Even Aseid's equanimity gave away for that split second when the lightning struck so close. But it returned momentarily. "They could invent a new lightning rod to protect the buildings? Does not look like the lightning destroyed something." To be honest, Aseid could not see much after the bright light disappeared, but the absence of the sound of crushing stones and collapsing buildings was reassuring. "I am glad non of us was up there. We should not touch that thing."

Jambiya frowns, thinking furiously. "But, when they catch the lightning, where does it go? Do they store it? Are they using it for something? And... if they are protecting the building, as Aseid suggests, then what is it about that building that attracts lightning so? I have seen trees struck by lightning before, but why does it not strike other buildings in this square, or this city?" Her head comes up, and she pads out into the. rain, tu turn and look at the top of the tavern? Does it have strange poles on it?

None of the other buildings have poles that you can see, but it is dark and raining.

Even though the temple is a ruin, you can see from what is left of the walls that it was a tall building. The wall where the pole is located is over twice as tall the Cadaver's Arms's peaked roof.

Jambiya returns to the covered porch. “Well, I couldn’t see well, but it seems it’s the only building with a pole like that, and also the tallest by a bit.” She toes the boards a moment. “Look, I’m sorry I dragged you out here again. Let’s get some sleep and look at all of this again in the morning.” She looks at the others sheepishly, and, if they don’t prevent her, she will lead the way back inside, metaphorical hat in her hands.

Before going back inside with the group, Maldorn asks for a refresher. The little extra rain on his back may have served to clear his mind a bit: "Were we asked to do anything else other than check that they are still alright? It doesn't seem they want our help and at least the one gnome we saw didn't seem to know that Elly.. Elliakasys lady. Maybe the newcomer here is right, after all. Perhaps we don't need to go butting our heads into this more than simply reporting back on what we saw here tonight. We can let the gnomish lady know her compatriots were just as rude as she was and then go on with our lives."

Aseid, being unaware of any kind of arrangement to begin with, simply walked after Jambiya, to the fireplace and his hot drink.

Ah ... the door is locked.

“I didn’t see that coming at all! What a weird inn. Did we see anything else on the way here that resembled an inn? If not, let’s look for a partially covered area in that ruin, with some dry ground, where I can cast my tiny hut and we can get some rest and figure out what in the hells we are doing.” Erric says, blinking at the raindrops.

Assuming we have used the tiny hut before? "That's a great idea, I think maybe we've more than done enough here."

"Or..." Maldorn suggest, "We could knock on Ebokk's relatives' door right over there. He said he was going to request shelter for the night. Perhaps they'd be willing to take in Ebokk's friends as well?"

"They might also know if gargoyles attacks are common around here. Or something about lighting rods? And if not, a hut in these ruins would not bother anyone, I say." If that rod attracted lighting ruins seemed also to be safe from that danger as well.

Jambiya is just sort of sheepish. "Whatever you all think is best."

"Does someone want to check to see? It'll take me ten minutes to get the dome up, so maybe someone can keep me company while the other two can check to see if Ebokk's people would take us in. If not, return to the dome, and if so, come get us and I can stop casting," Erric says, looking around and trying to stay out of the rain. 

"Right. Familiar faces would likely maximize our chance. Jambiya, want to come along?"

Assuming she does, Maldorn knocks on the Lockforge door.

Jambiya looks up. "No, no, I'll stay here with Erric. Take Aseid." She will accompany Erric towards the ruined temple.

Aseid raised brows ever so slightly - it's one thing when a familiar cute little girl knocks on the door in the middle of the night, and another when the same thing does an unknown armed man but did not object. After all, Maldorn was going to do talking. He nodded and prepared to follow the ranger.

Maldorn has to knock twice, the second time a little more loudly, before the door opens. A very young male dwarf stands in the doorway. He has silver-blue eyes, bright-red hair, and a full beard and mustache. Squinting, Maldorn might admit there is a Lockforge resemblance, but it is very small. Behind him stands a similarly young she-dwarf with hazel eyes and long brown hair. She tucks her locks behind her ears self-consciously. Both dwarves are dressed in evening clothes, but they don't look like they were in bed quite yet. Upon the breast of the she-dwarf is embroidered a pair of interlocked rings.

The male looks at both Maldorn and Aseid and attempts to look friendly, but the creases between his eyes reveal that he is a little perturbed and wary. "May I help you?"

"Yes, hello." Maldorn says, a bit embarrassed. "Apologies for disturbing you at such hour. I suspect my good friend, Ebokk, may have paid you a visit earlier this evening. The two of us and another pair arrived in this city together after weeks of adventuring. Would it be too troublesome to ask Ebokk to come to the door. You may tell him Maldorn is here for him."

Assuming Ebokk comes, Maldorn will ask him to step outside for a moment so that the two can talk in private briefly. If he has too, Maldorn recruits Aseid to keep the Lockforgers busy for a dozen or so seconds.

To Ebokk, privately: "My friend, apologies for disturbing you and your family. Jambiya, Erric, and I had plans to sleep in that tavern over there this evening but they apparently dislike the fact that we save the life of one of their own. They have locked us out for coming to a patron's rescue. Absurd, I know. Anyhow, We would be eternally grateful to you and your relatives if we could spend just the one evening in this Lockforge home. We can sleep on the floor... that is what they had offered us at the tavern anyway."

Maldorn is sure he is forgetting something... Let's see if he remembers: INT check: 7 -> good enough.

"Oh yes, this handsome young man over here is from Seldom Spring, like most of us. Jambiya knows him well and he helped us in the fight. His name is Aisle, and I am told he is a good boy. A spot on the ground for him would be mighty appreciated too."

Aseid was not much of an entertainer but had some questions that he asked in his even and as unthreatening as possible manner. "Good evening. While my friends talking, would you mind me asking you about that ruins? Just a few minutes ago, a local gnome - Puddlemuck, I believe - was attacked by four gargoyles while he was installing some kind of rod on the wall. We - my friends and I - repelled the attack. But to find that kind of monster in the middle of the city surprises me. Does it happen often around here?"

"Yes, hello." Maldorn says, a bit embarrassed. "Apologies for disturbing you at such hour. I suspect my good friend, Ebokk, may have paid you a visit earlier this evening. The two of us and another pair arrived in this city together after weeks of adventuring. Would it be too troublesome to ask Ebokk to come to the door. You may tell him Maldorn is here for him."

The creases between the dwarf's eyes lessen slightly. "My cousin was here briefly, but a woman knocked on our door soon after he arrived, and he left with her. I believe it was something about my aunt Esmet — Ebokk's mother."

"Adrik, invite them in," the she-dwarf says from behind. "They look soaked."

Adrik silently looks over his shoulder at his wife before looking back at the humans. "Would you like to come in?" he asks, sounding hesitant.