Blind owner of the Ik Mablis.
Or was it? There was nothing nightmarish in sight, unless Harnok Chadlin qualified for such a description. And, while Heineman's childhood had sometimes been marred by nightmares about Chadlin, in adulthood he scarcely found that creature fearsome.
Chadlin was the blind owner of that notorious hotel known as the Ik Mablis, a large and largely derelict dosshouse on Quisling Hok, a free-standing slum which, despite its decrepitude, routinely earnt Harnok Chadlin enough money to debauch himself. Debauch himself he did, and he was notorious for his association with whores, who would tolerate him when no other woman would.
Truth to tell, Harnok Chadlin took some tolerating, for his blindness was a deep-gouged ugliness. As a young boy, Heineman Yakaskam had often encountered the foul-mouthed Chadlin in the streets of Lexis, and had learnt not to look too closely on his face. For Chadlin wore no eye-patches, encumbered himself with no glass eyes, and so displayed to all the world those sockets of his which were so singular in their unpleasantness. [EoH Ch13]