[WIP] Destroy the Dark Brotherhood Improved

[Mercami]

This mod will give players who don't want to join the Dark Brotherhood a longer and more involved quest line than the current Destroy the Dark Brotherhood quest in Skyrim. It will give players the chance to see the story and earn rewards similar to what you would earn if you did join them, without having to become an assassin.

 

Most of the events that happen during the DB quests will still happen so that this mod will fit into TES lore. This is still very much a work in progress and nothing is set in stone so far. I'd love to hear any ideas or suggestions that you think will improve the story. Without the CK story and quest writing is about all I can do right now.

 

I'll break down my story into bits with spoiler tags so you won't have a massive wall of text to look at. Also if you haven't played the DB quest line there will be spoilers.

 

Quest one.

 

 

 

You go to Aventus Aretino and he responds as usual mistaking you for a DB agent. You'll have the option to tell him that you won't kill Grelod. He then offers you his family hierloom anyway. Instead of starting the first Dark Brotherhood quest you will start an alternate quest to warn Grelod that she is in danger and should leave.

 

You go to Riften and tell Grelod you must speak with her in private, she'll walk back to her room and you tell Grelod her life is in danger and she can not stay in Riften. She'll refuse to leave, at this point you'll have several options.

 

#1 Persuade her to leave Riften go into hiding and never return. She will walk out never to be seen again. (yay)

 

#2 Intimidate her to leave by telling her you'll do the job yourself, for the horrible way she's treated the orphans if she doesn't leave and if you ever see her again you will kill her.

 

#3 Tell her fine she can stay right where she is, when the DB comes for her she will regret it.

 

#4 Kill her yourself.

 

Whatever option you choose a DB assassin will come into the room. If Grelod is still in the room/alive the assassin will kill her then attack you. If Grelod is gone the assassin will attack you. On the body of the DB agent you'll find several coded papers. You then are given a quest objective to return to Aventus and tell him the orphanage is safe now.

 

At Aventus' house you find "Bob" this would be a new character who is attempting to help the boy. His name will be changed later to a name that fits him when the story is finished. He would talk with you about Aventus. Bob will say that the DB once killed someone he cared about and they were just an innocent in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because of this he's devoted the rest of his life to helping those who are innocent but in danger from the DB. You'll tell Bob what happened in Riften and show him the coded papers you found. Bob will tell you he can decode them but it will take him a few days to crack it. He tells you he will help Aventus get back to the orphanage and he will stay there to help the traumatized children.

 

While you are waiting for Bob to crack the code a messenger will find you and deliver a note to you. It will be the black hand with "We know" written on it. You'll take this note to Bob.

 

 

 

Quest two.

 

 

 

When you show Bob the note he'll tell you the DB has marked you as a target and if you want to stay alive you'll need all the help you can get. Bob gives you a quest to find Cicero for the Delayed Burial quest. He heard of a Cicero who was involved with the Dark Brotherhood and there is a rumor that there is someone named Cicero in Skyrim. He doesn't know if it's the same Cicero or not and warns you not to go to the guards about him, that he could become very violent if you do.

 

You go to Cicero and do the Delayed Burial quest hopefully following the instructions that you should not report him to the guard. You return to Bob at the orphanage and tell him that Cicero is insane and was mostly concered about his dead mother. That will confirm Bob's suspicion that the DB is operating out of Skyrim now. That Cicero's "Mother" is the Night Mother, the matron of the DB. Belived to be the wife of Sithis who killed her own children.

 

 

 

Quest three.

 

 

 

Bob tells you that he's getting too old for this kind of work and that you are likely better equiped than he to take on the DB face to face. Bob tells you there is a man named Ennodius Papius at Anga's Mill who thinks someone is out to get him, Bob asks you to go to him and find out why.

 

When you arrive at Anga's Mill you find Ennodius Papius, while speaking to him a DB assassin arrives. You kill the assassin saving Ennodius. On the assassin you find more coded papers. You tell Ennodius to find Bob at the orphanage in Riften and give him a few gold to help him get there.

 

You tell Bob that Ennodius is on his way here to hide. Bob says that he doesn't think Riften is the best place to hide. He asks if you've found any places one might hide to use as a safe haven on your adventures. You'll then start a quest to find one.

 

 

 

Safe Haven quest.

 

 

 

I'm thinking this could be a new Dwemer Ruin with underground caverns similar to Blackreach but much smaller.

 

I haven't decided where this will be but it will be a place that the people who would have died during the DB quest will go after you save them. It will be upgradeable to include various things a small settlement would need to support it's self. Such as a mine, mill or farm. It will give the people and even the player homes and work once fully finished.

 

 

 

Quest four.

 

 

 

The contract Bob has decoded is for Narfi a beggar in Ivarstead. Bob says the contract didn't say who wanted Narfi dead so you'll need to tell him to leave Ivarstead and hide.

 

When you goto Narfi at Ivarstead he won't want to leave untill you do his quest to help him find his sister.

 

Once you've gained Narfi's trust you ask him if he has a place he can hide for a while. He'll start to ramble on about a place he and his sister found when they were children, that it was a great place for hide and seek. His parents found out about it and told them never to play there again because it wasn't safe. He would go hide there if he could but it's not safe, so he asks you to make it safe so he can go there without making his parents mad at him.

 

He'll give you the location of a hidden Dwemer ruin. This will become your safe haven after you've cleared it out of the Falmer who've taken it over and disabled any traps inside. When you return to Narfi you'll have the option to give him food or gold so that he can buy supplies won't have to leave the ruin for a while. You tell him a password and give him instructions to lock the door and not let anyone inside unless they know the password.

 

You return to Bob in Riften tell him Narfi is safe and give him the location and password. Bob gives you the next decoded contract for Beitild in Dawnstar. He says Leigelf is behind the contract wanting his sperated wife dead because she's started a new mining business and doesn't like the competition. He says Beitild will never be safe as long as her husband wants her dead so you'll have to deal with him first.

 

While you do that Bob will take Ennodius (who is hiding in the Ratway) with him and relocate to the Safe Haven.

 

 

 

Quest Five.

 

 

 

You travel to Dawnstar and find Leigelf. You tell Leigelf you know he has had contact with the Dark Brotherhood and is planning to have his wife assassinated. At this point you have several options -

 

#1 Tell him that you are going to kill him instead.

 

#2 Tell him to come with you because you are turning him in to the guards.

 

Regardless of what you choose Leigelf will run and escape from you.

 

After this you goto Beitild tell her of her husband's plan and that she isn't safe. She'll say she has nowhere to go and the mine is all she has and she can't very well pack that up with her. You'll tell her of the safe haven and offer her gold so she can escape. She'll say she's not asking for charity and she will sell you the deed to her mine. She'll say even if you don't want the mine yourself you should be able to fetch a good price for it.

 

Beitild will relocate to the Safe Haven and there will be an option for you to help her mine the treasures there.

 

 

 

Quest Six.

 

 

 

When you return to Bob he will have finished decoding the last paper. He'll tell you it's not a contract but an order to report to someone named Muiri in Markarth. He'll tell you to let her think you're from the DB and find out what she's up to.

 

When you speak to Muiri she'll tell you her story when she's done you'll have several options.Tell her that you aren't who she thinks you are and that -

 

#1 (persuade) There is another path. You will go recover the stolen items from Alain Dufont, and return them

 

to the Shatter-Shield Family and tell them of her innocence.

 

#2 Tell her that you are going to the guards and turning her in.

 

#3 Tell her she deserves to die more than Nilsine and that you are going to take her life.

 

If you choose option 1 she'll say she's sorry and she thought murder and revenge was what she wanted. She'll give you a ring she hopes will help you. This will also unlock her as a marriage option.

 

If you choose #2 or #3 she'll try to bribe you with a ring. You can take the ring or refuse. If you refuse

she'll attack you and you can just take her ring from the body.

 

Whatever you choose you'll be given a quest to goto Raldbthar to recover the stolen items. Once you've done that you can return them to Nilsine Shatter-Shield. When you return them Nilsine will be so happy she'll say if you ever need help the Shatter-Shield family will come to your aid. I'm thinking of making Nilsine a follower or something similar later on in the story line.

 

 

 

Quest Seven.

 

 

 

You return to the safe house, Bob then tells you he doesn't know what the Brotherhood's next move will be. He tells you however that in Riften gold can open doors and that money talks and it would be the best place to pick up any rumors. It's no secret that the Thieves Guild operates in Riften and he asks you to seek them out in the ratway's Ragged Flagon.

 

In the tavern you would meet a shady member of the thieves guild (she would be an entirely new character) you would ask her if she might know anything about the Dark Brotherhood. For the right price she tells you that in fact there was a person who recently came there that was even more secretive than usual. She just happened to over hear some of the conversation he had with Delvin Mallory because of her curiosity and great elven ears.

 

The man had brought Delvin a special and expensive amulet. She'll tell you that her curious nature motivated her to follow the stranger. She was able to keep up with them till they reached Falkreath, where she was "distracted" by something very shiny. She tells you that that's all she knows. If you ask her why she's telling you all of this, she's say that other than the gold that is her main motivation in life, she doesn't care for the Dark Brotherhood's methods because people are often more valuable alive than dead.

 

You return to Bob with this information. He says it's a good lead and the best option you have to find out where the DB base is and what their next move may be. He asks you to search for the sanctuary and gives you a pass phrase that will get you inside. You are to look for any items that will help you find out what the DB is up to. He also gives you a modified DB armor set, one that will cover your face in case you are seen. He tells you to avoid combat with them at all costs, these are deadly assassins to take them all on in their home would be insanity, and to only enter it at night when the members should be sleeping or out preforming contracts.

 

You go to Falkreath find the sanctuary and get inside. All the members would be sleeping or not there (such as Babette who wouldn't be sleeping at night) inside you would find a few special items you need to pick up for your quest.

 

Special item #1 - A special letter that is in code.

Special item #2 - Coded contracts listing the next few targets. Hern, Lurbuk, ect along with their locations.

Special item #3 - A sealed spell book that is impossible to open. This would a be the spell book that teaches summon spectral assassin, Bob will find a use for it later not really sure where I'm going to go with this idea yet.

 

Then you return to Bob. He tells that the first letter is a much more complex code, but the others are in the same code he's already broken and you should go and try to help the targets. When you ask him about the sealed spell book he will make a remark that he hasn't seen one of those in years. This makes you ask the question, how does Bob know so much about the DB?

 

When questioned about his past Bob will tell you his secret.

 

 

 

Bob's Secret.

 

 

 

 

Bob will tell you that what he told you was true they killed someone he cared about. That someone was his wife, that he was the real target. It was dark the night it happened and they mistook her for him.

 

You ask Bob why the DB was after him. He tells you that it's been many years since he's told anyone this but, that you remind him of someone he once knew, he trusts you and that you have a right to know the full story. He tells you his real name is Tyermaillin and long ago he was a member of the Blades. That even if there were members of the blades still around none of them would even know about him.

 

After his wife was killed he was moved to Vvardenfell. (Vvardenfell? The player asks.) Yes Vvardenfell, he lived in Balmora before Red Year. After the Oblivion Crisis the blades had no true emperor to serve. When the Red Mountain exploded he must have been presumed dead, and thought it best if the DB continued to think that. He changed his name and undermined the DB when possible. Bob says he could have never taken on the DB alone, even though he was a member of the Blades he doesn't have much in the way of offensive skills. (So you're over 200 years old? The player asks.)

 

Bob says closer to 300 really, elves are known to have long lives and it's helped that he's a healer and alchemist. So he's been following, observing and learning about the DB for quite a while and that is how he knows so much about them.

 

After this Bob will become a Master Trainer in Alchemy avaible to the player, in replacement of Babette who you can only find by joining the DB.

 

 

Edited February 3, 2012 by Mercami

[Mercami]

Reserved for later.

[MacKom]

Yes, PLEASE!

 

I really don`t like the DB storyline, so on my new runs I choose the "destroy the DB" quest, and yes, it could be more elaborate. Really do hope this one gets done. ;)

[fraquar]

Gotta think that the storyline behind Destroying the DB has to be centered around a very personal 1st hand experience.

 

These people don't just kill for sport, they are hired, have a specific target and ordinarily you'd want to get the guy that put out the contract instead (DB is just doing other peoples bidding). No, this is personal between the Brotherhood and you.

 

Something like you are a former Assassin who has left the Brotherhood and reformed, but they have put out the contract on you, tracked you down and won't stop till you are dead. Maybe throw in the fact they killed a good (innocent) friend of yours (or family or spouse) trying to get to you to add that extra bit of fuel to the fire to turn it into a raging inferno of DB purging revenge. Even a good guys knows when enough is enough.

 

The whole Grelod thing sounds like a perfect radiant quest - kids need saving, boy needs saved before his soul turns black, etc.

[Mercami]

Gotta think that the storyline behind Destroying the DB has to be centered around a very personal 1st hand experience.

 

These people don't just kill for sport, they are hired, have a specific target and ordinarily you'd want to get the guy that put out the contract instead (DB is just doing other peoples bidding). No, this is personal between the Brotherhood and you.

 

Something like you are a former Assassin who has left the Brotherhood and reformed, but they have put out the contract on you, tracked you down and won't stop till you are dead. Maybe throw in the fact they killed a good (innocent) friend of yours (or family or spouse) trying to get to you to add that extra bit of fuel to the fire to turn it into a raging inferno of DB purging revenge. Even a good guys knows when enough is enough.

 

The whole Grelod thing sounds like a perfect radiant quest - kids need saving, boy needs saved before his soul turns black, etc.

 

Thank you very much for your suggestion. I've rewritten most of the first and second quest to make it more personal I hope you like it.

 

However I can't make it part of the story that you are a former assassin since it's up to player to decide the history of their own character.

 

I've also added more of the story line to the post

Edited February 3, 2012 by Mercami

[Anatorax]

I would suggest not to put or imply anything specific or any limitations on character's motives and/or his story before your quest starts. That is very limiting.

 

I have the following suggestions. Of course, it is all just my opinion, but you may find it logical too:

 

1) Why add another tear-shedding character (Bob)? Skyrim is full with cheap drama (as most RPG's anyway). Why not work further with Penitus Oculatus (whatever their name)? An Imperial Special Ops with a license to kill going after renegade Assassins guild to protect the Emperor? Sounds cool to me. Add some Poculatus gear to it as rewards.

 

2) DB has a lot of quests - why throw them away? Make Dovahkiin an undercover agent to get into DB (i.e. do a lot of quests for them to gain their trust), then massacre the leaders and toss the Night Mother into a deep blue ocean, so that b*tch doesn't start a new cult. (Not sure how it works according to the lore, though). That way you 1) use already created awesome quests, 2) add some shades of gray to the story. Pure black and white is rarely appealing while ambiguous decisions draw attentions (just look how long the thread on Empire vs S-cloaks is).

 

3) Add option to screw both DB and Poculatus, kill the Emperor, and start a new guild by yourself (sort of like restoring DB, but you can set your philosophy, recruit people, set targets etc.)

[Mercami]

I would suggest not to put or imply anything specific or any limitations on character's motives and/or his story before your quest starts. That is very limiting.

 

I have the following suggestions. Of course, it is all just my opinion, but you may find it logical too:

 

1) Why add another tear-shedding character (Bob)? Skyrim is full with cheap drama (as most RPG's anyway). Why not work further with Penitus Oculatus (whatever their name)? An Imperial Special Ops with a license to kill going after renegade Assassins guild to protect the Emperor? Sounds cool to me. Add some Poculatus gear to it as rewards.

 

2) DB has a lot of quests - why throw them away? Make Dovahkiin an undercover agent to get into DB (i.e. do a lot of quests for them to gain their trust), then massacre the leaders and toss the Night Mother into a deep blue ocean, so that b*tch doesn't start a new cult. (Not sure how it works according to the lore, though). That way you 1) use already created awesome quests, 2) add some shades of gray to the story. Pure black and white is rarely appealing while ambiguous decisions draw attentions (just look how long the thread on Empire vs S-cloaks is).

 

3) Add option to screw both DB and Poculatus, kill the Emperor, and start a new guild by yourself (sort of like restoring DB, but you can set your philosophy, recruit people, set targets etc.)

 

#1 Bob will not be a tear shedding character. He's an Altmer and he is long past the hurt they caused him (if you read about Bob's secret you'll know it happened long ago). I understand it can be hard to imagine the correct tone of voice when you read it in text. It's still in his best interests to see the DB destroyed. Penitus Oculatus doesn't come into play till later on in the DB storyline that's why they haven't been mentioned yet. I also need to avoid doing too much with Penitus Oculatus in case someone else wants to expand that faction, and they are very Imperial and it's possible the player will have joined the Stormcloaks.

 

#2 I will cover almost all of the DB quests you'll talk and interact with the same characters see the same story but from a different side. I thought I was adding shades of grey to the story be giving the player more options than before. Did you read quest #6? There are options there a purely good character wouldn't choose.

 

#3 There is already someone working on a mod to add the Morag Tong into Skyrim who would be opposed to the DB. Someone who wanted to do option 3 would choose that mod over this one.

[jmalkavian]

@Mercami

I thought I was adding shades of grey to the story be giving the player more options than before. Did you read quest #6? There are options there a purely good character wouldn't choose.

When first seeing the option in quest # 5...first impression was "whoa! you've jumped tracks"...thought this was aimed at being a "good paladin" type and therefore would be able to use persuasion....same as you did in the first draft of quest # 6....I thought if wanted to kill people...could just join the DB...Are you doing this to perhaps prevent it from getting "boring or mundane"....perhaps a "brawling option" would be more suitable...EG: PC: maybe i should give you a taste of what you're requesting {Brawl}. Besides there isn't enough brawling in the game...just my 2cents...Keep up the good work!. tc.

[Mercami]

For quest #5 I figure Leigelf is a bad guy he's not going to change his mind if you try to persuade him. Though I can add the option for it. It mostly slipped my mind. :) Either way I need him to be a "bad" guy live and escape so his wife would still be in danger so I can move her to the safe haven. She'll be really useful/interesting there with her background as a miner.

 

I do love the feedback one post thinking I'm being too good in the mod and one thinking I might have gone down the evil path with it! That's what I'm going for choices for everyone who doesn't want to be a DB assassin without being forced to just one "good" path. Skyrim already gives us a lot of limitations when it comes to character responses.

 

Some people who play "good" types might feel the best thing they could do is kill the people who would hire an assassin, that's why I added the option. The purely good or law abiding Paladin would turn them in for trial instead of killing, so I added that option.

 

What I'm trying to do is see things from various points of view. Just because someone doesn't want to join the DB and become a murderer doesn't mean they are a goody-two-shoes type. I don't want to force people to play the mod with a strict view of what a "good" character would do.

 

Thanks so much for letting me know what you think. :)

[jmalkavian]

I hope you can add some brawling when/if the opportunity arises...like it could be a "grey paladin's" method of persuasion ....nothin' like the taste of blood and a few teeth being spat out to change someone's mind. tc.