Cidhna Mine actually has a secret exit and nobody uses it

[WhiterunModder]

I just realized you don't have to do the whole forsworn blood oath thing in Cidhna Mine if you find the back way out. There's a passage that connects to the Markarth smelter area and I've never seen anyone talk about it. You can just... leave. Skip the whole "join the forsworn or fight your way out" problem entirely.

Has anyone else used this or am I just now discovering something that's been common knowledge for like 15 years? Because if so I feel dumb but also kind of vindicated because that quest always felt like it was railroading you into a choice you didn't want to make.

 

[DragonbornVet]

I think you're mixing up two different things here. The passage you're talking about - yeah, it exists and connects to the smelter area - but it's not actually a way to skip the quest. You still end up locked in the mine until you either join the Forsworn, kill them, or pay the fine. The back passage is just there geographically; it doesn't bypass the quest logic.

That said, you're not wrong that the quest feels railroady. The whole point is that you're trapped and forced into a choice, which is kind of the design. Some people hate it, some think it's one of the better Forsworn Conspiracy moments. But if you're looking to actually escape without committing to anything, you'd need console commands or a mod - the game won't let you just walk out the back way and pretend nothing happened.