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What Is Special About Dragonstone
This page details the events of the Game of Thrones TV series and novels, and contains?spoilers.
A fairly minor location throughout much of the series so far, in just one episode Dragonstone has quickly become one of the most important places in Westeros. But where is Dragonstone, and how could it soon be the site of some of the most pivotal moments of the entire series?
The Island Of Dragonstone
Dragonstone is an island in Westeros. Located where Blackwater Bay meets the Narrow Sea, it holds an important strategic value in defending King's Landing from naval attacks. Traditionally, the Royal Fleet is stationed at the island, although it has been largely abandoned since the War of the Five Kings.
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Aside from its position though, Dragonstone is not a particularly prized location. Rocky and barren, the island is unable to produce crops or livestock, and doesn't host any meaningful mining or logging operations.
It is, however, the site of the eponymous castle of Dragonstone.
The Castle Of Dragonstone
The castle of Dragonstone was built several hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, when House Targaryen fled westward ahead of the mysterious cataclysm that destroyed Old Valyria.
The volcanic island proved to be a fitting home for the last Dragonlords of Valyria, as Dragonstone was a volcanic island; and the Targaryen family, along with their dragons, spent the next century building up their military forces there.
It was from Dragonstone that the first Aegon Targaryen, alongside his two sisters and three dragons, launched a campaign that eventually conquered and united the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
While the end of the war saw King's Landing become the new seat of power for House Targaryen, Dragonstone would continue to be considered the true home of their family.
During Robert's Rebellion, in which Robert Baratheon overthrew House Targaryen to take the Iron Throne, the island headquartered much of the Targaryen fleet. In the final days of the war, it was also the birthplace Daenerys Targaryen.
Following the defeat of House Targaryen, the castle was given to Stannis Baratheon, Robert's brother. This would mark the first time in the castle's history that it was not ruled by a Targaryen.
From here, Stannis launched his disastrous attack on King's Landing during the War of Five Kings, and abandoned the castle soon after to head north to The Wall.
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With no troops stationed there, and no resources valuable to the Iron Throne, Dragonstone has been all but abandoned. That is, until the arrival Daenerys Targaryen's fleet, and Samwell Tarly's discovery that Dragonstone is a huge source of a substance called Dragonglass. There is so much of it there in fact, that Sam describes it as a "mountain" of the substance, buried beneath the ground.?
What Is Dragonglass, And Why Is It Important?
Dragonglass, also known as obsidian, is a substance formed from volcanic activity. In the world of Game of Thrones, Dragonglass holds magical properties, including the ability to kill White Walkers.
In the Age of Heroes, thousands of years ago, Dragonglass was used to turn the tide of the first invasion by the White Walkers; and for many years, the children of the forest would gift the Night's Watch a hundred Dragonglass daggers each year.
Sharp, but very brittle, Dragonglass has largely fallen out of favor for use in weapons and tools since then. It still holds some value, especially across the Narrow Sea in Essos, but primarily as a decorative material.
Now that the Night's Watch and Free Folk have rediscovered Dragonglass as a weakness of the White Walkers however, Jon Snow has made it a major priority to find more of it.
Luckily for him, Samwell Tarly has recently learned that huge caches of it can be found on Dragonstone. Unfortunately though, the island and the castle are now currently occupied by a new ruler: Daenerys Targaryen, who has yet to learn anything about the supernatural threats to the north.