This page is about the project. For other uses, see: The Red Sowing (disambiguation)

The Red Sowing^[2] was a project initiated by the Blacks in 132 AC during the Dance of the Dragons. The goal of the project was to find new dragonriders for the multiple unclaimed dragons on the Blacks' stronghold of Dragonstone.^[1]

History[]

Prelude[]

After the death of Rhaenys Targaryen and Meleys in the Battle at Rook's Rest, Rhaenyra and the Black Council find their stength diminished as the Greens gather their own. Cut off from continental Westeros by the Green armies, without any mainland armies of their own at the time, and having lost their largest dragon in Meleys, the Blacks look for other ways to replenish their strength. Jacaerys proposes to his mother that they search their marital records to find descendants of House Targaryen and have them attempt to mount the unclaimed dragons that dwell on Dragonstone, Vermithor, Silverwing, and Seasmoke. Rhaenyra considers it a mad thought,^[3] but believing they have no other choice, ultimately agrees to it.^[1]

The Sowing[]

The closest match found is Ser Steffon Darklyn, the Lord Commander of Rhaenyra's Queensguard, whose great-great-grandmother was Aeriana Targaryen. Steffon accepts his duty, and attempts to claim Seasmoke at the Dragonstone gantry, but the dragon is startled by his approach and burns him alive, along with a Dragonkeeper who promptly slits his own throat with a dragonglass dagger. After Steffon's death, Rhaenyra doubts if anyone else will want to try. Even so, she intends to keep looking.^[1]

Seasmoke later departs Dragonstone and seeks out Addam of Hull, a bastard son of Lord Corlys Velaryon, Rhaenyra's Hand.^[1] The two bond, and Addam becomes the dragon's rider. Rhaenyra confronts Addam on a beach on Driftmark, but Addam bends the knee to her and offers his service in exchange for learning the art of dragonriding.^[2]

Addam's claiming of Seasmoke restores Rhaenyra's faith in the possibility that Vermithor and Silverwing can be claimed. Mysaria suggests that they broaden their search by recruiting lowborn dragonseeds from King's Landing, which Rhaenyra agrees to, despite the protests of Jace. Elinda Massey and Mysaria's spies travel around King's Landing to recruit dragonseeds, while Corlys charges Addam's brother Alyn with gathering boats to row the dragonseeds to Dragonstone. Among those brought to Dragonstone are the blacksmith Hugh and the raconteur Ulf.^[2]

When the dragonseeds are gathered inside Dragonstone, the Dragonkeepers resign in protest, accusing Rhaenyra of treating the dragons, which they see as the last magical remnants of Old Valyria, as playthings for lesser men. Rhaenyra is thus left by herself to train the dragonseeds. Nevertheless, Rhaenyra leads the dragonseeds to the Dragonstone gantry, where she summons Vermithor. Rhaenyra calms Vermithor and allow the dragon to decide who will be his rider when a dragonseed named Silver Denys approaches. Vermithor inspects Denys and the other dragonseeds, but burns and devours most of them. However, Hugh intervenes to save a fellow dragonseed's life, and challenges Vermithor to kill him. The dragon then unexpectedly bends his neck to Hugh as Rhaenyra watches.^[2]

Ulf, who was knocked off the gantry by the restless Vermithor, flees toward the caves of the Dragonmont, where he stumbles upon Vermithor's mate, Silverwing, who is resting next to a mound of eggs. Ulf accidentally steps into one of her layings, stirring the dragon. Though he is prepared to die, Ulf is surprised when Silverwing instead sniffs and nudges him several times before she accepts him as her rider.^[2]

Aftermath[]

Ulf flies Silverwing above King's Landing, causing Aemond to pursue them on Vhagar as they fly back toward Dragonstone. When he sees that Rhaenyra has added more dragons to her cause, Aemond has Vhagar flee and turn back around toward King's Landing, recognizing that his half-sister now has the numbers and the means to take the Iron Throne.^[2]

Jacaerys angrily rebukes his mother for listening to Mysaria and raising up dragonriders from the lowborn. He fears that they will undermine his legitimacy as his mother's heir, for they have the traditional Targaryen silver hair, while he favors his unacknowledged biological father, Harwin Strong, with his dark hair. Jacaerys warns his mother that one of her "silver-haired bastards" could thus turn against them if they decided they should be king instead of him.^[2]

In the books[]

In Fire & Blood, the Red Sowing is also known as the Sowing of the Seeds, or simply the Sowing.

Rhaenyra and Jace did not carefully search family histories to find suitable dragonriders. Instead, Jace sent out a call to all dragonseeds, promising knighthood, lands, and wealth to anyone who could master a dragon.

Among the failed dragonriders were a score of Rhaenyra's household knights (including Steffon Darklyn), squires, scullions, sailors, men-at-arms, mummers, and two of Rhaenyra's maids. The court fool Mushroom claimed he attempted to mount Silverwing, though his account of the Dance of the Dragons is considered to be largely apocryphal.

References[]

Notes[]

External links[]

• Sowing on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for House of the Dragon)