Friends in Low Places

After my adventures with the companions I felt my pockets were a little light. I decided that I'd make my way to Riften and locate some shops so I could sell some of the loot I had discovered with my adventures among the companions. I took the carriage from Whiterun and after a five hour trip I had arrived at the Riften Walls.  As I came to the gate a guard came to me and said that I needed to pay a tax in order to enter the hold. This was obviously a shakedown, I simply told him, that I am not paying it, and I said it loud enough that his fear of the other guards hearing wasn't worth the money, so he let me through.

I entered the hold and was again stopped by a brute of a man, telling me that I had better watch my back because I was entering black briar territory. Riften seems to be the hot spot for notorious activity, and it was good too, because the next gentleman that approached me gave me an offer of golden wealth.  His name was Brynjolf.  He had a simple task for me in order to test my skills. He would create a distraction and I would steal Madasi's silver ring from his lock box and place it in Brand-Shei's pocket. Once I was ready he called everyone over and began to sell them a fake potion.  As everyone listened to Brynjolf, I crept to Madasi's lock box, picked the lock and stole the ring. With ring in hand i continue around the empty vendor stalls to just behind where Brand-Shei was sitting. Slowly I opened his vest pocket and slipped the ring in.
Soon after Madasi returned to his stall and noticed the break in, he accused Brand-Shei as Brynjolf knew he would and the guards searched and found the ring, I had planted, on him.

As Brand-Shei was taken to the dungeons Brynjolf came to me and congratulated me on my success. My cut was 100 gold, a small amount for a small task, but he promised if I was interested there was far more in store. He told me to meet him at the Ragged Flagon, a tavern underneath the city streets, I would have to go throw the sewers to get to it. If I made it alive, he would bring me before the thieves guild.