After thousands of years ruling over a vast territory in Essos, the Valyrian Freehold
suffered a terrible disaster in 114BC, likely resulting from the eruption of the 14 Flames,
the chain of volcanoes where they first discovered the dragons which made them so successful
in battle.
Yet while the Doom of Valyria destroyed their cities and government, some few Dragon Lords
survived, fortunate to be away from their homeland at the time.
Among these survivors were the Targaryens of Dragonstone, a minor noble family who left
the Valyrian Penninusla 12 years before the Doom, when Daenys the Dreamer, a daughter
of their house had a vision of the future, convincing her father to move them far away.
As a result, the Targaryens continued on ruling over a small island in the narrow sea, becoming
one of the last families in all the known world to possess dragons and dragonriders.
For over a century, the Targaryens remained on their island, watching as Essos descended
into chaos and war, with the Dothraki plundering their way through the east, while the Free
Cities battled for supremacy in the west.
During this time 4 of their 5 dragons died, leaving only Belarion the Black Dread, however
2 new hatchlings were also born, in Vhagar and Meraxes.
Things started to change however, when young Aegon Targaryen succeeded as head of their
House, at last choosing to use flex considerable might by involving themselves in the wars
of nearby Essos.
As the oldest and largest of the Free Cities, Volantis believed themselves to be the rightful
heirs of Valyria and began expanding their territory, and so Aegon Targaryen assisted
those resisting Volantene aggression by mounting his dragon Belarion and burning an a fleet
sent against Lys.
With the Volantene wars over, and the Free Cities left in relative peace, Aegon turned
his attention west, preparing for the invasion of Westeros.
Despite his people’s history in Essos, it was the western continent which called to
Aegon, even constructing an elaborately carved table with a detailed map of Westeros more
than 50 feet long and 25 feet wide.
Yet while Aegon considered the entire continent one territory for him to conquer and rule,
Westeros at the time was separated into seven distinct kingdoms, with Torrhen Stark ruling
over the Kingdom of the North, young Ronnel Arryn ruling over the Kingdom of Mountain
and Vale with his mother Sharra acting as Regent, Harren Hoare ruling the Kingdom of
the Isles and the Rivers, Loren I Lannister ruling the Kingdom of the Rock, Mern IX Gardener
ruling the Kingdom of the Reach, Argilac Durrandon ruling the Kingdom of the Storm and elderly
Meria Martell ruling as Princess of Dorne.
For years, these realms competed and warred against each other, with divisions and rivalries
creating a situation where some were eager to ally themselves to a powerful family like
the Targaryens if it meant gaining an advantage over their traditional enemies.
Such was the case when the Storm King Argilac Durandon proposed a marriage between Aegon
and his daughter, offering a portion of his lands in exchange for help in battle against
King Harren of the Isles and Rivers.
However Aegon rejected the proposal and instead offered the hand of his best friend and possible
half brother Orys Baratheon, which King Argilac took as an insult.
And so he cut off the hands of the envoy who delivered the message and sent them to the
Targaryens, with a note that read “These are the only hands you will receive.”
With hostilities escalating, Aegon took council with his sister-wives Rhaenys and Visenya,
as well as his bannermen from House Velaryon, Celtigar and Massey, deciding to at last begin
their invasion of Westeros.
Sending ravens to all the major houses of the continent, they demanded submission to
House Targaryen in exchange for being allowed to keep their lands and positions of authority.
Though some sent counter-proposals, the terms were largely rejected by the 7 kingdoms.
Aegon then gathered together an army of less than 1600 soldiers in addition to the dragons
Belarion, Meraxes and Vhagar, landing their host next to three hills at the mouth of Blackwater
Rush.
Establishing the Aegonfort, their mission was off to an encouraging start with a pair
of easy victories resulting from Rhaenys securing the peaceful surrender of House Rosby, while
Visenya did the same with House Stokeworth.
Slowly growing the size of their army, their first true battle was against House Darklyn
of Duskendale and the Mootons of Maidenpool, who joined together and raised an army of
3000 men.
Although they outnumbered the Targaryens, their soldiers were unable to withstand an
onslaught of dragonfire, resulting in the death of both Lords Darklyn and Mooton, leaving
their successors no choice but to surrender.
With their territory quickly expanding, Rhaenys and Visenya placed a Valyrian steel circlet
inlaid with rubies upon Aegon’s head, crowning him as King of Westeros.
Continuing on with their war of conquest, the campaign for the Vale soon began, with
Daemon Velaryon sailing the Targaryen fleet to take Gulltown, supported in the air by
Visenya flying upon Vhagar.
However they found strong opposition from the Arryn fleet, bolstered by a dozen braavosi
warships, who ultimately won the battle by successfully repelling the invasion force
and killing their commander Daemon Velaryon.
Yet even in defeat the Targaryen Dragonlords were dangerous, with Visenya going on to burn
the victorious enemy fleet before retreating.
Even so, the invasion of the Vale was momentarily halted, though it was only the beginning of
their problems as they soon faced rebellion within their own borders as the Isles of the
three sisters declared independence.
Meanwhile, King Aegon led his warriors to conquer the Isles and rivers, marching upon
King Harren of Harrenhal, whose armies were soon defeated in the Battle of the Reeds but
won a victory at the Wiling Willows, when 2 of Harren’s sons successfully led a raid
on the Targaryen camp.
Yet as the victors were sailing their boats back home, Belarion the Blackdread fell upon
them, killing the king’s sons.
Unfortunately for Harren the Black, his years of cruel leadership now caught up with him,
as his bannermen refused to answer his summons, instead organizing a rebellion under Edmyn
Tully, who chose to ally with the Targaryens and assist them in defeating the hated king.
Believing his massive fortress to be impregnable, Harren refused to surrender despite the odds
against him, and so Aegon unleashed a storm of dragonfire in the burning of Harrenhal,
killing the King and his remaining sons to end their family line.
To reward his allegiance to House Targaryen, Edmyn Tully was named Lord Paramount of the
Trident, while the Iron Islands were left in chaos for a time, while Aegon focused on
conquering the rest of the mainland.