Is there a justification for joining the Dark Brotherhood as a "good" or virtuous character?

[Lampros]

I am role-playing a good character, and I need an excuse to join them! ;)

Also, are there any other guilds that are so unambiguously evil - without any shade of gray - that a good character cannot in good conscience join them?

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Deamo:

So basically No
There’s no good justification to join the dark brothers unless you use mods.

Yes, I have now figured that - or cemented my prior opinion - after reading all your comments! ;)

[Nabinkemper]

As to the unique loot, you would miss out on Windshear as well.

[Alucard †]

Originally posted by gnewna:

I would say no. They are a murder-cult who send their victims' souls to 'the void' (cutting them off from one of the more positive afterlife options as well as just killing them.)

As far as other definitely straight up evil factions that you can join in game, only the Volkihar vampires, really.

Do they tho? How does that work? How they have control over someone else's afterlife by just killing someone stealthly?

That usually just lands them supposedly in whatever afterlife they were destined for or in extreme cases leaves a haunting spirit lingering in the area.

I thought only way to control one's afterlife without altar sacrifice or an artifact (usually daedric one) is use of soul gems but those only send souls to soul cairn.

[Valden21]

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

Originally posted by gnewna:

I would say no. They are a murder-cult who send their victims' souls to 'the void' (cutting them off from one of the more positive afterlife options as well as just killing them.)

As far as other definitely straight up evil factions that you can join in game, only the Volkihar vampires, really.

Do they tho? How does that work? How they have control over someone else's afterlife by just killing someone stealthly?

That usually just lands them supposedly in whatever afterlife they were destined for or in extreme cases leaves a haunting spirit lingering in the area.

I thought only way to control one's afterlife without altar sacrifice or an artifact (usually daedric one) is use of soul gems but those only send souls to soul cairn.

It's not just killing stealthily that sends the target's soul to Sithis. According to the UESP, the weapon used HAS to be the Blade of Woe, because it's based on a dagger described in one of the origin rumors about the Night Mother. If a DB member kills a target with anything but the Blade of Woe, the target goes to whatever afterlife they were headed towards anyway. But if the Blade of Woe is used, instant detour to Sithis.

[FiftyBucks]

Only way I can think of that it may work is a Dragonborn that has a duality to their personality and they are having a conflict. Like a healer who's also a werewolf or vampire may fight the monstrous side of themselves and attempt to make their human side stronger. But actively working for the Dark Brotherhood might indicate that they are losing that battle. Or it could be a misguided attempt to appease the monster in them.

[gnewna]

Originally posted by Valden21:

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

Do they tho? How does that work? How they have control over someone else's afterlife by just killing someone stealthly?

That usually just lands them supposedly in whatever afterlife they were destined for or in extreme cases leaves a haunting spirit lingering in the area.

I thought only way to control one's afterlife without altar sacrifice or an artifact (usually daedric one) is use of soul gems but those only send souls to soul cairn.

It's not just killing stealthily that sends the target's soul to Sithis. According to the UESP, the weapon used HAS to be the Blade of Woe, because it's based on a dagger described in one of the origin rumors about the Night Mother. If a DB member kills a target with anything but the Blade of Woe, the target goes to whatever afterlife they were headed towards anyway. But if the Blade of Woe is used, instant detour to Sithis.

Interesting, which page is that? I had the general impression that once the contract is made (Black Sacrament etc) the soul's destination was sealed, regardless of how the assassin carries it out.

[GrimCat]

Good. Evil. Both fine choices. Hail Sithis!

[Alucard †]

Originally posted by Valden21:

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

Do they tho? How does that work? How they have control over someone else's afterlife by just killing someone stealthly?

That usually just lands them supposedly in whatever afterlife they were destined for or in extreme cases leaves a haunting spirit lingering in the area.

I thought only way to control one's afterlife without altar sacrifice or an artifact (usually daedric one) is use of soul gems but those only send souls to soul cairn.

It's not just killing stealthily that sends the target's soul to Sithis. According to the UESP, the weapon used HAS to be the Blade of Woe, because it's based on a dagger described in one of the origin rumors about the Night Mother. If a DB member kills a target with anything but the Blade of Woe, the target goes to whatever afterlife they were headed towards anyway. But if the Blade of Woe is used, instant detour to Sithis.

Ah so Blade of Woe is key.
Guess I've been a merciful assassin.

[every1hasnames]

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

Originally posted by Valden21:

It's not just killing stealthily that sends the target's soul to Sithis. According to the UESP, the weapon used HAS to be the Blade of Woe, because it's based on a dagger described in one of the origin rumors about the Night Mother. If a DB member kills a target with anything but the Blade of Woe, the target goes to whatever afterlife they were headed towards anyway. But if the Blade of Woe is used, instant detour to Sithis.

Ah so Blade of Woe is key.
Guess I've been a merciful assassin.

IM not surprised you didnt know this. Its not mentioned as part of the dark brotherhood storyline in skyrim. Because in skyrim your not playing as a normal dark brotherhood.


YOur playing in a dark brotherhood that has pretty much abandoned the tenants. pretty much didnt follow sithis. And they were actually closer to regular hitman. then actual dark brotherhood.

YOur literaly flat out told this during the dark brotherhood story line.

[Bricky strong]

Being Moral, good for you! Honestly, I try to play in the same way. 'Thieves Guild for good guys' is a decent mod.

[Duke Flapjack]

Originally posted by Bricky strong:

Being Moral, good for you! Honestly, I try to play in the same way. 'Thieves Guild for good guys' is a decent mod.

Yeah, I greatly enjoy the DB storyline but have difficulty justifying playing it as my characters are almost always on the "good" side of the matrix. My current Khajiit is a bit more "chaotic neutral," so I may be able to justify it if he thinks he's killing bad people. This may not be too difficult as Grelod is certainly a vile person.

[Valden21]

Originally posted by gnewna:

Originally posted by Valden21:

It's not just killing stealthily that sends the target's soul to Sithis. According to the UESP, the weapon used HAS to be the Blade of Woe, because it's based on a dagger described in one of the origin rumors about the Night Mother. If a DB member kills a target with anything but the Blade of Woe, the target goes to whatever afterlife they were headed towards anyway. But if the Blade of Woe is used, instant detour to Sithis.

Interesting, which page is that? I had the general impression that once the contract is made (Black Sacrament etc) the soul's destination was sealed, regardless of how the assassin carries it out.

Check the UESP entry on the Blade of Woe, the Lore version.

[FauxFurry]

The only truly virtuous kill is the first (Grelod the Kind) and one can still wipe out the Dark Brotherhood after performing it.
There is no option to be a holy assassin in Skyrim. That is more of a Morrowind/Assassin's Creed thing.

[Duke Flapjack]

Originally posted by FauxFurry:

The only truly virtuous kill is the first (Grelod the Kind) and one can still wipe out the Dark Brotherhood after performing it.
There is no option to be a holy assassin in Skyrim. That is more of a Morrowind/Assassin's Creed thing.

Eh, it's not difficult to get "caught up" in the work, though.

Honestly OP what I would do if you're trying to figure out how to get yourself involved in the DB quest (which is quite a bit of fun, I may add) is grab the Dark Brotherhood for Good Guys mod (which gives your targets some reasons why somebody would want them dead; I mean, you can also reason that nobody wants the goody-two-shoes who does nothing but sing to birds dead) then off Grelod the Kind for the kid as a favor. That's easy. She's terrible. Then RP (even if you could wipe the floor with the entire Imperial army) that your PC was scared of Astrid and offed the prisoners when told to. After that, you got caught up in the whole idea of vengeance killing. I mean, you don't particularly HAVE to become the listener if you don't want to. I sure didn't.

[Clancy McFancy]

it's called "stop roleplaying and enjoy the game" isn't it fantasy enough?