The reputation of Riften precedes it. A pleasant-enough town set by the scenic lake Honrich, Riften is home to the Thieves' Guild. While not exactly rampant with crime, Riften nonetheless attracts the wrong sorts. It does not help that the Rift is next to the Dunmer homeland of Morrowind, where many Dunmer fled from when the Red Mountain erupted. It's said that the Jarl herself is under the pay of one of the richest families in Skyrim - the Black-Briars, of the Black-Briar Meadery fame. Even the guards try to hustle me for money on the way in.
I headed to the Bee & Barb Inn to get local news. Jarl Laila Law-Giver is said to be under the pay of Maven Black-Briar - a rich matriarch of the Black-Briar Meadery and other suspected nefarious operations. The Jarl also thinks that the Thieves Guild is a nuisance but hardly worth the trouble to hunt down - a sentiment not shared by her common folk. Laila supports Ulfric Stormcloak in his rebellion; her eldest son Harrald does as well. But her younger son Saerlund supports the Imperials, thinking that Ulfric is a hypocrite that has half the world fooled. Dinner at the Jarl's table must be... interesting.
The inn is busy with all kinds. A balding man named Louis Letrush eventually came up to me and offered a job - to find out what happened to Sibbi Black-Briar, son of Maven Black-Briar. Letrush had made payment to Sibbi to buy the purebred stallion Frost off the Black-Briar - but Maven Black-Briar caught wind of the sale and - obviously peeved by her son back-dealing the family assets - had the Jarl lock up Sibbi on trumped up charges. Letrush wants to know what happened to Sibbi and his money.
A man called Brynjoft also approached me in the crowd - he says he "knows my kind" and identified me from the way I walk... and has a proposition for someone of my skills. Brynjoft needs help framing someone - Brand Shei, a local trader, is in need of a reminder of who runs the town before he mouths off against the Thieves' Guild - so Brynjoft decided to lesson is in order. This could be my in to the Guild. While Brynjoft distracts the crowd, I am to steal a ring from Madesi's stall and plant it in Brand-Shei's strong box. This is obviously a test of my skills - so I decided to show Brynjolf what I can do.
The plan went off without a hitch, and Brynjoft thinks he can use on me for more delicate work. He told me to meet him at the Ragged Flagon, which is a bar tucked in seedy underside of town.
The bar is a gathering spot for the Thieves Guild. The Guild had fallen on hard times recently due to unnaturally bad luck. The members had persevered and found work with certain patrons in Riften. I find Brynjoft amongst the rogues, who gave me the lowdown of my next task - I'm to hit three establishments in Riften who'd neglected to pay their dues. The money is not the issue, but the Guild would rather keep everyone in line without exceptions. Blood is not good for business, so Brynjolf would prefer that I keep things... civil, if possible.
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