Prerequisites: Complete Main Quest: A Blade in the Dark

Intersecting Quests: Main Quest: A Blade in the Dark, Civil War Quest: Message to Whiterun, Dark Brotherhood Quest: Bound Until Death, Thieves Guild Quest: Dampened Spirits, Miscellaneous Objective: Malborn’s Long Shadow*

Locations: Riverwood, Sleeping Giant Inn, Solitude, Winking Skeever, Thalmor Embassy, Reeking Cave, Thalmor Embassy, Elenwen’s Solar, Dungeon

Characters: Brelas, Delphine, Erikur, Etienne Rarnis, General Tullius, Illdi, Malborn, Jarl Balgruuf, Jarl Elisif the Fair, Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone, Jarl Igmund, Jarl Siddgeir, Maven Black-Briar, Ondolemar, Orthus Endario, Proventus Avenicci, Razelan, Tsavani, Vittoria Vici

Enemies: Elenwen, Frost Troll, Gissur, Rulindil, Thalmor Guard, Thalmor Soldier, Thalmor Wizard

Objectives: Meet Delphine in Riverwood, Meet Malborn in Solitude, Give Malborn the equipment, Meet Delphine at the stables, Create a distraction and get away from the party, (Optional) Retrieve your gear, Search for information about the dragons returning, Escape the Thalmor Embassy, Talk to Delphine, Recover your equipment

The Thinking Schemer

Objective: Meet Delphine in Riverwood
Target: The Sleeping Giant Inn, in Riverwood

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When you are ready to continue prying into the secretive and powerful Thalmor faction, return to Riverwood and seek out Delphine in her usual resting spot—the cellar of the Sleeping Giant Inn.

She has crafted a plan to infiltrate you into the Thalmor Embassy, mainly because you’re unknown to their organization, while Delphine would stand out like a Stormcloak in Solitude. She tells you that the Thalmor ambassador, Elenwen, is renowned for throwing parties where the rich and connected hobnob with the Thalmor. Once you inflitrate the Embassy, you’ll excuse yourself from the glad-handing and attempt to find any of Elenwen’s secret files.

Delphine has a contact—a Wood Elf named Malborn—inside the Embassy who can help but who doesn’t want any exposure. You’re to meet him at the Winking Skeever. You can bombard Delphine with several questions about the contact, how you’ll get into the party, and other matters if you wish.

Objective: Meet Malborn in Solitude
Objective: Give Malborn the equipment
Target: Malborn, inside the Winking Skeever, in Solitude

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Journey to Solitude, and locate the Winking Skeever tavern, close to the main gates. Step inside and find the shifty-looking character, Malborn. Tell him that a mutual friend sent you, and he says that he can smuggle some equipment into the Embassy that you can pick up once you’re inside, just in case you need a weapon or two if you’re accidentally discovered or if the plan becomes problematic...