Einar of Clan Demelak pushed his way through the throng of Khuzdul gathered in the grand Hall of Ranzad. The scent of smoke and sweat hung heavy in the air, and the sound of so many dwarves crammed into one area deafened him. The wheezing coughs of the elderly. The cries of babies. The shuffling of feet and jangling of gear. The excited chatter about witnessing this historic event. It all wove into a blanket of dissonance, an undertone for the palpable eagerness filling the air.

Since most Khuzdul in the crowd were women, children, or elderly menfolk — well over a thousand at this point — Einar was careful not to jostle anyone too hard in his haste. But his desire to get to the front of the throng overrode his sense of common decency, and he bumped into an elderly woman holding a baby. She repaid his transgression with a scornful look...

The Carnage of Kiraz is set in an ancient Khuzdul (Dwarf) city on the island of Hârn, a realistic medieval fantasy role-playing setting published by Columbia Games since 1983.

Columbia Games and its team have been pleased to support Maxwell Alexander Drake on this novella. We hope you will enjoy this look into the rich history of the fantasy world of Hârn.