10 Most Engaging Skyrim NPCs

As the matriarch of clan Black-Briar and someone who has ties to the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild, Maven is a woman to be feared. She frequently threatens the people she meets throughout the city, but is herself nearly impossible to intimidate.

Maven's influence in the city of Riften and the surrounding areas is undeniable, especially if the player sides with the Imperial Region, as this sets up Maven as the Jarl of Riften. Regardless of her title in the realm, the Black-Briar's matriarch remains the ultimate power in the Rift, largely due to the incredible wealth she possesses. The Black-Briar family's gold mainly comes from the success of Black-Briar Meadery, one of the largest businesses in Skyrim.

Maven uses her enormous amounts of money to buy out the guards in Riften, making her nearly untouchable. Anyone who seeks to confront her is quickly thwarted, and often shown little mercy. The head of the Black-Briar clan is definitely an unpleasant woman, but she is difficult to forget.