The Dragonkeepers (Spoilers Extended)

One rarely discussed group in the ASOIAF series (probably because they weren't technically even introduced until Fire & Blood) is the Dragonkeepers. Like Sandoq the Shadow and the fate of the last few dragons, we should find out more about the Dragonkeepers pretty early in Fire & Blood II.

The Dragonkeepers

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Note: I don't have my copy of Fire & Blood in front of me, so I will be using the wiki, paraphrasing my notes more often in this post than I usually do.

Founded: 56 AC (by Jaehaerys I to prevent theft after Aerea stole Balerion (and went to Valyria before returning gravely injured and dying)

Size of Order: 77 Men (tasked with guarding the dragons day and night, whether in the Dragonpit or on Dragonstone)

Appearance: Wielded swords and wore suits of gleaming black armor. The helms were crested by a row of dragon scales that continued down their backs, diminishing downwards.

We possibly see their suits at two points in the main series:

In AGOT, Eddard IV, while following Littlefinger, Ned sees the following:

Hesitantly, Ned followed. Littlefinger led him into a tower, down a stair, across a small sunken courtyard, and along a deserted corridor where empty suits of armor stood sentinel along the walls. They were relics of the Targaryens, black steel with dragon scales cresting their helms, now dusty and forgotten. "This is not the way to my chambers," Ned said. -AGOT, Eddard IV

In ASOS, Sansa V while fleeing the Red Keep with Ser Dontos, Sansa sees:

They continued down the serpentine and across a small sunken courtyard. Ser Dontos shoved open a heavy door and lit a taper. They were inside a long gallery. Along the walls stood empty suits of armor, dark and dusty, their helms crested with rows of scales that continued down their backs. As they hurried past, the taper's light made the shadows of each scale stretch and twist. The hollow knights are turning into dragons, she thought. -ASOS, Sansa V

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History

60 AC: When Daenerys Targaryen got the Shivers, they were ordered by Jaehaerys I to bring a hatchling to King's Landing but he flew to Dragonstone after she died in order to cancel that order.

75 AC: Convinced Alyssa Targaryen to claim Meleys who was younger and faster/swifter than her original desire of Balerion who was "old/slow"

84 AC: Saera Targaryen was caught trying to sneak into the Dragonpit and steal a dragon after being confined to her chambers by Jaehaerys. They returned her to the Red Keep.

~mid/late 80's AC: Viserra Targaryen snuck into the Dragonpit with six boys and offered her maidenhead to whoever would put his head in a dragon's mouth. The Keepers arrived in time to end it.

130 AC: During the Storming of the Dragonpit, under 50 Dragonkeepers fought the mob led by "the Shepherd" and were slaughtered.

131 and 153 AC (sometime between): Morning (Rhaena's dragon) lived in the Dragonpit. It is unknown what happened to the Dragonkeepers after the Dance of the Dragons.

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Knowledge

• The dragonkeepers knew the dragons better than almost anyone. They gave Caraxes the nickname "the Blood Wyrm"

• Kept accounts (noted that they convinced Alyssa to claim Meleys instead of old Balerion)

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Thoughts

• While the suits of armor are mentioned in AGOT/ASOS, the Dragonkeepers aren't mentioned in the main series, Dunk & Egg or TWOIAF. Their only mentions having occurred in Fire and Blood I.

• The Targaryens had another guard unit that monitors the seas around Dragonstone called the Sea Watch:

As he listened to the pounding of the oarmaster's drum, the thrum of the sail, and the rhythmic swish and creak of the oars, he thought back to his younger days, when these same sounds woke dread in his heart on many a misty morn. They heralded the approach of old Ser Tristimun's sea watch, and the sea watch was death to smugglers when Aerys Targaryen sat the Iron Throne. -ASOS, Davos II

• I'm sure someone can foil away with this line:

The hollow knights are turning into dragons, she thought. -ASOS, Sansa V

• It will be interesting to see if the remaining/new dragonkeepers are tasked with finding any of the remaining/missing dragons after the war. I could see them easily being sent after Alys Rivers/Nettles or the missing Silverwing or even the basically unridable Cannibal.

TLDR: What we know about the Dragonkeepers and their history/duties.