Dawnstar Sanctuary

Dawnstar Sanctuary is an old, abandoned Dark Brotherhood sanctuary. It is said to be one of the oldest Dark Brotherhood sanctuaries in Skyrim, and hasn't been occupied in over a century.

Interactions

Cicero flees to the sanctuary during the quest The Cure For Madness. At the end, the Dragonborn has the choice to spare or kill Cicero, although the latter is more dangerous, for when attacked, he drops his wounded facade and fights back with surprising ferocity.

The Cure for Madness must be completed before the sanctuary can be used.

The pass phrase is "Innocence, my brother." If an attempt is made to enter the sanctuary before the pass phrase has been obtained from Cicero's Journal, Final Volume, the option for the correct phrase is not available and the door will reply, "You are not worthy."

Notable figures

• Nazir
• Babette
• Cicero – (if he is spared during "The Cure for Madness").
• The Night Mother
• Dark Brotherhood Initiate – nameless male and female assassins.

Quests

• The Cure for Madness
• Where You Hang Your Enemy's Head
• The Dark Brotherhood Forever

Enemies

During the quest, "The Cure for Madness," spectral enemies appear in the sanctuary.

• Cicero
• Udefrykte a named troll
• Sanctuary Guardian

Notable loot

Skill books

• Alteration skill book – Sithis
• Archery skill book – The Marksmanship Lesson - on a table at the bottom of the first set of stairs.
• One-Handed skill book – Fire and Darkness - on the same table.
• Sneak skill book – Sacred Witness

Armor

• Cicero's Outfit looted from Cicero's corpse, if he is killed during "The Cure for Madness" (May be pickpocketed from him with the Perfect Touch perk).
• Jester's Outfit weaker variation of Cicero's Armor, available on a table in the first room.
• Worn Shrouded Armor
• Tumblerbane Gloves

Weapons

• Leveled weapons - on a weapon rack in the round room just beyond the bottom of the stairs.

Scrolls

• Three Scrolls of Fireball - on the floor next to a chest in the ice cave.

Trivia

• With high Pickpocket and Sneak, large numbers of arrows can be looted from the Sanctuary Guardians; however, they cannot be looted once slain.
• After completing the Dark Brotherhood quest-line, two Daedra Hearts can be purchased from Babette inside the Sanctuary. These hearts restock every three days.

Sanctuary upgrades

After moving to the Dawnstar Sanctuary, several upgrades can be purchased from Delvin Mallory in The Ragged Flagon. If purchased, the total upgrade cost is 19,000 . The following upgrades are available for purchase:

• Master Bedroom (in the westernmost end of the Sanctuary) – contains a mannequin, bookcase, bureau, a chest, and a usable weapon rack.
• Torture Chamber (east of the dining hall with the stained glass window)– contains four prisoners who, if tortured, reveal the locations of their treasure (each of which becomes a Miscellaneous Quest). Each location yields between 1,000 and 2,000 . The prisoners can also be used for combat training. 
• Secret Entrance – creates a secret entrance through the stained glass window in the main hall. The exit leads to the south end of Dawnstar near the Khajiit traders.
• Alchemy Lab with a poison garden (up the stairs and then to the left from the dining hall) – creates an Alchemy lab and a small garden with poison oriented flora.

See Where You Hang Your Enemy's Head for more details.

Bugs

Gallery

• The alchemy corner with harvesting garden.
• The Night Mother within Dawnstar sanctuary.
• The master bedroom.
• The training hall.
• The torture room.
• Dawnstar sanctuary main hall.

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Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim