Little Shop of Intrigue

“…Well this is amusing,” Clavicus Vile noted with a smirk as he eyed the random shop in the middle of the woods. How…inconspicuous. Now if only they used magic to hide the little shop then everything would be fine and dandy. Was it even a shop? Or was it a bar? Oooh, he could go for a beer right now! All the more interesting if it was a two in one deal. Beer and a shop? What a delightful idea! His grin widened as he entered the little shop, finding himself surrounded by wanderers as well.

“Welcome! Feel free to browse as long as you like!” the shopkeepers chirped, his facial expression now so serene that it was sickeningly sweet.

“Of course! Actually, what kind of drinks do you serve in this establishment, my good fellows?” he asked sweetly as he approached them, eyeing the potions and weapons on the shelves.

“We serve beer-“

“Perfect! I’ll have one of those, please~” The black skinned shopkeeper nodded as he went to pour him a pint. The frothing mixture was then sent forth and he caught it deftly in his hands. A beautiful golden color, how interesting! There wasn’t a moment to waste as he put the cup against his lips to drink. The alcoholic beverage had not even gone down his gullet when he choked in surprise, blinking tears from the taste. “Wow that’s strong!”

“Hahaha, sorry, you didn’t specify what kind!”

“Sanguine, I swear. Do you want to change that out?” Clavicus Vile shook his head as he sipped it carefully.

“I’ll be fine, give me a moment to get used to the taste. So…souls? I do believe I have some…” He rummaged on his person until he pulled out a couple of souls he kept tucked in bottles, handing them over the counter. “That enough?”

“Just about! Beers don’t cost much in comparison to other things, like, say, our weapons.” He chuckled as he sipped his beer.

“Didn’t think so. Interesting…clothes, beer, weapons, potions- art?” His eyebrows shot up in surprise before hiding it with a smarmy grin. “I’m assuming some of you are quite the accomplished artists.”

“Hey, don’t knock it till you try it! You never know if it’ll interest you or not someday!” they all protested in unison. He chuckled as he took a bigger gulp this time.

“Well, we’ll see~ I’m going to sit down for a bit if you don’t mind, alright?” He plopped his butt onto a seat and just eyed the store, his eyes critical yet his expression soft as he surveyed his surroundings. What a welcoming place! He wondered if it would be in the same location, if at all. And if it was…he was definitely getting more beer, probably not as strong as this one. …What other kinds of alcohol did they have? “Oh, by the way, do you have a list of the alcohol you sell in this establishment?” Sanguine quickly prattled on about what they sold and he could only smile as he listened, feeling content. Perfect, most definitely perfect.