View source for Talk: Tourney at Ashford Meadow

==Analysis of the trial of seven==
While I have yet to read the novella, the graphic novel makes it look like Ser Raymun gave a rather good showing.  To witness:

First match:

*1) Rhysling vs Crakehall
*2) Hardyng vs Steffon
*3) Baratheon vs Daeron
*4) Duncan vs Aerion
*5) Baelor vs Maekar
*6) Beesbury vs Donnel
*7) Raymun vs Wylde

For the defenders - 5 and 7; we know that Maekar and Wylde were both thrown out of their horses at that time.

For the attackers - 2 and 6; both Hardyng and Beesbury were mortally wounded by their opponents, although it took more time for Hardyng to actually die.

3 must have gone for the defenders, since Lyonel Baratheon was soon free to join Baelor against Maekar.  Apparently Daeron offered minimal resistance to Baratheon (as promised) before finally being taken down by Rhysling.

1 was a stalemate for a while; Rhysling and Crakehall are both mounted and fighting each other when Dunk looks at them, at a time when at least five fighters had been seriously wounded or dismounted.  We later learn that Crakehall stopped fighting to help Donnel out of the field, while Rhysling took Daeron down.

4 went for the attacker (Aerion) initially, but Dunk went through something of a berserker rage and gave Aerion a very humbling defeat, deciding the trial.


Apparently the newly-knighted Ser Raymun Fossoway made short work of Kingsguard member Willem Wylde, removing him from the fight from the get-go and becoming free to handle his cousin.  He did not even have any evident injuries by the time the trial ended, despite having faced at least two different opponents and being in a fight that took three lives in all and had four others suffering obviously significant injuries (not counting Daeron).

All in all, a pretty poor showing for the Kingsguard, except for Donnel of Duskendale, who killed Beesbury before being defeated by Prince Baelor (whom he couldn't even attempt to defeat by virtue of his vows).  And an impressive showing for Ser Raymun Fossoway and, of course, for Ser Duncan the Tall himself.

Less obvious, but still noteworthy, is Rhysling's skill at defeating Crakehall.  It wasn't a one-hit victory, but Kingsguard aren't supposed to be easy to defeat.

As for Baratheon, it seems that he cooperated with Daeron's intent, refusing to hurt him seriously or even to pursue him further than strictly necessary.  He chose instead to help Baeron against Maekar, leaving it to Rhysling to "defeat" Daeron - a mere formality, actually.

Maekar confirmed his reputation of not being quite as good as Baelor, but all in all he had a fairly good showing.  It is no shame to lose to Prince Baelor ''and'' the Laughing Storm working together... [[User:LuisDantas|LuisDantas]] 01:22, 24 December 2011 (UTC)