Kyril Island was an island up near the arctic circle on the planet Barrayar. Lazkowski Base, sometimes called Camp Permafrost, was a winter training base for infantry on the island. A posting there was generally given as punishment; it was the least-desirable place to work on all of Barrayar. Permafrost Inversion Zones were essentially frozen mud-lakes; warmth, such as the engine heat of a scat-cat, would cause the mud to thaw, leading to the scat-cat sinking into the ground. Alcohol abuse was rampant on the island.