Ebony Blade ( Skyrim ) The Ebony Blade is a two - handed weapon found in Dragonsreach in Whiterun Hold . Resembling an Akaviri Dai - Katana , the Ebony Blade is a Daedric artifact belonging to Mephala . Killing kindred with the blade bolsters its power . Followers can wield the blade , but cannot fortify the enchantment unless instructed to kill an ally . The blade itself is a Kanmuri - otoshi style katana , with the back thinning out drastically about three - quarters up the blade from the hilt . History . The blade has changed hands many times over the years . It is believed that the Eternal Champion himself once wielded the blade when it was discovered in Valenwood . Later , it was rewarded to the Hero of Daggerfall sometime after the War of Bretony . In the late Third Era , the Hero of Kvatch was granted the blade by Mephala . Later , in the Fourth Era , it was discovered by Balgruuf the Greater of Whiterun sometime before the events of , and he had it hidden underneath Dragonsreach ever since . Acquisition . The Ebony Blade is obtained in the Daedric quest " The Whispering Door , " which can be initiated after reaching level 20 and completing the " Dragon Rising " quest , by asking Hulda , the barkeeper at The Bannered Mare in Whiterun , if she ' s heard any rumors . If Hulda has been killed , Ysolda , who will have since taken over the inn , will not begin the quest . In this case , it can only be started using the console command codice _ 1 . Smithing . The blade cannot be upgraded . This is explained in " Admonition Against Ebony " which states that : " " Not even the hottest fires of the Skyforge could melt it ; indeed the coals themselves seemed to cool when it was placed within , " " revealing the sword ' s immunity to heat or normal forging / smithing techniques . Enchantment . This weapon starts with a 10 - point Absorb Health enchantment that can be increased by slaying friendly characters . For example , anyone whose favor has been completed or who has been won over during any type of quest can be absorbed by the blade . For every two such characters killed , the weapon ' s Absorb Health enchantment increases by four points . Killing ten friendly characters maximizes its power at 30 points Absorb Health per hit . The enchantment has unlimited uses and never needs recharging . This makes this weapon ideal for followers , especially if they frequently sustain large amounts of damage . Mephala ' s voice sounds each time the enchantment improves , commenting on the progress of the blade . Her dialogue , in order , is such : Mephala ' s Comments . If the hilt glows red , the blade has gained power . Potential kills . Characters who say things such as , " " It ' s a fine day with you around . " " or " " You ' ve been a good friend to me , that means something . " " are considered friendly to the Dragonborn and will count as a charge . Another indication is whether or not taking low - value items from their home counts as stealing . Anyone to whom the Dragonborn sells firewood , ore , food , or alchemical ingredients via a dialogue option ( not the barter menu ) will become friendly . The Dragonborn can also make friends by dropping a weapon or a piece of armor somewhere , prompting characters to approach them and ask whether or not the item is free for the taking . Saying ' yes ' will make them friendly . The following is a list of potential targets for upgrading the Ebony Blade : Weapon classification . The blade behaves as a two - handed weapon with the following exceptions : Though it uses a two - handed mesh file , it uses the template for a one - handed weapon , resulting in improper sound files , attack speed , damage , weight , perk benefits , impact force , and stamina usage . As of patch 1 . 9 , this has been fixed , and the sword benefits from the two - handed weapon skill and perks . Usefulness . The Ebony Blade is , in some ways , an upgraded version of the Blade of Woe ; it is two - handed and has unlimited charges . Its attack speed is faster than any other two - handed weapon ( about as fast as a one - handed sword ) , though it has the lowest damage per hit . The unlimited enchantment charge and heightened attack speed helps to make up for the reduced damage . Prior to patch 1 . 9 , the blade was useful for training the two - handed skill on those who did not often use it , because its damage was dependent on the one - handed skill . This gave it a significant damage bonus over other weapons , while the two - handed skill was still low . However , for those that normally used two - handed weapons , this weapon was a poor choice , as it did not benefit from any of the progress or perks of the two - handed skill . With patch 1 . 9 , the Ebony Blade still retains the advantage of unlimited charges . The Ebony Blade does not affect Animunculi , as it will not steal health from them ; thus , this makes it a poor choice for combat in Dwemer Ruins .