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How to start the Thieves Guild in ESO
Bethesda Support documents two ways to begin the ESO Thieves Guild content:
- Start from Collections: Open Collections, select the DLC tab, choose Thieves Guild, then select Accept Quest.
- Speak to Quen: Visit an Outlaws Refuge anywhere in Tamriel and talk to Quen. She gives you “Partners in Crime.”
These are alternative entry routes into the Hew’s Bane content; use the one that is most convenient for your character. Bethesda Support: How do I travel to Hew’s Bane (Thieves Guild) in game?
Where the ESO Thieves Guild story takes place
Hew’s Bane is a peninsula in southern Hammerfell. Its major port, Abah’s Landing, is a free port whose merchant lords buy pirate plunder without asking where it came from. The official area guide also marks Shark’s Teeth Grotto, Bahraha’s Gloom, and No Shira Citadel. It describes the peninsula as rocky, treacherous, frequently flooded, and poor for farming. ZeniMax Online Studios’ Hew’s Bane area guide, February 3, 2016
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- Unlimited Adventures, No Subscription Required
- The Fight for Tamriel Begins: Three alliances vie for control of the Empire. As these powers battle for supremacy, darker forces move to destroy the world.
- Play the Way You Like: Battle, craft, fish, steal, siege, or explore. The choice is yours to make in a persistent Elder Scrolls world.
- A Multiplayer RPG: Adventure alone, quest with friends, or join an army of hundreds in epic PVP battles.
- Tell Your Own Story: Discover the secrets of Tamriel as you quest to regain your lost soul and save the world from Oblivion.
How to unlock and start ESO Thieves Guild Heists
Heists are a separate daily activity, not a step required to enter the main story. To unlock them, reach Thieves Guild Rank 3 and complete “Master of Heists.” Then use the Heist Board in the Thieves Guild hideout to start a mission. Bethesda Support: How do I start a Heist?
During a Heist, collect as much loot as you can before the timer expires. Getting spotted reduces the time remaining, so being detected can cut short your opportunity to gather rewards.
Rank #2
- Save Morrowind: Stop a meteor from crashing into Vivec City by helping a demi-god regain his lost powers.
- Become the Warden: Harness the nature-based magic of an all-new class with a War Bear battle companion at your side.
- Partner with an Assassin: Aid a legendary elite member of the Morag Tong who will guide you through deadly political intrigue.
- Fight Together in PvP Battlegrounds: Take the battle to the Ashlands with new 4v4v4 player vs. player combat set in competitive arena-style environments.
How to start “Forever Hold Your Peace”
“Forever Hold Your Peace” becomes available after “A Flawless Plan” and at Thieves Guild Rank 7. Once you meet both requirements, speak to Zeira in the Thieves Den to pick up the quest. Bethesda Support: How do I begin the quest “Forever Hold Your Peace”?
Complete the candlestick puzzle
If you are in Magnifica Falorah’s room and the quest will not advance, complete the candlestick puzzle. Bethesda Support states that the quest cannot proceed until this puzzle is solved; leaving the room without completing it will not satisfy the requirement.
Rank #3
- Unlimited Adventures, No Subscription Required
- The Fight for Tamriel Begins: Three alliances vie for control of the Empire. As these powers battle for supremacy, darker forces move to destroy the world.
- Play the Way You Like: Battle, craft, fish, steal, siege, or explore. The choice is yours to make in a persistent Elder Scrolls world.
- A Multiplayer RPG: Adventure alone, quest with friends, or join an army of hundreds in epic PVP battles.
- Tell Your Own Story: Discover the secrets of Tamriel as you quest to regain your lost soul and save the world from Oblivion.
If the quest still appears stuck
Bethesda Support suggests the following troubleshooting steps, which may help but are not guaranteed fixes:
- Enter
/reloaduiin chat. - Leave the zone, wait 15 minutes, then return to allow a soft reset.
- After leaving the zone or instance for at least 15 minutes, abandon the quest and reacquire it.
Bethesda Support’s quest troubleshooting guidance
Rank #4
Keep the game’s questlines separate
“The Thieves Guild” can refer to different content across Elder Scrolls games. The entry route, location, rank requirements, and quest steps above apply to ESO’s Hew’s Bane story only; they are not instructions for the guild questlines in Skyrim or Oblivion.
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