Cuts & Catastrophes
(2026)(The eighth book in the Tales from the Broken Claw series)
A novel by Don Jones
The finest cuts of meat aren't just for eating—they are the fuel for a quest. But what happens when the butcher's own foundation begins to fail?
Dardrad, North Pointe Common Towne's gruff yet gentle dwarven butcher, has a unique purpose: to "feed the quest." Guided by the shop’s magic, he expertly uses his gift to '''sink’ into the earth, traversing continents in a single candlemark to retrieve fantastical provisions—from Stone-Ram Flank to Mossbear Filet—each offering a subtle, timely aid to travelers.
Beneath his shop, Dardrad and his wife have sculpted a luxurious, hidden warren, a masterpiece of dwarven rock-shaping art. But their sanctuary is built on a secret: the ancient shame of a catastrophic architectural failure that drove them from dwarven society years ago.
Now, that past is literally catching up.
As his neighbor, Alred the dry goods storekeeper, begins to slip away from the town's magical hold—drawn by the cryptic pull of Llewel’s mysterious restaurant—Dardrad's connection to the earth falters. Small, unsettling tremors begin to shake the town square. What starts as a series of cozy catastrophes—from overly perfected food to the unnerving stillness of the ground—soon threatens the very stability of North Pointe.
To save the town and its magic, Dardrad must confront the one thing he swore he'd never touch again: the foundational rock. He must stop being the butcher who runs, and become the architect he failed to be, or risk losing the only home he has ever truly known.
A heartwarming tale about facing a foundational flaw, embracing a hidden identity, and proving that sometimes, the only way forward is down.
Genre: Fantasy
Dardrad, North Pointe Common Towne's gruff yet gentle dwarven butcher, has a unique purpose: to "feed the quest." Guided by the shop’s magic, he expertly uses his gift to '''sink’ into the earth, traversing continents in a single candlemark to retrieve fantastical provisions—from Stone-Ram Flank to Mossbear Filet—each offering a subtle, timely aid to travelers.
Beneath his shop, Dardrad and his wife have sculpted a luxurious, hidden warren, a masterpiece of dwarven rock-shaping art. But their sanctuary is built on a secret: the ancient shame of a catastrophic architectural failure that drove them from dwarven society years ago.
Now, that past is literally catching up.
As his neighbor, Alred the dry goods storekeeper, begins to slip away from the town's magical hold—drawn by the cryptic pull of Llewel’s mysterious restaurant—Dardrad's connection to the earth falters. Small, unsettling tremors begin to shake the town square. What starts as a series of cozy catastrophes—from overly perfected food to the unnerving stillness of the ground—soon threatens the very stability of North Pointe.
To save the town and its magic, Dardrad must confront the one thing he swore he'd never touch again: the foundational rock. He must stop being the butcher who runs, and become the architect he failed to be, or risk losing the only home he has ever truly known.
A heartwarming tale about facing a foundational flaw, embracing a hidden identity, and proving that sometimes, the only way forward is down.
Genre: Fantasy
Used availability for Don Jones's Cuts & Catastrophes