The Sowing of the Seeds is upon us

Ulf the White in House of the Dragon (Credit: HBO)

The latest “House of the Dragon” episode is teeing up a major moment from the book – the Sowing of the Seeds.

The final moments in “House of the Dragon” Season 2 Episode 5 saw Jace (Harry Collett) and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) struggling to find a way to bolster their dragon rider numbers after Rhaenys and Meleys’ deaths. They have an abundance of dragons but not enough people to claim them.

Jace suggests they expand their search beyond those in the immediate family. Like many houses in Westeros, Targaryens and Velaryons have bastards aplenty, and technically anyone with some blood of the dragon has a chance to claim a dragon. Rhaenyra is hesitant but open to looking into these bastards – called dragonseeds.

Here’s what you needs to know about dragonseeds, their history, and which ones we’ve met so far.

Who can fly a dragon?

To fly a dragon, it’s said you need to be of Valyrian descent. At this point in Westerosi history the only houses in the Seven Kingdoms with Valyrian blood are the Targaryens and the Velaryons. The rest of the “official” family either failed to bond a dragon or are too young to try – but there are other options.

What are Dragonseeds?

A dragonseed is a bastard of Valyrian descent. Most often that meant the high born portion of the parentage was a Targaryen or Velaryon hailing from Dragonstone or Driftmark.

In other regions of Westeros, a bastard was denoted with a stock last name. Snow for bastards of the North, Rivers for bastards of the Riverlands, Storm for bastards of the Stormlands, etc. Bastards with Valyrian blood didn’t always get the regional last name and instead were called Dragonseeds or just seeds.

“Dragonseeds, they call them,” King Jaehaerys says in “Fire and Blood. “It is not a thing to boast of, but it has happened, mayhaps more often than we would care to admit. Such children are cherished, though.”

The Custom of the First Night

Hugh Hammer in House of the Dragon (Credit: HBO)

The First Night is an ancient and largely extinct marriage custom that said on the first night of a smallfolk marriage a lord or king could bed the bride.

By the time the Targaryens left Valyria and landed on Dragonstone, the custom was largely reviled in the Seven Kingdoms. The dragon family, however, enjoyed the custom and implemented it for years. The smallfolk of the island viewed their dragon rider lords as god-like so when one of the brides was impregnated by a Targaryen on a first night interaction they viewed it as a blessing.

Although the custom was outlawed by King Jaehaerys – whose death led to Viserys’ rise to the throne and kicked off “House of the Dragon” – the right of the first night had been practiced so often that many Dragonstone smallfolk could likely claim having a bit of Valyrian blood in them.

The Sowing of the Seeds

The Sowing of the Seeds is what Jace’s plan to find more riders becomes known as in the histories.

In the books, Jace puts out a call and promises a knighthood, lands and riches to any dragonseed who successfully claims one of the dragons. Despite so many dragonseeds, it’s a particularly bloody affair with many losing their lives in the attempt to bond with a dragon.

Dragonseeds We’ve Already Met

The show has smartly sprinkled introductions to a number of dragonseeds throughout the first have of the second season. Some know they have Valyrian blood in them while others might not – or at least aren’t as outspoken about it. They include:

Alyn of Hull – bastard of Corlys Velaryon
Addam of Hull – bastard of Corlys Velaryon, seen watching Seasmoke flying around Driftmark
Ulf the White – boasted earlier this season that his grandfather was King Jaehaerys
Hugh the Hammer – a blacksmith helping to make the dragon-killing weapons securing King’s Landing

Unclaimed Dragons

Vermax in House of teh Dragon (Credit: HBO)

Rhaenyra and Jace lament at their abundance of dragons in the dragonpit without anyone suitable to ride them. There are also a small number of wild dragons roaming Dragonstone that have the potential to be bonded by the right person. The dragons in Team Black’s control include:

Vermithor – Called “The Bronze Fury.” Hasn’t been ridden since King Jaehaerys. Mated to Silverwing
Seasmoke – bonded to Laenor before the rider faked his death to cross the Narrow Sea. Now roams Driftmark alone
Silverwing – mated to Vermithor and last ridden by King Jaehaerys’ wife Alysanne

The wild dragons on the island include:

Sheepstealer
The Cannibal
Grey Ghost

New episodes of “House of the Dragon” air Sundays on HBO and stream on Max.