Cirrus On High
Nestled in the cloudy valley of floating island motes, hovering miles above the sandy purple undermote and backlit by hundreds of magical illusionary symbols and light shows, the Cirrus Casino awaits the most famous and influential figures in all of Crudilex. The casino is known for more than just its eccentric clientele and glamorous architecture. Its tyrannical master chef, Grelofishal, prepares food sought after across all four nations. Its master homunculmancer, Jakacoru Peel, creates prized familiars for the world's preeminent mages. And above all, the casino is ruled by its mysterious owner, the Gorgon Enchante’ Cirrus.
Spectral servants and their pith conjurers, moving in groups of five to ten, tend to the needs of all the casino's guests. Security on the mote is the best attainable in the plane. The casino is nearly unapproachable, and flying up to Cirrus from below is a deathwish. Large arcane runes float beneath the island, completely neutralizing flight—both magical and mundane. There are at least four other runes with unknown effects, but most know to avoid them.
The skyscraping towers that create Cirrus' skyline are blue-silver and sparkle with arcane illusionary lights. The night sky is alive with spotlights and fireworks, while the days are calm and cloudy. Silver streamers float from balloons, marking the corners for air skiff races around the island. At the heart of it all stands the towering Cirrus Casino, adorned with countless garden balconies.
Battlemaps set in this location
The Soul Gate
The hi
The Casino
The hi
Enchanté's Eye
The hi
Skiff Racer Hanger
The hi
Royal Estate
Reserved exclusively for the four leaders of each major country in Crudilex, the Royal Estate Château resembles a castle and features the best security available. The entire interior is a pocket dimension specially tailored by pith conjurers for its occupants.
The Cardfloor
One of the main attractions in the casino, the Cardfloor is where the majority of the action happens. Situated on the open balcony garden nearest the entrance, it serves as a hub for gambling and offers views of the skiff races and nightly fireworks shows.
Guests' Châteaus
Located just down the wide stairs from the central promenade, the apartments are lavishly decorated with vibrant colors and floor-to-ceiling windows offering views unlike anything else in the world. Each apartment is equipped with magical enchantments to prevent disorganization, filth, and temperature discomfort.
The Greenhouse
The hi
Theater Garden
The highest levels of the casino are among the least interesting, housing cheap apartments, airship docking, and supply storage at the peak of the tower.
Skiff Raceway
The central promenade’s fountain features six statues, each lifting an item toward a seventh figure in the center. The highest levels of the casino are the least interesting—cheap apartments, airship docking, and supply storage occupy the peak of the tower. The skies during the day are typically cloudy and calm, except when filled with the whirring of racing skiffs, trailing silvery flags and piloted by showy aeronauts.
Elegant, magically conjured giant hummingbirds carry small baskets with cargo and passengers around the mote. Thin, sparkling ponds line nearly every path, filled with lily pads and pond flowers. Beneath the surface, they serve as passageways for the many homunculi, who swim to and from their daily duties.
Central Promenade
The central promenade’s fountain features six statues, each lifting an item toward a seventh figure in the center. The highest levels of the casino are the least interesting—cheap apartments, airship docking, and supply storage occupy the peak of the tower. The skies during the day are typically cloudy and calm, except when filled with the whirring of racing skiffs, trailing silvery flags and piloted by showy aeronauts.
Elegant, magically conjured giant hummingbirds carry small baskets with cargo and passengers around the mote. Thin, sparkling ponds line nearly every path, filled with lily pads and pond flowers. Beneath the surface, they serve as passageways for the many homunculi, who swim to and from their daily duties.
Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake is a crystal-clear body of water teeming with rare fish. One can easily see to the bottom along its entire length. Nestled near the far end, a small island densely populated with old oak trees provides shade for a small shrine where a single person could sit.
Off Limits Constrution Area
Thin,
Mazwyn's Luxury Haberdashery
Adjacent to the Central Promenade stands a grand, five-story marble building with enormous stained glass windows depicting the fallen god Jarl Glittergold. Entry into this illustrious establishment requires a minimum of 10,000 gold. Ben Noble’s clientele consists almost exclusively of royalty, and the items for sale are of very rare, legendary quality.
Homunculi Nursery
Thin, sparkling ponds line nearly every path, filled with lily pads and pond flowers. Beneath the surface, these ponds serve as pathways for the many homunculi that swim to and from their daily duties.
Cirrus Departure, Sky Yacht
A single teleportation circle is located outside the main gate on the docks. It is reinforced with a two-foot-thick door made of black iron and secured from the outside with active Iari Clast locks.
Around the City
The Boathouse
The name of this place might evoke a small location with a few paddle boats; however, nothing could be further from the truth on Cirrus. The Boathouse is more accurately a three-story manor, designed in a cozy, lodgelike style reminiscent of the Northlands.
Things to do
Skiff Races
Nostridan’s Motes are world reknown for many reasons but among the most common is the Cirrus Skiff races. Taking place leaving from the central Promenade of the mote and must fly through 5 Illusionary rings in order around the Motes. The race is a well known spectacle. Such exciting and impossible things have happened that many believe the whole production is fake. Nevertheless it hasn’t stopped the longest running Pilots from becoming huge stars.
BETTING
Characters can bet on the Skiff races to earn some extra cash. The racers, the available odds, and the chance to win are listed in the Betting on Skiff Races table. Bets can range from 1 cp to 500 gp. Once the bets are placed, roll a die for each bet. Losing bets cost the full amount of the wager. Winning bets pay out according to the table. Bets can be for a Skiff to win, place, show, or do something specific during the race (like attack another racer or Blow it’s engine), so many bets can win in the course of a single race. Losers are expected to pay up in a timely fashion. Those who don't are visited by a debt collector backed up by “Dogs” legbreakers (ld4 + 1 thugs or gladiators, depending on the level and reputation of the bettor). Nostridinian bookies never forget a debt; even a year away on an adventure isn't long enough to erase an unpaid gambling loss.
RACING
Player characters might get involved in a skiff race, either through their own interest or because they're approached by a racing team. In this case, you'll need to play out the race. This can be quite a bit of fun, especially if you let players whose characters aren't directly involved take over at least some of the NPC racers. Encourage everyone to race hard, even if it's in the group's best interest for a particular Skiff to win.
A race runs a length of 300 feet; this is abstract, as a race actually covers a lot more ground. Every round, each Pilot makes a Dexterity (Air Vehicles) check; the DCs for different types of Skiff are listed in the Racing Skiff table. With each successful Air Vehicle check, the first number listed as the Skiffs speed is added to its "running tally." If the check fails, that dinosaur's tally doesn't increase that turn. When a racer's tally equals or exceeds 300, that Skiff crosses the finish line.
A racer can try to move at the higher listed speed by overcharging there mana batteries; in this case, the Air Vehicles check is made with advantage, but you must roll a Intelligence (Air Vehicles) DC 10 on a failed check at the end of this round its speed is halved for the rest of the race.
No initiative is involved. Pilots can make their Air Vehicles checks in any order, or all at the same time. If two or more Skiffs cross the finish line on the same round, the one with the highest tally wins. If the tallies are the same, the racers tied. In the event of a tie, brawls are likely to break out in trackside betting pools. In the unchained event, Skiffs can attack other Skiffs if their tallies are within 50 of each other at the end of a round. Each Skiff's pertinent combat statistics are listed on the Racing Skiffs table. If a Skiff has half or fewer of its starting hit points, the rider makes Air Vehicles checks with disadvantage. For simplicity, Pilots can't attack or be attacked, but DMs with a cruel streak might be tempted to relax that rule.
Gathering Info
The challenge of stealing from the Cirrus On-High Casino goes beyond simply breaking in and escaping from its flying, locked-down vaults. The owner has taken powerful arcane measures to ensure that no single living soul retains a complete memory of the vault level. Therefore, players will need to gather whatever knowledge they can and quickly prepare for the final, crucial part of the heist.
Rumors and Information
Compromising Photograph: Rumor has it there’s a compromising photograph of [character] that someone is willing to pay any price to obliterate.
Iari Geode: The Iari Geode at the heart of the mote is so dense it could lift an entire city.
Razo's Representation: That homunculus creature, Razo, represents a silent party in the auction. I’d keep my distance; I wouldn’t want that thing embarrassing me by representing my interests.
Drunken Paladin Captain: The paladin captain of the divinationist is said to be hopelessly taken by the bottle. He has a habit of showing up to work drunk—if he shows up at all.
Motive for Murder: One of the honored guests has a financial stake in the failure of the Bioessence serum. Sounds like a motive for murder to me.
Old Enemies: Shaa the angel and Ozilot the demon once faced each other during the Creation War. Odd that these old enemies seem to get along now.
Doomsday Device: Rumor has it that the third vault up for auction contains a doomsday device, and Queen Somnastra plans to use it against Dawnfire for keeping her husband.
Blackmail: They say Chanbara Lont has some blackmail over Myzwyn, Enchante’s right hand, and has secured her a special “royal suite” in the casino.
Magical Node Glyph: There’s talk of a complex magical Node Glyph that wards off passage into the lower levels, locking anyone from entering the vaults. If what I’m hearing is true, I’d pay a lot to see it. The magic out here is breathtaking; I can only assume it’s a work of genius down there. (One of the guests mentioned it and has one of the nodes.)
Side Quests
The people of the mote, regardless of their luxurious lives, are much like those from other places. They possess things the players may want and often seek favors in return. Many of these requests are non-physical, as many nobles here have everything they could possibly desire. Instead, players will frequently find themselves entangled in the Nostridan scandals that constantly plague the highborn of the land.
Side Quests
Collect a Debt: Track down a debtor and collect what they owe.
Help the Smuggler Escape: Assist a smuggler in evading capture by the authorities.
Find the Lost Locket: Search for a sentimental locket that holds great importance to a local.
Locate the Pirate's Lair: Discover the hidden lair of a notorious pirate.
Gather Lost Ingredients: Retrieve rare ingredients needed for a crucial potion or recipe.
Help the Intern Make an Impression: Assist an intern in impressing their superiors to secure a job.
Secure a Headliner Position for the Singer: Help a talented singer land the headlining spot at an upcoming event.
Humiliate the Politician: Find a way to embarrass a corrupt politician in public.
Access the VIP Section: Gain entry into the exclusive VIP area of the casino.
Win All Three Gambling Games: Challenge yourself to win in all three major gambling games at the casino.
Enter the Skiff Races: Compete in the thrilling Skiff races and prove your skills.
CULTURE
Rulership
Events
Turmoil
Name the Drama
The Hostage
The Hostage
The Hostage