Skyrim: How To Join The Blades

Although a mere shadow of their past, the Blades of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim exist as a joinable coalition of dragon hunters that request the Dragonborn’s aid during the main campaign. However, their organization works somewhat differently from other factions, such as the Dark Brotherhood or Thieves Guild. Players will not ceremoniously join the Blades faction as they would The Companions of Whiterun. Instead, Skyrim fans have the opportunity to work closely in tandem with Grandmaster Delphine and Esbern in rebuilding the Blades and putting an end to the Thalmor and Alduin’s reign of terror.

To join the Blades of Skyrim, Elder Scrolls fans will need to follow the main questline’s story, starting with retrieving the Dragonstone from Bleak Falls Barrow. Once players recover the ancient tablet per Jarl Balgruuf’s request, they must slay a dragon near Whiterun, after which the Greybeards will summon them. Following the call, Arngeir, the representative of the Greybeards, tasks the Dragonborn with fetching the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. At the end of this quest, players soon discover that Delphine, the humble owner of the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, is the head of the remnant of Skyrim‘s Blades.

In the quest, “A Blade in the Dark,” Delphine has the player prove to her that they are truly the Dragonborn by slaying and absorbing the dragon soul of Sahloknir. Once the deed is done, the player unofficially becomes a member of the Blades in Skyrim. The faction’s next action is to infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy and steal confidential documents. The Dragonborn must then locate and bring back Esbern from his dank hideout in Riften’s sewers. Finally, the quest “Alduin’s Wall” begins, which is the primary prerequisite for players to start restoring the Blades.

Joining The Blades Faction in Skyrim

As a formal member of the Blades, the Dragonborn of Skyrim must search the lands for new recruits in the questline “Rebuilding the Blades.” To complete this objective, players must obtain three followers and bring them to Delphine in Sky Haven Temple to be ordained as new members of the Blades. At this point, no more quest markers will appear, as it is up to the player to decide who should join.

The most suitable candidates for the Blades are warriors, particularly those who are well-trained in Heavy Armor and One-Handed weaponry, as these skills correlate with the faction’s equipment. After three NPCs have been recruited, Esbern will task the player with Radiant Quests involving the slaying of dragons about Skyrim. The chosen recruits will embark on the dragon-slaying expeditions and fight alongside the Dragonborn. If one happens to die in battle, players can choose another follower to join the Blades. It is also possible for players to pick essential Skyrim NPCs such as Erandur, Frea, or Mjoll the Lioness so that they will never need to replace their Blade members.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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