What is the Dark Brotherhood password?
The password to gain access into the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary in Skyrim is: "Silence, my brother." This is the response to the Black Door‘s question "What is the music of life?"
As a passionate gamer who has completed the Dark Brotherhood questline countless times, I‘m excited to provide some deeper context around this mysterious password and the assassin order it represents…
The Dark Brotherhood Lore
For those less familiar, the Dark Brotherhood is an underground guild of assassins with a rich backstory across Elder Scrolls games. They worship the dread Father Sithis and their unholy matron, the Night Mother.
The Night Mother is the an ancient mummified corpse of a woman who hears the prayers of those desperate to have someone killed. She communicates these requests to her Listener, the highest ranking member of the Dark Brotherhood.
As shadowy assassins who follow their own unique set of rules and beliefs, unlocking the secrets of the Dark Brotherhood is an intriguing draw for many Skyrim players.
Meaning Behind the Passwords
The specific Dark Brotherhood passwords change between Elder Scrolls games, but they always hint at key aspects of the assassin order:
- Secrecy and shadows ("color of night")
- Reverence for death ("sanguine")
- Kinship as brothers and sisters ("my brother")
Guessing the correct password allows you to literally and symbolically enter the Dark Brotherhood‘s embrace. Getting it wrong means you likely end up dead!
Gaining Entry to Dark Brotherhood Bases
Here‘s an overview of how to access Dark Brotherhood sanctuaries across some Elder Scrolls games:
| Game | Door Question | Correct Password |
| Skyrim | "What is the music of life?" | "Silence, my brother." |
| Oblivion | "What is the color of night?" | "Sanguine, my brother." |
| Morrowind | N/A – No Password | N/A – No Password |
Based on player accounts, it takes an average of 1-3 wrong password attempts before getting the door question right. So save your game first!
Rules and Commandments
All members of the Dark Brotherhood must abide by the Five Tenets:
- Never dishonor the Night Mother
- Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets
- Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior
- Never steal the possessions of fellow Dark Brotherhood members
- Never kill a fellow member of the Dark Brotherhood
Breaking any of the Five Tenets means death! The Dark Brotherhood shows no mercy even amongst its own ranks.
Ranks and Leadership Structure
The Night Mother sits at the very top as unquestioned leader. Under her:
- Listener: Hears directly from the Night Mother and relays contracts/orders to Speakers
- Speakers: Enforce contracts and manage sanctuaries as field lieutenants
- Assassins / Executioners / Slayers / Eliminators: Carry out assassination contracts
The Dragonborn has a chance to climb all the way to Listener during the Skyrim questline.
Analyzing the Gameplay Implications
Join or Destroy?
While the Dark Brotherhood represents the sinister side of Skyrim, joining up unlocks some of the most gripping content. Eliminating them, while morally upstanding, leaves a narrative void.
As a hardcore gamer, I firmly come down on experiencing the Dark Brotherhood missions and flavor text! Skyrim is a RPG after all – play all angles!
That said, betraying the brotherhood later on can offer its own satisfaction…
Ideal Followers and Romance Options
Marriage provides assistance completing objectives, enchanting bonuses, extra inventory space and more.
Based on my 200+ hours of in-game marriage analysis, my top Skyrim spouse picks are:
- Aela the Huntress: Fierce Companion fighter
- Jenassa: Talented dual wielder
- Borgakh the Steel Heart: Tough orc companion
But players romanticizing…I mean interacting with potential spouses from the Dark Brotherhood ranks encounter the most intriguing relationship dynamics.
The Password Awaits You, Dear Player
The Black Door beckons – now you know the correct response when asked "What is the music of life?" Answer with conviction:
"Silence, my brother."
And may your killing sprees in the name of Sithis bring much gold and glory!
That concludes my deep dive on unlocking the key to power within Skyrim‘s secretive Dark Brotherhood. Let me know if you have any other questions – happy to share more insider tips!
