The Blade of Woe is the ceremonial dagger of the Dark Brotherhood, carried by its leader Astrid. It hits harder than a Daedric dagger and drains a bit of health with every stab.
How to get it
- Join the Brotherhood: it’s your reward at the end of Death Incarnate.
- Destroy the Brotherhood: kill Astrid in the Abandoned Shack during With Friends Like These… and loot it from her body. This fails that quest and starts Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!.
- Pickpocket it from Astrid with the Misdirection perk.
Stats and enchantment
12 base damage – higher than a Daedric dagger – and absorb 10 points of health. The enchantment only has a handful of charges, so it runs dry quickly; a petty soul gem nearly refills it. Fortify Destruction gear reduces the charge cost, and enough of it removes the cost entirely.
Smithing
A rarity: it can be improved at a grindstone without any ingot (Arcane Blacksmith required). Benefits from Steel Smithing.
A favourite for sneak builds, thanks to the dagger sneak-attack multiplier.
