#tenets of the dark brotherhood

[ciceroandlucien]

Made myself a little 5 tenets banner from what I had around the house.

[theladygrim]

[dazzlerazz]

Maybe I said it before but it DESERVES to be said again, Cicero was ABSOLUTELY in the right and it’s even told to us at the end of the storyline but also Astrid fucking broke EVERY SINGLE RULE the Brotherhood ever stood for OVER THE COURSE OF THE GAME, further proving she was never qualified to be a leader in the first place

Tenet I. Never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

A good majority of the questline focuses on Astrid not respecting the Night Mother in the slightest, she doesn’t even welcome her into Sanctuary to begin with

Tenet II. Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

Astrid betrays the entire brotherhood and has their Sanctuary burned to the ground because she ratted the player out to the penitus oculatus

Tenet III. Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

After the player is revealed to be the listener, they effectively become Astrid’s superior. She tells the player not to go to Amaund Motierre after the Night Mother explicitly told them to. Astrid’s exact words are “No. No! Listen, I don’t know what’s going on here, but you take your orders from me. Are we clear on that?” Eventually, she does come around, but it’s undeniable that she refused the order from her superior. And it’s not as if she didn’t know, the player had to tell her the words the Night Mother told them to confirm that they were indeed the Listener. In Cicero’s journals, it tells us that nobody but higher ups such as himself and Astrid knew these words. Cicero as her keeper, and Astrid as the leader.

Edit: Passage from Cicero’s Journals, in reference to what I said about only Higher Ups knowing the words

4th of Evening Star, 4E 189 Today, Rasha declared himself Listener, claiming the Night Mother spoke to him at last. But when questioned, he could not name the Binding Words. Liar! Deceiver! His charade must not stand.

Tenet IV. Never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

Astrid tells you to go through Cicero’s room and steal his journals. That’s how we know he went to the Dawnstar sanctuary.

Tenet V. Never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

Need I even say it? Astrid commands you to kill Cicero at the Dawnstar Sanctuary, which you may or may not do as the player.

I love the writing of the questline, it’s chefs kiss

[teecupangel]

desmond in the Star Wars universe 👉🏽👈🏽 instead of dying he sleeps deeply, to be woken up again thousands of years later when the device needs to be activated again. uhh earth could be in wild space, but the brotherhood could be the very distant predecessors of the jedi. it's the beginning of the clone wars, obi-wan & anakin together with the 212th and 501st lands on earth, accidentally awakens desmond in the "jedi" temple. desmond gets so productive that after he hitchhikes to the SW galaxy, he rebuilds the brotherhood, astonishes the jedi order, befriends a true Mandalorian armorer (for the hidden blades ya know), kills Palpatine, takes in clones and freed slaves as his apprentices. he changes the galaxy forever. he might even revolutionize jedi thinking and indirectly make them secede from the republic (he learned from giovanni auditore that being too involved with the governing body can compromise your order).. aaaahhhh brain vomit but i needed to share hahahah

If Desmond woke up because he needs to use the device once more, the setup could be that he doesn’t need to use it anymore because Earth is a barren wasteland. The history of the planet is shrouded in mystery but data collected by Obi-Wan, Anakin, 212th and 501st seem to imply that the inhabitants of the planet learned of the Solar Flare and that the next one would be the harshest most destruction one yet, with the capability to agitate the planet’s core. Because of that and some kind of ‘dark history of needless death’, the inhabitants decided to create ships called ‘Arks’ to leave the planet instead.

Whatever or whoever remained in the planet by the time the Arks had been completed would have already died because of the current inhabitable status of the planet that seemed more manmade, whether it was connected to the dark history or to the rapid creation of the Arks, they can’t be sure.

In this one, they bring Desmond to their ship because he would have died and they wouldn’t just turn a blind eye on that.

From there, Desmond takes the time to familiarize himself with the databanks he has access to (mainly the ones that should be accessible to the general public) and finds himself with more questions that answers.

Trying to type ‘assassin’ was useless, even typing ‘templar’ gave blank. So he was left with just reading as many as possible, thanking his Bleeds for giving him the fortitude to read so much information and retain it (special thanks to Altaïr for being such an overachieving nerd that his ‘study habits’ actually bled to Desmond).

Then we get to the parts in your idea where Desmond starts to rebuild the Brotherhood because he sees the need for the Brotherhood to exist, especially during this ‘Clone Wars’ and goes toe to toe with Jedis and their doctrines, realizing that their use of the Force can be seen as wisps in the Eagle Vision meaning he knows whenever someone is going to use the Force and how they’re going to use it. It’s actually the Jedi Council who gives Desmond the idea that maybe the Jedis are… an evolution of the Brotherhood.

No.

The evolution of the combined efforts of the Brotherhood and the Order, having no other choice but to finally work together to protect themselves and the people they care about.

Desmond supposed the only way the Brotherhood and the Order could finally achieve unity was thanks to a much greater threat.

Desmond sees the Jedi Order not as the child of the Brotherhood but a distant relative and walks away from them, forming his own Brotherhood to uphold the Creed and the tenets.

He was a relic of the past.

But it is the past that shapes the present and predicts the future.

And so Desmond Miles, the latest mentor of a long dead Brotherhood, doesn’t see how his small existence could be the small pebble thrown against a carefully crafted glass work that would shatter it and show the ugliness it tries to hide.

[kagedbird]

Cicero Loves You, Listener! TESSDE AU - Dark Brotherhood route

~ [First] ~ [Next] ~ [Prev] ~

I peeked out of the door carefully, wincing as the bright light burned my eyes.

I’d been locked in this room for so long, I’d forgotten what anything brighter than a few candles was like. Not that my memory could remember much in the first place, but that was besides the point.

Cicero hadn’t returned as promised, and I was getting antsy. I needed answers about that voice, and… she wanted me to talk to him.

‘Darkness rises when silence dies.’ I repeated in my mind, stepping through the doorway slowly. It felt like I was breaking a rule, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I was going crazy in the emptiness. ‘Darkness rises when silence—!’

“Eep!”

I jolted, startled beyond belief as a giant fucking man stepped from around the corner in front of me. He didn’t even flinch as he stopped walking, merely looking down at me from his nose with a sneer and a glare.

“Who the hell are you, ham hock?”

“H-ham hock?” I echoed, feeling my body shaking endlessly in fright. I hadn’t heard him approaching at all! He was huge!

“Yeah. You look like a bite sized snack.” He huffed, leaning down to sniff me?!

I flinched back, stumbling backwards against the closed door behind me, and clutched the front of my shirt. “Did you just smell me?”

“Yeah.” He stood tall once more, tilting his head. “You must be the pet that jester brought in. Was wondering whose blood it was I smelled.”

“Smelled—” I shook my head, feeling incredibly confused and in slight pain as my left eye started blurring and burning like crazy. “What?”

“You must’ve hit your head hard.” He snorted. “At the very least, I know you aren’t much of a threat. Shaking worse than a leaf in a storm.”

“I’m—!”

“What’s going on here?” A beautiful woman rounded the corner, piercing blue eyes and blonde hair like my own. A large juxtaposition to the white haired, scruffy man in front of me, but no less intimidating as she fixed me with her own glare. “Who are you?”

“Allora,” I said quickly, feeling my pulse thumping aggressively in my throat. “I-I’m just… I was just looking for Cicero. Are you his family?”

A red head, a giant man, and a beautiful woman. What an interesting combination.

The woman raised an eyebrow and looked me up and down slowly. It felt like she was undressing me, but not in any sexual manner, more… assessing me.

“So you’re what he was hiding in there for so long.” She drawled, crossing her arms.  “What exactly has he told you?”

“Not much, really.” I admit, shaking my head. “That there are about nine of you, ten including someone’s pet. The religion you guys share, the tenets… that sort of thing. But not really in depth?”

There was a heavy silence that followed, and I felt myself panicking that I inadvertently got him in trouble. But at the same time, he hadn’t mentioned me at all?

That was incredibly suspicious. I needed to know what was going on.

“Cicero said he found me nearby, injured and unconscious.” I continued after neither of them said anything. “I’ve been recovering in there for about two weeks now. I think. I don’t… I don’t remember anything. I could barely remember my own name.”

“How convenient,” the man huffed. “We supposed to just believe that?”

“I-I don’t know how to prove it to you,” I said, shrugging uselessly. “Please, if I could just find Cicero—”

“And what do you need him for that you can’t talk to us about?” The woman interrupted me, making me flinch.

“I-I…”

‘They’re going to think I’m fucking crazy.’ I thought to myself, glancing to the side with a wince.

“If you so much as think of lying to me right now, you’re going to regret it.” The woman snarled, stalking forward to push me against the door.

“N-no, wait! I’m not— I wasn’t going to lie!” I squeaked out, gasping at the sight of a blade being pulled from her waist. “Pl-please—!”

“What is going on? Hm?”

I breathed a sigh of relief despite the position I was in as I looked up to see Cicero at the doorway, holding a plate of sweets. He may look incredibly angry despite his smile, but a familiar face was better than a face that was threatening me with a knife.

“Cicero!” I called out, breath hitching as the knife pressed against my throat more.

“Have you been sharing things with outsiders, Keeper?” The woman mocked, eyes never having left my face.

“Certainly not! Cicero would never betray the Night Mother so!” Cicero answered back, voice strangely tight despite his overall happy tone. “However, if you are to injure Miss Allora, you will!”

“What?” The woman asked incredulously, finally turning to the smaller man.

“Miss Allora, why are you out of bed?” Cicero asked instead, giving me a mocking pout. “Cicero knows you were eager to get up and about, but he cannot protect you if you don’t remain close!”

“Y-you were late, and I got worried, and—” I winced as the blade slipped against my neck, feeling blood trickling down. “And Mother spoke to me and told me to tell you darkness rises when silence dies!”

My heart was hammering in my chest a mile a minute as the three of them turned to me, wide eyed and slack jawed.

Cicero was the first to recover, skillfully hopping over and all but ripping the woman from me, gleefully jumping and clicking his heels. “Oh joyous day, joyous day! Cicero knew he heard you say you heard her before! Oh happy days!”

I clutched my throat to staunch the blood, unable to keep upright as I slid down the door to the floor. I was glad he believed me. This ‘Mother’ said he would, but she was also a fucking voice in my head.

So you can never really know.

“You’re the Listener?” The woman spat, glaring at me with all she was worth.

“That’s— that’s what she said,” I shrugged, letting Cicero help me to my feet when I had feeling in them again. “I-I don’t really know what it means…”

“Dutiful Cicero will explain everything!” Cicero crowed, gently guiding me to a bench nearby. I hadn’t even really noticed the rest of this secluded chamber, and only just noticed an intricately styled coffin and mural behind it.

I was sat down, and Cicero placed the plate of food next to me before gathering some salvant from his pocket. He moved my hand from my throat, tsking all the while under his breath about ‘harlots not knowing their place’, spreading the cold salve over my wound.

It tingled, but did feel better afterwards.

“Thank you,” I murmured softly.

“Dutiful Cicero is always here to help his Listener!” Cicero chirped as he pulled away. “He is so very sorry for being pulled away for so long, but he needed to find proper sustenance for himself and you! That, and he was hoping Mother would talk to you if he was not around!”

“Can you not hear her?” I asked, frowning.

He laughed. It wasn’t like his usual ones, though it was a very well practiced one. It felt slightly strained.

“Oho, Listener is very funny! But no! Cicero is the Keeper! He… keeps!” He claps his hands before motioning to the plate. “But Cicero can explain that another time, please, eat! You need to regain your strength!”

“By Sithis, you will explain what is going on, fool,” the woman spat out, snarling at Cicero with clenched hands. “How in Oblivion is she the Listener? And you just happened to find her?”

As angry as I felt on his behalf for the attitude, Cicero seemed nonplussed.

“Oh Cicero had a feeling Miss Allora was our beloved Listener for some time!” Cicero explained, grinning wide. “She was so kind, so kind! Helped poor Cicero along the roadside when that awful Loreius family refused to help!”

Loreius?

“She had mentioned hearing something from the box that contained Mother’s coffin before she left! Cicero was certain of it!” He clapped and jangled as he danced around.

A flicker of a memory came to mind. The blue sky, covered with clouds. A nearby farm. A giant wagon, a wheel broken.

A familiar jester…

I flinched as a hand came to my face, watching in a daze as Cicero pulled back his glove from my upper lip to show blood.

I gasped, covering my nose and pinching it, leaning forward to stop the blood flow from getting too bad.

“Are you all right Listener? Tell Cicero what is wrong so he can help!”

I shook my head lightly, feeling incredibly dizzy and light headed all at once. Was it because of the memories? Or stress? I couldn’t tell anymore.

I just felt myself slip forward into that listless void that knew me very well by now…

[wintercearig12]

Honestly, I find the surviving members of Skyrim’s Dark Brotherhood questline to be strange choices (except for Cicero). Don’t get me wrong, I love Nazir and Babette, but Festus and Gabriella (and to an extent Veezara) would have made for better, and more committed, members. My rationale for this lies in their views of the Night Mother and the old ways, which of course are resumed at the end of this questline. 

When meeting Cicero, Festus plainly states: “Mister Cicero, I for one am delighted you and the Night Mother have arrived. Your presence here signals a welcome return to tradition." Afterwards, he will expand upon this point, further highlighting the importance of the Night Mother and the traditions that previously governed the Dark Brotherhood: "Their arrival is the best thing that's happened to this Sanctuary in years. Astrid is an effective leader, but we've been rudderless for too long. Scrounging for contracts, abandoning the Tenets. The Dark Brotherhood has been reduced to a group of common cutthroats. Frankly, it's embarrassing." Moreover, although he does display some displeasure at the Night Mother’s choice of the Dragonborn as her Listener, he nonetheless accepts the decision: "So you're the Listener, hmm? Well that hardly seems fair. You just got here. The Night Mother should have spoken to me. Any idiot could see that. But, I will serve gladly, as that's my lot in life.”

Gabriella is particularly courteous towards the Night Mother: "Without the Night Mother, there is no Dark Brotherhood. The Matron deserves our unwavering support and respect.” Although she is understandably cautious of the news that you have been chosen as Listener, she still acknowledges the significance of what this means for the Family: "If the Night Mother truly spoke to you, if you really are the Listener... your destiny was written in the Void. Astrid is right to fear your power." In this way, she is recognising the dominance of the Night Mother over Astrid. Similarly to Festus, she is jealous of the new Listener, but does not belittle the Dragonborn: "What an honor, the assassination of an Emperor. And all because you are the Listener, favored by the Night Mother, anointed by Sithis. I am so very happy for you. If not a bit... envious."

Veezara is harder to pinpoint. Although his commitment to Astrid could be seen as disrespectful towards the Night Mother, I do not think it is as clear cut as this. When asking his opinion of the Unholy Matron, he will state: "Truthfully? I'm not entirely sure. It's not that I don't have the utmost respect for Sithis, and the Night Mother, and the ancient ways. I do. But I've never been much for religion. I kill because it's what I've been trained to do. It's all I know. So long as Astrid is happy, I'm happy." In essence, he recognises and accepts the importance of the Night Mother, but, due to the circumstances of his life, he simply takes things at face value: Astrid gives him both purpose and family, and so he commits himself to her above all. This is understandable when considering the near extinction of his order, the Shadowscales, and the lack of direction from the Night Mother in previous years. As he says, his role in life is to kill, and Astrid provides the means for him to do so, all else has been lost, and is therefore negligible to him. He follows what he knows.

Nazir and Babette are comparatively disrespectful towards the Night Mother. After you are revealed as the Listener, Nazir will say: "You may be the Listener, or you may just be a lunatic who's started hearing voices. Either way, Astrid is still your mistress. Not the Night Mother.” When speaking to Babette after the arrival of Cicero, she will equally display a dismissive attitude: "Two hundred years ago, I would have lain down my life for the Unholy Matron. But that is an age long since passed. Astrid is my matron now."

Having said all this, it wouldn't surprise me if this was done on purpose. After all, this situation does remind me of Oblivion, and the fact that the Night Mother knew the traitor was not at the Cheydinhal Sanctuary, and that Lucien was innocent too. The Dark Brotherhood seems to have a running theme of losing its most devoted members.

[cleopatrachampagne]

really obsessed with how in skyrim the thieves’ guild is the only organization with a strictly enforced code of conduct. like the college of winterhold says anything goes including necromancy and unethical experimentation as long as you don’t freak out the locals too badly, you ask astrid about the dark brotherhood tenets and she says screw that as long as the target dies kill as many people as you want however you want, the companions give zero fxcks as long as you don’t try to spar with them using an enchanted weapon like some kind of nerd and the imperial legion doesn’t even care if you wear their armor or not while committing war crimes in their name but the vagabonds living in the mf sewer have serious standards to which you must adhere if you want pay. whoever said no honor among thieves never went to riften.

[aquicat]

How Astrid Breaks all five Tenets:

1, never disrespect the Night Mother: ...she had about as much restect for you unholy matron as I have for Donald Trump.

2. never betray the Dark Brotherhood: Selling. Out. One. Of. Your. Members. To. The. Pigs. Is. Betrayal.

3, never disobey the orders of a superior: The Listener is Astrid's superior, and I don't see much 'obeying' going on there...

4, never steal the possetions of another Brother or Sister: she comands you to steal Cicero's journal.

5, never kill a Brother or Sister: Four words, 'a cure for madness'.

[tamiisnthere]

Crossover Universe/Altami – Nightmare

Summary: Altaïr had a terrifying nightmare and Tami comforts him. Trigger Warnings: Accusations of treason and death in a nightmare

I rewrote another old version which I wrote 3 years ago. I'll admit that somehow lately I've been feeling kind of emptiness in my spirit and I don't know what it is. But thankfully creating is saving me. <3

Enjoy! 💗

Darkness... Silence... None living soul…

Altaïr was standing in the void. "Hello?" Altaïr called out, no one answered. But soon he heard a familiar voice: "How could you?" Altaïr felt a chill run down his spine as he saw a person in front of him.

"A-Al Mualim?" stuttered the young assassin, "Master, I'll explain-" "Silence!" his disappointed master snapped at him, "You were my best student and you repaid me by running off with some woman and choosing your selfishness over your brotherhood!?" The old Mentor was furious, "For this I would execute you, boy!"

"You don't understand, master!" Altaïr argued, "Let me explain!" "To explain what?" Abbas spoke up, appearing behind Al Mualim, "How did you want to embarrass me in front of the whole brotherhood!?''

Several people that Altaïr knew came out of the void and pointed their fingers at him. "You broke all our tenets!" Malik shouted in anger, "Kadar is gone because of you! If it weren't for you, my brother would still be alive!"

Everyone called him a traitor, coward, weakling, selfish, fool… "Please, hear me out!" Altaïr tried to defend himself, but no one heard him. His sentences were drowned out by the insults and accusations of others.

"My son…" Another familiar voice that Altaïr hadn't heard since childhood came out of the void. He turned and saw a man whose body was holding his severed head in his arms. His robe was covered in blood. "Father…?" Altaïr asked in disbelief, freezing in horror.

"How could you betray your own brotherhood, my son?" Umar's head mourned, "You're supposed to be a loyal Master Assassin! Protect our creed! Everything we believe in!"

Altaïr tried to say something, but he grabbed his head, unable to bear the unpleasant words. He felt like he was going insane. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! For everything!" he apologized and decided to flee to the distant void, hoping he wasn't being chased.

Then Altaïr stopped to catch his breath when he could no longer hear voices. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and panted thinking what he had done.

"Altaïr…" he heard another voice, but this time a female one. He glanced up and saw a beautiful woman staring at him piteously.

"Adha?" he muttered in surprise. She looked exactly as he remembered. Her beauty had hypnotized him. He walked slowly towards her and held her hands.

"Adha…" he spoke again, tears streaming from his eyes, "I missed you so much… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I hope you will forgive me…"

"I can't forgive you, Altaïr," the young woman sadly shook her head, "We were never meant to be together. You should rather leave me and devote yourself to your duties as an assassin."

Adha yanked her hands from his grab, which broke Altaïr's heart. "No… Adha, no! Please!" He wanted to embrace her, but Adha vanished from his sight. "Adha! No! Please! Don't leave me!" he cried plaintively.

"Oh, how sad to lose someone forever…" a sarcastic voice spoke up that Altaïr did not wish to hear. He drew his sword and turned behind. His sorrow was immediately replaced by anger.

"Robert de Sablé…" growled the young assassin venomously. "So you left your brotherhood to live your miserable life without violence?" the tall templar laughed derisively, "I would call it cowardice."

"Your insults won't hurt me at all!" Altaïr hissed, ready to fight. "Well, true…" his nemesis scratched his chin viciously, "And that's why I have her!" Robert dragged someone from behind.

Altaïr's eyes widened, immediately recognizing the captive. "Tami!" the young assassin gasped in horror. "Altaïr! Help me!" Tami screamed helplessly, which it makes him heartache and rage at the same time. "Robert! Release her now!" the assassin commanded him, "This fight is between you and me only!"

Robert chuckled wickedly, "Fine. As you wish…" The templar pushed Tami toward Altaïr, but when Altaïr was about to catch his love in his arms, stabbing into the flesh was heard… Robert stabbed Tami into her back…

"NO! TAMI!" Altaïr shouted, catching her before she could fall to the ground. With a malicious laugh, Robert disappeared into the darkness.

Altaïr held Tami tightly, who was bleeding in his arms. "No, no, no, no! Tami! Tami! Please, forgive me!" Altaïr sobbed, "I should have protected you! And I failed again! It's all my fault!" His eyes became waterfalls of tears.

Tami just smiled weakly and kissed his lips. "Don't blame yourself, drahý," she breathed, "It's okay. I will always love you…" She closed her eyes and her soul left her body.

Altaïr broke down and mourned much more, "Tami! TAMI! NO! PLEASE! Your family and I need you! Please stay with me! Please… Please… Please…" And then both of them were gradually being swallowed up by the void…

Altaïr awoke in terror and sat up. He panted and placed his hand on sweat covered forehead. He looked around the room, realizing it was a dream or more like a nightmare. He looked to his left where Tami was sleeping peacefully in their bed.

Altaïr noticed that she was breathing and then he snuggled closer to her. He silently let out tears and stroked her curly hair from which Tami awoke.

"Altaïr?" she whispered tiredly, "What's wrong?" They both looked into each other's eyes, Tami was surprised to see him crying.

"Drahý? What happened?" she caressed his cheek and wiped away his tears. Altaïr placed his right palm on her cheek and gently rubbed it with his thumb.

"I'm sorry I woke you up, habibti," Altaïr apologized with a small smile that soon disappeared from his face, "I just had… a nightmare."

"You can tell me if you want to," Tami suggested, "It'll make you feel better." Altaïr kept gazing deeply into her beautiful brown eyes that always brought him joy and love.

"At first I dreamed that all the assassins and even my father considered me a traitor," he answered, "Then Adha never forgave me for my failure and Robert… He captured you and then he…" The assassin stuttered and closed his eyes tightly as the stinging tears began to form again.

"Oh, Alty…" Tami pitied him and hugged him, "Don't worry, habibi… Robert is dead. The brotherhood doesn't consider you a traitor. And Adha certainly didn't think you had let her down." "Well, there is something more about…" "About what?" "About you."

Altaïr pressed his lips to hers and kissed her passionately. Tami didn't hesitate and returned the kisses. He hugged her tighter and caressed her back. They were giving each other as much love and affection as they could.

"Ah!" Tami whimpered in pain. Altaïr immediately stopped and looked into her eyes with concern. "Did I hurt you, dear?" he asked worriedly, stroking her hair.

"Don't worry, it's not you," Tami giggled holding his wrist, "She just kicked a little bit harder."

Altaïr looked down and pushed the blanket. Tami was 30 weeks pregnant and in a few months she will give birth, supposedly it will be a girl. He rolled up her pajama shirt a bit to place his palm on the skin of her stomach and caress it gently. He felt a small movement of their future baby.

He pressed his face to the neck of his beloved and gently nibbled there. "I need to protect you and our little one," he purred, "If I lost one of you or worse both… I wouldn't survive it… What if you have complications during labor? Or-" "Shhhh…" Tami shushed him and kissed his forehead, "Relax, Altaïr… The doctors told us that I would be fine during the birth. And if something goes wrong, then it will be a caesarean delivery."

"And our daughter?" Altaïr asked for sure. "I'm sure she'll be fine too," Tami smiled sweetly and he was relieved.

Altaïr kept touching her belly and passionately kissing her face. "Alty!" Tami giggled from his tickling kisses, "Everything is and will be all right!"

Then he rested his forehead against hers and stared at her with affection. He is rarely vulnerable, he only shows it in front of his beloved.

"You're still haunted by those traumas, right?" Tami asked while caressing his cheek. He slightly nodded. "Drahý…" she continued, "I know it's hard for you, but it's in the past now. You just have to let it go and move on to a better future. Don't rush it, of course."

Altaïr's smile after a long time returned to his face and his nose nuzzled at hers. "Don't worry, habibti. It's not that bad lately," he whispered softly into her ear, "I just wish that our family will be happy and safe forever since we're finally married and soon to be parents."

"I understand," Tami smiled warmly, "I wish that for our family as well." Then she kissed his lips softly and he kissed her back. "Better, drahý?" "Yeah… Much better," he showed her a sleepy smile, "Let's go back to sleep, honey."

They both cuddled up to each other and slowly drifted back to sleep. "Tami?" Altaïr addressed her before sleeping. "Yes, sweetie?" "I want to thank you for loving me… Without you, I probably wouldn't be here anymore…"

She nuzzled closer to his face. "Oh, please… Don't say that…" "Seriously. You saved my life," he purred while petting her hair. "As you said so…" Tami whispered with a tired smile and yawned, "Good night, Alty."

Altaïr placed the last kiss on her forehead and caressed her belly. "Good night, Tami… I love you and our little Sabi so much, habibti…" "Love you both so much as well…" ♡

[skyrim-forever]

Inspired by all your kind comments I was able to get Canto II done already! This one takes us on a journey to the Void, the realm of Sithis.

Tagging: @greyborn2 @kookaburra1701 @lucien-lachance @throughtrialbyfire @ladytanithia @abstractredd @alpha-centauriiae @akaviri-dovah (let me know if you'd like to but put on/taken off the tag list!)

Canto II

So my Emperor had led me into nothing No light was to be found For we lied in the realm of Dread

The Father himself was absent As fathers often were His dutiful children were plentiful

They were ghosts, the gist of their former self I spied a pair of Argonians to my left And another further to the right

But the figure that caught my attention Was a shade barely in my field of view Gently petting a horse he was

My Divine guide noticed my head turn “This realm lies those who have chosen a dark path. Yet one that is needed to maintain balance.”

He spoke to me of them yet again “Though their devotion is commendable,  They serve the Lord of Indifference.”

I knew in my soul this to be true,  Sithis, I shuddered at the name, Neither Aedra nor Daedra, divine or abhorrent 

Though Akatosh’s patience is plentiful The last Septim Emperor let me speak And approach the shade I did

It is the shade who addressed me first “Ah it is you, you hold the power to save Or to destroy my order.”

He turned to look into my eyes "I am the Dark Brotherhood, I am Sithis's most loyal son.”

I feared none for time is on my side “It seems he has remembered this,  But to me shade, speak of your demise!”

And spoke he did, as the Divines commanded “I had uncovered a plot against our family,  But I was too late, for I had been framed.

Framed by the true traitor!  The tale of Mathieu Bellamont Is one that ends in the Attribution’s Share.

Your plan, Dragonborn, is known. You shall pass through the Prince of Plot’s plane And find the traitors three.”

The tale of this shade was spoken His order hides in shadows But I felt something inside me

A feeling that started to tear through me This shade was not a stranger At least not to all my lives

There are lives in which I was Listener Lives in which I rode this mighty steed And I call into the Void who answers with him

Not memories, but versions of me cry out Versions of me bound by five tenets,  They used my body to cry out

“Oh dutiful Speaker, I speak now to you. Most valuable member of the Black Hand,  For your sacrifice hails you the most worthy of this realm.” 

It is the divine Septim who spoke next “I thank you, son of Sithis, and I extend gratitude For I remember we shared a friend.”

Embroiled in memory, that shade grinned.  “And I to you, for the sake of my Silencer. A shame they are not here with me.”

We bid our farewell to that shade,  He left me with a parting gift,  An apple for his dear brother.

And so I followed my liege,  Onward until the Void transforms From emptiness to excess.

[ciceroandlucien]

Not gonna call this a finished work yet because each time I open it I realize I want to tweak something else, but here's the stained glass from the sanctuary. <3

[little-tyrant-gortash]

I just learned that Vlaakith means death in githyanki, and they have this saying "Vlaakith'ka sivim hrath krash'ht" which means "Only in Vlaakith may we find light" which is really fucking interesting if you put it this way: "only in death may we find light". Which is, once again, interesting because Vlaakith literally builds her empire and immortality on consumed githyanki.

Wow. I'm always surprised how many layers the lore has.

Then there're the Banite rules to live by which TELLS YOU FUCKING NOTHING other than where does the book open naturally. I do love it when lore is up to interpretation but I sort of expected at least a list? Like in Skyrim - the Five Tenets of the Dark Brotherhood? 😩

ANYWAY. Interesting thing with Vlaakith. Really well done, I love it. 👏🏻

[electronicdelusionstarlight]

To this day I am still amazed by how much important lore did the TES card game have.

Like...

Great War Lore, the state of the Imperial city and imperial army during it, the fact Boethia was backing the Thalmor, Lord Narafiin committing genocide in the Imperial city before they can stop him etc.

Dark Brotherhood Lore, why did the brotherhood fall? Why doesn't Astrid trust the tenets and the listener? Why does she recruit so many people to the "family"? What happened to the Bravil and Wayrest sanctuaries?

Clockwork City Lore, what happened to clockwork city, Sotha Sil was apparently working on a Replica of the Heart did you know that? We have an entire scene about Almalexia murdering him where we can see her mask breaking and her despair seep in as his old friend simply let's her kill him without a word, begging him to say ANYTHING to her. Shat happened to Alfie Fir, one of Dyvathy's clones, last survivor of her family? What about the ring of Hircine, why was it cursed when Sinding got it?

Sheogorath Lore. Did you fucking know the CARD GAME has the explanation for why Sheogorath turns into the Cheese for Everyone Guy from his previous characterization as a manipulator and a sadist maliciously fucking with people from Daggerfall? It has further Jyggalag Lore? It has an entire plotline about the Imperial Legion committing war crimes in the High Rock Reach against Reachfolk Refugees from Skyrim AND against a Mara congratulation to further Imperial control on the region? All happening between Daggerfall and Morrowind given how Vivec is still alive?

Like, it's incredible how of all things the fucking card game ended up getting a this really important lore and in the end the only people who still remember it are probably me and 4 other people tops.

[dazzlerazz]

HI i just started my 72303094023234823058th skyrim playthrough and i absolutely need to talk about cicero bc all the hate from normie fans is so unwarranted imo? ok he's weird, so what. they're all literally assassins. killers. murderers. people die when they're killed by the dark brotherhood. how and why do you draw the line at a dancing clown?? besides, he was genuinely happy to be there. GENUINELY. imagine giving your life to the night mother and sithis only to go to the last remaining sanctuary in skyrim and find nothing more than a bunch of arrogant mercenaries who get their contracts by listening to gossip, basically. not only that, but they mock him, the actual keeper, capital K, and the night mother once they arrive. i ain't saying they deserve what they got, but also. what outcome were they expecting? they're lucky they lasted that long.

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!!!!! THAANK YOU!!!!!!!

Also starting my quadrillionth skyrim playthrough lmao

People don't want to listen to Cicero and hear his story because they think he's a deranged murderer who needs to be put down. Look at yourself hon, you also joined the dark brotherhood, you're no different <3

He can be annoying at times, yes, but I don't think he needs to die for it. When I was a kid I thought he was annoying before I could really understand what was going on on a deeper level, I mean come on I was like 10! As I've grown up with the game I've seen that there's so much more to Cicero than haha goofy jester. I was too much of a wimp to get that far in the story line, but even if I did, I wouldn't have killed him

I could technically say Cicero did absolutely nothing wrong, since none of this would have happened if the PLAYER CHARACTER HADN'T JOINED IN THE FIRST PLACE, meaning they condone murder for money. But also there is that part where he kinda attacked Astrid and Veeja (I think that's his name, it's the middle of the night rn and I'm tired)

People who look at Cicero and just see an annoying jester are willfully ignoring his journals, the progression of the story, the tenets, and even Astrid herself when she lays there dying, saying Cicero was right. Willfully ignoring it

Killing Cicero even makes Sithis upset. If you summoned Lucien earlier and he's with you when you crawl through the Dawnstar sanctuary, he'll tell you that Sithis doesn't want Cicero to die, he wants him to live

EVERYTHING IN THE GAME is telling you to let Cicero live. Everything.

People just don't want to see it

On another note, as unique as each assassin is, I think Cicero adds that unique flavor that brings the whole family together. In a perfect world, Astrid would have seen the error of her ways and accepted Cicero, not betrayed the brotherhood, and the family would stay strong. But Astrid was too worried about everything she built. I don't like Astrid at all, most likely because she's the villain when I think about Cicero, but I do understand her point if view. Change is scary, two people came in and threw everything up in the sky. I get it, doesn't make it right

But even then, there's no Morally Right in the brotherhood. We're assassins, through and through, it's hypocritical to talk about morals

[teecupangel]

Abstergo made very edited games of the assassin ancestors. What if the assassin's made the true version of what happened available to the public?

That was always an option so I did think of why they wouldn’t want to do it.

The biggest one I could think of is that it would go against the third Tenet “Do not compromise the Brotherhood”.

Secrecy is paramount to the Brotherhood and even the Templars keep the Isu stuff a secret.

The Brotherhood is probably worried of what would happen if those in power learn about the POE considering what those in power have done according to history.

The narrative is putting them into an antagonistic light with the Templars being crowned as heroes but, as they say, they ‘work in the dark to serve the light’.

They’re used to being seen as ‘evil’ or murderers.

This is just the 21st century equivalent to it.

Also, they cannot be certain that showing the true version would be better.

Not only does it include information about the POEs and the Assassin Brotherhood as a whole but…

Well…

Abstergo is a large company with far-reaching influences.

What’s to say their version wouldn’t just be ridiculed and treated as ‘fanwork’ or the insane edits of disgruntled employees/Assassin stans.

The Assassins work in secrecy and it’s because of that secrecy that they can still protect the world, both from the Templars and the POEs.

The only way a true version would be ‘leaked’ is either through a ‘fuck it, let’s see what happens’ Assassin who did it without the approval of the mentor or an incident in the database (a bad update that uploads it to the public or a hacker who got lucky and got a copy of it).

Let’s be honest though…

In the AC world, there’s gonna be fans who stan the bad guys. They’ll probably think that Assassins are so cool and the Templars are kinda boring (Abstergo risks making the Templars ‘bland’ by removing the bad parts of their lives that will incriminate them and the Templars in general).

Like, remember how Berg sent the Assassins a heavily edited copy of Shay’s memories in the end of Rogue and how it was a footnote later on that the Assassins were like “cool story bro, obviously edited, go fuck yourself” and nothing really happened with it?

If that’s how the Templars edit the stories as Templar propaganda then it’s not… Abstergo has a history of making good premises but mediocre to bad execution XD

The Assassins have a better chance of having someone write for them a fanfic of the games in a kinda ‘novel adaptation’ format and put the real version in that one. It won’t get them as much exposure as trying to pass it as real history BUT it will make it easier to stay under Abstergo’s radar and, even if Abstergo sees it, the fanfic is protected by “this is fanfic, why are you bullying someone writing what they want for free in their own free time, Abstergo???”

[kagedbird]

Cicero Loves You, Listener! TESSDE AU - Dark Brotherhood route

~ [First] ~ [Next] ~ [Prev] ~

I've been bedridden for a few days now. Feeling was slowly coming back into my arms and legs. I could sit up without too much help, though Cicero was always there to lend a hand. He chattered endlessly about trivial things, like taking care of his mother or doing basic cleaning duties while his family was out doing work while feeding me meals.

Though some deeper part of me was incredibly embarrassed at being taken care of in this way, I mostly felt relief that he took such meticulous care. I could have easily ended up in someone’s house who didn’t give a damn— or even worse, have never been found.

I make sure to tell Cicero my thanks after everything he does. He still finds it incredibly funny for whatever reason. I don’t bother asking why. Something inside feels like it would ruin his joke.

I could only hope he was just laughing because he thought it was sweet and not because he thought I was an idiot.

Around the third day, someone had come knocking on the door in the middle of meal time. It was the first time I’d seen the jester drop his usual jovial attitude into something more… menacing.

I stayed quieter than a wall when he carefully set the bowl to the side and hopped up to answer whoever had been there.

I never said anything when he returned either, muttering darkly under his breath and sharply grabbing the bowl and spoon once more as he plopped back down on his seat. Merely persevered through his more forceful feeding methods.

He seemed to calm down enough over time to realize his near stabbing motions towards me and apologized, but I just waved him off and gave him a weak smile.

“It’s rude to be interrupted… I can understand the frustration.”

He paused at that, staring intently at me, before a wide grin broke out over his lips. It damn near split his face.

“Oh yes, oh yes! Miss Allora understands. Cicero has a duty to fulfill, to get his dearest friend back to tip top shape! It cannot be interrupted, save for his duties to Mother!”

“And I would be mad on her behalf if I came before her.” I nodded. I was a stranger, she was his mother. Obviously she came first.

He was all smiles at that. Hummed endlessly as he carefully rubbed salvants all over my wounds that he could reach— the ones that hadn’t healed up from the potions anyways.

And yes, potions. Magick was real. It was very, very real.

Cicero had taken it unto himself to teach me the basics of his religion after we had discussed more generalized aspects of the world. The tenets, the father and the mother, his position. He kept it rather vague here and there, but I guessed it was either something he wasn’t allowed to discuss with outsiders or he thought it might be too much for my broken brain to handle.

Now on the fifth day, I was sitting up in bed, watching him make a salve with a mortar and pestle, smiling at the motions he no doubt went through often enough to have such a confident air about it. Something in me was soothed at the sight, finding comfort in the familiarity.

“Cicero is certain he is very handsome in the low lighting, but it is rude to stare!”

I jolted, looking up to his eyes to see them twinkling mischievously. I felt my face burn as I turned my head with a huff.

“I was watching you grind the ingredients. I… it…” I hesitated before admitting, “It’s familiar… and soothing.”

There was silence in the wake of my admittance, but only from his mouth. Round and round the pestle moved, dragging the ground pieces of flowers and whatever else he chose to place into the mixture.

“Cicero also finds it soothing. He is happy to have so many things in common with Miss Allora!”

I glanced back to see him smiling softer down at the mortar, seeing his eyes flicker my way.

I had to look away as the heat on my face became too much, especially at his following low laugh.

Mean jester.

Per my request, I was given an empty journal to use at my leisure to try and kick start my brain to remember anything by just letting my hand roam across the page. Many swirls came about as I just zoned out, filling the pages with endless incomplete circles looping from one end to the other in an attempt to jolt something.

The act of drawing was familiar. As was writing. I wrote my name many times on a few pages, eventually remembering my last name was White.

“Pretty, pretty!” Cicero had complimented, holding his hands together to his cheek. “Pretty name for a pretty lady! It suits you!”

It felt like he was trying to get a reaction from me at this point. Maybe that’s just what he did though.

Because as soon as he made me laugh once, he had spent the whole day trying to get me to laugh again. There had been a certain light in his eyes that flickered on at the sound. Less manic, more… eager.

It was quiet in here without him to fill the silence.

I had never hummed with him around, but I felt the urge to do so swell up in my chest multiple times while I’d been here. Songs faintly on the tip of the tongue, fading if I focused too hard. It drove me insane.

Any time I tried to write the words, they would disappear before I could put my charcoal to the page. And half the time, I wasn’t even sure they were the right words.

Depression was only scratching the surface of what I felt every time it slipped through my grasp.

Looking down at my page, I was surprised to see I had drawn two winged serpent creatures facing each other in the shape of a heart, wings outstretched, and claws holding onto one another for support.

Was this a sigil? Or a simple doodle from my mind?

I turned to Cicero, who had been packing up his things, and chewed my lip. There was really only one way to know…

“Cicero?”

“Yes, dearest friend of Cicero’s?”

I smiled and held out my journal to him. “Is this a symbol you recognize at all? I… I’m not sure.”

Perking up, Cicero dutifully plucked the journal from my hand and looked over the page, his smile widening with every second that passed.

“Miss Allora is very fond of swirly lines!”

I pouted. “It’s just what naturally came out. But I meant the serpents.”

“Dragons!” Cicero corrected with a grin. “Miss Allora drew dragons! But this isn’t any symbol Cicero recognizes. He is so very sorry.”

“No, that’s okay, I just wasn’t sure.” I laughed softly, taking the journal back in hand.

Dragons, huh?

…My brow creased in thought. Something thumped inside my chest as I focused on the drawing. Why did that feel so… pointed? Was something wrong with my heart?

Or—

I flinched lightly as a hand came into view and a finger poked my forehead.

“Miss Allora will gather too many wrinkles if she continues with that face!” Cicero sang out, gently herding me to lie down. He plucked the journal from my hands and set it carefully to the side on the nightstand, tucking me in.

I let him motherhen me, knowing it was fruitless to try and tell him otherwise.

“Cicero must go tend to Mother now, but he will be back to check on you afterwards!” He promised, patting my head softly. It was like a ritual for him at this point.

“All right. Thank you for keeping me company.” I smiled up at him, trying to put the thought of dragons out of my mind.

They weren’t real after all.