Karak Hirn Final

8/18/2019 Karak Hirn Final

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Karak Hirn:Heart of the Hornberg

By Alfred Nuñez Jr.

Special thanks for the comments, editorial work and suggestions provided by

John Foody, Jude Hornborg, Rich Pingree, and Dan Wray

Expanded concept of kinhalls an kinhearths by Dan Wray and used with permission

Woodcut from www.Godecookery.com

Obligatory Copyright Statement

TheKarak Hirn: Heart of the Hornberg sourcebook is intended to be a completely unofficial

addition to Warhammer Fantasy RolePlay owned by Games Workshop (GW). All relevanttrademarks and copyrights are used without permission and in no way meant to challengeownership to them by GW. TheKarak Hirn: Heart of the Hornberg sourcebook fullyrecognises said copyright and trademark ownership. Where possible, this effort conforms to th'official' nature of the Warhammer World, and does so with the full acknowledgement of theintellectual ownership and legal copyright ownership of that material.


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Karak Hirn: Heart of the HornbergAlfred Nuñez Jr.

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Table of Contents

Author’s Notes...............................................................................................................................4 Karak Hirn .....................................................................................................................................4

History.........................................................................................................................................5 The Dwarf Schism ..................................................................................................................5 Trade with the Tribes..............................................................................................................5 Rise of Sigmar.........................................................................................................................6 Hohenbach Treachery .............................................................................................................6 The Shattered Neighbour ........................................................................................................6 Karak Hirn Today ...................................................................................................................7 Sidebar: Population Density of the Karaks.............................................................................7

The Dwarfhold...........................................................................................................................8 Sidebar: Brotherhood of Memory...........................................................................................9

The Rulers of Karak Hirn ..........................................................................................................9 King Alrik Ranulfsson ............................................................................................................9 Queen Winnifer Flaxenhair.....................................................................................................9 Prince Earak Alriksson ...........................................................................................................9 Warmaster Ghunnar Ranulfsson...........................................................................................10 Prince Muldrim Theodarsson................................................................................................10 King's Council.......................................................................................................................10

Feast Days.................................................................................................................................11 The Horn of Hirn ..........................................................................................................................13

The Mountain............................................................................................................................13 Entering the Kingdom of ..........................................................................................................15 Karak Hirn ................................................................................................................................15 Villages and Mining Camps......................................................................................................17

Black Mountain Villages ......................................................................................................17 Mining Camps.......................................................................................................................18

Lurking Dangers .......................................................................................................................18 Bandits ..................................................................................................................................18 Demonologists and Necromancers .......................................................................................18 Giants ....................................................................................................................................19 Griffons.................................................................................................................................19 Lizardmen (Saurus)...............................................................................................................19 Minions of Chaos..................................................................................................................19 Ogres.....................................................................................................................................19 Orcs and Goblins...................................................................................................................20 Skaven...................................................................................................................................20 Slavers...................................................................................................................................20 Trolls.....................................................................................................................................20 Werewolves...........................................................................................................................21

Inside Karak Hirn..........................................................................................................................21 A. The Inner Citadel .................................................................................................................21 B. Under Pasture.......................................................................................................................23


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C. Hall of Kings........................................................................................................................24 D. Hall of Temples....................................................................................................................24 E. Hall of Tombs.......................................................................................................................25 F. Hall of Clans.........................................................................................................................26 G. Hall of Runesmiths...............................................................................................................28

H. Hall of Loremasters..............................................................................................................28 I. South Mines...........................................................................................................................29 J. West Mines............................................................................................................................30 K. The Merchant Halls..............................................................................................................30

1. Constabulary .....................................................................................................................31 2. Stables and Caravansary ...................................................................................................32 3. Branmuffin’s Eatery.........................................................................................................32 4. Inn of the Mountain Traveller...........................................................................................32 5. Courthouse........................................................................................................................32 Sidebar: Dwarf Law..............................................................................................................33 6. Hall of Guilds...................................................................................................................33

7. Elassir’s Books.................................................................................................................34 8. Black Crevasse Tavern ....................................................................................................34 9. Grunna’s Boarding House................................................................................................34 10. Bardin’s Winery.............................................................................................................34 11. Frau Blücher’s Kitchen..................................................................................................35 12. The Cavern.....................................................................................................................35 13. Golden Nugget...............................................................................................................36 14. Old World Oddities........................................................................................................36 15. Backdoor Inn..................................................................................................................37 16. Hall of Shrines ...............................................................................................................37

L. Emissary Hall .......................................................................................................................37 17. Embassy of Karak Izor...................................................................................................38 18. Imperial Embassy...........................................................................................................38 19. Embassy of Karak Gantuk .............................................................................................38 20. Wissenland Embassy .....................................................................................................38 21. Mortensholm Embassy...................................................................................................38 22. Miragliano Embassy ......................................................................................................38

Adventure Hooks ..........................................................................................................................39 Raid on an Orc Village .........................................................................................................39 To Bait a Trap .......................................................................................................................39 Tilean Games ........................................................................................................................40

Appendix One-Kings of Karak Hirn.............................................................................................42 Appendix Three-Gazetteer of Karak Hirn ....................................................................................45

Map 1. Realm of Karak Hirn ...............................................................................................47 Map 2. Karak Hirn area .......................................................................................................48 Map 3. Inside Karak Hirn ....................................................................................................49 Map 4. Merchant Halls ........................................................................................................50


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Author’s Notes

Shortly after the release of the WFRP Dwarf book, Dwarfs: Stone & Steel, I wrote forHogshead Publishing, I received commentsregarding the lack of a proper description ofa Dwarfhold in the text. My originalassumption when I wrote the book was thatthe Dwarfs were secretive and not verylikely to let any non-Dwarf, includingImperial emissaries within a Dwarfhold. Astime went on (with a little shove by severalclose friends), I began to re-think thishardened position, especially given thegaming possibilities that could arise fromhaving some Humans live in the Dwarfrealms as subjects of the local Dwarfking.From this shift in viewpoint, I wrote thearticle on the Dawikoni (as these Humansare called), which appeared in Warpstoneissue 19.

That article seemed to be a fair start, but itwasn’t enough. In thinking on the subject, Idid depict a portion of Karak Eight Peaks inthe Dwarf book and three abandoned Dwarfsettlements have been “officially” covered –Kadar Khalizad in Empire in Flames, KadarGravning in Doomstones 2: Dwarf Wars,and Karak Zulvor in Apocrypha 2: Charts ofDarkness – with descriptions and maps. I

had felt that those examples should beenough for GMs to revise their own Holds.

With Hogshead closing down (at least untilthe company was sold), I decided to providemore material to Warpstone with the hope ofhelping keep WFRP alive until there wasfurther active support. Thus, I decided todetail one of the larger Dwarfholds closestto the Empire and outside the Worlds EdgeMountains. The holds mentioned above areall smaller and none really provides a senseof how massively built the principalDwarfholds were.

In my view, every Dwarfhold has a uniquelayout, even though many of them sharesimilar elements. GMs could simply usesome of the various halls and chambersdescribed herein, as well as any elementsfrom the smaller settlements mentionedabove, and tweak these to create any of theother Dwarfholds as they see fit.

A note for any reviewer who wishes to takeme to task for it, the description belowincludes some of the same informationfound in Dwarfs: Stone and Steel , pages 34-36. I did so with the intent to make thiswork as complete as possible.

Karak Hirn

With a population of 15,000, Karak Hirn, or"Hornhold" is the largest and wealthiest ofthe Black Mountain Dwarfholds. Rich veinsof iron, tin, copper, gold and silver are founddeep under Karak Hirn as are deposits ofsapphires, emeralds, tourmalines, topazes,

garnets, aquamarines, and quartz of variouscolours.

Founded in -1185 of the Imperial calendar,Karak Hirn does not rival the Dwarfholds ofthe World's Edge Mountains in terms of


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wealth or power, even though it is closer andmore accessible to the markets of thesouthern Empire and Tilea (by way of thenorthern Border Princes). This positionmakes Karak Hirn ideal as a trading centre

for Dwarf work from the older holds to theeast. In fact, there is a route through theBlack Mountains favoured by merchantsfrom Karaz-a-Karak which enables them toavoid the more dangerous routes through theBorder Princes.

History

Many elements of the history of Karak Hirn

is shared are other Dwarfholds in themountains outside the Worlds Edge.

The Dwarf SchismIn response to the founding of Karak Izor(-1362 I.C.), High King MorgrimBlackbeard of Karaz Ankor angrily declaredthat the Dwarf clans preferring to establishnew holds in the western mountains insteadof returning to defend the Dwarf Empirewere traitors to the race. He entered all clannames in his personal Book of Grudges. Inreturn, the leaders of the clans in the Blackand Grey Mountains, as well as the Vaults,returned the contemptuous gesture. It wastheir collective belief that the Dwarfs as arace would remain vulnerable if they did notestablish new strongholds outside theWorlds Edge Mountains.

With communications rent asunder for 1,000

years, Karak Hirn and the other BlackMountain Dwarfholds carved outrelationships with one another as well as theDwarf settlements in the nearby mountainranges. Populations expanded and thesettlements thrived far from the war in theeast. Occasionally, small armies ofgreenskins made their way from the

Badlands northward through the land thatwould later be called the Border Princes.The armies of Karak Hirn defeated a numberof these rampaging forces to retain controlof the mountain passes.

One consequence of the Dwarf effort againstthe greenskins was to keep the land north ofthe Black Mountains relatively clear of theirfoe, thereby allowing Humanity time tofirmly establish itself in this wild land.

Trade with the TribesHuman tribes had been migrating to thenorth for millennia before the Dwarfs

dispersed into the western mountains fromthe Worlds Edge Mountains under pressurefrom Orcs and Goblins. Initially, trade between Dwarfs and the Humans wasinfrequent and restricted to lesser goods, particularly to maintain the Dwarfs’technological edge in weaponry. The warwith the greenskins and the fall of theWorlds Edge Dwarfholds changed theDwarfs’ calculations.

With trade falling off with Karaz Ankor dueto the schism, Karak Hirn deepened theireconomic relationship with the Humantribes to the north. This effort was copied by the other nearby Dwarfholds andcompetition between the Karaks grew. Therivalry between the Holds resulted in anumber of skirmishes between the variousclans.

The clashes among Dwarf traders threatened

to damage relations among the westernDwarfholds. King Zamnil Duraksson ofKarak Hirn and his counterparts from KarakIzor and Karak Norn agreed to carve outtrading zones in the low-lying areas adjacentto their realms. Karak Hirn secured themonopoly with the Humans living between


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the River Sonne in the west to theObernwald Forest in the east.

Rise of Sigmar

After the fall of the southern Karaz AnkorDwarfholds, High King Kazgar Eniksson ofKaraz-a-Karak and the Dwarfholds of thewestern mountains – including Karak Hirn –reconciled their differences and establishedan alliance against the seemingly countlessnumbers of greenskins. Karaz Ankor has been hard pressed in the fighting and neededhelp in stabilising the situation in the WorldsEdge Mountains.

A leader arose among the Human tribes alsowarring against the greenskins. The greatUnberogen warrior Sigmar rescued HighKing Kurgan Ironbeard from Orc captivityand unified the tribes north of the BlackMountains. Many warriors joined Sigmar’s banner and King Dorant “Orcbane”Kraegsson gathered an expeditionary forceof Dwarfs and Humans from the BlackMountain Dwarf kingdoms.

In the Battle of Dracherückgrat Kamm, KingDorant’s forces cleared Sigmar’s right flankof Orcs, allowing the main allied Dwarf andHuman armies led by Sigmar to smash themain greenskin in the Battle of Black FirePass. The crushing of the greenskinsushered a millennium of peace and prosperity for Karak Hirn and the Empirefounded by Sigmar.

Hohenbach TreacheryThe rule of the Drak Wald Emperors of theHohenbach dynasty proved disastrous toDwarf and Imperial alike. The expatriateDwarfs were persecuted in the 11th century by Emperor Ludwig I for imagined crimesagainst the Imperial State (there is someevidence that a Dwarf assassin failed to

dispatch the increasingly mad Emperor).Bound by oaths all Dwarfkings gave toSigmar in the aftermath of the Battle ofBlack Fire Pass to protect the Empire frominvasion, the Dwarfholds could not wage

war against Emperor Ludwig. Instead,Karak Hirn and other Dwarfholds borderingthe Empire provided money to the localImperial nobility to accept and protectDwarf refugees from the western Empire.

Ludwig’s vile campaign against the Dwarfswas limited to the areas where he held power and influence (Drak Wald, Reikland,and parts of Stirland). Many nobles – particularly Middenheim and the lands south

of Nuln – openly defied Ludwig’s erraticedicts.

The Hohenbach dynasty crashed early in the12th century, marked to the downfall of theGolden Age of the Empire and the spread ofthe deadly and devastating Black Plague.The population of the Empire plummetedwhile the effects on the Dwarf population inthe border regions were minimal incomparison.

The Shattered NeighbourIn an odd twist of fate, the deadly effects ofthe Black Plague also overwhelmed the population of Humanity’s enemies – fromthe rampaging greenskins to the vile Skaven.Even the population of depraved Beastmenand other fell creatures of Chaos wereravaged by the pestilence.

The population and prosperity of Karak Hirnflourished during the following centuries ofrecovery. In contrast, the fragmentedEmpire continued to be engulfed in its self-inflicted internal wars, heedless of thegrowing population of its enemies.


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Though unknown to Imperial historians,Karak Hirn and other Dwarfholds foughtcountless engagements with invadinggreenskins and clearing operations againsthidden lairs of Skaven. In some cases, the

Dwarfs were not able to hold all largearmies at bay and a few were able to penetrate into the Empire. Dwarfexpeditionary forces were mobilised to provide assistance to the neighbouring provincial armies. A formidable army ofKarak Hirn regulars were one of the reasonsthe Orc Warlord Gorfang turned his hordenorthward after the Battle of Pfeildorf in theearly 18th century.

Karak Hirn TodayThe reunification of the Empire underMagnus the Pious and the victory in theGreat War against Chaos brought Sigmar’sEmpire to a height of power it had not seensince the collapse of its Golden Age. Thetiming could not have been more fortuitousfor Karak Hirn.

For some time, the Black Mountains as well

as the Vaults and Border Princes sufferedfrom periodic invasions by the Orcish tribes

known as the Bloodaxe Alliance. Over 100years ago, the latest Bloodaxe attackmarched up the Yetzin Valley on thesouthern reaches of the Winters Teeth Pass.The army of Karak Hirn engaged the

Bloodaxe Alliance in a series of running battles as the Orcs made their way eastward.The army of Karak Hirn was later joined byother forces, some from the other BlackMountain Dwarfholds and the rest from thevarious realms in the Border Princes. Aftera month, the allied Dwarf and Human armyannihilated the Bloodaxe Alliance in theBattle of Edsel Ford on the Black River.

Since that time, Karak Hirn has been

relatively peaceful. Patrols and smallregiments continue to patrol the DwarfKingdom’s borders seeking out roving bands of Orcs, Skaven, and other beasties.Dangers continue to lurk in deep ravines anddark recesses of the Black Mountains. Thus,the rulers of Karak Hirn remain steadfast intheir vigil.

Population Density of the KaraksThe halls in the Dwarfholds of the Worlds Edge Mountains are huge, echoing past glories whethey were filled with Dwarfs. After millennia of war, those Karaks still in the hands of thDwarfs are shadows of their former glory. The population are a fraction of what they were at theight of the Dwarf golden age nearly 4000 years ago.

In contrast, the Dwarfholds in the Vaults, Black, and Grey Mountains are quite a bit smalleThese were built for a population that in time did not suffer from disastrous wars o

extermination. In fact, their position surrounded by what became Human realms provided theDwarfholds with a more defensible frontier than what was in the Worlds Edge Mountains.

The Dwarfs outside the Worlds Edge Mountains also took the lessons from their fallen formhomes, made sure that they did not overextend their mines, sealed off those that were tapped ouand maintained patrols looking for any sign of breaches. The population of these Dwarfholhave grown over time and their halls are full.


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The Dwarfhold

Like most Dwarfholds, Karak Hirn has asurface section and a larger undergroundone. It is rare for an outsider to behold theCitadel (Obtkarak ) of Karak Hirn as theytypically approach the Dwarfhold fromanother direction (see below). The Citadelis an enormous structure cut from the heartof the mountain when the Dwarfs reshapedthe gentler slope of the eastern face into asteeper grade. The imposing constructstands sixty feet tall. Massive, twenty-foottall oak doors – reinforced by thick metallic bands – are easily closed by winches fromwithin to ensure the safety of the hold from

surface attacks. The walls of the Citadelitself are twenty feet thick at its base and itsfoundation lies deep below the surface.

A thirty-foot high inner curtain wallsurrounds the Citadel. Large ThunderCannons (ES 10, T 8, W 30, Range 128/256/1,200 yards,Rate of Fire : 5 roundsto load, 1 round to fire) can be found alongthe top of the fifty-foot tall towers guardingthe entrance to the inner bailey in the

unlikely event that any assaulting force can breach the thick outer curtain walls and findtheir way up the hill to the inner walls.Other emplacements for these massivecannons are located at the corner towers.Atop of the Citadel is the launch pad for theHold’s few gyrocopters (in fact, most of thegyrocopters found at Karak Hirn belong tothe Brotherhood of Memory, an order whosemembers the King allows to lodge in a smallcorner of the Engineers’ Guildhall at Karak

Hirn). In poor weather, these creations ofthe Engineers’ Guild are moved to shelters built in the cliff-side above the Citadel.

The Citadel complex overlooks the four anda half mile long outer curtain wall, eventhough that wall is thirty feet in height and

fifteen feet thick at it base. In fact, the slopeto the Citadel is such that anyone at the gateto the inner bailey can easily see over thefifty foot high towers that protect the outerwall’s main gate. Two Field Cannons (ES

10, T 7, W 20, Range 64/128/600 yards,Rate of Fire : 3 rounds to load, 1 round tofire) sit atop the towers in order to preventany enemy force from attacking the maingates before the drawbridge can be closed.The drawbridge spans the ravine cut by theRiver Hornberg. Weirs south of theDwarfhold can be opened to provide a flashflood in the event that an attacking enemytries to ford the river. Communication can be achieved by a signal fire atop the

southern and western watchtowers near thetop of Horn Mountain or a blast of thefamous Horn of Hirn (see below).

A small village, Farmer Village (KhazidVorni ) is situated between the inner andouter curtain walls, south of the Citadel.The population of the settlement consists ofDwarfs from the Farmers and Herderscraftguild as well as Dawikoni descendantsof the Humans who found refuge here over3000 years in the past. The village has itsown craftguild kinhall where the residents –Dwarf and Human – eat, drink, and conductvillage business. Parts of the outer bailey – particularly to the north-east of the village –are set aside as a pasture for the herds ofmountain cattle and goats when they are notin the higher alpine pastures outside thefortifications (usually from late springthrough late summer). The areas near the bottom of the cliffs in the outer bailey areused as fields to raise a strain of wheat, barley and hops that grow in mountainousconditions, as well as small orchards of fruittrees.


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Brotherhood of MemoryThe Brotherhood of Memory ( Doomstones: Heart of Chaos , page 45-46) is an ancient orderwhose main task was to ensure the Crystals of Power did not come together. Whether the evenof the Doomstones campaign are played out in the GM’s world, Wacref the Remembererremains as Master of the Order. Before and during Doomstones, Wacref is fanatical in the ques

of his order to destroy anyone trying to bring the Crystals of Power together. After thecompletion of Doomstones (and presumably the destruction of the Crystals), Wacref is a Dwarfwithout purpose and his Order is looking for a new direction.

The Rulers of Karak Hirn

King Alrik RanulfssonAs befitting his position as ruler of KarakHirn, King Alrik Ranulfsson is the mostinfluential and powerful of the BlackMountain Dwarfkings. He maintains closerelationships with his peers in the hopes of building a confederation similar to KingKazran Grimbrow of Karak Izor in theVaults. To his regret, King Alrik doesn’thave the wherewithal to undertake theambitious project to build undergroundhighways connecting Karak Hirn to theneighbouring Dwarfholds.

King Alrik has placed the responsibility ofthe maintenance of the mountain roads in hisrealm on the Engineers’ Guild. This chargehasn’t sat well with the engineers, but theKing isn’t terribly keen on the “newer”innovations, such as gyrocopters and flamecannons. Still, King Alrik did place severalclans of the Warrior craftguild at theengineers’ disposal to assist in the upkeep ofthe road system.

As suggested above, King Alrik is a strongtraditionalist, which is a polite way of sayingthat he is even more obdurate than mostDwarfs outside the rulers of the KarazAnkor Dwarfholds. In fact, there is a viewthat King Alrik may be as unyielding asHigh King Thorgrim Grudgebearer ofKaraz-a-Karak. Both maintain their own

massive Book of Grudges and aredetermined to see every wrong righted, eventhose insults that each believe the other hasdirected towards their respective person.

Queen Winnifer FlaxenhairLike many Dwarfkings, Alrik utilises acouncil of his kin to assist him in ruling theDwarfhold. Chief among his advisors isQueen Winnifer Flaxenhair who maintains acalming influence on his Council. It isthrough her efforts that the relationship withthe demanding High King has remained ascordial as it has. Queen Winnifer actuallyreceives the High King’s messages from hisemissaries before her husband has a chanceto take offence to any perceived slight by theruler of Karaz Ankor. The Queen is wellaware of the schism that has plaguedrelations with the old Dwarf Empire over the past three millennia.

Prince Earak AlrikssonPrince Earak Alriksson is more his mother’sson than the King’s. He is his father’s chiefdiplomat and is usually the one who firsttakes the measure of any ambassador sent tohis father. King Alrik is generallycondescending towards what he considersthe lesser races, such as Humans andHalflings, and very cool towards the fewElves who he has encountered. In contrast,Prince Earak finds Humans good company


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and strongly believes in maintaining goodrelations the Empire. The Prince knows thatthe history between the Dwarfs and theElves has been contentious since the days ofPhoenix King Caledor II, but he recognises

that the Dwarfs and Wood Elves need tomaintain communications in the likely eventthat the Chaos Wastes expands again.Prince Earak uses trusted Human couriers toconvey his encoded correspondence to AthelLoren.

Warmaster Ghunnar RanulfssonKing Alrik’s younger brother, WarmasterGhunnar Ranulfsson, is the grizzled Marshal

of Karak Hirn, the commander of theDwarfhold’s defences and highest rankinggeneral of its army after the Dwarfking. It ishis task to ensure the security of theDwarfhold against any who would seek todo it harm. The Warmaster doesn’t approveof Prince Earak’s diplomacy where theElves are concerned, but he isn’t about to letsuch a view cause a rift within the clan.

Prince Muldrim TheodarssonThe military might of Karak Hirn rarelyventures beyond the mountains surroundingits borders as the defence of the Dwarfholdis of primary importance. Should any otherBlack Mountain hold or neighbouringHuman allies have need of assistance, KarakHirn can send forth an expeditionary forceled by Prince Muldrim Theodarsson, brotherof the Queen, to do battle. Prince Muldrimis a conservative commander who rarely

deviates from the accepted military doctrineof the Dwarfs, including the ancient use of pikes in the flatlands that once – in the Warof Vengeance – negated Elven superiority inmounted troops and archery.

King's CouncilThere are other members of the Kings’council that are not members of the Nobleclans. These advisors are elders fromseveral of the other craftguilds as well as the

leading priests of the Dwarfhold. Theylargely fall into three rather simplifiedcamps which can be described as“traditionalists”, “pragmatists”, and“inclusionists” (i.e. those who look foroutside alliances).

High Priest Drennak GlorakssonThe venerable High Priest of the cult ofGrungni was also on the council of King

Ranulf Murkensson, the current King’sfather. High Priest Drennak knows that histime is short as he can feel his strengthstarting to fade. Drennak has been thesteadfast voice of the Council, generallyadvocating the need for long deliberation onvarious solutions before actuallyundertaking any course of action. A numberof the Council believe that the ancient HighPriest hopes that whatever vexing problemexists will resolve itself through sheer

inertia. These members are pleased thatHigh Priest Drennak is accompanied atCouncil by his hand-picked and muchyounger (about 100 years of age) successor – Priest Norgrim.

High Priestess Loera RaefeksdottirHigh Priestess Loera of the cult of Valayaviews all issues before the Council in termsof the interest of the Dwarfhold. She is

uncertain of the leanings of Prince Earak, believing that relying on alliances with non-Dwarfs could lead to difficulties. On theother hand, Loera is concerned about reportsof Chaos creatures in the Yetzin Valley(along Winters Teeth Pass on the far side ofthe mountains near the Border Princes) and


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whether such things portend a threat toKarak Hirn.

Rune Lord Horek Kragsson

Rune Lord Horek is one of the oldestmembers of the Council, approaching his450th year. He is even more of atraditionalist that King Alrik, and, unlikeHigh Priest Drennak, still going strong. TheRune Lord believes that the King shouldcontinue to rely upon the Dwarfs of the Holdand the other Dwarf kingdoms for mutual protection. In his view, other races aresimply markets for Dwarf goods.

Loremaster Fundak MukanssonLoremaster Fundak is older than the RuneLord by several decades and specialises inImperial history from the century beforeSigmar to the present. The Loremaster is predominantly focussed on the various warsfought within Sigmar’s Empire. Fundakembraces the concept of maintainingrelations – even alliances – with Elves andHumans. The Loremaster knows there aretoo many enemies for the Dwarfs to standalone, especially if the Chaos Wastes surgein the far north and the Great Enemy invadesin large numbers.

Brewmaster Gunness DrafssonBrewmaster Gunness is the newest memberof the Council, having replace BrewmasterHenkiel 20 years ago. He has merchant’s blood in his veins and prefers goodrelationship as a means to ensure open tradewith the neighbouring realms – Dwarf andHuman. Gunness is not quite sure aboutformal ties to the Elf lands over the GreyMountains or the settlement of SithFascoluinne located somewhere near theYetzin Valley. He considers Elves a strangefolk with a history of treachery (as evident

in the antecedents of the War of Vengeance)and disregard for those they consider lesserraces.

Engineer Guildmaster Arnek PalikssonGuildmaster Arnek still resents that KingAlrik gave the Brotherhood of Memory theGuild’s gyrocopters in his drive to reducethe Hold’s reliance on non-gunpowdertechnological weapons. The Guildmasterdoes not allow this to influence his advice asa member of the King’s Council as to do sowould dishonour his office and craftguild.He looks forward to the time when thereason for the Brotherhood’s existence

comes to an end and he can recover thegyrocopters, even if the engineers are stillforbidden to fly their machines. Until then,Arnek believes that military might alonecannot guarantee Karak Hirn’s security andalliances of some sort are needed.

Feast Days

The major feast days of Karak Hirn are the

same as those common to all otherDwarfholds and settlements.

Grungni’s major holy days are 33 Durgzet(Pflugzeit), 33 Fornskrak (Vorgeheim), 33Valdazet (Brauzeit), and 33 Fornhekes(Vorhexen). These days are marked bymajor festivities where the clans of allcraftguilds gather together to praise the chiefAncestor God. Elders of the clans tellstories of Grungni when he once walked

among them at the time before and up to thecoming of Chaos into the world. Lesserfestivity days are held every ten days between the major dates.

Festivities to honour the Ancestor GoddessValaya are held on Materfran (Mitterfruhl)and Materhazt (Mittherbst), the Spring and


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Autumn Equinoxes. These particular datesare, respectively, chosen to mark the planting and harvesting of crops,respectively, essential in the production ofale. Like major festivities to Grungni, lots

of food and drink are consumed by Dwarfsand the Humans living among them.

Celebrations to honour Grimnir, AncestorGod of Warriors, only take place before battle and after victory. If the battle ends indefeat, the Dwarfs sing a funeral dirge tohonour the fallen and Gazul, Ancestor Godof the Underearth and Death.

Hekesdeg (Hexenstag) is a feast day to

venerate Smednir, Ancestor God ofMetalworking and Shaper of Ore, andmarking the completion of old work and the beginning of the new. A similar day existsfor Morgrim, Ancestor God of Engineers,

which falls on Zhomerstikul (Sonnstille), theSummer Solstice.

Wyrstikul (Monstille) is a feast day withoutconnection to any of the Ancestor Gods. It

simply marks the shortest day of the year asit is the Winter Solstice, when the land isclosest to being covered in a similardarkness to that which the Dwarfs live inwithin their Hold.

The Day of Remembrance ( Zagazdeg ) alsoinvolves Karak Hirn and nearby settlements.All the clans gather in the Hall of Clans tofeast and share stories detailing the deeds oftheir clan ancestors, grudges satisfied, and

other important news. For the kingdom ofKarak Hirn, the Day of Remembrance fallson 25 Verzet (Jahrdrung), the date in -1185I.C. in which the Dwarfhold was founded.


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The Horn of Hirn

The MountainKarak Hirn is named for the unique natural phenomenon that occurs when winds blowing in a certain direction pass throughan especially large cavern which creates asound like a mighty warhorn. Its blast can

be heard up to fifteen miles away whenconditions are ideal.

The Dwarfs of Karak Hirn have exploitedthis natural phenomenon by constructingsound chambers and doors used to controlthe pitch and duration of the sound. Amongits many functions, the Horn of Hirn can be

Dwarf CalendarThe following is mostly excerpted fromD:SaS , page 24.

The widely-used Imperial calendar is based primarily on the Dwarf calendar. The ondifferences are the year in which the calendars begin and the fact that Dwarfs do not separatedays of the week from one another. Since there are no Khazalid names for the days, Dwarfs rto them by their Imperial names in their dealings with Humans.

The Dwarf calendar counts its years from the establishment of Karaz-a-Karak as capital of Dwarf Empire of Karaz Ankor. The Imperial calendar marks its first year with the crowningSigmar Heldenhammer as Emperor. The difference between the two is 3,000 years. Thus, founding of Karak Hirn was in the year 1815 of the Dwarf calendar.

The Dwarf calendar names and their Imperial counterparts are as follows:

MONTHS AND SPECIAL DAYSNbr ofDays

Imperial Dwarf Nbr ofDays

Imperial Dwarf

Hexenstag Hekesdeg Geheimnistag Skraksdeg32 Nachexen Adderhekes 32 Nachgeheim Adderskrak33 Jahrdrung Verzet 33 Erntezeit Egrizet

Mitterfruhl Materfran Mittherbst Materhazt33 Pflugzeit Durgzet 33 Brauzeit Valdazet33 Sigmarzeit Kazakzet 33 Kaldezeit Kulkelzet33 Sommerzeit Zhomerzet 33 Ulriczeit Wyrzet

Sonnstille Zhomerstikul Monstille Wyrstikul33 Vorgeheim Fornskrak 33 Vorhexen Fornhekes

As in the Empire, the Dwarfs regard both Hekesdrazh (Hexensnacht) and Skraksdr(Geheimnisnacht) with apprehension. Strange things occur during those nights, especially w both Gormlhune (Mannslieb) and Mhornalhune (Morrslieb) are full.


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used for signalling, raising the alarm, orfrightening away simple creatures such asTrolls. The Dwarfs have even devised ameans to sound the Horn on windless days.This is accomplished by lighting a huge fire

in a particular chamber, which then drawsair through the appropriate chambers.

The cavern and Dwarf-made chambers arelocated high on the mountain above theDwarfhold. It is only accessible by a longstairway (more than 1000 steps) that ascendsthe cliff-face from the Citadel below. Thetop of the mountain is covered by relativelyshort, gnarly trees, roughly ten feet inheight, and twisted by the winds that gust

through the area. These trees are a uniquespecies found only in this region of theBlack Mountains. The Dwarfs call thesetrees Nakarak Bharan (literally “Granite Nuts”) after the hardy and tough nut thatgrows on them. Thrice the size of walnuts,these nuts are bitter when eaten raw. TheDwarfs crush the nuts and use them in the baking of bread, brewing of ale, and instews.

Four watchtowers are situated on themountain top, giving sentries a spectacularview of the surrounding areas. Each towerhas a clear quartz with a Rune of Farseeing,which enables the sentries to see distantobjects up to one mile away as if they wereconsiderably closer. The towers are fifteenfeet in height and the tops have braziers forsignal fires. Given the windy conditions,these are used only in times of (relatively)calm weather. Most of the time, the Horn ofHirn is used to communicate with any whoare outside the protective walls of theDwarfhold. The Dwarfs do this by usingshutters they have constructed within thecaves to channel the airflow to createdifferent pitches of sound. Circular staircases descend from the inside

of the watchtowers to the Hold below. Inthe likely event that an enemy captures atower, the door leading to the stairs can be

Medicinal Property of the GraniteNut Tree

In addition to the nutritious nuts it produces, the Dwarf herbalists of theBlack Mountains have learned the Granite Nut Tree has a medicinal use.

The leaves of the Granite Nut Tree can be brewed into a bitter tea which cutsthrough any headache and sinus conditionto free up the recipient’s breathing. Aside benefit also eliminates the effects ofdrunkenness. A drunk character imbibingthis drink within half an hour of reachingtheir current state of inebriation may halvethe penalties applied to theircharacteristics as well as the time forthese penalties to be applied.

Availability: Common. Summer.Price : 5/- and 1 GC Application : BrewPreparation : 1 weekDosage : 1 daySkills : NoneTests : NoneEffects : Reduces the penalties resultingfrom drunkenness and the recovery time by half if recipient imbibes the brewwithin an hour of being intoxicated.


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bolted from underneath. As the sentriesretreat, they set the various traps that thesecurity-conscious (paranoid) Engineersconstructed to slow down any advance.Another, heavier door is found at the bottom

of the staircase which is locked from theHoldside.

Entering the Kingdom of Karak Hirn

There are several ways to approach KarakHirn. Most travellers (merchants andmercenaries) make their way through theWissenlander village of Wusterburg on theRiver Söll. From there, they cross the Sölland follow the River Hornberg through theSudenlander village of Kroppenleben nearthe foothills of the Black Mountains, wherethey can replenish their supplies. When thetravellers are ready, there is a small roadwhich climbs up the mountains. It’s calledIcy Wind Pass (Kadrin Wyrzilfin ). Like allroads in the mountains, Icy Wind Pass islittle more than a narrow, hard-packed paththat snakes its way between the peaks. Partsof the road near the fords of rivers andstreams are metalled to ensure passage ininclement weather.

At one point on the trek, another path joinsfrom the south. This is the end of HiddenVale Pass (Kadrin Zathragan ) which crossesthe Black Mountains and passes to theheadwaters of the Lodestone River. Fromthere, the course follows the river toMortensholm (and eventually Khypris andTilea). Few travel this route as it is moredangerous nearer the Border Princes than itsnorthern part due to bandit and Goblinactivity.

East of Karak Hirn, the Mountain Road(Karadrin ) joins the Hidden Vale Pass a fewmiles before it intersects with Icy Wind

Pass. This is the road that Dwarf merchantsfrom Karaz-a-Karak and the larger BlackMountains Dwarfholds – Karak Angazharand Karak Gantuk – travel to reach KarakHirn.

West of Karak Hirn is Blackwood Pass(Kadrin Drazhwutnaz ) which intersects IcyWind Pass high in the mountains.Blackwood Pass connects the Dwarfhold tothe Wissenlander settlements of Schrambeckand Sonnefurt.

Stone markers appear at each intersection ofthese major roads, informing travellers ofthe name of the road and its direction from

the crossroads. Gibbets are found at thesecrossroads upon which hang the corpses of bandits and others caught nearby. Thesevisible signs of execution serve as a warningto those dishonourable individuals who seektheir fortune at the expense of others.

Each road into the Dwarf kingdom isguarded by a stronghold at its borders. Forthose travelling upon the Icy Wind Pass, thefortress of Kazad Ruvalkund stands high onthe mountainside overlooking the road in both directions and guarding the border ofthe Dwarf kingdom. A stone wall descendsfrom the stronghold to a tower on the roadacross the ford. Arrow slits on the wallindicate a passage within the wall thatconnects the two structures to one another.

As travellers approach, two guards emergefrom the tower, one of whom has acrossbow and provides cover for the other.A third guard remains in the tower ready tosound the alarm if there is trouble.

A runescribe is also posted to the towersince the Dwarfking of Karak Hirn requiresall who enter his kingdom to register theirnames, place of origin, and business. Therunescribe duly etches the information in a


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book with thin copper sheets to ensuredurability of the record. Twice a month,register books are retrieved from thestrongholds and new ones delivered.

The runescribe also prepares a writ of passage for the visitors as a group with thesame information they have provided. Headvises visitors that they are expected to present the writ upon request to any Dwarf patrol on the roads as well as submit to anysearch the captain of the unit deemsnecessary. If the visitors do not agree tothese terms, the runescribe takes back thewrit and their entrance denied.

Other fortresses are Kazad Dronoverlooking Hidden Vale Road, KazadHraban protection the border on BlackwoodPass and Kazad Zorn high in the mountainsalong Mountain Road.

Travel on the various mountain routes israther hazardous through this border area,with bandits threatening travellers at thelower elevations, while Goblins and worse prowl elsewhere. Most merchants hire anumber of guards to escort them through themountains. Travellers are advised to hirewith the utmost care as it isn’t uncommonfor hired men-at-arms to be in cahoots withthe bandits.

Beyond the junction of the Icy Wind andHidden Vale Passes, the frequency ofmarauding bands is greatly reduced as thearea is patrolled by subjects of theDwarfking. A character with experience inthe wilds – particularly those with theFollow Trail skill – can discern the manysmall, unmarked trails that branch off fromthe main path. A number of these trackslead to the smaller Dwarf (and someHuman) settlements which are scatteredthroughout the mountains while others guidethe unwary to concealed traps of some sort.

One of the paths, known only to the localDwarfs and Dawikoni as Tarien Road, leadsto Karak Hirn's main gate. Vigilant andhidden scouts watch this path, coveringtracks and ensuring that none are allowed to

proceed along this road without leave of theKing.

Visitors from elsewhere must negotiate therest of Icy Wind Pass to gain entrance to theDwarfhold. Two large pillars mark the endof the pass and the beginning of the QuarterMile Bridge ( Dradrin Zorn ), which crossesthe gorge that separates the path and theMerchant Halls of Karak Hirn in a singlespan. Thick defensive walls with arrow-slits

rise twelve feet above the crossing to protecttravellers from the bone-chilling winds. Inthe event of an attack, crossbowmen from

Dwarf MerchantsThere is no actual craftguild that covers theDwarf merchants. Simply put, Dwarfmerchants are those members of theirrespective craftguild with the aptitude to sellor trade the wares of their craftguild to parties from outside the Dwarfhold for goods

or provisions. For example, a merchant ofthe Jewelsmith craftguild has the trust of hisand the other clans to deal their creations in afair exchange.

Some Dwarf merchants are willing to journey to other Dwarfholds in order tofacilitate trade. When it comes to dealingwith Humans, Dwarf merchants prefer totrade within the confines of the Dwarfhold,allowing the merchants from the Human

realms to take all the risks.Some members of the noble clans undertakethe task of merchants for the entireDwarfhold. The senior noble merchantholds the title of Karakverdagi Urbar (Marshal of Trade).


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the hold make their way down narrow passages within the walls and subject anyattackers to a murderous crossfire. Hidden bolt throwers positioned above the entranceof the hold can provide supporting fire along

the bridge at the same time. Should attackers persist in their endeavour, one section of the bridge is rigged to hinge down, cutting thehold off from the pass and droppingattackers 600 feet onto jagged rocks.

Villages and Mining Camps

A number of villages and mining camps dotthe mountainous Kingdom of Karak Hirn.

Many of these have mixed populations ofDwarfs and Humans.

Black Mountain VillagesVillages in the kingdom are few andtypically consist of farmers and herders,mostly Human. Terrace farming is thefavoured technique as it brings more landunder the plough and is usually built on thesouthern faces of mountains within sight ofthe settlement. Highly developed irrigationmethods are also used to channel water fromrun-off or mountain streams to these fieldsas well as to the villages. The farmers preferto grow grain used in the production of aleand bread. Some fruit trees or vegetablesare grown at the higher terraces.

The villages themselves are built on highground so as to provide protection from anyroadside attack. These communities are

further protected by stone walls, usually 10-12 feet in height, with a single gate leadingto the road below. A watchtower standsnext to the gate with either a bell or horn tosound an alarm in case of danger. If thewalls are not enough to protect theinhabitants, the villagers can access escape

tunnels from inside the village hall. Theescape tunnels lead higher up the mountains.

Like their Imperial counterpart, BlackMountain villages are led by a headman.This individual – Dwarf or Human – isgenerally elected by all adult members ofthe community. The election takes placeevery two years in an assembly where eachcandidate has a family member or friendspeak on their behalf (candidates are notallowed to present their own case).

DawikoniDawikoni (Warpstone #19 , pages 12-16)is the name given to the Human populationof the Dwarf kingdoms. Many aredescended from those who immigrated tothe mountain realms for a variety ofreasons many generations before. ManyDawikoni in the Black Mountains aredescended from the ancient Schweben tribein the time before Sigmar. Still othershave ancestors who fled from the variousinternal wars in the Empire, particularlyduring the Age of Wars (mid-12th to mid-16th centuries of the Imperial calendar).

Many of the Dawikoni are farmers andherders. Though a number live within thegrounds of the surface portion of KarakHirn, most live in the nearby Dwarfvillages and mining camps. In time of war,Dawikoni take up arms and fight alongsideDwarfs, chiefly as archers and sometimesas irregular infantry armed with shield andspear.

The Dawikoni honour the ancient gods ofthe Empire: Taal, Ulric, Rhya, and Mórr.Their priests continue to follow the ancientforms of rites and rituals, which are rarelyused in the Empire.


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Mining CampsMining camps are the more commonsettlements outside the Dwarfhold. Most ofthose living near the mines are Dwarfs,many of whom are descended from those

fleeing the 11th

century persecution ofDwarfs in the Empire.

Unlike villages, mining camps are fairlyopen to the environment with low stonewalls (about four feet in height, just enoughto position crossbows and gunners)surrounding the camp. The walls are meantto slow down raiding parties of bandits andworse enabling the inhabitants to stand andfight if the number of foe is small or flee

into the mines to escape a larger force.Similar to those in villages, the escapetunnels ascend the dark inside of themountain so as to give the defenders higherground.

Some food is grown at the miningsettlements, but most comes from thevillages or through trade with travellingmerchants – both Dwarf and Imperial. Eachmining camp has a quartermaster whose role

it is to get the community the best deal possible by offering raw ore or partiallysmelted metals in trade.

Lurking Dangers

Though the Dwarfs consider their kingdomsafer than the adjoining Human lands of theEmpire and Border Princes, there are stillconsiderable dangers for those travelling in

the Black Mountains.

BanditsIt is a rarity for Dwarfs to take to banditrywithin Dwarf kingdoms given that such anact would be considered dishonourable andresults in any Dwarf undertaking such an

occupation to be disowned by his clan.Should a Dwarf bandit be successful in thischosen profession and gain notoriety, he can be sure that his clan will place a bounty onhis head in an attempt to regain clan honour

through the bandit’s death.For the above reason, among others, most bandits in the Black Mountains are Human.Such bandits usually operate along the pathways and roads just outside the bordersof the Dwarf kingdom where they are lesslikely to run into patrols of Dwarf soldiers orscouts. Captured bandits are hung on thespot by Dwarfs, though some might bestrung up barely alive in order to meet a

more grisly fate at the hands of an Ogre orTroll.

Armed groups seeking employment in theDwarf kingdom would be wise to travelopenly and cooperate fully with Dwarfauthorities in order to avoid being mistakenfor bandits. Travelling papers can beobtained at border posts located at thefortresses guarding the main roads into thekingdom of Karak Hirn. One such fortress,Kazad Ruvalkbar, guards Icy Wind Passwhere it crosses River Hornberg.

Demonologists and NecromancersLike other ranges bordering the Empire, theBlack Mountains attract renegade wizardsescaping Imperial justice. Many of thesefiends find shelter in the hidden caves thatabound in the many valleys foundthroughout the mountain.

Demonologists and necromancers are likelyto be on their own or with a servant or twoto carry out mundane tasks. In some cases,the corrupted wizards may have anapprentice in their small entourage. Sincedemonologists and necromancers requireslaves to use in their foul experiments or


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sacrifice to whatever demon lord they plyfor favours, many of them are forced to do business with slavers or bandits.

Dwarf justice is as unyielding as it is swift

when it comes to offing such evil wizards.Captured demonologists and necromancersare summarily beheaded and their remains burned along with their foul paraphernaliaand servants.

GiantsGiants are few and far between in the BlackMountains. Such monstrous creatures keepto the highest ridges and mountain peaks

and avoid the smaller races such as Dwarfsand Humans. Giants are fairly dumb, butnot so much as to not understand that theirsurvival rate is higher if they stay in areasthe other races avoid.

The Giants do come down from time to timein search of food and drink, sometimesraiding the smaller settlements or livestockin the alpine pastures. Because of thedanger giants represent, fires are lit on the

mountaintops spreading the alarmthroughout the Dwarf kingdom wheneverone is sighted.

GriffonsOn the lower elevations, the top predatorsfor travellers to be wary of are bears,mountain cats, wolves, and rock serpents(WFRP1e , page 245). Griffons are the top predators along the ridges and higher

elevations, preferring to pounce on their prey from the air or knock them off cliffs totheir deaths.

Lizardmen (Saurus)Deep in the heart of the mountains, evendeeper than the Skaven warrens, lurk the

Lizardmen. Members of this subterraneanrace are rarely seen on the surface, but theyrepresent a definite problem for groups journeying through the underground tunnelsand chambers. Lizardmen sometimes

emerge in the dead of the night seeking freshmeat. Travellers camping in the wild are particularly vulnerable.

Lizardmen are mortal enemies of the Skavenand war against the ratmen race constantly.Sometimes travellers come across theremains of the battles between the two racesin the deep recesses of passageways, usually broken weapons since enemy dead orwounded are eaten by the victors and their

own carried away (though, in a pinch, thevictors might also eat their own dead andseverely wounded).

Minions of ChaosBeastmen are fairly rare in the BlackMountains, most of them come from theTwisted Lands in the Yetzin River valley inthe uninhabited region where the BlackMountains meet the Vaults. Small bands of

Beastmen stalk the edges of the kingdom ofKarak Hirn hunting for food of any sort,including Orcs and Goblins. Mutants areextremely rare as many who do venture intothe mountains try to join Beastmen bandsand only wind up being eaten.

OgresOgres are a fairly common threat in themountains, though Dwarf patrols do what

they can to keep the roads and trails clear ofthese marauders. Ogres generally travel insmall family groups of four to eight. Small bachelor groups of two to four are lessfrequent and some of the larger males travelon their own.


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Orcs and GoblinsOrc tribes range across the BlackMountains, many of which also includeGoblins and Snotlings (the latter is anemergency food source). Raiding and

foraging bands are a constant threat in themountains to travellers and isolatedsettlements as well as to other creatures suchas Skaven. From time to time, the Orc tribesmerge into a larger fighting force that resultsin the armies from Karak Hirn and otherHolds marching out to destroy the enemy.

Goblin tribes are rare in the mountainousregions, preferring the lowlands andfoothills where they are less likely to come

under the control of the hated Orcs. Tribesof so-called Night Goblins can be found inthe tunnels and caves that run deep under themountains where they battle Skaven andLizardmen for supremacy (and to avoid being eaten). Raiding parties of NightGoblins can be a hazard for travellerscamping in the wilderness for the night.

Skaven

Skaven are not as numerous in the BlackMountains as they are beneath the Imperialcities. The major reason is that they are nearthe bottom of the food chain where bipedalsare concerned. Ogres, Trolls, Beastmen,Orcs, and Lizardmen all prey on the ratmen,as do rock serpents. Many of these racesventure in force into the undergroundwarrens to obtain a meal.

In turn, Skaven are not above raiding

villages or travelling bands of Humans insearch of food or slaves. After all, they still believe themselves to be the master racedestined to overthrow the Humans and become masters of the world.

SlaversSlavers occasionally appear in the lowerelevations close to the Human lands lookingfor wayward people to capture and sell inthe slave markets in the Border Princes ortrade with other slavers. Many join forceswith bandits in order to provide some

muscle for the price of gaining most of anyloot. If caught, slavers can expect theharsher punishment than that meted out bythe Dwarfs to any captured bandit. Dwarfsdetest slavery and will cut off the hands ofany captured slaver before hanging theoffender.

TrollsThough not quite as common as Ogres, there

is a fairly sizable population of Trolls in theBlack Mountains. These predators are quitefearless and have animal cunning. There aremany tales of Trolls who sense they are being hunted by Dwarfs or Humans and thendouble back on their trail to catch thehunters unawares. Few caught in this

On the Issue of SlaveryAs stated elsewhere, Dwarfs detest the ideaof slavery and slavers, believing that thereis no basis for treating any individual as if

they were a mere commodity. Any slaverfacing Dwarf justice is assured ofexecution.

On the other hand, Dwarfs have little problem with those who wind up asindentured servants as a result ofdefaulting on their debts. From a Dwarf point of view, meeting one’s obligations toothers, in particular to one’s clan andcraftguild is of utmost importance. Thosewho cannot repay incurred debt throughcoin or goods are expected to do so withservice.


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manner ever survive an encounter with theTroll.

Trolls tend to be solitary hunters and areonly found in family groups when it’s a

female Troll with her young.

WerewolvesKnown as the Children of Ulric(Ulricskinden ) or the Wolfen, eight clans ofWerewolves have established settlements ina number of isolated valleys in the BlackMountains. These clans (or packs when inwolf form) migrated from the northernEmpire shortly after the rule of Emperor

Sigismund the Conqueror in the sixthcentury (Imperial calendar). The leaders ofthe Wolfen clans met and pledged theirallegiance to King Eadric “the Just” inexchange for the right to settle in north-eastern regions near the borders of thekingdom.

The inhabitants of Karak Hirn and thesurrounding settlements are aware of thewerewolves’ existence. Given the exchangeof oaths, the Dwarfs and Dawikoni see the

Wolfen as trading partners and allies. Theyunderstand and honour the werewolves’desire to keep their presence and naturefrom outsiders.

Each Wolfen clan has settled in its ownvalley, though all eight are close to oneanother to avoid in-breeding. They fiercelydefend their territory against their enemies,who are pretty much the same as those theDwarfs battle against. The Werewolves are

also wary of discovery by travellers whomight report their existence.

Outside their valleys, werewolves travel inwolf form enabling them to be elusive andmove with speed.

Inside Karak Hirn

Most visitors to Karak Hirn never get to seemore than the Merchants Hall (see below) atwhat is essentially the Dwarfhold’s backdoor. Dignitaries from other Dwarfholds arecertainly shown about the halls and otherambassadors are escorted whenever there is business with the Dwarfking or his Council.

Only in the rare cases are other outsidersafforded the opportunity to witness thegrandeur of the underground halls of KarakHirn. These special individuals are nevergiven free rein of the Dwarfhold,accompanied by a personal Dwarf escort(minder) as well as a small contingent ofguards to ensure protocols are obeyed. Anywho violate the hospitality of Karak Hirn are

immediately expelled from the Dwarfholdand banished from the Kingdom.

A. The Inner Citadel

Main HallThe Inner Citadel (Ungkarak ) is essentiallythe main entrance to Karak Hirn. The huge

twenty-foot high (each ten-foot wide)double doors are opened during daylighthours throughout much of the year, only being closed to ward off the harshest ofwinters and in case of siege. A unit of tenIron Breakers guard the entrance while it isopen.


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Also known as the Great Kinhall, the Hall ofthe Inner Citadel (Ungkarakhaz ) serves anumber of purposes. Firstly, the Hall of theInner Citadel is used as a marshalling areafor the Dwarfhold’s army. It is here that the

High Priests of Grungni and Valaya givetheir blessings to the assembled. The eldersof the Warrior clans also use the opportunityto exhort the troops to greatness by regalingthem with the brave deeds of their ancestors.The Dwarfking follows by informing theassembled warriors of the grudges heldagainst the enemies with whom they are offto battle.

Secondly, The Hall of the Inner Citadel is a

gathering site for the clans during feast dayssuch as the Day of Remembrance and all theholy days of Grungni (both major andminor) as well as the times when theDwarfking wishes to address his subjects.

Large fire pits along the east wall are used tocook the food for the numerous feast days.With ale flowing freely, feast days are boisterous affairs, lasting the entire day sothat all Dwarfs have some opportunity to partake in the festivities (the Warriorcraftguild in particular needs to rotate its patrols and guards to ensure that securityneeds are always met). Feast days are thetime when the Dwarfs in Karak Hirnsocialise across the craftguilds, whether it beto eat, drink, exchange gossip, gamble, tellstories of ancestors, arm wrestle, engage incontests of skill, or other leisure activities.All craftguilds would be involved with the preparation and provisioning of feast days.

Assemblies called by a Dwarfking are rareevents as there usually are changes in Dwarfsociety requiring proclamations. Such proceedings take place when war is beingdeclared, which has not occurred since theWar against the Bloodaxe Alliance.

Finally, the Hall of the Inner Citadel is thesite for Karak Hirn’s market, which takes place every ten days (the day before theGrungni Holy Days). Here, the folk of theFarmers Village and the interior of the

Dwarfhold gather together to conduct business and exchange gossip. On manyoccasions, residents of nearby mining campsand villages make the journey to Karak Hirnin order to buy provisions and additionalsupplies.

Large pillars hold aloft the vaulted ceilingforty feet above the floor. Like much ofKarak Hirn, the Inner Citadel is built fordefence. A low stone wall is built across the

hall beyond the entrance with an openingthrough which normal traffic passes. Shouldany enemy break into the Inner Citadel, theywould face a withering fire from behind thisdefensive work and a protective shield wallat the opening. The Dwarfs learnt valuablelessons from the fall of Karak Ungor andKarak Varn and the entire interior is built tofight battles from enemies attacking fromoutside as well as beneath.

Smaller double doors (each fifteen feet highand five wide) leading into the rest of theunderground Dwarfhold are situated acrossthe Inner Citadel. These doors always

KinhearthIn its broadest sense, the word "Kinhearth"refers to the social centre of the Dwarfholdas well as the defences protecting it. InKarak Hirn, the Kinhearth is consideredeverything in the interior of the Dwarfhold

except the mines as well as the Merchantand Emissary Halls.

Within the Dwarfhold, the term"Kinhearth" takes a more definitivemeaning. It is used by individual Dwarfsto refer to their clan's living quarters.


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remain open except in times of siege. Asmaller detachment of five Iron Breakersguard this entrance around the clock.

A rope and pulley symbol over the door in

the northwest corner of the Inner Citadelleads to wide stairs which ascend to theEngineer Guildhall above.

Engineers GuildhallThe Engineers Guildhall covers the samefloor space as the Inner Citadel. The vaultedceiling is thirty feet in height. Vents leadingfrom the other halls are cut into the stonewalls so that air from the lower chamberscan rise into this hall. Additional channels

are built high on the eastern wall allowingthe hot air from the furnaces and the other parts of the Dwarfhold to filter out of theGuildhall.

The clans in the Engineer craftguild live andwork in this hall. Forges are located nearthe entrances to the mountainside above theCitadel to enable the engineers to reach thenearby Thunder cannons to repair or replacethese instruments of war. The engineershave also created machinery that allow themto lower field cannons and mortars fromtheir workshops to the front of the Citadel inorder to move these quickly to the curtainwalls.

What little innovation may have beenallowed (after decades of research anddevelopment, of course) is severelyrestricted in accordance with theDwarfking's directives. The emphasis of theEngineers' work is on centuries-old proventechnology, such as cannon.

The entrances are also used to launchgyrocopters, though these are currently inthe possession of the Brotherhood ofMemory.

A large shrine in the centre of the northernwall is dedicated to the Ancestor God,Morgrim. Its altar is shaped into a stonethrower bearing his rune. A large iron doorat the back of a shrine leads to the

craftguild’s crypt.

B. Under Pasture

The Hall of the Under Pasture is like a hugestable. Livestock from Khazid Vorni aredriven into the Under Pasture when adverseweather conditions are expected, particularlyduring winter. Should the Dwarfhold finditself under siege, livestock would be moved

into the Under Pasture.The Hall of the Under Pasture is also used tohouse the mounts of those rare individualswho are given leave by the Dwarfking toapproach Karak Hirn from the Tarien Road.In such cases, Dawikoni from the FarmerVillage serves as grooms.

A number of narrow shafts have been cut atvarious angles into the roof to allow light

from the morning sun into the chambers aswell as an exchange of air. The last thing

VentilationVentilation is a major concern in aDwarfhold. The production of noxiousgases caused by their industry could prove deadly if allowed to build.

The Dwarfs build small vents in theceilings and high wall sections in theirhalls, creating a network that channelssmoke and noxious gases out of theDwarfhold to the outside. In addition,many of the large doors to the surfaceworld are opened when the weatherallows – anytime other than howlingstorms – facilitating the movement of air.


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the Dwarfs want in the hall is a build-up ofmethane.

The hall also contains the Dwarfhold’sgranaries.

C. Hall of Kings

The vaulted ceiling of this magnificent hallstands fifty feet over the floor with itsweight supported by gigantic pillars. Bas-reliefs depicting scenes from Karak Hirn’s past, particularly the achievements of itsfirst kings, have been carved along the wallsand pillars.

The Hall of Kings is as much a display ofthe power of the Dwarfkings of Karak Hirnas it is the centre of the affairs of state.Three impressive bejewelled thrones madeof the finest oak sit on the raised dais at thesouth end of the Hall. The central throne islargest where King Alrik Ranulfsson sitsduring audiences and state functions. To hisright is the throne for Queen WinniferFlaxenhair and that on his left for his heir,

Prince Earak Alriksson.Doors behind a screen in the back of the daislead to the living quarters of the Noble clansand the Council Chambers beneath the Hallof Kings. Additional doors lead to theavenue connecting the Hall of the InnerCitadel to the Hall of Clans. Thesereinforced doors are not quite noticeable atfirst glance as they blend perfectly with thewalls. They can be locked from within.

In the event of the defences being breached by an enemy (although none have comeclose), there are several secret doors withinthe living quarters that lead to a spiralstaircase ascending to the mountain top.

D. Hall of Temples

The vaulted ceiling of the Hall of Templesstands fifty feet high. A number of shaftshave been carved into the upper portion ofthe west wall allowing light from themorning sun to enter the hall. Quartz lensesat the opening of the shafts allow light todiffuse throughout the chamber. There arefour enclosed structures built within the Hallof Temples.

The largest of these is the Temple ofGrungni in the northeast corner of the hall.The interior of the grand temple is lavishlydecorated and carved with bas-relief scenes

from ancient Dwarfen myths, in particularthe Long Migration from the south and

Illumination within a DwarfholdAlthough all Dwarfs have Night Vision ,they still need illumination in the darkworld beneath the surface. Much of thislight comes from candles, lamps, andtorches.

In the great halls and main passageways,

the Dwarfs affix a large crystal of clearquartz upon which a permanent Rune ofIllumination is placed within the lightfixture. The runic-inscribed quartz provides a light equal to that of a lanternand is positioned at a height of ten feetevery twenty feet. The light lasts for fivehours and can be renewed by a word froma passing Watchman (member of theWarrior craftguild).

Given the vastness of the halls, thelighting of the quartz cannot dispel thedarkness near the upper reaches of thehalls. Outsiders unused to living inDwarfholds are always aware of the perpetual night feel to daylight hourswithin the stronghold.


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battles against Chaos in the time of theAncestor Gods. At the far end of the temple,statues of Grungni stand on either side of adais, upon which stands a throne flanked bytwo lecterns. Stone pews are arranged in

front of the dais.High Priest Drennak Gloraksson is the longtime leader of the cult of Grungni, but herealises that his end is fast approaching. Hehas already turned over most of his religiousduties to his hand-picked successor, Priest Norgrim Marleksson, while still maintaininghis advisor role to the King. It’s only amatter of time before the High Priest seekshis counterpart in the cult of Gazul to

prepare for his death.The second temple located in the southeastcorner is dedicated to Valaya. Statues of allDwarf Ancestor Gods appear above thelarge double doors with Valaya in themiddle, flanked by Grungni and Grimnir.Within the temple, statues of the AncestorGoddess flank the altar at the far end whereofferings are made. The statue on the leftshows her peaceful aspect, unarmoured,with a healthy infant in one arm and atankard of ale in the free hand. The otherstatue shows her in a mail coat and helmetwith a shield held before her and her axeraised in a posture of defence. Frescoes onthe interior walls depict scenes from Dwarflife.

High Priestess Loera Raefeksdottir of thecult of Valaya is one of the more influential people in Karak Hirn. She has led the cultfor the past twenty years and often wandersaround the Hall of Clans talking to whoevershe comes across. There is no one else onthe King’s Council who understands theconcerns of the common Dwarf more thanHigh Priestess Loera

The third of the temples is placed in thenorthwest corner of the Hall of Temples andis dedicated to Grimnir. A statue of theAncestor God holding two large axes stands behind the altar. The walls of the temple

depict the deeds of Grimnir during the LongMigration, including his epic battle againstthe Dragon, Magnoathax.

High Priest Streg the One-Eye is a veteranof the War against the Bloodaxe Alliance.He lost his left eye in battle against the Orcchampion, Krak Ironskull and his retinue.High Priest Streg is an ultra-conservativewho believes that there are few problemsthat cannot be solved by force of arms.

Should news of raiding reach his ears, HighPriest Streg makes his way straight to HighPriest Drennak Gloraksson in order to makethe case for military action.

The smallest temple is positioned in the portion of the northern wall that covers thelarge double doors leading to the Hall ofTombs. The temple is dedicated to Gazul,Ancestor God of the Dead and Underearth.Ogre-sized statues of Gazul guard theentrance to the temple wherein a small altarstands in the centre so those honouring thedead can likewise honour Gazul. A large bier stands between the altar and the reardoors where the dead lie in state before being interred in the catacombs beyond.

E. Hall of Tombs

The Hall of Tombs currently extends

downwards more than twenty levels. Thefirst several levels are dedicated to the Kingsand Queens of Karak Hirn while the resthold the deceased members from the othernoble clans as well as the priesthood. HighPriest Morban Trariksson oversees theconstruction of new levels in the Hall ofTombs as well as the various crypts


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throughout the hold, working withcraftguilds such as the miners (tunnelling)and stonemasons (tomb construction anddecoration). No one is allowed to enter theHall of Tombs without an escort from a

priest of Gazul.The priests of Gazul spend a considerabletime patrolling the catacombs and renewingthe various runes used to protect the tombs.They also remain on the lookout for anysigns of break-ins by tunnelling creatureslike Night Goblins, Skaven, and Lizardmen.Each level has a gate that is usuallymagically locked by runic magic to containsuch break-ins. Priests of Gazul know the

password and are sworn to die withoutrevealing it to anyone outside the cult.

F. Hall of Clans

The Hall of Clans (Throngkhaz ) is thelargest of the underground chambers inKarak Hirn. The vaulted ceiling of the Hallof Clans stands forty feet in height and the pillars are decorated with scenes of Dwarf

life. Many of the scenes are applicable tothe craftguild living in that quarter of thehall. The craftguilds located within the Hallof Clans are:

Armourers/ WeaponsmithsArtisansBrewersHealersJewelsmithsMetalsmiths

MinersStonemasonsWarriors

Each of the clans of the craftguilds(excluding those of the Engineers andRunescribes, the latter of which includesRunesmiths) live in a specific quarter within

the Hall. Like the people in the Imperialcities and towns, many Dwarf clans liveabove their workshops. Their hours of workare variable, particularly since the conceptof day-time and night has little meaning

within the Dwarfhold.Dwarfs live in large buildings that providehomes for many families within the sameclan. These Dwarf tenements areconstructed in stone (ground floor) andwood (first floor), complete with roofs. AllDwarf apartment buildings have cellarswhere provisions and work materials arestored. Windows are simply openings sincethe Dwarfs have no need for glass or thin

skins to protect the building’s interior fromadverse weather conditions. Shutters on thewindows are used for privacy.

The workshops below the living quarters arewell-lit with ten foot ceilings. These areareas where a clan labours together. Such awork environment enables clan elders andcraft masters to walk about and inspect thework being done, as well as train novices intheir craft.

In the centre their respective quarters, eachcraftguild has its own kinhall where allmembers of the clans can get together whennot working and share a meal, exchangegossip, tell stories, or toast to one another’saccomplishments. In a sense, the craftguildkinhall operates much like a localneighbourhood tavern in the Imperial cities.The kinhalls have ceilings ten feet in heightand held aloft by decorative columns.Motifs particular to the craftguild (i.e. toolsof the trade) are prominent in thedecorations.

Dwarf clans pride themselves on the qualityof their work. They also measure theirwealth and success is through themagnificence of their craftguild kinhall.


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Dwarfs are competitive about this effort andall clans are expected to contribute to theupkeep. The clans lavish their resourceson fine decorations, carvings, etc. Anothermeasure of the craftguild’s success is the

quality of victuals and variety ofentertainments in their kinhall. Thecraftguild with the hall with the finestdecoration and providing the mostsumptuous meals usually has the greateststatus.

Within the kinhall is a shrine dedicated tothe ancestors of the craftguild. A smallstairway adjoining this shrine leads to thecraftguild’s crypt where their ancestors and

deceased members are interred. Thefounders of the craftguilds are entombed atthe first level in order to give the clans easyaccess to honour their ancestors. Priests of

Gazul are involved with every burial and periodically replenish the protective runes ofa craftguild’s crypt.

Like other Dwarfholds, the streets within the

Hall of Clans in Karak Hirn are largely laidout in a grid pattern. This arrangementallows for the quicker movement of warriorsin case the Dwarfhold has been breached.Street names tend to reflect the clansresiding on that stretch of road.

Scattered in the Hall of Clans are four doorsthat lead to stairs winding upward to the fourtowers built on top of the mountain. Thesestairs are mostly used by the Warrior

craftguild to rotate the guards in the towers.

Water NeedsWater is a critical need in all Dwarfholds. In addition to being used in the brewing of ale,many of the craftguilds – such as armourers/weaponsmiths, artisans, engineers – require largequantities of water in their work. Water is also needed for the removal of waste, both bodilyand industrial.

Dwarf Engineers create an elaborate mechanism for collecting water from various sources. Anumber of pools are built on top of the mountain to collect rain water with rock lined channelsto direct the water to drains near the watchtowers to a series of cisterns accessible behindsecret door along the descending stairways. Water from other runoffs, particularly near thesheer eastern face of the mountain, is also channelled to cisterns within the Engineer Guildhall

In the course of building their halls, the Dwarfs found underground springs. These were alsotapped to provide water and channelled to existing pools or newly-built reservoirs near thecraftguilds requiring water for industrial use.

From the various cisterns and reservoirs, the Dwarf engineers built a series of stone conduitsand metallic pipes to deliver the water to public fountains and dwellings within all the halls aswell as the Under Pasture and mines.

Latrines and waste pits are built over underground rivers so that wastes can be washed out ofthe Dwarfhold. Some of these underground rivers are encased in stone and mortared culvertto keep these from flooding the lower mines. In some cases, the water of these rivers is usedto power waterwheels or heated to power steam machinery.


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G. Hall of Runesmiths

Rune Lord Horek Kragsson rules the Hall ofRunesmiths as if it were his personalfiefdom. The craftguild of Runescribes,which includes the few Runesmiths of KarakHirn, live and work in this Hall. Theresidential area is situated near the Hall'sentrance as is the working area for mostRunescribes. The thirty-foot ceiling issupported by columns void of decoration ofany sort.

The workshops of the Runesmiths are in a

protected chamber at the far side of the Hallwhere each can work on their individualstudies and projects without putting others atrisk. Most Runesmiths are rather secretive,even to the point of limiting theirapprentice's ability to learn their craft beyond the lower rank runic magic.

A shrine dedicated to the ancestor god,Thungni, has been erected at the entrance ofthe Runesmiths work-halls.

A door on the north wall of the Hall leads tothe crypt where the bodies of ancestors anddeceased members of the craftguild areentombed.

H. Hall of Loremasters

The Hall of Loremasters is also known asthe Library of Karak Hirn. When one passesthrough the large ornate ten-foot high doubledoors, one comes into the top of the eightlevels within the library. The floor of theHall rests about ninety feet below while theceiling is twelve feet above the entryway.The centre of the Hall is an open atrium witha large spiral staircase built to connect theinside edges of each floor.

Shelves are built into the stone walls for thevarious tomes, with certain areas built forthe storage of scrolls. Thin metallic sheets

of copper are the preferred medium for thewritten word as they last much longer than paper or parchment. Such material makesthe tomes and books much heavier thanwhat one would find among Humanlibraries.

A desk is situated in the area where aRunescribe, Hegandor Rungnisson, ensuresthat all visitors sign a ledger to gainadmittance. Though he aspires to be trained

as a Loremaster, Hegandor is ratherresentful that he has been assigned such anonerous task. The Dwarf comes across asmore foul-tempered and impatient thanothers of his kind.

Loremaster Fundak Mukansson is the chieflibrarian and loremaster. When notattending the King's Council, LoremasterFundak is normally found deep within thestacks, overseeing the work of otherloremasters.

Each loremaster specialises in a specific areaof study. Most are involved with specific periods of history in a given area, thoughsome might be involved with botany,zoology, or some other scientific endeavo

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