A single boat allow entrance into the casino, made of
Wizardwood, this flying boat flies next to the waterfall, dropping passengers directly into the casino, and providing a way out for those who which to quit. The boat takes 15 minutes from the city to the casino's waterfall.
A
Tiefling ferrier (commoner) in a heavy, hooded robe waits silently to convey characters to the casino. The tiefling keeps its hood up at all times and doesn’t speak to passengers. If the characters touch the ferrier or attempt to pull back the ferrier’s hood, the ferrier asks the characters to stop—the tiefling is just trying to do its job.
Description
The casino is divided into nine areas of gaming and entertainment. The north end of the casino ends in an 80-foot rocky cliff face. The river that runs through the casino pours over the cliff at the overlook (area A10).
General feature
The Afterlife Casino is built within a natural cavern. Its common features are described in the following sections.
Cashier Stations
The casino has four cashier’s stations (in areas A1 and area A3), where imps cashiers in smiling devil masks trade any currency for soul coins.
A cashier has no cash on hand but is attuned to a magical sigil on the station’s countertop. The cashier places coinage on the sigil, sending it directly to the vault, or pulls coins from the vault through the same sigil. Withdrawals of more than 250 gp require a second cashier to confirm the transaction. Transactions occurring through the sigils are automatically recorded in the magical ledger in the clerk’s office (area A14).
Ceilings
The ceiling in the public parts of the casino is 50 feet high and festooned with hanging stalactites. The ceilings in the employee-only areas are 20 feet high and smooth.
Doors
The casino’s interior doors are made of wood. Arcane lock spells have been cast on the doors that lead to the employee-only areas, the vault hallway, and the vault itself. These doors have bright green trim, making them obvious to visitors.
The doors can be shouldered open with a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check.
Employee-Only Areas
Security guards who encounter unauthorized individuals in employee-only areas immediately try to usher them out. If those individuals resist, the guards attempt to apprehend the intruders and take them to the holding cells (area A17).
Lights and Music
The casino is lit by programmed dancing light spells that create flames of a hellish hue. These lights float and bob at varying heights. The employee tunnels contain continual flame spells cast on sconces.
The music that plays throughout the casino is illusory. The music plays more softly in employee-only areas.
Security
Security Guards
Sixth bearded devils serving as security guards patrol the casino floor. If the characters cause a ruckus, the nearest guard moves toward them and tries to quell the disturbance without resorting to violence. If attacked, the guard reacts in kind and shouts for reinforcements. All other guards arrive in 3 rounds.
Security Mirrors
Throughout the casino are security mirrors, most are anchored to a wall at a downward angle twelve feet off the floor. A detect
Magic spell reveals an aura of
Divination magic around each mirror, which is a Large object with AC 13, 5 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. In addition to functioning as a normal mirror, each security mirror acts as a magical scrying device, allowing guards in the security office (area A16) to see through it like a window. Casting dispel magic on a security mirror suppresses its scrying property for 10 minutes.
Breaking a mirror or suppressing its magic leads two guards from area A16 to investigate and report what they learn.
Cheating protection
All tables for card and dice games, and all copper slot machines are anti-magic zones to prevent cheating.
A patron who is caught cheating is escorted by
1d3 security guards to the holding cells (area A16). The cheater is released with the next arrival of the boat, escorted by security to the boat, advised never to return, and sent upriver.
Walls and Floors
The casino’s perimeter walls are made of rough, naturally carved stone. Interior walls are made of 2-foot-thick stone; these walls look natural but were sculpted using stone shape spells. The floors are made of smooth worked stone and are covered with garish rugs.
A1: Avernus
This area holds three dragon ante tables and copper slot machines. Just south of the game tables are two cashier booths. Just north of the games area is a secluded lounge that holds a small bar as well as chairs and couches.
Security Mirrors. A security mirror hangs in the southeast corner overlooking the games area. Another security mirror hangs on the north wall, above the chairs in the lounge area.
A2: Dis
This section contains rows of copper slot machines and five life and
Death tables, each with a different bet value: 1 cp, 5 cp, 1 sp, 1 gp, and 10 gp.
A3: Minauros
A narrow racing track dominates the center of this section, with shouting and cheering patrons clustered around it. Numbered rats scurry along their respective lanes. As the rats cross the finish line, cries of victory and groans of defeat erupt from the patrons. Just south of the track are a pair of lounge chairs and two cashier booths staffed by tieflings wearing devil masks.
Security Mirrors. A security mirror overlooks the cashier booths in the southwest corner. Another security mirror hangs in the northwest corner of this area, overlooking the track.
A4: Bar
The bar features two bars and plenty of plush, comfortable chairs and cushions. The tiefling bartenders (commoners) serve spirits and a bitter ale called Brimstone Gulp. This ale is served in copper flagons embossed with prancing imps. Patrons can also buy cigars here for 1 cp each.
Security Mirror. A security mirror in the northwest corner of this area faces the northernmost bar and seating area.
A5: Spa & Baths
The air in here is warmer and more humid than in the casino proper and bears a sulfurous fragrance. A succubus seated behind a desk gives you a warm smile. Chintz curtains are drawn behind her.
“Dear souls,” says the tiefling. “Care to enjoy a massage, relax in our sauna, or take a warm bath? Perhaps you're looking to enjoy
Zariel's favor ?”
The succubus attendant is happy to schedule massages or
Time in the sauna or baths. Patrons are allowed to explore the areas beyond the curtain:
Phlegethosian Spa. The northernmost chamber is where patrons receive therapeutic massages (10 gp for an hour) or relax in the wood-sided sauna for free. A locked double door in the east wall leads to the laundry (area A7).
Stygian Baths. The southernmost room contains four steaming pools of water. Patrons can pay 2 gp for two hours in the pools or 5 gp for an all-day pass.
A door east leads to area V7, where patrons can enjoy the succubus renowned skills.
A6: Brothel
This area holds two large wooden pools, in which an incubus and a succubus are waiting. Patrons can pay a soul coin for 20 minutes with one of the two or can be the willing victim of their draining kiss to be offered this service for free.
Security Mirror. A large mirror is set on the eastern wall of the room, overlooking the two pools.
A7: Cirque Titus
Cirque Titus performs the gruesome show in honor of the archdevil of sloth, Titus for the enjoyment of all. Hour-long performances occur here every four hours. Each show is gruesome and a horrific display of strength and savagery displaying the might of the devils against the celestial in the ongoing celestial war.
1d4 angel fight against a
devil. The angels are promised freedom if they manage to kill the devil, but are bound to be turned into soul soins if they fail.
The audience is offered to bet on the show, and devils can bet any number of soul coins on the winning team. Betting on the angels is a risky choice, but the payout is 10 to 1. On the other hand betting on the devil seems like a safer choice, but the payout is only 2:1.
non-devil creatures wishing to bet cannot bet soul coin on this performance, instead, they are offered to bet their very own soul, a deal they need to agree with a drop of blood dropped in a vial in the presentator's possession.
Another bet offered to non-devil creatures is their neutrality in the face of horror. To honor the great archdevil of sloth, Titus, one may stay neutral, almost sleepy in the face of this slaughter. Non-devil creatures can bet on their ability to stay neutral, gaining 10 soul coins if they succeed, or losing their soul if they fail, a deal they need to agree with a drop of blood dropped in a vial in the presentator's possession. To win this bet, a creature must succeed on the DC 15 performance (charisma) or deception (charisma) check for each creature killed in the circus during the performance.
The DM rolls a
d4 and a
d8 for each angel, describing the state of the fight after each roll. If the total of d4 is superior to the total of d8, the angels win.
Casino patrons come and go through two sets of double doors on the east wall. Descending rings of seats encircle a 35-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep depression in the floor. When the circus is in full swing, prisoners and trained fighters enter and leave through an open tunnel in the west wall of the depression. This tunnel leads to a staging area (area A11) behind a locked double door.
Security Mirror. A security mirror hangs in the northwest corner, overlooking the seating area.
A8: Professional three dragon ante
Steps lead to the sunken floor of a gambling haven ringed with pillars of black basalt. Seven three-dragon ante tables take up the floor space.
The tables are high-stakes tables (5 soul coin buy-in) open to anyone.
A9: Waterfall Overlook
The casino floor ends where the river spills over the edge of a cliff and into a much larger body of water. The waterfall is thunderous, drowning out the noise from the casino. Above the waterfall is a stone overlook bounded by three-foot-high railings.
The waterfall is 300 feet tall and plunges into the ruins below.
Docking Area
The casino’s boat loads and unloads passengers at a pair of wooden docks above the cliff. Two imps help patrons into and out of the boats.
Patrons are expected to abide by the casino’s rules, which are posted on placards near the docks. The placards read as follows:
RULES IN THE AFTERLIFE:
Stay out of the River.
Don’t cheat. (Cheaters never prosper.)
Don’t accost or threaten other patrons or the staff.
Keep your weapons hidden or sheathed at all times.
Only employees may pass through green-trimmed doors.
WIN, WIN, WIN!
Dealy races
Races are organized twice a day by the casino in the ruins under the basalt city. The races can be observed from the waterfall overlook.
5 prisoners of the basalt city, generally celestials, are tied to the back of
nightmares with chains piercing their arms and coiling around their necks. Before they are launched in the ruins. Minutes after a ravenous
crokektoeck is released behind them.
Observers are offered to bet on the last survivor of the race. Observers place bets on one of the runners. The nightmares are launched into the ruins, running for their lives, and the last survivor wins. The observer that bets on the winning runner receives double their bet. Observers that bet on the second-place runners win back half of their bet.
The DM rolls a
d4 for each runner, those with the lowest score are killed, describing the state of the race after each roll. The race continues until only one runner is left, the winner.
A10: Loth
Loth is a restaurant located 20 feet below the casino. It can be reached by descending a spiral staircase in the hallway between areas A5 and area A8.
The restaurant’s dining area sits on a ledge behind the waterfall (area A8). The ceiling here is uneven but is roughly 12 feet high. A smooth wall separates the dining area from the kitchen, which contains two large stoves.
The restaurant is open all day and offers only one option, an all-you-can-eat buffet for a soul coin. Unlike food consumed elsewhere in the seven hell, which is uniformly terrible, the food at loth tastes delicious. Consuming a meal at Loth has the same benefits as a heroes’ feast spell.
A
fat devil oversees the restaurant and offers a challenge to one creature who envies the appetizing food. A contest of gluttony: Both the creature and the devil will eat the buffet, making DC 15 constitution saves, for each failed save they gain a level of exhaustion. The first one to forfeit, or to reach five levels of exhaustion loses.
If the creature loses the contest, it forfeits its soul to the devil upon his demise. If the creature succeeds, the buffed is free, and the devil offers the creature a
bag of devouring.
Security Mirror. A security mirror hangs on the southeast wall, just north of the entry tunnel, overlooking the dining room.
A11: Staging Area and Monster Cages
Employee-Only Area
Cirque Maladomini uses this room as a holding pen for monsters and a staging area for performers. Characters entering from the south must descend a flight of steps to reach the chamber’s sunken floor.
When the characters enter this room for the first time, read the following:
This room smells like hay and musk. Three crates rest on the floor in one corner, and a portable cage on rollers sits beside them. Floor-to-ceiling bars form two larger cages against the north wall. A wooden chest sits against the east wall near the biggest cage. Resting on the lid of the chest is a ring of keys.
A locked double door in the middle of the east wall conceals a curvy tunnel that leads to area A8.
When Cirque Maladomini isn’t performing in area A8, the northwest cage holds three trained baboons that shriek whenever someone new enters the room, and the northeast cage contains a quiet trained manticore named Emrys. Three tiefling acrobats (commoners with Acrobatics +4 and Performance +4) are also rehearsing together in the middle of the room. One tiefling performs a one-handed handstand, while another twirl a flaming hoop, and the third plucks a banjo. During performances, the tieflings and the animals are all absent.
Wooden Chest. The wooden chest next to the lion’s cage is unlocked. The keys on the chest unlock the doors to the animal cages. The chest itself contains juggling pins, rubber balls, colorful streamers, and other circus doodads. A potion of animal friendship can be found here as well.
A12: Employee Lounge
Employee-Only Area
This room is sixty feet long by fifty feet wide. A long table surrounded by ten chairs takes up the center of the room, and the far corners each hold a couch, two cushioned chairs, and a coffee table.
At any time during casino hours, three employees (commoners) are here on a break.
The off-duty employees are chatty and not overly fond of their employer. Characters who question the employees can learn the following information:
Bone devil. A bone devil has been recently employed to guard the casino's vault. Quentin recently added a new security measure to the casino’s vault: a contract with a bone devil who protects the vault.
Security Office Personnel. Three guards staff the security office across the hall.
A13: Verity’s Office
Employee-Only Area
This roomy office contains an L-shaped desk, cushioned chairs, and knickknacks on shelves. A painted bas-relief spans the entire north wall and depicts a host of winged devils catching mortals as they plunge into the depths of hell.
If Verity Togglepocket is in his office and notices one or more of the characters, add the following:
A garishly dressed gilded devil with a devilish countenance to rival Fury sits behind the desk. When he notices you, he curls his lips in a lopsided smile. “Well, now,” he says. “What can I do for you?”
Desk Drawers. The top drawer of Quentin’s desk holds a red candle, a quill, a jar of ink, a few sheets of parchment, a few envelopes, a copper ring bearing Quentin’s wax seal, and a velvet pouch containing 25 gp.
The bottom drawer of Quentin’s desk contains a golden ring and a contract with a bone devil, this contract forces the bone devil to obey whoever possesses the ring within the casino in exchange for a soul coin per day for 30 days. The drawer also contains a small note on which is written "Sesame" It is the password of the arcane lock for the casino's vault.
A14: Clerk’s Office
Employee-Only Area
This office contains an L-shaped desk, atop which sits a candlestick and a thick, open ledger. Other furnishings include cushioned chairs and two bare bookshelves.
The ledger on the desk magically tracks all money moving in and out of the casino. Every coin and chip that passes through the cashier booths is recorded here in the appropriate column, scrawled in ink as if by some invisible hand. Any character who spends 1 minute reading the ledger can verify that the casino’s vault contains roughly 5,000 gp in coinage.
A15: Security Office
Employee-Only Area
Five desks face the west wall, which is covered with mirrors. Each mirror on the wall corresponds to a security mirror elsewhere in the casino, and whatever is happening within the line of sight of the mirrors is displayed here. Three imps and a breaded devil monitor the mirrors.
Ring of Keys. A ring of eight keys dangles from a hook next to the south door. Each cell and chest in area A17 has a corresponding key that unlocks it.
A16: Holding Cells
Employee-Only Area
This area holds six jail cells and two padlocked wooden chests. The keys in the security office (area A16) unlock the cells and the chests. As an action, a character using thieves’ tools can try to pick a lock, doing so with a successful DC 17 Dexterity check. If the character tries to pick the lock of a cell door from inside the cell, the check is made with disadvantage.
Wooden Chests. Both chests are unlocked and empty. If one or more characters are detained here, their weapons are locked in the chests for safekeeping.
A17: Back Hallways
Employee-Only Area
These three hallways are used frequently by casino employees. At your discretion, characters who linger here might encounter one or more of these employees heading to or from the casino floor.
A18: Vault
Employee-Only Area
The double door leading to the vault has cast-iron devil faces mounted on its south side. If a creature that isn't escorted by Verity comes within 10 feet of the double door, the devil faces open their mouths and breathe a 10-foot-wide, 30-foot-long line of lightning down the hallway. Each creature in the line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (
5d8 ) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This trap resets at the next dawn.
The cast-iron double door is locked. As an action, a character using thieves’ tools can try to pick a lock, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. If the character tries to pick the lock of a cell door from inside the cell, the check is made with disadvantage.
When the characters peer into the vault for the first time, read the following:
The vault is forty feet deep and almost twice as wide. A security mirror stares back at you from the far wall. Seven treasure chests rest on low tables positioned against the north and east walls, and two tall wardrobes stand against the south wall.
Standing in the middle of the room is a bone devil. The bone devil stands guard in the center of the room. They attack any intruders who aren’t escorted by Verity.
Iron Chests. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of
Transmutation magic around each iron chest. All seven chests are magically linked to the cashier stations in the casino. The interior of each chest’s lid is scribed with a rune that enables the cashiers to remotely deposit coins into and withdraw coins from the chests. The chests must be closed for their magic to function, and the chests become nonmagical if removed from the vault.
At any given time, the seven chests contain mixed coinage worth a total of
2d4 × 1,000 gp.
If all the coins are removed from the chests, the cashiers quickly discover they are unable to withdraw money from the vault and alert the guards immediately. It’s only a matter of time until someone investigates.
Wardrobes. The wardrobes hold items of value given by rich patrons for collateral against the house: a gold and ruby necklace (250 gp), a jade rabbit figurine (75 gp), and a +1 rapier.
Staff and Patrons
Staff
Verity employs many dealers and servants, each of them under the effect of a geas spell to provide the best service they possibly can and appear happy while they work. Most of these individuals are former patrons.
Patrons
Lysa Silvertongue (neutral, tiefling noble) is eager to break the monotony of her life of leisure.
Georgie Simmons (neutral good, human commoner) is a down-and-out loser who is determined to have a good time.
Karlton Keyes (lawful neutral, human commoner), a merchant, hopes to open his casino and is here doing research.
Lowell Brassborn (neutral good, dwarf commoner) thinks gambling is a waste of money but is here with his sister, Lorna.
Lorna Brassborn (lawful neutral, dwarf commoner) is a hard-nosed copper slots player who thinks she has the machines’ algorithms figured out.
Rythil Ire (chaotic neutral, elf noble) aims to enjoy the cocktails at the bar and soak away his stress in the spa.
Anaïs Bellefleur (chaotic good tiefling) smokes foul-smelling cigars, has a bellowing laugh, and enjoys ale a bit too much.
Jetta Moore (neutral good human) has childlike enthusiasm and displays guileless naiveté.
Karn Ironpebble (lawful neutral dwarf) grumbles to himself, counts cards, and is deliberately slow at playing his hands.
Lahdia Mizreem (neutral drow) is aloof, inscrutable, and fiercely determined to win.
Nightshade (lawful good tiefling) finds the theme of the casino distasteful but is willing to overlook it to win the purse.
Ruthie Swifford (neutral good human) is a determined, no-nonsense player who keeps up a constant stream of good-natured chatter.
Whipp Walsh (chaotic neutral human) is a charming rake and a sore loser.
Wumpus Thistledown (lawful evil halfling) dislikes playing high bets and is condescending.
Games
The casino has many diversions for its patrons to enjoy, the most popular being games of chance. Every game in the casino is played using soul coins.
Table hold cards games such as
Three-dragon ante and
Gambit of Ord, played against a dealer from the casino.
Tables hold dice games such as
Avandra's Favor and
Life and death, played against a dealer from the casino.
Additionally,
Copper Slots machine, modified to accept soul coins are available all over the casino.
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