Guilds and Factions
How many factions can I join?
You can join as many factions as you want, as long as you have not advanced too far through any of them. For example, the Fighters' Guild will not let you join if you are a high ranking member of the Thieves' Guild. You can also only join one great house.
There is a trick which allows you to join some factions automatically. If you kill certain NPCs, you will automatically be added to the factions of which that NPC was a key member. I am uncertain of the details of this, but I believe that it is possible (for example) to join Hlaalu (even if you are in another house) by killing Orvas Dren in his plantation.
Which house should I join?
In short, Hlaalu are for thieves, Redoran are for fighters and Telvanni are for magi. However, Hlaalu have their stronghold in the most convenient position, and are the easiest to advance in, and Telvanni have the best services and quest rewards.
Why can I not advance in a faction?
You must have both stats and skills to go up a rank. The relevant requirements are in your character window below your skills. You must have two stats at about 35 to reach the top ranks, and you must have three relevant skills, one very high (90), and two at a medium level (40).
How do I get a stronghold?
Rise to the higher ranks of any of the great houses and you will receive a stronghold which can be upgraded twice. They all come with some free items and service providers. Hlaalu have the best position, down river from Balmora, and Telvanni have the worst, being out in the wilderness.
How do I complete a certain quest for a guild?
Look in the Quests section of this guide. If you know a hard quest which is not here, then e-mail me and I will try ad put it into the next version. In the meantime, try the quests information on the UESP.
How many factions are there which I can join?
This is a fairly complete list of the factions you can at least do work for:
Blades - You cannot be advanced in once Caius Cosades has left. There are no further quests.
Fighters' Guild
Mages' Guild
Imperial Legion
Imperial Cult
Dunmer Temple - Arguably the best faction, because they give you quests for unique items that cannot be obtained by other
methods.
The Great Houses - Hlaalu, Redoran and Telvanni. Note that it is only ever possible to join one great house. Even if you are ejected from one,
you cannot then join another.
Thieves' Guild
Bal Molagmer - You can 'become' them once you reach a high enough rank in the Thieves' Guild. They are not officially a faction you can join.
Morag Tong - Under the Arena in Vivec. Search around until you reach the storage area, then look through the locked doors for a trapdoor.
Ashlanders - Main quest faction, but you can do work for them which does not relate to the main quest.
Twin Lamps - Free enough slaves from caves and the like, and eventually you can work for them. After you have freed a number of slaves (about thirty),
talk to them about the twin lamps when you free them. Eventually you will get a password (it can also be obtained from Jobasha in his rare bookshop. Once you
have the password, go to Ilemni Dren in St. Delyn's Lower South One (Vivec, St Delyn's canton, lowest tier, South side, middle house). Talk to her about slavery
and answer her question with the password. You will now gain a small series of quests. There are some quests (notably the maiden's token quest for the legion)
that interfere with this and prevent you from talking about slavery with her, so watch out.