To start the Dark Brotherhood questline 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 do not count). The victim should be someone who is not marked as essential (essential NPCs are marked with a crown icon and cannot be killed permanently). Good targets are loners or beggars found outside cities or in remote inns
- Sleep in a Safe Location
After the kill, find a safe place to sleep-this can be 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 offer you membership and give you a quest called "A Knife in the Dark"
- Complete the Initiation Kill
Lucien will instruct you to kill a man named Rufio at the Inn of Ill Omen, located north of Bravil. Rufio is defenseless and confined to the basement, making him an easy target. You can kill him while he sleeps or talk to him first to hear his story
- Sleep Again to Receive Your Invitation
After killing Rufio, sleep once more. Lucien will appear again to officially welcome you into the Dark Brotherhood and direct you to their sanctuary
- Find the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Travel to the abandoned house in Cheydinhal. Enter the basement, find the secret door marked with a skull and red handprint, and when asked "What color is the night?" respond with "Sanguine, my brother." This will grant you access to the sanctuary and your induction into the Brotherhood
- Meet Your Fellow Assassins and Begin the Questline
Inside the sanctuary, speak with Ocheeva and other members. You will be given your first official contract and receive a suit of stealthy armor as a reward for joining
This process officially starts the Dark Brotherhood questline, where you will undertake various assassination contracts and learn more about the shadowy organization
. In summary:
- Kill an innocent NPC (non-essential)
- Sleep in a safe place
- Kill Rufio at the Inn of Ill Omen
- Sleep again and meet Lucien
- Enter the sanctuary in Cheydinhal using the password "Sanguine, my brother"
- Begin your Dark Brotherhood missions
