The Untold Sinister Mystery of Skyrim's Temple of Mara Revealed

Highlights

The Temple of Mara in Skyrim hides a dark secret, as it contains a book that is used to contact the Dark Brotherhood, a notorious assassins' group.

The temple is popular for wedding ceremonies, but the discovery of a Dark Brotherhood book raises suspicions about its purpose and origin. The enigma surrounding the book might remain unsolved, yet it implies the potential involvement of the temple with Skyrim's criminal underworld, such as commissioning assassinations.

The Temple of Mara in Skyrim is renowned for its pleasant atmosphere, yet it harbors a disturbing secret. While not mandatory, players seeking marriage in Skyrim will inevitably find themselves at this location. Despite its location in the infamous city of Riften, there are few aspects of the temple that one could find fault with. However, beneath the surface of its bright and positive facade, an unexpected revelation awaits, raising questions about the true nature of the temple.

Marriage is a gameplay mechanic that can greatly enhance the roleplaying experience in Skyrim. To marry, players must first complete a favor for their chosen spouse, obtain an Amulet of Mara, and propose in the proper manner to hold a ceremony. After marriage, players can establish a home and even adopt children with the Hearthfire add-on. While marriage primarily benefits players by turning their partner into a merchant, the emotional value for those invested in the game is significant.

Skyrim's Temple of Mara Hides a Connection to One of its Darkest Factions

Located in the city of Riften, which some consider to be the worst in Skyrim, the Temple of Mara is the sole destination within the game where players can enter into matrimonial bliss. Among the city's infamous inhabitants, such as the Thieves' Guild and the Black-Briar family, the temple stands out as a haven of pleasantness. The temple's priestess, Dinya Balu, is widely regarded as one of the game's most amiable characters, even offering a quest to unite couples from all corners of Skyrim. However, should players venture deeper into the temple, they will discover a rather unexpected sight.

Contained within the temple rests a book titled "A Kiss, Sweet Mother," a tome that serves as a means of contact with Skyrim's version of the Dark Brotherhood. Given that players typically visit the temple solely for matrimonial or quest purposes, the presence of a book detailing rituals to summon an assassin seems highly incongruous. One cannot help but ponder how this book found its way into the temple. Perhaps it belongs to Dinya or her spouse, or perchance a visitor inadvertently left it behind. Regardless, its existence within the temple evokes unsettling questions about its intended role.

It is unlikely that Dinya Balu and Maramal, who seemingly have no enemies, would call upon the Dark Brotherhood for assistance. However, mysterious occurrences involving dark secrets in Skyrim have been known to happen unexpectedly. This raises the possibility that they may have utilized the Brotherhood's services in the past. Alternatively, it is possible that a visitor to the temple could have taken the book and forgotten about it, leading to various potential scenarios. For instance, someone could have entered the temple under the guise of marriage only to target their newlywed for assassination, potentially motivated by monetary gain. Although disturbing, this thought is not implausible given Skyrim's abundant criminal activities.

The enigma surrounding the presence of the Dark Brotherhood ritual book in the Temple of Mara is likely to forever remain unsolved. Consequently, it is unclear whether it was used as a means to order an assassination in Skyrim from within the temple. However, it is difficult to dismiss the notion that the book's placement was mere happenstance. Considering the vast array of books available in Skyrim, the fact that "A Kiss, Sweet Mother" was found in that particular location seems highly improbably. Regardless of the truth behind this perplexing situation, one cannot help but ponder why the Temple of Mara would have any involvement with Skyrim's Dark Brotherhood.

Skyrim is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.