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Background

You'll receive this quest immediately after completing the quest Loud and Clear.


Walkthrough

To start off, you'll need to talk to Maven Black-Briar, who can usually be found in the Bee and Barb or in Black-Briar Manor in Riften. Maven will tell you that she wants to put her rival the Honningbrew Meadery out of business, and she'll ask you to travel to Whiterun and meet with an agent of hers named Mallus Maccius to learn her plan.

You'll find Mallus in the Bannered Mare. When you talk to him there, he'll tell you that the Honningbrew Meadery currently has a skeever problem -- exacerbated by him -- and that if you were to convince Sabjorn the owner to let you help him out with it, then he'd give you some poison, which you could then slip into the brewery vats, just in time for an important wine tasting ceremony with Commander Caius, Whiterun's captain of the guard.

The Honningbrew Meadery is located to the southeast of Whiterun. When you enter it, you'll meet Sabjorn at the front desk (#1), right next to a pair of dead skeevers. No matter what you say to him, he'll hire you to exterminate the skeevers, and he'll give you some Pest Poison to get the job done. If you pass a persuade or intimidate check, then Sabjorn will also pay you half of your fee up front -- 500 gold -- which is useful because otherwise you won't get paid at all.

In the Basement, you'll encounter numerous skeevers, usually in packs, and they won't be fooled if you try to sneak up on them. Near the end of the basement you'll run into a spellcaster named Hamelyn (#2), and you'll discover (by reading his journal) that he's been breeding skeevers to make them more powerful. Just past Hamelyn you'll find the skeever nest (#3), and poisoning it will complete one of the quest's objectives. Finally, you'll be able to poison a brewery vat (#4) when you make it into the Boilery (via Exit C).

After sabotaging the meadery, when you return to Sabjorn (#1), he'll begin the tasting. Commander Caius won't appreciate getting poisoned, and he'll arrest Sabjorn and put Mallus in charge. Mallus will then give you Sabjorn's Dresser Key, which will allow you to open the dresser in Sabjorn's room (#1). Inside the dresser you'll find a Promissory Note, which will feature the same symbol as you found on the Goldenglow Bill of Sale.

Note: During your time in the meadery, you can steal over 100 bottles of Honningbrew Mead.

When you report your success to Maven in Riften, she'll reward you with a random enchanted weapon. Then when you return to Brynjolf in the Thieves Guild, he'll tell you that Mercer Frey has discovered something about the symbol on the Promissory Note, and he'll ask you to go see him. This request will end the current quest and trigger the next quest in the line, Scoundrel's Folly.

Note: After completing this quest, if you return to Mallus, then he'll become a shopkeeper (with a few potions and Lockpicks for sale), and he'll fence items for you.


1 - Sabjorn (Lower Level) / Sabjorn's Room (Upper Level)

In a locked closet in Sabjorn's room, you'll find a Honningbrew Decanter, which you can deliver to Delvin in the Ragged Flagon for some gold. You'll also find the book A Game at Dinner, which will increase your Alchemy skill by 1.


2 - Hamelyn


3 - Skeever Nest

On the chest next to the nest you'll find the book Three Thieves, which will increase your Sneak skill by 1.


4 - Brewery Vat

You'll only be able to poison the vat by climbing up to the upper level of the Boilery.


Exits:

1. Entrance to the Honningbrew Meadery.
2. Entrance to the Honningbrew Basement. To open this door, you'll need the Honningbrew Meadery Key, which you'll receive from Sabjorn (#1).
3. Exit from the Honningbrew Basement.
4. Entrance to the Honningbrew Boilery. To open this door, you'll need the Honningbrew Brewhouse Key, which you'll find inside the Boilery hanging on a peg by the door.