Why does nobody talk about how good the Dark Brotherhood questline actually is

[TamrielTactician]

Playing through it again on my Switch run and I'm genuinely shocked this doesn't get brought up more. Like, Blood on the Ice gets praised constantly (and rightfully so), but the Dark Brotherhood has this consistent thread of actual character development that just keeps building.

Astrid feels like a real person with actual stakes in what she's doing, the sanctuary members all have distinct personalities and problems, and then Cicero shows up and the whole tone shifts. And the way the questline actually makes you feel like you're part of something, not just collecting contracts. Even the radiant jobs after you finish the main questline don't feel like padding the way some faction stuff does.

I think people sleep on it because Skyrim's Dark Brotherhood isn't as flashy as Oblivion's was, but honestly that works in its favor. It feels grounded. What's your take on it?

 

[NordOfSolitude]

I'd actually push back a bit here - I think the Dark Brotherhood gets plenty of love, just maybe not as much as Thieves Guild or Companions. But you're right that the character stuff is genuinely solid. Astrid's arc is way more interesting than people give it credit for, especially once you realize she's been playing a losing game the whole time.

That said, I think the questline kinda loses steam after a certain point. Like, the stuff leading up to Sanctuary is great - Innocence Lost, With Friends Like These, all of that hits different. But once you're actually in the fold and doing contracts, it feels like it's just marking time until the endgame. The radiant jobs are better than some other factions' busy work, sure, but they're still radiant jobs, you know?

And Cicero's whole thing is divisive for a reason. Some people think he's this amazing addition that brings back the Oblivion flavor, and others find him annoying as hell. I'm somewhere in the middle - he's entertaining but he kind of overshadows the actual sanctuary drama when he shows up.

What's your take on where it goes after you rebuild the Brotherhood? Does it land for you or does it feel like the story's already done?