I've met Malborn, and I'm trying to give him my equipment, but the game won't let me. I tried it with 2 saved games. The story line takes me to the next quest, and I went to the party anyway, clicked on the empty chest, and was prompted to move on. I can't fight the guards without armour/weapon. I'm a fighter and my magic skills are too low to kill a guard.
How can I finish this quest line?
and one more question, can skills be trained at dummies, like in Morrowind?

Try reloading a save from before you entered the tavern to give the guy your stuff.

did that, still can't give him my stuff.

Are you sure youve looked at all the options?
What happens when you try? Does the inventory screen pop up?

it shows up for a brief moment and finishes the quest without letting me give him my stuff.
I could try tgm just to get through this quest line

Thank goodness youre on pc then
Yes, that sounds like a bug.

I think youre idea of using the console to further the quest is a good one.
At least youll get it done and can move on to the next stage.
I hope you dont encounter anymore bugs

LMAO, I remember this one.

I really did not trust Malborn/Bethesda one little bit, I kept thinking that Malborn was going to make off with all my stuff, so I left him waiting, traveled back to my house and stashed it. To progress the quest, I gave Malborn a token item (leather strip). Unfortunately, Malborns intentions were true and I found myself a little nerfed later in the quest.

@ crw802 - Where is Malborn, still sat down in the tavern at the table? Try a few things: Body bump him a little to move him from his current position. Try crouching and then activating the speech. Try *ahem* doing it from behind.

Also, as I don't know what system you're using, just double check that you haven't got a sticky key/button. <- Dumb suggestion but worth a try.

he's sitting at a table, I tried talking to him standing up, sitting down, always the same....I can't give him my stuff. I guess tgm it is then...., it's definitely a bug
thanks for the replies!

I did not have this problem with my last charactor, but i did with this new chacacter have this same problem mentioned here that Malborn does not take my stuff and nothing in the chest. i came here looking for a solution. Luckily i did save me game before going there. Do i need to favorite what i want him to take in, or do i need to unfavorite it..or does this have no effect?

Update: After i reloaded my save game and went to Malborn again, it worked when i brought up my menu as soon as he told me to give him the gear for him to sneak in to the Thalmor Embassy, and it did have the GIVE (and the assigned key to give listed) so that i was able to select then push that key to give it to him, normally again. And the special chest was not empty but did have mt gear in it after i snuck in, so it worked. phew So i think u just have to go back to a save game and try it again if it does not work for u on some of your characters at first.

There's a bug where sometimes if you have an inventory open and click on a category, the window closes automatically. I had this happen once, and with this quest it means he'll just walk away without taking anything, so you have to reload until it works.

I know it closes too quickly... So what you have to do is: Get shoes and a cloth on. Put everything in a chest at home except your armor, boots. helmet, etc and all kind of enchanted jewelry that you need to fight as well as your weapons. (Don't forget that you'll be wearing only clothes and boots at the Party). Then meet Malborn and when asked to give items to him and see your inventory on the window, quickly click on your stuff.. Before it closes! If you do it quickly enough it should work. Try... And let us know.