Delving into the Shadows: The Disadvantages of Joining the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim
The Dark Brotherhood, Skyrim’s infamous guild of assassins, offers a compelling questline filled with intrigue, unique characters, and powerful rewards. However, joining the shadows comes at a price. The most significant disadvantage is the moral cost: embracing the Dark Brotherhood necessitates becoming a cold-blooded killer, often targeting innocent or sympathetic individuals. This conflicts with role-playing as a morally upright character and can lead to internal conflict for players who value ethical gameplay. Furthermore, the potential loss of valuable NPCs, such as merchants and quest givers, impacts the overall Skyrim experience, making certain tasks impossible to complete or diminishing the game world’s richness. Finally, the Dark Brotherhood’s inherent vulnerability to betrayal and internal strife can create an atmosphere of paranoia and mistrust, impacting immersion.
Understanding the Downsides: A Deeper Dive
The Dark Brotherhood’s lure is undeniable: powerful weapons like the Blade of Woe, a unique mount like Shadowmere, and significant sums of gold are all within reach. However, before swearing allegiance to Sithis, consider the ramifications.
The Moral Quandary
The most significant disadvantage is the inherent moral compromise. Unlike the Thieves Guild, which primarily targets the wealthy and corrupt, the Dark Brotherhood’s contracts are often indiscriminate. You might be tasked with assassinating a seemingly innocent farmer or a beloved bard. This necessitates a detachment from empathy, which can be jarring for players who prefer to play a heroic or morally ambiguous character. Committing these acts can weigh heavily on the conscience, especially when characters express remorse or plead for their lives.
The initial quest, “Innocence Lost,” requires killing Grelod the Kind, the cruel overseer of the Honorhall Orphanage. While Grelod is undeniably unpleasant, the act of killing her, especially in front of the orphaned children, is a stark introduction to the Brotherhood’s ruthlessness. This sets the tone for the entire questline.
Losing Essential NPCs
The Dark Brotherhood quests occasionally require eliminating NPCs who offer valuable services or are integral to other questlines. This can severely impact your gameplay experience. Imagine accepting a contract only to discover your target is a merchant who sells rare ingredients or a blacksmith who can craft unique armor. Eliminating them means permanently losing access to their goods and services. While some replacement vendors may appear, they rarely offer the same range of items or quests.
Lurbuk, the Orc bard in the Moorside Inn in Morthal, is a prime example. He is specifically named in the original article. His murder is a mandatory part of the Dark Brotherhood questline. He is well loved by the community, making the experience very off putting for players that are not playing as an evil character.
Reputation and Consequences
While the Dark Brotherhood operates in the shadows, your actions can still have consequences. Committing murders, even sanctioned ones, can lead to increased bounties in certain holds. While being stealthy mitigates this risk, mistakes happen. Getting caught can lead to imprisonment, fines, or even death.
Furthermore, your association with the Dark Brotherhood can negatively impact your relationships with other factions. Certain characters, particularly those with strong moral convictions, may react negatively to your affiliation. This can limit dialogue options, lock you out of certain quests, and even make you a target for assassination attempts by rival factions.
Internal Conflict and Betrayal
The Dark Brotherhood is a nest of vipers, constantly vying for power and influence. As you progress through the questline, you’ll witness internal squabbles, betrayals, and power struggles. Astrid’s betrayal, a pivotal moment in the storyline, highlights the cutthroat nature of the organization. This atmosphere of mistrust and paranoia can be draining, and it forces you to constantly be on guard against potential rivals within the Brotherhood.
Impact on Roleplaying
Ultimately, joining the Dark Brotherhood significantly shapes your character’s narrative. It forces you to embrace a darker path, one filled with violence and moral compromises. This can be rewarding for players who enjoy exploring the darker side of morality, but it’s crucial to consider whether it aligns with your overall roleplaying goals. A character focused on helping others, upholding justice, or exploring the world might find the Dark Brotherhood’s activities antithetical to their values.
Weighing the Costs and Benefits
The Dark Brotherhood offers compelling rewards and an engaging storyline, but the disadvantages are significant. Before joining, carefully consider the moral implications, the potential loss of valuable NPCs, the impact on your reputation, and the internal conflicts you’ll face. Choose wisely, as your decision will significantly shape your Skyrim experience. The Games Learning Society explores ethical decision-making in games, offering further insights into these complex choices. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) that will provide additional valuable information.
1. Can I avoid killing innocent people in the Dark Brotherhood?
While you can be selective about how you kill your targets (choosing stealth over open combat), you cannot avoid killing who you’re told to kill. The Dark Brotherhood’s contracts are the core of its questline. Skipping contracts is not an option.
2. Does joining the Dark Brotherhood affect my ability to become Thane?
Yes, indirectly. If a Dark Brotherhood contract requires you to kill a potential Jarl or someone vital to becoming Thane in a hold, you will be unable to become Thane of that specific hold.
3. Is there a way to betray the Dark Brotherhood after joining?
Once you officially join the Dark Brotherhood, you can not betray them in the sense of switching sides. The only way to betray them is by triggering “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” which can be achieved by attacking Astrid.
4. Will guards recognize me as a member of the Dark Brotherhood?
Generally no, unless you are caught committing a crime related to a Dark Brotherhood contract. Wearing the Shrouded Armor can sometimes increase suspicion, but it doesn’t automatically trigger recognition.
5. Can I marry someone from the Dark Brotherhood?
Yes. You can marry Muiri. While most members are not marriage candidates, she is an exception.
6. What happens if I kill Astrid instead of the hostages?
Killing Astrid initiates the “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” questline, allowing you to eliminate the entire organization with the help of the Penitus Oculatus.
7. Is it better to join the Dark Brotherhood or destroy it?
That depends on your character and your playstyle. Joining offers a compelling questline with unique rewards, but requires embracing a morally dark path. Destroying the Dark Brotherhood is the “good” option, but the rewards are significantly less substantial.
8. What are the best rewards for joining the Dark Brotherhood?
The Blade of Woe, Shadowmere, the Ancient Shrouded Armor set, and significant sums of gold are among the best rewards for joining the Dark Brotherhood.
9. Can I still complete other quests if I join the Dark Brotherhood?
Yes, with very few exceptions. Most quests are unaffected by your membership in the Dark Brotherhood. However, as mentioned before, a specific contract might make you kill someone who is essential to a side quest that you may have wanted to complete, and can lock you out of certain quests.
10. Is it possible to be a good character and still join the Dark Brotherhood?
It’s a matter of perspective and roleplaying. Some players might justify joining the Dark Brotherhood as a means to an end, perhaps believing they are eliminating truly evil individuals. However, the inherent nature of the organization makes it difficult to maintain a consistently “good” persona.
11. How does being a werewolf or vampire affect my experience in the Dark Brotherhood?
The Dark Brotherhood doesn’t discriminate against werewolves or vampires. In fact, one member will acknowledge your lycanthropy, adding a unique element to the dialogue.
12. Can I save anyone from the Dark Brotherhood’s contracts?
No, you can not save anyone from the Dark Brotherhood’s contracts if you are intending to complete the quest. The contracts are mandatory, and refusing to fulfill them will halt your progress.
13. What level should I be before joining the Dark Brotherhood?
There is no specific level requirement. However, being at a higher level will make the contracts easier to complete, especially those involving more challenging targets.
14. Does joining the Dark Brotherhood affect my relationship with the Companions or College of Winterhold?
No, generally there is no significant effect with your membership in the Companions or the College of Winterhold, with the exception of quests involving certain NPCs in the groups. Your actions within those factions are more likely to impact your standing.
15. Can I undo my decision to join the Dark Brotherhood?
No, there is no way to completely undo your decision to join the Dark Brotherhood unless you reload a previous save before joining. Once you’ve sworn allegiance, you are committed to the questline until its completion or destruction.