The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Skyrim's Fence Unlocking

Fences are the preferred merchants for selling in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. They always accept any item, including stolen ones, and have a maximum of 4,000 gold available for purchasing. Additionally, fences offer a selection of quality items and consistently stock lockpicks, which is advantageous.

However, there is a drawback to using fences: players cannot access them right from the beginning of the game, nor do they possess the initial 4,000 gold. To gain access to every fence and their full range of services, players must join the Thieves Guild and aid in its restoration. Below is a guide on locating each fence and unlocking their services.

Thievery & Fencing Basics

Every object in Skyrim has a name that appears either in white or red, whether it is found in the overworld or in the inventory of a chest or NPC. If an object's name is in red, it indicates that players will incur a bounty for stealing if they are caught taking it. Some objects, however, have white names even though they are owned by NPCs. This signifies that the player has a good reputation with the NPC, and taking the item will not provoke any objections from the owner.

Even if players are not observed stealing a red item, its name will continue to appear as red in their inventory. This indicates that the item is stolen, and they will be unable to sell it to regular merchants. However, it should be noted that stolen gold can still be used by players to purchase goods from merchants. If players have stolen (red) items in their inventory, the guards will confiscate them if the players are arrested and must either serve time or pay a fine. This rule also applies to stolen gold.

Fences, unlike regular merchants, are willing to accept all types of items, including stolen ones. In Skyrim, most fences are affiliated with the Thieves Guild, therefore players must join the Guild in order to sell stolen items. Alternatively, players can reach a Speech level of 90 and acquire the Fence perk, which grants them the ability to sell stolen goods to any merchant.

Initially, Guild fences have a budget of 1000 gold to buy player items. However, this maximum amount can be increased by completing reputation quests, with each quest adding an additional 1000 gold, up to a maximum limit of 4000 gold. The Speech perk Master Trader can further raise this limit to 5000 gold.

All Thieves' Guild Fences

Tonilia (Riften)

Tonilia serves as the fence for the Thieves Guild, with her operations based in the Ragged Flagon, the guild's headquarters. To avail oneself of her services, players must first join the guild, which can be achieved through the completion of the quest "Taking Care of Business." Once part of the guild, players gain access to the cemetery shortcut, allowing them to engage in business transactions with Tonilia. As players progress through the guild's quests, additional merchants will establish their shops within the Flagon. However, Tonilia will remain the sole individual fulfilling the role of a fence.

Mallus Maccius (Whiterun)

Players will have Mallus Maccius unlocked as a fence once they successfully complete the "Dampened Spirits" main quest of the Thieves Guild. He serves as the closest fence to Whiterun and can always be located at Honningbrew Meadery, which conveniently offers its own fast-travel waypoint. This positioning makes Mallus Maccius an exceptionally convenient fence for the majority of players.

Gulum-Ei (Solitude)

In the upcoming Thieves Guild quest, "Scoundrel's Folly," Gulum-Ei plays a prominent role. While on this quest, players have the option to either eliminate him or spare his life. If spared, Gulum-Ei will transition into a fence in Solitude. Following the completion of the quest, Gulum-Ei can mostly be found at The Winking Skeever, the tavern located just to the left of the city entrance.

Enthir (Winterhold)

In the Thieves Guild quest "Hard Answers," players are required to locate a translator. Enthir, a member of the College of Winterhold known for his involvement in smuggling, assists players in finding the right path. Interacting with Enthir during this quest will grant players access to his inventory. Alternatively, players can join the College and approach Enthir to discuss his ability to assist them in accomplishing tasks.

Unlike a true Thieves Guild fence, Enthir only carries 500 gold instead of the larger amounts that fences typically possess. Nonetheless, he accepts stolen merchandise just like any other fence and serves as a valuable source for rare items such as daedra hearts and black soul gems.

Endon (Markarth)

By completing a reputation quest in Markarth, players have the opportunity to unlock Endon as a fence. In order to initiate this quest, players must first complete five jobs in Markarth that are assigned by either Delvin, Vex, or both. After successfully completing these jobs, players should then speak to Delvin to begin the quest named "Silver Lining."

Upon finishing the "Silver Lining" quest, Endon will become accessible as a fence. However, locating him can be challenging due to Markarth's intricate layout. To find him, players are advised to wait until the late evening, as Endon consistently spends his nights at the Silver-Blood Inn.

Niranye (Windhelm)

Players can unlock Niranye, a fence, by completing a reputation quest in Windhelm. To begin the quest "Summerset Shadows," players must first complete five jobs in Windhelm and then speak to Delvin. During the quest, players may have to kill Niranye, but if they choose to find evidence and confront her instead, she will become a Guild fence after the quest. Niranye can be found in the Windhelm marketplace and is also a valuable merchant who sells enchanted equipment, even before becoming a fence.

The Khajiiti Caravans

Completing three reputation quests unlocks a conversation with Tonilia. She aims to involve the Khajiiti caravans, notorious for their smuggling activities in Skyrim. To establish a positive rapport, she tasks the Dragonborn with delivering a gift of moon sugar to Ri'saad, the leader of the Whiterun-Markarth caravan. Ri'saad accepts the gift, and once the Dragonborn reports back to Tonilia, a member from each caravan will join the Thieves Guild as fences.

The first fence is Atahbah, affiliated with Ri'saad's caravan. The second is Zaynabi, who accompanies Ahkari on her journey between Dawnstar and Riften. The last fence is Ma'jhad, a member of Ma'dran's caravan that travels between Solitude and Windhelm.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.