Avaria whips off the lid of the barrel and sees that there's definitely no one in side of it. There is, however, down in the bottom, resting in a centimeter of rainwater, a short sword and a torn multi-coloured tunic. The shortsword smells of the poison Avaria smelled earlier and the tunic smells similar to the second Hammerdasher.

There is no one else noticeable in the alley.

Ethel sighs and nods, seeing that their quarry has eluded them.  "Please, Avaria, grab those items.   There may be a clue to our mystery assassin's identity or purpose.  Careful with the edge of that blade."

Then she turns to Marrin and Jan.  "Let's get back to the inn.  We have much to discuss."  Then she begins hobbling back in that direction.

Marrin stands in the alley as Ethel hobbles past looking both directions and then up before waiting to walk back with Ava. She'll go slowly back, trying to pick the least dirty path for her bare feet.

The group make it back to the Broken Ore without encountering any issues. When the party walks through the back courtyard they can all see that someone has boarded up the broken window to Hammerdasher's room.

Once back inside, they find Maisie in the kitchen pouring out large cups of tea.

"Did you find them, dears?" she asks.

She notes the sword and colourful but ripped tunic. 

"I feel like I've seen that somewhere before," Maisie muses.

Avaria, completely crestfallen, follows the rest back into the Broken Ore.  The sight of Maisie with her teapot, lifts her spirits a little.

It is enough to keep her in the kitchen instead of slinking up to her room and as she takes a seat at the table, Maisie's words fall on her ears.  "You have?  Where?  Please, they got away, can you think of anything?" she tries to hide it, but the desperation is pretty thick in her voice.

"Maybe if I have a good sleep on it I might remember," Maisie says. "But for the life of me I couldn't tell you now where I've seen that pattern. It's quite distinct though, isn't it."

Looking more closely, Avaria and the others can make out what looks like a multi-coloured puzzle pattern on the fabric of the tunic.

Marrin leans in and rubs the fabric gently between her fingers.

Intelligence check on fabric origin?: 4

((Marrin also appreciates fabrics, particularly expensive ones.))

Hanging her head, Avaria finishes her tea, then heads upstairs.  On her way up, she turns and asks, "Is Hammerdasher alright?"

Then heads up and goes back to bed.  

Marrin's not certain as similar fabrics can come from diverse areas, but this reminds her of the damask linen she knows the wealthy in Selgaunt (a merchant port in Sembia across the Sea of Fallen Stars to the west) wear. The pattern though is more outlandish than what a noble or wealthy merchant might wear. This seems more akin to what a jester might wear.

Hammerdasher grumbles his own answer to Avaria and she hears "Of course I'm alright. Near death doesn't slow a dwarf down." called out from his room.

As Marrin begins climbing the stairs she spots movement up ahead. A set of wide eyes and a head dip back quickly out of view, but then peek back around a banister, revealing Emma, Ula's younger sister. She holds her finger to her lips, pleading for Marrin not to give away that she's up and about.

When Emma sees the fabric in Marrin's hand she frowns.

"I thought you were chasing an assassin, not going to the fair."

Marrin's eyes narrow at the girl before a wry smile spreads on her lips and she mirrors the hushing finger. She responds just above a whisper,

"It seems the assassin themselves may have came from the fair."

She lifts the clothing to Emma,

"A rather nice fair too, feel how smooth it is. For all of its garishness, this is a very expensive tunic."

She slides her hand along the insides of the tunic and then turns it inside out showing the same pattern on the inside,

"Nice stitching as well, very neat and tight."

Looking back up at Emma,

"Where would one find clothes like this in Spandelyion? Expensive, well made and perhaps flashy? A tailor, clothier or maybe even a top level costumier?"

Emma shrugs at the question but does eventually smile.

"I don't know about tailors but mum and dad's friend Kiorna does some nice leather."

Marrin remembers that Kiorna was one of the two retired adventurers that Olek, Ula's dad, rounded up to back them up at the docks.

"But maybe at the Lintoll? They were setting up just outside of town earlier today. I'd guess a fair would have fair clothes."

((I think maybe Marrin was on the Rose still when they mentioned the fair? May be misremembering though!))

Marrin snorts a laugh,

"That'd be a fair guess, I'd wager. I think I will need to visit the Lintoll tomorrow to inquire after the owner of the tunic."

Taking the tunic, she'll rise and pat Emma on the head,

"Off to bed for both of us now, I'll see you tomorrow Emma."

She'll then head up to bed.

Avaria and Marrin are off to bed. Anything from Jan or Ethel before giving a night's rest a second try?

Ethel takes a long look at the blade Avaria recovered.  Is there enough poison residue on it to identify the substance, by smell or texture?  (investigation or nature both have the same modifier) 10

"We post a watch," she says before anyone departs for bed.  It is a declaration, not a suggestion.  "I'll take the rest of tonight.  Until we know who was responsible and why they launched this attack, we can't be sure if it is over, or if Hammerdasher was the only target.  A group should go check on the ship at first light as well, to make sure there was no unwelcome boarders in the night."

She then sets up a table downstairs and gets to thinking.  

Hammerdasher was attacked by a duplicate.  Could this have been an assassin working under an illusion spell?  A shapeshifter?  A doppelganger?  Avaria said the assassin knew the name of one of the prisoners who died on Hargrove's island.  How?  Is a member of our crew involved?  Someone sent by the Hargroves?  Did the assassin read Avaria or Hammerdasher's mind?  And why Hammerdasher first?  Is he the only target?  Is this related to his family's issues?  Or was he merely the first domino they moved to topple?  Impersonating Hammerdasher to kill him is wasted effort... they can't possibly fool him.  The obvious implication is the assassin had plans to replace him... to infiltrate us.  But to what end? ...

While dipping into deep thought, she does her best to keep her senses on her surroundings until the others rise in the morning.  Perception 12

Jan hangs back a bit with Ethel.

"You need rest as well. I have someone who may be able to help with that, but figured the middle of the night after we got attacked by Shammerdasher wasn't the time for introductions, but I agree that the ship should be checked on, and I can send them to do that, then keep watch for us tonight. Just hold tight, and I'll have you meet them."

"Okay K'oshash, this is Ethel, a dear friend and companion, can you show yourself please?"

Ethel would see a swirl of dust spiral around Jan's arm, resolving itself into a dusty brown colored creature gripping the elf's arm with clawed feet and peering about with a long, pebbly face, with arms wrapped around its knees as it occasionally flaps its leathery bat-like wings to retain its perch.

"This is K'oshash, they are my familiar, as of a few hours ago."

"I can send K'oshash to the ship, they may not be able to tell if any of the others have been replaced, but can at least let me know if there's been any commotion there we ought to be concerned about. Once they get back, we can turn in for the night and K'oshash can watch over us while we rest. And if one of us needs to go without rest tonight, I can stay up so you can sleep."

Ethel nods approvingly at the - what is it? I'm picturing a bat crossed with a dust mephit - new recruit.  "Very pleased to meet you, K'oshash."

"As for sleep, I appreciate the offer, but I don't think I'll be sleeping again tonight.  I wasn't expecting this development and it has me uneasy over what else I may have missed.  Here, or up in my room, I suspect there will be no rest for me."

Ethel examines the poison as closely as she dares. Eventually the smell and consistency make her lean towards something she's only ever read about: Wyvern poison.

 Jan nods. "In that case, K'oshash and I will keep you company, though I may take the opportunity to trance, I'll be here if needed."

She mentally gives K'oshash directions to the ship, and descriptions of the crew, but tasks him with looking for blood or signs of a struggle or commotion, with instructions to return once he's finished.

When he vanishes in a swirl of dust and takes off, she'll travel with him, her eyes rolling back as she holds out a hand for Ethel.

"I won't be able to hear or see you while I'm with them, but squeeze hard if you need me back. I have limited range, so will return shortly either way."

Through K'oshash's eyes, Jan can see the streets outside of the Broken Ore, now quiet, and she can see the ships in the harbour further away. Xanthe's Wish being one of them, moored to the dock, a lantern's light glowing from the deck.

However, before she gets much closer, Jan finds herself looking at Ethel again, K'oshash having moved beyond the range that permits the connection to continue.

The rest of the night passes in quiet.

(Long Rest for all)

Jan comes out of her trance to see K'oshash sitting almost on her feet. Through a series of images, sounds and what Jan's coming to understand as a form of dust elemental language, she gets the rundown on the ship. There was no sign of blood or a fight, but K'oshash does relay that they were chased away from the deck of the Xanthe's Wish by a an angry goblin with a bucket of kitchen scraps.

While the patrons of the inn can be heard starting to stir, anyone awake can already hear the sound of humming and singing, and pots and pans banging coming from downstrairs.

Throughout the night, Ethel would use Jan as a sounding board for her thoughts and concerns [the italicized portions of post 2296].  She welcomes any theories or input, but is mostly just turning over the same set of facts and unknowns again and again, each time hoping the pieces will fit.

In the morning, she raises a tired eye in the direction of all banging pots.