The Wheel of Gold

Any well-to-do gambler fancying a few hours of diversion at roulette, dice, or cards will head here (locallon H5). Admission charge is 1 gp for nonmembers; a year's membership costs 10 gp. The place is owned by Nerof Gasgal. who also happens to be Lord Mayor of the city (sec Chapter 1).

The Wheel of Gold is extremely comfortable, with a small eating room and a relaxation lounge, but most space Is given over to the gambling tables. DMs should note that the entrance is guarded by two 7th level fighter-bouncers in leather armor, both of whom have 18/76 Strength and clubs. and who do not permit entry to those who are not properly dressed. Weapons (except for daggers) must be left at the door. Any form of armor is not acceptable dress.

If PCs wish to gamble here, the DM should take into account the fact that the odds are stacked by 2%, and sometimes more, in favor of the house. This is, after all, a business establishment, and Nerof Gasgal will take any necessary steps to ensure that the business shows a profit. He has, for example, supplied two of his most trusted croupiers with a ring of telekinesis they can use to fix the results on many throws of dice and whirls of the roulette wheel where large sums of the house's money are on the line if the house is having a bad lime.

These two croupiers do not swindle Nerof; lhey would not dare. and this is true of all the staff here. These men have Int 16 and Cha 16, and are very smart in choosing which throws of the dice or spins of the wheel to fix, people do win large sums from the house sometimes. They are also very careful about whom to cheat: victims are virtually always non-Greyhawkers, people such as rich noble fathers of students at the Halls. affluent adventurers fresh from Castle Greyhawk, people with riches from the Cairn Hills-and PCs, of course.

Medium-level thieves are allowed to practice their arts here by arrangement with Nerof (who is also assistant master of the Thieves' Guild), using sleight of hand to cheat people-but not the house!-and they tend to pick on the same sorts of targets (listed above) as the croupiers do. Well-to-do courtesans also latch onto gamblers who are winning here, hoping for a share of the largesse. A successful gambler here will soon find himself surrounded by a sycophantic coterie.