# Hall-face — The Roots of the Mountains character guide

> Hall-face in The Roots of the Mountains by William Morris.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Hall - face, Hall, Hall - ward, the Steer

**First appearance:** 0001-the-roots-of-the-mountains

## Snapshot

An old carle of the Steer kindred who stands beneath the banner in the thick of battle, and whose harsh tidings of the Bride's fall nearly unmake Face-of-god.

## Who they are

Hall-face, called Hall-ward, is a leader of the Steer kindred, a veteran whose place is under the banner when the kindreds break the foe. When he believes the Bride has fallen, his bleak certainty—'she is dead'—strikes Face-of-god like a blade and drives the young man into a fury of slaughter. His grim honesty and the weight he carries as an elder of the Steer make him a measure of how dearly the Dalesmen's victory is bought, and his presence steadies the kindred even as his words wound.

## In the story

### [Of Burgstead and Its Folk and Its Neighbours](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/i-of-burgstead-and-its-folk-and-its-neighbours)

Listed among the prominent Dalesmen.

### [Of Face-of-God and His Kindred](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/ii-of-face-of-god-and-his-kindred)

Younger brother of Face-of-god, enters the hall with Iron-face and the Bride.

### [VII: Face-of-God Talketh with the Friend on the Mountain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/vii-face-of-god-talketh-with-the-friend-on-the-mountain)

Face-of-god's brother, praised as the Sword of their House.

### [Face-of-God Cometh Home Again to Burgstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/viii-face-of-god-cometh-home-again-to-burgstead)

Enters with the Alderman; is present at the hall but does not speak.

### [Those Brethren Fare to the Yew-Wood with the Bride](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/ix-those-brethren-fare-to-the-yew-wood-with-the-bride)

Bids Face-of-god to go to the Yew-wood; talks merrily with the Bride and works alongside them.

### [Stone-Face Telleth Concerning the Wood-Wights](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xii-stone-face-telleth-concerning-the-wood-wights)

Mentioned as one of the swains talking of hunting elks up the fells, with whom Gold-mane might go.

### [They Fare to the Hunting of the Elk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xiii-they-fare-to-the-hunting-of-the-elk)

Leads the hunt after the storm, expresses confidence in his brother's survival, and later embraces Face-of-god upon his return.

### [XVII: The Token Cometh from the Mountain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xvii-the-token-cometh-from-the-mountain)

Accompanies Face-of-god to deal with lambs and ewes, part of the daily routine.

### [XXII: Face-of-God Cometh Home to Burgstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxii-face-of-god-cometh-home-to-burgstead)

Relates the tale of the ambush by Dusky Men in the woods, the death of Iron-shield, and the intervention of the brown-clad men.

### [Talk in the Hall of the House of the Face](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxiii-talk-in-the-hall-of-the-house-of-the-face)

Leads the Hue-and-cry to the House of the Face and announces the good tidings to the hall.

### [Of the Gate-Thing at Burgstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxv-of-the-gate-thing-at-burgstead)

Testifies about the ambush in the wood, describing the attackers and the intervention of the wolf-like rescuers.

### [XXVII: Face-of-God Leadeth a Band Through the Wood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxvii-face-of-god-leadeth-a-band-through-the-wood)

Appointed leader of the first company, tasked with scouting north toward Boars-bait.

### [Hall-Face Goeth Toward Rosedale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxx-hall-face-goeth-toward-rosedale)

Proposes attacking Rosedale, is given command of a hundred men and Dallach to scout the wood, returns after seven days with rescued runaways but also with losses and wounded.

### [Of the Weapon-Show of the Men of Burgdale and Their Neighbours](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxxi-of-the-weapon-show-of-the-men-of-burgdale-and-their-neighbours)

Tall leader of a gallant company of the House of the Face.

### [Of the Folk-Mote of the Dalesmen, the Shepherd-Folk, and the Woodland Carles: The Banner of the Wolf Displayed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxxvii-of-the-folk-mote-of-the-dalesmen-the-shepherd-folk-and-the-woodland-carles-the-banner-of-the-wolf-displayed)

Bears the Banner of the Burg in front of his brother Face-of-god.

### [Of the Great Folk-Mote: Men Take Rede of the War-Faring, the Fellowship, and the War-Leader. Folk-Might Telleth Whence His People Came. The Folk-Mote Sundered](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xxxix-of-the-great-folk-mote-men-take-rede-of-the-war-faring-the-fellowship-and-the-war-leader-folk-might-telleth-whence-his-people-came-the-folk-mote-sundered)

Old Hall-ward of the House of the Steer speaks first, urging war and naming Face-of-god as leader.

### [The Host Departeth from Shadowy Vale: The First Day’s Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xli-the-host-departeth-from-shadowy-vale-the-first-day-s-journey)

Co-leads the rearward with Stone-face.

### [XLIV: Of the Onslaught of the Men of the Steer, the Bridge, and the Bull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xliv-of-the-onslaught-of-the-men-of-the-steer-the-bridge-and-the-bull)

Mentioned as the Bride's grandsire; she kneels nigh to him under the shadow of the spears while shooting.

### [Men Meet in the Market of Silverstead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xlvi-men-meet-in-the-market-of-silverstead)

Mentioned as a leader on the left flank with Folk-might and Stone-face.

### [XLVII: The Kindreds Win the Mote-House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/xlvii-the-kindreds-win-the-mote-house)

Fights beside Face-of-god on the northern stair, crying 'For the Burg and the Face!'

### [Of the Word Which Hall-Ward of the Steer Had for Folk-Might](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/chapters/liii-of-the-word-which-hall-ward-of-the-steer-had-for-folk-might)

Present at the oak-tree meeting; comments on his brother's woodcraft.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/characters/hall_face
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_roots_of_the_mountains_se/characters