To join the Dark Brotherhood in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, follow these steps:
- Kill an Innocent NPC
You must murder a non-essential, innocent NPC who is not hostile (bandits or enemies don't count). The target should be a friendly character who won't be missed much. Avoid essential NPCs (marked with a crown icon), as they will only be knocked out temporarily and not killed. Good targets include loners or beggars found outside cities or in out-of-the-way inns or settlements
- Sleep in a Safe Location
After committing the murder, find a safe place to sleep (a bed you own or a rented bed at an inn). Upon waking, you will be visited by Lucien Lachance, a Speaker of the Dark Brotherhood, who will acknowledge your act and offer you membership
- Complete the Initiation Quest "A Knife in the Dark"
Lucien will give you a quest to kill an old man named Rufio at the Inn of Ill Omen, located south of the Imperial City. Rufio is defenseless and can be killed easily in his basement room. After killing Rufio, sleep again to be officially inducted into the Dark Brotherhood
- Find the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
After initiation, you must find the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary located beneath an abandoned house in Cheydinhal. Enter the basement, find the secret door, and when asked "What color is the night?" respond with "Sanguine, my brother." This will grant you access to the Brotherhood's headquarters where you can begin taking contracts and receive your signature stealth armor
This process marks your entry into the Dark Brotherhood, unlocking a series of assassination quests and unique rewards
. Summary:
- Kill an innocent, non-essential NPC
- Sleep in a safe place to trigger Lucien's visit
- Kill Rufio as initiation
- Enter the Sanctuary and say the password "Sanguine, my brother"
This completes your joining of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion
