Table of Contents

Races | Economy | Buildings & Organizations

THE RED WHEEL

Overview

The Red Wheel was Firetown’s most infamous gambling saloon during the Beta Age, known for hosting high-stakes card games and the deadly attraction called “Space Roulette.” Founded in 2626 by Colm McKeegan, a handicapped former weaponsmith confined to a wheelchair since the crash of the Last Frontier (Day Zero), the bar drew both professionals and desperados. Patrons gathered around smoky tables to play games like Twenty One, Frostpunkt, or Space Roulette — a twisted version of the classic roulette wheel that added real danger to the gamble.

Its centerpiece, the Space Roulette Ring, featured a blindfolded marksman who fired live ammunition at a spinning roulette disc mounted on a reinforced steel board. The bullet decided winners and losers, and sometimes grazed bystanders. The saloon flourished despite the risk, drawing both curious tourists and hardcore gamblers.

As the operators focused on the gambling business, the bar operations were outsourced. Colm leased a “XL Bar‑Desk‑as‑a‑Service” package from Space Drinks Inc, complete with a prefab counter, refrigeration coils, four Butler Bot barkeeps, and stocked exclusively with Space Drinks labels.

In 2631, after the Great War, the Peace Treaty and Communardist reforms, the Red Wheel was closed permanently and Colm Mc Keegan decided to retire as he turned 71 in that year.

Architectural Significance

Building Structure

Interior

Exterior

Look and Feel

Inside the Red Wheel, the frontier stripped away all pretense. The air was thick with smoke, heated metal, and stale alcohol, hanging low beneath container ceilings scarred by dents, patched bullet holes, and exposed wiring.

The Space Roulette Ring dominated the hall: a reinforced steel circle bolted directly into the floor plating, its scarred metal surface pitted by years of live fire. When the marksman raised his weapon, conversation died instantly. The gunshot cracked through the room like a verdict, followed by cheers, curses, or stunned silence as the bullet decided fate.

Card tables crowded the floor, their surfaces stained with spilled drinks. Chips clattered, debts were whispered, and sidearms rested within easy reach.

Above, the mezzanine booths loomed like watchful scars cut into the containers — half-hidden spaces where deals were made, lives were bought, and repayment terms quietly sealed. Red-glass bulbs bathed everything in a constant crimson glow, making it hard to tell where blood ended and shadow began.

The Red Wheel was a place where luck was temporary, debts were permanent, and every night promised that someone would leave poorer, broken, or not at all.

Roles and Responsibilities

# Label Style & Flavour Note ( ABV ) Quick-Play Table Quirk Price
1 Space Beer Light, foamy lager; faint citrus (5 %) First pint grants +1 temp HP; drinker emits a joyous shout audible 30 m 4 K
2 Red Dwarf Firewater Cinnamon-hot liqueur that self-warms (45 %) Resist cold damage 1 h; must pass Con DC 12 or take 1 fire dmg 2 K
3 Gravity Grog Heavy amber ale (8 %) Move speed –1 m for 30 min; Advantage on Intimidation checks 6 K
4 Starshine Schnapps Virel Spice-infused schnapps (30 %) Breath fog glitters; Stealth checks –2 for 1 h 4 K
5 Water Glass of Water from a Mistspring Water Inc. jerrycan Removes one level of exhaustion; advantage on saves vs. dehydration for 2 h; regain 1d4 HP if below half max HP 1 K

Illegal Activities in the Club

Public Access, Operating Hours & Operational Rhythm

Participation Policy & Gambling Credit System

The Red Wheel was never meant for silent observers. A crimson glass plaque above the entrance announced its philosophy with brutal honesty:

“Winners play. Losers pay. Watchers walk.”

Upon entry, a Butler Bot rolled forward, scanning newcomers with ice-cold neutrality:

“Welcome to the Red Wheel. This establishment requires continuous participation. > Guests must order at least one alcoholic beverage per hour and maintain active betting at a licensed table. > Non-participants may not remain on the premises.”

Anyone who hesitated — or admitted they had no money — was immediately offered a “Gambling Credit”, a signature system designed by founder Colm McKeegan to keep patrons playing no matter their financial state.

Gambling Credit Rules: - Each registered guest may borrow at least 100 Kourou from the house to begin play. - All loans are logged by Maria Reuter in a handwritten ledger. - Borrowed money must be repaid within seven days. - Until repayment, the debtor must leave a collateral item (weapon, trinket, tool, jewelry, heirloom, etc.). - Collateral is locked inside the Security Office - Failure to repay in seven days grants the Cartel full authority to repossess the value — or the debtor. - Some who failed to repay ended up as Gladiator in the Nebula Fight Arena.

Security Measures

Player Interaction Possibilities

Illegal Interactions

Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters

The Red Wheel provides a volatile yet elegant location for missions involving espionage, gambling, and deception. The Space Roulette mechanic can be gamified as a high-risk, high-reward encounter or narrative pivot. Hidden agendas, gunshots, and shifting fortunes can trigger anything from heists to hostage situations.

Adventure Hook Example

Venues within the Firetown Entertainment District (Beta Age):

Venues within the Firetown Entertainment District (Gamma Age):