What Happens If You Let Cicero Live in Skyrim
The Dark Brotherhood questline in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim presents players with several morally gray choices that heavily impact the future of the assassin guild. One of the most pivotal decisions occurs during the quest titled A Cure for Madness, where you must decide the ultimate fate of the eccentric jester, Cicero. Sparing his life triggers a unique set of outcomes that many seasoned adventurers consider to be the most narrative-rich path for the faction.
Reclaiming a Powerful and Loyal Follower
If you choose to ignore Astrid's aggressive orders and let Cicero live, he will temporarily disappear from the Dawnstar Sanctuary while you conclude the remaining mainline faction contracts. Once the entire storyline finishes and you are fully established as the new official leader, the colorful jester will enthusiastically return to the fold. He then becomes completely available as a permanent follower, bringing along some of the most dynamic combat dialogue and entertaining idle animations found in the game.
In active combat scenarios, Cicero functions as an incredibly capable stealth specialist who scales exceptionally well with your character's progression. He boasts maximum proficiency in one-handed bladed weapons, archery, and light armor types, making him an ideal partner for stealthy rogue playstyles. Furthermore, his unique essential character status ensures that he cannot be accidentally executed by environmental traps or stray player spells during intense dungeon crawls.
Aligning with Dark Brotherhood Lore and Tradition
From a narrative standpoint, letting the faithful Keeper of the Night Mother survive aligns perfectly with the ancient foundations of the assassin guild. While Astrid views his erratic behavior as a direct threat to her modern authority, traditionalists view Cicero as the only member truly dedicated to the sacred tenets. Sparing his life directly satisfies the spiritual desires of the Night Mother and honors the long-standing customs of the brotherhood.
If you choose to summon the Spectral Assassin power during this critical confrontation, the ghostly entity will explicitly advise against executing the Keeper. The spirit mentions that the Void does not wish for Cicero's soul to be claimed ahead of his destined schedule. Following this otherworldly advice allows players to truly embody the role of a traditional Listener who respects the supernatural entities over temporary mortal politics.
Retaining the Master Jester Gear
Players often worry about missing out on rare enchanted equipment if they choose to walk away from the final confrontation without a confirmed kill. Fortunately, sparing Cicero does not prevent your character from obtaining highly valuable assassination apparel for your personal collection. While you cannot directly harvest the items from his body, an identical set of his enchanted garments sits waiting to be collected inside the sanctuary borders.
The specialized Jester clothing set provides massive percentage boosts to your overall sneaking capabilities, one-handed weapon damage, and market prices. This design choice ensures that your mechanical gameplay rewards remain completely intact regardless of your final moral stance on the matter. Ultimately, choosing the path of mercy grants you both the optimal gear pieces and an exceptionally loyal companion for your future travels across Tamriel.