Who Has The Dark Brotherhood Contract On Them In The Abandoned Shack? - Elder Scrolls Detective

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Moon Sugar For The Children! Uncle Sweetshare - goo.gl/sDFVQs
Revealing Rorikstead's Sacrificial Soil SECRETS - goo.gl/ddq9DR
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Who Are THE DEEP ONES & What Do They Want? - goo.gl/rnMqND

[@Camelworks]

Hope you're ready for some twists :)

[@derstranger6928]

Love your work

[@d34d84]

If I'm not? Do I stop watching?

[@sgt.wolfenstein0818]

I believe you to be correct about about the dragonborn having the contract against them. What i would like to see from you in the future would be a video about known history about the Dark Brotherhood, where they are going, the role the dragonborn will play in the factions future, weather Astrid will be our ghost follower in the next TES and all other theories you have surrounding the Dark Brotherhood. I think Astrid was right to frame us to try and save her family and faction, i think it's slightly possible Astrid has a child, i think Nazir would make a good leader, Babette must have seen great things during her immortal life, i think Veezara is still alive, even tho he overreacted Cicero wasn't wrong, Cicero possible did what he did because he knew what Astrid was planing for the dragonborn, i wish for the falkreath sanctuary to be rebuilt, i wish we could have saved Astrid, i wish we could recruit people into the Dark Brotherhood. The Dark Brotherhood is my favorite faction because of the people, their stories, the way the change toward you, the way they make you change and last but not least their history. I hope they return to us in TES 6 either in a better state or in a state where we make it stronger or even expand it wherever we will be. On a later game i refused to finish the quest line so i could be with my whole family forever. I enjoy you videos very much and wish a long career upon you. P.S sorry for the extremely long comment that is riddled with unsubstantiated claims as well as sentimental emotion.

[@misterkoala7364]

Are you still able to play the Dark Brotherhood Quests, after you killed Astrid?

[@paulclark4064]

This blew my mind multiple times

[@Ashaasmith2]

Astrid: “One person in this room has a contract on their head” Dragonborn who has already sliced their way through 10 Dark Brotherhood assassins sent after them: “No Shit”

[@HZTenh17g]

*drops a contract signed by Astrid* *Astrid* Shit

[@narutotard100]

Astrid "One person in this room has a contract on their head" Dragonborn, who has already killed several DB assassins sent after him: "Yeah, actually I wanted to talk to you about that...."

[@DeltaJim]

Astrid: "One person in this room has a contract on their head." My character: *Pulls out a sizable stack of paper* "More like about 50."

[@ModdingNewbie]

Lol!

[@TheAdarkerglow]

Astrid: "Someone in this room has a contract on their head." My Dragonborn, having murdered several assassins, wearing one of their sets: "But who could it be?! Ah, maybe it's in one of these notes!" Begins reading contracts. "No, nothing." Astrid: "Is this a game to you?!" Dragonborn : "Bitch, I eat dragons."

[@GenesisGameGenie]

Little known fact: Her line of "Well done" is actually just a reference to how she ends up at the end of the questline. /s

[@elise2955]

Omg 😂

[@alec4041]

F

[@crystal_creates9795]

F

[@nekowerewolf9769]

G

[@Rama-fg2ck]

I don't know. I think it's just a bug, maybe they didn't programmed another death sound for Astrid. For some reason, most of (weird) things i saw in game, i'm used to think of them as bugs. I.E.: In any game, if u found a naked body besides the roads, normally i would think that he/she was killed and robbed, but if i'm playing skyrim, i check the inventory of the dead, and all the things are there, even the clothes.

[@mercmech]

I guarantee you're putting more thought into this than Bethseda did.

[@hullo8246]

mercmech It. Just. Works.

[@pokebreederrichard1200]

That's the fans job

[@trondkyrrenorheim6663]

bethseda stumbling upon this video, ooohhh write that down

[@netdrifter133]

Just kill Astrid. Then you can free everyone. Tell a guard at the dragonbridge and get a quest to destroy the dark brotherhood.

[@williambriggs4574]

@@netdrifter133 yeah, but that not as fun unless I'm playing as a wholesome Noble character

[@scottmarshall2797]

The thing I hated most about the Dark Brotherhood questline was: For a "Secret" organization everyone and their Mother knew you were a member. I do hope the ES 6 addresses this issue and refrains others from knowing you are a Member of Assassins Guild in the future.

[@6236003]

Psst. I know who you are. Hail Sithis!

[@Malkontent1003]

To be fair, if you run around in their armor, it's kinda obvious.

[@6236003]

@@Malkontent1003 I think the guards know even if you're not kitted up though. Kind of like how if you're a werewolf they'll say "I find your wolfish grin... unsettling" even if you're wearing a mask or helmet that completely covers the face. Town guards in Skyrim just have uncanny knowledge. But also sometimes know nothing at all, like they'll continue assuming you're the new member of the Companions who just fetches the mead even after you've finished the questline.

[@Malkontent1003]

@@6236003 Oh, for sure. But then again, setting up conditions for stuff like that is tricky at times. As it stands, yeah, guards know a lot of things they have no reasonable way of knowing. I mean, hell. They know exactly what every Daedric artefact is, and that's not really common knowledge, ya know.

[@AvengerofWarcraft]

On the other hand, if you managed to kill the Emperor in spite of his security detail, they'd probably just want to placate you, so they just say what you wanted them to hear.

[@harth1026]

"Never invoke the Wrath of Sithis. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis."

[@Rama-fg2ck]

Well said.

[@ltloxa1159]

Yeah, Sithis reealy wound't like that.

[@Rama-fg2ck]

@@ltloxa1159 Shits about to get real.

[@jjsouls6986]

Lol just kill the ghost. Easy pesy

[@thathyena2949]

This floor is indeed made of floor.

[@m3371]

I just love how absurd it is. You’re telling me Astrid walked through my front door, snuck past my wife and kids, past my husky, past my armoured troll, past my daedric armour-wearing steward, past serana and inigo then proceeded to haul my 6’2 fat ass out the door along with my full 450 point inventory and my full dragon bone armour without waking anyone up.

[@ausar7002]

My mans doing dark brotherhood at the end of the play through I see.

[@giin97]

@@ausar7002 I usually do it first, just for the armor bonuses. Same for thieves, start em both.

[@joehughes5438]

I normally go for the mages college so I can cast transmute more effectively and make a ton of gold rings

[@tacticaloverlord640]

Haha I know right

[@Kutchy7765]

@@ausar7002 its usually easier when you know 90% of the locations and when you are certain you can kill everyone there, I always choose Muiri as my wife so I always need to do the extra quest she gives for which extreme sneak is needed

[@TROOPERfarcry]

Astrid: "Sleep well?" Me: "No, as a werewolf I don't have that privilege anymore. Here, let me show you."

[@blankhead5544]

Nice comment.

[@EmberwindTale]

She knows that already though, having a werewolf for a lover.

[@vineousvondrake2456]

Lol

[@vexingrabbit1824]

Astrid as a thing for big bad werewolves. Pretty sure she will like that. :D

[@Hopscotchpro11]

@@EmberwindTale i wonder what sex would be like between them

[@anotherzombie8330]

Long outdated but Lokir was the one who mentioned going to Hammerfell, the Dragonborn was NOT trying to cross the border there. Dialogue with Hadvar and Ralof both state that the Dragonborn was in fact crossing the border from Cyrodiil into Skyrim, and got caught up in the ambush.

[@hankstranagalwilly6777]

When he said that the dragon born tried to go to hammerfell threw me. Hadvar literally says if you pick a nord that “you picked a bad time to return home”

[@cindermagus]

Also commented the same thing, not sure how Camel confused that

[@scalycoronet5198]

Ulfric also asks why an outsider would want to fight for Skyrim if you’re a nord

[@BansheeKing22]

​@@scalycoronet5198I think it was confirmed that the nord (who im positive is the canonical dragonborn) hasn't lived in skyrim for a long time or at all. So he would technically be considered an outsider even though he is nord

[@noconsequence4486]

It would be a bit strange narratively if your character had been trying to leave Skyrim for some reason, got caught in an ambush, and then wouldn't continue trying to leave Skyrim when able to do so

[@PenguinPatrol]

"So, you're a mercenary? That's cool! Is it a part-time job?" "No, it's Fultheim."

[@innocyte_]

Don't.

[@arbynflowiter]

I needed a terrible joke

[@halodude7239]

I read that in his voice 😂

[@M0ggea]

Arbynflowiter same

[@kabirkhan-nn7zx]

I think the quarantine is getting to you

[@DarkOmegaMK2]

I always get a chuckle at how the mighty and mysterious dark brotherhood uses the courier services.

[@Sylvershade]

The couriers are the strongest faction in the game. Why else would they be so confident that they can travel around the dangerous Skyrim wilderness in just their underwear.

[@DarkOmegaMK2]

@@Sylvershade Because gameplay demands that.

[@EmmaSpAce111]

@@Sylvershade not just the wilderness, they can show up in places they really shouldn't be able to get into, or really shouldn't want to go to.

[@T4RHUN]

Would be funny if someone actually got something delivered in Sovangarde 😅👌

[@DarkOmegaMK2]

@@T4RHUN "I've been looking for you, got something i'm supposed to deliver. Your hands only. Well, that's it, got to go. And by the way, how the hell did i get in here?"

[@Loojjz]

The real contract was the friends we made along the way

[@wumbosaurus9121]

I killed all of mine...

[@thatpersonineverycommentse2195]

i don't know what this meme is or where it came from but i'm already tired of it

[@GodChaotic]

@@thatpersonineverycommentse2195 Well shit I guess no one can ever make that joke again

[@rockydocky7541]

Subscribe to my channel and i'll subscribe back Well I’m tired of seeing channels with names like yours, they’re annoying as hell dude.

[@EclipseeRaven]

• Wanna See My Shot Glass Collection • STFU you damn self promoter

[@Jacob-qr8pl]

When I had this happen to me the first time, I slept after becoming the Harbinger of The Companions. I thought some Companions cutscene was loading in for a finale of the questline, but then I woke up in the shack. Super creepy to think that Astrid was able to haul my unconscious body out of Jorrvaskr past all of the members of the Companions. I ended up mauling her as a werewolf.

[@Malkontent1003]

Valid, actually. I cannot think of a more Companion-y reaction, tbh.

[@chene-aurelgaudreau1072]

Her husband’s a werewolf, so she’s probably into that.

[@jonathanwilliams1271]

Based reaction lol

[@th3xact]

lmfao@@chene-aurelgaudreau1072

[@Jeferic]

Me getting attacked by vampires as a vampire lord: Well, guess imma educate some people. (Spell check thought I meant vampire lore)

[@_topher]

Who else had the "big brain" moment and just killed all of them?

[@TheKittiestCatOfAll]

Yeah lol

[@kaimagnus5760]

The College of Winterhold wouldn't have taught me how to throw fireballs if they didn't want people incinerated lol

[@HareDeLune]

Astrid: "Well, well, aren't we the over-achiever? Three possibilities, three victims. Must have been one of them, right? So why take chances..."

[@sheep1ewe]

Yes, but what was Your question?

[@vanator3169]

@@sheep1ewe who else did is his question

[@filiaknight8514]

"someone in this room has a contract" (looks at contract i pillaged off an assassin with my name clearly written on it) "yeah it's vasha"

[@Galaxy-rj1kj]

💀💀💀

[@jonathandoe1367]

Astrid: "That person cannot leave this cabin alive." Me: *pulls out contract* "D...R...A...G...O...N...B...O...R...N...That spells Vasha, right?" Astrid: *stunned silence* "Uh...sure...I guess." Me: *kills Vasha* Astrid: "Are you are idiot?" Me: "No, I'm a Nord. "

[@gwendolynsnyder463]

Sometimes, I just kill Astrid because I hate the bitch.

[@Henryisntavailable]

Yoooo I just realized that🤯🤯

[@Tengu125]

@@jonathandoe1367 Difference being? ;)

[@insanegamer23899]

Astrid: Plans to kidnap you the next time you sleep My Character: Laughs in Insomnia

[@roberttanner7793]

I know right, my first play through i killed grelod at like level 12 and didn't end up getting brought to the shack until like level 30

[@noney81]

@@roberttanner7793 who needs sleep when you can wait in front of the store for 10 hours

[@roberttanner7793]

@kreeg i know, whenever i need to sell stuff, i'm not walking to my house while overencumbered to wait until day time.

[@erichoward1977]

W I killed grelod at lv 5 and didn't sleep until lv 80

[@darrvenomfier790]

linkofthewild 2 I killed her a lvl 4 and didn’t get there till like lvl 41 or something like that didn’t do any quests just slaughtered my way though dragons, and he undead, and most of the storm cloak and the imperial camps.

[@FriedrichTheGreatest]

Better question is where did Aventus get the required materials to perform the Black Sacrament

[@philipkazanjian6259]

yea good question he cant just BUY it he has no money

[@FriedrichTheGreatest]

@@philipkazanjian6259 even if you could who would sell that

[@philipkazanjian6259]

@@FriedrichTheGreatest some black market

[@blakechiles3628]

I can only assume he stole a dead body somehow from the Windhelm dungeon

[@trivialove2311]

I bet it was Calixo

[@lionelwhiskerknot]

Astrid: “One person in this room has a contract on their head” Dragonborn: One person in this shack is also a werewolf and extremely hungry.

[@aralornwolf3140]

@Jagd Panther Khajiit think otherwise...

[@aralornwolf3140]

@Jagd Panther , It's ironic that a Panther is calling catfolk disgusting... and wanting to kill them. #Shame

[@zemorph42]

@Jagd Panther I'm not a furry, but you're a bigoted asshole.

[@ZhongliArchonofSwag]

Jagd Panther Facinating~ I’ve seen trolls pretend to be racist before... but to think you’ve gone the extra mile and done so against a race that doesn’t exist... masterful sir, I applaud you. But we all know it’s those goddamn knife eared Elves that need to go. Literally the majority of antagonists in the series are fucking high elves.

[@zemorph42]

@@ZhongliArchonofSwag He's not pretending to be racist against a fictional race; he is actually being an asshole to a fan group.

[@Scotttjt]

Not gonna lie, first time I got the Mysterious Note and saw that hand print with the words "We know" sent chills down my spine.

[@BaronSengir1008]

In Oblivion, the first time I saw the "Your killing has been observed" line or however it goes, my friend and I freaked out thinking we had pissed off one of the gods and reset the game... It wasn't until a few weeks later that we found out it was the Dark Brotherhood... Lol That was right after my friend decided to go on a killing spree in the Imperial City after duplicating Apotheosis many times, being chased throughout the entire city by guards, and shot with enough arrows to knock him through the terrain... We both agreed that it had meant that the gods were absolutely sick and tired of the massacre, so our reaction to the "observed" message made sense...

[@sugestive371]

Fr when I first played I was like yo wtf this shit creepy what do they know 🤣

[@randomyoutuber7397]

I honestly shit my Fucking pants because i thought the game knew something i did in real life and Todd Howard was coming for me.

[@kes6628]

dude same I was like oh SHIT what did I DO ?!

[@emoboy42069]

It got less scared when I realized how tiny the handprint was, it must be Babette’s!

[@SD_yessir]

I remember the first time I got picked up by the Dark Brotherhood. It took several in-game months for me to actually get picked up, because I never slept with my character, I always found waiting more convenient. However, when I finally decided to sleep in a bed, I was in a bed in Tel Mithryn. Astrid managed to sail all the way to Solstheim, travel through the ash wastes, get all the way to Tel Mithryn, take me in my sleep without Neloth (A guy who never sleeps) knowing, haul me all the way back to Skyrim, and carry me all the way to a shack deep in the treacherous swamps of Hjaalmarch.

[@antithepresent3541]

Neloth would enjoy having the pest in his tower be taken away

[@alexcarr8523]

To be fair, Neloth seems like the type of person to just let Astrid take you, he wouldn’t interfere just like he didn’t with the stones, he’d most likely just want to see what happens.

[@alexfolmer2204]

@@romeohio19 Yeah, pretty sure you are lol

[@thorticus1047]

@@romeohio19 survival mode

[@bolg892]

@@alexfolmer2204 Nah

[@brandf.7691]

Going by the theory that you can get out of having a contract on your head by paying back a life, the only evidence of this is the case of killing the person who put the contract on you to begin with. This means that not only is it you that has the contract on your head, the person who wants you dead is also in that cabin as well.

[@sulljoh1]

Good point

[@msf2399]

In which case, one might assume you will *always* be right, as surely your character would know/recognize whoever held that kind of grudge? Like, “Oh, I know this asshole! This asshole hates me!” and then either settling the score while you have the chance or figuring if they’ll pick beef with *you* then they probably have beef with lots of other people too.

[@NoConsequenc3]

yeah that stupid fucking merc saw me kill all his friends and put one out for me

[@musicsheep9816]

Pretty sure it's Astrid.

[@alexanderleonardi3625]

@@musicsheep9816 it is. in fact her last words are "well done"

[@CharterForGaming]

There hasn't been a listener for decades Night mother: New listener, I have 264 contracts ready for you from the past few decades

[@TheDude-ko8to]

Hello we have been trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty

[@sarahgreene6590]

That would have been kinda fun, ngl

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

I'm pretty sure most targets are already dead

[@johnbailey8103]

DEAL (One of the only radiants quests I actually don't mind that much)

[@jeffersonsteeleflex8178]

"Hey new Listener, lemme whispah in ya ear" Says The Night Mother

[@lucanrowley3210]

"There you are! Astrid's told me all about you. Heard she pulled the ole' "Choose your victim" gag with you. Ah, I love that one..." - Babette dialogue when you first meet her.

[@juicecanister]

Yeah it was just a test to see if you're willing to kill if told so.

[@lucanrowley3210]

Her dialogue also suggests it was all just a test, because if you kill one, two or all three guests she'll say she gave you order to kill and you followed that order at which time you get invited to join the Brotherhood.

[@flashfirepunch8634]

Lucan Rowley camels reading this realizing he wasted his time going crazy over this lmfao

[@MadGameBoy]

I was about to say exactly this... dude thought way too deep into this quest

[@lucanrowley3210]

Not really. If someone in the shack did in fact have a contract out on them and the game says that it wasn't one of the guests, then it MUST have been you.

[@RowanTheBoat69]

That awkward moment when you only sleep because you learned that was how you started the dark brotherhood quest

[@mysterywryter5110]

z24CHz I didn’t even know I was supposed to sleep I just went “What happens when you sleep” because I’d never done it before in the game

[@Moribax85]

yeah, unless you go with one of the many survival mods :D i did a gameplay with so many of them on i could die if i eat something funny or go for a swim in the wrong place :D

[@RagingRougarou]

I got a letter about “see you next time you sleep” ... sooo I didn’t sleep and then forgot about about it. Then I woke up in the cabin!

[@supasf]

@@RagingRougarou I never got that letter. I only got the "we know" letter. Are you lying?

[@supasf]

@@Moribax85 yeah same.

[@attackedbysnakes3640]

I remember being in the 5th grade when this game came out. One of my classmates at my private Christian school described this whole scene to me, and very proudly told me that he just executed everyone. That was one of the first earthly memories I have of Skyrim. Good video, man!

[@mason96575]

I'm jealous- I wish I could've played this when I was a kid! I was already 28 when it came out 😭

[@Miss_Camel]

🤣🤣🤣 that is hilarious!! At my school, none of the kids were allowed to play video games, or if they were, they and their parents all had to keep it massively covered up…like, we were genuinely indoctrinated to spy at other kids homes for any “troublesome” things, and even slumber party invites had strict dress and behavior codes…okay, well, that came out a lot darker than I intended, but yeah, there’s like not one thing about this game that wouldn’t have horrified 12-year-old me. Demons! Murder! Idolatry! Oh my! Thanks, IBLP, if I didn’t have morals, I’d sent the dark brotherhood after your entire organization. 😡

[@TaikaJamppa]

@@mason96575Wow… I’m almost 28 myself…

[@mason96575]

@@TaikaJamppa yea I get the sarcasm - ha ha. I'm talking about how gaming experiences are so extremely different when you're a kid vs when you're an adult. You actually get scared for the characters, worry for the characters, invested in the characters.

[@TaikaJamppa]

@@mason96575 Sarcasm? I am ACTUALLY almost 28!

[@James--Parker]

Novice: Killing one of them Adapt: Killing all of them Master: Killing Astrid Legendary: Killing Astrid then kill all of them anyway.

[@theshribe]

Ascended: Vampire's seduce spell on Astrid, get her to give you the key. Walk out of there. Kill nobody.

[@PunksGambit]

@@Rachano i like the way you think

[@ejedwards988]

No witnesses

[@shitfacejohnson4085]

@@theshribe or just pickpocket her?

[@craftergamer9058]

James Parker I killed them all

[@haillight14]

I love how the dark brotherhood quest begins in Skyrim. Like I've gone out of my way to try and sleep on the furthest north side of Solstheim and still woke up in the abandoned shack. Astrid really went through the trouble of hulling my ass all the way from there by boat and about halfway across Skyrim just so she could have the most dramatic 'who's guilty' party ever.

[@georgewashingtonisalive]

Same!!! Went out of my way to get to the furthest map point with a bed

[@Bobbb-f3i]

I started a new run the other day, and started the quest real quick and then decided what happens if I never sleep, I'm at level 41 and nothing, was hoping Astrid would take me another way, but no. I wish I did it though, the mount there was great for leveling up some magics

[@juanjoseph]

ikr, bethesda game making ftw

[@sabrina_doll]

I didn't realize that it took sleep to get kidnapped. I spent freaking HOURS trying to figure it out, and it only occurred to me to check online AFTER I had built my entire house on Windstad manor. The abandoned house mocked me as I searched the marsh for nirnroots and swamp fungal pods, and eventually I just decided to sleep in a bed in my house for 1 hour and woke up in that situation. I found it funny knowing exactly where I was and how I could just walk 20 feet from the shack and end up back in my house

[@sarahmcglauflin6134]

I wonder if she'll take you if you fall asleep on Solestiem.

[@Quantum_Revert]

Plot twist: the courier set the contract on you. He's mad he has to travel to different sides of the map and dimension to just give you just one letter each time.

[@Smirving]

Next Courier İ See İs Dead

[@inebriationconversation4526]

I wish i could tip him for bringing me my inheritance in Savangarde

[@csweezey18]

@@inebriationconversation4526 Sovngarde? The courier brought my inheritance to Apocrypha! lol

[@captainlonelygale692]

@@Smirving why the fuck are your I s so long?

[@Smirving]

@@captainlonelygale692 I don't know what you are talIkİng about

[@tomcascaddan8319]

Better question: If you're like me your first contact with the Dark Brotherhood in most playthroughs is when a Brotherhood assassin tries to kill you. 1) Who wanted you dead? 2) Why would Astrid and the Brotherhood abandon the Contract to recruit you?

[@inceleradicator2208]

1) He answers that in the video 2) You're the dragonborn, everyone in skyrim tries to recruit you why wouldn't TDB?

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@inceleradicator2208 He didn't really point out who put the contract on us. But he mentions that the Dragonborn was trying to run into Hammerfell, but by the location of Helgen, it is equally likely that we tried to pass the border to Cyrodiil. At the time the game takes place the Jarl of Falkreath hold, where Helgen lies, is a supporter of the Empire. And the road into Hammerfell goes by Falkreath, not Helgen. The road next to Helgen is the one into Cyrodiil. Why drive the prisoners through half the hold for the execution, when there are other places closer. The fact that Ulfric is in the carriage as well supports the idea towards the Cyrodiil border. It is also unclear why the Dragonborn had the contract. What have we done before the beginning of the game that warrants someone wanting us dead. Sure, in the end it's up to the player to make up their own backstory for their character, but there has to be something, because the random encounter can happen no matter who we are. A merchant or a thief are equal to a Stormcloak supporter or a Thalmor agent. It matters not.

[@BranBal]

​@_peters6221what do you do when a dragon appears?

[@Holytitmouse]

Not OP, but usually after the beginning when you see Alduin, you don't see any other dragons until you actually start the main quest. If you never start Dragon Rising, you 'll just never see any dragons.

[@BranBal]

@@Holytitmouse huh Good to know Thanks 👍🏻

[@mernky3562]

It gets even darker when you realize the body Aventus is using is most likely his dead mother

[@Lyrakrosis]

...Oh god.

[@bib4eto656]

I figured as much. Why was she not laid to rest in the Halls of death (or whatever the name was)?

[@madestmadhatter]

@@bib4eto656 better question, how would she have already decayed to bones, because hall or no hall there's no way she's been dead long enough for him to gather her bones.

[@pimplejuice8774]

madestmadhatter Unless he literally skinned her corpse to the bone... and it’s actually quite disturbing now that I’m thinking about it.

[@futuremercy8268]

Ali-Nazirr THIS ONLY GETS WORSE, WHY, WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS

[@ruskazann2172]

Wait, I always thought that the Dragonborn was captured trying to cross INTO Skyrim. Not out of it. The way you have no ties in Skyrim before the start of the game as well as when you chose a Nord you are told it was a bad time to try to return to your homeland.

[@ilhuikar]

I came here to type this very comment, but somebody beat me to it

[@jessejohnson6504]

Yeah I thought that too.

[@hangingdinosaur1803]

No he says "at least you will DIE in your homeland, Kingsman"

[@khurgar8120]

@@hangingdinosaur1803 He says "You picked a bad time to come home to Skyrim, kinsman." [...] "I'm sorry. At least you'll die here, in your homeland."

[@ssgyates]

Apparently you get captured nere dark water crossing with the stormcloak. Thats not near the border. Plus none of the border gates are guarded. Maybe they forgot some critical npc

[@SnipingIsAGoodJobMate]

"Truth is The contract was rigged from the start."

[@ellisbarnett0292]

SilvyTheUnfunnyMeme just completed my first new Vegas playthrough 3 days ago

[@SnipingIsAGoodJobMate]

@@ellisbarnett0292 epic

[@tokujinsicura9507]

Very nice, sir. Very nice👌

[@salamander405]

From where your sitting, this may look like an 18 septum run of bad luck...

[@bektasbirben6077]

Ring-A-Ding-Ding, baby. 👍

[@SirStanleytheStumbler]

My take was always that none of them actually had a contract on them. Astred just wanted to see if you were willing to be given a target by her and do the job because for a DB assassin that's one of the more important traits.

[@alexanderleonardi3625]

correct. you're not being tested on if you can kill. you are being tested if you can obey

[@getonleagueguys7557]

"One person in this room has a contract on them" Me: Drops the 107 contracts on me signed by Astrid *Yes I've killed a lot of people and stolen a shit ton of things*

[@randomfactsthatdontmatter3466]

*Proceeds to kill self*

[@vineousvondrake2456]

Lol

[@funandgames42]

Oh my God im rolling on the floor laughing literally too funny

[@rtyuik7]

i always try to reverse-pick any Assassination Contracts back onto Astrid's inventory...of course, the game's code was never made this complex, but in my headcanon, my character whispers "by the way, your employees were, shall we say, Lacking, which is why you need new underlings now" as he slips the envelopes into her pocket...i wish that, for the few playthroughs that i Destroy the dark brotherhood, Astrid would read through these letters from herself and realize 'maybe this Dragonborn fellow is a much more dangerous threat than i first thought'...

[@elijahnakumura4375]

Imagine how many sacrifices were made to put out those hits

[@KorporateKotoo]

Just use the Clairvoyance spell, it always points to the cat for me.

[@wwefuk7719]

KorporateKotoo true.

[@spaghettifiets1731]

Same

[@artsyhoodies]

The cat is the one I spare. I love him too much. I love his attitude.

[@HallowedKeeper_]

@@artsyhoodies .....

[@GlitchLich589]

Wolfie Spark ⚡️ Wünderbar!

[@owenw.1643]

babette, canonically: "There you are! Astrid's told me all about you. Heard she pulled the ole' "Choose your victim" gag with you. Ah, I love that one..." im so sorry camel i think you made a 41 minute long video for a question that has no answer because astrids a liar

[@jprec5174]

Yea Astrid straight up tells you the point was just to see if you could kill no questions asked. It had nothing to do with there being a contract. What is important about this part in the story though is its suppose to show you that the Dark Brotherhood has been reduced to being straight up killers since there is no more listener.

[@owenw.1643]

@@jprec5174 exactly! its a perfect way to showcase what the dark brotherhood has become since oblivion.

[@OhMoonPresence]

Doesn’t that just confirm the final theory though? That the 3 with the hoods are merely there as a way out of a contract to then be recruited?

[@VaderViktor]

@@jprec5174 Most likely. But Camel's theory is still a possibility, and i like it so much better so im going with that

[@jmerrick2012]

Vasha was "bagged and dragged"? He must be from Portland.

[@spades-V440]

Considering it has already been established that Astrid has removed herself from the core values of the DB, I just assumed she made it all up... She basically tested whether or not the Dragonborn would be loyal to her. If they were she would recruit them (possibly based on their skill or just because they found a person who did the black sacrament before even the DB could). I would personally assume she merely came across the victims through her own endeavors and perhaps deemed them good test subjects.

[@Jarod3926]

Dragonborn: "Hey. Cool headgear I can't get anywhere else in game... I'll just... Kill you all..." Astrid: "had to be one of them, right?" Dragonborn: "oh yeah the contract"

[@hlibtarabrov8387]

I feel attacked

[@ikarusgp4599]

Thats exactly me xD

[@PunkZombie1300]

I remember pickpocketing the sacks off of all of them. They still couldn't see anything lol.

[@DrShark-sz6ph]

Yep

[@xx_jake_blake_xx4669]

Jarod_Insane lololol i always just wanted those stupid headwraps

[@nunya_bizniz]

Alduin put out the contract on the dragonborn as a way to protect his future.

[@dinodude6992]

Alduin: ah yes! Big brain time

[@articuno8565]

Instead of.. ya know.. just letting him get beheaded.

[@nunya_bizniz]

@@articuno8565 🤣 yeah my comment wasn't well thought out.

[@AztecJester93]

Well... that would go against a dragon's desire for a challenge

[@scienceteam9254]

@@articuno8565 that's probably insurance

[@boldbearings]

Maybe, but Astrid's exact words are not "someone in this room." She says "If you turn around, you'll notice my guests...there's a contract out on one of them." Them. It has to be one of the tied three. Coincidentally, Astrid's last words "Well done.." and the fact that the storyline ends with her burned up or "well-done" is pretty funny.

[@lynzylu5]

But technically, you're a guest too

[@boldbearings]

@@lynzylu5 Sure....but still not "one of them".

[@badwulff]

Also, from what I read on the wiki at least, it's still possible to encounter Assassins after having started the DB, so this doesn't really hold up. It's more likely that Astrid is just impressed the player killed a gal unprompted and wanted to test whether they'd kill anyone, like she said originally. Notions like "debts of life" and the like don't really exist anymore anyway, since the Night Mother's silent and Sithis' tenets aren't upholded.

[@futuremercy8268]

Imagine your character turning around and screaming, “NO, YOU’RE GOING TO BE WELL DONE!!!”

[@Claydoc_]

@@boldbearings It could be. "Them" is referring to her "guests", which includes you. Sure, one could argue that it'd be more accurate to say "one of you" as in "one of the group you belong to (the guests)", but I don't think it's impossible that she could have meant "one of them" as being "one of the people who belong to that group (the guests)", which you just so happen to belong to.

[@jamemhm]

It's a good theory but if you do the quest and use Clairvoyance, you will find Vasha is the correct choice to kill. The light points to him

[@ChronicNewb]

Woah WHAT that's awesome

[@void1895]

It actually points at all of them. When you kill Vasha and use it again, it redirects.

[@Mere-Lachaiselongue]

@@void1895 And it doesn't go to Vasha all the time. It's completely random.

[@Shadowhunter420]

@@Mere-Lachaiselongueit went to Vasha for me

[@reio4641]

​@@Shadowhunter420okay, that proves that Vasha is one of the possible targets for the spell to point to. Thanks for giving us the info.

[@rowynnivy3178]

I did this quest again recently and used the clairvoyance spell in the shack, it points at Vasha

[@Bluestonezee]

This is essential information! Deserves more likes!

[@revenevan11]

Woah, I have to try this!

[@ancientclown]

@@Bluestonezee i gave you both likes

[@Spoontamer4]

Its random who it points at. For me it pointed at the mercenary lol

[@peachy3.145]

Are you sure it doesn't just point at the one you are closest to? Isn't the spell meant to point at the path to the closest objective, not the "right" or "most important" one?

[@ridered300]

I love Australians because they upload videos in the middle of the night here so I have something to watch during night shifts. Thanks Camel!

[@ClipsInc.]

It was 8:15 pm when this was uploaded so it still at night in Australia lol

[@1Pineapple]

Ahh he's Australian?! THAT's why I like his voiceovers so much 😁🐊

[@Mitchell4892]

@@ClipsInc. he did say his night-shift so that makes sense

[@hunterwebber4914]

Same here dude

[@serjoerickii3262]

Thanks Camel, very cool!

[@tomoyazahard7244]

Astrid: "hey you, you're finnaly awake..."

[@jyggalagdaedricprinceoford6239]

Tomoya Zahard no

[@mitsvanmitsvanio6106]

Wake up, we're here. Why are you shaking? Are you ok? Wake up.

[@solaire_ofastora3]

Finally*

[@mohammadshibli8163]

@Delete Me Ulfric? The jarl of windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion? But if they've captured you..oh god! Where are they taking us?

[@lordofshades9852]

@@mohammadshibli8163 I don't know,but Sovngarde awaits

[@MrAnarchronism]

I kinds thought Astrid said "good job" because she kinda knows the Nightmother wants this and feels guilt over her heretical practices and disregard for tradition. She seemed like she once was a true believer. With the fall of the dark brotherhood around her, her faith is shaken, and she becomes bitter and begins to go against everything she previously believed. She asks you to kill someone and you choose her. She accepts it as divine retribution, finally claiming her.

[@iponce2]

I always read it as her recognizing your cleverness. She says, "you don't leave until someone in this cabin dies." So gutting her and taking the key is technically following her instructions to the letter.

[@dcrawford813]

She just says good job bc she's a psycho murderer and appreciates that you were able to best her. She's acknowledging you for besting her.

[@JoshDrakePendora]

@@iponce2no it’s not recognizing really any cleverness, but instead skill. There isn’t really anything to be clever on, common sense is the person who kidnapped you has the key to the place you’re locked in. So either one of the three has to die so she gives you the key, or kill her for it. “Well done” yes, well done, you just killed THE leader of the Dark Brotherhood, not exactly a stroll in the park. The guards and Maro’s reaction back this is as well essentially being “You did WHAT!?”

[@lexi-js4zd]

I always thought the player character was trying to cross the border to get in, not out of Skyrim. No one's heard of you, no-one recognises you, even if you're a Nord. Idk, always just made more sense to me.

[@nathanlarson7408]

Once you step off the cart in Helgen as a Nord, Hadvar says "You picked a bad time to come home to Skyrim, kinsman"

[@andrewsad1]

I think someone in Hammerfell performed the black sacrament, and the Skyrim branch caught wind of it. They could easily have heard about us entering Skyrim, if one of the guards that escaped Helgen is a member (many guards are, as we all know)

[@thegreatgabe734]

@@andrewsad1 yeah 'hail sithis' isn't exactly a line that's just overlooked, especially when every single guard within ten feet of you says it

[@Tsuyoshi_Kanda]

@Young Victor Well it kinda does alluding to the fact he wasnt originally in skyrim and he has now returned home.

[@yesthatshouldwork]

@Young Victor no, he also states that you are coming home.

[@jarenz9100]

The first time I killed Grelod I slept in Blackreach, much rage was had that day

[@Lyrakrosis]

Oh just hearing that hurts...You poor soul

[@NeonXCraft]

Jokes on them, they had to travel to blackreach

[@futureshock382]

Why? I dont get it

[@xyro3633]

Holy fuck, that's the most hilariously brutal thing I've read all day.

[@TrueFlyer28]

Future Shock It’s a pain to go that far underground if I am correct

[@ORIGINALFBI]

Astrid: "Someone in this room has a contract on their head." Dragonborn: "It could be any one of us. It could be you, it could be me"

[@imsorrythankyouplease7613]

It couldn’t be those 3. Those are bags. Not contracts.

[@xivliai975]

Like in that show HBO Oz any one of us could be undercover it could be me it could be you

[@ORIGINALFBI]

@@xivliai975 It could even be kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5_ZmYCrfs-bmbc

[@world2nothing]

@@ORIGINALFBI *Shotgun shoots* What he's the one with the contract, see. Any second now. See a contract, no that's just some pamphlet to a museum.

[@womedrah1415]

"it could even be' *Bang*

[@tabbygale5430]

Honestly, my first time doing that scene, I attacked Astrid. I was role-playing a kind of brutish barbarian stormcloak character, and it felt like what he would do.😂

[@bryangetz3074]

Maven definitely seems like the kind of person who would take a contract on Astrid for failure

[@babygurleatsshickennuggits4201]

I think Maven would eventually try to put one on you and then she will finally come to an end

[@benconrad5127]

For some common thug who failed? Absolutely. But Astrid is useful enough to keep around if she fails once.

[@arkhamshade2198]

I mean I ran into her in Riften after finishing the dark brotherhood quest line and she said something about her sending the dark brotherhood after me if I got on her bad side.

[@killerkitten7534]

I feel like she might have be vengeful enough to do that, but she wouldn’t realistically do that. Setting a contract on who effectively is at that point the highest ranking dark brotherhood member is probably just going to get the entire brotherhood on your bad side. And having a group of a dozen assassins pissed at you doesn’t sound like a good idea

[@gamester512]

@@killerkitten7534 Especially when said leader is some combination of: Dragonborn, Werewolf, Vampire Lord, Vampire Hunter, Arch-Mage, Harbinger of the Companions, Leader of the Thieves Guild, etc. :P

[@selahattinalici686]

If you use the spell "Clairvoyance", it point at the Khajiit. You're welcome.

[@geistersehxr]

Clairvoyance always points to a random target in this quest. You're welcome.

[@selahattinalici686]

@@geistersehxr I tried multiple times and saves, it was always the khajiit.

[@majorattitude01]

Clairvoyance always leads me out of the place I’m exploring. It’s like it knows I just want to go back to bed.

[@selahattinalici686]

@@majorattitude01 Clairvoyance shows you the path to your deepest desire 👀

[@majorattitude01]

Selahattin Alici That must be it. Boom. Mystery solved.

[@DravicPL]

J.K. Rowling reveals that you, the reader, were... the contract all along.

[@richardbaker308]

Holy shit

[@Dzemal505]

Ali Baba J.K. Rowling reveals that you, the reader, were... gay all along

[@ElvenPrince]

@@Dzemal505 and actually the bad guys all along

[@redstripedsocks5245]

@@ElvenPrince and gay

[@DancingCrickets04]

Your not funny.

[@lordstug3277]

Astrid could've said "Well done." in reference to the destroy the dark brotherhood quest line that happens after you kill her. So technically there were at least 2 people who we can confirm were wanted dead.

[@pagannova3621]

Astrid basically admitting the Thieves' Guild is more structured than expert assassins.

[@legacyroot]

Makes sense. Thieves Guild are businesspeople more than ritualistic killers.

[@MikayaAkyo]

The Thieves' Guild is more structured than a lot of organizations in Skyrim. What is your point?

[@vicieux7789]

yeah i mean astrid basically took a massive shit on everything the brotherhood stood for, so i'd say its fair to assume there isn't a whole lot of structure

[@rafaelkresmar3998]

Like almost everyone who tried to solve this "riddle" you've made the fundamental mistake of claiming that Astrid said something ambigous like "there's a contract on someone in this cottage" what she however literally says is "If you turn around you'll notice my guests... there's a contract on one of them" so she clearly claims that one of the three has the contract on them. The mistake that most people want to make when they try to solve this riddle is that it's either Astrid or the PC that have the contract on them because if you kill her she says "well done" while the PC is ofcourse the only character who can actually have a contract on them. What however most people just ignore because they want to solve an unsolvable riddle is the simple fact that Astrid doesn't even have a listener anymore and she just uses the Brotherhood for her own gain. She doesn't take contracts from the Mother she just takes contracts that she believes makes them the most money. As Astrid herself says : It's not important who had a contract on them it's important that she told you to kill and you did without even verifying that the NightMother actually ordered the Kill in other words this was just a test wether you'd kill for her

[@rafaelkresmar3998]

@@SA_Caine Given how Astrid doesn't really care for the actual traditions I wouldn't be surprised if she actually just kidnapped random people and no one actually has a contract on them. But it's supposed to be open who actually, if at all, has a contract on them.

[@uchiha_murilo3148]

this argument beats the video

[@pentarthesage7013]

BuT Uh gUYs YOURE ASTRIDS GUEST TOOO THO DURHURBUR. Whet Iv Asstred be tricksy with wurds

[@rafaelkresmar3998]

@@pentarthesage7013 If you turn around you'll see my guests one of them. I can't see myself if I turn around. But since you've wrote this in a Meme way this isn't meant for you, but for anyone who would actually believe that to be a real reason

[@BaronSengir1008]

@@rafaelkresmar3998 I can always see myself in third person mode...

[@metalmaria26]

I used the Wabbajack on one of them, they turned into a dremora and killed the other two, then Astrid jumped down and helped me kill it.

[@NothinbutRye]

Vornalph fucking power move

[@DGARedRaven]

Lord Sheogorath approves of you basically giving the middle finger to Sithis.

[@obviouslykaleb7998]

Big brain if the dremora killed Astrid

[@jachleon2930]

I like you sir

[@OzOshri]

200 IQ play right there...

[@cdurkinz]

I like your conclusion I’m going to go with that. She wanted us to take a life to release our contract. The only hiccup is how many play throughs I’ve done where I haven’t had that random encounter before killing Grelod. But maybe the assassin took an arrow to the knee on his way and retired to a cozy guard position.

[@RyanjrPlays]

I just recently had the assassin go at me right after the whiterun tower mission where you discover you are dragonborn.

[@VarthalabauHair]

With the Alternate Start - Live Another Life mod, I can't recall when was the last time I started a Skyrim playthrough where I even went through the vanilla opening, let alone get attacked by that DB assassin. Holy shit, this video is on point lmao.

[@jademcdaris1242]

13:17 Of course Fultheim lives in the middle of nowhere, it's not like he could live Elseweyr

[@WolfDragonTamer]

Nice

[@peppermint4580]

I applaud 👏👏

[@AnOldYouTubeAccount]

Ok sofia

[@kriss3907]

Haaa...well played.

[@Justin-yk1sw]

Not gonna lie. That was a good one

[@axolatlas5799]

Whispers* “I know who put the contract on us” ... “It was... Nazeem”

[@CLBPRKNS]

H E S H A L L D I E ! ! !

[@claycollins9852]

Why couldnt you just get over to the cloud district?

[@IndridCold]

Yeah i believe that, he was an instant object of hatred for most of us XD

[@IndridCold]

@@claycollins9852 you are a terrible person who says terrible things XD #NazeemPTSD #CloudDistrictEnvy

[@spikem5950]

@@claycollins9852 He needed the Dragonborn there so he could finally have his PUSSIEEEEEEE

[@MrMaradok]

I've always wanted to make a card with the Brotherhood hand and "We Know" on it's front, but "...that it's your birthday!" inside. XD

[@wyntertheicewyvern6226]

Oooh. You should. That would be the greatest birthday card ever.

[@supasf]

Cringe

[@TarantuLandoCalcuLingus]

Nice

[@Gryphen_]

Etern4l Saiy4n how bout no you son of a fat sheep

[@thatguyintherain3168]

Do it...I’ll buy one. No seriously.

[@adelie8737]

27:41 Isn't that what happened in the destruction of the Falkreath Sanctuary? Astrid did the black sacrament on herself and the Night Mother not only heard it, but accepted it and passed it on?

[@lerarosalene]

Yes, but it happened after Astrid played complete fool and betrayed brotherhood. I can imagine Night Mother being pissed off.

[@banegas0411]

*astrid fight will be hard* me sleeping for the first time at lvl 80 me: curb stomps astrid with my bare hands

[@JabronyJoenZ]

What are you doing fighting astrid the ebony warrior is waiting for you

[@banegas0411]

@@JabronyJoenZ i already punched him to death

[@LenusJaguar7845]

Astrid: Fight me Your lvl80 dragonborn: I'll bitch slap you back to your cave

[@drinfernodds]

I literally just whacked her twice with Volendrung then called it a day.

[@metalgearzwei]

you can’t curb stomp somebody with your HANDS!

[@meloncholymelan]

"all those files, all that discipline?" Sweetie there are f i v e rules. There's more rules for boiling pasta, it's really not that restrictive

[@internallydarkskin6800]

meloncholy_melan _ criminally underrated comment

[@green5310]

lol

[@LesbianJew]

as someone who plays the dark brotherhood storyline almost everytime i play, i can confirm that they are generally a really chill group. there are more restrictions when youre playing with the thieves guild than playing with the db.

[@pisscvre69]

I wanted to kill her and restore the dark brotherhood right away, like what’s the point of being in the dark brotherhood if your just mercenaries and that’s it?

[@Mare_Man]

And Astrid broke *four* of them!

[@mercury_and_eggs]

Can we take a minute to appreciate how good the voice acting for Aventus was? Especially for a kid.

[@amethysttvgl1601]

Honestly I was listening and thinking like "darn this is a kid actor?" Like he was so expressive with his voice and sounded actually believable!

[@cameroncortel8650]

Astrid's voice acting was also quite good. Actually one of the reasons I really like this questline lol

[@Matheus21video]

@@cameroncortel8650 I agree.

[@anotherclown6620]

Yeah I was actually thinking that when I first met him and in this video

[@bajjajajbajjjajaj6473]

I’ll do you one better- Cicero

[@studiedturtle4139]

It's crazy how something so simple like this, can be broken down into a 40 minute video, this is why I love the elder scrolls.

[@dragonmaster1360]

The reason it can be broken down is because Bethesda put almost no thought into this quest. It's so blank and barren that it literally REQUIRES players to fill in the blanks. It's not "open-ended" for intrigue purposes. It's blank. There would be evidence of these characters in the world, families, homes, lived lives, if there was any real thought to it. We'd have to investigate, find out more about them, or even by happenstance, find out about them beforehand, even if it's from obscure references or from meeting them. This quest is barren of anything, really. Just like 90% of quests in this game...

[@hi-dg4wc]

"... As there is another person in the room, that we can kill" Me: Wait can we kill ourself

[@IndigoGollum]

or if you eat the right ingredients

[@aylashay5240]

Or if you trip and land on your sword 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 I mean, you never know it could happen

[@villainvoice5143]

We’ve all tripped on that stupid set of bones in the intro. We can definitely grind ourselves out on something in the shack.

[@ssgyates]

Yes you can.

[@MikayaAkyo]

Zoom out so you can see your character open console click on yourself type kill and press enter. Done

[@mizu7662]

Given her reaction, I always assumed she was lying and none of them had a contract on them. Thats why she doesn't care who you pick, there is no circumstance in which she has to worry about you letting someone with a contract on them walk away. It also matches up with her reply that it doesn't matter and the only point was seeing if you were someone who would be willing to kill on command.

[@InsomniacXIII]

I assumed that they all had contracts on them and that's why it didn't matter who you killed or spared - if you kill them all, great; if you spare anyone, they just kill them after you leave.

[@ariamoonfall4558]

@@InsomniacXIII I'm going through my first playthrough of the DB questline and it did seem like either none of them or all of them have a contract on them- Babette even confirms it when you talk to her after you go in for the first time.

[@ClockworkGearhead]

It ultimately doesn't matter, though. None of them have legitimate contracts, and neither does anyone the Dark Brotherhood has killed before the Dragonborn becomes The Listener. She's just a killer doing it for money, not a follower of Sithis. It's _also_ why they so easily forgive your own contract once you join. They're illegitimate contracts.

[@villahermosasebastian8794]

I think its actually astrid since when you attack her she will say "well done"

[@tirsden]

@@ClockworkGearhead - Glad to see someone else recognize that coven as the abomination it is.

[@StarlitSeafoam]

Personally, I think Alea Quintus, the supposed mother of six children, is lying about her identity. Whether she is the contract or not I have no idea, but she is definitely not who she says she is. First, she is a Nord with an Imperial name. Odd, but not damning. Until you realize that Quintus is only ever used as a first name in the Elder Scrolls (yes, I checked UESP across all the games), NOT a last name, implying that Alea is trying to pass for an Imperial but isn't familiar with Imperial naming conventions. And/or she chose her name for it's meaning (see below). Secondly, Alea's name has a rather interesting meaning. Alea means "a risk, chance, venture, or game of dice", while Quintus has the less interesting meaning "fifth". So her name literrally means "fifth game of chance" or "fifth risk". This, along with her tone of outraged annoyance when you speak to her, suggests she might be more familiar with this sort of predicament than she lets on. Thirdly, in the game files her class is set as a warrior. And odd profession for a supposed single mother of six children. When, as she so often likes to remind us, would she have time for such a thing? Fourthly, a mother of six children is an awfully risky kidnap victim. Astrid's other kidnapees make sense because most won't care or notice that a murderous thief and a sell-sword have gone missing (indeed, plenty would probably be pleased, even among Vasha's supposed gang). But a mother of six children? That's six people who will miss her immediately, stand witness to her disappearance, and, because someone has to take care of them, give people reason to go looking for her, not to mention the high chance that one or all of the children would be near Alea at all times and see Astrid. It just doesn't make sense for Astrid to draw that much potential attention to herself and the Dark Brotherhood for no pay, especially since Commander Maro knows Astrid's identity and has long "watched the Dark Brotherhood's movements... waiting for the time to strike". Astrid's choice makes far more sense if Alea isn't actually a mother and is hiding her real identity behind an assumed name and sob story meant to make you feel sorry for her. Astrid likely knows or guesses that Alea Quintus isn't her prisoner's real name and certainly knows she has no children, but doesn't care what story Alea tells so long as you end up killing one of the three. Who is Alea Quintus really? Not the slightest, but she obviously works in a profession where secrecy is key. Or where her real identity would make people want to kill her more.

[@darthshivvis956]

You smoke good pot don't you

[@StarlitSeafoam]

@@darthshivvis956 only the best

[@igoraroucha7510]

God you put way more effort in that than Bethesda did.

[@santicheeks1106]

I always kill her, even after I kill astrid shes just so annoying

[@overdrive023]

I fucking love folks who put way too much thought into stuff AND deliver their thoughts so well dude! I really enjoyed reading this, so thanks dude :)

[@HexerGraf]

You know... the contract having been on the Dragonborn all along is a pretty solid theory. I've had that assassin show up while I was on my way to Whiterun for the first time and always wondered about it. That being our reason for running to Hammerfell makes a lot more sense!

[@kendo2377]

"Never dishonor the Night Mother." It's the #1 tenet and Astrid broke it on a regular basis. Nuff said.

[@supasf]

But the tenets aren't upholded any more... And even then, who would make a contract on her head? One of the other members? Highly doubted. Every other dark brotherhood member outside of Skyrim is dead or in hiding. And I dont think anyone outside of Skyrim would know that she disobeyed the night mother. And even if they know, I don't think they'd be able to hear about someone performing the black sacrament outside of Skyrim, since the night mother has no listener, they have to hear about the contracts by word of mouth. So I'm pretty sure it's not her.

[@kukkibolli1]

she broke all five throughout the questline

[@dragonqueenniisan4122]

@@supasf But if breaking a Tenet invokes the Wrath of Sithis, would it not be possible that Sithis himself it not insulted if you break them? Would it not be possible that Sithis himself would tell the Nightmother that Astrid is to be killed? After all, Sithis is our lord in the Dark Brotherhood.

[@Robert399]

@@dragonqueenniisan4122 Yes but the Night Mother doesn't communicate with Astrid (or anyone else) so she wouldn't know.

[@recklessabandon5678]

She broke them all actually She refused you a contract despite you being listener and therefore technically above her(listen to your higher ups) She tells you to steal Cicero's journals(don't steal from a dark brother or sister) She orders you to kill Cicero(do not kill a dark brother or sister) And she has you climb into the night mothers coffin(respect death mama's tomb)

[@BKeppol]

WARNING! Spoilers Ahead: If you follow the entire Dark Brotherhood chain to the end, you learn that Astrid betrayed the Brotherhood to the Penitus Oculatus in violation of Tenet Number 2. She also admits that they have stopped following the 5 tenets and have decided to do things their way violating Tenet number 1. She directs you to steal Ciceros Journal, which, although the player steals it, they do so under the instruction of a superior which violates Tenet number 4. She also directs you to later kill Cicero which violates Tenet number 5 (justification as per the previous violation). All of these violations invoke the wrath of Sithis who is essentially the ultimate authority of the Dark Brotherhood, and thus able to put a contract on Astrid. Since the player later becomes the listener, it can be postulated that Sithis, through his Daedric power has manipulated the fate of the player to put them in the position to carry out the contract on Astrid. The player is not in any violation of the tenets as they are not a true member yet. Also, when the Penitus Oculatus destroys the sanctuary, Astrid willingly admits she has broken the tenets of the brotherhood, and has invoked the black sacrement on herself.

[@zeallust8542]

Right but also Sithis is not conscious

[@qazxsw21000]

Jesse C I read on another investigation video, someone in the comments dig through the game files to see who the “friend” is that sends you into dungeons after you use a shout (the ones that start the misc quests “investigate the source of power within [dungeon]”). Turns out it’s the word wall itself that sends the letters.

[@zeallust8542]

@@qazxsw21000 Oh rad, any idea what the video was called?

[@qazxsw21000]

Jesse C I don’t remember, but thinking about it, it may have been a “top 5” video or “top 10”. The channel is epicnate315

[@zeallust8542]

@@qazxsw21000 Oh boy, one of epicnates 400 top 5s that narrows it down haha. Ill see if i can find it, thanks bro.

[@TasTheWatcher]

What if those six children aren't literally her children, and are just pets or something she refers to as children? Any houses with six rats, or chaurus, or something?

[@kari4846]

The mention of pet rats takes me back to the Fighter's Guild days when we had that contract to save those pet rats from the mountain lions in Anvil

[@Eldrsjall]

Or children that aren't hers. Like from an orphanage. And since orphanage caretakers where high on the kill list around that time didn't use her real name. Grelod got killed for being rude and awful, not unlikely she might think Aventus is after her

[@australeo]

Yeah there is a house actually, 6 rats. 2 outside and 4 inside, with some meat spread around makes it look like they raised them. There is also the corpse of a man dead on the bed in that house. There is nothing else there, its just a random cabin in the middle of nowhere.

[@Cemtexify]

@@Eldrsjall Grelod was a little more than "rude and awful" she legit broke the terms of the Geneva convention on those kids

[@potatogamer1578]

Well there was a house with 5-6 skeevers but yet again that person was dead in bed

[@firewolf1024]

I fought at least five assasins before the abandoned shack scene. I knew of the contract. Somehow, it still didn't click that I was the one. Ended up killing Astrid bc I didn't want to kill an innocent person and I knew for sure that she wasn't innocent, with or without a contract.

[@BranBal]

Genius

[@gaia9020]

i never slept in skyrim, i just waited for hours... so i missed on this mission for quite a while

[@KimonFrousios]

Same. Werewolves have no reason to sleep.

[@iisadragonborn7128]

Same dude I though I was the only person who had that experience. I didn’t find out until I watched a video because I always play as a werewolf and it takes away sleep bonus.

[@gelo5861]

Dude I have no reason to sleep I’m a werewolf

[@redzepher2]

@Fesh Pince "i swear, i saw a dragon" Mnhmm, course you did, and you want to talk to the jarl?

[@bengal4047]

I accidentally got it earlier than I was expecting to. I saw someone react to the Brotherhood note in a skit by immediately searching for a bed, so I thought that must be something you do to stave off the Brotherhood finding you somehow. I almost never sleep, usually just wait/timeskip, so when I woke up and saw furniture that wasn't mine and the usual rest message show up, I panicked

[@njpnjp]

I don't think it was to repay a kill so you can be recruited, Astrid doesn't give a damn about tradition. I reckon it was as simple as being a test of whether you were willing and (morally) able to kill a seemingly innocent person(s). Innocent in the sense that you have no idea why they'd be deserving of death given the extremely limited info other than their testimonies. I think Astrid would recruit an obedient killer regardless of whether they have a contract on their head.

[@balazsfoldes4700]

And you already took one life: you killed Grelod.

[@christhegendersloth2901]

I agree. I feel it was to test if we'd kill someone and follow orders.

[@thechosenbeastdoesgames956]

I took it that all 3 had a contract on their heads but Astrid said only one did just to test our ability to follow orders

[@jljljl1820]

before they have the listener they cant know who is destined to die. the only way they learn about a dark ritual being performed is through rumours. so i think this test is a bs. she just collected 3 randos

[@shaliir]

She doesn’t care who you kill she just wants to see how you react to each of their responses when threatened with death. She’s just asking will you kill someone who begs for mercy, someone who people rely on, someone who threatens you with retaliation. You just need to be able to kill any of them. Technically the right answer is all three because none of them are leaving the cabin alive anyways.

[@cardiganbackyardigan6685]

Can we just appreciate the fact this kid made it to windhelm from riften

[@iolandad.381]

Fuck the Dragonborn, this kid is the most powerful person alive

[@_NutcasE_]

I doubt he traversed by foot, there are carriage travels that you too can utilize to travel safely, Most likely the kid waited for a carriage headed for windhelm and snuck aboard.

[@OhNoTheFace]

I always assumed a stow away or just a driver guy being nice. He always does seem pretty pleasant

[@johnlucas2838]

@@OhNoTheFace Guy has killer rates on the Dragonborn. Isn't a tavern like 10 septims?

[@Databat123]

@@johnlucas2838 Fair point, here’s a counterpoint though. Story wise instead of gameplay, if he’s taking you specifically you across Skyrim, he’s likely feeding you/attending to your needs. Plus we don’t see any other boarding. So we can head cannon the 40/50 is for accommodations. And 20 septims is because of the easier to travel/closeness of the trips.

[@alyssapeterson2004]

You recruitment hypothesis actually makes a lot of sense when you consider that Astrid's reasoning was you owed a life for assassinating Grelod the Kind as the contract was meant for the Dark Brotherhood. Accepting you into the guild would make you a guild member and therefore, the life would no longer have been owed.

[@luca377bazooka_2]

Astrid: in person in this room has a contract on their head Dragonborn: *unsheathes sword* Astrid: *sweating intensifies*

[@kyle18934]

Dragon born: shouts for his dragons

[@daws1620]

@@kyle18934 *proceeds to call Odahviing and Durnehviir*

[@kyle18934]

@@daws1620 lol Astrid face as the roof is ripped of showing two angry dragons

[@daws1620]

@@kyle18934 Astrid: uhh you can join us if you want or do whatever you want JUST DON'T KILL ME PLEASE

[@ethangilchrist3534]

5:56 is misleading. Grelod the Kind is the only "innocent" NPC that you can kill, unaggravated, in plain sight, and not be charged with murder.

[@RhynnMedia]

Not true I’ve killed her before and got guards called on me it seems like you can kill her with sneak or magic with no consequences but if you kill her with a sword or melee guards were called o me but I think that might have been fixed in se this happened to me years ago back in 2012

[@ethangilchrist3534]

@@RhynnMedia was the quest active when you killed her?

[@connivingkhajiit]

@@RhynnMedia you will not get guards called on you no matter what if the quest is active

[@enbyfabulosity2521]

..The couriers though-

[@rikardosilva1754]

I also got the guards after me, i killed her during her dialogue and then when i was going back to windhelm the guards appeared and tried to arrest me.

[@TarDeisa]

While most of what you said is sound, you did make one mistake. The border you cross in the beginning of the game is the cyrodiil-skyrim border. And dialogue with Hadvar, who took part in your capture and thus knows, how you got into the ambush, states that you are "new in skyrim" I get where this mistake comes from though, as the horse thief Lokir says he "would already be half the way to hammerfell by now" However there is no affiliation between your player character and Lokir. Instead you come into skyrim from cyrodiil and get caught up in the ambush. That is also why you are not on the list for executions. While lokir, who was found to be guilty of stealing horses is. It is made to seem as if all on the list are known to be storm cloaks, but that doesnt have to be the case. Ergo, you are not from Skyrim and trying to get to hammerfell via Cyrodiil as Lokir does, but instead came into Skyrim from Cyrodiil. That is also a nod from Bethesda, as Oblivion took place in Cyrodiil, and you now "cross the border" from there into Skyrim.

[@waddle_plop]

Thank you for explaining this so thoroughly-I was hoping someone else noticed this.

[@09Drdray]

Yeah I always liked how they kind of made skyrim as a potential new chapter for the same character or their offspring

[@lancehandy6648]

Not so sure it wouldnt be easier to just go to hammerfell via cyrodil if that was the case.

[@sickofseeingjustsomeguywit8168]

If you see the map of Tamriel you would see that you got caught somewhere near the South west. Hammer fell is way to the east. The Dragonborn probably came from Cyrodil. Cause if he crossed the border from south east then it's more likely for the Stormcloaks to have caught him.

[@justinfrazier9555]

@@09Drdray The main character from Oblivion becomes Sheogorath. Sheogorath in Skyrim makes references to events that occurred in the previous game when you encounter him. This continues Bethesda's trend of wrapping up each characters story. Recall in Oblivion characters reference the Nerevar making a trip to Akavir and never returning. The Nerevar is the player character from Morrowind. They had to send the Nerevar away because in lore they are immortal from the corpus disease and will never die of age. To get rid of the Oblivion protagonist they mantal Sheogorath eventually becoming him regardless of race or sex.

[@zeratulcraft]

Astrid at the point of the shack has already broken several tenets, else the Oculatus wouldn't have the pass phrase to enter the Sanctuary. She has invoked the Wrath of Sithis.

[@snipinglegend8165]

The Dark Brotherhood has 5 recruits in the future seeing as all the honorhall orphanage kids like them now.

[@deepblume6611]

Would actualy be dope if we got wind in ES6 that theres a rumors that the kids who "run away" from the orphanedge and became DB assassins but no one really believes it

[@snipinglegend8165]

Those kids all have the potential

[@Lord_Raymund]

You can adopt them btw, so maybe not

[@DrakeFaust]

If they developed useful skills, perhaps. A sympathizer does not mean they have potential.

[@sotngaming8282]

Especially the one little girl who specifically talks about killing people.

[@Hercules1-v9m]

Astrid, "If you don't kill one of them then I will kill you." Me, with the immortal soul of a dragon, who has single handedly killed over 100 dragons including a dragon god. "Ok boomer."

[@MagicMan3K]

Technically you'd be the boomer in this situation though as stated by "Immortal soul of a dragon." Also the fact you can make your voice go 'boom'.

[@Val.Kyrie.]

MagicMan3K ooooooo point

[@Tridd666]

@@MagicMan3K ok boomer

[@MagicMan3K]

@@Tridd666 no u

[@jathomar]

Original American ok thu’umer

[@clashplaya8638]

There is no contract, there’s dried blood on the wall behind each of the three options. This is because this scenario is carried out multiple times, for Babette has a line of dialogue mentioning this to be so. That’s also why Astrid doesn’t seem to be very interested in your choice at all with each of her lines of dialogue. She says well done because you’ve figured it out, and you’ve beaten her at her own game. And you get attacked by assassins for committing any crime even if you do it unseen.

[@gabrielm.942]

I didn’t think it was any crime, I thought it had to be a leveled crime against someone. Then again I’m not entirely sure because I don’t usually commit crimes on purpose. Have only had a it happen to me a few times.

[@deademochicky]

thats why my guards were always after me alot and froze

[@t3chn0dr0n3]

@@gabrielm.942 Committing any crime vs any person can trigger either the thugs or the DB assassin. There are 2 mistakes which Camelworks makes - the first is misquoting Astrid, as she says there is a contract on one of the three guests, not on *someone* in the room; the second is claiming that you have a DB contract on your head from the get-go, which is just plain wrong.

[@gabrielm.942]

Rosen Kostov is it really any crime? I’m pretty sure thugs can be any level crime. But I though DB had to be leveled. Again I usually don’t commit a lot of crimes so I’m not to sure.

[@zedorda1337]

@@t3chn0dr0n3 She insinuates that one of her guests has a contract out on one of them. What you are missing is that you are also one of those guests, behind you are just the other 3. Remember you were also collected. As for the DB contract on your head from the start. That is incorrect. It gets placed in the random encounter list when you get the quest to goto Whiterun. No matter what you do, crime or no crime, that assassin will try and kill you and will always have that contract on him in your name. One of the Bethesda team at a local Comic-con event took an audience question that was about that assassin encounter and why we had a DB contract already. His answer basically said it was also connected with why you were in the wagon headed for execution but he couldn't go into it because it was going to be explained in the first DLC. Well as for many things promised in the first DLC it never came. But the real point is he validated that the DB contract was real and intended to be there. As for if it was connected to the abandoned shack encounter who knows but it sure sounds like a good possibility to me.

[@xanderhebert6257]

I always thought they all had targets because Astrid doesn’t seem ruthless enough to kidnap potentially three innocent people. I can’t think of any dark brotherhood member in Skyrim, other than Cicero, who would think about killing someone not related to a contract ignoring the single exception for spoiler reasons. All of them put too much effort and time into the brotherhood to be unprofessional about killing. I think she brought in three people who needed to die and killed the others herself after your test.

[@jassijoanna3466]

It’s kinda cool that you have the option to kill Astrid and free the others, especially when you’ve played through the questions four to five times already, but it’s a pity that the quest following is just another clear the dungeon errand run, they really should’ve fleshed that more out

[@matheusazevedo3138]

And you don’t get Nightmere ):

[@okate251]

@@matheusazevedo3138 doesnt matter if you have aarvak

[@bigcardboardbox8574]

@@okate251 aarvak is nice and all but he topples over in a stiff breeze shadowmere is much more sturdy

[@kellynolen498]

@@bigcardboardbox8574 and more comfortable it's not a skeleton

[@Hirokuro_Asura]

DB quests were the best in TES IV.

[@Wabinator]

Clouds. Clouds are in the air. There is air in the cabin. Nazeem goes to the cloud District. The contract was on Nazeem

[@dustinowens1360]

Yes👍

[@clemmonro9604]

Excellent hypothesis.

[@Bigpep69420]

#Science

[@partygoblynn]

#detectiveskillz

[@Bigpep69420]

@@partygoblynn #BigBrain

[@christopherkeller6195]

I just killed all 3 my virgin run on Skyrim. I loved Astrid's response: "My, my, aren't we the overachiever." Love your theory, though. 👌👍✋🙌

[@PsychShrew]

I killed Astrid because I was salty about getting kidnapped lol

[@camelotking5310]

Bro on my first run I couldn’t make up my mind so I hit Astrid which made her fight me and after I won I was about to load my save when it updated the “Destroy the Dark Brotherhood” quest so I kept it

[@deadjester4737]

I'm actually making a psycho playthrough now, role playing as a crazy ass necromancer. So Astrid literally had to watch me burning 3 of them to crisps, looting and then cutting them open thanks to the advanced necromancy mod

[@Kevin-gg2bl]

One flaw in the reasoning here, Astrid wouldn't care about fulfilling your life debt. She doesn't follow the tenants, so Sithis isn't her concern. Rather, it's to see if she could get you to kill for her, even if you had no real cause to kill the target. You had reason to kill Grelod. She was evil and deserved it. So it's hard to say if you'd make a good murderer or not. But these three, you don't have a reason. Other than being told to do so.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

On the other hand, what if she knows that she is in the process of breaking all the tenents, having broken some before and will be breaking the others. Maybe she knew of how she tarnished the sanctuary and that a purification was needed. And with Cicero and the night mother on the way and a potential new recruit in front of her, she has the means to completely replace her group with a clean one that will follow the tenants.

[@badjoke4467]

It took 40 minutes to explain that the PC was the one with the contract when it became apparent halfway for me because I remember being assaulted 4x by a DB Assassin

[@thegreatgabe734]

I've literally only experienced this once and I never really though about the contract happening before the start of the game, I just always though that I killed someone or did something that upset an npc enough to want to kill me and they thought "hey, maybe I should try something other than hired thugs for a change"

[@texasgun2731]

pretty sure only 1 DB assassin comes after you ever per character. maybe your modding made it so more appear

[@razielsouvare715]

@@texasgun2731 Probably, definitely the mods. I have a mod the cleans out corpses after you've left an area because I play on a potato. So, every 8 hours of gameplay or so I'm confronted by another assassin. Until I join The Brotherhood myself and walk in like "What's up Bitches?! Remember me? Guy that killed all those assassins? Guess what! You're all my underlings now, LISTENER BITCH!" I'm sorry...

[@LittleMissSomething]

@@thegreatgabe734 Out of all the new character files I've started in Skyrim, I've somehow never had a DB encounter until Astrid did her kidnapping. I have had random thugs after me though, so I definitely would've thought I'd just ticked off the wrong crowd had I encountered a DB member.

[@LittleMissSomething]

@Dionysian Beast I mean I'm not denying they're out there or anything, but yeah I've never encountered them in the "wild" lol, maybe I fast travel too much idk

[@AlpenSkyWatcher]

He's a Fultheim soldier, but he gets carried away Sometheims and acts like a bandit.

[@sierra203]

god i hate this i love it so much

[@cabdriver27]

Underrated

[@sickofseeingjustsomeguywit8168]

This comment is shit covered in gold.

[@csweezey18]

Stay the f*ck away from me and my family.

[@bassnoob8214]

@@csweezey18 no Satan he's coming for you

[@jep1st]

"Ah, Vasha. Obtainer of lives, taker of daughters and a defiler of goods. At you service" õ_õ

[@potatonite2340]

Vasha. Daughter of obtainers, life of goods, defiler of takers. At your service"

[@lihzzahrdspeed6631]

“Vasha, obtainer of goods, taker of lives and defiler of daughters. At your service.”

[@lihzzahrdspeed6631]

Omg I just realized I accidentally put the thing he actually said lol.

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

Ah, Service. Lives of daughters, taker of defilers and a goods of obtainer. At your Vasha"

[@ttineyastrana4353]

Vasha, who obtains a defiled Vasha, who obtains a defiled Vasha, who obtains a defil-

[@nickvanoort6403]

The contract is on Astrid. She already betrayed TDB before meeting you, breaking several rules laid down by sithis. If you kill her in the shack she actually says "well done" Cicero is actually there to get things back in order, since they did lose their sanctuary. He didn't have much choice, since the skyrim one is the last active sanctuary. Astrid her betrayal is the reason the guild is in such a sorry state🤷

[@Lethargy514]

But how would Astrid know that a contract was on her? She couldn't have known by being attacked, otherwise she would've gone after Cicero.

[@nickvanoort6403]

@@Lethargy514 All contracts are done by the black sacrament, meaning it is like a prayer to the night mother. Who in turn is the wife of sithis. She knows that by breaking the 5 tenets, a contract will be made on her.

[@shadenox8164]

@@nickvanoort6403 Except Astrid wouldn't know of or recognise that contract. In the absence of the listener she's the one whose accepting and approving contracts. Why would she be talking about a contract she would never accept?

[@nickvanoort6403]

@@shadenox8164 because she did know there was a contract on her head. Wich is exactly what she says when you're in the shack. 1 person in de room has a contract out on them, her. Ofcourse she wouldn't give that contract to her guild members, but she doesn't need a listener to figure out who has contracts on their head😮 before the nightmother gets to the sanctuary they also complete contacts 😉

[@joshuasorenson6053]

Alternate theory: they ALL had contracts on them.

[@survivor-qm9ml]

True

[@ratman-f1b]

or no contracts and astrid is a troll

[@Ishamv3]

This is canon, not alternate. LOL.

[@wordforger]

Yep. She says "One" but she doesn't say "ONLY one." A mercenary, a crotchety woman, and an arrogant crime boss? These people likely have at least one person out there who would want them dead.

[@elephystry]

Why else does nobody else out in the world care that they’re gone?

[@andyroberts310]

I love the random encounters in Skyrim. I usually create a backstory for my characters and one time I was an Orc on the run from a khajiit skooma dealing crime lord. I'd been muscle for him but was skimming some coin off the deals and when he found out I fled to Skyrim... Ya know the usual sort of thing. Anyway, this was only about my 5th play through and on my way to Whiterun I was attacked by a Khajiit assassin... It was like Bethesda was in on my backstory!!!!

[@faade0685]

late response, but that is a sick backstory 👍👍

[@JoshLefelhocz]

@@faade0685 Nice. Mine was a bit odd, was a Nord who had a relatively normal life in Atmora, centuries after the original Companions moved to Skyrim. His mother moved back for the comfortable life, and most likely to escape the frigid temps in a lot of Skyrim. His father was a blacksmith who made weapons and tools for the locals. Their iron mine dried up, and he went to Skyrim seeking a new source of iron. Somehow, he disappeared, and the son decides to journey out to Skyrim to see what happened. His mother pleads with him not to go, but he's stubborn, and after a bit of arguing, she relents. Drakonas (my character) goes to Skyrim, and the rest is history.

[@samainord]

@@JoshLefelhocz and then he find notch pickaxe at the throat of the world, high hroathgaar (how tf we write that) then he knew he found his father

[@wildmoose3979]

​@Josh Lefelhocz didn't the continent of Atmora get absolutely obliterated or am I thinking of something else?

[@JoshLefelhocz]

@@wildmoose3979 Nah, that was Morrowind from Red Mountain erupting.

[@phantavius]

"There you are! Astrid's told me all about you. Heard she pulled the ol' "choose your victim" gag with you. Ahh, I love that one..." I've always considered the thought that none of them actually have a contract.

[@adventurekitty1016]

Phantavius I think I've watched too much Arkham City because I read that in Jokers voice. XD

[@jonjdonnelly]

Plot twist, it's all 3... Special dialogue if u kill all 3

[@sonoflethal]

@@jonjdonnelly the special dialogue is in reference to you not caring who had the contract, just that you knew one of them did and took no chances

[@MiloTheOpossum]

Yeah that’s what I thought

[@ningkon3787]

It's prolly all three tbh

[@DiaJasmineFlanary]

I wish you'd touched on the fact that if you use the clairvoyance spell it leads you strait to the Khajiit. That at least implies that's who you're supposed to kill. Admittedly, that spell doesn't always know what it's talking about, but it always points to the Khajiit.

[@Thedarkbunnyrabbit]

Unless the Khajiit is dead, then it points, I believe to the woman, and then the nord. It's not pointing at the 'right' answer, it's just pointing at 'an answer'.

[@jimmyjenkins1907]

me: about to go to sleep at 3 in the morning *who had the contract on them in the shack in skyrim?* me: i dont need sleep, i need answers

[@TheRealArcher-gn6wo]

Heavy Metal Collector I appreciate and love this comment

[@jimmyjenkins1907]

awh thanks for backing me guys : )

[@supasf]

@@abe2809 maybe the first 10 times I saw it. I mean yeah I guess it's relatable, but not chuckle worthy.

[@supasf]

@@jimmyjenkins1907 you had to make it cheesy.

[@jimmyjenkins1907]

@Etern4l Saiy4n damn its almost as if... he has a different opinion to you... crazy.

[@StarlitSeafoam]

The question that still haunts me: where on Nirn did Aventus get the body for the Black Sacrament? When I first played the quest, I remember assuming it was his mother's since it seemed like the easiest one for him to access. By the Nine he must have been desperate, poor kid. Also, I would definitely agree that Astrid could easily be referring to the player (imo you're a "guest" just as much as the other three, and if you've been attacked by an assasin, both you and Astrid know you have a contract out on you) EXCEPT if the player hasn't been attacked by an assassin yet. Then I imagine she is making it all up or using the opportunity to kill two (or four) birds with one stone by executing a contract (or three) while also recruiting a new member to the Dark Brotherhood. Honestly, that mother with the six children has always hit me as odd. She doesn't really seem to care about what happens to them for being the only parent they have left. I've often wandered if it's an assumed name and story calculated to make you spare her, especially since her story doesn't have any proof to back it up. Unlike the other two, she never sounds scared, which makes me think that she is used to these types of situations. She is a Nord, yet her name is Cyrodillic. All around, she is odd and I don't quite trust her.

[@SvetlanaDurana69]

StarlitSeafoam I always thought it was his mother’s body

[@qazxsw21000]

Adréayara Turkiye I feel like that got explicitly stated somewhere, but I don’t quite remember

[@qazxsw21000]

I also didn’t really trust her story. I didn’t take into account the “not worrying about her kids” thing when I did my analysis, but it makes sense now you’ve pointed it out. She just seemed...out of place? She just seemed like she thought she was better than you-no one could touch her. Granted, several characters are like that throughout the game, but she was tied up and hooded. This was definitely not the time or place to act snobbish like that.

[@sickofseeingjustsomeguywit8168]

Bruh I was amazed he found a Daedric heart.

[@skylerlowery3168]

The lady really could just be liying to your face.

[@whumpuswhoo2443]

There is some hidden dialogue from Babette. She states "I heard Astrid pulled the old 'pick your victim' trick." So it's insinuating that none of the victims are the one with the contract. (Sidenote: the one escaping to hammerfell is Lokir. You are actually coming in from Cyrodill.)

[@Lernos1]

I mean, it's fine and fun to look for hidden underlying reasons and causes and motives, but Astrid basically says it bluntly: it was a test to see if you would kill without question or hesitation because you were ordered to do so, setting your mind on the fact that killing that person is the right thing to do. That's the whole point of the test, you're just killing a random stranger. She's not mocking you or refusing to tell you who it was by claiming that "the point is for the right answer to remain a mystery", the point is that there's no right answer. The fact that the Dragonborn has a contract on them doesn't contradict it, of course, and can expand on the irony of the situation, but I doubt that was the case with every potential entrant Astrid had tested that way.

[@Hirokuro_Asura]

Also DB assassins only appear after you deal with the hired thugs sent after you. These guys are after you as soon as you leave the bear cave under Helgen, the earliest I've ever encountered them was after passing the Guardian Stones and clearing the bandits cave on the right. Literally haven't done anything yet in the game (also they are tough for 1 lvl, so it was a hard fight).

[@Rexis102]

@@Hirokuro_Asura not quite. I hadn’t fought any thugs but on my way to Whiterun I encountered an assassin on a playthrough. The only requirement is that you’re above level 5, which happened to be the case since I had farmed some smithing and stealth earlier that run

[@Hirokuro_Asura]

@@Rexis102 Well, mb that there then. But I always saw the appearance of DB assassins on the roads as a continuation of the situation with those hired thugs from before. Someone was upset with Dovahkiin's actions (killed or stole something etc.), so the character hires the thugs. Thugs fail. The NPC performs a dark ritual to make a contract on DVK for DB. Seems logical. Btw today I've encountered hired thugs yet again 30 sec after killing the smith in Dawnstar in front of his wife to reset the shop items. The hired thugs each had the note from the wife saying that she wants us dead and is willing to pay off the bounty those thugs will get for killing us, and her signature at the bottom of the letter. Oh and since it's my original save from 2011 that by now has saved (only) time of "Play Time: 930.25.21" that's the 3d time I'm running into them. Previous notes had different author. And the assassins were killed in large numbers by now (tbh I assume I'm the sole reason the DB is dying at this point lol).

[@mrjones2721]

@@Hirokuro_Asura I once ran into the thugs as I was leaving the Abandoned Cabin… at the same time as a dragon decided to start circling. It was my first playthrough and I had no idea how to handle any of it. Hardest scenario I’ve ever been through. But the thugs definitely can show up later than the assassins.