Fal Dara

Book

TV show

Author: Toral Delvar

General

Fal Dara is a large town in the north of Shienar. It is the seat of Lord Agelmar Jagad. It stands on the site of the Ogier built city of Mafal Dadaranell, once part of Aramaelle, but that city was totally destroyed in the Trolloc Wars and Fal Dara lacks its beauty, instead being a stark and simple place (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 20). The Waygate of Mafal Dadaranell still exists, a few miles to the south of Fal Dara (TEotW, Ch. 46). The city is nowhere near as big as Caemlyn, though the walls surrounding it are equal in size, with many tall towers topped by wooden hoardings (TEotW, Ch. 46). It is built on hills higher than the surrounding countryside and like many Shienaran towns, the area for a mile round it is cleared (TEotW, Ch. 46). The road to the capital Fal Moran, is through the King's Gate (TEotW, Ch. 48). It is burned during the Last Battle to prevent the Trolloc army from finding anything useful there (AMoL, Ch. 16)

City Layout and Buildings

Houses in the town have sharp peaked wooden roofs, running almost to the ground, which helps keep off a build-up of snow during winter (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 20). At the centre of the city is the keep.

The Keep

The keep is the fortress in the centre of Fal Dara on the highest point of the hill, surrounded by a large dry moat, with sharp spikes as tall as a man embedded in the bottom. Inside the keep, in the courtyard, are several smithies (TEotW, Ch. 46). Within the keep itself, the corridors have colourful tapestries and silk screens of hunting scenes and battles, the halls stark except for minimalistic wall hangings (TEotW, Ch. 46).

Several gates lead out of the keep, including the Carter's Gate for the Kitchens, a gate by the Lord's stable for when Lord Agelmar goes hunting, and the Dog Gate at the back of a keep, just tall and wide enough for one man at a time (TGH, Ch. 2; Ch. 3).

People and Customs

The city is very much packed, though the crowds lack the eagerness of cities like Caemlyn (TEotW, Ch. 46).

They are familiar with the Ogier and honour them with the words "Kisereai ti wansho" or "glory to the builders (TEotW, Ch. 46), to which the response is "I am unworthy and the work small, Tsingu ma chobal."