The Vallen Roads

A sheltered roadstead on the Vallenmark's north-east shore below the Caer Vallen reach — the mainland gate of the Rimeward crossing, where the Korl dead-ships and the living ferries ride at anchor waiting on the Frostcrown's weather.

The Roads are not a town so much as a habit the coast fell into: good holding-ground in the lee of the Caer Vallen headland, a stone slip, a rope-walk, and the tally-shed where the High Moot's factor counts what crosses. Everything bound for the Rimeward waits here — grain and iron going out, whale-oil and rime-wool coming back, and on still mornings the dead-ships, riding low, that no tally names. Sailors reckon the crossing by the Frostcrown's shoulders and will not put out when the mountain 'wears its hood'. A handful of stilt-houses, a chandler, and one inn whose landlord keeps a Korl guest-bench by the door and a harpoon over it.