The Cannibal as depicted by Douglas Wheatley in Fire & Blood
|In or before 114 BC (purportedly), Dragonstone
Appearance and Character
The Cannibal was black as coal, with menacing green eyes. He was the largest and oldest of the three completely wild dragons dwelling on Dragonstone, the other two being Sheepstealer and Grey Ghost.
The Cannibal's exact age has not yet been stated. The wild dragon Sheepstealer is said to have hatched "when the Old King was still young", which could be in the early years of reign of Jaehaerys I Targaryen or, more generally, during his youth, and Cannibal is said to have been the eldest and largest of the wild dragons having taken part in the Sowing, being therefore even older than Sheepstealer. Some among the smallfolk of Dragonstone claimed that the Cannibal lived on the island even before the Targaryens arrived in 114 BC, a possibility that would make him, despite his size not being considered bigger than that of Vhagar and Vermithor, the oldest living dragon in Westeros at the time of the Dance of the Dragons, even older than Vhagar. If the Cannibal was from a different lineage of dragons altogether, that might also have explained why it was so antagonistic to the other Targaryen dragons. However, Grand Maester Munkun and Septon Eustace doubt these claims.
The Cannibal was known to attack smaller dragons. He laired at the back of the Dragonmont, on its eastern side. Prior to the Dance of the Dragons, would-be dragontamers had made attempts to ride him a dozen times, and his lair was littered with their bones. When Prince Jacaerys Velaryon called for dragonriders in 129 AC, none of the dragonseeds who attempted to tame the wild dragons were foolish enough to disturb the Cannibal due to his reputation - and any who were, did not return to tell the tale. However, when Silver Denys tried to master Sheepstealer, the dragon tore off his arm. As his sons struggled to stanch his wound, the Cannibal descended on them, drove off Sheepstealer, and devoured Silver Denys and his sons.
In 130 AC, when the carcass of the Grey Ghost was discovered at the Dragonmont's base, burned and broken, torn apart and partially devoured, Dragonstone's castellan Ser Robert Quince was quick to name the Cannibal as the killer (though in truth it was actually Sunfyre). Some fisherfolk began to worry that the dragon would attack them as well, and urged Ser Robert to send knights to kill the Cannibal. He refused, reasoning that if they left the dragon alone he would not bother them, and forbade fishing in the waters to the east of the Dragonmont, where Grey Ghost's body had been found. However, Lady Baela Targaryen was not satisfied with this explanation, and proposed to discover the truth herself, as she had no fear of the Cannibal and her dragon Moondancer could outfly him. But Ser Robert barred her from taking the risk, and confined Baela to her chambers.
In 132 AC, it was said that during the burial at sea of Lord Corlys Velaryon, the Cannibal took wing and flew to salute the deceased. However, Archmaester Gyldayn notes this may be a later embellishment of the story, since the Cannibal would be more likely to eat the corpse than salute it.
Some time after the end of the Dance, the Cannibal vanished.
If we do not trouble him, the Cannibal will not trouble us.
- Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold.
- The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
- Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
- Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.
- Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
- The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
- Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
"Kinywaji cha watu kama inavyoonyeshwa na Douglas Wheatley katika ""Moto na Damu"" (katika au kabla ya 114 KK) - ""Dragonstone"" - ""Kinywaji cha watu kama vile makaa ya mawe, na macho ya kijani yenye kutisha." Yeye alikuwa mkubwa na mzee zaidi kati ya joka tatu za mwitu kabisa zilizokaa kwenye Dragonstone, wengine wawili wakiwa Sheepstealer na Grey Ghost. Umri halisi wa Cannibal bado haujatajwa. "Dragoni huyo mwitu, Sheepstealer, alibaki katika nyumba ya mfalme wakati wa utawala wa Jaeherys I Targaryen, na Cannibal alikuwa mkubwa zaidi kati ya joka la mwitu, na hivyo alikuwa ""mzee zaidi kuliko Sheepstealer.""" Baadhi ya watu wa Dragonstone walisema kwamba Cannibal aliishi kwenye kisiwa hicho hata kabla ya Targaryens kufika mnamo 114 KK, uwezekano ambao unamfanya, licha ya ukubwa wake, asiyechukuliwa kuwa mkubwa kuliko Varghar na Vermithor, joka la zamani zaidi linaloishi huko Westeros wakati wa Dansi ya Dragons. Kama Cannibal alikuwa kutoka ukoo tofauti kabisa wa joka, hiyo inaweza pia kuwa alielezea kwa nini ilikuwa hivyo antagonistic kwa Targaryen wengine joka. Hata hivyo, Grand Maester Munkun na Septon Eustace wanashuku madai haya. Cannibal alijulikana kushambulia joka ndogo. Alikaa nyuma ya Mlima wa Dragon, upande wake wa mashariki. Kabla ya dansi ya joka, wanaotaka kuwa wapanda-dara walikuwa wamejaribu kumsonga mara kadhaa, na pango lake lilikuwa limejaa mifupa yao. Wakati Prince Jacaerys Velarion aliomba dragonriders katika 129 AD, hakuna mmoja wa dragonseeds ambao walijaribu tamize dragons mwitu walikuwa wapumbavu kutosha kusumbua Cannibal kutokana na sifa yake, na yeyote ambaye alikuwa, hakuwa na kurudi kuwaambia hadithi. Hata hivyo, wakati Silver Denys alijaribu kumshinda Sheepstealer, joka lilimkata mkono. Wanawe walipokuwa wakijitahidi kumfunga jeraha lake, Mla-Mwitu aliwashambulia, akamfukuza Mwizi wa Kondoo, na kumla Silver Denys na wanawe. "Mwaka 130 BC, wakati mwili wa Grey Ghost ulipogunduliwa kwenye msingi wa Dragonmont, uliochomwa na kuvunjika, kugawanyika na kuharibiwa, ""Castellan"" wa Dragonstone, Ser Robert Quince, alikuwa haraka kumtaja Cannibal kama muuaji (ingawa kwa kweli alikuwa Sunfire)." Wavuvi walianza kuogopa kwamba joka hilo lingewashambulia wao pia, na wakamsihi Ser Robert atumie wapiganaji ili wamwue Mla-Mwitu. Alikataa, akisema kwamba kama wangemwacha yule joka peke yake, asingewasumbua, na akawakataza kuvua samaki katika maji ya mashariki ya Dragonmont, ambapo mwili wa Grey Ghost ulipatikana. Hata hivyo, Lady Baela Targaryen hakuridhika na ufafanuzi huu, na alipendekeza kugundua ukweli mwenyewe, kwani hakuwa na hofu ya Cannibal na joka lake Moondance angeweza kuruka zaidi. Lakini Ser Robert alimzuia asichukue hatari hiyo, na kumfunga Baela katika vyumba vyake. Katika mwaka wa 132 KK, wakati wa mazishi ya Bwana Corliss Valarion baharini, Cannibal alipaa na kuruka kwa heshima ya marehemu. Hata hivyo, Mwalimu Mkuu Gyldayn anasema kwamba huenda hilo lilikuwa jambo la baadaye, kwa kuwa ni uwezekano mkubwa kwamba Mla-Mwitu angekula maiti hiyo badala ya kuisalimu. Muda fulani baada ya mwisho wa Dansi, Mla-Mwitu alitoweka. Kama hatumkasirishi, yule Mla-Mwitu hatatutatanisha. - Moto na Damu, Kifo cha Dragons - Red Dragon na Dhahabu. - Ulimwengu wa Barafu na Moto, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II. - Moto na Damu, Kifo cha Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant. - Moto na Damu, Kifo cha Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown. - Moto na Damu, Kifo cha Dragons - Muda mfupi, huzuni utawala wa Aegon II. - Ulimwengu wa Barafu na Moto, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III. - Moto na Damu, Chini ya Regents - Mkono Hooded.