How to Join the Thieves Guild
The Scene of the Joining Ceremony.
Introduction To Independent Thievery.
If you listen to my guide, you don’t even have to spend gold talking to beggars, so spread the word to friends if I’m more helpful than they are.
In order to complete the thieves guild questline and progress through the ranks you have to know how to steal items without getting caught (thus losing them when you are sent to jail or pay your fine). There are many ways to do this and I have found a few little places that are good enough to get your first few quests without going into too many houses.
The art of theft is simple once you get over any fears of getting a bounty (saving before you steal could help settle nerves). First get into sneak mode, the crouch with the icon changing to an eyeball. It tells you if anyone sees you which is good when doing illegal things, like stealing. When the eye is not lit up and is clear you should be able to take items without worry, but remember people can turn and see you pick up things that weigh a lot so its best to do it in a room with nobody else inside. Once you have picked up a few items of value and either don’t want to pick up more or you can’t find anything else you should go to a fence to sell your hot items for cold coin. I’ll list the fences and doyens on the side of this section for reference.
If you have the blackhand armor or any armor/items with sneak or chameleon attributes you should probably wear those when stealing and/or when doing the special missions as they help you stay hidden more than your usual self. Practice Sneak skill in a room with one person in it by walking behind them in sneak mode, or in a room like a guild hall when everyone is asleep as that raises it faster since they don’t ever see you. The first blackhand quest in the Illomen inn I just sneak ran in circles before I killed him for a good half hour or more and raised it 20 points (although it was low to begin with so don’t expect good results, also walking is better than running for leveling).
Remember the people you may have killed so far in your adventure, for example if you do the quest in the Imperial City about the Copious Coinpurse store selling items at low prices you have a house to take from without getting caught (as he is no longer is alive). Any place like that where you can get in and not have anyone home would be ideal as you can take your time and find all the items worth of value.
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Fences and Doyens
Fences are people you sell stolen items to since merchants won’t deal in them and it helps you unlock the actual thieves guild quests. Doyens are who you get the quests from once you fence enough loot and they are who to go to if you have any bounties.
Doyens:
Armand Christophe- Imperial City Waterfront: he’s who you first go to and does the beginner quests with the guild. Buy the Shack nearby in case of bounty as you can wait inside and avoid the guards.
S’Krivva- Bravil: A Kajiit that will deal with the quests after you do the first couple with Armand, she is either in her house or at the Lonely Suitor Lodge (although I haven’t seen her there myself yet). Buy the Bravil house if you want to have easy access to both the lodge and the fence as the fence lives above you and the lodge is only a few houses down.
Fences:
Ongar the World-Weary- Bruma, has 600 gold, mercantile of 60, and requires pickpocket rank
Dar Jee- Leyawiin, has 800 gold, mercantile of 70, and requires bandit rank
Luciana Galena- Bravil, has 1000 gold, mercantile of 80, and requires cat burglar rank
Orrin- Bruma, has 1200 gold, mercantile of 90, and requires shadowfoot rank
Fathis Ules- Imperial City/Chorrol, has 1500 gold, mercantile of 100, and requires Master Thief Rank
Pickpocket Rank
To become a pickpocket and join the thieves guild you first have to be initiated. This involves completing the May The Best Thief Win quest and possibly some quick reaction on your part. (No matter how fast I run that chick always beats me to the target’s house, but more on that in a second.)
First of all you have to know where to go and how you know where to go. You get this quest from Armand at the waterfront district of the Imperial City at midnight, but you can’t just waltz in there like you own the place and get the quest. You have to know about the guild first. If you noticed odd posters on the walls of the city you should read one, that’s the basic step to getting this quest available and all you really need to do. If you want to actually know where and when to go you should talk to some people about rumors, but really once the “Gray Fox” shows up on the list of available topics in conversation you can get the quest. The three ways to get the existence known though are as follows:
If you get taken into prison and wait your sentence you may be approached by a member of the guild telling you where to go. (Doesn’t work if you are in shivering isles)
Read the poster, it brings up the topic, talk to people and eventually you’ll learn about the waterfront district meeting.
Talk to City-Swimmer the Argonian in Bravil about Bravil and answer her “Gosh. Thieves Guild? What’s That?” Then say the Gray Fox and learn about the meeting. (If you do the main quest-line she may or may not say this option and will talk about the gate, not sure if closing it has any effect on her talking topics though)
There, you know about the existance but that isn’t the quest I talked about to become a Pickpocket. That’s the setup for the quest. Go to the meeting and then raise Armands disposition up as high as you can without bribing him, test and see if you can join, if not bribe him until you can. Then he explains what to do and what the test is.
Before you do this though I recommend looking through the Temple District (the one the waterfront district is connected to) for Amantius Aleectus’ House as that is your target location. Add a map marker if you want to make sure you know where to go as the quest trackers lead you to the beggars not the location. (this is true for a lot of the quests, but talking to the beggars may not be necessary) Once you find his house you should run there as fast as you can and on the wall on the far right of you is a desk, inside is the diary. Pick it up before Methredhel does and go back to Armand to complete the quest. If you don’t get it back first there are two options, take it from Methredhel or do the backup initiation quest.
Recovering the Diary: Methredhel places the diary in her house, in a locked chest while she sleeps (because apparently she doesn’t really want to join the guild that badly or something). You have 12-36 hours to go into her house and steal the diary from the chest before she gives it to Armand. There may be people awake inside her shack which makes it difficult but if you go inside after 6pm Methredhel is away so it should be a bit easier then. Well done, welcome to the guild! (if not in the guild because she turned it in, keep reading).
A second fighting chance: If you didn’t get the diary turned in and couldn’t steal it back before Methredhel turned it in then no worries, you get a second chance to prove your worth. This time you have to steal a sword from the store, A Fighting Chance. No competition this time around but that doesn’t mean it is easy. You see, you have to steal the sword from the second floor private quarters of Rohssan, but she has a dog. Dogs are supposed to guard things, right? So you have to be careful, using sneak or illusion can help you get by the dog undetected, killing the dog and taking the sword is an option although not one I personally like, or you can calm/command creature the dog after you take the sword so it doesn’t freak out. If you are doing this at night and Rohssan is asleep in the bed, sneaking or sneak attacking is your best option as any barking will wake her. During the day just make sure nobody sees you picking the lock and nobody will know you went in there (assuming you didn’t alert the dog).
Blood Price: Killing Amantius Allectus or Rohssan during this quest’s active state will require a blood price to be paid, 1000 gold so don’t do it.
Source: UESP Wiki
Footpad Rank
Fence 50 gold before wondering when the next quest is. Oh wait, you fenced 50 gold? Then talk to Armand and get the quest, Untaxing the Poor. (heads up, this quest got me enough stolen stuff to get me all the way to cat burglar although it took a few tries before I didn’t get caught)
Remember that Hieronymus Lex character everyone complains about going after the Gray Fox like his life depends on it? No? Oh, well, he is the captain of the Imperial Guard and he taxed the poor citizens of the waterfront district (he got a whole 53 gold, wow). You need to steal the tax records back from his chambers, requiring you to go into trespassing territory filled with guards. No worries, if you go at 9-11 am or pm the guards will be asleep or on duty. The nighttime option is a bit more daring and could lead to riches as you can pickpocket Lex’s Claymore and some extra gold out of his pockets if you feel sneaky enough (save beforehand just in case though). Basically, you enter the guard tower and make sure it is the appropriate times, although going at 10 is better as it makes sure nobody is in or everyone is asleep. Go up the first ladder, then turn left go up the next, left up the next, left unlock and up, bam you made it. To your right is his locked desk with the gold and tax records, if you take the gold you get to keep it and the tax records are needed (won’t be taken if you are caught after you pick it up either). If you didn’t get followed, save, and if you want to get some loot for your fencing steal some of his stuff. (I took some armor and a couple shields from the floor below him and got a good 300-400 gold from them). Save before you try anything unless people aren’t in the room as picking up items can wake them and you will be arrested on the spot. Make your way back down the ladders and deliver the records to Armand at the usual spot to get your promotion.
Blood Price: None that can be activated so I guess, kill away, if you dare. I’d recommend not though as it will most likely get you killed.
Source: UESP Wiki
Bandit Rank
To become a bandit you must fence another 50 gold for a total of 100. (it doesn’t reset just so you know, it is the same amount so you can do a ton at once and just do the quests back to back, that’s what I did). You must do a bit of a sneaky sneaky and detective work for this quest but it was a nice challenge for me compared to some of the other quests, it’s called The Elven Maiden and no, you don’t kidnap a woman.
There’s a bust you have to steal from the chapel undercroft of Cheydinhal’s chapel. That’s the part Armand won’t tell you, the where. Go into the chapel and unlock the undercroft, I’d recommend the right side when going down the stairs or left if facing up the stairs. There is a guard that walks around in a pattern, just go into sneak and go from shadow to shadow when the guard is walking away from the left passage in the undercroft. In other words, when the guard is walking into the right side of the undercroft, sneak to the next shadow. Pass through the little hall and you should see a bust, staying in the shadows sneak over and take it, then wait for the guard to be walking away from you and sneak back into the hall and out the door you came in through and return to Armand. (Also don’t look in the coffin as a ghost will appear and the guard will be alerted, so you automatically either die or get a blood price.)
Once you get to the waterfront there seems to be an issue, Guards are everywhere and they want Armand! Oh no! Methredhel is looking for you, either someone will tell you or (like in my case) she will come running up to you and tell you what to do next. You have to sneak into a traitor’s house and plant the bust in her cupboard to turn the tables on her traitor-ing ways. Ha, take that! Next talk to Lex, who should be outside somewhere nearby and get his disposition at least to 71 and tell him to check her cupboard. Follow him and he finds the bust, tells her she is under arrest, everyone goes away (guard-wise) and Armand comes back so you can turn in the quest at the usual time. Sadly, this is the last quest you get from him, although that means no more waiting for late night pickups and turn-ins. From now on you go to Bravil (until you get to the next quest hander-outer). You also unlocked a new fence in Leyawiin in case you want to do some stealing there. Make sure he tells you to go to Bravil or you have to wait for him again at that place just to learn about S’krivva (the new Doyen).
Blood Price: Do NOT kill any of the following people while this quest is active, Errandil, Chapel Guard Gruiand Garrana, Hil the Tall, Ohtesse, Esbern, Inius Colus, Kinther. It will result in a blood price and a loss of 1000 gold for each murder.
Source: UESP Wiki
Prowler Rank
To become a prowler you must fence another 100 gold, a total of 200 gold. If you took my advice and took some armor and then got your fence’s disposition up and the sale price as high as you can you should have gotten a decent sum of money. If not then find some stuff to steal and make your way to Bravil after you get the 200 for you quest, Ahdarji’s Heirloom.
Make your way to Leyawiin and either find Ahdarji’s house on your own using some detective work (a.k.a. looking at all the doors unless you already know) or ask the beggars. I’d prefer to find it on my own but she lives near the entrance to the castle if you know where that is, or you can find her at the Three Sisters’ Inn or the Five Claws Lodge possibly. Anywho, once you find her ask her about the ring and find out that some freelance thief (which is frowned upon in this society) stole it and she wants you to kill him. Guild frowns upon that as well so she settles with harming him and making him suffer, blahblah revenge story. The beggars will tell you that Amusei (the freelance thief who stole the ring) was arrested for trying to sell the ring to its owner, Countess Alessia Caro. They also say the guards accept bribes and with a 20 gold bribe you can get into the dungeon area and talk to Amusei about the ring. There’s also the option of breaking in (lock is level dependent) or stealing the key and getting in that way. Give the lizard a lockpick and he tells you that it is the countess’ ring and he got caught trying to ransom it back. Now if you tell Ahdarji what he said you get double the gold reward to steal it back.
Talking to a beggar reveals that the countess’ handmaiden Hlidara Mothril can tell you what you need to know as well as revealing something about a torture chamber for Argonians. Talking to the count or countess will give you some advice on where to go, the count telling you about Hlidara without money exchange like the beggars (and me). With a disposition of 70 you can learn about both the schedule for the countess and when she wears the ring. Including that she is asleep at 11 pm with her ring in the jewelry box by her bed. Now, follow the Castle Leyawiin Basement until you reach the private quarters for the countess, it is filled with hidden levers to pull though so don’t fret if there’s a dead end. At the last door there is a guard patrolling on the other side (and if you aren’t careful you’ll get caught like I did, expecting more to travel through). Watch out for him and go left until you see the bed with the count and countess sleeping. The jewelry box has the ring inside and some other jewelry you can take to fence but I only took the ring and the letter Divining the Elder Scrolls since it seemed interesting and I just wanted to get out before I got caught. Save! You don’t want to get caught and have to start over again. Make your way past the guard and return through the passageway and when you get out, return the ring for the 200 gold reward or 100 if you didn’t go talk to her. Return to S’Krivva for another 200 gold and the rank advancement.
Blood Price: Yet again, don’t think about killing these people or a blood price of 1000 gold each will be on your head: Caelia Draconis, Count Marius Caro, Countess Alessia Caro, Hlidara Mothril, Janonia Aurunceia, Januarius Aurunceia, Matthia Draconis, Leyawiin Guard, Leyawiin Jailor, On-Staya Sundew, Sibylla Draconis, Tsavi. (These people need less unique names. I never think I spell them right.)
Source: UESP Wiki
Cat Burglar Rank
To become a Cat Burglar you must complete the quest, Misdirection which is unlocked after you fence 300 gold worth of stolen property. To get some extra fenced gold it is a good idea to keep an eye out for goods of value while on a quest and alone in a room.
This quest is the one that you should watch for if you are in the Mage’s guild as you have to steal from the Archmage himself, breaking one of the guild rules for the mages. Join after this quest unless you don’t mind doing an extra quest to get back into the Mage’s Guild. S’Krivva tells you that Hieronymus Lex has been causing more trouble for the waterfront, this time setting up a large amount of guards to try and find the Gray Fox. You have to find Methredhel and help her get Lex’s guards out of the waterfront so the guild can work again. If you talk to a beggar they will tell you Methredrel is staying in the Talos District in Dynari Amnis’ House. Find that house to avoid spending gold on a beggar and she will tell you that she wants you to break into Archmage’s room and steal his Icestaff and place a note in the bedside table.
Now, I had some trouble with this quest so save before you go into the second level of the University tower. (The Archmage’s Lobby, only room you can go in without being in the guild or trespassing.) There aren’t any guards since they are all on the waterfront, but the archmage makes this quest a tad difficult. (at least he did for me) The Archmage supposedly sleeps in his room from 1am to 7am but he was still in the council chamber for me that entire time. If you aren’t a member of the guild you have to sneak around him or else he will tell you to get out (assuming he doesn’t go to bed like he didn’t with me). If you are in the guild AND you have access to the Council Chamber then you can just go into his chamber and hopefully he doesn’t follow you.
Take the staff and put the note in his bedside table (take the nirnroot if you are collecting those). Quickly return, avoiding any people in the council chambers if needed, to give the staff to Methredhel. She asks you to spy on Lex, and if you move near him you should be locked and unable to move, witness a Dremora give him a note saying he has to return his guards, and (optional) chuckle at your plan. Take the note and return once again to Methredhel to inform her that the guards have been removed, now you have to return the staff but not to the same spot as you will get caught. In the Talos District lives Ontus Vanin, and there you must put the staff inside a chest on the second floor of his house. Return to S’Krivva and get your 300 gold reward, promotion, and a new fence Luciana Galena in Bravil.
Blood Price: Do NOT Kill these people (note that some of them are related to other quests and you have to kill them in that so be careful) Bothiel, Caranya, Mage Apprentice, Mage Scholar, Hannibal Traven, Imperial Legion Battlemage, Irlav Jarol, Ontus Vanin, and Raminus Polis. Yes, some of them can’t be killed but they are still activate the blood price, 1000 gold per murder as usual.
Source: UESP Wiki
Shadowfoot Rank
In order to become a shadowfoot you have to take care of the guard problem otherwise known as Lex. The quest is so cleverly named “Taking Care of Lex” and that is what you have to do, take care of him so he doesn’t cause the guild more problems. But remember, the thieves aren’t murderers so you have to take care of him another way, right? You do need to fence 500 gold before you have access to this quest but it shouldn’t be too hard to find some loot now that you are sorta used to it and not as new to the world of stealing as you may have been before.
First off you learn that the Anvil guard needs a new leader of the guard to protect the countess and Lex needs to be removed to somewhere else before he causes damage to the guild. Apparently the Gray Fox is protecting the countess for some unknown reason and feel free to come up with some random ideas like I do (what an imagination I have, too). You are told there is a recommendation letter that you have to steal and forge to make Lex the top candidate while making the others less so. So off to Anvil, here you can find the recommendation letter in Dairihill’s Desk (she’s a handmaiden for the countess, which you learn if you speak to a beggar but that costs money and I’m free). Orrin (the fence you unlock at the end of this quest) shows you a secret passage that leads to the secret chambers you need to go to in order to steal the letter, just make sure its late or she will be in the room and scare you like she did to me. The exact time is after 1 am but if you think you’re sneaky do it whenever you want, I can’t stop you.
Now that you have the letter you need to have it forged, so beggars will tell you to go to someone known only as “Stranger” (this guy I found and I wasn’t expecting him and he scared me before I even knew about the thieves guild). If you want to ask the beggar for the location then go ahead but he’s in the run down abandoned house in Anvil, just talk to him and ask him to forge it (you get your money back and you have to wait 24 hours so you might as well do other quests nearby if you have any). Next you go to the Imperial City to seal the letter.
This part was a bit tricky for me as I didn’t know what the seal looked like, but its on his desk and you just activate it like it was a lever or door or what have you. But before you get there you have to sneak in which is tricky as the Prison district has a lot of guards around. I went in through the outside, making sure nobody saw me with the sneak eye and squeezing against the door as hard as I could, but there are a couple other ways that I haven’t tried. There’s the basement you can go to from the dining hall, or the dining hall itself I believe. So once you get in use the seal and look for loot as there’s good stuff in there you can keep or sell for your fencing goals.
Once its sealed, it’s official. Take the letter to the countess back in Anvil and get a slightly odd welcome as he handmaiden usually does the delivery. She gives you the orders for Lex to deliver and so you must. You can also collect your tip from Dairihill but she wasn’t there when I delivered the letter and I decided 20 gold and an angry woman wasn’t worth it. Take it if you want but then travel to the Imperial City to get an amazing sight, Lex grumpy at you. Hand him the orders, and he rants about how he knows the Gray Fox did this (and how you look familiar). You can then find him in Anvil with his new fancy uniform and a new watch captain replaces Lex in the Imperial City, one that doesn’t believe in the Gray Fox at all (phew).
When you return to S’Krivva she gives you your reward, tells you Orrin is your new fence (the Anvil Blacksmith guy you may have gone to earlier), and that she doesn’t have anymore quests for you but the Gray Fox himself may contact you soon. (Heads up, he’s kinda a jerk.)
Blood Price: Once again a list of the people you shouldn’t kill while this quest is active, doing so will cause you to be kicked out of the guild until you pay 1000 gold per murder. Anvil Guard, Anvil Jailor, Baeralorn, Beatrice Gene, Colin Stedrine, Dairihill, Gratus Vonius, Imperial City Prison Guard, Imperial City Prison Jailor, and Orrin.
Source: UESP Wiki
Master Thief Rank
In order to get to the Master Thief rank you must fence 700 gold total and then wait for Amusei to find you in the Imperial City again. (Amusei won’t find you in Chorrol so don’t hang out there to waste time, as well as the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary.) Of course you also have to complete “Turning A Blind Eye” which will eventually have a hub so keep waiting till there’s a link off to the side here. If you already completed it and Amusei found you, you have to go to Malintus Ancrus’ house in Chorrol to find the Gray Fox and meet with him. Once there he tells you to steal the Arrow of Extrication from the Court Wizard in Bravil, so make your way there.
When you get to Bravil you can pay the beggars to learn that Fathis (the wizard) keeps his most treasured goodies in a ruined tower that is outside of Bravil and that there may be a secret passage from the castle to the tower. In the Castle you should make your way to the North Wing to find Fathis’ room, but do it around 7:30 am when the guards change shifts so you can pick the lock and get inside. There are two chests on your left to check for the Arrow, but they do not contain it unfortunately. Then a message pops up telling you to look for a secret passage, look at the two pillars across from the entrance to find a lever.
Once pulled, it opens up into the Bravil Wizard’s Grotto (DO NOT STEAL anything in this room if you are in the Mage’s Guild as it will get you kicked out). There are Conjurers, Dremora, and maybe a handful of Daedric creatures inside the Grotto and Lair, so prepare your weapon or spells of choice to kill or evade them.
In the Tower you have to take the arrowhead and Fathis’ Key from his chest, which is unowned so it isn’t stealing. Make sure you don’t take anything from his owned chests though since he will be angry, and DO NOT let him see you. Unless the Disposition is 95 or higher he will attack you and Mages Guild members will be kicked out if they are caught. The higher you are in the Guild though, the better your chances are that he has a high disposition with you so maybe looking at it before you go exploring could be helpful although I’m not sure where to find him specifically. If you kill him at this point there is no Blood Price but you will be kicked out of the Mages Guild if you are in it.
Once you get out of the tower with the arrow and his key, return to the Gray Fox to receive your 500 gold reward and promotion. You now have access to Fathis Ules as a fence, the best fence, but if you chose to return the blade in “Sins of the Father” quest he won’t talk to you and won’t be available as a fence. So if you did that, make sure you fence at least 1000 gold worth of items before you turn this in so you can at least complete the guild questline, even if you can’t fence anything else.
Blood Price: Killing these NPCs will result in a 1000 gold blood price, so don’t do it, blahblah. Bravil Guard, Drels Theran, Dro’Nahrahe, Fathis Aren (Remember you can at the point I mentioned earlier), Gellius Terentius, Hans Black-Nail, Count Regulus Terentius, and/or Viera Lerus.
Source: UESP Wiki
Gray Fox Rank
Ah, The last Thieves Guild quest, what joy that you are ranking up so nicely. Fence 1000 gold to get contact to start the last mission, The Ultimate Heist. As the name implies this is quite a difficult mission, but what do you expect to become the Gray Fox himself (or herself…?). This time the Gray Fox is in the Imperial City, in Othrelos’ House, so make your way there and hopefully you are prepared enough to complete this. You learn that you were preparing to do this Heist in the last three quests, and you will be stealing one of the famous, Elder Scrolls. Amusei won’t find you in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary or the Elven Gardens District so avoid those two if you want to get the quest fast.
You, of course, enter the Imperial Library by traversing sewers and he gives you a key to get in with. Once inside you will have to impersonate Celia Camoran to intercept the scroll and then leave with it. Seems simple, but don’t think it will be as often the simple is the most dangerous. You also get the Arrow of Extrication, the Boots of Springheel Jak, and the knowledge that there is no Blood Price. So let’s get into the sewers and begin shall we?
First you have to sneak into the Palace Basement and activate the “Glass of Time” but this may be avoided if you don’t want to do it and try to get in the Old Way (sewer entrance) without it. Make sure you have everything you need before going into the sewer, including a bow to fire the arrow (seems trivial but I always forget either the bow or the arrow when I go to work on my marksman skill), lockpicks a plenty, and courage. In Beneath the Bloodworks are some undead creatures that you should avoid and enter the Palace Sewers. Continue through the two Old Way zones and into Lost Catacombs, which has a stairway at the end of the path, with a large gap unfortunately, but wait! Use the Boots of Springheel Jak to jump over the gap and enter the upper level.
Now, there will be a push block immediately on your right that would best not be pushed as it activates the Dark Welkynd Stone. Those shoot at you, so activate the push block on the other side of the room instead and go through the opened gate to enter the next zone, “Hall of Epochs”. Once you find a giant statue with two smaller ones on its sides you get a journal entry saying this is where you use the Arrow of Extrication. It hints that you have to use it somewhere with a clear view of the pillar and if you keep walking around another update will tell you when you’re close to the right spot. The correct location is blocked by walls so find the hidden push block and go through the path it opens to find a push block at the end of a zone also called Hall of Epochs. Return and the walls should be open and some undead are there, if you didn’t bring a bow one of them should have one so look for it when you kill them.
Once the pressure plate is accessible practice a few shots into the keyhole (while standing on the pressure plate) with regular arrows since you only have one shot with the real arrow and its a long shot. If you see a poof of dust, you hit the statue and know how far off your aim is. If you only have the Arrow of Extrication, save before you shoot and just keep loading until you hit it (unless you want to look for the arrow which is highly not recommended). The right spot sounds like metal hitting metal, even with a regular arrow so you will know when you hit it. When the Arrow of Extrication hits the right spot the statue lifts off the ground and reveals a door and when you go near it the two statues on the side come to life and must be defeated. Recommended save time before you fight them in case of death, or at least after the arrow hits the spot so you don’t have to shoot again.
When the Ayleid Guardians (the statues) are defeated, or sneak past them, go down the stairs and open the door. Make sure they don’t see you though as they will follow you and alert the guards in the palace, which is a bad thing. Make sure you aren’t caught at this point as you won’t be able to get back in the palace, best time is 1am so wait till then and then enter the door under the statue. There are two doors to sneak through, one is locked, then go up a level to reach the Elder Scrolls Library where you have a guard to sneak past to enter the main Library. Follow the right corridor (not correct, but direction right) and you’ll come up behind a blind moth priest. If you’re sneaking he won’t turn, so make sure you are. Pull the level next to him and go back the way you came, this time going through the left corridor. You should still be sneaking, and will find yourself in front of the Moth Priest, go inside the Library and sit in the Reading Chair. They will think you are Celia Camoran and bring you the Elder Scroll, now to escape.
Make sure you are unobserved when you take the scroll, and there are two 50% chameleon scrolls, Shadow, that you may want to take just in case. Since you can’t go back the way you came, you have to go up the nearby stairs and through the Moth Priest’s Quarters to the Imperial Battlemage’s Chambers. There is a guard, Evangeline Beanique, to sneak past or kill but if she alerts guards you will get a suspension from the Mages Guild if you are a member.
There’s a fireplace with a chute leading somewhere, this is going to probably kill you so listen carefully (or read since it’s written down). You can use the Boots of Springheel Jak to jump safely but they will be destroyed by it as a scripted effect, so if you want them keep reading, if not just jump. If you have enough Health of Acrobatics skill you can survive (40 acrobatics and 180 health is sufficient, although you can fortify either or both and make it easier to survive). Don’t put the boots back on until you finish the quest as they could be destroyed, and there is a sloped ledge a few feet below the grate that can slow your fall and save a few health points if you are worried. If you don’t want to jump at all then get arrested AFTER you attempt to open the trap door in the Guard Barracks that should give you the same update as jumping the chute. Then get arrested. Whichever way you choose you end up at the Old Way entrance so make your way back through the sewers and return to the Gray Fox with your prize.
But wait, there’s more. You have to deliver the Gray Fox’s Ring so go to Anvil and do so, telling her it’s from a stranger if she asks who it’s from. It has to be given when she’s in the Great Hall and she recognizes it as her husband’s wedding ring (Oh my goodness, but he’s been missing/gone for 10 years). A stranger approaches the throne and says Emer Dareloth stole the Cowl of the Nocturnal and that he is the Gray Fox as well as her husband. He explains some stuff I’ll keep a secret and you get the cowl and Gray Fox title. When you go to the Imperial City, you get another update saying the Gray Fox is now the Count of Anvil again and the Thieves Guild Hall is restored from Dareloth’s home. You have the third floor as your home as its the Guildmaster’s Quarters. Don’t use containers in the rest of the hall though as they aren’t safe. There’s a locked room with a handful of lockpicks and a security skill book but nothing else. Congratulations, you’re now the leader of the Thieves Guild.
Blood Price: There aren’t any, kill anyone you want to!!! 😀 (Beware of quest failure in other ways if you get caught in certain areas without getting far enough in the quest though.)