Aela the Huntress (Skyrim)

Background
Aela the Huntress is a lycanthrope (werewolf), in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. She is a member of The Companions and one of the five members of the The Circle. She wears Ancient Nord Armor and wields a Skyforge Steel Dagger, Hunting Bow and her Shield (Aela's Shield) which is a named Steel Shield. Her behavior marks her as a strong and independent character.

The Dragonborn first meets her as she is fighting a Giant at Pelagia Farm, a farm on the outskirts of Whiterun, or at Jorrvaskr. Following the Dragonborn's ascenscion to leader of the Companions, she is a steady source of animal extermination quests.

Interactions

 * After meeting her fighting a Giant she approves or disapproves of the Dragonborn actions depending on if he/she helped her or not. Regardless she tells the Dragonborn to visit Jorrvaskr and speak with Kodlak Whitemane about joining The Companions.


 * Aela also tells the Dragonborn about the feud between Clan Battle-Born and Clan Grey-Mane in Whiterun and suggests to talk to other persons about that topic.


 * Following the questline of The Companions Aela donates some of her blood for the Dragonborn, so he/she will be able to become a Werewolf.


 * After joining the circle of The Companions Aela gives the Dragonborn some quests against The Silver Hand.


 * After completing the quest Glory of the Dead, she becomes a Follower. Aela is a competent archer, with secondary skills in one-handed. She has a higher Light Armor skill than Heavy Armor skill.


 * She provides Archery training for a fee and can train the Dragonborn up to Level 75. She only offers this service after the Dragonborn joins The Companions.


 * Aela can become a member of The Blades.


 * The Dragonborn can marry Aela.

Quests

 * The Silver Hand
 * Retrieval
 * Striking the Heart
 * Totems of Hircine
 * Animal Extermination (radiant)

Marriage
The Dragonborn can ask Aela to marry him/her only after completing the quest chain ending at the Ysgramor's Tomb. Directly after, when talking to Aela, she will notice that the Dragonborn is wearing the Amulet of Mara and will ask if the Dragonborn is willing to marry her. Aela considers her room in the basement (Living Quarters) of Jorrvaskr as her default home. If left living there, she will continue to walk around in Jorrvaskr as usual.

She will still open up a store if the player moves her to Breezehome (even though it's in the same city).

Equipment
Aela is equipped with various items, when you first obtain her as your following companion.
 * 100 Iron Arrow
 * Skyforge Steel Dagger
 * Hunting Bow (not shown in some cases)
 * Whiterun Gate Key
 * Belted Tunic
 * Aela's Shield (not shown in some cases)
 * Torch
 * 800 gold peices

Armor

 * Aela has two sets of the Ancient Companion Armor her armor in her inventory which reduces her carrying capacity. You can buy a set of armor from her shop (Except for the Helmet; This will not leave Aela naked without her armor). It is known that for some players this armor set respawns in her shop sometime after buying it.
 * Equippi​ng armor: Aela equips ANY armor that's better than her unmodded ancient nord armor. She also accepts any headwear (circlets, hoods, hats, etc.) with or without magic abilities.
 * Equipping clothes: Depending on if you can take Aela's armor (getting her stripped) without using the console you can get her to equip clothes.
 * If you can; Take her armor from her, you can simply get her to wear clothes, but you have to reequip them everytime you change the location. (The system will detect that she doesn't have any armor and will not reequip the clothes) If you want her default armor to respawn, take all items from her, open the console, click on Aela, then type "removeallitems". After that, simply trade any item with her, her armor will respawn.
 * If you can't; Aela simply can't wear casual clothes.
 * You can force her armor into her shop inventory by giving her better armor. Then you just buy her 2 sets of Ancient Nord armor, and then take the armor you gave her out of her inventory, to replace with clothes.

Weapon

 * Aela will accept and equip any melee weapon and shield, that is better than her default equipment. Besides fighting with her bow, she fights best with a one handed blade weapon and shield.
 * There is a known bug, that Aela won't equip any other than her default bow.(This issue is confirmed possible on PS3. It may occur from removing her default Hunting Bow from her inventory in an attempt to make her use a new bow, in which case it appears the character resorts to using unmarked-inventory default Hunting Bow)(PC: the problem can be resolved using the console: open console and select Aela by clicking on her, type "showinventory" and search for the hunting bow and iron arrows; type "removeitem  <# of item she has>" and enter this code twice, first time nothing happens, second time the items will be removed and she will use every arrow/bow you give to her. This resolve the problem with every follower).
 * She seems to prefer using a staff as a ranged weapon rather then her bow (despite the fact she is an archery trainer) and will occasionally pick up staffs from dead NPCs.

Aela Wandering Off

 * Aela tends to disappear randomly when you are out in the wilds. She won't return to you by waiting or fast traveling to another location.
 *  Solution (PC/PS3/XBOX):  The game might have put Aela out hunting, she can either be found near Darkwater Crossing, Jorrvaskr or in Breezehome.
 *  Solution (XBOX):  If Aela has wandered off, simply activate the miscellaneous quest "Speak to a Leader of the Companions." Doing so will show a quest marker pointing to Aela's current location(aswell as Vilkas & Farkas).
 *  Solution (PC):  Open up the console and type :


 * prid 0001A697


 * moveto player


 * This should place Aela next to you and you can reengage her follower mode. The "placeatme" command creates a new instance of an object or character, rather than just moving it. As a result, it is not advised to utilize that method.

Attacking Aela

 * If you accidentally or willfully attack Aela, she will warn you to watch your attacks. If you continue to attack her, she will defend herself and attack you. It is not possible to appease her.

Commiting Crimes

 * Aela will stay loyal to you, even if you are committing crimes such as pickpocketing, stealing and attacking or killing. She will only remind you if you are in a restricted area by telling you "You shouldn't be here".

Parting Ways

 * When you dismiss Aela as your following companion, she will return to various places, depending on your relationship with her:
 * Married to Aela: Aela will return to the place you and her consider as your home. You can change the location by talking to her and telling her to move.
 * Not married to Aela: Aela will return to her default home in Jorrvaskr.
 * As a Blade: Aela will return to Sky Haven temple.
 * When Aela has returned to her home, she will unequip any weapon and armor you have given her. She will keep all items you gave her in her inventory. To re-equip weapons and armor, you have to alter her inventory.

Trivia

 * Aela and Legate Rikke are voiced by Claudia Christian.
 * Aela is one of the female NPC's of Skyrim that you can marry using the Amulet of Mara.
 * She cannot be killed because of her quest significance.

Totems of Hircine
if you already completed the quest "a deadrics best friend",and now want to complete "Totems of Hircine",the loading screen will freeze in the second part of the dungeon.which not only make you be unable to complete the quests,you also will have aela as follower,and you can not leave her.She can not accept any items,or do any tasks.(only confirmed for ps3,no solutions found)

First Companion Mission

 * The Aela NPC character encounters a few bugs in the game. One such bug occurs in the first Companion mission where you're supposed to return a shield to her, but she is missing from the Companion's Faction House in Whiterun. The quest indicator shows she is supposed to be outside Whiterun, however, she is not there. Go to the barracks under the long house, she is in her room at the end on the left and behind the left door. Another bug occurs when you accept a quest from her, but the quest had already been completed before accepting it.

Glory of the Dead

 * Another bug is caused by completing Glory of the Dead. Sometimes Aela will get stuck on the set of stairs after you fight the were-wolf spirit of Kodlak. If you kill Aela in the underforge during your conversion Aela will remain a werewolf forever, and you will not be able to finish the companions guild Quests due to her broken animations.
 * Solution (PC): I don't know if it solves the problem since I never had that bug but this might help: Open console, click on her. Then type "disable" (she'll disappear) then type "enable". Then type "placeatme 0001a696". This will place (probably) two Aelas next to you, one in beastform and a normal one.
 * Solution: Either have her follow you once you are the leader of the companions before you leave, or wear an amulet of Mara and ask her to marry you.

Aela is stuck in the underforge (Totem Quest)

 * After turning in each totem for the totem quest, Aela will pray at the statues. After turning in the final totem if you ask her to be your follower she will make her way back to the underforge and begin praying again.
 * Solution (PC/PS3/XBOX): Ask her to leave you. She then should walk out of the underforge. (if that doesn't work, load an older savegame, where you haven't entered the Underforge already. Ask her to leave you outside.) Outside the Underforge, immediatly ask her to join you again and then to walk to a random location (via "I need you to do something" command). Draw your weapon and sheath it again, then exit the command mode (by talking to her again). Aela will start walking again to the underforge. Talk to her before she enters and ask her to follow you again. Now Aela should behave normal again. (If it didn't work, try it multiple times or try an additional move below).
 * The point is during the command mode, you need to get her to draw her weapon (by drawing your weapon yourself) and sheathing it again. If she does, ask her to follow you again an change the location multiple times (via fast travel), before you attempt to enter the Underforge again.
 * One other possible solution: When approaching the Underforge, RUN to the door an immediately enter. Once in side RUN to the alter and quickly place the item onto the alter. Aela is stuck in a running position and does not pray. Immediately leave the Underforge. She has been stuck in the running position, but that goes away once the player has fast traveled, or so.
 * Yet another solution is: After placing the Totem on the alter, use the wait function for 24 hours, Aela will walk out of the Underforge, wait a few minutes. She should then be inside Jorrvaskr, ready for rehirering.

Aela is not accepting (equipping) any bows

 * In combat, she will always switch to an unmodded Hunting Bow, no matter what kind of bow you're giving to her. Taking the bow again and giving her back will cause her to equip the new one, but she'll switch again once a fight encounters.
 * Solution (PC): Make sure you take all of her items from her, then open the console click on Aela and then type "removeallitems" this will leave her without that cursed bow. Just give her back all her items (just in case, give her your bow first) Her default armor will respawn as soon as you change her inventory, just the Hunting Bow is gone. This only works until you remove the bow (the one you gave her) from her again, then her default bow respawns as well and you have to go through the solution again.

Aela is not preparing food anymore

 * At a random time the "Can you prepare me some food?" conversation option can disappear. There is no known fix to this yet.

Aela constantly entering dialogue with player
Some have experienced a bug that involves Aela continuously attempting dialogue, with the player. A possible fix is to recruit her, go outside, talk to her, dismiss her and then wait for one hour. After the message regarding a follower leaving your service. Aela will fast travel back to Jorrvaskr, or the player's house, if married.

solution: (unconfirmed) kill someone in markarth and get arrested and submit, i came back and she wasnt doing that anymore, think this fixed it.

Appearances

 * The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim