“The Shards had none of the dark lushness of the western forests. Even the trees, most of them pine, seemed pale with thirst, and the tall balls of brush edging the road were harsh tangles of whip-like branches and dusty leaves that buzzed with insects.”

The brothel, the Broken Bottle tavern, the whipping post, and the poisonous well called Deep Gertie are in the Shards.