Do The Dark Brotherhood Forever Missions Ever End?
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The answer, in short, is no. The “Dark Brotherhood Forever” quest in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a radiant quest. This means it’s designed to be endless, perpetually generating new, albeit generic, assassination contracts for you to fulfill. Once you complete one contract, you can return to the Night Mother, and she will offer you another, continuing indefinitely. The NPCs that exist in those quests are only there for the purpose of completing the mission. They will never ask you to kill any named NPC.
This infinite loop caters to players who enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the dark, morally ambiguous path of an assassin, even after completing the main Dark Brotherhood questline. But it also raises questions about narrative closure and the value of such repetitive gameplay. Let’s delve deeper into the nuances of this never-ending questline and address some common concerns.
Understanding Radiant Quests
Radiant quests are a staple of Bethesda’s open-world design, providing a continuous stream of content even after the main storylines are exhausted. They function by pulling from a pool of pre-designed mission templates and then randomly generating the details, such as the target’s name, location, and sometimes even a brief backstory.
In the case of “Dark Brotherhood Forever,” the Night Mother will task you with eliminating a target somewhere in Skyrim. The location and target are randomly selected, ensuring that you’ll never encounter the exact same mission twice. This system allows for near-infinite replayability, but it comes at the cost of narrative depth and meaningful character interactions.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Endless Quests
The benefit of having quests that are endless is that even after the main storylines are exhausted, you can enjoy playing the game. The drawback to these quests is that there is a lack of narrative depth and meaningful character interactions.
The Moral Implications
The Dark Brotherhood, by its very nature, operates outside the bounds of morality. Joining their ranks means embracing a life of murder and deception. Even in a virtual world, such choices can carry weight, and some players may struggle with the constant stream of morally questionable assignments offered by the “Dark Brotherhood Forever” quest. The Dark Brotherhood is evil. Period. Any character that joins the DB is also evil, because they are willing to commit cold-blooded murder.
Narrative Closure vs. Endless Gameplay
The Dark Brotherhood questline presents a fascinating dichotomy between the desire for narrative closure and the appeal of endless gameplay. Completing the main questline offers a satisfying conclusion to the story of the Sanctuary and its members, but “Dark Brotherhood Forever” pulls you back into the world of assassination, albeit with less emotional investment.
Some players may find this repetitive nature unfulfilling, preferring to leave the Dark Brotherhood behind and pursue other adventures. Others may embrace the endless contracts as a way to continue their character’s journey as a master assassin.
A Deeper Exploration Through Games Learning Society
Understanding the design principles behind radiant quests and their impact on player experience is a key area of study within the field of game studies. Organizations like the Games Learning Society are dedicated to researching the intersection of games, learning, and culture, offering valuable insights into the complex relationship between players and the virtual worlds they inhabit. You can explore more about their research and initiatives at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Dark Brotherhood and its never-ending quests:
1. How many quests are in the main Dark Brotherhood questline?
The primary Dark Brotherhood questline consists of fourteen quests.
2. Can I destroy the Dark Brotherhood instead of joining them?
Yes, you can. Upon being kidnapped by Astrid, you can choose to attack her, initiating the quest “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!”
3. Is “Dark Brotherhood Forever” a repeating quest?
Yes, since it is a radiant quest, it will just repeat over and over with randomized contacts and targets.
4. Is it better to join or destroy the Dark Brotherhood?
It depends on your playstyle. If you’re playing to get all of the achievements, Or want to collect all the unique weapons and armor possible, the best thing to do would be joining them. If you’re playing to be moral, destroy them.
5. What happens to Babette if I destroy the Dark Brotherhood?
Babette always survives whether you join or destroy the Dark Brotherhood and she’s immortal.
6. Can you become the leader of the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim?
Yes, completing the main questline allows you to become the leader of the Dark Brotherhood.
7. What is the maximum Dark Brotherhood rank?
In The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), the maximum rank for the Dark Brotherhood Guild is Reputation rank level 12. This does not directly apply to Skyrim.
8. Does the Night Mother ever stop giving me quests?
No, the Night Mother’s quests never end. They just keep recycling.
9. Can the Dark Brotherhood be saved?
You can save the Dark Brotherhood itself, but not the members, if you continue with the questline and see it through.
10. What is the last mission of the Dark Brotherhood (if I choose to destroy them)?
The last mission is Destroying The Dark Brotherhood.
11. Am I evil if I join the Dark Brotherhood?
From a moral perspective, joining the Dark Brotherhood is generally considered an evil act, as it involves committing cold-blooded murder.
12. Can I betray the Dark Brotherhood after joining?
No, you can’t betray them once you are already in it. You will get your chance to kill them all, but I don’t see why you would want to. The Dark Brotherhood is the most loving of all the guilds.
13. How many contracts does the Night Mother have before they start repeating?
There are only ten contacts and ten targets for these quests. On the other hand, the Night Mother will keep on giving them to you infinitely. So once you have completed a contract for each of the ten possible contacts, you can tell yourself that’s all there is.
14. Do the Dark Brotherhood quests interfere with other questlines?
No, none of the Dark Brotherhood’s quests intersect in any meaningful way with any other quest chain.
15. Why should you NOT join the Dark Brotherhood?
The Dark Brotherhood’s greatest drawback is its merciless killing of many characters. Players may find their favorite merchant or bard becoming their next target. Many charming characters, such as Lurbuk, must be killed to progress the guild’s main questline.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to engage with “Dark Brotherhood Forever” is a matter of personal preference. The questline offers a potentially endless source of gameplay, but at the expense of narrative depth and moral ambiguity. Whether you embrace the role of an assassin or choose to leave the Dark Brotherhood behind, the choice is yours to make.