This one is a bit different than the usual spots you explore. Pretty cool.
You're smoker friend reminded me of a magical mythical gate-keeper creature from a fairytale story. The dark, elvish pixy-nymph asks for help finding its lost item and you and your party have to decide if you're going to help it or not. Help and be rewarded - a secret door is revealed. don't help and you get trapped in there forever.
It was definitely a test and you passed. Who knows what he would have done had you not given him that smoke or if you ever would have found your way out of there.
I'm not sure if anything I just wrote made any sense lol
Not a bad analogy.. yes it made sense. He was pissed off with the world and used the church as an escapism area to smoke. Quite harmless.