Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – How to Join the Dark Brotherhood and Become an Assassin

If you want to join the Dark Brotherhood, a group of assassins in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered, you’ll have to jump through a few hoops to get the job done. We outlined the best way to complete your objectives, as well as instructions on how to acquire and complete the quest, Innocence Lost, which allows you to join the Dark Brotherhood.

How to Join the Dark Brotherhood in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

As you make your way through Tamriel, completing quests and taking out enemies, you might find yourself wishing to join the Dark Brotherhood, a distinguished group of assassins. Joining this group in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is no different than it was in the original game. However, there are a few key steps you’ll need to complete in order to gain entrance to this feared cult of assassins. We outlined them all below, so take a look, make sure you meet the requirements and then dive in.

Before you join the Dark Brotherhood, we suggest making sure your character has a level 50 Sneak skill (or higher), as you will have to perform many stealth-based missions once you join the group. Learn more tricks to become a better warrior with our tips on how to be the best in Skyrim.

How to Initiate the Innocence Lost Quest

Before you can join the Dark Brotherhood, you must first gain their attention. This can only be accomplished by completing the Innocence Lost quest, which will end with the Dark Brotherhood contacting you. This quest can be acquired a few different ways. In order to make this easy, we followed the most direct route possible.

Make your way to Windhelm and locate the Aretino Residence near the Gray Quarter in the city. Using a lockpick, break into the house and speak with Aventus Aretino. After initiating conversation with the young child in the house, he will mention that he has been trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood to kill Grelod the Kind, the old woman who runs the Honorfall Orphanage in Riften. Believing that the Dragonborn is a member of the assassin group, he tasks you with completing the deed.

How to Complete the Innocence Lost Quest

Now that you have the quest, make your way to Riften and locate the Honorfall Orphanage. Inside you will find out that Grelod the Kind is not nearly as kind as her name implies. She is also no challenge for the Dragonborn, so dispatch her easily (while being careful not to take out Constance Michel, another member of the Orphanage staff). It’s recommended to kill Grelod while inside the orphanage, as the children will not report the player to the Riften Guards. Once Grelod is dead, head out of the orphanage and make your way back to Windhelm, where you can speak to Aventus and let him know that the deed has been completed. He’ll reward you and then the quest will be complete.

Completing Innocence Lost will initiate a new quest, With Friends Like These, which will require the player to sleep in a bed away from Windhelm. Sleeping in the bed will push the quest forward, with the player being abducted and hidden away in an abandoned shack, where they will be given a choice to either join the brotherhood by killing one, two or all of the potential victims placed before them. The player will also have the choice of attacking the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, Astrid, which will begin the quest, Destroy the Dark Brotherhood. Kill the tied up victims to join the Dark Brotherhood and begin your journey to becoming the ultimate assassin.

It should also be noted that you must complete the Innocence Lost quest if you wish to adopt children from the Honorfall Orphanage in Riften.

If you follow the guide we provided above, you should be able to easily complete the Innocence Lost quest and join the Dark Brotherhood. The Dark Brotherhood isn’t the only faction you can join in Skyrim. In fact, you can even learn how to become a werewolf by joining the Companions, a group of warriors stationed in Whiterun. You can find more guides like this by heading over to our Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim walkthrough.

Become the ultimate assassin and join the Dark Brotherhood in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition.