Forum:All roads lead to King's Landing

I'm trying to make sure I get information on the major roads/highways of Westeros correct:


 * The Kingsroad runs from Storm's End through Kings Landing and then past Winterfell to Castle Black.
 * The Goldroad runs between Casterly Rock/Lannisport and King's Landing, exiting the southwestern Westerlans then following the course of the Blackwater River.
 * The Roseroad between Highgarden and King's Landing.
 * The Searoad between Highgarden and Casterly Rock.
 * The River Road system.

The Roseroad and Highgarden
My first point is about the roads that meet at Highgarden. Werthead added to the Searoad article back in July that the "Ocean Road" links Highgarden and Oldtown, and thus the whole thing isn't called the "Roseroad". However, A Wiki of Ice and Fire's entry on "Ocean Road" cites the book maps (and only the maps) saying that it runs between Highgarden and Old Oaks, which is *north* of Highgarden, and indeed, along the Searoad.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered this: the first four books in the series label the road between Highgarden and Lannisport "the Searoad", AND the HBO TV Series map has labelled it "the Searoad", BUT the map in book 5 A Dance With Dragons uses the label "the Ocean Road" without explanation. I don't know who made the ADWD map but it seems different from past ones:  I suspect this is an error in publication (similar to in Tolkien when early print runs had "Kirith Ungol" instead of "Cirith Ungol"...even though its pronounced as a Hard C, resulting in me pronouncing it for years with a soft C like a fool...).

Given that not only the TV series universe, but the first four books, list it as "Searoad" I suggest that we consider "Ocean Road" just an error. Also, the maps don't actually call the Oldtown-Highgarden link the "Ocean Road" so I think its all "the Roseroad". ***Can anyone cite contradicting examples from the text of the books?

Can someone make a footnote about this discrepancy on AWOIAF? --The Dragon Demands (talk) 22:40, September 18, 2012 (UTC)

The River Road and the Crossroads
The River Road clearly starts at Lannisport/Casterly Rock and runs to "the Crossroads", where it turns into the "High Road" (or Eastern Road). I assume that the Eastern Road runs to the Eyrie and Gulltown.

The Crossroads is stated in the books to be NORTH of the Trident River, and is relatively near the point where all three forks converge at Ruby Ford.

I was confused at first by book maps that don't show this area in good resolution, but the TV series map on HBO's website makes it abundantly clear: the River Road and the Kingsroad actually across the Trident at two separate points.

Given that the Battle of the Trident is called "of the Trident", it stands to reason that it wouldn't make sense to call it that if it was at the EASTERN, Kingsroad crossing, which is further away from the confluence of the Trident, thus the "Ruby Ford" is the point when the River Road, not the Kingsroad, crosses the Trident.

In which case does the crossing of the Kingsroad even have an official name?

Previously I thought Ruby Ford was the Kingsroad crossing, I will change things to reflect this new information.

HOWEVER, the A Wiki of Ice and Fire page says that the Ruby Ford is the Kingsroad crossing. It also says that it was fought on "the Green Fork" which doesn't make sense as either of the two roads crosses after all three forks have converged.

Moreover, why would they fight at the Trident river crossing at all? Coming from the Battle of the Bells, the combined rebel army of Bartheon, Stark, Tully, and Arryn was actually coming up from southwest of God's Eye lake, well south of the Trident. Why go north of God's Eye instead of south? They actually could have just followed the Goldroad down the Blackwater to reach King's Landing....why did they turn north? I would assume because most of the rebel-held regions were in the north -- the North and the Vale, as opposed to perilously close to the Reach and Dorne. If we ever get more prequel flashbacks of this I want to see why they went north.

Even so...why would they fight at a river ford, of all places? My weak guess is that the rebels may have gone over the Trident at one point to consolidate, then doubled back.

Does anyone have information from the forthcoming Lands of Ice and Fire and Worlds of Ice and Fire which sheds light on this?--The Dragon Demands (talk) 22:40, September 18, 2012 (UTC)

Miscellaneous
The Boneway and Prince's Pass into Dorne aren't actual "roads" right? They're hazardous mountain passes (geographical features) but regular trade doesn't pass the central desert of Dorne, everything is done by sea trade. --The Dragon Demands (talk) 22:40, September 18, 2012 (UTC)