Brand - Shei Brand - Shei is a Dunmer shopkeeper residing in Riften , where he sells miscellaneous goods from his stall during waking hours . Background . Orphaned as a child and raised by Argonians from a very early age , Brand - Shei believes he originally came from the House Telvanni in Morrowind . He traced his ancestry back to a maid of the House , who escaped during an Argonian invasion . His mother died sometime thereafter , but his father remained to write a journal about the event . At the time , Brand - Shei had not been named by his parents , as his father , Lymdrenn Telvanni , did not feel right about doing so without his wife ' s consent . Sometime before his death , he named his son Brandyl . The journal was kept by the boy ' s nurse , Hidrya Olen , who hoped to one day give him the news of his parents . She died in the attempt . The journal confirmed that he was the last known surviving member of House Telvanni , along with Brelyna Maryon , who is a descendent of them , but he was proven wrong about the house being destroyed . Since House Telvanni still has an influence on Solstheim and Morrowind , thanks to the Telvanni Wizard , and Neloth also states that the House still has their holdings . Interactions . A Chance Arrangement . Brand - Shei plays a role in the Thieves Guild questline , where the Dragonborn must frame him for stealing Madesi ' s ring in the quest A Chance Arrangement . Brand - Shei is permanently jailed after this if the Dragonborn is successful , unless Console Commands are used to free him . The Dragonborn is instructed to place a stolen ring in his pocket , resulting in his arrest . The quest is given by Brynjolf , a member of the Thieves Guild , and is the first step to becoming a member of the guild . Jail time . Brand - Shei ' s cell in the Riften Jail can be unlocked by either lockpicking or using the Riften Jail Key from the guards . If his cell is unlocked , he will not leave the jail , he will just stand there . When spoken to , he stammers about his innocence . If his quest to find more of his past is started but unfinished and the stolen goods are planted on him , the dialogue option to finish the quest will not be initially offered if he is talked to in prison . After several days , though , it will be offered , even while he is still in prison . Although Brynjolf states that he only wants Brand - Shei in prison for a few days , he ' ll actually never be released . He can be released from his cell by typing codice _ 1 into the console . This resets him , returning him to Riften ' s marketplace . However , typing this command may reset the Thieves Guild quest as well . Although he will walk out of jail and resume his normal routine , his dialogue may remain locked , and all he will say in response to the player will be his claim of innocence . In the Nintendo Switch version of the game this issue is fixed , and he is released after a couple of days , as originally intended . It is also possible to avoid him being sent to jail by failing the objective . The quest will go on and it ' s still possible to join the Thieves Guild regardless . Distant Memories . The Dragonborn may accept to search for clues to Brand - Shei ' s past . Directed to search the Wreck of The Pride of Tel Vos , southeast of Winterhold , a journal detailing Brand - Shei ' s past can be found in a water - logged chest on the lower deck of the wrecked ship . He rewards the Dragonborn with a key to his strongbox . It is also possible to find the journal without having spoken to Brand - Shei . Under this circumstance , the Dragonborn receives the reward from him immediately upon their first interaction . Dropped items . If armor or weapons are dropped near Brand - Shei , he often argues about the items , claiming that they belong to him now , which can possibly lead to a fight . Services . Brand - Shei is a general goods merchant . As with many other merchants in Riften , his stall operates between the hours of 7 : 00 AM and 8 : 00 PM . He sells various ingot s , soul gems , jewelry , potions , weapons , and armor . All of his wares are leveled .