Cannibal Dragon

The Cannibal was a wild dragon, apparently male, living on Peyredragon during the Dance of the Dragons. It was black as coal and had evil green eyes.

The locals called it that because it was known to eat the carcasses of dead dragons, and it would sometimes swoop down on Peyredragon's nurseries to eat the eggs and young dragons that had hatched.

History

At the time of the Dance of the Dragons, the Cannibal is the largest and oldest wild dragon on Peyredragon. Some locals believe it settled on the island before the Targaryens arrived, but Grand Maester Munkun, Septon Eustace, and Archmaester Gyldayn find this unlikely.

His lair, not far from Montdragon, is covered with the bones of the dozen or so candidates who tried to overpower him. In the year 129, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon offers land, title and wealth to any dragon seed who can master a dragon. No one is foolish enough to try the Cannibal because of its reputation.

While attempting to subdue Sheep Thief, Dionysius the Silver, a man claiming to be the descendant of a bastard of Maegor I Targaryen, has his arm torn off. As his sons try to bind his wounds, the Cannibal appears, hunts Sheep Thief and devours them all.

In the year 130, when the corpse of Gris Spectre is found near Montdragon, Ser Robert Coing, the governor of Peyredragon, mistakenly attributes his death to the Cannibal and does not investigate further.

The townspeople urge him to take action against the dragon, lest it turn against the people, but Ser Robert refuses, fearing to anger the dragon. When Lady Baela Targaryen offers to ride her dragon, Danselune, to see what has happened, Ser Robert forbids it and gives orders to prevent her from acting.

At the end of the Dance of the Dragons, the Cannibal is one of the last four dragons alive, along with Silverwing, Sheepstealer and Daybreak. Considering claiming a new dragon, however, King Aegon II Targaryen pushes aside these four uncertain possibilities, preferring to wait for a new egg to hatch.

During the third moon of 132, the sea funeral of Corlys Velaryon is organized, whose remains are sunk off the coast of Lamarck on board his Sea Serpent.

Legend has it that as the ship sank, the Cannibal passed overhead as a last salute. Archmaester Gyldayn considers this to be a later story, intended to embellish the event.