Joining the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim: Speaking to Aventus Arentino & Astrid

Last Updated: November 3, 2022 Approved

A clandestine circle of shadowy assassins, the Dark Brotherhood represents a grimmer side to Bethesda’s Skyrim. Adding to the element of mystery prevalent throughout the murderous group’s quests, the game’s designers have made entry into the Brotherhood somewhat convoluted. This wikiHow teaches you how to join the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim.

Things You Should Know

Talk to Aventus Arentino at his home in Windhelm to receive a quest to kill Grelod the Kind at Honorhall Orphanage.
Complete the quest and return to Aventus to tell him. Wait 1-3 in-game days to receive a letter from the Dark Brotherhood, then sleep in any usable bed.
Talk to Astrid when you wake up and kill one of her hostages. Then, meet her in the Sanctuary to become a full member.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Completing the "Innocence Lost" Quest

1
Acquire the quest, “Talk to Aventus Aretino.” This quest will be added to your journal under "Miscellaneous" once you talk to an NPC who tells you about Aventus, a boy in Windhelm who has been trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood. Use one of the following methods acquire the "Talk to Aventus Arentino" quest.
- Continually talk to city guards.
- Speak with inn or tavern keepers and ask if they have heard any gossip.
- Talk to the orphans at Honorhall Orphanage in the city of Riften.
2
Set “Talk to Aventus Aretino” as your active quest. Doing so will set a waypoint on your compass and map. This will make it much easier to find him. Under the miscellaneous section of your quest journal, highlight, and select “Talk to Aventus Aretino.”

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3
Go to Aventus’ house in Windhelm. After you enter the main gates of Windhelm, go up the stairs on the right and walk past the house on the right (Brunwulf Free-Winter's house). Turn left immediately and walk past Brunwulf Free-Winter's house. You'll see a large archway. Aventus' house is the door to the left of the archway (under the mini archway).
- Travelling on foot is the most adventurous and you can find alchemy ingredients along the way.
- Outside of most major cities, you can buy a horse for a faster trip.
- Book passage in the back of a carriage, usually found in the same area where you would buy a horse.
- You can also fast-travel to Windhelm if you have been there before.
4
Pick the lock to Aventus house. The door to Aventus house has a novice lock on it, you will need to use a lockpick to pick the lock.
5
Speak with Aventus. He will give you a quest to kill Grelod the Kind at Honorhall Orphanage.
6
Go to Honorhall Orphanage in Riften. You can travel there on foot, on horseback, using fast-travel (if you've been to Riften), or by booking a carriage ride. Once you enter the main gate of Riften, walk forward and take the wooden walkway on the left. The walkway will circle around past the Black-Briar Manor. Honorhall Orphanage is the door at the end of the walkway past the Mistveil Keep.
7
Kill Grelod the Kind. Once inside, locate Grelod the Kind and murder her using any method. Don't worry if there are children present. They'll be happy she's dead.
- As long as you do not attack anyone else in the orphanage, killing Grelod is not considered a crime.
8
Return to Aventus’ house and tell him the good news. This completes the mission.
9
Wait 1 to 3 in-game days. Keep adventuring for a while. Eventually, you will be stopped by a courier who hands you a letter.^{[1]
X
Research source} All it says is, “We know.” written beneath a black hand, the symbol of the Dark Brotherhood.
10
Sleep in a bed. This can be done in any usable bed in the game. Upon waking up, you will find yourself in an abandoned shack with Astrid, the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and three tied-up captives.
- If you don't get transported to the abandoned shack, wait a few in-game days, and then sleep again.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Completing the "With Friends Like These" Quest

1
Talk to Astrid. She will tell you to kill one of the captives. You can kill one, two, or all of them.
- You can speak with the captives and listen to their stories.
- Kill whomever you think deserves to die. Your decision has no impact on gameplay.
2
Speak with Astrid. She will congratulate you and comment on your decision of which captive(s) to kill, and then instruct you to meet her at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary.
3
Go to the Sanctuary. It's in the Southwestern part of the map just west of Falkreath.^{[2]
X
Research source}
4
Activate the Black Door. It's the door with a skull on it. This is the entrance to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. The door will ask you a riddle; "What is the music of life?".
5
Select "Silence, my brother" as the answer. This is the correct answer to the riddle. It's the first option in the answer menu. The Black Door will respond, "Welcome home" then you will be let into the Sanctuary.
6
Talk to Astrid. Once you are inside, locate Astrid and talk to her. You will be made a full member of the Dark Brotherhood.
- You can now take on killing contracts for money (usually a few hundred gold).

Community Q&A

Question

What is the name of the inn in Windhelm?

Entity303

Community Answer

The inn of Windhelm is called Candlehearth Hall. It’s the first building you'll see when entering Windhelm.
Question

Do you get the Blade of Woe by killing Astrid or do you get it only if you do the quest line?

Community Answer

You can get it by killing Astrid and starting the "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood" questline, by pickpocketing her with the perk that allows you to pickpocket equipped weapons, or by killing Astrid as is intended at the end of the normal main Dark Brotherhood questline (she will give the blade to you in gratitude). You can actually get two by pickpocketing her and then finishing the main normal Dark Brotherhood questline!
Question

Where is the the Dark Brotherhood's sanctuary?

Community Answer

Go to Windhelm. Hear about "Aventus Aretino" and go to his house in the city. Find him performing the ritual to summon the assassins. He will send you to Riften. Kill Grelod at the orphanage. Wait a few days and sleep in a bed. Astrid will find you. Kill one of the three people she brought (or two, or all, just don't attack her). Afterwards, head to Falkreath. Follow the map marker to the sanctuary. It's located underneath the road, tucked away, so it's tough to see at first. Use the passphrase to enter the door.

Warnings

Do not kill Astrid. Killing her initiates the quest "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!" and makes joining the Dark Brotherhood impossible.

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There is a certain bug that prevents you from buying a house in Windhelm, and it happens sometimes when "Innocence Lost" is started. Killing Grelod could fix it, but there is also the chance the house will never be purchased, making it impossible to become a thane. Try becoming the thane first, then visiting Aventus later.

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