The Vale lies to the east of the Riverlands, surrounded almost completely by the Mountains of the Moon. It consists of vast mountain ranges with the people living in valleys between them and along the coast.

The Vale is under the rulership of House Arryn, one of the oldest lines of Andal nobility who once were called King of Mountain and Vale. Their seat, the Eyrie, is a castle high in the mountains, small but unassailable. The only way to the top is a treacherous goat path. Due to the Vale's harsh winters, travel is only possible through the mountains during certain seasons. Rebellious mountain clans make travel even more dangerous. Bastards born in the Vale are given the surname Stone.