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The Great Empire of the Dawn

October 18, 2016 | By History of Westeros

The Long Night, Azor Ahai, strange stone, dragonlords & ancient bloodlines! This episode on The Great Empire of the Dawn, with Mythical Astronomy of Ice & Fire has it all! GRRM gave us all a lot to think about with regard to the (way)back-story provided in TWOIAF. That’s on top of what was already present in ASOIAF proper. Here we attempt to cover as much of it as possible in one place. We also recorded a Q&A episode where we answered the questions you submitted, included below!

Credits

Our introduction, stone animations, and the awesome new Essos map were created by Michael Klarfeld (Klaradox). dutchmogul created the cyvasse pieces.
The Reader (Martin Lewis of Echoes of Ice and Fire).
Durran Durrandon’s “Daenerys is the Amethyst Empress Reborn” Essay.

Ghosts lined the hallway, dressed in the faded raiment of kings. In their hands were swords of pale fire. They had hair of silver and hair of gold and hair of platinum white and their eyes were Opal and Amethyst, Tourmaline and Jade. “Faster,” they cried. “Faster, faster!” – Daenerys IX, AGOT

Even more enigmatic to scholars and historians is the great square fortress of black stone that dominates that isle. For most of recorded history, this monumental edifice has served as the foundation and lowest level of the Hightower, yet we know for a certainty that it predates the upper levels of the tower by thousands of years. – The Reach, TWOIAF

If indeed this first Fortress is Valyrian, it suggests that the dragonlords came to Westeros thousands of years before they carved out their outpost on Dragonstone, long before the coming of the Andals, or even the First Men.
– The Reach, TWOIAF


The Bones and Beyond

In ancient days, the God emperors of Yi Ti were as powerful as any ruler on earth, with wealth that exceeded even that of Valyria at its height and armies of almost unimaginable size. In the beginning, the priestly scribes of Yin declare, all the land between the Bones and the freezing desert called the Grey Waste, from the Shivering Sea to the Jade Sea (including even the great and holy isle of Leng), formed a single realm ruled by the God-on-Earth, the only begotten son of the Lion of Night and Maiden Made-of-Light, who traveled about his domains in a palanquin carved from a single pearl and carried by a hundred queens, his wives. For ten thousand years the Great Empire of the Dawn flourished in peace and plenty under the God-on-Earth, until at last he ascended to the stars to join his forebears. – The Bones and Beyond, TWOIAF

How long the darkness endured no man can say, but all agree it was only when a great warrior – known variously as Hyrkoon the Hero, Azor Ahai, Yin Tar, Neferion, and Eldric Shadowchaser – arose to give courage to the race of men and lead the virtuous into battle with his blazing sword Lightbringer that the darkness was put to rout, and light and love returned once more to the world. – The Bones and Beyond, TWOIAF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfDBq1c7LdA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YcOOzIWwtM

Episode Details

Episode Summary

Journey back to the dawn of Westeros in this episode exploring the enigmatic Great Empire of the Dawn! Unravel the mysteries surrounding the Age of Heroes, from the legendary Azor Ahai and his Lightbringer to the Amethyst Empress and the Bloodstone Emperor. We delve into the impact of the Long Night, the arrival of the First Men, and the subsequent coming of the Andals, tracing the threads of ancient bloodlines and the rise and fall of powerful houses like Dayne and Hightower. Discover connections between seemingly disparate figures like Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and even Euron Greyjoy, and explore the influence of Essos, Yi Ti, and the enigmatic Asshai. We examine the origins of Valyrian steel and the secrets hidden within the strange stone and Hightower. Prepare to question everything you thought you knew about Westerosi history, as we piece together fragments of lore from A Song of Ice and Fire and The World of Ice & Fire, culminating in a fascinating Q&A session addressing listener questions!

Characters

Azor AhaiDaenerys TargaryenDurranEuron GreyjoyJon SnowRodrik Harlaw

Houses

House HightowerHouse StarkHouse Targaryen

Series

Age of Heroes

Tags

age of heroesamethyst empressasshaiaudioazor ahaibloodstone emperordaenerys targaryendawndawn ageDurraneldric shadowchaseressoseuron greyjoyhouse daynehouse hightowerhouse targaryenhyrkoon the heroiron islandsironbornjon snowlast heroLewis Lansterlightbringerlomas longstriderlong nightlucifermeanslightbringerneferionoldtownRodrik Harlawsarnorstrange stoneThe Coming of the Andalsthe great empire of the dawnthe long nightthe world of ice and firevalyrian steelvideoyeenyi tiyin tar

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