Does the Life of an Assassin Ever End? Analyzing Skyrim‘s Infinite Dark Brotherhood Questline
As a wise man once said – "Nothing is true, everything is permitted". While fictional assassins like Ezio Auditore may one day hang up their blade, the same cannot be said for our own protagonist in Skyrim. For those who join the infamous Dark Brotherhood faction, the life of a shadowy killer can continue indefinitely even after the main story concludes.
How the Endless Contracts Work
The appropriately named "Dark Brotherhood Forever" quest will generate radiant assassination contracts endlessly after finishing the core quest "Hail Sithis!". By speaking to the undead Night Mother leader, players can initiate a repeatable task to eliminate a randomly chosen NPC target.
| Quest | Repeatability | Level Scales? |
| Dark Brotherhood Forever | Infinite | Yes |
| The Companions Radiants | Finite | No |
Unlike some radiant questlines, Dark Brotherhood Forever maintains challenge by scaling targets to the player‘s level. This ensures continued difficulty no matter how powerful your assassin grows.
Purposeful Design for Extended Play
Allowing endless assassinations beyond the main story serves several gameplay purposes:
- Encourages Specialization – Players can continue improving stealth skills without limits for highly focused builds
- Provides Ongoing Challenge – Scaled opponent levels let high-level players maintain engaging difficulty
- Rewards Commitment – Extra gold and loot for those dedicated to the assassin fantasy
With no level cap in Skyrim, the infinite work of the Dark Brotherhood lets our protagonist continue wearing the hood well into the triple digits.
Implications for Character Building
Specialized assassins and thieves can benefit greatly from the unlimited progression. Maxing skills like Sneak, Illusion, One-Handed, and Light Armor is made faster when stabbing in the dark forever.
Presumptive Data:
- Each contract provides on average ~100 sneak attacks
- Reaching Sneak Level 100 requires ~783 sneak attacks
- Therefore, it would take approximately 8 endless quest contracts to maximize the skill
Other playstyles may still wish to keep their blade sharp for the Night Mother. But casual support characters should consider avoiding eternal assassination duties.
In Conclusion…
For those dedicated to the art of stealthy execution, the Dark Brotherhood Forever quest provides countless targets for your blade. As a devout assassin myself, I welcome the new family business. My own journey still lies ahead… lost somewhere in the shadows.
