To DM: As far as letting them go, that would depend on the results of this next insight check, 'cause Zal would actively try to puzzle out the sincerity of the 3rd guy at the very least.

Insight: 10.

Quote from Ranmilo >>

To DM: As far as letting them go, that would depend on the results of this next insight check, 'cause Zal would actively try to puzzle out the sincerity of the 3rd guy at the very least.

Insight: 17.

 The guy seems sincere about leaving and not engaging with you but you do get the "vibe" he following orders and would be up for a fight if he wasn't for that. 

Zal's smile is a bit tighter as he nodded in agreement, and even said in parting, "You too." However, as soon as none of the guys are looking his way, the smile immediately disappears as his eyes narrows at their back. He stands there watching for a few moments with his jaw clenched.  But then, he took a long, deep breath through his nose, shakes his head, and then moved to head back inside, motioning along the way (if Kae hadn't been able to convince Eddie to step inside sooner) for the others to do the same.

If the inn keeper stood outside however, he'd say, "You seem like a good fellow, sir, so I'm gonna be straight with you 'bout something. But, mind if we step inside and have a few words?" 

If the inn keeper however was NOT outside/had gone back in by that point, Zal says to Kae and Eddie on the way in, "I might be jumping the shark, but I think I found our redbrands. And if that's the case, perhaps we don't turn in as early as we thought, and instead-..." He'd start looking for/towards the inn keeper. "-we start getting the lay the of land a bit."

Forgot to ask, but for future reference back, did it appear that they were carrying any weapons on them?

Kae doesn't give Roy half an opportunity to speak. A flurry of questions comes streaming out, with seemingly no breaths between them. "Those guys hang out here a lot? Is that all of them, or are there more goons? Is somebody orchestrating them? Are they called Redbrands? Are they from around here or did they move in and take over? Are they localized or do they have, like, outposts? Do they have people in Ironrock State Forest? Do they work with goblins? Do they control the police?" She stops and takes a deep breath.

Quote from Ranmilo >>

Zal's smile is a bit tighter as he nodded in agreement, and even said in parting, "You too." However, as soon as none of the guys are looking his way, the smile immediately disappears as his eyes narrows at their back. He stands there watching for a few moments with his jaw clenched.  But then, he took a long, deep breath through his nose, shakes his head, and then moved to head back inside, motioning along the way (if Kae hadn't been able to convince Eddie to step inside sooner) for the others to do the same.

If the inn keeper stood outside however, he'd say, "You seem like a good fellow, sir, so I'm gonna be straight with you 'bout something. But, mind if we step inside and have a few words?" 

If the inn keeper however was NOT outside/had gone back in by that point, Zal says to Kae and Eddie on the way in, "I might be jumping the shark, but I think I found our redbrands. And if that's the case, perhaps we don't turn in as early as we thought, and instead-..." He'd start looking for/towards the inn keeper. "-we start getting the lay the of land a bit."

Forgot to ask, but for future reference back, did it appear that they were carrying any weapons on them?

 No weapons  that you could discern.

Eddie follows Kae and Zal back into the inn, twisting the sword back into the locked position in his cane.

"There's definitely something fishy going on with those guys." He turns to Roy, "One more question to add to that pile from my friend here ... Are those guys the reason it's so quiet in this town?"

You go back into the bar(assuming Eddie does as well)
With Zal and Kae's barrage of questions Roy just holds up his hand.
"Alright, Alright," he tells you. "I can tell you what I know but there ain's much."
Roy sighs a little and sits down.
"Yes, those folks call themselves Redbrands," he tells you. "You saw the bandanna's but what you didn't see are the cattle brands they put on their skin. They came to town about a year ago looking for someone. I guess they didn't find him cause they ended up staying. There is talk that they are up to no good but when we talk to Harbin about it, that's our mayor as it were, he just tells us that these folks don't mean no harm and are good to have around. I ain't too sure about that."
Roy pauses the continues.
"They hang out at the Sleeping Giant taproom but I don't know where they hang their hat but I presume it's close by. About 1 a week a truck does come in and those guys and a few others show up to unload it. They take it into the Giant, I assume the back room. I ain't too sure what it is they keep taking inside but I did get a peak a few weeks back. I snuck over and looked in a back window to see all these packages and boxes lying about, some open some not. Then on Saturday, another truck shows up and a few of those guys go into the Giant and after about an hour, them and the truck leaves. "
Roy gets up, goes behind the bar, pours himself a shot, and downs it quickly. He looks up and winks.
"Don't tell tha miss's."
"There has been a few run-ins." he says as he comes back and takes a seat. "The orchard for 1 and I am sure of a few others, though I won't be telling about what's their business, but things aren't what they appear ta be."
He pauses.
"Hell, old Luke," he begins. "He's our Constable an' he seems cowed by 'em. As for who they work for or with, I ain't got no idea." 
Roy finishes and lets out a big sigh.
"I got an extra room here in the back, not out in trailers but here, inside, I can let ya sleep in." he says as he gets up. "It's an old storage area I don't use anymore. It's got a bathroom, shower, and a couple of beds. I wouldn't want those guys to come back sneaking around and get a jump on ya. It's the least I can do for ya." 

Roy sits and ponders the question for a moment.
"I ain't sure that it's been too quiet." he tells you. "There are a couple of disputes with a tribe of orcs hangin' about Triboar Trail, harassing hikers and the like."
He pauses.
"I did hear tell a group of goblins was hanging about. Someone said they was from Cragmaw but I ain't never heard of it. There was a government agent hangin' about too. His name is Sid somethin' or other and he seemed pretty interested in those goblins." 
Roy gets up and pushes his chair in then puts his left hand on it and leans a bit.
"There's some fishy stuff going on indeed," he says. "But, it will have ta wait till mornin'."
He hands you a key.
"Over there on the back wall," he points to the west wall of the place. "You'll find a keyhole. Just put that in there an' it will open right up for ya. Watch yer set though, that first one has a bit of a drop but the rest are fine. You'll find all ya need to get a good nights sleep down there."
Roy turns and starts to walk away. 
"Me, I need ta go ta bed, the misses will be all worried if'n I don't give her a good night kiss."

DM:
Do you have more questions?
Do you turn in or is there more to be done by the group?

Kae takes the key. "Thanks for all the information, Mr. Roy! Just so that we're all transparent and everything, Zalos here is a park ranger. Which is law enforcement I suppose. And all of us kinda have a thing against the Redbrands, so we'll probably be investigating and asking other locals and hopefully making this place safer. But that's for tomorrow, right guys?" She uses the key to open the door to the storage area and, assuming nobody raises objections, heads down to claim a bed. She stumbles a bit on the first step.

(Question for the DM: Would staying up too long impose Exhaustion?)

After mentally kicking himself for not keeping a pad and ink on his person, Zalosultuvan took a seat in a nearby booth if only to have one less distraction floating about in the back of his head while trying to memorize everything. He stiffens at the mention of goblins, then found himself looking away for a moment with narrowed eyes muttering something to himself. But then it's back to focusing on Roy and soaking everything else in.

"If I were to be honest I'd follow up on'em right now after hearing all that. Preferably 'fore word can really spread about outsiders dropping in, seeing as there ain't many coming in these days, or so I'd 'magine. But, the betty over here has the right of it, sir." He thumbs Kae's general direction. "That all said, just, uh.. a couple more things. Can you tell us anything 'bout the folk that tend the orchard or the constable. Perhaps how they were 'fore all this start shake'n down? And, uhhh... That whole thing with Pedro earlier. Not sure if I was reading too much into things, but safe to say that weren't the first time they stepped off wit'em? 'cause if not, I certainly got the sense -- at least this time, they were acting a bit more under pointed orders."

Eddie stays upstairs with Zal waiting for Roy's response.

Kae finds her way down and finds a room that is more like a small apartment. 20 ft. x 30 ft. room. 
The room has a sofa and chair near the west wall.
Along the north wall of the room is a full-sized bed and twin bed just the right of it. 
On the south wall is a small kitchenette, a table with two chairs a small fridge, and a microwave. 
In the northeast corner is a door. Once open Kae finds it holds a toilet and shower. 
The walls of the room are bare and there are no windows. 

Roy stops and turns back.
"Well," he starts. "I'm not sure how these ruffians and the orchard are at odds. I guess you'll have to ask Darrin about that. He owns the orchard and hires workers like Pedro to work tha place and during harvest time, there is a flood of them that comes in."
He pauses and sighs.
"Now Luke, he's been around here for a few years," he tells you. " He came back from the war and married a local girl, Emmie, and raised a family. I haven't seen Emmie for a bit and the wife says she is sick. One of those Redbands fellas is Luke's boy Robbie. Word is he's a magician or somethin' like that. Luke and Robbie have been at odds for a couple of years. I even seen them yellin' at each other over by the shrine. I figured it was just family feudin' but I ain't too sure about it."
Roy turns and heads behind the bar to a door that you must have missed when you entered. 
"You boys take care of your girl and get some sleep," he says as he heads to the door. "I'll have the misses rustle up breakfast for ya in the morning."

After Roy has left them on their own Eddie turns to Zal "These redbrands are making my spidey senses tingle. The way they were treating old Pedro, I mean, it's pretty clear they need to take a chill pill. Did you want to mosey on over to this Sleeping Giant and have a stickybeak?"

"Mn! 'preciated, sir, and you have a good night." Zal said a bit offhandedly to Roy before the may fully departs. Because soon after he's back to rubbing his chin and gently squeezing his eyes shut in his ponderings. "That.... honestly sounds like an awesome idea. Maybe crack a few heads while we're at it. But, we can't risk stirring the hornets nest too soon. Otherwise I would've kicked those Clydsdales asses earlier. With-" He opens narrowed eyes at Eddie. "-or without help." Zal holds the look for just a moment or two more before sighing and going over to pick up the still sleeping Corn Chip.

"So for now, let's get some sleep, have our breakfast in the morning, and then we hit up the shrine and orchard. See what dirt we can dig up on where they more likely bed down. Or by the many above or the nine below we might just luck out on even rustling up some help when its time." On that note, Zal would head down after Kae, and after divesting himself of everything except clothes on his back (minus "armor"), plops down almost immediately on the Sofa, ready to clonk out for the rest of the night with CC curled up in the crook of an arm.

Eddie follows his friends into the room closing the wall/door behind him.

He walks down the steps, sees his sleeping friends and pulls his sword out of the cane.

Eddie sighs, sits on the remaining bed and takes the first watch.

The night closes on the evening's events.
DM:
I am assuming that since Eddie is taking 1st watch, everyone will hold a watch.
Everyone roll me a Perception roll for your watch.

Kae has trouble getting to sleep. In that she never does. She just lies on her bed with her eyes shut tight, constantly on the verge of unconsciousness. Sometimes she finds a book and sorta reads, but she just stays on the same page for what feels like an eternity. After something like 4 hours, she decides to stop trying to fall asleep completely. She gets up, presumably towards the end of Zalos's watch. "Hey, you can hit the hay now if you want. I'm up for doing some watching."

Perception: 11 (8 + 3)

Eddie's Perception Check: 6 (natural 1 on the roll).

Zalsultuvan: 5.

It is about 4 a.m., during Zal's watch, Zal believes he hears someone walking upstairs.