Deception, Domination, and Dragons (Skyrim Self-Insert)

As we walk up to the marketplace, getting closer and closer to Brynjolf, I keep waiting for him to stop us and talk to us, but to my mild surprise… he doesn’t. Oh, he definitely makes note of us, his eyes not quite ghosting over our persons. He IS a Master Thief after all, and he knows a pair of heavily armed adventurers when he sees them, I suppose. And yet… nothing.
 
Bit odd, but there’s nothing for it, is there? If we want to get this show on the road, then it looks like I’ll have to do it myself.
 
“Ho there. You Brynjolf?”
 
I can tell he’s immediately on guard, despite outwardly showing a quite affable, friendly exterior. Bobbing his head, the man nods to both of us.
 
“Aye, that I am.”
 
Dispensing with pleasantries, albeit I do make sure to lower my voice, I lean in a little closer.
 
“Maul said you might have work for us. On the down low.”
 
Beyond a slight widening of his eyes, Brynjolf still gives nothing away, the red-haired Nord Man acting the consummate professional. Still, his eyes flicker back and forth between Svanna and I for a moment, before finally focusing on Svanna in particular.
 
“… Never done an honest day’s work in your life for all that coin you’re carrying, eh lass?”
 
Svanna stiffens, and so do I, though I imagine for very different reasons. For one, that was the line he dropped in the game when he stopped you just before the marketplace. Which meant… we’d somehow triggered it anyways? That was good, I supposed. And I guess it made sense, too. After all, of the two of us, Svanna was the actual lifelong thief. Doesn’t stop her from bristling at being called out like that.
 
“Excuse me?”
 
Brynjolf, not seeming to recognize the danger he’s in, just grins and chuckles.
 
“Fiery one, aren’t you? I’m saying you’ve got the coin, but you didn’t earn a septim of it honestly. I can tell.”
 
Well, looked like I was effectively sidelined for this conversation, regardless of my efforts. Poor Svanna, forced to interact with our potential in with the Thieves Guild, perhaps sooner than she would have liked.
 
“… How I got my coin ain’t none of your business.”
 
Brynjolf’s grin just grows bigger.
 
“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong lass. Wealth is my business. Heh, maybe you’d like a taste?”
 
Svanna blinks and glances at me, and I give a very small nod back to her. Yep, this is our way into the Thieves Guild. If we’re going to take them down from the inside, we have to start from somewhere.
 
“… What do you want me to do?”
 
Brynjolf’s eyebrows raise at that, and he chuckles.
 
“Oh, you’re an eager one. Good, I like that. See the marketplace behind me. That there is Madesi. That there is Brand-Shei.”
 
As he points out the two Merchants, Svanna’s eyes flicker between them, her lips thinned as she takes them and the information in with a nod.
 
“Good. Your friend and I will cause a distraction, and while we do so, you’re going to steal Madesi’s silver ring from a strongbox under his stand. Once you have it, I want you to place it in Brand-Shei’s pocket without him noticing.”
 
You know, as he explains it… this is actually a pretty big job, that Brynjolf is just foisting off onto a young Nord girl who he barely knows. After all, he has no way of truly knowing her importance, how valuable and powerful she is. And yet, here he is, putting the onus of a job completely destroying a Merchant’s livelihood on her.
 
I suppose there were a few reasons behind this. He had a degree of plausible deniability if she failed, and the fact that she was new in town would make it hard for her to turn on him, especially since he had the guards in his pocket. But more than that, I think it spoke to how seriously fucked the Thieves Guild was thanks to Mercer Frey’s treachery, and how Brynjolf was handling the constant failures and setbacks.
 
It said a fucking lot that he was more willing to bey on some stranger’s luck than his own. He was relying on Svanna… because he knew he couldn’t trust his own skills to see him through.
 
“… Why?”
 
Of course, Svanna was a strong, independent woman who didn’t just take orders. Brynjolf seems to like that about her, if his wolfish grin is any indication.
 
“Hope you’re not asking for moral reasons. All you need to know is that someone wants to see him out of business permanently. You’re either in or you’re out. Tell me now, and if you’re ready, we’ll get started.”
 
Another glance in my direction, but this time Svanna doesn’t even need my nod.
 
“We’re in. My companion comes with me.”
 
Brynjolf’s nose wrinkles at that, as he takes a long moment to look me over.
 
“Doesn’t seem like the stealthy type, no offense. Might blow your cover, lass.”
 
Heh, I know Brynjolf is supposed to have a nose for this sort of thing, but my Jack of All Trades, Master of All Trades build might be fucking with his senses. I’ve got the Stealth Skill maxed out, with all the relevant Ordinator Perks… but I’ve also got every other Skill maxed out at this point, save for Heavy and Light Armor, which I’m still using as my level up apparatus. It’s not like I really need to be doing that at this point, given I maxed out on perk points a long time ago, but I always have need for more Stamina, and I do enjoy having as much Health as possible, just in case I run into something that surprises me.
 
My strange mixture of Heavy and Light Armor, albeit very enchanted, must be confusing the hell out of Brynjolf.
 
“Don’t you worry about us. We’ll be fine.”
 
Brynjolf peers at me, before shrugging. In the end, it’s no skin off his back, after all. For the same reasons I’d mentioned before, he could care less if we both get caught together.
 
“Alright then, let’s see what the two of you can do.”
 
He gives us a nod, and then steps away, into the marketplace.
 
“Everyone! Everyone! Gather ‘round! I have something amazing that demands your undivided attention! Gather ‘round all! No pushing, no shoving! Plenty of room!”
 
Glancing to Svanna, I gesture with my hand as if to say, ‘after you’. Then, we both begin to Sneak. Svanna vanishes from my senses, but I’m sure I vanish from hers as well. There is no corresponding ‘detection’ skill or ability to handle the sheer amount of stealth that the two of us can exude due to our enchanted gear. As it is, I just watch quietly, making sure no one seems to notice anything amiss.
 
Amusingly enough, the only man who notices something amiss… is the man who ‘hired’ us in the first place. Brynjolf would have wanted to keep an eye on us as we got the job done… and very nearly falters in his little distraction when he realizes he simply CAN’T. The man can’t see us, and as far as he can tell, we’ve vanished completely.
 
I can see that that bothers him more than he’s willing to let on, but even still, he keeps up with his act. He’s got no choice, really, after all, if he stops now, it’ll look MUCH too suspicious. Either way, when I see Svanna reappear off to the side, standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and tapping a foot impatiently, I move to stand next to her.
 
“Job done?”
 
“Yeah.”
 
I just nod, having no reason to disbelieve her. And indeed, things play out as expected. Brynjolf makes his way over to us, looking confused, though he hides it well. It’s just… easy for someone like me to read people, at this point. He feigns confidence VERY well, but I can tell he’s a little disquieted by both mine and Svanna’s skill, as he walks up.
 
“… Looks like I chose the right people for the job. As promised, your payment. Heh, guess I can’t complain about the results. The way things have been going around here, it’s a relief to see that our plan went off without a hitch.”
 
I raise an eyebrow at that and do what I do best, tugging on the story thread he’s dangling right in front of my face.
 
“Oh? What’s been going on?”
 
Scowling, Brynjolf shakes his head.
 
“Bah, my organization’s been having a run of bad luck for a time now… but I suppose that’s just how it goes. Never mind all that, you two did the job and you did it well. Best of all, there’s more where that came from, if you think you can handle it.”
 
A run of back luck for a time now… a time that could be measured in years. Honestly, while I was glad that Brynjolf wasn’t one of the ones who passed judgment on Svanna directly, because he was sort of a bro in game, knowing what I knew now and knowing that he was drawing us into what had been years and years of shitty luck due to Nocturnal’s Curse for the Thieves Guild… it was pretty scummy.
 
But hey, he was a criminal. I suppose I really shouldn’t be surprised.
 
“We can handle it.”
 
Brynjolf looks at me with new eyes, glancing between me and Svanna, as if he’s trying to figure out our relationship. After a moment, he just nods.
 
“Alright then… let’s put that to the test. The group I represent has its home in the Ratway beneath Riften. You’re looking for a tavern called the Ragged Flagon. Get there in one piece, and we’ll see if you’ve really got what it takes.”
 
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Making our way through the Ratway isn’t exactly difficult. I’m half-tempted to take a detour to hunt down Esbern and… do something with the old man, but I honestly don’t know if I even want to kill him, let alone fuck with the narrative that much. So far, the Main Storyline is in stasis for the time being, and that’s the way I like it.
 
So, Svanna and I have no detours as we make our way to the Ragged Flagon. That said, on our approach, I do stop Svanna and pull her down beside me, using our insane stealthing abilities to our advantage so we can scope out our marks, so to speak.
 
“There are a few Thieves Guild folk over there. Recognize any of them?”
 
From where we are, we can both makeout the Flagon’s usuals. There’s Brynjolf, waiting for us of course, along with Delvin, Vex, and Tonilia. Outside of those four, the non-Thieves Guild members at the bar are Vekel the Man, Dirge, and Galathil. If any of the Thieves Guild members are actually responsible for Svanna’s exile, I’m not expecting to be able to save them… well, I’ll at least try to push for a sexual sort of revenge for Vex and Tonilia, but-
 
“… No. Don’t recognize any of them.”
 
I cock my head at that, brow furrowing.
 
“Not a one of them?”
 
Frowning herself, Svanna looks at me and repeats herself.
 
“No. Why?”
 
“… As far as I’m aware, those are some of the highest ranking members of the Thieves Guild in its present incarnation. For NONE of them to have been involved with your exile…”
 
Svanna shrugs, but her frown doesn’t leave her face. Honestly, it’s a little strange, but nothing we can’t work around. For now, secure in the knowledge that no one should recognize Svanna even for a second, we rise and walk the rest of the way into the Ragged Flagon, catching the tail end of a conversation between Brynjolf, Dirge, and Vekel as we do so.
 
“Give it up, Brynjolf. Those days are over.”
 
“I’m telling you, these two are different.”
 
“Hah! We’ve all heard that one before, Bryn. Quit kidding yourself.”
 
“It’s time to face the truth, old friend. You, Vex, Mercer… you’re all part of a dying breed. Things are changing.”
 
“Dying breed, eh? Well, what do you call that then?”
 
That last bit comes as Brynjolf’s eyes light up upon the sight of us walking into the tavern. Vekel and Dirge, the two naysayers, both jolt and narrow their eyes suspiciously in our direction, but Brynjolf is already moving to greet us.
 
“Well, well. Color me impressed, lass! I wasn’t certain I’d ever see you again!”
 
It seems in our short time apart from him, Brynjolf has gone back to focusing on Svanna, over myself. I don’t mind all that much, though Svanna looks rather cute, like a disgruntled kitten, at being addressed and forced to do the talking. Glaring at him, the lithe female Nord scoffs.
 
“Getting here was easy.”
 
Brynjolf just laughs.
 
“Reliable AND headstrong? Oh, you’re turning out to be quite the prize, lass! So… now that I’ve whetted your appetite with our little scheme at the market, how about handling a few deadbeats for me?”
 
Svanna just cocks her head to the side, but of course, it’s a foregone conclusion that we’re taking the job. We’ve only reached the Flagon, after all. There’s another step beyond this one, and if we’re going to get revenge for Svanna, we need to become full-fledged members of the Thieves Guild. After a bit of back and forth between Brynjolf and Svanna, I clear my throat and step in.
 
“Consider it done.”
 
Glancing between the two of us, Brynjolf settles on a smile.
 
“Great. If you need any details on your marks, I’ll be here. Now get going.”
 
Fact of the matter was, we did not need any details on our marks. This sort of work… it was busy work, at best. The first of the three, Keerava at the Bee and Barb, would normally get angry and things would end in a brawl… but I catch her with a wisp of Charm Magic and raise her disposition enough that she just hands over the money without a fuss.
 
Bersi Honey-Hand doesn’t even require Charm Magic, in the end. The man is a Pawnbroker, and I’ve made it a habit of investing in every single Merchant I run into as we travel across Skyrim. Doing so with Bersi makes him VERY happy, and he in turn is more than willing to pay his debt to Brynjolf. That might make it sound like I was the one paying his debt for him, but no, by investing in his business, I was making a long-term verbal contract with him. One that he would not break… if he knew what was good for him.
 
I wasn’t expecting the final of the three debts to be anything special. At least, Haelga had never been anyone special in any playthrough I’d ever done of the video game before. Of course, she was a smoking hot blonde Nord, so I admit, I was interested in perhaps having a little fun with her alongside Svanna.
 
However, as we step inside of Haelga’s Bunkhouse to collect the blonde’s debt, something odd happens. I swear… I’m seeing double.
 
“… Svanna?”
 
“Ah, it’s Svana, but yes?”
 
It’s not the Dragonborn at my side that answers me.  Rather, it’s the red-haired Nord standing in front of me. Slightly taller than Svanna, with a more developed body, she blinks at me owlishly for a moment… before her eyes move to the girl at my side, and she sees Svanna’s face. Then, those eyes go wide. A glance at Svanna shows that she’s just as wide-eyed and looks quite confused.
 
This woman standing in front of us… she and Svanna are undeniably related. I’m… I’m utterly flabbergasted. How could this be? Svanna had said she was an orphan. Where was this new girl from? Why were their names so close? Svanna’s name was pronounced with an ‘aw’ sound, while this new Svana was pronounced with an ‘ah’ sound. Almost indistinguishable, and it made it clear something VERY fishy was going on here.
 
… What the fuck had we just stumbled into? This was supposed to be a simple fetch quest!

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