Okay, so the mission A Cornered Rat is after Diplomatic Immunity, where you infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy. Now, after you return to Delphine with the information, it is supposed to start A Cornered Rat, but it doesn't. Apparently, if you talk to Brynjolf and complete A Chance Arrangement before doing A Cornered Rat, it won't go through due to dialogue issues. I've already completed the entire Theives Guild questline. So when will there be a patch to fix this?

P.S. Simply talking to Delphine, Brynjolf, or Esbern in The Ratway Warrens doesn't help.

Welcome, are you on PC, or no?

No, Xbox.

Delphine wont give you the quest, or Brynjolf wont give the followup info? The thieves guild should only be an issue if youve not completed 'chance arrangement'. i see youve done the whole TG questline, so that cant be the issue.

The quest doesn't appear after I return with the papers from the Embassy. And Brynjolf won't talk to me. All he says is, "Can't talk now, I'm busy." And Vekel the Man just sells his stuff.

And I have completed A Chance Arrangement.

This is a common bug that a lot of people are experiencing. The next patch is in January, so fingers crossed. Sorry, maybe someone else has any ideas?

Hmmm.....guess I'll do misc. objectives and some cave exploring in the mean time.

I had this problem myself. It's listed on the UESP page: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:A_Cornered_Rat


That's somewhat wrong, though. It doesn't skip to the start of the next quest, but rather to a point roughly midway along it. It actually teleports you, Delphine, and Esbern to the spot you need to be. Also, Esbern won't give you any dialogue from that point forward; he just keeps saying 'go away! I'm not opening the door!' Imperfect solution, but it will allow you to continue with the main quest.

I have the same effing problem it svcks. I want to continue the main mission but I have NO choice. I've completed the theives missions too. Also just and FYI, I did fail bryjolfs ring stealing mission. I wonder if that is causing it. I really hope they fix this soon beacuse I've beaten so many side quests i'm level 47 and ready to play the main quest.

AFAIK, failing brynjolfs quest shouldnt make a difference, as he will still ask to meet you in the Flagon.

My current character is partway through the TG quests, and got directed to talk to the barkeep in the Ragged Flagon rather than to Brynjolf, which I thought was a bit odd. The quest started just fine though, which leads me to ask: while doing Diplomatic Immunity, did you read the Thalmor dossier on Esbern? You can complete the quest without doing so, but because you didn't get the relevant information A Cornered Rat won't trigger properly.

Right! Me too I didn't want to do what Brynjolf asked. So I restarted a saved game and went directly inside until the Ragged Flagon. There I talked to the barkeeper (there a quest concerning him) and I could start a cornered rat quest. I was soooo happy.