Maven Black - Briar Maven Black - Briar is a Nord and the matriarch of clan Black - Briar . She will become Jarl of The Rift if the Imperial Legion occupies Riften . Background . According to Mjoll the Lioness , Maven has strong ties with the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild , making her the most influential person in Riften . When asked about her influence , Maven claims that she has Jarl Laila Law - Giver and the Riften Guard in her pocket . She is able to influence the outcome of any situation with money or by exploiting the fear that her allies will retaliate . The matriarch of the Black - Briar family , Maven is virtually unapproachable and elitist . She holds the actual pulse of Riften in her crushing grip and is not above using unscrupulous methods to ensure things go her way . Anyone who crosses her typically ends up dead or in prison , even members of her own family . Routine . If she does not become Jarl , she can be found in various places about Riften , including the marketplace , Black - Briar Meadery , the Bee and Barb , and Black - Briar Manor . Family . Maven is the mother of Hemming , Ingun , and Sibbi . Maul is her right - hand - man , and enforces her will in the city . He tells the Dragonborn not to stir up trouble with the Black - Briars . Extremely subservient to Maven , Maul will do whatever she asks of him without question . Conflicting relations . There is conflicting information about Maven ' s relationship with the rest of her family . Mjoll refers to Hemming , Ingun , and Sibbi as Maven ' s children , and Maven has a conversation with Ingun during which each identifies the other by familial relationship . However , Hemming says that Ingun and Sibbi are his children . This can support the theory that Hemming was originally written to be Maven ' s husband , but was changed to her son later in the development of the game . Or simply Hemming is Maven ' s son and had two other children with her . In the Creation Kit Maven is set as Hemming ' s mother and the grandmother of both Sibbi and Ingun . Interactions . Civil War . Maven becomes Jarl if the Imperial Legion gains control of Riften . She will appoint Hemming as her steward and Maul as her housecarl . If the Dragonborn sided with the Stormcloaks , and gave Riften to the Empire in " Season Unending , " then retakes it for the Stormcloaks later , Maven , Hemming and Maul will not be exiled ; they will simply resume their daily routine . This is likely due to Maven ' s level of influence in Riften and the rest of Skyrim , and because several quests in the Thieves Guild storyline make it necessary for her to be in Riften . If she does become Jarl , however , she will stay in Mistveil Keep , and her normal conversations will not occur . New conversations with her court , rather than the citizens of Riften , can be overheard . Her bodyguard Maul and son Hemming can also be heard talking about her new position : Imprisoning her son . In Anuriel ' s chambers , a note from Maven reveals that she had her son Sibbi imprisoned for unknown reasons , writing that it is in his best interest to be kept under lock and key . The Dragonborn discovers that he was arrested for " airing out his family ' s dirty laundry . " Specifically , he killed his ex - fiancée ' s brother after he was confronted about his affairs with other women . Dampened Spirits . After completing the quest " Loud and Clear , " Brynjolf will say that Maven wishes to speak to the Dragonborn . Quill of Gemination . Maven asks the Dragonborn to find a quill that was lost by Vald . Promises to Keep . Louis Letrush tasks the Dragonborn to steal Sibbi ' s horse , Frost , and give it to him . Conversations . Imperial victory . If Riften is taken by the Imperial Legion during the Civil War questline and Maven becomes Jarl , she will have the following conversations with her court : Unused dialogue . Maven has a significant amount of unused dialogue , meant to be heard in an attack on Riften as part of the Stormcloak questline . However , this battle never occurs , so the lines are never heard . The first exchange would have occurred upon entering Mistveil Keep in the attack with Galmar Stone - Fist and the other Stormcloak soldiers . After Maven ' s surrender , Laila Law - Giver would be initiated the following conversation : Alternatively , in the event of an Imperial victory , a similar conversation will occur , this time between Maven , Laila , and :