Vermax

Vermax was a dragon ridden by Prince Jacaerys Velaryon during the reign of Viserys I Targaryen and the Dance of the Dragons.

Gender

In his Testimony, the jester Mushroom reports that Vermax left dragon eggs when Jacaerys Velaryon was in Winterfell in the year 129. If he reports this story, Archmaester Gyldayn finds it absurd.

While he admits that it is virtually impossible to determine the gender of a living dragon, he notes that no other historical source has ever claimed that Vermax laid an egg.

Gyldayn rejects the wild speculations of septon Barth, who claimed that dragons could change sex during their existence. The Archmaester concludes that we must assume that Mushroom's story is false and that we must assume that Vermax was a male.

History

While Prince Jacaerys Velaryon is still in the cradle, he receives a dragon egg by royal decree from his grandfather, Viserys I Targaryen.

The paternity of Rhaenyra Targaryen's sons being questioned by her political opponents, rumors are circulating that the eggs given to her sons will not hatch.

The birth of Vermax proves them wrong. The dragon grows bigger every year and Jacaerys rides it for the first time before the outbreak of the Dance of the Dragons.

In the year 129, the supporters of the pretender Rhaenyra Targaryen meet in Peyredragon. The Black Council decides to contact the lords of the great noble houses who might join their cause in the upcoming war against the party of the pretender Aegon II Targaryen.

Aware that the presence of a dragon will amaze and frighten the nobles more than a messenger crow, Prince Jacaerys proposes to go on an embassy with his brother Lucerys on behalf of their mother.

Jacaerys mounts Vermax and flies north: he first passes through the Eyrie, and meets up with Lady Jeyne Arryn du Val. They then stop at Sortonne on the archipelago of the Three Sisters. Lords Sunderland and Borrell pledge allegiance and commit the Sœurois to Rhaenyra's side.

Once in Blancport, Jacaerys finds an agreement with Lord Desmond Manderly. Finally, the dragon takes Jacaerys to Winterfell. According to the chronicles, Vermax is made irascible by the snow, ice and cold of the North, so Jacaerys does not linger too long, after making the pact of Ice and Fire. He returns to Peyredragon soon after.

On the fifth day of the year 130, the Triarchy fleet, rallied to Aegon II, attacked the Velaryon fleet and the Lamarck coast, supporters of Rhaenyra. Jacaerys rides Vermax and is accompanied by the four new dragon riders, who rode a dragon during the Red Season.

Jacaerys shoots his dragon at a column of Lysian galleys, who resist as best they can, sending arrows and spikes at the dragon rider, hoping to drive the dragon away. However, Vermax is mortally wounded after having set fire to several ships. The versions on this injury are not unanimous:

Vermax is said to have received a crossbow bolt in the eye, but Archmaester Gyldayn considers this story too close to that of Meraxes and Rhaenys Targaryen in Dorne.

The lookout of a Myrian ship claims to have thrown a grappling hook at him, the point of which would have penetrated the scales to penetrate the skin because of the speed. As the sailor tied the chain securely to the mast, Vermax made a long, deep gash in his body and the chain stopped him dead in his tracks.

He let out a howl of rage and pain that was heard as far away as Spice Harbor. In spite of his efforts to remain in flight, he then tumbled into the sea. He came upon a burning galley, where he became entangled in the ropes and sails.

The ship sank, taking Vermax with it. The young prince Jacaerys himself has just enough time to empty the stirrups and avoids drowning only to find himself pierced by dozens of Myrian tiles.