Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History

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Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History is an important corpus about dragons, wyrms, and wyverns, by Septon Barth, the Hand of the King of Jaehaerys I Targaryen. He was considered more of a sorcerer than a septon by his enemies. Because of this copies of this book were burnt during the reign of Baelor I and it is hard to find.[1] It claims that dragons are neither female nor male.[2]

In the book Septon Barth also dispels the myth that a dragon can be slain by attacking down its gullet:

Death comes out of a dragon's mouth, but death does not go in that way.[1]

In The World of Ice and Fire, Maester Yandel calls the book disreputable and claims a fragment of it has caused controversy in the Citadel. In it Barth claims to have consulted texts at Castle Black and has learned that the children of the forest spoke with ravens and were able to have them repeat their messages. The art was then taught by the children of the forest to the First Men. The modern practice of sending ravens with written messages is a degraded version of this[3]. Yandel does note however that several maesters who have tried for the link of Valyrian Steel have supported Barth's claims.

Recent Events

A Dance with Dragons

While writing his dragonlore, Tyrion Lannister recalls that ten years ago he managed to get his hands on a fragment of Unnatural History by Septon Barth that had eluded the Blessed Baelor.[1] He doubts any of Barth's work had found its way across the narrow sea.

While enslaved outside of Meereen Tyrion watches the Yunkish defensive preparations in the eventuality the black dragon should return. They are angling their scorpions and mangonels upward at the sky. Tyrion knows that they are wasting their time, and his thoughts turn to Barth’s words about the futility of attempting to slay a dragon via its gullet.

References and Notes