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Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition guide · Joining the assassins near Falkreath

The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary near Falkreath is the hidden primary base of operations for Skyrim's assassin guild. Accessible after completing "With Friends Like These...", the player reports here to receive assassination contracts, interact with faction members, and progress the guild storyline. Later in the questline, the sanctuary is attacked and largely destroyed, making several of its unique items inaccessible if not gathered beforehand.

Region: Falkreath Hold
Getting there: West of Falkreath, off the road on the south side of the Pine Forest beneath a rocky crag
Connects to: Skyrim
Related quests: With Friends Like These... · Sanctuary · Mourning Never Comes · Whispers in the Dark · The Silence Has Been Broken · Bound Until Death · Breaching Security · The Cure for Madness
Services and people: Astrid · Nazir · Babette · Gabriella · Festus Krex · Arnbjorn · Veezara · Lis
Enemy types: Penitus Oculatus Agents

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Shrouded Armor Set: From the Black Door entrance of the Falkreath Sanctuary, follow the wooden stairs down into the first chamber to find a wooden shelf directly to the right.How: Pick up the cowl, armor, gloves, and boots resting freely on the shelf.Missable because: Lost permanently when the Falkreath Sanctuary burns down during the quest "Death Incarnate", or if you wipe out the faction during "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!".The Firre of Fremen (Skill Book - Conjuration): From the central chamber of the Falkreath Sanctuary, take the western hallway into the communal living quarters, then locate the low round table between the sleeping mats.How: Pick up the book sitting on top of the round table.Missable because: Lost permanently when the Falkreath Sanctuary is destroyed during the quest "Death Incarnate", or during "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!".2920, Sun's Dawn, v2 (Skill Book - Illusion): From the central chamber of the Falkreath Sanctuary, go down the short stone stairs to the arcane enchanting area where Babette usually sits, and locate the small table beside the enchanting slab.How: Pick up the book resting on the table next to the arcane enchanter.Missable because: Lost permanently when the Falkreath Sanctuary is destroyed during the quest "Death Incarnate", or during "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!".Word Wall - Marked for Death: From the main central chamber of the Falkreath Sanctuary, head down to the lowest level past the dining table to the curved Nordic Word Wall behind the shallow water pool.How: Walk up to the glowing dragon script on the wall until the word chants absorb.Missable because: Permanently inaccessible if you do not enter during the Dark Brotherhood storyline or during "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!", as the sanctuary burns down during "Death Incarnate".

Achievements here

With Friends Like These… MissableKill one of the hostages in the Abandoned Shack instead of Astrid, then speak with her at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary to join.

Achievement guide and roadmap →

Items

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Blade of Woe: Carried by Astrid, acquired during the questline or by killing herUnusual Gem: From the main chamber of the Falkreath Sanctuary, enter Astrid's private room to the south and locate the end table beside her bed.How: Pick up the floating pink gem resting on the end table.

Secrets

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A unique pet spider named Lis resides in a recessed alcove behind a webbed passage, which will not attack guild members.

Key fights

Destruction of the Dark Brotherhood / Penitus Oculatus Raid

Enemies: Commander Maro's Penitus Oculatus Agents and a Penitus Oculatus Commander

Threats: Melee one-handed and two-handed attacks, dual-wielding, Imperial archery, close-quarters swarming in tight corridors

Weaknesses and resistances: Standard humanoid vulnerabilities (susceptible to all elemental magic, poison, sneak attacks, and paralysis)

Tactics: Clear the entrance cavern using the stairs and narrow stone bridges as chokepoints to prevent being surrounded, lure agents through the burning halls into line of sight, and utilize ranged attacks or area-of-effect spells before assisting Nazir against the commander in the living quarters

Rewards: Blade of Woe (from Astrid), Penitus Oculatus armor sets, continuation of the "Death Incarnate" questline (or up to 3,000 gold and the "Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!" quest completion if cleansing the sanctuary)

Shops and people

Babette: Master-level Alchemy training and various alchemical ingredients and potions
Nazir: Hands out radiant and radiant-style assassination contracts with gold rewards

Tips

Pick up the Unusual Gem in Astrid's room and learn the Marked for Death word wall before progressing deep into the Dark Brotherhood questline, as the sanctuary will later burn down and become inaccessible.
Wearing the full Shrouded Armor set provides substantial early-game bonuses to Sneak, muffled movement, and backstab damage.

Not listed for this area: enemies.

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