Is it Better to Join or Destroy the Dark Brotherhood?

▶

The decision to join or destroy the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim largely depends on your character’s alignment and the type of gameplay experience you prefer, with joining offering a rich storyline and unique quests, while destroying them provides an alternative path where you play the role of a hero bringing justice to the nefarious organization. Ultimately, the choice between these two options joins or destroys the Dark Brotherhood comes down to personal preference and what kind of character you want to play as in the vast world of Skyrim.

Understanding the Dark Brotherhood

The Dark Brotherhood is a secret society of assassins in the world of Skyrim, known for their brutal and efficient methods of eliminating targets. Their storyline offers some of the most intricate and engaging quests in the game, making them a compelling choice for players looking to immerse themselves in Skyrim’s rich lore.

Joining the Dark Brotherhood

Joining the Dark Brotherhood allows players to delve into the inner workings of this mysterious organization, taking on contracts and eliminating targets in a variety of creative and often stealthy ways. This path is particularly appealing to those who enjoy playing a more sneaky or evil character, as it provides numerous opportunities for role-playing and character development.

Destroying the Dark Brotherhood

On the other hand, destroying the Dark Brotherhood presents an alternative narrative where the player must navigate the complexities of taking down a powerful and clandestine organization. This path is more suited to players who prefer to play as a hero or a character driven by a sense of justice, offering a unique set of challenges and quests.

The Consequences of Your Choice

Whether you choose to join or destroy the Dark Brotherhood, your decision will have significant consequences within the game world. Joining will grant you access to exclusive quests, characters, and equipment, while destroying them will earn you a reputation as a champion of justice and possibly affect the lives of certain NPCs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens if you refuse to join the Dark Brotherhood? Refusing to join the Dark Brotherhood does not lock you out of joining them later. You will still have the opportunity to join at a later time, although other factions might have consequences for refusing their invitation.

2. Can you betray the Dark Brotherhood at any time? The only way to betray the Dark Brotherhood is by killing Astrid in the shack during your initial meeting, which starts a quest to eliminate the Dark Brotherhood members.

3. Is there any benefit to killing Astrid? Killing Astrid allows you to start a new quest line aimed at destroying the Dark Brotherhood and grants access to her unique equipment, but it means you cannot continue the Dark Brotherhood quest line.

4. Can you still destroy the Dark Brotherhood after joining? Once you join the Dark Brotherhood, it becomes Astrid’s job to handle the destruction from within, and the option to destroy them as an outsider is no longer available through regular gameplay means.

5. What happens to Babette if you destroy the Dark Brotherhood? If you destroy the Dark Brotherhood, Babette will not be present in the sanctuary, indicating her fate is tied to the existence of the organization.

6. Why does Astrid betray you in Skyrim? Astrid betrays you because she is obsessed with being a leader and fears that your presence as the Listener of the Night Mother threatens her position within the Dark Brotherhood.

7. Can you marry Astrid from the Dark Brotherhood? Without mods, it is not possible to marry Astrid as she does not have the necessary voice lines for marriage.

8. Can you join the Dark Brotherhood as a good character? Technically, you can join the Dark Brotherhood with any character, but role-playing a good character within an evil faction presents a moral conflict and can be challenging from a narrative perspective.

9. Is the Dark Brotherhood a necessary evil? The Dark Brotherhood can be seen as a necessary evil, as their actions, although morally reprehensible, are part of the game’s balance and provide a unique aspect to the Skyrim universe.

10. Why does the Dark Brotherhood want you dead? The Dark Brotherhood may want you dead if you commit crimes and are not caught, leading to a random encounter with a Dark Brotherhood assassin.

11. Can you adopt Babette? With certain mods, it is possible to adopt Babette after completing the Dark Brotherhood quest line, providing a unique outcome for her character.

12. Can you marry Babette in Skyrim? Even with console commands and mods, Babette cannot be married due to lacking the necessary dialogue for marriage.

13. Who betrays you in the Dark Brotherhood? Astrid betrays you as part of the Dark Brotherhood storyline, driven by her desire to maintain her leadership and power within the organization.

14. What is the best ending in Skyrim related to the Dark Brotherhood? The best ending related to the Dark Brotherhood depends on your character’s alignment and preferences, with both joining and destroying the Dark Brotherhood offering satisfying conclusions to their respective storylines.

15. Can you save the Dark Brotherhood? While you cannot save the individual members of the Dark Brotherhood from their eventual demise, you can choose to see their quest line through to its conclusion, which is a form of saving the organization from destruction by your hands.