The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Hints

Followers List

• Besides the people who will only follow you around while you're doing certain quests, there are some who will stick with you for as long as you want them to. They're all pretty much unkillable, though they can be beaten into temporary submission by enemies (and they can be killed if you accidentally hit them with an arrow or whatever before they recover). You can have your followers carry stuff for you, plus do specific things like pull a lever or steal an item. There are four categories of regular followers, plus a special "bonus" category of animal followers.
  
  
  HIRELINGS: All of these followers will charge you 500 gold to start following you. Note that in the case of Erik, you'll also have to finish the "Talk to Mralki about Erik" Morthal miscellaneous quest.
  
  * Belrand (Solitude's inn): spellsword who favors One-Handed, Light Armor, Destruction, Restoration
  * Erik (Rorikstead's inn): barbarian who favors Two-Handed, Light Armor, Archery, Block
  * Jenassa (The Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Block, Sneak
  * Marcurio (Riften's inn): mage who favors Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, Conjuration, Sneak
  * Stenvar (Windhelm's inn): knight who favors Two-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Vorstag (Markarth's inn): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  
  
  HOUSECARLS: These followers never charge you anything, but you have to convince a Jarl to name you Thane of his hold before they'll be available. (Note that they're all warriors who favor the One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, and Block skills.)
  
  * Argis the Bulwark (Markarth)
  * Calder (Windhelm)
  * Iona (Riften)
  * Jordis the Sword-Maiden (Solitude)
  * Lydia (Whiterun)
  
  
  GUILDMATES: These followers are faction members who will follow you for free after you finish their faction's main-line quest series (or personal side quests, in the case of the College of Winterhold followers).
  
  * Aela the Huntress (Companions): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, Sneak, Speech, One-Handed
  * Athis (Companions): warrior who favors One-Handed, Block, Archery, Light Armor
  * Brelyna Maryon (College of Winterhold): mage who favors Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Sneak
  * Cicero (Dark Brotherhood): assassin who favors Sneak, One-Handed, Archery, Light Armor
  * Dark Brotherhood Initiates (Dark Brotherhood): assassins who favor Sneak, One-Handed, Archery, Light Armor
  * Farkas (Companions): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Smithing, Speech
  * J'Zargo (College of Winterhold): sorcerer who favors Destruction, Illusion, One-Handed, Heavy Armor
  * Njada Stonearm (Companions): warrior who favors One-Handed, Block, Speech
  * Onmund (College of Winterhold): sorcerer who favors Destruction, Illusion, One-Handed, Heavy Armor
  * Ria (Companions): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Torvar (Companions): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Vilkas (Companions): knight who favors Two-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  
  
  QUEST-RELATED FOLLOWERS: These people will become free followers either during or after a particular quest.
  
  * Adelaisa Vendicci ("Rise in the East" side quest): townsperson who favors Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Speech
  * Ahtar ("Kill the leader of [random bandit lair]" Solitude miscellaneous quest): knight who favors Two-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Annekke Crag-Jumper ("Kill the leader of [random bandit lair]" Windhelm miscellaneous quest): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Block, Sneak
  * Aranea ("The Black Star" Daedric quest): mage who favors Destruction, Restoration, Conjuration, Alteration
  * Benor (find him in Morthal and beat him in a brawl): knight who favors Two-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Borgakh the Steel Heart (do the "Find the Forgemaster's Fingers" Markarth miscellaneous quest, then find her in Mor Khazgur and pass a persuade check or pay her dowry): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Sneak
  * Cosnach (find him in Markarth's inn and give him a bottle of wine): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Derkeethus ("Get Derkeethus out of the cave" Windhelm miscellaneous quest): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Block, Sneak
  * Eola ("The Taste of Death" Daedric quest): nightblade who favors Destruction, One-Handed, Alteration, Sneak
  * Erandur ("Waking Nightmare" Daedric quest): healer who favors Restoration, Conjuration, Speech, Alchemy
  * Faendal ("Deliver [Faendal's or Sven's] letter to Camilla" Whiterun miscellaneous quest): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Sneak
  * Ghorbash the Iron Hand (do the "Find the Forgemaster's Fingers" Markarth miscellaneous quest, then find him in Dushnikh Yal and pass a persuade check, bribe him, or beat him in a brawl): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Block, Sneak
  * Golldir ("Ancestral Worship" dungeon quest): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Illia ("Repentance" dungeon quest): mage who favors Destruction, Restoration, Conjuration, Alteration
  * Kharjo ("Find the Moon Amulet inside [random bandit lair]" Riften miscellaneous quest): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Lob ("The Cursed Tribe" Daedric quest): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Block, Sneak
  * Mjoll the Lioness ("Locate Grimsever" Riften miscellaneous quest): knight who favors Two-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  * Ogol ("The Cursed Tribe" Daedric quest): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Sneak
  * Roggi Knot-Beard ("Find Roggi's Ancestral Shield inside [random location]" Windhelm miscellaneous quest): townsperson who favors Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, One-Handed
  * Sven ("Deliver [Faendal's or Sven's] letter to Camilla" Whiterun miscellaneous quest): townsperson who favors Alchemy, Enchanting, Smithing, Archery
  * Ugor ("The Cursed Tribe" Daedric quest): archer who favors Archery, Light Armor, One-Handed, Block, Sneak
  * Uthgerd the Unbroken (find her in Whiterun's inn and beat her in a brawl): warrior who favors One-Handed, Heavy Armor, Archery, Block
  
  
  ANIMAL FOLLOWERS: You can have one of these dogs following you in addition to any of the above followers. (Note that they can't carry items for you.)
  
  * Meeko: find him on the path south of Meeko's Shack, then follow him into the shack and talk to him
  * Stray Dog: find him in a random world encounter, then talk to him after helping him kill the two wolves he's fighting
  * Vigilance: buy him from Banning at the Markarth Stables for 500 gold
  

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