Taking Care of Business

To the Tavern

Begin with this objective already active. Search for the entrance to the Ratway, which is under the Grand Plaza by the water’s edge, on the town’s south side. Once you’re through the iron gate, prepare to stumble across a couple of inept thugs looking for a victim to mug. You can sneak by them if you wait until Drahff patrols the Ratway entrance and Hewnon has his back to you.

Now continue through this small maze of interlocking sewage tunnels. Watch for a hanging oil trap and a bear trap along the way. If your Lockpick skill is high enough, there’s a chamber to check out, but your main purpose is finding the Ragged Flagon.

The tavern has a unique floorplan, being constructed within the space below Riften’s central well. When you spot Brynjolf, he is conversing with the barkeep, Vekel the Man, about Brynjolf’s predicament with his “organization.” Speak to Brynjolf, and he asks if you’d be interested in handling a few deadbeats for him. Do a good job, and Brynjolf predicts a permanent place in his guild. Ask how to collect the dues owed, and Brynjolf recommends anything short of killing them.

(Optional) Remain in the Ragged Flagon for a moment and quiz Brynjolf on each of the targets to gain more information. You learn about Keerava’s lover Talen-Jei, Bersi’s love of dwarven pottery, and Haelga’s devotion to the goddess Dibella. Be sure your quest updates with the following:

Shopkeeper Shakedowns

Return to the surface, ensuring you activate the lever in the Ratway that lowers the bridge, enabling a fast exit. Now visit each of the three shopkeepers on Brynjolf’s list, while remembering the following:

1. You can approach any of the three shopkeepers in any order. Apply the information you’ve learned...
2. You may impose your unarmed prowess against them but can do so only the first time you talk to your target. Be sure you begin this from a conversation, or you’ll have the whole town against you!
3. Once two of the three shopkeepers have paid up, the third has heard of your intimidation and hands over their payment without any fuss.
4. You must collect all three payments before returning to Brynjolf to complete the quest. Brynjolf is essentially expecting 300 gold. If you spend some of the payments the shopkeepers gave you (dropping your total below 300), Brynjolf won’t be satisfied until you bring the entire amount. No skimming!

Keerava’s Comeuppance

Enter the Bee and Barb, and venture toward Keerava. You may:

• (Brawl) Speak to her before pummeling her with your fists. Once she’s knocked down, she pays up.
• Or tell her you’ve finished wasting your time talking to her. Then seek out Talen-Jei.

Talen-Jei is usually inside the tavern, close to his lover. Converse with him and tell him to talk some sense into Keerava. He lets you in on the location of Keerava’s family. This is something you can use to your advantage. Return to her and threaten to visit “that farm in Morrowind.” Her bravery falters. She begs you not to hurt her family and then pays up.

• 100 gold pieces

Bersi’s Reimbursement

Enter the Pawned Prawn and locate Bersi Honey-Hand at the counter. You can:

• (Brawl) Tell him to shut his mouth, and beat him down with your fists until he pays his dues.
• Or tell him you’ve had enough of this banter and look around the room for something to break.

Behind you is a rather fine example of dwarven pottery. Produce your favored smashing implement and strike the urn until it shatters. Ignore the yells from Bersi and his wife. When the pottery is in pieces, return to Bersi and ask if he wants anything else broken. This does the trick, and he hands over the gold he owes.

• 100 gold pieces

Haelga’s Hostage

Step into Haelga’s Bunkhouse and find the proprietor. You’re able to:

• (Brawl) Tell her that she’ll have to pay in more than just coin, and beat her into agreement.
• Or inform her that the Guild has run out of patience with her. Gaze around the interior for something to steal.

On the wall near the door is a small shrine dedicated to the goddess of women, Dibella. Steal the Statue of Dibella, then return to Haelga and threaten to drop it down a well. Soon the monies owed appears in your hands.

• 100 gold pieces

Quest Conclusion

Find Brynjolf back in the Ragged Flagon. He’s impressed you managed to both acquire the gold and keep it “clean”—not resorting to bloodshed. In return for your services, he gives you a cut of the gold you’ve collected and offers you the following:

• One Poison [random]
• One Healing potion [random and leveled]
• Fortify Stealth Skill potion [random and leveled]

Brynjolf recognizes the telltale signs of a practiced thief in you and thinks you’ll fit in with the rest of the team. After telling you not to worry about the rough patch the Guild has been in, Brynjolf offers to show you what the Thieves Guild is all about.

Postquest Activities

Thieves Guild Quests: Loud and Clear is now active.