The Dark Brotherhood — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Walkthrough

The Dark Brotherhood: Shadows and Secrets

For those who embrace the shadows and the art of assassination, the Dark Brotherhood offers a path to power and infamy. This guild of assassins operates in secret, taking contracts to eliminate targets across Skyrim. Their questline is a dark and thrilling narrative filled with intrigue, betrayal, and deadly contracts.

To join the Dark Brotherhood, you must first trigger the quest Innocence Lost. This quest begins after you commit a murder (or witness one) and then sleep. You will be approached by a child named Astrid, who will offer you a chance to join the Brotherhood. Alternatively, you can seek out the Dawnstar Sanctuary after hearing rumors or completing certain events.

The early quests focus on proving your loyalty and skill. With Friends Like These... is a pivotal quest where you are tested by the Brotherhood's leadership. Following this, you'll receive your first official contracts. These range from assassinating specific individuals to more complex objectives, such as those found in quests like Mourning Never Comes, which involves a moral dilemma, or Whispers in the Dark, a more personal mission for a Brotherhood member.

The questline escalates with more challenging and intricate assassinations. Bound Until Death requires you to infiltrate a wedding and eliminate the bride, while Breaching Security involves a daring heist and assassination within the Imperial City. These missions often require careful planning, stealth, and the use of various tools and tactics available to an assassin.

A sificant turning point in the Dark Brotherhood questline is the quest The Silence Has Been Broken, which involves a dramatic confrontation and a test of your resolve. This leads into quests that deal with internal strife and external threats to the Brotherhood, such as The Cure for Madness and Recipe for Disaster, which involves a cannibalistic feast.

The ultimate goal of the Dark Brotherhood questline is to confront those who threaten the guild and to ascend to the position of Listener. The final major quest, To Kill an Empire, involves a high-stakes assassination that will have far-reaching consequences. The choices you make throughout these quests will determine the fate of the Dark Brotherhood and its members.

Throughout your journey with the Dark Brotherhood, you'll encounter memorable characters like Astrid, the leader of the Skyrim chapter, Nazir, a pragmatic mercenary, and Babette, an ancient vampire child. These characters offer unique perspectives and can provide valuable assistance or challenges.

In addition to the main questline, the Dark Brotherhood offers radiant assassination contracts. These repeatable quests allow you to continue honing your assassination skills and earning gold. They are a great way to maintain your connection to the guild and to explore different parts of Skyrim.

The Dark Brotherhood questline is not for the faint of heart. It delves into morally ambiguous territory and requires a willingness to embrace the darker aspects of Skyrim. However, for those who enjoy stealth, intrigue, and the thrill of a well-executed assassination, it is an incredibly rewarding experience.