Daggerfall:The Acceptance Test

Quick Walkthrough
# Murder at least three citizens or fifteen town guards.
# Wait for about three days to receive a letter.
# Travel to the town named in the letter.
# Meet the poisonmaker in town and get a bottle of snake venom.
# Travel to the first town named by the poisonmaker and gain entry to the victim's home.
# Find and pick up the wine decanter.
# Drop the poisoned decanter from your inventory and leave.
# Travel to the second town named by the poisonmaker and meet the Dark Brotherhood contact within the time limit to complete the test.

Detailed Walkthrough
Prelude
If you have murdered a minimum of three citizens or fifteen town guards, your actions will attract the attention of the Dark Brotherhood. About three days after reaching the requisite number of murders, you will receive a letter:

:A young street urchin presses a letter into your hand. As you attempt to question him, it becomes obvious that he is both deaf and mute. With a wave of frustration you send him on his way.
or
:You feel a letter slip into your hand and hear the sound of footsteps scampering away. There is no other sign of the mysterious courier.

Check your inventory for the letter. It reads:

:''(Player's name)
:     The Dark Brotherhood has been watching
: you. You have slain without sanction several
: times. You must now join us, or be counted
: as our foe. Travel to (town)
: in (region) and see (apothecary's name),
: who will give you further instructions.
:::::A Brother''

Joining the Family
thumb|right|One of the Dark Brotherhood's experts on poisons
thumb|right|The wine decanter
 
This quest takes place in the region where you received the letter. Should you wish to accept the Dark Brotherhood's offer, travel to the town named in the letter and ask around to locate the apothecary's location, an alchemist's shop. Enter the shop and speak to the poisonmaker, who says:

:''"Ah, you must be (player's name). The Dark Brotherhood has been watching you. You have proven you can kill with a blade. The Brotherhood does not tolerate rogue assassins. You must either join us, or be marked for death. The Brotherhood will initiate you as a full member if you take this Snake venom and place it in the wine decanter of (victim's name) in (residence) of (first town). You have (time limit) days to do this and report to (Dark Brotherhood contact's name) in (second town). The blessings of Mephala upon you, (player's name).''

Travel to the first town and ask around to learn the location of the victim's home. The door may be locked, so be prepared to pick the lock or open it with magic if need be. Once inside, locate the wine decanter; it looks like a potion standing on the ground. Pick it up and you will automatically add the poison, and see the following message:

:The Snake venom clouds the wine but briefly. In a few seconds the drink looks normal again. Now all you have to do is put it back.

Drop the wine decanter from your inventory anywhere in the house and leave quickly, as your actions attract the attention of some spellsword guards. Once you've escaped, travel to the second town named by the apothecary, and ask around to learn the location of the Dark Brotherhood contact. Enter the building and speak to the contact to complete the test, and end the quest.

Reward
thumb|right|A member of the Dark Brotherhood
 
If you successfully poisoned the wine, your contact says:

:''"Well done, (player's name). (Victim's name) was stricken with sudden heart failure. Poor bastard. You have shown you can kill with care and not just with a bared blade. You are now a full member of the Dark Brotherhood. Anytime you enter a town, you will know if there are any guild buildings there. It is customary for the novice to receive payment of a single gold coin for   first sanctioned death. Here is yours."

If you speak to the contact before the assassination is complete, you will be told:

:"You have failed, (player's name). (Victim's name) still lives. It is a guild rule that someone must die once a contract is accepted. You must take the place of (victim's name)."''

Two nightblades and two assassins will then appear and attack you. In this instance, you have failed the quest and will be unable to join the Dark Brotherhood.

Reputation Gain/Loss
A successfully completed task will gain you no reputation.
 

If you accepted the assassination but didn't complete it successfully, you will lose reputation according to following table.
 


If you accepted the assassination but haven't completed it successfully and report to the Dark Brotherhood's contact, you will lose reputation according to following table.
 


(Allies/Enemies affiliations for listed factions are not considered in the tables)

Enemies
3x One Spellsword every three in-game minutes (25% chance) as long as you are in the residence
Two Nightblades if you report to the Dark Brotherhood's contact without completing the assassination
Two Assassins if you report to the Dark Brotherhood's contact without completing the assassination

Notes
This quest cannot be repeated if failed; if you do not successfully complete the quest, you can never join the Dark Brotherhood.
The time limit for responding to the letter is not specified, so it is advisable to meet the contact as soon as you receive the letter.
Contrary to the dialogue, you do not receive a gold piece for completing the quest.

Additional Dialogue
After you have accepted this quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
''"(Victim's name) ought to watch (his/her) step. (He/She) has a number of enemies."
If you fail the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
"It is unwise to disregard the Dark Brotherhood. Unwise and fatal."
If you successfully complete the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
"Poor (victim's name). I guess (he/she) made too many enemies. One too many."
"The wine in (victim's name)'s decanter must've gone bad. Wine does that."''

Quest Log