So, you’ve found the Abandoned Shack in Skyrim. Life takes a stabby turn. Astrid, the Dark Brotherhood’s leader, gives you a dilemma: join the assassination business or risk a messy situation. Let’s dissect this choice – to join or vanquish the Dark Brotherhood. Your decision leads to hefty consequences. Loot matters.
To Join or Not to Join: The Astrid Question
The quest “With Friends Like These…” kicks off the drama. Astrid, with her sinister charm, asks you to eliminate one of three captives. You may choose Fultheim, Alea, or Vasha. Don’t stress over your pick. Show Astrid you’re committed to murder-for-hire, and she’ll unlock the shack. Welcome to the Dark Brotherhood.
But for the rebels, here’s a twist: you can kill Astrid instead. This shifts you to the “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” questline. Bold move, Dragonborn. Let’s see how it goes.
Uh Oh, You Killed Astrid: Consequences
Killing Astrid locks you out of the Dark Brotherhood questline. “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!” becomes your mission. Think of it as the ‘anti-Dark Brotherhood.’ Big news if you aren’t using mods; say goodbye to unique rewards and quests. You slam the door on treasure, proving a point. Was it worth it?
Perks of Joining the Dark Brotherhood
Let’s discuss loot and perks. The Dark Brotherhood questline bursts with rewards. You can earn around 20,000 gold. That’s enticing enough for early retirement. There’s also the Blade of Woe, a health-siphoning dagger. Perfect for facing dragons. And don’t miss the Ancient Shrouded Armor set. It’s stylish and sneaky.
But there’s more! Joining unlocks the Dawnstar Sanctuary. Upgrade it, and it becomes handy. Destroying the Brotherhood? You lose all of these perks. No Shadowmere (an awesome horse), no gold, no Summon Spectral Assassin power, and none of the other benefits. You miss out on Master trainers, too. Destroying them is like saying “no thanks” to a feast.
Astrid: More Than Just a Sinister Smile
Astrid deserves some thought. She leads the Dark Brotherhood. She’s ruthless yet complicated. Unfortunately, she is already married to Arnbjorn, the resident werewolf. Learn more about her on the Elder Scrolls Wiki.
The kicker: Astrid fears you might outshine her as the Night Mother’s favorite. She reveals your plot to Penitus Oculatus and Commander Maro, seeking protection for her Brotherhood. Talk about betrayal! Astrid’s fate is sealed, regardless of your choices. Things won’t end well for her.
The Captives: Does Your Choice Really Matter?
Back in the Abandoned Shack, Astrid presents a choice. Kill Fultheim, Alea, or Vasha. In truth, it doesn’t matter who takes the fall. The result is the same: Astrid welcomes you. It’s about proving you can follow orders, even morally questionable ones. Killing Astrid instead shifts you to the “Destroy” quest, leading down a different path.
Shadowmere: The Horse of Nightmares
Now, let’s discuss Shadowmere. This is no ordinary horse; it’s Shadowmere. Gaining this remarkable steed is a prime perk of joining the Dark Brotherhood. During “The Cure for Madness,” Astrid gifts you Shadowmere to escort Cicero to Dawnstar Sanctuary. The Daily Dot discussed whether joining is worth it, noting Shadowmere’s appeal.
Shadowmere isn’t average. This black horse with glowing red eyes emerges from dark waters. Regular horse entries are beneath it. As for gender? Shadowmere was a mare in Oblivion but identifies as a stallion in Skyrim. Quite the transformation! If it wanders off in combat, don’t worry. It resurfaces after about 10 in-game days.
Interestingly, rumor has it that even if you destroy the Dark Brotherhood, you can still acquire Shadowmere. Commander Maro may task you with retrieving its deed from Arnbjorn. Even destroyers find it hard to resist this demonic horse.
The Blade of Woe: A Dagger with a Thirst
Another prized possession is the Blade of Woe. You can pickpocket this dagger from Astrid during the Night Mother’s coffin scene before officially joining the Brotherhood. Sneaky but effective. This dagger steals health, making it valuable for aspiring assassins.
Destroying the Thieves Guild? Hold Your Horses
For completionists wondering about the Thieves Guild: in the base game, you can’t destroy it. You must coexist. Mods like “Destroy the Thieves Guild” exist for those committed to cleaning Skyrim’s crime scene. Vanilla Skyrim doesn’t offer that option. The Dark Brotherhood can dramatically end; the Thieves Guild remains.
Other Dark Brotherhood Tidbits to Ponder
To wrap up, consider these Dark Brotherhood lore bits. Joining means embracing merciless killing. Definitely not Boy Scouts material. But hey, it’s just a video game.
Fun fact for werewolves: join in your furry form and you get a nod from the werewolf member. They appreciate a fellow beast.
Need to vent Thalmor frustration? Targets include Thalmor Justiciars and soldiers. No murder bounty awaits for diminishing those elves.
Speaking of morally gray acts, consider the Ebony Blade. Betray and kill ten “friendly” NPCs to unleash its health-absorbing potential (30 points per hit!). Followers aren’t included; it’s picky about victims.
Ever heard of the Pale Lady quest? It has a creepy backstory. Placing the sword on an altar causes the Pale Lady to vanish. Game Rant dives into this eerie quest. Skyrim holds many surprises.
Lastly, lying to Nazir about an Emperor’s bounty changes nothing quest-wise. Nazir isn’t bothered by fibs regarding gold. Professional assassins either uphold standards or lack them.
There you have it: The Dark Brotherhood dilemma explained. Join for loot and the horse or destroy for the questline and clear conscience (sort of). Choose wisely, Dragonborn; may luck favor your choices.
