How to Escape the Thalmor Embassy in Skyrim: Quest Guide

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Your guide to the easiest dungeon escape route in Diplomatic Immunity
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Are you having a little trouble with your grand escape in Skyrim’s “Diplomatic Immunity” quest? We’re here to help! Diplomatic Immunity requires you to infiltrate the infamous Thalmor Embassy. As part of the quest, you must steal an important dossier and escape the embassy alive—but you can’t leave the same way you came in. Don’t sweat it: in this player guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about escaping the embassy in one piece (and offer a few tips on completing Diplomatic Immunity along the way).

Quick Steps to Escape the Thalmor Embassy

  1. Get to the embassy’s courtyard and enter Elenwen’s solar.
  2. Deal with Gissur and Rulindil while they’re upstairs, or sneak past them.
  3. Find the dungeon key in a chest in the northwestern corner of the solar.
  4. Go downstairs into the dungeon torture chamber and read Esbern’s dossier.
  5. Kill the guards bringing Malborn to the dungeon and take the trap door key from them.
  6. Unlock the trapdoor to Reeking Cave and escape through it.
  7. Kill the Frost Troll and follow the underground path out of the Thalmor embassy.
Section 1 of 3:

How to Escape the Thalmor Embassy in Diplomatic Immunity

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  1. 1
    Enter Elenwen’s solar from the Thalmor Embassy courtyard. After Malborn lets you into the off-limits section of the embassy, your objective in the Diplomatic Immunity quest should be “Search for information about the dragons returning.” To do that, head to the back of the embassy and out the door into an outdoor courtyard area. You’ll find a guarded door leading to Elenwen’s solar at the other end of the courtyard.
    • It’s up to you whether you want to sneak past the guards inside the embassy and courtyard or fight your way through them.
    • Thalmor guards patrol both floors of the embassy. You can loot potions, ingredients, and simple supplies around the embassy before heading to the courtyard, but you may run into patrols.
    • Note: If your Dragonborn is a High Elf (Altmer), you have an even easier solution: grab a set of hooded Thalmor robes and use them as a disguise! However, the disguise won’t work in Elenwen’s solar.
  2. 2
    Search the northwestern chest in Elenwen’s solar. Once inside Elenwen’s solar, you’ll hear Rulindil (a Thalmor torturer) and Gissur (his informant) talking; their conversation will make it clear the Thalmor are just as clueless about the dragons as Delphine. You can fight Rulindil, Gissur, and the guard here, or let them finish talking and leave before looting the chest. [1]
    • The chest in the northwestern corner of the room contains the Interrogation Chamber Key as well as Thalmor dossiers on Delphine, Ulfric Stormcloak, and the Thalmor dragon investigation.
    • If you kill Rulindil before he goes downstairs, you can take the key from his body instead!
    • In Rulindil’s office, you can also find elven daggers and some other lootable valuables.
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  3. Follow the Diplomatic Immunity quest marker to the dungeon door, which is located down a set of wooden stairs next to the main room on the first floor. The dungeon door itself is metal and requires a key (the one you took from either the chest or Rulindil) to open. [2]
    • Remember, if you didn’t already kill Rulindil, he’ll be in the dungeon—so be prepared!
  4. In the dungeon and interrogation chamber, loot the chest next to Rulindil’s desk (next to all the holding cells). Inside, you’ll find another Thalmor dossier on Esbern. Read it, and you’ll get the next Diplomatic Immunity objective: “Escape the Thalmor embassy.” [3]
    • Before reading the dossier, consider looking around the dungeon. You can free Etienne Rarnis (a prisoner and member of the Thieves Guild) while you’re there.
    • You can also interrogate Etienne to get the information about Esbern you need (if that’s more your style).
  5. After reading Esbern’s dossier, a pair of Thalmor guards will enter the dungeon with Malborn, who has been exposed as a mole and is about to be killed. The guards have the Reeking Cave key—labeled “Trap Door Key,”—so take them out (and try to save Malborn if you’re a heroic type of Dragonborn). [4]
    • Loot the Thalmor guards’ bodies once they’re dead. One of the two will have the key!
    • You can also try to pickpocket the guards and steal the key if you’re a master of stealth.
    • If you caused a distraction with Brelas’ help at the party, you’ll get the chance to save her now (along with Malborn).
  6. After you get the key, head to the trapdoor across from the prison cells (when you get to the bottom of the stairs leading into the dungeon, it’s directly on the other side of the wooden wall to your left). Approach the trapdoor (“Reeking Cave”) and use the key to unlock it. Jump inside, and you’ll find yourself on an underground path. [5]
    • If you freed Etienne Rarnis before taking out the Thalmor guards, he’ll be waiting for you next to the trapdoor and go through it once it’s unlocked.
  7. Stick to the path, and you’ll naturally reach the cave’s exit. Along the way, you’ll run into an angry Frost Troll (which is your last obstacle). Kill it as fast as you can using any weapons or spells in your possession, then keep running along the underground path until it leads you safely to the woods outside the embassy. [6]
    • You’ll also find a Stone of Barenziah and a skill book in the Frost Troll’s lair—so stick around to loot if you can.
    • Congratulations—with that, you’ve escaped the Thalmor embassy and can return to Delphine in Riverwood to complete Diplomatic Immunity!
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Section 2 of 3:

Diplomatic Immunity Quest Guide

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  1. 1
    Talk to Delphine in Riverwood before traveling to Solitude. Delphine will tell you a little about the Blades’ past (and their enmity with the Thalmor), explaining her suspicions that the Thalmor are behind the dragons’ return. To get proof, she’ll concoct a plan to infiltrate the Thalmor embassy during one of Ambassador Elenwen’s parties and tell you to meet her inside man—Malborn—in Solitude to get started.
    • To meet with Delphine, just enter the Sleeping Giant Inn after “A Blade in the Dark” and follow her into her secret basement area.
  2. 2
    Meet Malborn in the Winking Skeever and give him your equipment. Malborn will be sitting at a table on the inn's ground floor, waiting for you. After chatting with him, he’ll tell you that he can smuggle some of your equipment into the embassy for you to use during the infiltration, but you have to part with it right away. Choose the equipment you want for the rest of “Diplomatic Immunity” and give it to Malborn. [7]
    • It’s a good idea to give Malborn the equipment you prefer using; it’s possible to run into quite a few battles in the Thalmor embassy, so you’ll need quality supplies.
    • Unless you plan on fighting your way through the embassy, consider picking equipment that’s ideal for stealth, too.
    • Consider giving Malborn a few lockpicks to ensure you can loot locked containers in the embassy.
  3. 3
    Find Delphine by the Solitude Stables to leave for the party. Delphine will give you the invitation you’ll need to get into Elenwen’s party and a set of party clothes. Once you put the clothes on, she’ll take the rest of your equipment (don’t worry, you’ll get it back later) and send you on your way. Your Dragonborn will automatically get into the carriage to the embassy! [8]
  4. 4
    Create a distraction at the Thalmor party. You’ll be dropped off outside the embassy. As you head in, guards will check your invitation, and Elenwen will greet you. Don’t worry: no matter what you say, Malborn interrupts her. He’ll then tell you to get one of the other guests to create a distraction so he can sneak you through the back door. Luckily, there are plenty of people you can ask for help: [9]
    • Balgruuf the Greater - If you’ve finished the Civil War quest “Battle for Whiterun,” Balgruuf will attend and agree to help you.
    • Elisif the Fair - If you’ve helped Elisif by bringing Torygg’s war horn to a shrine of Talos, she’ll agree to help.
    • Erikur - If you speak to Erikur, you can pass a persuasion check to get his help.
    • General Tullius - If you’ve completed “Message to Whiterun” (and you’re on the Imperials’ side), you can ask him for help.
    • Idgrod Ravencrone - As long as Hjaalmarch is still under the Imperials’ control, Idgrod will attend. If you’ve completed “Laid to Rest,” she’ll agree to help you.
    • Igmund - Igmund is a possible attendee. If you pass a persuasion check, he’ll help you.
    • Maven Black-Briar - She’ll always attend (unless she’s the Jarl of Riften) and can agree to help you.
    • Ondolemar - He may attend as long as Markarth is under Imperial control. If you’ve completed “Search and Seizure,” you can persuade him to help.
    • Orthus Endario - If you’ve completed “Rise in the East,” Orthus will agree to help when asked.
    • Proventus Avenicci - As long as you’re not in the middle of the “Whispering Door” or “Message to Whiterun” quests, he can help you.
    • Razelan - This attendee will always help you; all you have to do is bring him a drink.
    • Siddgeir - If you’ve already become Thane of Falkreath, Siddgeir can be persuaded to help you.
    • Vittoria Vici - If you’ve completed the miscellaneous quest “The Spiced Wine” (and Vittoria is alive), she can be persuaded to help.
  5. 5
    Enter the off-limits section of the Thalmor embassy. While your chosen helper distracts Elenwen and the guards, follow Malborn to a door behind the bar and slip through. Malborn will bring you through a kitchen and into a pantry, where your equipment will be waiting in a chest. Take a moment to grab everything inside, then proceed through the door ahead into the next hallway.
    • After this, you’ll be right where the guide on escaping the embassy above picks up!
    • Malborn will lock the door behind you, so much sure you’ve done everything you wanted to do beforehand.
  6. 6
    Return to Riverwood to get the rest of your equipment from Delphine. After you find Esbern’s dossier and escape the Thalmor embassy, you’ll probably notice that most of your equipment (other than what you gave Malborn) is still gone. Now’s the time to grab it and check back in with Delphine while you’re at it. Travel to Riverwood’s Sleeping Giant Inn to see Delphine and complete Diplomatic Immunity. [10]
    • Your equipment will be in Delphine’s chest (which is inside her basement hideout).
    • When you talk to her, Delphine will give you your next task—finding Esbern—and Diplomatic Immunity will complete.
    • The next quest, “A Cornered Rat,” will then appear in your journal.
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Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions About the Thalmor Embassy

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  1. 1
    Where do you find the trapdoor key in the Thalmor Embassy? The key to Reeking Cave is in the possession of the two Thalmor guards escorting Malborn to the dungeon. You’ll need to kill them and take it to escape.
  2. 2
    What level should you be for Diplomatic Immunity? You can do it at any level (as you progress through the main quest). The higher your level, the tougher the enemies will be; they’ll scale with you.
  3. 3
    Do you have to give Malborn everything? No—just the equipment you want for the Diplomatic Immunity quest. Everything else will be in Delphine’s chest after the quest.
  4. 4
    What’s the best distraction in Diplomatic Immunity? There’s no “best” distraction—but the one you’ll always be able to use, regardless of which quests you’ve done or friends you’ve made, is the distraction involving Razelan. So, you can always use him if you have no other options!
  5. 5
    What’s the Skyrim code for Diplomatic Immunity? If you need to use the cheat console to move the quest forward for some reason, you can use the quest ID to do it. Diplomatic Immunity’s quest ID is “MQ201”.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Is there a way to get past the guards without them attacking me?
    Community Answer
    Take a LOT of invisibility potions, about 50. Use them every time you are spotted. They should chase you around but not be able to find you as long as you have a decent sneak skill and move fast. Some healing potions are also a good idea. There is no way to go through the dungeons without killing the torturer and at least one, maybe three, guards as one of them has the key to the trapdoor which can't be opened without it.
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    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 10
  • Question
    Is there a surefire way to completely infiltrate the embassy as a high elf without alerting anyone?
    Community Answer
    There is no way to do the whole mission without alerting or killing anyone.
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  • Question
    How can I kill the mages and other enemies?
    Community Answer
    Flame Antioch saved my bacon; I threw one down before going into combat. Also, pick them off one at a time as much as possible. I also upgraded my gear when I looted; the gear chest didn't have anything in it, so I started with a stolen ax from the kitchen and upgraded as I went.
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      • There’ll be many Thalmor soldiers guarding the embassy. These enemies are rather easy to take down one by one instead of facing them all at once.
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      • Try using magic spells or long-range weapons, like arrows, to kill the Frost Troll in the underground path.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/A8Z-RbAGeNo?t=4
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/A8Z-RbAGeNo?t=30
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/A8Z-RbAGeNo?t=73
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/A8Z-RbAGeNo?t=107
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/A8Z-RbAGeNo?t=151
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/A8Z-RbAGeNo?t=159
      7. ↑ https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Diplomatic_Immunity
      8. ↑ https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Diplomatic_Immunity
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8iILfK2MkY
      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/qHt5avTmYaU?t=904

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