Hey all, I have a question about the Dark Brotherhood, specifically about the Black Hand. I've tried searching these forums, uesp.net, and the elder scrolls wikia, to no avail.

My question is as follows: Is there only one Black Hand at any given time within Tamriel, or does each chapter of the Dark Brotherhood (ie, Cyrodil Chapter, Skyrim Chapter, Morrowind Chapter) have their own Black Hand?

The reason I ask is because it seems unreasonable for 5 people to have to coordinate Chapters of assassins across Tamriel, it seems to me like each chapter would have it's own Black Hand, with a Speaker in charge of every Brotherhood sanctuary, reporting to that chapter's Listener.

Also, on a related note, how many members are in the Black Hand. Obviously there is the Listener and the four Speakers, with a Silencer for each Speaker. However, the thing that I'm unclear on is if the Listener him/herself has their own personal silencer.

Thanks for any help!

I think that the Black Hand is only five dudes. However, they'd get reports from all the sanctuary leaders, like Ocheeva in Cheydinhal. Probably have a huge courier system to manage the communication and the Dead Drops.

The organization of the Dark Brotherhood is such a mess by the end of the 3rd Era. I think at one time there was a clear order and law, with codes of honor and duty, but thanks in part to Mephala's chaotic influence and more substantially to the madness of those the brotherhood attracted, there is no definitive or singular hierarchy recognized by the pancontinental organization.

If I were a superstitious man, I might wonder if the near-complete eradication of the Brotherhood in recent years was Sithis' answer to this disintegration. A world-wide Purification, perhaps.

That's what I figured, while I thought that it might be difficult, I suppose in keeping the Black Hand consistent and secret, it would have to be necessary.

I would assume that there is at least one Black Hand per providence. Otherwise the logistics of carrying out assassinations in other providences would be a logistical nightmare as couriers could take weeks or months to travel across a providence.

They don't need to have their couriers walk, you know. It would be a simple matter to ensure the guild had access to mages trained in teleportation magic, or magical means of communication such as the Dreamsleeve.

That is a very good point, but that brings up another question. Where did the teleportation magic from Morrowind go in Oblivion and Skyrim?

Nor do people in Tamriel seem to be bothered if assassination takes some time, just as long as it's taken care of.
As seen in the first quests for the DB in both Oblivion and Skyrim.


As for Teleportation magic, it's probably still used (like in Frostcrag Spire) but due to the game mechanic of fast travel, we just don't see it. Baring that, it could have been outlawed like leviation was.