Why You Should NOT Join the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim
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The Dark Brotherhood, Skyrim’s infamous guild of assassins, offers a tempting path: wealth, power, and the thrill of the kill. However, before you sign your soul away to Sithis, consider the significant drawbacks. You should not join the Dark Brotherhood primarily because it fundamentally alters your character’s moral compass, forcing you to commit acts of cold-blooded murder and align yourself with an explicitly evil organization. While the rewards might seem appealing, the cost to your in-game morality and the potential for role-playing conflicts make this a decision to approach with caution.
The Moral Cost: Embracing Evil
The most significant reason to avoid the Dark Brotherhood is the moral compromise it demands. From the very start, initiation requires you to murder an innocent individual (or several), irrevocably staining your hands with blood. This act sets the tone for the entire questline, which is filled with assassinations of often sympathetic or even crucial characters. Even if you try to justify your actions as “just following orders,” you are actively participating in a cycle of violence and contributing to the suffering of Skyrim’s citizens.
This moral alignment is particularly jarring for players who prefer to role-play as heroes or even neutral characters. Suddenly, your Dragonborn, meant to save the world, is reduced to a hired killer, tarnishing their reputation and potentially creating narrative dissonance. It becomes difficult to reconcile your actions with any semblance of goodness or justice.
Character Conflicts: Who Do You Really Want to Be?
Skyrim is a game about choices, and your affiliations have consequences. Joining the Dark Brotherhood can clash with other character builds and role-playing aspirations. Consider these scenarios:
- The Devout Paladin: A character dedicated to the Divines would find the Dark Brotherhood’s worship of Sithis, the Void, completely antithetical to their beliefs. Participating in their rituals and carrying out their contracts would be a direct betrayal of their faith.
- The Honorable Warrior: A noble Nord seeking to protect Skyrim’s people would struggle with assassinating targets who may not deserve death. The concept of justice and fair combat would be undermined by the Brotherhood’s underhanded methods.
- The Benevolent Mage: A scholar dedicated to healing and understanding magic might find the brutal nature of the Dark Brotherhood’s work abhorrent. Their focus on destruction and suffering would conflict with their pursuit of knowledge and preservation.
By joining the Dark Brotherhood, you effectively limit your character’s potential and force them into a specific moral box. This can diminish the overall role-playing experience and make it harder to fully immerse yourself in the world.
The Loss of Charming Characters
The Dark Brotherhood questline requires you to eliminate several unique and memorable characters. This can be a major drawback for players who enjoy interacting with the diverse cast of NPCs in Skyrim. Some notable examples include:
- Lurbuk: The Orcish bard with a terrible singing voice. While his musical talents may be questionable, he is a charming and harmless individual. Killing him serves no purpose other than fulfilling a contract.
- The Emperor: This act of high treason has massive implications for the political landscape.
Losing these characters not only reduces the overall richness of the game world but can also eliminate potential questlines, interactions, and opportunities for positive relationships. Are the rewards offered by the Dark Brotherhood truly worth sacrificing these experiences?
Gameplay Considerations: The Alternatives
While the Dark Brotherhood offers unique quests and rewards, it’s important to remember that Skyrim provides numerous alternative paths to power and wealth. The Thieves Guild offers a less morally reprehensible avenue for acquiring riches through stealth and trickery. The Companions provide a chance to hone your combat skills and embrace a warrior lifestyle. The College of Winterhold allows you to master the arcane arts and unravel the mysteries of magic.
Furthermore, many side quests and exploration opportunities can provide ample gold and valuable items without resorting to assassination. By focusing on these alternatives, you can build a powerful and fulfilling character without compromising your moral compass.
Long-Term Consequences: The Weight of Guilt
Even in a virtual world, your actions have consequences. While there may not be explicit in-game penalties for joining the Dark Brotherhood, the emotional impact of your choices can significantly affect your enjoyment of the game. The weight of the lives you’ve taken may linger, creating a sense of unease and regret.
This is particularly true for players who are invested in their characters and their stories. The Dark Brotherhood’s actions can create a sense of cognitive dissonance, making it difficult to fully embrace the role-playing experience. In the long run, the moral cost may outweigh the perceived benefits, leading to dissatisfaction and a desire to start anew with a more virtuous character.
Is Destroying the Dark Brotherhood a Better Option?
Interestingly, Skyrim offers an alternative: destroying the Dark Brotherhood. While not a path without its own challenges, it allows you to actively oppose the forces of evil and protect the innocent. This choice aligns better with a heroic or morally upright character and provides a sense of satisfaction in ridding Skyrim of a dangerous organization. While you lose out on the Dark Brotherhood’s rewards, you gain the satisfaction of knowing you’ve made a positive impact on the game world.
The Verdict: Choose Wisely
Ultimately, the decision to join or avoid the Dark Brotherhood is a personal one. However, it’s crucial to carefully consider the moral implications, character conflicts, and potential long-term consequences. While the allure of power and wealth may be tempting, the cost to your character’s soul and your overall enjoyment of the game may be too high. Choose wisely, and remember that there are always alternative paths to explore in the vast and immersive world of Skyrim. You may not become an Assassin for Sithis, but you can save the world in your own way.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are the Dark Brotherhood quests fun?
The Dark Brotherhood questline can be entertaining, offering unique scenarios and opportunities for stealth and assassination. However, the enjoyment is subjective and depends on your tolerance for morally questionable actions.
2. What are the main rewards for joining the Dark Brotherhood?
Key rewards include gold, unique weapons like the Blade of Woe, the Shadowmere horse, and the Ancient Shrouded Armor set, which enhances stealth abilities.
3. Does joining the Dark Brotherhood affect my relationships with other factions?
Generally, no. Your involvement with the Dark Brotherhood is kept secret, and other factions will not react negatively unless you are caught committing a crime.
4. Can I complete the Dark Brotherhood questline and then betray them?
You cannot betray the Dark Brotherhood once you’ve progressed significantly in their questline. The only way to eliminate them is to destroy them from the beginning.
5. What happens if I kill Astrid instead of joining the Dark Brotherhood?
Killing Astrid starts the quest “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” where you work with a member of the Penitus Oculatus to eliminate the entire guild.
6. Is it possible to be a “good” member of the Dark Brotherhood?
It’s difficult to reconcile a truly “good” character with the actions required by the Dark Brotherhood. You might try to rationalize your choices, but ultimately, you are still participating in murder for profit.
7. Are there any mods that make the Dark Brotherhood less evil?
Yes, some mods alter the Dark Brotherhood questline, offering alternative solutions or allowing you to choose less morally reprehensible targets. Search Nexus Mods for options.
8. Will joining the Dark Brotherhood make me hated by the NPCs in Skyrim?
No, unless you are witnessed committing a crime. Your association with the Dark Brotherhood is a secret.
9. Can I still become Thane of a hold if I join the Dark Brotherhood?
Yes, joining the Dark Brotherhood does not prevent you from becoming Thane of any hold.
10. Does joining the Dark Brotherhood lock me out of any other questlines?
No, it does not lock you out of any major questlines. You can still join other guilds and complete other quests.
11. Is the Night Mother evil?
The Night Mother is generally considered evil. She is actively seen as evil by many of the villagers and is culturally taboo to talk about her.
12. What are the 5 rules of the Dark Brotherhood?
The Five Tenets are: Never dishonor the Night Mother, never betray the Dark Brotherhood, never disobey a superior, never steal from a fellow member, and never kill a fellow member.
13. Can I be a werewolf and join the Dark Brotherhood?
Yes, you can be a werewolf and still join the Dark Brotherhood. Your lycanthropy will not affect your membership.
14. What is the best way to destroy the Dark Brotherhood?
Begin by killing Astrid when she asks you to choose a hostage to kill. This will start the quest “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!”, leading you to a member of the Penitus Oculatus who tasks you with wiping them out.
15. Does joining the Dark Brotherhood have any impact on the Civil War questline?
No, your involvement with the Dark Brotherhood has no direct impact on the Civil War questline.
This choice truly alters the course of your roleplaying narrative. As you explore the world, consider other resources like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org to enhance your skills and knowledge for a richer gaming experience.