Chapter 2, The Place Inside the Blizzard Summary

An old Karhidish tale tells of how, about 200 years ago in the Hearth of Shath, two brothers vowed kemmering to each other. Incest is permitted, but not between full brothers to keep kemmer after childbirth and the Lord of Shath commands them to break their vow of lifelong kemmering. One of the two then commits suicide, and the people of the Hearth rise up against the remaining brother, blaming him for the other's suicide and driving him out of the Domain. Before leaving, he lays a curse upon the Hearth and is pursued, but he outruns his would-be murderers to the Pering Ice, which is contiguous with the Gobrin Ice of Orgoreyn. For two days he walks on the ice without food or shelter.

On the second night the brother lies down, on...