Where there's smoke, there's fire...

Traveling southeast from Denner's Bend toward Pinching, the mountain trail follows the contours of the ridges up and over the slopes of the higher peaks. The trail skirts the high valleys, hugging the outer spurs, running through forests of pine and birch.
Now the trail is turning down toward the moor, where it crosses to join with Black Ridge Trail which runs from Pinching along the Black Root Forest north of the River Flushing. You've been sent from Kellen to seek information on the dragons of the Iron Teeth. The clerics there have become concerned with stories from merchants and tradesmen about increased dragon activity along the ports and down the coast. Few outside the monastery know, but one of the young acolytes has been experiencing visions of dragon attacks, and they are concerned that the attacks are nothing to what lies ahead. They have told you of their concerns, and sent you forth to discover what you can.
For the last three days you have crossed the mountains separating Kellen from the coastal plain. Much discussion has passed among you about where to go, what course to take, but no consensus has been decided upon. Events are approaching to spur a decision.
Cresting the final ridge and looking down into the valley and across the moor, you can see Black Ridge Trail coming out of the forested hillside below. Looking back up the valley from where the trail emerges, you can see smoke rising from a point higher up on the ridge in the forest. There is too much smoke for a campfire or fireplace, but nothing else in the area that would cause so much smoke.
You quickly decide to follow the trail towards the smoke, in order to find the cause and assist in any way you can. You find a small path leading off the main trail up the hillside to where the smoke is rising. As you move carefully forward, you notice a clearing at the end of the path. There is a fenced yard surrounding a small one-story building with an attached stable. The gate is broken open, as is the front door of the building. The smoke is rising from the back side of the house which all seems to be smoldering.
What lies in the ruins? Where will this encounter lead?