Erbert says after they have come in - - "I think I may have uncovered a clue.  This may or may not be related to the fires, but I'm sure that this would be of interest to the Cerebrus Assembly.  This letter appears to be from the Locksmiths.  I think we are duty bound with our investigation to get to the bottom of this matter, what we do with it is a different question, but I think that we need to see what this says.  After this we can be on our way, but we must know.  (to the Jaltrims)  Please stay where you are."  With that Erbert presses the key down into the lock on the paper and tries to activate it, looking at the paper and showing to his companions.  

One of Owin's eyebrows goes up. His face, unreadable aside from that. 

Hurmfar looks at the paper and then at Erbert and back to the Jaltrims.

"That's a bonny picture you've found there," Hurmfar says to Erbert. "And as much as these three scunners are enough to make anyone rage, and I may be a wee bit of a twally, but even I can see they didn't burn their own home down."

He looks around at the others.

"I took this job to earn a couple of coins and see what I see. I'm no duty bound to be some kind of thinking police. Me gran used to say the abyss returns even the boldest gaze. Now if these folk have something to say I'll listen but I ain't looking where I don't need to and I'm no tattling on folk trying to get by."

"Unless we have reason to believe these Locksmiths are setting the fires I agree that we are no secret police. Some of us are not even citizens of the Empire."

Erbert pauses and stops.   "Fine.  Unbelievable."  He rolls the parchment up and steps away from the table, goes up to Hurmfar and jumps up, stuffing the parchment into his chest.  "I thought we were here working together on a job.  I suggest you read that, it may have helpful information.  I can help you with the big words if you need me to.  Its up to you."

Erbert walks toward the door.  "We were asked to investigate this issue, please remember what we were originally told.  I feel that a problem like this is a big ball of string, sometimes you have to pull at it one thread at a time until you find the common thread and the solution.  I think you are all expecting to find someone "red handed" in the field with a torch.  Fine.  Let's go and look for that.  I personally feel that it will be a little more complicated."

Erbert then turns to the Jaltrims - "I'm sorry for this display tonight, I will bid you farewell and good evening."  Erbert steps out into the night to clear his head, clearly frustrated.

Erbert, when you press the key towards the lock, writing suddenly fills the parchment. You don't recognize it, but it seems to be in a sort of pattern that in time, might be able to be deciphered. As you do this, Thom and Wilber take a step towards you. "Listen, gnome...."

They are halted by Selencha's voice. "Easy, lads. It's okay. Ye be careful with that." She addresses Erbert, her manner much colder now, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "Yer holding something much more dangerous than a torch there, friend. Whatever you decide to do with it, know that if the wrong person sees it, then yer not just condemning me an' me husband, but these boys, our daughter, an' anyone else in this town whoever showed a bit o' kindness to any of us."

She nods to you all and says quietly "Have a good night."

As soon as you step outside the farmhouse, you see the light in the kitchen window snuffed out.

It's about ten o'clock now, and the journey to town is about an hour. The Stump Farm is immediately next to you, but the other farms are some distance away. The night is yours.

(The paper that Erbert found and gave to Hurmfar is written in code. Decoding it without the cipher will take an Intelligence check DC 18 plus 4 hours of study.)

Hurmfar pulls out the paper Erbert stuffed in his vest and looks down at it.

"Alright, you wee bastard," Hurmfar says. "Read it to me. But I'll be saying this. Unless it says they're setting the fires his nibs back in the village ain't getting even a whiff of this."

"Wee bastard."  "Toaty bastard."  "Dim."  "Stinking of shite."  Such lovely things you call me.  How about I call you Fat Bastard?  Let's press on with your methods FB.  Maybe you can sleep with it under your pillow and figure out what it says."   Erbert is scowling and walks to the road.  "Should we check the Stump Farm?"  

Owin watches all of this with the same eyebrow, now a smirk curling one of his lips. He bites it away and follows the rest... 

"All right, listen, enough time to squabble tomorrow. I'm all for calling it a night. That scarecrow took quite a nice chunk outta my side... BUT, we are here already, and the Stump farm is here as well. I'm all for checking it, but don't expect me to spring out of bed at the crack of dawn after this...

Owin approaches the farm, noticing if anything in general is amiss or wrong about the place..

(Perception: 22 )

Hurmfar laughs at the anger coming off of Erbert. 

“Don’t be calling someone slow and then take offence when they don’t take kindly to it.”

He turns and follows after Owin.

In contrast to the modest Jaltrim place, the Stump spread seems to go on forever towards the horizon -- and Owin notes that at least part of the expansive farmhouse that sits back from the main road seems to have been severely damaged by the fire. There is also much more activity going on here, even this late at night. There are a few pens for livestock that seem to have escaped unscatched and farmhands are busy tossing hay and fresh grass into them from little wagons parked nearby. You also see an alarming number of men on horses, all of whom seem to be wearing long hide jackets with the collars up to protect from the fall winds. As soon as Owin approaches, one of the men breaks away and trots the horse out to meet him towards the entry gate.

He's a tall human, lean and craggy looking with a blunt mustache under his nose -- jet black in color with flecks of gray coming in. In a deep, booming voice, he stops just about thirty feet from you all, and you see him holding some strange device in his hand casually.

"Can I hep you, strangers?"

Erbert regards the man on horseback, he is standing toward the rear of the party.  He strains and looks at the strange device in his hand, tries to identify what he is holding.

History (?) :  20

Erbert -- it is a finely crafted flintlock pistol, much along the lines of those constructed by the gunsmiths of Tal'Dorei. With that roll, you'd also know that in Wildemount, only officers of the Imperial Army or naval officers in the Clovis Concord (the naval power to the South and neutral in the war between the Empire and the Kryn Dynasty) typically possess such items.

Since Owin is in front leading, it is dark, I quickly point at him and use message to relay this information to him so that he knows who he is dealing with and about the flintlock pistol.  

Valhik sighs, standing behind Owin as the man on the horse rides up. All he wanted was an early evening...as it is he places a hand on his crossbow. Ready to draw it if things turn sour.

Hurmfar watches the large group working with the animals and is full of questions but keeps silent until Noachi gets an answer from the rider first.

The man nods brusquely, chewing something vigorously as he watches all of you carefully. You see behind him, the other riders have slowed down and are watching him interact with you intensely. There is a dwarf and an elven woman within 20 feet of him, and two more humans another 40 - 50 feet away.

"I can give ya few minutes, as long as ya'll ain't with the papers. Don't know much though. Mister Stump hired us on a few days ago. We came along from Rexxentrum and have mostly been keeping an eye on the place in case anyone tries any funny business. The Stumps are the largest farmers in the country, one of the biggest landlords too, if you count out the Royal Court. They managed to save a bit o' their crops and most of the livestock, so it would be devastating if they lost the rest."

The man seems mostly professional, and not particularly interested in the fires beyond his role protecting the house.