Editing Dragon (section)

===Extinction and Attempts at Revival===
[[File:The Battle at Rook's Rest by Jota Saraiva.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Vhagar]], [[Sunfyre]], and [[Caraxes]] fight in the [[Battle at Rook's Rest]]. Art by Jota Saraiva ©]]
By the end of the reign of King [[Viserys I Targaryen]], twenty dragons were alive. The majority of these dragons died during the civil war called the [[Dance of the Dragons]], which began in {{Date|129}} and lasted until mid {{Date|131}}.{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|5}} By the end of the Dance in {{Date|131}}, only four dragons remained alive: the wild [[Cannibal (dragon)|Cannibal]], never ridden; [[Sheepstealer]], hiding in the [[Mountains of the Moon]] with [[Nettles|its rider]]; [[Silverwing]], who had gone feral after the deaths of [[Ulf White|her rider]] and [[Vermithor|her mate]]; and the young dragon [[Morning]], who had hatched during the war.{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|5}} In {{Date|132}}, a messenger from [[Alys Rivers]], [[witch]] queen of [[Harrenhal]], claimed to have seen a dragon within the castle, though the truth of the matter is uncertain.{{Ref|FAB|20}}

There were still many dragon eggs left after the war, and at least a few hatched. Terrifyingly, one hatched a blind and wingless [[wyrm]] that attacked [[Laena Velaryon (daughter of Alyn)|its cradlemate]] and was killed.{{Ref|FAB|23}} At least two Dragonstone hatchlings were misshapen, and grew no bigger than [[Dog|mastiffs]] before they died.{{Ref|AGOT|13}} The [[last dragon]] was a green female, small and stunted, with withered wings.{{Ref|THK}} She died young in {{Date|153}}, during the reign of King [[Aegon III Targaryen]], thereafter known as the Dragonbane.{{Ref|AGOT|22}}{{Ref|THK}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|7}} She laid a clutch of five eggs,{{Ref|TMK}} which never hatched.{{Ref|THK}} 

Archmaester [[Marwyn]] holds that the order of [[maesters]], with their secret goal to suppress [[magic]], was responsible for the extinction of dragons.{{Ref|AFFC|45}} According to Ser [[Arlan of Pennytree]], the summers became shorter after the last dragon died, and the winters longer and crueler.{{Ref|THK}}

[[File:Thomas Denmark dragonskulls.jpg|thumb|350px|The [[skulls of the Targaryen dragons]], by Thomas Denmark © Fantasy Flight Games]]
After their extinction, the only remnants of dragons were their [[Dragonbone|bones]],{{Ref|AGOT|13}} their skulls,{{Ref|AGOT|13}} and their eggs, which eventually turned to stone over time.{{Ref|TMK}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|9}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|17}} The eggs were highly valued for their beauty and exotic nature.{{Ref|AGOT|46}} The Targaryens had a collection of [[Skulls of the Targaryen dragons|nineteen dragon skulls]] of various sizes and ages, that they displayed on the walls of the [[Iron Throne|throne room]] in the [[Red Keep]]. The oldest was thousands of years old.{{Ref|AGOT|13}}

Many futile attempts were made to revive dragons. [[Aegon III Targaryen]] had [[nine mages]] cross the [[narrow sea]] to use their magics in attempt to hatch remaining dragon eggs.{{Ref|ASOS|54}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|7}} The pious King [[Baelor I Targaryen]] attempted to hatch his egg by praying over it.{{Ref|ASOS|54}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|9}} [[Aegon IV Targaryen]] ordered [[pyromancer]]s to build seven [[dragons (mechanical)|mechanical "dragons"]] that shot jets of [[wildfire]]. Hundreds of men died in a failed attempt to use them to invade [[Dorne]].{{Ref|ASOS|54}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|11}} Prince [[Aerion Targaryen]] drank wildfire, believing it would transform him into a dragon, but only died screaming.{{Ref|ASOS|54}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|14}} The [[tragedy of Summerhall]] resulted from the attempt of King [[Aegon V Targaryen]] to hatch dragon eggs.{{Ref|ASOS|25}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|15}} King [[Aerys II Targaryen]] attempted to hatch dragons from eggs found in the depths of Dragonstone, to no result.{{Ref|TWOIAF|4|17}} He may have believed [[Wildfire plot|his attempt to immolate King's Landing]] would transform him into a dragon.{{Ref|ASOS|37}}