[WFRP] The Hour After Midnight

[LCP]

Following Seth, they made their way to Helstrum’s Ward – Raffy knew the way, leading them past the Neumarket and deep into the lower town.

Helstrum’s Ward turned out to be a narrow, muddy yard, overshadowed by leaning, decrepit houses on all four sides – some exceptionally slanty specimens were propped up with rotting timber struts, sagging roofs shedding tiles or composed of mouldering thatch. A wooden carter’s gate blocked off one of the four entrance-ways, while a squat, stone well stood in the centre of the yard, a bucket and pulley dangling over its yawning black mouth. As they entered the square, a scrawny ginger cat flashed out of a back-alley to their right, bolting between their feet with a yowl of fear – three great rats bounded after it in hot pursuit. They scrabbled to a halt as they saw the humans, turning tail and fleeing back into the shadows – the cat mewed, cowering behind Ithelus’ shins. It followed them across the square, unwilling to let its inadvertent protectors abandon it.

Finding the address Maria had given them, Seth knocked on the door – barely more than a bundle of planks nailed together. There was a muffled cursing from within, and the door creaked open – a fat, jowly man glowered out at them.

“Yes?” he snapped. “What?”
“We’re looking for a man named Henrik Puderbrand.”
“Hah!” The man snorted unpleasantly. “So’m I. Owes me three weeks’ rent.” He scowled. “But I ha’n’t seen hide nor hair of him for more’n a month now. Bastard did a runner.”