You can encounter Cicero very early in Skyrim, as he can be found on the road north of Whiterun, near Loreius Farm
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a popular, action role-playing video game that takes place 200 years after the events of Oblivion.
As its name implies, the game is part of the classic The Elder Scrolls series, and therefore, you can encounter similar mechanics, characters, and locations throughout the franchise.
As you complete quests for the Dark Brotherhood, you have to find Cicero, but many players do not know where he is.
What is the Dark Brotherhood?
The Dark Brotherhood is an organisation that recruits highly-trained assassins to carry out assassination contracts. The organisation is called upon by those who wish to utilise their deadly services through a ritual known as The Black Sacrament.
You have to be contacted directly to join the Brotherhood. This means that not everyone will have the opportunity to join the deadly organisation.
The Brotherhood was once the most feared organisation in all of Tamriel, however they have lost their reputation over time due to the destruction of multiple sanctuaries across Tamriel.
Skyrim: Where is Cicero?
Cicero is an eccentric jester and the Keeper of the Night Mother’s coffin. Players can find him on the road north of Whiterun, near Loreius Farm, where he is transporting his ‘mother’s’ coffin.
After this encounter, you may find him in the Falkreath Sanctuary and later the Dawnstar Sanctuary, but this is determined by your progress through the Dark Brotherhood questline.
You can meet Cicero early in Skyrim, at which point he will ask you to help him repair his broken-down cart.
This interaction is very innocent, as you may not know at this point in the game that he is one of the primary figures in the Dark Brotherhood questline.
During the Brotherhood’s questline, you will discover 5 of Cicero’s journals, and you will discover if you read them that Cicero was not always a lunatic.
He was driven to madness by isolation and obsession. He joined the Dark Brotherhood at a young age and although he was always dangerous as an assassin, he was considered normal before.
It was not until he was chosen to be the Keeper of the Night Mother’s body that he started losing his mind.
Since the Keeper is not allowed to act as an assassin, Cicero had to complete one final mission which was to kill a jester before devoting himself to the Night Mother.
After becoming the Keeper, Cicero was left alone in the Cheydinhal Sanctuary for 8 years. He became obsessed with the Night Mother, as she was the only person Cicero could talk to.
Cicero began to assume the jester’s persona and became the dangerous clown that he is known as.
Should you kill Cicero?
At some point in the Dark Brotherhood questline, you will get the opportunity to kill Cicero. Even though it is tempting, we recommend that you spare him as he can be an interesting character to interact with.
You should note, if you decide to kill Cicero, that you will have to face several consequences.
If you want to spare Cicero, simply leave the Sanctuary and lie to Astrid that he is dead. Although you did not kill him, the quest will be marked complete.
It is more advantageous for you to keep Cicero alive, as he can then act as a follower for your character once the questline is completed.
Is Cicero a good follower?
After completing the Dark Brotherhood questline, players who decided to spare Cicero can hire him as a new follower. It turns out that Cicero is one of the best followers in Skyrim.
He is regarded as essential as he cannot die like so many other followers and he has great statistics as an assassin.
That being said, Cicero is not likely to suit everyone’s playstyle and he can become annoying after some time. However, he can be extremely useful if you are willing to put up with him.
Apart from the practical reasons to have Cicero as a follower, he truly respects your character.
This is because you became Cicero’s Listener and the only person who can speak with the Night Mother. Moreover, you chose not to kill him, which means a great deal to Cicero.
How to join the Dark Brotherhood
Although you have to be called to join the Dark Brotherhood, you can take it upon yourself to join them. You have to walk around the streets of Windhelm until you hear about Aventus Aretino trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood.
You then have to go to the Aventus Residence and the easiest way to get there is to take the passage on the right before you enter the Palace of Kings.
Bear in mind that you have to pick the lock to enter the residence. Once you are inside, you can speak to Aventus Aretino to start the Innocence Lost questline.