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The North Continent of Barrayar was divided into 60 districts, each ruled by a different District Count. There is not enough information to work out the arrangement in detail, but the following is known:

  • Vorpatril's District was along the northeastern coast; there were mountains.[1]
  • Vorbarra's District probably reached the east coast, but this is not certain. A river flowed east through the district, and the top of navigation for that river was in Vorbarr Sultana.[2] At least one other district was 3 hops away from Vorbarra's District.[3] There were three adjacent Districts.[4]
  • Vorkosigan's District was south of Vorbarra's, and landlocked.[5] It was considered a southern (hot) district.[6]
  • Vorrutyer's District was probably along the west coast.[7]
  • Vorinnis's District was adjacent to Vorbarra's, probably to the south and possibly also west of it.[8] Vorzohn's Dystrophy originated in this District.[9]
  • Vordarian's District was two hours away from Vorbarr Sultana by express monorail[10]; at least one district lay to the north of it.[11]
  • Vortaine's District was adjacent to Vorvolynkin's District, with water - probably a river - between them.[12]
  • Vorfolse's District was on the south coast.[13]
  • Vorbataille's District was southern.[14]

Random information about other districts that may help someday in locating them:

  • Vorbretten's District had Fort Kithera in it.[15]
  • Vorsmythe's District had an antigovernment group that tried to import proscribed weapons.[16]
  • Vormuir's District had underpopulation issues.[13]
  • Vormoncrief's District had a wine-making industry.[17]
  • Vorgarin's District was known for stroganoff.[1]
  • Vorlakial's District had Darkoi in it[18]
  • Vordrozda's District had Lorimel in it.[19]
  • An eastern coastal district had a group of people who tried to declare an independent republic at the end of Vordarian's Pretendership.[20]
  • Haroche was from a western district, with a faint provincial accent.[21]
  • Tanery Base was south of Vorkosigan's District, which was in turn south of another (Vorinnis, probably) that was south of Vorbarra's. (See Behind the scenes below.) From it, one could travel south to another District, then west to yet another, then northwest to a third one, then east to Vorinnis's District. (This was how to go around three sides of a hostile district.)[11]

Behind the scenes[]

Word of God about district layouts in the Northern Continent from August 12, 2016, during a Tor reread (see comment 51):

Tanery Base is in an unnamed district due south of the VK District, therefore very far south of the planetary and district capital Vorbarr Sultana.  (Which is a couple of districts due N. of the VKs.)  Cordelia’s route to it is roughly a wide loop to the west and south.  (She can’t go that far east because there’s an ocean.)

Word of God from March 30, 2001 (see here, about half-way down):

The Dendarii District, Vorbarr Sultana, etc., are all on the east side of their continent. The river running through Hassadar is not the same one as the river running through Vorbarr Sultana, though they both empty out the eastern seaboard, a couple hundred miles apart.

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 12
  2. A Civil Campaign chapter 6
  3. Memory chapter 9
  4. Memory chapter 28
  5. Memory chapter 10
  6. "The Mountains of Mourning"
  7. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance chapter 5
  8. Barrayar chapters 16,19
  9. Komarr chapters 15
  10. A Civil Campaign chapter 8
  11. 11.0 11.1 Barrayar chapter 15
  12. A Civil Campaign chapter 14
  13. 13.0 13.1 A Civil Campaign chapter 5
  14. "Winterfair Gifts"
  15. A Civil Campaign chapter 19
  16. Memory chapter 23
  17. A Civil Campaign chapter 12
  18. Barrayar chapter 1
  19. The Warrior's Apprentice chapter 18
  20. Barrayar chapter 19
  21. Memory chapter 4
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