Valysar

Valysar is a walled town on the lower Rhoyne, one of the three major river towns between the Sorrows and Volantis. Haldon Halfmaester describes it as a place so large it would be considered a city in the Seven Kingdoms, with orchards, vineyards, fields of grain, fisherfolk, hot baths, and sweet wines. The town is a significant landmark on the journey downriver, marking the transition from the haunted, fog-shrouded Sorrows to the more settled and prosperous lands of the lower Rhoyne.

Geography and Setting

Valysar is situated on the eastern bank of the Rhoyne, making it more vulnerable to Dothraki raids than its sister towns across the river. It is a walled settlement, with sandstone walls and towers and domes visible from the river. The town is ruled from Old Volantis, and its port is busy with river galleys and other vessels. The surrounding countryside is fertile, with orchards, vineyards, and fields of grain.

Events at Valysar

The Shy Maid moors at Valysar after passing through the Sorrows. While there, the crew hears news of war from a passing boat, learning that the triarchs Nyessos and Malaquo have made common cause, a development that Griff finds troubling. The town is also a place where the travelers encounter the aftermath of the Sorrows, as Tyrion Lannister, having nearly drowned after a stone man grabbed him, is brought back to the Shy Maid and treated for possible greyscale. The town's proximity to the Dothraki threat is underscored by reports of Dothraki riders moving south along the river's eastern shore.

Narrative Significance

Valysar serves as a crucial checkpoint on the Shy Maid's journey, a place where the travelers receive news of the wider world and assess the political landscape. It is a point of relative safety and civilization after the dangers of the Sorrows, but also a place where the looming war and the threat of the Dothraki are made palpable. The town's description as a place of comfort and trade contrasts sharply with the desolation of the Sorrows, highlighting the journey's progression from peril to relative safety.