The man met Dolins, Calaila, Thaddeus, and Teddy at the river crossing near Widow’s Ford in the later part of 283 AC. He asked directions to Harrenhal but seemed more intent on talking with the travelers than with his destination. He asked much and revealed little; ultimately he convinced Dolins and that Calaila had lifted coins from his purse (a falsehood). Content with the discontent he had sown he took his leave.

Members of House Jasper next encountered him on the Searoad in October of 285 AC. The curious man sparked Thad’s inquisitive nature at the bridge crossing The Mander. The maester stopped for a chat, which inadvertently prevented Calaila from crossing the bridge. Thad was charmed by the old man’s wit and they parted as friends.

The traveler next met the party from House Jasper at the ferry to cross the Mander west of Dunstonbury. The old man had entangled Ser Bert in a riddle and the knight could not recall how long he had been waylaid. The riddle was:

I was in the sea where scaly fish once swarmed,
But with changed fate my nature’s frame reformed.
I feel hot pains from the fire’s torrid glow,
Indeed my surface gleams like ash and snow.

Bert (with guidance from Gregoriy) eventually guessed “glass”, which was accepted though it was not what the old man originally sought. Gregoriy questioned him about who he is and his background but came up with little in the way of concrete answers. Teddy insulted his riddle before boarding the ferry. Gregoriy shared he would like to try the riddle again in the future to find the true answer.