In the year 281 AC, Lord Walter Whent of Harrenhal chose to honor his maiden daughter’s nameday
by hosting what many considered the greatest tourney of all time.
Yet beyond the splendour, pageantry and rich prizes, the event became shrouded in controversy
when Prince Rhaegar Targaryen passed over his wife to name Lyanna Stark, the betrothed
of Lord Robert Baratheon, as the Queen of Love and Beauty, thereby sowing the seeds
for a terrible civil war which later erupted across the continent.
Yet this was far from the only controversy to surround this infamous tournament, as the
nobility played the game of thrones behind the scenes, with some suggesting the entire
ordeal was conceived and financed by a shadow host, as Lord Whent was not wealthy enough
to explain such extravagance.
When the Master of Whisperers Varys the Spider informed Aerys II that his son Rhaegar may
be using the tournament as an excuse to meet with the great Lords of Westeros to discuss
deposing the king.
Aerys left the capital for the first time in years to arrive in Harrenhal and disrupt
his sons plans, but also weakened his image with the public who saw his physical deterioration,
prompted by growing madness and paranoia.
In addition to the games of politics and ambition played throughout the event, a number of smaller
intrigues also emerged throughout the tournament, such as the sudden appearance of the Knight
of the Laughing Tree, a mystery knight who dominated the competition for a single day
before vanishing forever.
Years later, when Meera and Jojen Reed journeyed with Brandon Stark North on a quest to the
find the 3 eyed crow, they told him the story about one of their people, a crannogman, who
left his home in the marshlands of the neck, to journey south so he might learn new magics
from the reclusive Green Men on the Isle of Faces.
This man who was likely to be Meera and Jojen’s father Howland Reed, stayed with the Green
Men for the winter and departed in the year of the false spring, 281 AC, just in time
to see the tourney of harrenhal unfolding along the banks of the river, and decided
to enjoy the festivities before returning home.
Yet as he explored and enjoying his day, he was suddenly surrounded by three squires,
all younger than the small crannogman but larger, who mocked his people, took his spear
and pushed him to the ground.
The assault then continued as they kicked him into the mud, until the she-wolf Lyanna
Stark pulled out a sword and came to his rescue, declaring that the man was loyal to her father
before chasing them away.
Bringing him to her tent, she treated his wounds and introduced him to her 3 brothers,
Brandon, Eddard and Benjen Stark.
Treating him as an honoured guest, they invited Howland to a great feast, and there spotted
his attackers, seeing one in service to a knight with a pitchfork as his sigil, another
to a man with a porcupine, and the last a man from the twin towers of frey.
Although Benjen Stark offered to find him a horse and armor to take revenge, Howland
feared losing the competition and bringing shame to his house, as he knew little of fighting
with a horse and lance.
However on the second day of jousting, a mystery knight, small of stature and wearing mismatched
armor, enlisted in the tournament, called the knight of the laughing tree because he
held a shield displaying a white weirwood with a laughing red face.
By the late afternoon all 3 of the knight’s whose squires attacked Howland Reed, held
places as champions, and one by one the mystery competitor defeated them all, taking their
horses and armor as rightful winnings.
When the Knights went to pay the ransom for their belongings, the mysterious figure bellowed
out in a deep voice “Teach your squires honor, that shall be ransom enough.”
All three knights then sharply chastised those who had attacked Howland Reed, and so the
Crannogman was avenged.
But the identity of the Mystery knight was not yet revealed, and after winning the attention
of nobles and commoners alike, many clamoured to know the truth, with great Lords like Robert
Baratheon vowing to unmask the competitor the following day.
The Knight of the Laughing tree even caught the attention of the king, who encouraged
his own soldiers to defeat him and reveal the truth.
Yet when they awoke the next day, the Mystery Knight was gone, leaving no trace save for
the painted shield, hanging in a tree.
Although the identity of this figure was never revealed, some believed it was the crannogman
himself, Howland Reed who took up the shield to take his vengeance, while others believe
that it was one of the Stark brothers acting on his behalf, or perhaps even Lyanna Stark,
who was known to have some skill as a fighter.