Vermithor

Vermithor is a dragon mentioned in George R.R. Martin's fantasy series *A Song of Ice and Fire* and its companion book *The World of Ice & Fire*. He is one of the dragons that hatched in the final days of the Targaryen dynasty's reign, before the Doom of Valyria.

Vermithor was a bronze dragon of immense size, second only to the legendary Balerion the Black Dread. He was the mount of Jaehaerys I Targaryen, known as the "Conciliator" and "Old King," during the early part of his reign. Jaehaerys I rode Vermithor for many years, and the dragon's presence was a significant symbol of the Targaryen power and authority.

After Jaehaerys I's death, Vermithor was not claimed by another rider. Dragons were known to live for centuries, and Vermithor eventually died of old age. His skeleton, along with those of other Targaryen dragons, was preserved in the Dragonpit beneath the Red Keep in King's Landing.

Centuries later, during the reign of Aegon III Targaryen, a period known as the "Dragon's Bane," all the dragons in the Dragonpit died. The exact cause of their deaths is debated, but it is believed to be a combination of starvation, disease, and possibly a magical blight. Vermithor, despite his past significance, was among these unfortunate creatures. His death marked the effective end of dragons in Westeros for a long period, until Daenerys Targaryen's dragons hatched in *A Dance with Dragons*.