I am very fond of nice things. How fortunate that I can afford them. - Marana Rian.

So, I started a new Thief Character - initially to test a mod I was working on, and then played through again once the mod was released (Shameless Plug: Prowler's Profit: Immersive Clues to the Stones of Barenziah, Loopy Cecil did all the mod work, I wrote the notes).

The idea for this build is Stealth, Pickpocket, Speech, and Lockpicking. No perks in One Handed, Marksman, or Light Armor (though all three can be used, and to some extent are encouraged). But if you're fighting too much you're doing it wrong. But let's be honest, Skyrim isn't made for Ghosting, and between auto-detection and forced encounters you will have to fight something at some point - at least I did occasionally. I know there are some people who are legendary pacifist players that don't ever make a kill - hat's off!

You try to get in and out without being seen - take what you need and get yourself gone. The idea is to use your hard-won perk points in skills that are typically considered secondary. Gray Malkin is a rogue - silver-tongued, curious, and quiet. She enjoys the finer things in life and wants the gold to get it.

Early on, the focus is jobs and gold. You aren't much better than a filthy pickpocket or petty thief. You'll take legitimate jobs if you need the coin, but you're really looking for someone from the fuzzy underbelly of crime. And you're nice - not because you really care, but people tend to tell you things if they like you, and not call the guards when you pinch a couple septims.

Questlines: Thieves Guild - with a focus on the side jobs and No Stone Unturned. You are here to scrub up the ratway and make a name for the Thieves Guild. This means taking all the jobs Delvin and Vex can dish out your way. Pace yourself with the MQ, and let your skills build to the point where you can slip through Goldenglow without a guard raising so much as an eyebrow.

When you are gathering the stones of Barenziah see how many you can get without starting a fight - Ghosting Yngvild, Ansilvund, and Sunderstone Gorge make you feel like a righteous thief. Yes, you will miss some loot, but that will make the chest you do crack and the pockets you do pick that much better. It was amazing to slip through Hag Rock Redoubt and pickpocket the briarheart of his... well... briarheart.

Now, I'm just starting my late-game phase (level 30). I'm wrapping up the TG and returning Skeleton Key to the Twilight Sepulchre and all that. This opens new avenues of larceny that Malkin hadn't considered: The Daedra. She's already agreed to bring Silus the fragments of Mehrunes' Razor, but Nocturnal was her first true encounter with one of the princes of Oblivion and what they have to offer. Now, I will work on my Illusion - a skill up till now I had left untouched. Also, Alchemy is off the back-burner. With the coin for training, you can work up pickpocket and speech.

Also, the Civil War Questline needs to be done. What?! How is that in any way thiefy? Hear me out. Maven has long been a supporter of the Thieves Guild - and depending on how you want to complete No Stone Unturned you can either work for the Dark Brotherhood or Destroy them (either way works, as you will ultimately be in control of the organization one way or another). but she likes to dangle the Dark Brotherhood in your face as a bald threat. Well, now's your chance to prove why you are Master of Thieves - win the war for her.

You will basically be handing Maven the keys to the county. And what you give you can take away. You basically have a Jarl in your pocket. Well, more than one, considering how instrumental you are to the success of the Empire. And the Thieves Guild is an arm of the Empire (the one they keep behind their back), they are the grease in the gears of bureaucracy. Maven understands that.

In my game, I unlocked the Dragons. The money was good, and in all honesty, you can get some very useful shouts - if you can kill the dragons. I try to Ghost them if I can, taking potshots while the great lizards are fighting Horkers or Bandits. If I get a soul, great! If not, well, at least it didn't eat me. I've only unlocked Kyne's Peace - but it's incredibly handy if you're doing any major walking around. Yes, killing wolves and skeevers is easy. But with no perks in One Handed, Light Armor, or Marksman - Even with your Stealth perks like Backstab and Deadly Aim, things like Snow Bears will destroy you and shrug off your arrows like splinters. Two words of this shout calms animals up to and including Frost Trolls.

Other shouts I'm keen to collect before this Kalpa ends is Become Ethereal, Disarm, Animal Allegiance, Throw Voice, Aura Whisper, Fear, and Whirlwind Sprint. Keep Calm and Sneak Away (Preferably after you picked their pocket).

I suggest becoming a Thane in most holds. They will overlook the occasional lapse in legality. Plus, more power = more gold.

I have a list of other "jobs" I want to complete as head of the Thieves Guild, including collecting all of the dragons claws and unique weapons I can lay hands on. I'd also like to get my hands on the fabled Paragons of the Frost Giants. The treasure room in Riften should be bursting with gems, ingots, and furs. And if you go one to become Dragonborn, and hit Sovngarde - don't forget to bring back some roast ox.