George RR Martin introduces the new players of the upcoming series in a 5-minute featurette shared in advance of House of the Dragon. The story takes place some time after Aegon the Conqueror's conquest and three hundred years before Game of Thrones.
Martin said of the series, which is inspired by the civil conflict depicted in his work Dance of Dragons. These are the kinds of characters I love the most. He said that Jaehaerys Targaryen, the former King who ruled Westeros for fifty-five years, was a very peaceful period in history.
Martin introduced the main characters to the setting in which the show is set. He reveals, Viserys I, the heir chosen by the Great Council when Jaehaerys passes away, he takes over and he is now the ruler of the seven Kingdoms. Further adding, People die and the sons take over as fathers of lords. They dont necessarily believe they are bound by their fathers allegiances or vows so little by little the seeds start germinating.
Game of Thrones focused on Starks and Lannisters, while for House of the Dragon, Targeryns themselves, are at the center, according to Martin. Further, elaborating on the history of the Hightowers, Martin said
The Hightowers are the oldest building in Westeros, having been there for thousands of years. Old Town was for many thousands of years the largest city in Westeros, and it is mainly wealthy due to commerce. And in the center of it is the High Tower.
The author states that Lord Hightower is in Old Town, from where he is ruled the cities. Otto is the Hand of the King when the story begins, the same position we see Ned Stark play to Robert at the beginning of Game of Thrones. Next comes the house Velaryon, the author says.
The Velaroyns were also a tenant of the Valyria Freehold, which was the greatest empire in at least the west, in my world. They came to Westeros before the Targaryens. They were not dragon lords however they were seafarers. At that time the Freehold of Valyria was in a good position to dominate trade from all the Westeros kingdoms and other places from the north. So they moved for reasons of commerce and wealth.
Corlys Velaryon is Lord Admiral and Masters of Ship, as his grandfather of the same name, who married Rhaenys Targaryen, the queen who never was. Dragon powers are powerful and can really turn the tide of a battle. So the Targaryens and their fear of Dragons were key factors in their strength.
House of the Dragon will premiere on August 21. Check out the new featurette below.