The Gray Fox The Gray Fox is the guildmaster of the Thieves Guild . Background . The Gray Fox gets his name from his sneakiness in thievery and from the gray mask , the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal , that he wears . The first Gray Fox stole the cowl from the Daedric Prince Nocturnal herself . The title of Gray Fox is passed from leader to successor by giving the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal to the successor . Since the successor then becomes the Gray Fox , many think that he has been alive for over 300 years . In the book " Purloined Shadows " , a young female thief is enlisted to help a master thief . During a ritual performed by witches , Nocturnal is summoned , and she removes her cowl during the ritual . The young thief is hiding there , waiting for the master ' s signal to steal the cowl . Suddenly , the master ' s voice cries out , warning Nocturnal of the young thief ' s presence . Nocturnal turns and begins to strangle the young thief . The young thief , before she dies , notices that the cowl has disappeared . It is presumed that the master thief then dons the cowl and becomes the Gray Fox , activating the curse of the cowl in the process . It is unknown whether the book is true or not , but it tells possibly the only full story of how the Gray Fox came to be in possession of the cowl . The names of both thieves are never revealed in the book ; however , at the end of the Thieves ' Guild quest line , the current Gray Fox names Emer Dareloth as the true thief of the cowl . Who is the Gray Fox ? It is revealed later that the current Gray Fox is Corvus Umbranox , the Count of Anvil . The curse of the Cowl caused his real identity to be erased from history , forcing him to continue his life known only as " The Stranger " . Though he had been missing for ten years , with the help of the Hero , he lifts this curse from himself at the end of The Ultimate Heist and returns to his wife , the Countess of Anvil Millona Umbranox . He passes down the Cowl to the Hero to succeed him as Gray Fox and the Grandmaster of the Thieves Guild , thus they become the new Gray Fox . Interactions . Turning a Blind Eye . Methredhel or Amusei tells the Hero that the Gray Fox wants an audience with them at Helvius Cecia ' s House in Bruma . There , the Gray Fox tasks the Hero with stealing the Savilla ' s Stone from the Temple of the Ancestor Moths . Returning to the Gray Fox with Savilla ' s Stone and the note allows the Hero to ask him about the Cowl ' s nature . Arrow of Extrication . Amusei tells the Hero that the Gray Fox requested an audience at Malintus Ancrus ' House in Chorrol . The legendary thief tasks them with stealing the Arrow of Extrication from Fathis Aren ' s Tower through a hidden passage in Castle Bravil . Boots of Springheel Jak . Amusei tells the Hero is requested at a meeting at Garendhel ' s House in Cheydinhal . After a brief conversation , the Gray Fox tasks the Hero with retrieving the Boots of Springheel Jak . After speaking with Jak ' s descendant , Jakben , Earl of Imbel , the Hero must then battle five vampires in order to recover the Boots . However , there were no Boots , instead the Hero finds a diary , revealing that Jakben was in fact the legendary Springheel Jak and that he sent the Hero to a trap . The Hero must then defeat Jak in order to recover his boots and deliver them to the Gray Fox . The Ultimate Heist . The Gray Fox tasks the Hero with stealing an Elder Scroll . After recovering the Scroll , the Gray Fox uses it to reveal the identity of the true thief , Emer Dareloth , and return to his normal life . Legacy . There are several references to the Gray Fox in " Skyrim " :