10 Video Game Side Quests You Should NEVER Finish
2. Darkness Returns - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Darkness Returns quest from Skyrim doesn't so much punish you for completing it as it simply takes away an essential quest item that is far more valuable than what you get in return.
The quest is the final act of the Thieves Guild's storyline. It requires the Dragonborn to return a deadric artifact called the Skeleton Key to the shrine of its creator, Nocturnal. The deed is supposed to restore a streak of good luck to your illegitimate organization, but to be honest, who needs luck when you have a demonic key that can open every single lock in the game?
Yes, the power of the Skeleton Key allows the player to never worry about the annoying lockpicking minigame. It acts as an unbreakable lockpick that opens every door and chest in the game without all the wiggling and clicking that normally takes forever to figure out.
The key is in your possession as long as you never finish the final mission of the Thieves Guild, so maybe your fellow criminals can suffer a bit of bad luck a little bit longer...
They have more important things to do than steal, anyway. Isn't that right, Brynjolf?