Best Great House to join as a dark elf assassin

[YardDawg]

I am playing a dark elf assassin, who loves to take out anyone and anything that gets in the way or contracted to do. I have looked at some of the great houses, and it appears that House Hlaalu is the best fit because of the favored attributes and skills. However, I am by no means a merchant, and the attributes and skills on other houses do not match my character.

Does anyone have an opinion on what, how, and where I should join, and grant a house my services?

[meheezen]

Hlaalu is corrupt as hell and you can automatically join and become its grandmaster when doing the main quest. House Redoran has a few nice quests and i recommend you look into it. As for your character, i dont believe there is any House that really suits your needs.

[piccolo255]

Hlaalu is trade and politics, and politics in Morrowind is quite a medieval affair, with lots of assassinating all around. Official quests aside, for roleplaying, you'd be more of a "dirty tricks" specialist for the House.

Alternatively, House Telvanni. It's magic-focused, but also quite ruthless, and murdering other House members for your own gain is pretty much expected. For an assassin, the magic schools of Illusion, Alteration, and Mysticism have many useful spells. In a world of magic, even as an assassin, why would you not use Invisibility, Chameleon, Frenzy, Night Eye, Levitate, Detect Enchantment, Dispel...

[psychotron666]

It would be house hlaalu for sure. They aren't all merchants, they're merchants, thieves, mob bosses, politicians and white collar criminals.
That fits great for an assassin, you can roleplay that you're like the cleanup guy who gets his hands dirty for the politicians and merchants who are constantly backstabbing eachother and conniving against eachother.

Basically you're that shadowy figure that kings and Barons get to do their off the record work and you don't tell them the details, so they can keep playing the part of benevolent overlord.

[RandomDude]

Yeah to me the three houses have always been pretty simple.
Redoran -Warriors
Hlaalu - Thievery
Telvanni - Magic

Redoran have always seemed honourable to me where as Hlaalu and Telvanni are more seedy as others have said.
Where does an assassin fit into that? Take your pick!

[rubyismycat]

the best house is telvanni its the hardest but you get the best training best missions best spells and the best magical items in the game like the dominator

[////]

very short term - house hlaalu. they are in turmoil and weak the moment game starts, so no one cares about anything, but ideologically they supposed to be most civilized and in best relationships (among other great houses) with the empire. since most shady things are outlawed in the empire, future of assassins in house hlaalu does not look very promising.

medium term - redoran. in general they are alright with regulated assassinations. however, as warriors by nature they should round up to more honorable ways more often than not.

long term - telvanni. as keepers of ancient traditions by nature, and as those who care about common affairs the least, they are also the least likely candidates to change anything about morag tong ways.