Addam Velaryon

	Addam Velaryon, by Chillyravenart ©
Alias	Addam of Hull
Title	Ser
Allegiances	House Velaryon; House Targaryen; Blacks;
Race	Valyrian
Culture	Crownlands
Born	In 114 AC, Hull
Died	In 130 AC, Tumbleton
Buried	In 138 AC, Driftmark
Fathers	Laenor Velaryon (officially); Corlys Velaryon (rumored);
Mother	Marilda of Hull
Books	The World of Ice & Fire (mentioned); Fire & Blood (mentioned); The Rise of the Dragon (mentioned); The Princess and the Queen (mentioned);
Played by	Clinton Liberty
TV series	House of the Dragon: Season 2

Addam Velaryon, born Addam of Hull, was a legitimized bastard from Driftmark of dragonseed descent, like his younger brother Alyn. During the Dance of the Dragons, Addam became a knight and the heir to House Velaryon of Driftmark. He was a dragonrider whose dragon was Seasmoke.^[1]

In the television adaptation House of the Dragon, Addam is portrayed by Clinton Liberty.^[4]

Appearance and Character

Addam was fifteen years old at the outbreak of the Dance of the Dragons. He was relentless, determined, glib of tongue, and loyal.^[3] Addam and his brother Alyn had silver hair and purple eyes. They were small and quick like their mother, Marilda of Hull.^[1]

History

Early life

According to Archmaester Gyldayn, Addam's origins remain a matter of dispute among historians to this day.^[1] His mother Marilda claimed he and his brother Alyn were fathered by Ser Laenor Velaryon - a fact that many found remarkable due to Laenor's known sexual preference for men. The court fool, Mushroom, claimed that they were fathered by Laenor's father, Lord Corlys Velaryon, but kept unacknowledged and far from court in order to not offend Corlys's fiery-tempered wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.^[5]

Addam and Alyn grew up in the shipyard of Marilda's father, and the boys served on her trading cog, Mouse.^[1]

Dragonrider

Addam and Corlys Velaryon in the aftermath of the Battle of the Gullet, by Riotarttherite

When Prince Jacaerys Velaryon decided that Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen's blacks needed more dragonriders during the Dance of the Dragons, many men on Dragonstone came forward to answer the prince's call. One of them, Addam of Hull, managed to bond with Seasmoke. However, when his younger brother Alyn tried to tame Sheepstealer, the dragon set fire to his cloak. Seasmoke drove off Sheepstealer as Addam used his own cloak to beat out the flames.^[1]

Not long after Addam had proven himself by flying Seasmoke, Lord Corlys Velaryon petitioned Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen to remove the taint of bastardy from Addam and Alyn. The queen complied, and legitimized the brothers. Addam of Hull, dragonseed and bastard, became Addam Velaryon, and Corlys's heir to Driftmark. Addam fought for the blacks atop Seasmoke for the first time during the Battle of the Gullet. Addam spoke with Corlys after the disastrous battle, but it is unknown what they said to each other.^[1]

When King's Landing fell to Rhaenyra, her dragonriders made their descent one by one. Once Prince Daemon Targaryen was certain there would be no harm, he signaled to his wife to descend upon Syrax. Addam remained aloft, flying Seasmoke around the city walls, the beat of his dragon's wide leathern wings a caution to those below that any defiance would be met with fire.^[2]

Once it was decided that Queen Rhaenyra would remain in King's Landing, Addam Velaryon remained with Seasmoke and Prince Joffrey Velaryon. Syrax, Seasmoke, and Tyraxes were expected to suffice for the defense of the city, and the rest of the dragonriders went to battle. Apart from Syrax, Seasmoke and the other dragons were kept in the Dragonpit. It had long been the custom for at least one dragonrider to reside in the pit, so as to be able to defend the city should it come under attack. Because the queen preferred to keep her dragon by her side, that duty fell to Ser Addam Velaryon.^[2]

Second Battle of Tumbleton

After the treachery of the Two Betrayers in the First Battle of Tumbleton, many voices in the black council questioned Addam's loyalty. Only Lord Corlys, the Hand of the Queen, spoke in defense of the dragonseed, remarking that Addam and Alyn were "true Velaryons" and worthy of Driftmark. The Hand's impassioned protests were in vain, and Queen Rhaenyra, suspecting a turncloak, commanded Ser Luthor Largent to arrest Addam in the Dragonpit. Addam, who had been forewarned, managed to make his escape flying away with Seasmoke, fleeing before he could be put to the question. By ordering the arrest of Addam, the queen lost not only a dragon but her Hand as well. Corlys was beaten and imprisoned for warning Addam.^[2]

As the Second Battle of Tumbleton was put into motion, Addam was determined to prove that all bastards need not be turncloaks. The singers say that Addam flew from King's Landing to the Gods Eye where he landed on the sacred Isle of Faces and took counsel with the Green Men. Known fact says that he flew far and fast descending on castles great and small whose lords were loyal to the queen to piece together an army. By the time Addam was ready to descend on Tumbleton, he had almost four thousand men at his back.^[3]

Ser Addam attacked Tumbleton at night, taking the greens completely unawares. As chaos ensued, Addam could see the battle turning into a rout below him. By this time, two of the enemy dragonriders, Hugh Hammer and Prince Daeron the Daring, were dead; although Addam could not have known that, he could see the dragons Vermithor, Silverwing, and Tessarion. The riderless Tessarion took flight and Addam turned his dragon Seasmoke to meet her. Both being young dragons, they moved fast and nimbly as they fought. The fight ended when the riderless, enraged Vermithor rose into the sky and set about indiscriminately killing those on the ground.^[3]

As Vermithor wreaked carnage, Seasmoke fell upon him, driving him shrieking into the mud. According to Archmaester Gyldayn, Addam must have felt duty-bound to protect his men on the ground, though surely he knew in his heart Seasmoke could not match the older dragon. The riderless Tessarion soon joined the fray and all three dragons fought to the death on the ground amidst mud and blood and smoke.^[3]

After the battle, Lord Unwin Peake bowed to defeat and ordered a retreat, taking the remnants of the great host that Prince Daeron and Lord Ormund Hightower had led from Oldtown. Addam, the accused turncloak, had saved King's Landing from Rhaenyra's foes at the cost of his own life.^[3]

Legacy

Marilda visiting Addam's tomb, by Dragonsaria

In 138 AC, the bones of Addam were returned to Driftmark from Raventree Hall. His brother Alyn, by then Lord of the Tides, put only the word "LOYAL" as the epitaph on Addam's tomb.^[5]^[3]

Quotes

That Addam and Alyn were dragonseed no man who looked upon them could doubt, though their mother steadfastly refused to name their father.^[1]
—writings of Gyldayn