Dragon

Biodata

Power Progression

The documented Titan transformations are individual enhancements, not ordinary stages of dragon maturation.

Background / History

Valyrian ancestors discovered dragons in the Fire Peaks. According to records studied by Redd, they used Dragonbinder and an ancient ritual to establish a blood connection between the Valyrian people and dragons. Raising young dragons with sustained care then turned that connection into trust, allowing the creatures to become battle mounts. Dragon power helped the Valyrians defeat the Ghiscari Empire and establish the Valyrian Freehold 35.

The Valyrians later reshaped the Fire Peaks through fire magic and human labor to expand their dragon population. Ehm and Aegon survived in the ruined Valyrian region; Redd later identifies them as its last two surviving dragons 36 160.

By the time of Redd’s dispute with Rhaenys over dragon-slaying weapons, she states that fewer than thirty Demon Dragons remain. Redd subsequently oversees more than three hundred hatchlings and relocates dragons to the Fourteen Flames, where their growth accelerates markedly 249 360 596.

Appearance

• Build: Ordinary dragons have scaled bodies, long tails, membranous wings, powerful jaws, and claws. Aegon originally has two legs and gains separate forelimbs through Titan transformation 9 10 109.
• Scales and coloration: Documented examples include Ehm’s black scales, Aegon’s crimson scales, Silverwing’s dark-silver body, and Vermithor’s bronze scales 9 21 60 137.
• Eyes: Vertical pupils are characteristic; Ehm’s eyes are described as reddish-gold, while a green subadult has amber eyes 9 68.
• Spines and scars: Ehm has sharp bone spurs, dorsal spines, and a large claw-shaped scar across the belly from an earlier dragon battle 9 10.
• Size: Exceptional individuals exceed one hundred meters in length. Aegon’s original recorded measurements are 150 meters long and 430 meters across the wings 22.

Biology & Life Cycle

Natural Growth

Ancient texts recovered by Redd describe the following general growth pattern, while acknowledging rare dragons that live longer or grow larger 68.

• Lifespan limit: The system gives Aegon’s original Demon Dragon lifespan ceiling as 220 years. Titan transformation later replaces that finite limit with an infinity symbol 22 109.
• Eggs: Dragons reproduce through eggs; three eggs lie beside Silverwing when Viserys approaches to tame her 137.
• Diet: Redd supplies sheep carcasses and shipments of meat. Ehm and Aegon also feed on human corpses after battle 51 360.
• Cannibalism: Cannibal is notorious for eating dead dragons, young dragons, and dragon eggs. Redd treats its persistent appetite for hatchlings as a dangerous abnormality 69 360.

Habitat & Husbandry

• Volcanic preference: Dragons enjoy volcanic warmth and ash-laden air that would cause discomfort or illness in ordinary humans 187.
• Lair requirements: Redd’s Dragonpit plans include suitable heating, reinforced crater walls, resting areas, flight passages, ventilation, and a sustainable food supply 184.
• Hatching conditions: Redd’s experiments suggest that simulated dragonflame and magical concentration do not fully reproduce the conditions of the Dragonpit’s heart. He considers magical fields, bloodline resonance, and King Ghidorah’s energy as possible contributing factors rather than established explanations 359.
• Improved habitats: King Ghidorah transforms two active volcanoes on Dragonmont by adjusting volcanic activity, geothermal heat, and magma channels, creating breeding grounds for Demon Dragons 580.

Intelligence & Behavior

Adult dragons possess intelligence comparable to adult humans and can understand human speech. Their inability to speak human language does not prevent comprehension, emotional awareness, or independent decision-making 113 137.

A dragon’s bond with its rider can produce affection and loyalty rather than simple obedience. Ehm comforts Redd by nudging and rubbing against him, while Caraxes shields Daemon from falling rubble with his body and wings 14 73.

Dragons also retain individual temperaments and fighting instincts. Aegon performs intricate wing strikes without Redd directing each movement, drawing on extensive combat experience. Wild dragons may respond to strangers with suspicion or outright aggression 68 69 160.

Abilities & Skills

Dragonfire

Dragons project intensely destructive fire, with coloration varying between individuals 10 72.

• Ehm breathes black dragonfire, while Aegon produces red or crimson dragonfire 10 72 281.
• Dragonfire incinerates wights, melts weapons, and devastates concentrated troops 101 281.
• Sustained heat can turn rock into hot glass; Ehm’s flame also delivers explosive force capable of breaking large rocks apart 581.
• Larger dragons in the Fourteen Flames develop hotter dragonfire as they grow 596.

Flight

• Dragons provide exceptionally fast long-distance transport; a journey out of the North takes less than three days, including rests 178.
• Diving, climbing, circling, and rolling make airborne dragons difficult targets for ballista crews 425.
• Wingbeats generate powerful gusts capable of nearly blowing Redd away during Ehm’s landing 9.
• Riders face dangerous airflow at speed and must secure themselves or crouch close to the dragon’s back 181.

Physical Combat & Defense

• Dragons fight with bites, claws, tails, body impacts, and even cutting strikes from their wings 63 130 160.
• Thick scales render ordinary arrows ineffective against large dragons 173.
• Titan-enhanced defenses greatly exceed those of ordinary dragons: concentrated bolts dent Aegon’s scales without penetrating them, while spears and curved blades fail to injure him 282 283.
• Dragons can survive severe aerial injuries and heavy falls into the sea, although their riders may fare much worse 64.

Taming & Command

Blood Bonds

• Valyrian dragon-taming originated in a magically established blood connection, reinforced by raising dragons from youth 35.
• Newly hatched dragons develop attachment and trust toward the person who hatches them; feeding and prolonged contact support attempts at taming 227.
• Adult rider bonds involve a mental connection and blood bond formed through Blood and Fire Magic 113.
• Wild dragons are harder to tame because they lack early trust in humans 35.

Redd’s System and King Ghidorah

• Redd’s system can register a dragon as a permanently loyal companion once he obtains its acceptance, even briefly 68.
• King Ghidorah commands Ehm and Aegon despite initially being much smaller than either adult dragon 51.
• Douglas receives limited authority over selected dragons through a scale from King Ghidorah and recognition of his face 589 601.
• This delegated authority remains revocable: the dragons’ ultimate loyalty is to King Ghidorah, who follows Redd’s mental link 601.

Weaknesses & Threats

Notable Dragons & Related Forms