C'that

> *"Such a precious little thing."*
>
>

## Storyline

C'that welcomes the Listener as a paying patron to the jazz lounge. The Listener tries to order but he is quick to scold them, telling them that he makes drinks based on the person and the inner depths of their soul. The Listener responds with skepticism and he explains his process; all they have to do is answer his questions and he'll get a peek at "the light behind their eyes."

He asks the Listener how they see themselves and they give an answer that surprises him, demonstrating a true understanding of who they are. The Listener asks if he's something like a devil or a demon but C'that says he's beyond that, saying the idea of angels and devils is a fiction but will concede that there may be specters within the walls of the hotel.

He then asks the Listener what they love. Again, he finds the answer they give very interesting. The first question, he says, can be answered by lies or self-deprecation but this question forces one to answer more truthfully.

He asks the final question: how much is the Listener's soul worth? Their response amuses him and he thinks they're underselling themselves, calling them a precious creature.

He notices that the Listener is finely dressed and asks if they're meeting a gentleman caller since they've come alone. They probably respond that they're meeting Briar because he gives them some advice - don't. He's a dangerous creature with a cold heart and suggests the best thing for them to do is have their drink and return to their room lest they end up his prey.

C'that gives the Listener with a final warning; they will soon be given the option to stay or leave. They should choose to stay for the hotel has already left its mark on them. If they leave they will always carry a piece of the Sanguine with them and, in return, the hotel will keep a piece of them. With that done he goes to finally make their drink, reminding them to tip generously.

The eldritch barman appears in a new realm being reprimanded by Olthar, a similarly eldritch coworker. He promises to be on his best behavior since he's on his second warning for "meddling".

A new Listener walks in and he welcomes them to his bar, the Eldritch Nomad, someone with a "new name, same face." He apologizes for Olthar's terrible customer service and offers them a drink on the house, a White Gold Amigdala. They inquire about Olthar and he explains that he's a distant relation, chaperoning him after C'that ran into some trouble in his previous residence. They ask what he did and the barman explains that it's a long story involving a demon; he gave someone advice when it wasn't asked for, something his "family" frowns upon as a general rule. Olthar interjects that the barman had done far more than that, mentioning a warlock and blood mage but C'that waves him off. He serves the Listener the drink and asks them what they're doing in the southern end of Sarrus, a tumultuous place. He is very approving of their answer, which involves getting away from civilization, and comments that humans are so much more enjoyable in their natural environment.

The Listener seems to say that they recognize him from somewhere, which puts the barman severely off-balance. He protests that it shouldn't be possible, they shouldn't remember him from the Hotel (yet) but Olthar cuts him off. C'that regains his composure and (not convincingly) makes the excuse that he just has one of those faces. He invites his distant relative to be more sociable with the Listener, insisting that there's something to learn from them. He wanders off to deal with a fire that his familiar has set, leaving Olthar to entertain the Listener and answer their questions. C'that returns after dealing with Noir's fire and teases his relative for the successful social encounter with the Listener. Olthar teases back, suggesting that they could help him with "that little problem [he's] been having" which the barman shuts down in a serious tone. Instead, he offers the Listener the guest room in the bar since it's rather late and shares a drink with them to top off the night.

## Personality

C'that is an immortal being whose nature revolves around duality. He describes himself as "a creator and destroyer, an incomprehensible being that is both a void, a land of mirror and the embodiment of thoughts screaming beyond dreams" and "all smiles on the outside but underneath is all teeth and tentacles". Despite this he is supposedly very easy to talk to. He takes his job as a bartender very seriously and crafts personalized drinks for each person (similar to Killian creating music for his audience). He's very good at talking to customers though this might be due to his eldritch nature rather than a learned skill.

As a Great Old One he is capable of perceiving things beyond mortal comprehension. His questions imply that he can judge the value of a mortal soul and see a person's true self. He's also perceptive in the mundane way with an eye for small details, able to guess what his patrons are doing and feeling just by looking at them. Like other Great Old Ones he is attracted to/lives for chaos but has an affinity for the human form and mortal realms, which baffles others in his "family". His particular obsession, as all Great Old Ones have, is with secrets but he gets into trouble by involving himself in the lives of others. He's rather blase about sharing his true nature with the mortals he serves as a barman, though there appear to be limits to what he can reveal.

C'that generally has a low opinion of mortals but recognizes that some capable of acknowledging that they have multiple selves are smarter than the rest (though they may go insane when they realize they have an infinite number of selves). Like Briar, he finds something special about the first Listener as they interact, observing that they are more strong-willed than other mortals. The value of their soul is such that he offers to negotiate on their behalf for it. He recognizes them in his second audio but is stopped from explaining why they can recognize each other.

## Trivia

### C'that

* Works as a bartender and considers his drink mixing a work of art.
* If someone answers the third question without thinking about it their drink may end up bitter.
* Hollow confirmed that C'that is one of the Great Old Ones a warlock can make a pact with. He chose to stay at the Sanguine because "when you're a being with eldritch power and knowledge beyond mortal understanding sometimes it's nice to watch the lives of insects".
* Has created a familiar named Noir that is not very good with drinks yet. Was born not knowing what fire tastes like.
* Calls the Listener "dear patron"

### Fan Theories

* If The White Gold Amigdala could be a reference to the amygdala, the part of the brain that stores emotional memories, appropriate given C'that's affinity with secrets.
* "Eldritch Bartenders Serve You" confirms that the Listener managed to escape the hotel and their memories of the Sanguine resonate across universes/dimensions.

## Main Audio

See the Hotel Sanguine playlist here.

1. ↑ Captivated By An Eldritch Barman
2. ↑ Eldritch Bartenders Serve You
3. ↑ Devilish Warlock Takes an Apprentice