Factions are the individuals or groups that hold political influence in the Iliac Bay. These factions include Gods, Goddesses, royal families, temples, witches, Daedra, and others. Some of these factions are joinable, while you may directly interact with others.
(Clicking on "Affiliations" in your character sheet will display the factions you've joined and your current rank in each.)
Joinable FactionsEdit
There are six categories of factions you can join. Each faction offers random quests, ranging from menial courier duties to killing giants and liches. Most factions will offer quests to all adventurers, although in most cases such quests will not provide a reward, other than improving your reputation with the faction. To take advantage of a faction's special benefits, better rewards, and harder quests, you must join the faction.
- Knightly Orders - Valiant Knights look no further for a lord (you can only be a member of one Knightly Order faction at any time)
- Fighters Guild - The Imperial mercenaries' guild
- Mages Guild - Spellcasters and scholars alike will enjoy the benefits of the Mages Guild
- Thieves Guild - Sneaky sorts reside in this guild
- Dark Brotherhood - The assassins' guild led by the Night Mother
- Temples - Temples devoted to the Eight Divines of Tamriel (you can only be a member of one Temple faction at any time)
Guild AdvancementEdit
To be eligible for a given rank within a joinable faction (a guild), your reputation with the guild must meet or exceed a given value, your value for at least one of the guild's preferred skills must meet or exceed the "High Skill" value listed below, and your value for at least one of the guild's other preferred skills must meet or exceed the "Low Skill" value listed below.
| Rank | Reputation | High Skill | Low Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| 1 | 10 | 23 | 5 |
| 2 | 20 | 31 | 9 |
| 3 | 30 | 39 | 13 |
| 4 | 40 | 47 | 17 |
| 5 | 50 | 55 | 21 |
| 6 | 60 | 63 | 25 |
| 7 | 70 | 71 | 29 |
| 8 | 80 | 79 | 33 |
| 9 | 90 | 87 | 37 |
Within a guild, you must wait 28 days after being promoted in rank to be eligible for another promotion. You may skip ranks when promoted; you will be promoted to the highest rank for which you are eligible (according to the above table).
Guild Titles and RanksEdit
The following are the various titles associated with each guild and rank.
| Rank | Mages | Fighters | Thieves | Dark Brotherhood | Temples | Knights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Apprentice | Apprentice | Apprentice | Apprentice | Novice | Aspirant |
| 1 | Journeyman | Journeyman | Journeyman | Journeyman | Initiate | Squire |
| 2 | Evoker | Swordsman | Filcher | Operator | Acolyte | Gallant |
| 3 | Conjurer | Protector | Crook | Slayer | Adept | Chevalier |
| 4 | Magician | Defender | Robber | Executioner | Curate | Keeper |
| 5 | Enchanter | Warder | Bandit | Punisher | Disciple | Knight Brother |
| 6 | Warlock | Guardian | Thief | Terminator | Brother | Commander |
| 7 | Wizard | Champion | Ringleader | Assassin | Diviner | Marshal |
| 8 | Master Wizard | Warrior | Mastermind | Dark Brother | Master | Seneschal |
| 9 | Archmage | Master | Master Thief | Master Assassin | Patriarch/Matriarch | Paladin |
Guild Training SkillsEdit
The following is a list of skills and which guilds provide training for them. Note that Knightly Orders do not offer training services.
| Skill | Guilds Where Skill can be Trained |
|---|---|
| Alteration | Mages, Akatosh, Julianos |
| Archery | Fighters, Kynareth, Mara, Akatosh, Dark Brotherhood |
| Axe | Fighters, Arkay, Stendarr |
| Backstabbing | Arkay, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood |
| Blunt Weapon | Fighters, Stendarr, Thieves, Zenithar |
| Centaurian | Zenithar |
| Climbing | Kynareth, Arkay, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood |
| Critical Strike | Stendarr, Fighters, Mara, Arkay, Dark Brotherhood, Julianos |
| Daedric | Dibella, Mages, Kynareth, Stendarr, Akatosh, Mara, Dark Brotherhood, Zenithar, Julianos |
| Destruction | Kynareth, Mages, Akatosh, Arkay, Dark Brotherhood |
| Dodging | Kynareth, Stendarr, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood |
| Dragonish | Akatosh, Mages, Kynareth |
| Etiquette | Dibella, Mara, Zenithar |
| Giantish | Fighters, Zenithar |
| Hand-to-Hand | (none) |
| Harpy | Dibella, Mages, Mara, Kynareth, Zenithar |
| Illusion | Kynareth, Mages, Dibella, Mara |
| Impish | Mages, Julianos |
| Jumping | Fighters, Thieves |
| Lockpicking | Dibella, Thieves, Julianos |
| Long Blade | Dibella, Akatosh, Fighters |
| Medical | Arkay, Mara, Stendarr |
| Mercantile | Zenithar, Julianos |
| Mysticism | Mages, Julianos |
| Nymph | Dibella, Mara |
| Orcish | Stendarr, Dibella, Fighters, Mages, Zenithar |
| Pickpocket | Thieves, Zenithar |
| Restoration | Dibella, Mages, Stendarr, Arkay, Mara |
| Running | Akatosh, Fighters, Kynareth, Dark Brotherhood |
| Short Blade | Fighters, Arkay, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood, Julianos |
| Spriggan | Stendarr, Mages, Zenithar |
| Stealth | Kynareth, Akatosh, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood |
| Streetwise | Dibella, Mara, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood, Zenithar |
| Swimming | Fighters, Akatosh, Thieves, Dark Brotherhood |
| Thaumaturgy | Mages, Zenithar, Julianos |
Minor FactionsEdit
The following factions are not "joinable" per se. These factions do not offer rank advancement, training, or any other service offered by the joinable factions listed above, but nonetheless offer some notable opportunities, usually quests. Given the intricate political web of the Iliac Bay, it is often beneficial to perform quests for one faction, since doing so can improve your standing with other, allied factions.
Political EntitiesEdit
Each region within the Iliac Bay is an autonomous entity within the Empire, each with its own allies, enemies, thriving population, and noble court. The people, noble court, and rulers of each region provide for endless intrigue; but beware, fickle alliances can often have unintended consequences when traveling to a different region. While these factions do not offer training, performing quests for the nobility or commoners of a region is the quickest way to improve one's legal reputation within that region. See:
Witch CovensEdit
Perhaps the most notable minor factions in Daggerfall are witch covens. They provide Daedra summoning services and a handful of quests. Witch covens apparently have the ability to create a Universal Cure, which can cure both vampirism and lycanthropy. An unscrupulous player can use the associated quest as a means to cure either ailment, if they become thus afflicted.
Notably, the Glenmoril witches are the only witches in Daggerfall able to summon Hircine, and thus the only way to obtain the Hircine Ring, a powerful artifact for lycanthropes.
Vampire BloodlinesEdit
Although vampire bloodlines do exist in the game, and you may occasionally be contacted by them if you are a vampire, that's about it. Bethesda has stated that the bloodlines don't work quite the way they were intended, and this was never fixed.
The following is a list of the vampire bloodlines in the Iliac Bay: