Casino: Lets Make a Deal

Your next port of call is the underground gambling den Whoreson is running in the dilapidated Gildorf District, over on the eastern side of the city. The entrance is guarded by two of Whoreson’s bouncers. Talk to these tattooed clowns, who tell you this is an invite-only establishment. You can:

• Make a deal: They laugh at you, and prevent you from entering the casino.
• Threaten them. This turns into violence, and means your entire investigation of the casino occurs using your steel sword rather than subtlety.
• (200 crowns) Bribe them with a bag full of money. This works, unsurprisingly.
• (Axii Delusion Level 3) Flummox them into letting you in, and wishing you luck.

There are two main ways you can complete this objective:

Peace and Prosperity: You can use cunning and Gwent-playing prowess, and be careful during conversation choices not to arouse suspicion. If you win a round of Gwent against two of the casino patrons, the dealer invites you upstairs to a VIP room.

Vulgar Violence: You can simply use combat to solve your problems, either with Cleaver’s dwarves backing you up, or on your own after making an aggressive conversation choice. This leads to a pitched battle throughout the casino with Whoreson’s men.

Peace and Prosperity: On the Cards

Assuming you didn’t start a fight already (if you did, we’ll get to that in a bit), the patrons aren’t particularly friendly, while Whoreson’s henchmen aren’t talking to the likes of you. The dealer at the front desk is also evasive—don’t ask for Whoreson, or the situation turns violent. Instead, head up the stairs, past the strumpet and peasants, then sit down with a card player.

Pull up a bench opposite any of the players waiting for a Gwent opponent.

• One of the players tells you this is a high stakes game.
• One of the players tells you he doesn’t play with plebs.
• One of the players doesn’t like Witchers.

Do not, under any circumstances, tell them you’re here to see the owner, mention Whoreson, or be impolite (or the situation turns violent). Be respectful during conversation choices, and when the opportunity presents itself, start a game of Gwent with the player. Now all you need to do is win! Beat two of the players once; emerge victorious in both games of Gwent.

Once all three players have been bettered (and you can try to beat them as many times as it takes to win), Whoreson’s dealer steps in and asks if you’re interested in a special high stakes game upstairs. Hmmm… unless you’re mistaken, this looks like an interrogation room. It seems Whoreson is on to you, no matter how non-violent you were! Instead of being tortured, you must now resort to savage swordplay and vanquish every enemy throughout this casino! A Vulgar Violent outcome is imminent!

Vulgar Violence: Short Odds

Visiting Whoreson’s casino ends in combat no matter how careful or respectful you try to be. Prepare for battle when one of the following activities occur:

You visit Cleaver (Main Quest: The Gangs of Novigrad), agree to slay every one of Whoreson’s men, meet up with a group of dwarves prior to visiting the casino, and launch an all-out strike at this establishment without worrying about a game of Gwent. Attack!

You speak to the bouncers, dealer, or any player outside or inside this gambling den, and mention you want to speak to Whoreson. This causes suspicion, and you’re deemed a threat. Fight!

You manage to complete three games of Gwent, you’re taken upstairs, and instead of a high stakes Gwent game, Whoreson’s thugs try to torture you. Big mistake! Slaughtering time!

Casino Conclusion: Rico the Squealer

Once the massacre is over, return to the top-floor interrogation room, and locate the bound halfling with serious facial contusions. After some attemps at wit, Rico tells you he was mistaken for one of Bedlam’s moles. He’s learned Whoreson is working with the Redanians. At the end of the chat, choose to let Rico go. Even though you may not trust him, Rico is an ally of Bedlam (the King of Beggars), and he tells you to visit him for a reward after you cut Rico’s bonds. This begins Secondary Quest: Honor Among Thieves. Main Quest: Get Junior continues.

Before starting this new quest, head back to the Bathhouse, and visit Dijkstra in his library office. There’s a wealth of conversation options here (about your investigation progression, Dijkstra’s own contact with Radovid, and chats about Radovid plucking the eyes out of the sorceress Philippa Eilhart), but tell him that Junior is working with the Redanians. Answer how you wish. You ask Dijkstra if he has a contact among the Redanians. He doesn’t, but you do! Remember the former commander of the Blue Stripes? Vernon Roche! He’s holed up in a camp near Oxenfurt.

• Continue Main Quest: Get Junior and visit the arena.
• Continue Main Quest: Get Junior and visit Vernon Roche.
• Continue Secondary Quest: The Gangs of Novigrad, visit Cleaver, and claim your reward (see above).
• Start and conclude Secondary Quest: Honor Among Thieves and visit Francis Bedlam, King of Beggars.