The combination of stealth and murder is a common one in Skyrim. It is an exciting and effective way of bringing an end to your various conflicts while minimizing the danger posed to you. But what about getting paid specifically for stealthily murdering people?
Related: Skyrim: Take Up Arms Companions Quest Walkthrough
The Dark Brotherhood is precisely the organization that you are looking for. As highly trained and incredibly lethal assassins, they are hired by the less violently inclined across Tamriel to end the lives of others. Things aren't so simple, of course. If you would like to join their ranks or learn more about what you can earn from them, this is your guide.
What Is The Dark Brotherhood?
The Dark Brotherhood is a group of assassins that had once operated across Tamriel from Sanctuaries hidden in many major cities. They can be compared to a cult that worships Sithis, a deity representing the Void and sometimes referred to as "the Dread Father". The small group you meet in Skyrim is all that is left of the once-extensive network.
Led by Astrid in the Falkreath Sanctuary, they have formed a dysfunctional family that carries on under her leadership despite the organization's decline throughout the continent. Their continued survival has come with their traditions being compromised and small cracks forming beneath the facade. The arrival of Cicero, the Speaker, only complicates things further.
They are killers for hire, taking on contracts to kill for anyone who will pay them coin. Ordinarily, the Dark Brotherhood would be given contracts by the Night Mother, a woman believed to have been Sithis' wife.
Given that she is little more than a mummified body, she has to speak through the Listener, a member of the Brotherhood that can hear her voice. There has not been a Listener in decades.
Their history and culture go far beyond Skyrim and has its own explainer, below.
Related: The Elder Scrolls: The Dark Brotherhood, Explained
Quests
As one of Skyrim's major factions, the Dark Brotherhood has a lengthy questline and related randomly-generated radiant quests. The main quests cover the entirety of the province and will need you to master the art of assassination in a series of challenging scenarios that can only be found within the questline.
Delayed Burial
While not a core part of the storyline, you meet one of its most important characters, Cicero.
Innocence Lost
You get the opportunity to join the Dark Brotherhood after completing this quest by sleeping in a bed.
With Friends Like These...
Prove yourself to Astrid or kill her instead, starting an alternative quest where you will destroy the Dark Brotherhood.
Sanctuary
Meet the rest of the Dark Brotherhood.
You will have to complete at least one of the following quests to continue: Contract: Kill Beitild, Contract: Kill Narfi, and Contract: Kill Ennodius Papius
Mourning Never Comes
Complete your first major contract.
Whispers In The Dark
Help Astrid with a task within the Sanctuary and learn more about the Brotherhood.
You will have to complete at least one of the following quests to continue: Contract: Kill Lurbuk and Contract: Kill Hern
The Silence Has Been Broken
Investigate a lead from the Night Mother.
Bound Until Death
Crash a wedding in an open-ended assassination.
Breaching Security
Undermine Imperial security by stalking an agent throughout the province.
The Cure For Madness
Deal with some trouble at home.
Recipe For Disaster
Kill a celebrity chef and steal his identity.
To Kill An Empire
Execute a grand assassination.
Death Incarnate
Extinguish some fires at home.
Hail Sithis!
Close out the deal that started it all.
Dark Brotherhood Contracts
You will be called on to help deal with smaller targets in contracts that are far less glamorous than the one in the main quest. These contracts are unlocked at particular points in the story and will need you to kill a particular target in challenging conditions.
These contracts are started by talking to Nazir at the Sanctuary.
Prerequisite
Contract
Sanctuary
Contract: Kill Beitild
Contract: Kill Narfi
Contract: Kill Ennodius Papius
Whispers in the Dark
Contract: Kill Lurbuk
Contract: Kill Hern
The Silence Has Been Broken
Contract: Kill Deekus
Contract: Kill Ma'randru-jo
Contract: Kill Anoriath
Bound Until Death
Contract: Kill Agnis
Contract: Kill Maluril
Contract: Kill Helvard
Contract: Kill Safia
After you complete Hail Sithis, you will start the quest The Dark Brotherhood Forever. This will allow you to start an infinite number of contractsfrom the Night Mother when speaking to her. These quests target unnamed, randomly generated targets throughout the province.
Destroying The Dark Brotherhood
You can finish off the organization and destroy it in the quest With Friends Like These by killing Astrid. Tell a guard about being kidnaped to start a subsequent quest, Destroy The Dark Brotherhood.
This path may be more morally palatable for players less inclined toward murder. However, it will prevent you from earning many of the factions' rewards.
Dark Brotherhood Rewards
The Dark Brotherhood has some of the best quest rewards in the game. Each of the many contracts pays handsomely for work that can be done quickly if you are skilled.
You are also given a set of Shrouded Armor for joining the group. It increases your poison resistance, allows you to move silently, and increases your Archery and backstab damage.
Many quests offer extra rewards for being completed in specific ways. They are outlined below.
Be careful, there are spoilers below.
Story Rewards
Enchanted equipment is just the start of the rewards that the Dark Brotherhood will give you. You will also get unique weapons and even an immortal horse.
Reward
Description
Prerequisite
Muiri's Ring
A ring that makes potions 15 percent stronger.
Kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield in Mourning Never Comes.
Firiniel's End
An enchanted bow that deals 20 points of Frost damage.
Choosing to snipe Vittoria Vici in Bound Until Death.
Summon Spectral Assassin
A power that lets you summon an assassin to help you in battle indefinitely.
Killing Vittoria Vici during her speech in Bound Until Death.
Ancient Shrouded Set
A set of Shrouded Armor that has stronger enchantments than the set you started with.
Unlocked by using Olava's token after killing Gaius Maro in a major city for the quest Breaching Security.
Shadowmere
Astrid's personal and unique horseis stronger than ordinary horses and cannot permanently die.
Automatically given in the Cure for Madness.
Jester's Outfit
A set of armor with enchantments that improves Stealth, One-Handed Damage, and prices.
Found at the Dawnstar Sanctuary
Cicero's Outfit
Cicero's jester outfit with enchantments that improves Stealth, One-Handed Damage, and prices.
Killing Cicero in the Cure for Madness.
Nightweaver's Band
A special ring that improves your Sneak and Destruction skills.
Awarded for hiding the Gourmet's body in Recipe for Disaster.
The Blade of Woe
A unique dagger that absorbs ten points of health on hit.
Taken from Astrid in Death Incarnate.
20,000 gold
The reward for killing the Emperor.
Earned at the end of Hail Sithis.
Dawnstar Sanctuary Rewards
The old and crumbling Dawnstar Sanctuary becomes the Dark Brotherhood's base of operations after Hail Sithis. The quest Where You Hang Your Enemy's Head, focused on restoring the Sanctuary, will start when returning with the reward.
A complete upgrade will cost you 19,000 gold, almost the entire reward from Hail Sithis!
It has five possible upgrades that are purchased from Delvin Mallory at the Ragged Flagon.
Name
Reward
Cost
New Banners
New, less damaged banners will be hung throughout the Sanctuary
1,000 gold
Poisoner's Nook
A garden full of poisonous plants will be installed.
5,000 gold
Torture Chamber
A room with four victims whocan betortured to learn where they buried their treasure.
5,000 gold
Secret Entrance
A tunnel that leads to Dawnstar.
5,000 gold
Master Bedroom
Your personal bedroom with a full set of furnishings.
3,000 gold
Followers
Assassins aren't exactly team players and are rarely available to act as followers. There are only two people that can serve as your followers.
Cicero
He is available after completing Hail Sithis and if you spared him.
Dark Brotherhood Initiate
These members can be found at the Dawnstar Sanctuary after completing the storyline.
Next: Skyrim: Served Cold Side Quest Walkthrough
