Valyrian Steel

 

Characteristics

  The properties of Valyrian steel are the result of both folding iron many times to balance and remove impurities, and the use of unknown spells, giving unnatural strength to the resulting steel. Bloodmagic and/or fire magic presumably plays a role in spells used to make Valyrian steel, as all Valyrian sorcery came from blood or fire.   Valyrian steel blades are lighter, stronger, harder, and sharper than even the best castle-forged steel. Nothing holds an edge like Valyrian steel, therefore swords hundreds of years old are sharp as the day they were forged. The blades feature distinctive rippled patterns, the mark of steel that has been folded back on itself many thousands of times. Most Valyrian steel is dark grey in color, almost appearing black. No common fire, not even dragonflame, can damage Valyrian steel.  

Dragonsteel

In the archives of the Night's Watch at Castle Black, there is an account of the Long Night that speaks of the last hero slaying Others with a dragonsteel blade, which they could not stand against. It is thought that dragonsteel may be another name for Valyrian steel.  

Usage

Valyrian steel can be used for weapons, tools, jewelry, ornamentation, and armor.   In the order of maesters, links of Valyrian steel signify the study of magic, known as "the higher mysteries". Only one in a hundred maesters has earned such a link. An archmaester of the higher mysteries, who has demonstrated expertise in this subject, has a ring, rod, and mask of Valyrian steel. The maesters who gain Valyrian steel links do not have to forge the metal themselves.  

History

Valyrian steel was manufactured extensively in the Valyrian Freehold, supposedly spell-forged with the assistance of dragons and dragonflame. The costly material became even more expensive when the method of making new Valyrian steel was lost with the Doom of Valyria, and existing weapons became highly treasured and extremely rare. In all the world, only the Free City of Qohor has preserved the art of reworking Valyrian steel but its creation seems lost entirely. The master smiths of Qohor jealously guard their secrets, explicitly, the spells needed to reforge Valyrian steel without losing its strength or unsurpassed ability to hold an edge.   Maester Pol spent many years of residence in Qohor, investigating the secrets of their blacksmiths for his treatise on Qohorik metalworking. He was thrice publicly whipped, and cast out for making too many inquiries. The final time, his hand was also cut off, per the allegation he had stolen a Valyrian steel blade. According to Pol, the true reason for his final exile was his discovery of blood sacrifices—including that of infant slaves—which the Qohorik smiths use in their efforts to produce a steel equal to the original Valyrian steel. Pol returned to Westeros and died five years before Aegon's Conquest.   There may be thousands of Valyrian steel blades remaining in the known world, but in Westeros there are only 227 such weapons according to Archmaester Thurgood's Inventories before the Conquest done due to the doom of Valyria, some of which may have since been lost or have disappeared from recorded history. Most Valyrian steel blades in Westeros are treasured heirlooms of noble houses, each with its own name and storied history, and even impoverished lesser houses are unwilling to give them up.   After the death of King Aegon I Targaryen in 37 AC, the king's body was burned in a funeral pyre, with his hands folded over the hilt of his Valyrian steel sword, Blackfyre. Blackfyre's blade was darkened by the dragon-lit flames, but the sword was otherwise unharmed and has since returned to service with house Targaryen.  

List of Valyrian steel objects

 

Blades known to exist

 

• Blackfyre, one of the two ancestral swords of house Targaryen. The sword of King Aegon I Targaryen, currently possessed by Baelon I.
• Broad Claw, the ancestral axe of house Celtigar, held by Serene Celtigar.
• Dark Sister, the second of the ancestral swords of house Targaryen.
  Originally made for a woman's hand, it was wielded by Queen Visenya Targaryen, reportedly stolen by Dowager Queen Alys Velaryon.
• Dragonriders Dagger, a dagger with a dragonbone hilt carried by Aegon I, currently possessed by Baelon I.
• Ice, the ancestral two-handed greatsword of house Stark, held by Lord Cregan Stark.
• Heartsbane, the ancestral two-handed greatsword of house Tarly, currently held by Lord Chester Tarly.
• Lady Forlorn, the ancestral sword of house Corbray.
• Lamentation, the ancestral sword of house Royce, currently held by Rolly Royce.
• Longclaw, the ancestral Valyrian steel bastard sword of house Mormont.
• Nightfall, the ancestral blade of house Harlaw, currently held by Lord Olyver Piper.
• Red Rain, the sword of house Drumm
Stolen in a raid, given the name and coloring, possibly the ancestral sword of house Reyne.
• Orphan-Maker, the ancestral sword of house Roxton.
• Talon, a bastard sword held by house Mertyns.
• Truth, a Valyrian steel sword owned by Moredo Rogare of Lys.
• Vigilance, the ancestral sword of house Hightower.
• A valyrian steel spear, currently held by house Caron.

 

Blades with unknown fates

 

• Brightroar, the ancestral sword of house Lannister, lost when Tommen II Lannister, King of the Rock, sailed to Valyria and never returned.
• A great curved Valyrian steel blade with a dragonbone hilt, wielded by the Vulture King, last seen during the Vulture Hunt.

 

Other objects

  A small number of maesters, have Valyrian steel links in their collars, representing their study of magic and occultism. One Archmaester of the higher mysteries also has a ring, rod, and mask of Valyrian steel.  

• Dragonbinder, a dragon horn banded with red gold and Valyrian steel is rumored to exist in what remains of the Valyrian Freehold.
• The crown worn by King Aegon I Targaryen and some of his successors in the Targaryen dynasty, and a circlet of Valyrian steel studded with rubies worn by Queen Visenya.
• The Black Knight of Andalos who roams Andalos and the Velvet Hills beyond Pentos is rumored to be invincible, some attribute this to armor of Valyrian Steel. The steel scales of his plate are said to be dark like smoke and edged in red gold, with whorls and glyphs and arcane symbols folded into the steel.

 

Quotes

 

"Valyrian steel was always costly, but it became considerably more so when there was no more Valyria, and the secret of its making were lost."

— Maester Jorge

 

"Careful, you might cut your head off trying to shave."

— A common saying to focus referencing a joke about a shaving razor of Valyrian steel.