Deception’s Coin: Lying to Nazir in Skyrim – A Deep Dive
So, you’ve just completed a lucrative contract for the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim, and you’re staring at a hefty bag of 20,000 gold. Nazir, ever the pragmatist, awaits your report. The question burning in your mind is simple: What happens if you lie to Nazir about the money?
The short answer is… not much, actually! You can choose to tell Nazir you received the full 20,000 gold, or you can fabricate a story about getting only 10,000 gold or even a measly 5,000 gold. Regardless of your chosen fabrication, you keep the entire 20,000 gold. Nazir’s reaction will vary slightly depending on the lie you tell, but the ultimate outcome remains the same: he’ll suggest you speak with Delvin Mallory of the Thieves Guild in Riften to discuss using a letter of credit for services rendered – essentially, upgrading the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary.
The real consequence isn’t financial; it’s the subtle shift in character. Lying to Nazir might appeal to players role-playing as particularly greedy or secretive assassins. However, from a purely mechanical perspective, there’s no tangible penalty for being dishonest. This decision highlights a common theme in Skyrim: player agency and the freedom to craft your own narrative, even if it involves a little white lie (or a massive fib!) along the way.
Understanding the Mechanics of the Dark Brotherhood Questline
The Dark Brotherhood questline is one of the most popular and morally ambiguous storylines in Skyrim. The choice to deceive Nazir is just one of many opportunities for players to define their character’s allegiance and ethics. To truly understand the implications of this seemingly minor decision, it’s important to grasp the broader context of the questline and its associated mechanics.
Sanctuary Upgrades and Delvin Mallory
The Sanctuary upgrades are a significant benefit, enhancing the aesthetic and functional value of your home base. Delvin Mallory offers a range of improvements, but they come at a price – 19,000 gold to be precise. This means, if you’re being entirely honest, you almost have enough gold to complete all the upgrades.
The Illusion of Choice
The option to lie to Nazir highlights a common design trope in video games: the illusion of choice. While players are presented with different dialogue options, the core gameplay loop remains unaffected. This can be both a blessing and a curse. It allows for greater role-playing opportunities but might leave some players feeling that their decisions lack genuine consequence. This highlights the potential of games for learning and moral reasoning as explored by the Games Learning Society. GamesLearningSociety.org researches how these choices impact player behavior and understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Nazir and the Dark Brotherhood
Here are some frequently asked questions surrounding Nazir, the Dark Brotherhood, and the potential ramifications of your actions within this intriguing questline:
1. Why is Nazir making me pay a fine in the first place?
This typically refers to a different scenario. If you attack a member of the Dark Brotherhood (accidentally or intentionally), you’ll need to pay a fine to Nazir to regain the organization’s favor. This acts as a symbolic gesture of remorse and re-acceptance into the fold.
2. Why won’t Nazir give me more contracts?
Nazir’s contract offerings are tied to your progression through the main Dark Brotherhood questline. Certain key missions must be completed before he’ll provide additional contracts. Be patient and keep progressing the main story!
3. How much did Motierre actually pay?
Motierre, the Emperor’s contact, provides you with 20,000 gold hidden in an urn at Volunruud. This is the exact sum you report (or lie about) to Nazir.
4. Can I marry Nazir in Skyrim?
Unfortunately, no. While Skyrim allows you to marry various NPCs regardless of gender or race, Nazir is not an eligible marriage candidate.
5. Do the Dark Brotherhood contracts ever end?
The initial set of contracts given by Nazir will eventually conclude. However, after completing the “Hail Sithis!” questline, you unlock “The Dark Brotherhood Forever” quest. This quest provides infinite radiant contracts from the Night Mother, ensuring a never-ending stream of assassinations.
6. What happens if I get kicked out of the Dark Brotherhood?
There are a few ways to get banished from the Dark Brotherhood, including:
- Feeding on contract victims with the Ring of Namira equipped.
- Pickpocketing, attacking, or killing a Dark Brotherhood member (including Shadowmere and the Spectral Assassin).
Banishement means you no longer have access to the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary, quests, and resources.
7. Can I save Nazir during the “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” questline?
If you choose to destroy the Dark Brotherhood, you will inevitably kill Nazir. However, if you remain loyal to the Brotherhood, you can save him during the attack on the Sanctuary.
8. What race is Nazir in Skyrim?
Nazir is a Redguard assassin.
9. Can I betray the Dark Brotherhood at any time?
The primary way to betray the Dark Brotherhood is to kill Astrid in the shack at the beginning of the questline. This will initiate the “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” quest. Once you are deep into the questline, it becomes much harder to turn against the Brotherhood.
10. Are there infinite Dark Brotherhood contracts before completing “Hail Sithis!”?
No. Before completing the “Hail Sithis!” questline, you are limited to the initial set of contracts provided by Nazir. The infinite radiant contracts from the Night Mother are only unlocked afterward.
11. Is it better to destroy or join the Dark Brotherhood?
This depends on your playstyle and moral alignment. Joining the Dark Brotherhood offers a unique and engaging questline with valuable rewards, including Shadowmere. Destroying the Dark Brotherhood provides a different, albeit shorter, questline and a sense of moral satisfaction for players who oppose assassination.
12. Can I fail a Dark Brotherhood contract?
Unlike some other games, you cannot “fail” a Dark Brotherhood contract in the sense that you’ll receive a significant penalty or mission failure. You might encounter complications (being detected, facing unexpected enemies), but the quest will generally continue until you complete the assassination target.
13. Where does the Dark Brotherhood quest line Rank?
The Dark Brotherhood questline is highly ranked amongst gamers and considered one of the best storylines in the game.
14. What happens if your spouse dies in Skyrim?
You can’t remarry in Skyrim. It is possible that they’ll be upset with you if you were the one that killed the spouse.
15. Can I divorce in Skyrim?
Sadly, there is no way to divorce someone in Skyrim.