I was there recently, looking for http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Bersi_Honey-Hand and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Drifa to resurrect. You see, during the opening TG quests where you shake down the deadbeats, I selected brawl for Bersi. Somehow Drifa got in the way and caught a haymaker. Well, that changes a brawl to a fight, and they both ended up dead. So did 90% of Riften's Guards, lol.

After some weeks went by, I thought I should make amends by resurrecting the Pawned Prawn people. First I had to see if I could still find them in game. They were dead and naked in the "cross" room. So I enabled, resurrected and transported them to the Pawned Prawn. Unfortunately for me, it was the middle of the night, so Drifa hollered at me to get out or else. I was busy getting Bersi back, and by the time I did, she screamed for the guards. Lol, there aren't any more, and apparently they don't respawn in Riften.

So I ran out the door and they came after me. I went out the east gate and the guard outside (one of the few who did survive) said, "This should be good!" then ran away. The shopkeepers, armed only with daggers, couldn't scratch me, but a passing troll got their attention and I was off the hook at last.

Oh, a naked, but living, Malborn was there, too. A number of other named deceased were also in that place.

Hmmmm, so Riften guards don't respawn eh ... ?

His store has a Dark Brotherhood sign painted on the right side of the door.

When they die, the brave and valiant go to Sovngarde.

But the not-so-brave-and-valiant? Well, now you know.

That's a Thieves' Guild shadowmark. It means "good looting". The DB doesn't leave signs.

*sigh*

It's a Thieves Guild shadow mark. There's a book you can read while in the thieves Guild about the shadow marks. They tell you where you can find safe haven, whether some place has good loot for the taking or not, danger & traps, etc.

Those cute little symbols next to the doors of residences and shops, barrels and such have nothing to do with the Dark Brotherhood.

Sorry, my present character is not interested in the thieves guild.

My thanks to Redwood Elf for providing the cell name. I decided to pop in and see who's home.

Malborn is there, and he's the only one alive. Bodies include Ancano, Ogmund, Vigdis and Rogatus Salvius, Roggvir (sans head), Calixto, and Jora.

I'm surprised. I thought there'd be more.

Well it's presumably only named NPCs - it's a place to store them when their bodies are removed after they get killed...

(and by Named, I mean significant, not the random NPCs used by the radiant quests...)

Then read about it at the uesp wiki: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Shadowmarks

Why should I do that?

Talking about Belethor, did anybody notice once if he had a cragon claw for sale, beside the ones you sold to him?

Because it would help you not to make a fool of yourself? ("DB sign").

That's how you treat people when they make a mistake? You're a poor person.

The problem was that you sounded very sure of yourself here:

You just can't do that if you weren't certain. At least make it clear you were assuming things. Otherwise you're bound to make people angry by spreading false information.

I wish you do that to every poster here who make mistakes, not only me. You've got work ahead.

I only involve myself in discussions when the people involved are worth it. Besides, I can't be here all the time, neither am I a moderator.

Because thief or not, those symbols are useful things to know. Knowledge is power, right?