The Octopus and the Cat

Whether you crave a stiff drink, a game of three dragon ante, or some contacts in the local crime network, the Magpies, the Octopus and the Cat is the place to go! When the former owner died, the tavern was taken over by her clowder of cats. In certain circles, they are known to offer refuge to people trapped in devilish pacts and even to find ways to bail them out. But darker rumors circulate that the price for this assistance is not entirely pleasant, either... On the brighter side, the inn has an excellent reputation for the hygiene of its boarding rooms and kitchen, no rats or other rodents at all!
Nobody except the cats themselves know what imbued them with sentience and intelligence, and a vicious sort of cunning, at that. Their former owner, known only as Old Gram, made a pact with an otherworldly entity, offering her own body as its host. When Old Gram died, the entity survived, in a manner of speaking, by distributing its essence among the cats. However, the cats proved too powerful, and now control the entity rather than the other way around. They use the astral knowledge they gained in the process to interfere with pacts between devils and mortals.
Octopus soup is the tavern's specialty, actually made from the chopped-off tentacles that occasionally burst from one of the cats as the cosmic void within them manifests.

Staff and Patrons

These cats, imbued with sentience and cunning, are both guardians of the inn's secrets and facilitators of mysterious and sometimes unsettling transactions.

Staff

Mystic

Mystic is a sleek, midnight-black cat with piercing, emerald-green eyes that seem to hold secrets of the cosmos. She's known as the mastermind of the clowder, often seen behind the counter as the tavern's bartender, silently observing the patrons with an air of enigmatic wisdom. Mystic is the primary contact for those seeking refuge from devilish pacts.

Murmure

Murmure is a delicate cat with an air of elegance. She's the clowder's diplomat, handling negotiations with the local crime network, the Magpies. Her soft, melodious purring is often mistaken for the whispers of secrets shared in the tavern's dimly lit corners.

Cosmo

Cosmo is the clowder's connoisseur of octopus soup. He oversees the kitchen alongside Etoile. His refined taste extends beyond cuisine, as he enjoys engaging in games of three dragon ante with the tavern's guests.

Rascal

Rascal, a mischievous cat, is the troublemaker of the clowder. He delights in playing pranks on unsuspecting guests, leaving them bewildered by inexplicable occurrences. Despite his playful nature, Rascal is fiercely protective of the inn and its patrons, ensuring that no harm befalls them.

Etoile

Etoile is the enigmatic cat whose manifestation of cosmic horror occasionally results in tentacles emerging from his form. He is rarely seen by patrons, preferring the shadows and solitude. Etoile's connection to the otherworldly entity is the deepest, and he uses his unique abilities to unravel and manipulate fate.

Pricing

Item	Cost
Cat milk (grants advantage on Charisma checks for one hour)	Free, but must be specifically requested
Octopus soup (Roll a d20 when consumed. On a 20, gain feline telepathy out to a range of 30 feet for 1 hour.)	5 sp
Breaking a pact with a devil (up to CR 5)	1,000 gp or the purchaser agrees to make a pact with the cats' Great Old One instead and to multiclass into warlock the next time they gain a level
The benefits of a calm emotion spell, delivered by a purring cat in your lap	25 gp (15 gp discount if the purchaser passes a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check while petting the cat on their lap)
Information on a local criminal	100 gp or a rare bottle of liquor (Baderna is a collector)
Three servings of coffee with a truly unique aroma, available to go if desired, each which requires an action to consume and bestows the benefits of a catnap spell.	50 gp or inside information about local criminal or devil worshippers

Type

Pub / Tavern / Restaurant