There is a long pause before one of the doors opens a bit. You can see an older man, slightly balding. "Can I help you?" 

As they approach, Eve has Ipkiss turn invisible, revert to his true devil form and hide back down in his little sling.

She is mentally and physically spent! Can it still be the same day that she rescued her little devil friend? That seems like a lifetime ago. She feels she can hardly remember a time without him. Maybe he has always been there really, in a way, maybe… 

Iris smiles kindly to the man. "Hello. My friends and I were informed that this is the place to go for lodging in town. We also heard that the town speaker was ill. I'm a healer - magical healing, not just medicine - and I'd be more than happy to take a look at him."

"Thank you for your offer, but the town speaker isn't accepting visitors to the Caer or help. Perhaps you can call at another time." his eyes shift around for a moment " If you're seeking lodging you can try Dinev's Rest down by the Ruined Watchtower. Good evening" And with that he closes the gate. 

Maudath watches the gatekeeper for a moment trying to decide if the shifting of eyes is just someone bored with their job, or if they're concerned about someone else who might be listening.

Insight: 20  

"Well that's not very polite," Maudath says as the gate closes. He steps closer to it and shouts towards the inside. "No room at the inn, mate. Everyone has directed us here to find somewhere to bunk down for the night."

He looks up at the walls to see if there are any spots anyone might be watching them from.

As you study the brief moment you can tell he was hiding something. 

Looking up at the walls you don't see anyone but the multiple guard towers have lit torches and you're sure they are manned. 

(Also for knowledge purposes The Uphill Climb was where you stopped prior to coming The Caer, he directed you to Dinev's Rest.)

Maudath turns his back to the gate and steps closer to the rest of the group.

"There's something shady going on here," Maudath says. "That gatekeeper's hiding something."

He looks back over his shoulder and then back to the group.

"Maybe if we go down to this Dinev's Rest we'll find someone who knows what's going on," Maudath says, and then he smiles. "And maybe a pint or two."

Eve thinks and says, “Yes, let’s head that way. Do you have a tent in your pack??… if the worst come to the worst??…”.

”And do we want Ipkiss to do a loop of this fortress? See if he can spot anything untoward?”.

Eve sends an invisible Ipkiss to fly a quick loop around to see what he can see and report back…

Ipkiss’s  perception check (darkvision 120ft): 8 (passive 11)

Ipkiss flies around the fort as you all are leaving, he sees a few people moving around the walls and parapets but not much else.

Its a 25 min walk or so down into the main town and around to the far side. As you approach the end of town you can see the ruins of a great watchtower overlooking the entrance to the bay and across up on the cliff the Caer looking down on you. Just before the road turns and heads along the bay to the docks you find a ramshackle building with boarded up windows and a rusted crooked weather vane shaped like a dragon on the roof. A half hanging sign out front reads Dinev's Rest.

Maudath's shoulders sag a little at the sight of the rundown building. A warm hearth and mugs of ale seem unlikely here.

"This town is not making it on to my list of favourites," Maudath says as they get to the door.

Sighing, he pushes the door open, holds it open for the others and walks inside, ordering more food and ale if they have any.

"Ah!", the Professor rubs his mittend hands together.  "A place in need of repairs, no doubt staffed by honest folk who will be grateful for the minor miracles I can work through science to bring their establishment a bit closer to being fully functional!"

Maudath as you push on the doors you find they are quite locked. A random stranger passing by gives you all a funny look. "You wont be finding anything in there, place has been boarded up nearly a year now."

"WHAT!? They sent us here from up at the Caer! Do you know who owns this place?"

There are some exasperated mutterings from the Professor.

Once the random stranger departs, he turns to the others.

"I for one would rather a roof in need of repairs over my head than no roof at all, and it looks to be this or nothing in this blasted town. I say we gain access, get things patched up as best we can, and if we need to pitch tents in the common room, so be it!"

If the others are in agreement, or at least no one stops him, he opens his extradimensional storage and pulls out a roll of tools, selecting the right items, gets to unlocking the door.

Thieves' Tools: 20

"If we leave the place in better shape than we found it, the owner can't make much of a complaint, can they. After you..."

Eve agrees enthusiastically, as does Ipkiss. “Oh, Hells, yeah! Now we’re talking, Professor!”. She keeps an eye out for anyone taking an interest but otherwise encourages attempting to gain access to the building.

"lead the way oohh all knowledgeable, what would we do without you confirming to us all that the guard was hiding something" Ryhunis does a long sigh
"GOOD P" she closes her mouth in an instant"P... professor aahh you think you can do something about this place? And don't let gloomy over there turn you down I belive in you"

"I shall certainly try, my dear!"

It doesnt take you long to fiddle with the lock before you hear it click and the door opens slightly

The Professor stows his tools and allows one of the others to go first.

Maudath looks at the door frame, uses a large boot to kick open the door, and gives the place a quick look around for anything that's going to fall on their heads or anything else that might hurt the group. He then leads the way inside, his moody souring as he goes as he begins to suspect there won't be any ale on hand here either.

Perception (for traps or dangerous construction): 15  

"Easy! There's enough to repair as it is!"