaming defiantly.[5]
  • Sea Dragon Tower, Sea Dragon Tower is shaped like a dragon at peace, facing the sea. The maester's chambers lie in this tower, below the rookery. The stairs of the tower are narrow and twisting.[5] Going down the stairs of the Sea Dragon Tower, one must then cross the gallery, pass through both the middle and inner walls with their gargoyles and black iron gates, and climb even more steps to reach the Chamber of the Painted Table.
  • Septuary, Dragonstone's sept contains carved statues of the seven aspects of the Faith of the Seven's god. The Crone has pearl eyes, the Father a gilded beard, and the Stranger looks more animal than human. They had been carved from the masts of the ships that carried the first Targaryens to Dragonstone, and many layers of paint and varnish have been applied to them over the centuries. The sept has several altars and stained glass as well. [7]

It is said that Aegon the Conqueror knelt to pray in Dragonstone's sept the night before he sailed to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. This may be apocryphal, as Aegon only publicly converted when he reached Oldtown during his invasion - the sept could have been constructed after that fact.

History

A century or so before the Doom of Valyria, House Targaryen, a noble Valyrian house, 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, giving it the name Dragonstone. Twelve years before the Doom of Valyria Aenar Targaryen moved his family and five dragons to Dragonstone, because of prophecies of his daughter.

The Targaryen Lords of Dragonstone were: [8]

Roughly a century after the Doom, Aegon I launched his invasion of the continent, conquering six of the Seven Kingdoms. He established the city of King's Landing where he first made landfall at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. King's Landing became the capital and Dragonstone became the seat of the heir apparent to the Iron Throne, who was styled Prince of Dragonstone.

During Robert's Rebellion, the castle became the last haven of the remaining Targaryens. Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys were evacuated there before King's Landing fell to the rebels. Rhaella gave birth to Princess Daenerys during a terrific storm and died shortly afterwards. As rebel forces under Ser Stannis Baratheon prepared to lay siege to Dragonstone, the last scions of House Targaryen fled the castle for Braavos with the help of Ser Willem Darry.

After the war, the castle passed to Stannis. Lord Stannis resented the castle because its lands were far poorer than those of Storm's End, which he felt was his due as heir of House Baratheon. He considered the castle to be an insult, but Robert felt a strong leader should be placed in the old Targaryen seat.

During the War of the Five Kings, the poor lands of Dragonstone gave King Stannis few supporters for his claim to the throne. After his defeat at the Battle of the Blackwater, he returned there to plot his next move. After he left to help the Night's Watch, forces loyal to King Tommen commanded by Lord Paxter Redwyne laid siege to the island. Later, Ser Loras Tyrell of the Kingsguard took command and stormed the castle, taking it at a heavy cost to himself and his forces.


References and Notes