Morrowind:Dark Brotherhood

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The Dark Brotherhood is a guild of assassins shrouded in shadow and mystery. Their origins lie with the Morag Tong, but some time after the assassination of Potentate Versidue-Shaie by the Morag Tong in 2E 324 the Dark Brotherhood split away. They became powerful enough to warrant a mention in the journals of the Blood Queen Arlimahera of Hegathe, which puts their latest date of formation at 2E 360.

In 2E 431 they were involved in the murder of the Potentate Savirien-Chorak and all of his heirs, ending Akaviri rule over Tamriel and leading to the rise of Tiber Septim. Today the Brotherhood can be found all over Tamriel and, although their business is certainly not legal, they are almost universally tolerated. Whenever an individual with legal authority takes an interest in their dealings, the Brotherhood relies upon a combination of bribery, blackmail, coercion, and murder to keep their activities hidden.

In contrast to the Morag Tong's veneration of the Daedric Prince Mephala, the brotherhood worship the void - Sithis. In addition, they see their murders as more of a business opportunity than as a matter of religion and honor. These differences have caused bitter enmity between the two organizations.

The leader of the Dark Brotherhood in Tamriel is the Night Mother, but facts about her are almost impossible to establish. Some suggest that the current Night Mother is the ghost of the first, who is now the wife of Sithis. Others say that the title is merely an honorific given to the current leader.

Next in command beneath the Night Mother is the Black Hand; a Listener and four Speakers. The Listener relays instructions from the Night Mother to the Speakers who will dispatch a brotherhood member to carry out the murder. To obtain a contract with the Dark Brotherhood, it is necessary to perform a ritual to contact the Night Mother. The ritual involves stabbing some actual body parts (including a heart, skull, bones and flesh), within a circle of candles, with a dagger rubbed with the petals of a Nightshade plant, while whispering the plea, "Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear."

For general information about the Dark Brotherhood, see the Tamriel article.

The Dark Brotherhood is one of the unjoinable guilds in Morrowind. They are based in Mournhold and you will encounter them in the main quest of the Tribunal expansion. See the Tribunal article for more specific information about their role in the expansion. They have a considerably greater role in Oblivion.