Dark Brotherhood (Skyrim)

The Dark Brotherhood is an order of highly trained assassins who perform assassination contracts. The Dark Brotherhood is called by a ritual known as the "The Black Sacrament" by those who wish their service, although to join the Dark Brotherhood one must be contacted directly. They were once the most feared order of all of Tamriel, but their reputation has been lost over time due to the destruction of multiple sanctuaries across Tamriel. They were governed once by The Five Tenets, which set the founding rules for the Dark Brotherhood, but they have been abandoned long ago.

The Dark Brotherhood has been operating in Tamriel for many Eras. They serve Sithis, the avatar of entropy and chaos, as well as the Night Mother, who is their spiritual leader.

History
The Dark Brotherhood has been struggling for survival ever since the end of the Third Era. Due to the events that occurred concurrent with The Oblivion Crisis, the Dark Brotherhood in Cyrodiil was crippled. The Dark Brotherhood managed to survive until the Great War, when one after another, each Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary was destroyed. By the end of the war, the Brotherhood was near total destruction once again. Cicero, one of two remaining Dark Brotherhood assassins outside of Skyrim (the other believed to be a deserter), took the Night Mother's corpse from Bravil to the last remaining Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. In Skyrim, the Dark Brotherhood has no listener to hear the Night Mother and only hears about The Black Sacrament through rumors. This type of life for the Brotherhood continues until the Last Dragonborn joins them.

Dark Brotherhood Requirements
Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear.|The Black Sacrament.

Any man or woman may join the Dark Brotherhood. Initiates must have the ability to kill mercilessly, without regret or sorrow. As a result, their ranks include vampires,werewolves, bandits, mages.

A high sneak skill is recommended before joining the Dark Brotherhood. Jobs done for them often require the art stealth, to kill an enemy without being detected. Using stealth, however, is not the only way to assassinate a target without being noticed or given a bounty.

Attracting the Dark Brotherhood's attention
Speaking with Aventus Aretino in his parent's home in Windhelm starts the quest Innocence Lost and starts the Dark Brotherhood questline. After accepting Aretino's proposal, the Dragonborn is directed to visit the Honorhall Orphanage. After killing Grelod, the children will cheer and celebrate her death. No bounty is issued for her death.

Joining or Destroying the Brotherhood
About 24 hours after Innocence Lost has been completed, a courier will appear to the Dragonborn in any city, with a note saying, "We know." A black hand-print is above the words. After receiving the note, sleeping in any bed for any amount of time will begin the next phase of the quest (the note is optional). While sleeping, the Dragonborn is abducted by a Dark Brotherhood assassin and wakes up in an Abandoned Shack. This is where the decision to join or destroy the Dark Brotherhood must be made.

There, the Dragonborn is asked by Astrid, the Dark Brotherhood assassin, to kill one of three people in the room, initiating the quest With Friends Like These.... Killing one, two, or even all of the potential victims will earn the Dragonborn an invitation to join the Dark Brotherhood. The Dragonborn may also take the opportunity to destroy the organization by attacking Astrid. This will initiate the quest Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!.

Dark Brotherhood quests

 * Delayed Burial
 * Innocence Lost
 * With Friends Like These...
 * Sanctuary
 * Contract: Kill Beitild
 * Contract: Kill Narfi
 * Contract: Kill Ennodius Papius
 * Mourning Never Comes
 * 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
 * Breaching Security
 * The Cure for Madness
 * Recipe for Disaster
 * To Kill an Empire
 * Death Incarnate
 * Hail Sithis!
 * Where You Hang Your Enemy's Head
 * The Dark Brotherhood Forever
 * Honor Thy Family

Apparel
When completing quests in the Dark Brotherhood, the Dragonborn can obtain three armor sets, and three clothing sets.

Armor

 * Ancient Shrouded Armor – obtained from the Assassin of Old at Hag's End, during the side quest Locate the Assassin of Old.
 * Shrouded Armor – obtained from Astrid at the beginning of With Friends Like These...
 * Worn Shrouded Armor – found in the Dawnstar Sanctuary after purchasing various upgrades during Where You Hang Your Enemy's Head. This variation of Shrouded Armor possesses no enchantments of its own.

Clothing

 * Cicero's Outfit – obtained if Cicero is killed during The Cure for Madness.
 * Jester's Outfit – found on the table in the Dawnstar Sanctuary during The Cure for Madness. This variation is weaker statistically than Cicero's Outfit.
 * Shrouded Robes – found in the Falkreath Sanctuary, located on the shelves in the first room upon entrance. It can also be obtained from the corpse of Gabriella during Death Incarnate or Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!.

Astrid
After Astrid betrays the brotherhood to Commander Maro and the Penitus Oculatus during the first assassination attempt against Emperor Titus Mede II, the Penitus Oculatus ravage the Falkreath Sanctuary, killing all but Nazir, Babette, and possibly Cicero. During the attack, the Night Mother hides her Listener within her coffin, to protect them from the invaders and the fires they ignited in the sanctuary. The Listener awakens in the Sanctuary, safe and sound. The Listener then is told by the Night Mother that Astrid is still alive in the temple and must be located. She is burnt badly. She admits to betraying the Brotherhood and hands the Dragonborn the Blade of Woe with which to kill her.

Refurnishing the sanctuary
Nazir sends the Listener to Delvin Mallory in The Ragged Flagon for assistance with refurbishing the sanctuary. The total upgrade of the sanctuary costs 19,000 gold. The 20,000 gold reward given by Amaund Motierre for killing the Emperor can cover this entire expense.

Afterwards, the Listener may report back to Nazir, who effectively serves as a Speaker for additional contracts that do not have significance to the faction's storyline. The Night Mother can be approached an unlimited number of times for more radiant quests, rewarding 500-1200 gold per assassination.

After every possible upgrade has been purchased for the Sanctuary, Dark Brotherhood Initiates will be in the Sanctuary. They are available as followers.

Members

 * Astrid
 * Nazir
 * Cicero
 * Babette
 * Gabriella
 * Festus Krex
 * Arnbjorn
 * Veezara
 * Last Dragonborn (depends on choice)
 * The Night Mother
 * Dark Brotherhood Initiates
 * Dark Brotherhood Assassin