kemmering-vow

This chapter recounts the tragic story of two brothers from the Hearth of Shath who vow kemmering to each other, a bond forbidden to last beyond the birth of a child. After one brother's suicide following the forced breaking of their vow, the surviving brother, Getheren, is exiled and wanders onto the Pering Ice, where he encounters a spectral version of his dead brother in a liminal, otherworldly place called 'the place inside the blizzard.' Ultimately, Getheren returns to the southern lands under a new name, and his death coincides with the restoration of prosperity to his homeland.

This chapter recounts a traditional tale from Karhide about the feud between the Domains of Stok and Estre, focusing on the story of two young men, Estraven of Estre and Therem of Stok, who overcome enmity through mutual aid and a vow of kemmering (faithfulness). Despite their efforts to reconcile their houses, Estraven is branded a traitor for ending the feud and ceding land to Stok, illustrating the heavy cost of peace in a culture driven by pride and territorial disputes.