Thieves Guild (Skyrim)

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"Our access to those bits of luck are what separates us from common bandits."

For this faction in other games, see Thieves Guild.

The Thieves Guild is one of several joinable factions that appear in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Stationed in The Ratway beneath the city of Riften, members of the Thieves Guild are renowned for causing trouble in the city. Members of the guild specialize in stealing objects of varying value or loaning septims. Most citizens view them unfavorably; Mjoll the Lioness has made it her duty to maintain order in Riften and pledges to dismantle the guild. Maven Black-Briar, the affluent owner of the popular Black-Briar Meadery, consorts with the guild in exchange for their aid.

History Edit

Little is known about when the Thieves Guild was founded, but it is rumored to have been around as long as Riften has. As the Fourth Era continued, the Thieves Guild slipped further and further into obscurity and the members and regular clients began to leave (with the exception of Maven Black-Briar).

JoiningEdit

To join the Thieves Guild the Dragonborn must enter Riften during the day, and speak to Brynjolf, a red-headed Nord male, who can be found in the Riften Marketplace between 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Once the Dragonborn is within proximity, Brynjolf will automatically attempt to strike up a conversation in which the Thieves Guild prerequisite quest A Chance Arrangement can be started. Alternatively, in the evenings past 8:00 p.m., the Dragonborn can encounter Brynjolf at The Bee and Barb inn, at which time he will tell the player to speak with him during the day at his stall in the Riften Marketplace.

QuestsEdit

Main questsEdit

Small jobsEdit

Delvin and Vex offer an unlimited number of radiant quests known as "jobs." The target item(s) and location are generated randomly. Jobs can be accepted and quit at will and it is possible (and efficient) to run a job for Delvin and one for Vex simultaneously. The reward for each mission is between 100 and 500. After performing five small jobs in Whiterun, Markarth, Windhelm, and Solitude, a special job will be unlocked for each. Killing those crucial to the job results in a failure, and no payment is given.

Delvin Mallory's jobsEdit

The Bedlam Job - Steal enough items or gold to reach a given value within the assigned Hold. Can keep stolen items, (can be time consuming) scrolls or potions are easy at night.
- A very effective method is stealing an expensive item, going to a secluded location, then dropping it and picking it up a few times. Each time the item is picked up it counts as theft.
The Fishing Job - Pickpocket an item from a given character.
- Can be difficult, but the quest item has usually a higher success percentage for pickpocketing than its usual kind, hence it is great training for this skill.
- Save before pickpocketing the item to prevent getting caught and paying bounty.
The Numbers Job - Modify the ledger book at a given business. This is the easiest of Delvin's three jobs to complete. Near the ledger book you will often find the business's safe box in which you will normally find over 250 coins

Vex's jobsEdit

The Burglary Job - Steal an item from a house.
- Can be done during the day or night easily, as the owner either sleeps or is at work
- The best time to do this sort of job is around 7:30 PM, as there is no one at home or on the street
The Heist Job - Steal an item from a business.
- If tried during the day the shop owner will most likely follow the player around.
The Shill Job - Plant a stolen item in an NPC's home.
- Similar to Burglary. May be easier since the only "illegal" part of it is trespassing, and getting caught by the guards any time during it doesn't cause it to be failed.
The Sweep Job - Steal three items from a house.

City Influence QuestsEdit

After completing five Small Jobs in a city, Delvin Mallory will offer a special job to restore Thieves Guild influence in that city. These quests can be taken in any order. The city influence quests are necessary in order to complete Under New Management and assume the title of Guildmaster. Becoming Guildmaster allows access to the Guild Master's Tribute Chest.

Each city influence quest that is completed will add a merchant stall to The Ragged Flagon. In addition, the gold available to fences throughout Skyrim gradually increases as these quests are completed, up to a maximum of 4000. The third and fourth city influence quests will each add a new recruit to the Guild as well: first Garthar, and then Ravyn Imyan.

Quest	Prerequisite	City	Reward
Imitation Amnesty	5 small jobs	Whiterun	One new merchant's stall.
Summerset Shadows	5 small jobs	Windhelm	Unlocks Niranye as a fence (if she didn't fight you and was killed when you talked to her during the quest). One new merchant's stall.
Silver Lining	5 small jobs	Markarth	Unlocks Endon as a fence. One new merchant's stall.
The Dainty Sload	5 small jobs	Solitude	One new merchant's stall.
Deliver Moon Sugar to Ri'saad	Complete 3 city influence quests.	N/A	Khajiit Caravans will offer a fence.

MerchantsEdit

Name	Service	Available
Syndus	Arrows and weapons merchant	Complete 1 city influence quest
Herlium Lothaire	Alchemy merchant	Complete 2 city influence quests
Arnskar Ember-Master	Blacksmith	Complete 3 city influence quests
Vanryth Gatharian	Weapons and Armor merchant	Complete 4 city influence quests

TipsEdit

Players seeking to complete these city quests as fast as possible should quick save before getting a new job and then ask for Numbers Jobs from Delvin and Heist or Burglary Jobs from Vex. If it is in a city whose influence quest has already been completed, quick load and try again. Another way is to quit the job Delvin and/or Vex assigned, then ask for the job again. There are no negative repercussions for quitting jobs, excluding the multiple failed missions in the quest log and the short disapproving dialogue after each quit job.

Larceny TargetsEdit

Various unique items can be stolen during the Thieves Guild quests and sold to Delvin. As each is collected and sold to Delvin, they will be displayed on the shelves behind Mercer's Desk. By following the questline, the items appear in the following order:

As each of the jobs that Vex and Delvin gives are finished, trophies begin to fill the shelves too:

Jeweled Candlestick appears after 5 jobs are completed.
Ornate Drinking Horn appears after 15 jobs are completed.
Golden Ship Model appears after 25 jobs are completed.
Golden Urn appears after 35 jobs are completed.
Jeweled Goblet appears after 45 jobs are completed.
Jeweled Flagon appears after 55 jobs are completed.
Jeweled Pitcher appears after 75 jobs are completed.

After completing 125 jobs, a safe is added next to the shelves which contains random loot and potions that improves the Dragonborn's stealth skills. The Crown of Barenziah is placed on the bust in the center of the shelves upon completion of the mission No Stone Unturned.

MembersEdit

ThievesEdit

Mercer Frey - Guild Master
Brynjolf - Second-in-Command
Delvin Mallory - Senior Member, Gives the player Small Jobs and Special Jobs, Master Sneak Trainer
Vex - Senior Member, Gives the player Small Jobs, Master Lockpicking Trainer
Tonilia - Senior Member, Fence
Sapphire - Appears around the Bee and Barb before Speaking With Silence, wanders the Cistern after.
Cynric Endell
Niruin - Master Archery Trainer
Rune
Thrynn
Vipir the Fleet - Master Pickpocket Trainer
Garthar - joins after completing three Special Jobs for Delvin Malory
Ravyn Imyan - joins after completing four Special Jobs for Delvin Malory
Etienne Rarnis - Only if completed the Diplomatic Immunity quest under certain circumstances
Molgrom Twice-Killed- Located in the Riften Jail.

AssociatesEdit

Vekel the Man - Runs The Ragged Flagon
Dirge - The Ragged Flaggon's bouncer, the brother of Maul.
Syndus - Arrows and weapons merchant
Herlium Lothaire - Alchemy merchant
Arnskar Ember-Master - Blacksmith
Vanryth Gatharian - Armor and weapons merchant

TrainersEdit

Main article: Trainer (Skyrim)

Delvin Mallory: Master Sneak trainer
Niruin: Master Archery trainer
Vex: Master Lockpicking trainer
Vipir the Fleet: Master Pickpocket trainer

FencesEdit

Fences buy stolen goods. There are a total of nine different fences throughout Skyrim, including each Khajiit caravan:

Fence	Location	Unlocked
Tonilia (Default)	Ragged Flagon, Riften.	Upon completion of Taking Care of Business
Mallus Maccius	Honningbrew Meadery.	Upon completion of Dampened Spirits
Gulum-Ei	Winking Skeever, Solitude.	Upon completion of Scoundrel's Folly
Enthir	Hall of Attainment, College of Winterhold.	Upon completion of Hard Answers
Niranye	Windhelm Marketplace,Windhelm.	Upon completion of Summerset Shadows
Endon	Silver Blood Inn, Markarth	Upon completion of Silver Lining
Khajiit Caravans	Outside of cities, near their stables.	Upon completion of Deliver Moon Sugar to Ri'Saad

Armor setsEdit

When completing quests in the Thieves guild questline, the player can obtain four different armor sets.

Thieves Guild Armor (Obtained after Taking Care of Business)
Nightingale Armor (Obtained during Trinity Restored)
Guild Master's Armor Set (Obtained after Under New Management)
Linwe's Armor Set (Obtained during Summerset Shadows)

A full set of Thieves Guild Armor can be found in the training room in the Cistern. It respawns over a period of time.

ReparationsEdit

Thieves caught stealing from or attacking other guild members or one of their associates are removed from the guild and none of the members speak to them. To rejoin the guild, speak to Vex, for a fee of 1,000 , the guild can be rejoined.

TriviaEdit

Unlike the Dark Brotherhood, there is no quest to destroy the Thieves Guild.
Occasionally a random event occurs where an unnamed Thief will attempt lockpick a door in any city. Guards will attack the thief until he's either dead or he escapes. The thief will never attack the player, but he can be killed without any repercussions.
- Normally this random thief has:
  - Gold (random amount)
  - Random houseware (candlesticks, platters, plates, etc.)
  - Gems (random assortment)
In the small training room in the Cistern, there are chests for each level of difficulty. These chests contain leveled loot, and will respawn after a few in-game days, providing the player with a good source of money and training.
A book written by Delvin Mallory can be found in the Flagon, called Shadowmarks. Shadowmarks are carvings into buildings near their main doorways, and are very handy in pointing out locations around cities that have good loot.
If married to a merchant, such as Ysolda, the player may get a job to place stolen goods in their house which may be the player's house if they chose to stay in their spouse's house instead of one of their own.
Unlike the other factions, namely The Companions and the College of Winterhold, none of the Thieves Guild members can be married. This is also true with the Dark Brotherhood.
Unlike in Oblivion, the Thieves Guild of Skyrim seems to be indifferent to the poor, who no longer serve as their eyes in the world.
Upcoming becoming Guildmaster, a number of members of the guild will still talk to you as if you are just another member or are tying to join the guild. For example, Dirge still threatens you and Vekel the Man still is dismissive of you.
The Thieves Guild quests contain three of the best in-game weapons. All are leveled, but at Level 46+, the Nightingale Blade and Nightingale Bow are superior to their Daedric counterparts when factoring in enchantments, while Chillrend, which can be stolen from Mercer Frey's house, is simply outright stronger.

BugsEdit

360 PS3 Any guild members in the Lockpick training room will say to you, "You're really not supposed to be here," after a failed attempt. There is no known cause.
PC 360 PS3 Sometimes, Larceny Targets quests are impossible to complete.
Sometimes if you complete the unmarked quest to rebuild the Guild before completing the main questline, the Guild Masters chest may not spawn random gems and gold.
PS3 After the quest Trinity Restored is started and the Dragonborn does not follow Brynolf and Karliah, straight away, they will go to the Nighingale hall by themselves and then go back to Riften. Brynolf can be found walking around the Ragged Flaggen Cistern and if spoken to, says either "I think we can trust Karliah, lets see what she's on about" or "I'm just as baffled as you lad". This makes the main quest line impossible to continue and can only be fixed by loading an old save.
360 All of the quests to return the larceny targets will immediately be resolved upon obtaining the Eyes of the Falmer (if not already turned in), causing them to become normal objects, not quest objects, but Delvin will not offer to purchase any of them. (Perhaps a new glitch in v1.5)
PS3 Even after completing the entire TG Questline (unlocking all cities, caravan, and becoming GM) it is possible that the fences in the other four cities will refuse to open dialogue with your character and that the fencing booths set up inside the Ragged Flaggon will refuse to purchase stolen items. This has been brought to Bethesda's attention but as of update v1.5 there is no known resolution.
The jeweled pitcher may not show up on the shelf after doing 75 jobs for Delvin and Vex. ( Possible fix is to do 125, which also earns you a safe.)