Born in the slums of Flea Bottom, Dunk, as he was known, never knew his parents, and
so as a child survived by any means necessary, befriending other street children and working
together to collect meat from anything they could catch, to sell to local shops who used
it in the bowls of brown, commonly consumed by the residents of the impoverished area.
As a youth, he met Ser Arlan of Pennytree, a Hedge Knight who took him on as a squire,
teaching him of combat and knighthood as they travelled throughout the Seven Kingdoms, travelling
to tournaments or else contracting with local lords for a time.
Although Dunk was a self described monster in his childhood, Ser Arlan’s humility and
optimism proved a positive influence.
The two travelled together for many years, serving with the forces of House Dondarrion
in 206AC as they confronted a rebel Vulture King in Dorne, defeating and executing the
traitor.
In 209 AC Ser Arlan died of a chill as they journeyed to a tournament in Ashford Meadow
and so Dunk buried his mentor, inheriting his armor, weapons and horses.
Continuing on the journey, Dunk then encountered a young bald headed boy named Egg, and at
the boy’s request, made him his squire.
Once arrived at Ashford Meadow, he claimed Ser Arlan Knighted him before his death, though
many believe this was actually a lie, as no witnesses were present to dispute the claim.
And while he had some difficulty in verifying the existence of Ser Arlan of Pennytree, he
was eventually allowed to compete, when Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen spoke for
him, having once fought a memorable joust against the old Hedge Knight.
Ser Duncan then sold one of the horses to purchase new armor, and paid Tansell Too Tall,
a dornish puppeteer, to paint a sigil on his shield, choosing a shooting star above an
elm tree over a sunset field.
Tansell is later attacked by Prince Aerion Targaryen who took offense at the death of
a dragon in one of her puppet shows, until Ser Duncan intervened, striking Aerion down
to protect the girl.
However the Prince’s guards quickly captured Dunk and would have harmed him greatly, if
not for the revelation that the young boy Egg, was in fact Prince Aegon Targaryen, grandson
of the King and younger brother of Aerion.
Aegon was able to protect Ser Duncan from immediate punishment, but the knight was still
arrested and sentenced to the loss of a hand.
Ser Duncan then demanded Trial by Combat which Aerion made a Trial by Seven, likely fearing
that he may lose a one on one confrontation.
With the help of young Aegon, Ser Duncan assembled 5 of the 6 men he would need, in
Ser Steffon Fossoway, Ser Humfrey Hardyng, Ser Humfrey Beesbury, Ser Robyn Rhysling and
the laughing storm Ser Lyonel Baratheon.
However Ser Steffon betrayed his word and switched over to Prince Aerion’s side when
promised a Lordship.
Outraged by the dishonor, Raymun Fossoway was knighted by Ser Lyonel Baratheon, so he
might replace his cousin Steffon in the trial.
Still short one man, Ser Duncan made an appeal to the crowd, with Baelor Breakspear, heir
to the Iron Throne, becoming his final champion.
Prince Aerion then lined up his own team, including his brother Daeron and father Maekar,
as well as Ser Steffon Fossoway, and three Kingsguard in Willem Wylde, Donnel of Duskendale,
and Roland Crakehall.
Although Dunk’s inexperience in this form of combat nearly cost him his life, he proved
victorious, by using his superior strength and wrestling to defeat the Prince.
However much to Dunk’s regret, both Ser Humfrey Hardyng and Humfrey Beesbury were
killed in the fighting.
As well as Prince Baelor Breakspear, who initially survived the trial, but received a terrible
head wound, dying soon after.
Nevertheless, Dunk had proven himself an honorable knight, with Prince Maekar, father of Aerion
and Aegon, expressing regret for his eldest son’s actions, and asking that his youngest
son be allowed to continue on as Ser Duncan’s Squire, so he might learn from a positive
influence.
Duncan agreed but stipulated that he must be allowed to continue working as a Hedge
Knight, so Aegon can learn humility and the struggles of the small folk.
Maekar agrees yet insisted that his son go by the nickname Egg, to avoid the political
scandal of having a Targaryen Prince mixing with Hedge Knights and Commoners.
After the tournament, Dunk and Egg went in search of the Dornish woman Tanselle Too Tall,
losing one of their horses as they travelled through Dorne, later replaced by a mule named
Maester.
During a journey to Old Town, their ship was raided by pirates, allowing for young Aegon
first experience in combat at sea.
They then went to work for Ser Eustace Osgrey of Standfast, who was in conflict with House
Webber of Coldmoat, over rights to the Chequy Waters.
Dunk then had a romantic connection with Lady Rohanne Webber, and ultimately wanted to quit
his service to Ser Eustace, after discovering he had sided with the Blackfyres in the First
Blackfyre Rebellion.
However upon seeing how badly House Webber outnumber the Osgrey forces, Ser Duncan chose
to stay, asking for a trial by combat to decide the issue.
The Hedge Knight fought Ser Lucas Longinch in a vicious battle, that saw Ser Duncan almost
drowned, but ultimately victorious.
Yet when he recovered from his injuries, he learned that Ser Eustace and Lady Rohanne
had settled their dispute through a marriage alliance.
Feeling betrayed and rejected, Duncan refused the position they offered him as Captain of
their guard, and even refused the horse offered by Lady Rohanne as an apology, instead merely
kissing her passionately before departing.
Sometime later, Dunk and Egg began to journey North, having heard that Lord Beron Stark
was hiring warriors to help defend the coast from Ironborn raiders.
But along the way they met a number of Lords and Knights travelling to Whitewalls, for
the wedding of Lord Ambrose Butterwell to a daughter of House Frey.
A hedge knight named John the Fiddler then invited him along, telling him of tourney
to be held with a dragon egg as the grand prize.
John the Fiddler, then later informed Duncan that he sometimes has prophetic dreams which
always come true, and saw a vision of the tall Knight one day wearing the armor of the
Kingsguard.
As they joined the festivities, young Aegon noticed that many of those in attendance were
once supporters of Daemon Blackfyre during his rebellion years earlier and grew suspicious.
Meanwhile Dunk joined the tournament only to be defeated and nearly killed in the first
round.
In accordance with tradition, Ser Duncan now had to give his arms and armor over to Ser
Uthor Underleaf who defeated him, and unfortunately lacked the coin to ransom it back.
In addition Ser Uthor warned him of a potential threat, revealing that someone offered a bribe
to kill the Hedge Knight during their joust.
Ser Duncan then learned that the Dragon Egg had been stolen, with his friend Ser Glendon
Ball arrested for the crime.
Lord Alyn Cockshaw, then attacked the Hedge Knight, revealing he was behind the bribe
to Ser Uthor, jealous of the attention Dunk had received from John the Fiddler.
And while Duncan was injured in the attack he managed to defeat his assailant by throwing
him down a well.
With events quickly spiraling out of control, Duncan sought his squire, finding him as he
confronted Lord Ambrose Butterwell, claiming that he knew of their Blackfyre Connection,
even falsely claiming that his father Prince Maekar was on his way with an army.
Duncan then is forced to kill Black Tom Heddle who attacked young Aegon and while Egg flees,
the Hedge Knight distracts John the Fiddler, who was now revealed to be Daemon Blackfyre
II, gathering supporters at Whitewalls for a Second Blackfyre Rebellion.
Dunk claimed that Ser Glendon Ball* had been falsely arrested by the Blackfyre supporter
Lord Gorman Peake, concerning the theft of the dragon egg, and so Daemon called for a
trial by combat to prove the issue.
However Daemon Blackfyre II was soundly defeated in the fight, even knocked into the mud, causing
those in attendance to snicker and nickname him the Brown Dragon.
Hand of the King Brynden Rivers, also known as Bloodraven, then arrived at the castle
with an army of Targaryen loyalists, having been alerted by his informants of the potential
Blackfyre supporters being gathered.
And while Daemon Blackfyre attempted to rally the soldiers of the castle and knights in
attendance to join his cause, he found no support, with his defeat in single combat
having lost him credibility.
Desperate, he then challenged Bloodraven to single combat but was instead arrested and
taken into custody.
Ser Gorman Peake was then executed for his support of the Blackfyres, and Lord Butterwell
stripped of 9/10ths of his family wealth, as well as losing Whitewalls which was torn
down.
Young Aegon also insisted that Duncan and those that stood against the rebellion be
rewarded.
As a result, Duncan was given the coin needed to ransom back his equipment from Ser Uthor
and was informed that it had been Bloodraven who arranged for the Dragon Egg to be stolen
in the first place.
The Hedge knight and his squire then continued on their journey, headed north, where some
claim he became involved with a woman of Winterfell, after Bran Stark, decades later, saw a vision
of the past, in which a tall man kissed a slender brown haired girl in front of a Heart
Tree.
This has led some to speculate, that the woman may have been Old Nan, and that Hodor is therefore
a descendant of Ser Duncan.
Now known to all of Westeros as Ser Duncan the Tall, he went on to prove Deamon Blackfyre’s
vision true, by becoming a Kingsguard and later Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, in
order to continue protecting his friend and former squire Egg, who grew up to become King
Aegon V. In honor of his mentor and old friend, Aegon
named his firstborn son and heir Duncan, becoming known as Duncan the Small.
The former Hedge Knight would go on to proudly serve his king in any way needed, from personally
escorting Lord Bloodraven and Maester Aemon to the Wall, when they took their vows for
the night’s watch, to fighting alongside Targaryen forces in the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion,
killing Daemon Blackfyre III in single combat.
When Prince Duncan the Small broke off his betrothal to the daughter of Lord Lyonel Baratheon,
in favor of marrying a common woman named Jenny of Oldstones, the Baratheon Lord was
outraged, declaring himself Storm King in open rebellion against the Iron Throne.
To avoid further bloodshed, Ser Duncan the Tall fought the Laughing Storm in a trial
by combat, defeating him and ending the rebellion.
In 253 AC, Lord Commander Duncan was defeated at a winter tourney by a mystery knight, who
was later revealed to be a 16 year old Barristan Selmy, who was knighted for his exceptional
performance.
For years, King Aegon ruled as a just and beloved ruler, having learned many lessons
from his days as a squire, implementing new rights for the common people and working on
their behalf.
However it all came to an end in 259 AC, during the tragedy at Summerhall, where many believe
a ritual to hatch dragon eggs went awry, causing an explosion and devastating fire which killed
the King and his first born son.
Lord Commander Duncan was also killed during the event, but the writings of Archmaester
Gyldyn, suggest he may have had a role in saving others before his own demise.
Although much of the story was lost when ink spilled on the archmaesters writings, the
surviving fragments claim others may have …died, but for the valor of the Lord Comman…
This has led some to speculate that perhaps upon seeing the death of the king, the prince
and much of the royal court, Ser Duncan concerned himself with ensuring that the King’s granddaughter
Rhaella Targaryen, and her newborn son Rhaegar, escaped the flames.
And while Ser Duncan may have died at Summerhall, his legacy lives on, with some now convinced
that the tall female warrior Brienne of Tarth may be one of his descendants, as evidenced
by a shield with Ser Duncan’s sigil found decades later in Brienne’s childhood home
of Evenfall Hall.