To establish deeper connections and open trade routes with the western continent of Westeros, the Valyrians constructed a mighty fortress along the Narrow Sea. This era of expansion and exploration gave rise to forty powerful Dragon King families, each establishing their own dominance in the surrounding lands. As time passed, the once unified Valyrian Empire evolved into the Valyrian Free Federation, a coalition formed by these various ruling dragonlord houses. It became a bastion of magical, military, and political might in Essos.
During their centuries-long conquest, the Valyrians encountered numerous foreign magical systems and devout followers of gods unfamiliar to them. Initially cautious and respectful, the Valyrians chose to endure the demands of these followers, partly out of fear of the divine powers they represented. Over time, however, they began to integrate various forms of local magic into their own practices. Their knowledge expanded dramatically, especially in metallurgy, leading to the creation of the legendary Valyrian steel, an alloy said to have been developed during this cultural fusion period.
Yet, peace was fleeting. Greed among the religious factions grew unchecked. One such ambitious follower, a man named Tamos, crossed the line. In the name of his gods, he openly demanded possession of the Dragon Horn, the very artifact that allowed the Valyrians to control their dragons. This was no mere relic—it was the foundation of their rule, a symbol of their authority, and the key to their power.
To the Valyrians, this was an unforgivable offense. It was a direct challenge to their sovereignty, their survival, and their pride. No matter how divine the demand claimed to be, the insult could not be ignored. They did not care whether Tamos was a prophet or a madman—the very act of demanding their Dragon Horn was tantamount to declaring war.
And so, war came.
In retaliation, the Valyrians launched a full-scale assault on Tamos's forces and his allies, the Lonai, a people who had mastered powerful water magic. An extermination order was issued—every follower of the god, every water mage, every city that harbored them was to be burned to the ground. The sky darkened with the wings of dragons as they descended in waves, breathing scorching fire across entire regions.
Under the devastating might of the dragonlords, Tamos's forces were utterly annihilated. Even the so-called gods worshipped by the enemy were not spared—incinerated in flames said to be hotter than the sun. This ruthless victory solidified Valyria's dominance across Essos. It gave birth to an unshakable arrogance that grew with each new conquest.
Red, our observer and scholar, read through these ancient records with mixed feelings. He understood now: power often walks hand in hand with pride and destruction. War may be victorious, but it always leaves a trail of devastation behind. He reflected on how the very qualities that propelled the Valyrians to greatness—ambition, strength, and innovation—were also sowing the seeds of their downfall.
The book went on to describe what happened after Tamos's fall.
To commemorate their bloody victory, forty dragons from the major dragon families gathered and collectively blew the Dragon Horn again. This time, its target was not a specific enemy but the entire continent of Essos—a symbolic declaration that Valyria now ruled supreme. The message was clear: resistance was futile.
Emboldened by their triumph, the Valyrians dropped all pretenses of diplomacy. No longer did they honor the gods of others. No longer did they bow to local customs or beliefs. With overwhelming military and magical power, they swept across the continent, crushing any resistance and turning their former enemies into dust.
But with domination came responsibility—and cost.
To maintain their hegemony, the Valyrians began to breed more dragons. More dragons meant more power, more control, and more fear. But raising such magnificent beasts came at a steep price. Food supplies became strained. Housing the rapidly growing dragon population became a logistical nightmare. Magical resources needed to sustain them grew increasingly scarce.
In response, the dragonlords looked underground—to the Fourteen Flames, a cluster of volcanoes believed to be rich in magical fire energy. Using complex fire magic and massive amounts of labor, they began reshaping these peaks, transforming natural volcanoes into Fire Peaks, which could better support and strengthen their dragons.
But that wasn't enough.
The Valyrians soon began searching for new volcanoes across the land. They constructed fire fortresses and dragon caves in newly discovered regions, always expanding, always pushing the limits of the world. These expansions were not just about housing dragons—they were about empowering them, speeding up their growth, and increasing their might for future wars.
Yet, the more dragons they raised, the heavier the burden became. Feeding them, containing them, and managing their magic-saturated habitats became unsustainable. In time, this unbearable weight led to a dangerous conclusion: they needed more land.
Their eyes turned eastward, to the most distant and mysterious continent known to man—Asia. This legendary land, wrapped in myths and stories, was the next target for conquest.
Red turned the page, only to find that the story abruptly ended. There were no further records about the invasion of Asshai, or whether the Valyrians succeeded in their eastern expedition. The parchment stopped, as if someone had intentionally left it blank.
Still, it was enough for Red to connect the dots.
He finally realized the truth about the Fire Peaks—they were not natural formations. They were the product of insane ambition. The Valyrians had used magic to reshape nature, digging deep into the Earth's crust and drawing out more and more fire magic until the balance was broken.
Red stood at the edge of a now extinct Fire Peak, staring at its silent crater. A wild thought entered his mind: what if these volcanoes didn't die out naturally? What if they were overused, drained beyond recovery by Valyria's reckless hunger for power? Could it be that the infamous cataclysm—the mysterious Doom of Valyria—wasn't caused by external forces at all, but was a direct result of the Valyrians' own actions?
Perhaps they had tampered too much with the crust, pushing fire magic where it did not belong. Perhaps they burned too bright, too fast—and ignited their own destruction.
But then, Red shook his head. No. There was something more. The strange black mist and flesh-like creatures that now lurked in the ruins of Valyria weren't the result of geological disasters. These were supernatural, perhaps even extra-dimensional. The Doom was not just an earthquake or a volcanic eruption—it was something much darker.
Still, the book gave no clues. Red knew if he wanted answers, he'd have to uncover them himself.
He made a decision. If the secrets of the Fire Peaks couldn't be found in the books, then maybe they still remained buried—deep within the craters. That was where the true remnants of Valyrian engineering and magic might still exist.
Driven by curiosity and obsession, Red prepared for his most dangerous mission yet.
He summoned his three-headed dragon, Ghidorah, and took to the skies. Kevin, the most enthusiastic of the three heads, seemed especially eager—he had a passion for digging and discovery. The other two heads, Dalang and Erlang, were less helpful. They often lazed about, watching clouds or getting distracted unless Red was keeping a close eye on them.
Eventually, Red found a promising site—a huge extinct volcano, with remnants of a ruined fortress on its slopes. This was clearly a Fire Peak, now dormant. A perfect candidate for excavation.
Red knew that Ghidorah's massive size made it impossible for them to dig effectively inside the narrow crater. So, Kevin led the charge. Using his head and claws, he started clearing debris and ash while Red managed the operation.
Red himself descended into the crater with ropes and tools. He had no noble blood, no innate magic gift—but he was intelligent and prepared. He'd studied countless magical books, memorizing basic runes and magical inscriptions. Though he couldn't cast high-level spells, he could still recognize signs of magical engineering.
Days passed.
At first, all they found were giant iron pillars, ancient and rusted, buried deep within the rock. These massive structures—too thick for a man to wrap his arms around—were clearly supports or conduits used in the original construction.
But despite his hopes, no magical runes were found on the pillars. Nothing gave away the secrets of the ancient modifications. Red refused to give up.
He ordered Kevin to continue deeper. Sometimes, they encountered hardened lava that couldn't be broken by conventional tools. In those cases, Kevin fired his gravitational beam, a unique power he seemed to wield with ease, melting or pulverizing the toughest stone in seconds.
Progress was slow, but Red believed the truth was close. Somewhere, deep within the Fire Peak, lay the secret of Valyria's rise—and possibly its fall.
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