No one is sure of the Lower Valley. No one is sure what it is. It could be an extension of Crossover’s Upper Valley. Or maybe not. At the far end of that Lower Valley, there’s a place that Rangers call the Zilch, a white wall of nothingness. Those who approach it slowly become less solid, and without a solid body, there’s no way to continue on. But Rangers have a trick. Just at the point where they start to lose their substance, they can will themselves on and through—on to the World of Dreams. That’s not the only way of entering the World of Dreams, but it’s one of the ways to get there, and Rangers make use of it.

There are other risks in the Lower Valley as well. One is the fog, or something much like fog. Those who leave the side of Settlement Creek and head off into the fog are all too likely to lose their way and wander helplessly. And off in the fog are Moodies, floating blobs that hit you with various emotions, turning you inexplicably angry or maybe joyful or sad.