I'm playing an assassin for the first time and, of course, she joined the Dark Brotherhood. This solves the storage problem for PCs but little else. She's gradually working through various quests and now has the option to become a Thane, to buy land, or to buy a house in a city.

What I'm wondering is this: would an assassin hide in plain site (think Gus from Breaking Bad) or would an assassin stay hidden without putting down roots?

For example, my PC is building a hoard of precious jewels which could easily fund relocation if things get too hot in a given hold. In my mind, this fits with low-profile approach. You don't get noticed and can disappear quietly to set up shop somewhere else.

On the other hand, being an official in a court opens up access to all kinds of information and events. Wouldn't that be worth the risk of becoming well known?

Please share your assassin-centric thoughts and experiences. Thanks!

We can see from the DB themselves that a DB member can just as easily be an indiscreet blunderer or even a straight-up shrieking clown as a stealthy professional. Kind of liberating, that.

Still, my two DB characters preferred the discreet route- they didn't wear the "edgy" armor, they carried plain looking steel weapons. One built a Hearthfire home, but it stayed tiny. It was a lot of fun to play while dressed in plain clothes and wielding a simple steel dagger, yet knowing that my character was incredibly deadly.

Keeping a high profile only works if done REALLY well.

A member of society held in such high regard that no one would think of being suspicious of you.

Otherwise... it's just a way to make yourself vulnerable.

well, many of the members of the Black Hand during Oblivion own rather expensive house and remained anything but hidden

Really depends on the kind of person your assassin is? A poor beggar could make for a good assassin (who would notice or care) or an rich prominent noble could be just as good. If it were me I would aim for prominent noble, court espionage, doors being opened for you, etc. I would aim for many houses, you never know when you might need to flee one of them.

Sigh, they could have made the DB and the whole assassin thing so much better.