Skyrim:Sibbi Black-Briar

This article is about the person. For the note, see Sibbi Black-Briar (note).

Sibbi Black-Briar (RefID: 00019DD3)
Home City	Riften
Location	Riften Jail
Race	Nord	Gender	Male
Level	10	Class	Thief
RefID	00019DD3	BaseID	0001337B
Other Information
Health	125	Magicka	50
Stamina	110
Primary Skills	Light Armor, Sneak, Archery, One-handed
Class Details	CombatThief
Morality	No Crime	Aggression	Unaggressive
Essential	Yes, until end of Promises to Keep
Voice Type	MaleSlyCynical
Faction(s)	CrimeFactionRift; Mistveil Keep Faction; Thieves Guild No Pickpocketing Faction; TownRiftenFaction

Sibbi Black-Briar

Sibbi Black-Briar is a Nord thief and a member of the Black-Briar family; his brother is Hemming Black-Briar, and his sister is Ingun. Maven Black-Briar is his mother. He was placed in prison after killing the brother of Svidi, his former fiancee. He asks you to locate Svidi. His mother had him thrown in prison to remind him that despite his privileged social status in Riften, he still answers to her and will be punished for any wanton acts that bring public shame on the Black-Briar name, as revealed in a note. As part of the quest Promises to Keep, you must visit Sibbi in the Riften Jail to learn more about the deal between him and Louis Letrush.

With not much to do in jail, Sibbi stands still in his cell 24 hours a day, without eating or sleeping, until you've completed Promises to Keep. After that, he'll sleep from 9am to 5pm, and can be found relaxing, eating, or taking a nap the rest of the time. Sibbi wears a set of fine clothes and a pair of fine boots. He is equipped with a leveled dagger which can be up to elven quality. He carries a selection of upper-class items and gold.

Related Quests

• The Lover's Requital: Help Sibbi Black-Briar locate his former fiancee, so he can kill her.
• Promises to Keep: Help Louis Letrush get Frost from Sibbi Black-Briar.

Dialogue

When you approach Sibbi in his jail cell, he will call out:

"Have you come to gawk at me or is this a social call?"

"Ah finally, someone besides the stupid guards to talk to."

"Well, well. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes. I've always got time for lovely ladies."

He will then proudly tell you about his questionable family:

Tell me about the Black-Briar family.

"When speaking of the Black-Briars, only one thought should spring to mind. We are not to be trifled with. Help us, you end up rich. Cross us and you'll end up a memory. Is that enough information for you?"

At this point he will exit conversation with:

"Visit me anytime. I'm not going anywhere soon."

Quest-Related Events

The Lover's Requital

"When I find that bitch, I'm going to wring her little neck."

If you ask him for the reason for his imprisonment, he will tell you:

Why are you in jail?

"Look, we all have our flaws; mine is that women can't get enough of me. So I had this little affair going on while I was betrothed to a beautiful girl named Svidi. Well, she finds out and she tells her brother, Wulfur. Then her brother attacks me with a knife... I mean, I had to defend myself!"

So you got arrested for his murder?

"Exactly! And now I have to stare at these bars for eight months. Can you believe it? I was about to let that wench marry into the richest family in Riften, and this is how she repays me. I'd do anything to have that whore's head on a platter. All I need to know is where she is."

Good luck finding her from there.

"Amusing."

I'll help you find her.

"That's the spirit. Find her and I promise you'll be well compensated."

If she is already dead you can tell him:

Actually, she's already dead.

"Well, that's just about the best news I've heard all week. I was going to give this to whomever killed her for me, but I suppose you've earned it by bringing me this information. This key opens one of my drop spots in the basement of the meadery. Take anything inside you like."

He can then be asked further questions:

You're serving only eight months for murder?

"Mother thought I should be taught a lesson for airing the family's dirty laundry in public. I mean, I've... taken care of many people for her in the past. What in Oblivion did she expect me to do? Ah well. At least I have all the comforts of home during my stay. Well, except the touch of a woman of course."

Do you have any information on Svidi?

"She was a young woman... buxom, with long flowing black hair. She used to sing the most lovely songs to me when we were courting. I've never heard a voice so beautiful. All that talent will go to waste when I'm finished with her."

This time he will end conversation with:

"When I find that bitch, I'm going to wring her little neck."

Svidi turns out to have started a new life as the local bard at Vilemyr Inn in Ivarstead under the name Lynly Star-Sung. You can either persuade or intimidate her to tell the truth. She will then tell you her side of the story about Sibbi Black-Briar: "Sibbi and I were to be married. We were supposed to be happy together forever. Then I found that wretched poetry from Svana. When I confronted Sibbi about it, he threatened to kill me. I was scared so I told my brother Wulfur. He went to talk to Sibbi for me and... and... Sibbi killed him. My brother wasn't even armed! When I heard what Sibbi did, I fled. Now you've found me, and you're going to tell him where I am."

When you return from Lynly, Sibbi will greet you with:

"Well, if it isn't my little problem-solver."

I have some information about Svidi.

"Good, good. Just point me in the right direction and I'll do the rest." Three options will be available:

Option	Dialogue
She's in Ivarstead using the name Lynly.	"Ivarstead? So close to Riften? She's an even bigger fool than I thought."
She's made her way east into Morrowind.	"So, the whore thinks the Black-Briar reach ends at the border of Skyrim, eh? She'll soon discover her mistake."
I killed her for you. (only if Lynly is dead)	"Cut out the middleman, eh? Shrewd, very shrewd. You sure you don't have some Black-Briar blood in you?"
Never mind. I was mistaken.	"You idiot. You came all the way down here for that?"

†This option is impossible to obtain (see bugs).

Whichever option you choose between the first three, Sibbi will give you his key to a long chest containing moderately-valuable random loot, found in the basement (at the bottom of the stairs) of the Black-Briar Meadery in Riften, saying:

"You've done me a great service, my friend. Allow me to compensate you for the information. This key opens one of my stashes in the basement of the meadery. Help yourself to any of its contents."

Promises to Keep

Frost the horse

In the taproom of Bee and Barb is a regular, Louis Letrush, that mostly keeps to himself. However, if you get near him he will have a task at hand involving Sibbi.

When you approach Sibbi Black-Briar in his luxurious cell in Riften Jail and tell him Letrush sent you, he will respond:

I was sent by Louis Letrush.

"Ah, and let me guess. He wants his horse. Well, that's going to be a bit of a problem. You see, I don't really outright 'own' Frost..."

You don't own the horse you already sold to Letrush?

"That is correct. You see, Frost belongs to the Black-Briar estate. Technically everything in the estate is owned by my mother, Maven. My plan was to take the horse from our lodge and deliver it to Letrush at the stables. Obviously, that didn't exactly work out as I'd planned... Still, I don't want to cross Letrush. Tell you what. Steal the horse and deliver it, and you can have the second half of the payment."

You know, I bet Maven would pay me even more for this info... (Persuade)

"Sure - take advantage of the guy in jail. Okay, fine. I can make the deal sweeter. I obviously don't have anything here, but... there's a hidden stash in the Lodge. And I did manage to hold on to the key... Take it."

Letrush already agreed to pay me.

"Well then, if you don't want the extra gold, you can certainly let Letrush keep it as a gesture of goodwill."

That sounds acceptable.

"Then I think we're done talking."

However, you can still ask him what the logic of stealing Maven's horse is:

If Maven already threw you in jail, why steal her horse?

"I'm not stealing anything. Besides, some jail time isn't going to make me roll over and play dead."

His goodbye:

"I may not be fond of Letrush, but even I've got to admit he's got the upper hand."

At this point, you can choose to double-cross both Sibbi and Louis and go directly to Maven and tell her what is happening behind her back (note that this course of action will cause a slight bug).

Spread the Love

Here, brother. Blessings of Mara upon you.

"Do you take me for a fool? Get this drivel away from me!"

Rumors

Sibbi is considered the worst of the Black-Briars, and is a common subject of conversation in Riften. When asked for word around town, Bee and Barb innkeeper Keerava will tell you: "Sibbi Black-Briar is furious that his ex-lover tried to murder him. He's leaving no stone unturned searching for her." Mjoll the Lioness will tell you about the black sheep of the Black-Briars: "Well, there's Ingun Black-Briar, Maven's daughter. Strange girl. She likes to spend time down in Elgrim's Elixirs working on her alchemy. Then you have Hemming, Maven's son; spoiled brat and heir to her empire. He follows her word like a loyal dog follows its master. And finally, Sibbi; the worst of all of them. He's in Riften Jail for murder." A conversation between Svana Far-Shield and Brand-Shei confirms that Sibbi recently was imprisoned, for murder, and that his betrothed, Svidi, was the cause:

"Svana, I heard that Sibbi was put in jail."

Brand-Shei: "Svana, I heard that Sibbi was put in jail. What happened?"
Svana: "They say... well, they say he murdered someone. Something to do with Svidi."
Brand-Shei: "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Svidi in a while. Wait... he didn't..."
Svana: "No, it was Svidi's brother, Wulfur. She's in hiding now. Somewhere far from here I'd suspect."
Brand-Shei: "If he wasn't a Black-Briar, I'd march right over to the jail and teach Sibbi some manners... but then I suppose I'd end up like Wulfur."

Meanwhile, a revealing conversation elsewhere will explain some of Svidi's jealousy and the adultery committed by Sibbi. Inside Haelga's Bunkhouse, Svana and Haelga will have the following conversation.

"Sibbi and I are in love and you're just jealous!"

Svana: "Aunt Haelga, why you... demean yourself with these people you barely know? They show no real love for you."
Haelga: "It's only a bit of fun. You're a lovely young thing, you should try it sometime."
Svana: "No! I'm saving myself for someone special. Someone who loves me dearly."
Haelga: "You mean Sibbi? You must be joking! All he wants to do is bed you and be done with it. You may as well get it over with and let him."
Svana: "You're wrong! Sibbi and I are in love and you're just jealous!"

Even in Black-Briar Manor, they will discuss the imprisoned Sibbi, although in a more polite manner:

Maven: "Hemming, I need you to bring a note to Sibbi. I need him to do something for me."
Hemming: "Sibbi? He's in prison... you put him there."
Maven: "I know that! I can promise you when he's ready, he'll find the cell door unlocked."
Hemming: "Why do you tolerate him, mother? All he contributes to this family is embarrassment and disgrace."
Maven: "I tolerate your son because he'll do anything I ask, without question. I'd expect the same from my own son."

Unused Dialogue

• In the game's DialogueViews files, earlier versions of his dialogue for Promises to Keep can be found. These lines have three notable quirks; They refer to Frost as Grane, they don't explictly name Maven as Sibbi's mother, and they refer to the Black-Briar Lodge as a Chalet;

I was sent by Louis Letrush.

"And he wants his horse. That's going to be a bit of a problem. You see I don't really outright "own" Grane."

You don't own the horse you sold Letrush?

"Grane belongs to the Black-Briar estate. Technically everything in the estate is owned by Maven. My plan was to take the horse from our out of town Chalet and deliver to Letrush at the stables. Doesn't look like that's working out. I don't want to cross Letrush though. Tell you what, if you deliver the horse you can keep the second half of the payment. What do you say?"

I could make that happen.

"Just what I wanted to hear. The Chalet isn't far, you'll have to steal the papers that prove lineage when you take Grane."

Seems like a Black-Briar could do better than that. (Persuade)

"Sure, why not take advantage of the guy in Jail? I've got nothing in here but there's a hidden stash in the Chalet. It's yours."

And how much would Maven pay for this info? (Intimidate)

"There's no need for threats, I can make the deal sweeter. I haven't gotten anything here but there's a hidden stash at the Chalet. It's yours.

• Sibbi has unique responses for Snilf and Edda's attempts at begging, but as he can never be found outside his cell, they can't be heard:

"If you want to awaken from your next slumber, I suggest you leave me be." (For Snilf)

"I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. Leave me alone." (For Edda)

Notes

• If he is sleeping and you cannot talk to him, cast a summon in his cell and he will wake.
• Sibbi mentions in dialogue that he is to be imprisoned for eight months, however never leaves his cell after any amount of time.

Bugs

• Sometimes when you enter the cell, Sibbi may be sleeping on the inside side of his bed. When he wakes, he will be trapped between his bed and the wall. If you exit the prison and come back after a while, Sibbi will be sleeping on a bed in the next cell instead of his (you may leave him in right condition and awake but he still may end sleeping in the next cell).
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Patch, version 1.1, fixes this bug.
  • If you wake him up when he is in the next cell, he will wake up and unlock the cell door and walk back to his original cell. Since the original cell door is locked, however, he will be stuck outside.
• Killing Lynly during The Lover's Requital will fail the quest, despite Sibbi having dialogue afterwards for when you do. This is caused by the defaultsetstagealias script attached to her alias.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Patch, version 1.2.3, fixes this bug.