Note: This guide works for both The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Oblivion Remastered.
In Oblivion, no guild is as secretive or as deadly as the Dark Brotherhood. This ancient assassin’s guild isn’t like the other factions in Oblivion in that you can’t just walk up to their front door and ask to join—it’s pretty hard to even find their front door in the first place.
If you’ve been talking to some of Oblivion’s citizens, you’ve probably heard a few of the rumors about the Dark Brotherhood, but there’s only one way to find this shadowy society if you want to join the ranks of assassins: you have to encourage them to find you.
Here are the steps to follow to join the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion:
How to join the Dark Brotherhood 1. Kill someone
The first step is actually pretty simple: kill someone .
But you can’t kill just anyone. The assassins of the Dark Brotherhood aren’t interested if you kill some fort bandit or hedge wizard or other hostile person who is trying to kill you right back. You need to commit murder by killing an innocent .
(Image credit: Bethesda)
We have some specific suggestions further down the page about who to kill, but you should avoid killing people who give quests or run shops or are otherwise important to your day-to-day business. There are also lots of “essential” NPCs who can’t be killed: you can spot them by a crown icon appearing when you try to talk to them.
If you’ve done it properly you’ll see a message on your screen once your victim is dead: “Your killing has been observed by forces unknown…”
That means the Dark Brotherhood is now aware of you.
2. Go to sleep
Your next step is to go to sleep .
Find a bed at an inn or somewhere safe and choose to sleep. You’ll see a message saying “The air grows chill and a shadow approaches…” You’ll then wake up to meet Lucien Lachance, a Dark Brotherhood member, who will explain what you’ll need to do to join the Dark Brotherhood. Surprise: he wants you to kill someone else.
(Image credit: Bethesda)
3. Kill Rufio
Lucien will instruct you to kill a man named Rufio in the Inn of Ill Omen, north of Bravil. You can speak to the Inn’s owner, Manheim, or look in the basement where you’ll find Rufio. Attack Rufio or talk to him first: either way he won’t try to leave the basement.
4: Go to sleep again
The easiest thing to do is sleep right there in Rufio’s bed. Lucien will return and tell you to go to Cheydinhal and look for the abandoned house near the eastern wall, enter its basement (it’ll take a lockpick), and look for the basement door (it’s marked with a skull and red handprint, very inconspicuous). When asked a question at that door, answer with “Sanguine, my Brother.”
That’s it! You’re now in the Dark Brotherhood and your first real contract awaits. Good luck, killer.
Good NPCs to kill to join the Dark Brotherhood Part of the grisly fun of joining the Dark Brotherhood is deciding who will be your first kill to get the assassin’s guild’s attention, but if you can’t choose for yourself, here are a few suggestions.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
NPC
Location
Notes
Alga
Honmund’s House, Bruma, south of the Fighter’s Guild
She’s a good one to pick because will respawn later if killed
Dralora Athram
Ulen Athram’s House, Imperial City, Talos Plaza District
She isn’t tied to any quests
Glarthir
Glarthir’s House, Skingrad
After completing the quest “Paranoia” he can be killed without acquiring a bounty
Captain Renault
Tutorial
Captain Renault dies in the tutorial during the ambush, so you can kill her before the enemies do
Roxanne Brigette
Skooma Den, Bravil
She can be killed in front of the other skooma addicts and they won’t report it
Adventurer
Random caves
You might randomly meet one in a cave, though it’s not a sure thing
The Adoring Fan
The Arena, Imperial City
The Adoring Fan. The upside (or downside) is he’ll respawn in a few days
Lazare Milvan
Lazare Milvan’s House, Skingrad, across from All Things Alchemical
He’s just kind of a snooty jerk
