However due to the noxious nature of the Dark Brotherhood quest line, you may lose the odd merchant, trainer or potential follower. Note that anyone you kill, as part of any Dark Brotherhood quests, will have little or no affect on other main quests in the game.

If you've already killed Grelod, Aventus will compliment you and the quest will complete here. You must accept this contract, and be willing to kill innocent people hence forth during the Dark Brotherhood quest line. In short, he is an orphan from 'Honorhall Orphanage' in Riften, he was treat cruelly by his carer 'Grelod the Kind' and wants her dead. Aventus will mistake you for the assassin he was trying to summon and he will explain his situation.

> Once you find his house SAVE, you'll have to pick the lock on his door, you will find Aventus inside, performing a ritual known as the 'Dark Sacrament' (intended to contact the Dark Brotherhood and request an assassination using dark forces). > If this is your first visit to the area, a Dunmer woman named 'Idesa Sadri' will be outside Aventus' house trying to dissuade Grimvar Cruel-Sea from playing with him. The Aretino Residence is a short distance ahead. You should now be heading north, with the house on your left and a crumbling stone wall on your right. Continue straight ahead, pass the house on your left, and turn left around its far corner. > To initiate the Dark Brotherhood quest line proper, you will have to travel to the city of Windhelm, there you will find a young Nord boy named 'Aventus Aretino' outside his house - to help find him you can talk to people around Windhelm, this may mark his location on your map, otherwise you can find his house from the main gate immediately turn right and go up the stairs. This quest introduces you to the 'Keeper of the Dark Brotherhood', he may not look important but Cicero has a high status in the Brotherhood and he is transporting something very precious to them. > Go back over to Cicero and inform him that the farmer will help him and he will reward you with some gold and his approval. Instead head over to the farm and find Vantus, he will help Cicero after you pass an easy speech skill check, SAVE. Either choice holds no significant consequences, but it is not advisable to report Cicero if you wish to join the Dark Brotherhood. > You will be given the option to report Cicero to a nearby patrolling guard, or help Cicero. > SAVE then talk to the jester, 'Cicero' he wants you to convince the nearby farmer 'Vantus Loreius' to help fix his wheel so he can be on his way. Look to the east near the road for a broken down wagon and a jester standing nearby. > To find Cicero travel to 'Loreius Farm' to the north of Whiterun and south of 'Blizzard Rest'. The quest is called 'Delayed Burial' and it involves meeting the very quirky, albeit psychotic Dark Brotherhood member 'Cicero' and helping him deliver a wagon to the brotherhood. You can, if you wish complete a humorous optional quest before the main quest line begins. Obviously you must choose the former to join the brotherhood, while choosing the latter will activate an alternative quest to kill the Dark Brotherhood guild members and so make all of the achievements unavailable. Remember that all of the Dark Brotherhood achievements are potentially missable, this is because you will be given a choice during the first primary quest to either kill three innocent people, or turn on a Dark Brotherhood member and destroy the guild. Depending on your decisions, there may be a few optional side-quests available, but they are not necessary for any achievements. The Dark Brotherhood has '13' primary quests, the completion of which will unlock the '3' associated achievements. As a member of the Dark Brotherhood you will gain access to many advantages, these include: exclusive access to a certain Word Wall, various new useful armours, the most powerful dagger in the game, the ability to recruit Dark Brotherhood followers, a unique immortal horse named 'Shadowmere', and access to new merchants and trainers.

Brotherhood of old skyrim