Dead, drab and engrimed like anywhere else in Riddra during the day, Red Lantern Square transforms into a fast, lewd hub of dirty glamour as darkness snubs out the sun. Then the red lamps hanging from the corners of the building cast a warm enfolding glow over the crazy, ugly, lascivious, promiscuous, mad bad clientele; the small stalls and rooms stuffed with trinkets, cheap weapons, herbal remedies; the sailors on shore leave looking for their bit of stuff; the pickpockets, toolers and beggars fleecing the writhing crowd for all their worth; the dollymops lounging by the doors of flop houses looking O so inviting in the dim light; the macers and magsmen winning again and again in questionable gambling dens; the 'pads making short work of the unwary, turfing their unconscious bodies into some half forgotten alley; the unguilded heavymen for hire; all such life that is best ignored but that enamours the casual visitor and sucks him in - remember, buyer beware! - all these, creep from their daily crawlspaces to welcome the night.
Buildings, crouched six or seven stories high around the square, windows begrilled and begrimed - dim gas light flicking through the slats - give a claustrophobic, trapped sense to the tiny square below. Narrow Iron walkways cross the square from the higher levels, and the cellars of the buildings have been enlarged. Each building houses any number of trades and characters, lurking, slouched behind anonymous doors, crammed into tiny cells. red Lantern Square is not the only place like this in Marienburg, but it is easily the most infamous.
"Ya jus' wanta watch yersilves there. Course ya kin get anyfing ya wan' but jus' be careful 'bout wat people try to give ya, ya know?"
"God Awful place - you would think that some authority would shut it down. It's typical of the Lazy, Corrupt attitude of the Council and the Law Enforcement - they just allow blatant law breakers to get away with murder! IT'S APPALLING!!!!"
"Yeah - friend of mine works there. Room 9 on the third floor of the east building - he'll fix you up if you're down if you get my meaning."
"Oooh it's so exciting! We've slummed it there several times - of cause the smell of the commoners is horrible, but if one holds ones nose, one can find it so thrilling!"
This section is still under development - stats, skills and full descriptions will follow, but here is a summary of characters and places:
Blind Mo: An Ex-Pit Fighter who was forced from his profession when he lost both eyes in combat with a Half Orc. Although he can't see he hears much, and would be a good contact if the PCs can cultivate him.
Lethe: Dark Elf bawd - she's the only completely reliable tout for the square - others lead their customers into traps, but she stays true and has earned a reputation for it. Some say she used to be an assassin, and it is true that no one bothers either her or her clients. Perhaps the most influential figure in the square.
Marcel Mousillade: Antiquarian, dealing in proscribed texts. Necromancers, Daemonologists and Scholars come from all over Marienburg to meet with him and buy his books. He doesn't stay long in Marienburg - a couple of days every month before leaving to travel all over the Old World.
Sharky and van Dorp: Two utterly corrupt watchmen, who are just as likely to attack you as protect you.
Koos de Bruijn: an exciseman turned forger. Provides false documentation for the smuggler and few pirate ships that put into Marienburg.
Cult of The Rotting Finger: A small Nurgle cult that operates in the basement of one of the buildings. All horribly disfigured members of the Marienburg slumworld.
The House of Silks: Brothel that acts as a casement trap. Customers clothes are rifled while they are otherwise occupied.
and many others. There are plenty of people who won't be detailed, leaving lots of room for you to create a character.
Some moral minority group - perhaps a small cult of Solkan, or maybe a straitlaced gentlemen's club - has decided that the square is a blot on the face of Marienburg, and has got to go. The way they see it, not only do unspeakably indecent activities occur there, but it probably plays host to some god awful chaotic cult. The watch are no good - being lazy and terrified, they refuse to shut the place down (most of them have probably been bribed anyway). The group has resolved to burn the place to the ground.
The adventurers can get involved in a number of ways. They could be hired by the group to perform the Arson - but carrying this out would be extremely immoral - not only will a large number of innocent people die, but the fire will very probably spread to the surrounding area. They could also be asked to prevent the sabotage going ahead by a powerful square figure, or they could be involved in something completely separate when the square begins to burn.
Due to the highly anonymous nature of the rooms in the buildings, it would be very easy for the PCs to walk through the wrong door at the wrong time. Perhaps they blunder in on an Underworld deal or execution, or crash into a brothel only to see an influential merchant in bed with two young girls. Cultist rituals, drug labs, illicit magics, secret meetings, anything can and invariably does happen behind at least one of the doors. What happens next ... ?