Follower (Skyrim)



Followers are companions who will fight for the player after the player earns their trust. They will travel with, battle for, and carry items for The Dragonborn.

A subclass of followers is non-humanoid followers (Dogs). These followers can neither carry nor equip items. The interaction with these followers is also limited to the wait/follow commands and dismissal.

You can only have one humanoid follower with you at a time, but in most cases there is no penalty for dismissing a follower and then re-recruiting them later. In addition, you can also have one non-humanoid follower with you at the same time.

Some followers can also train skills for a certain amount of gold.

Follower Death
It is important to know that followers will not die from NPC's (except if Area of Effect spells hit them, so move away once they kneel). When they reach almost no health they will kneel and enemies will cease to attack them. Followers will only die if further attacked by the player in this kneeling low health state, either by normal attacks, area of effect damage or any enemies attack. Previous followers who are no longer following can die like any other NPC in random Dragon attacks. It can also be noted that sometimes companions can die from falls, though this is not known if it is a bug or something that normally occurs.

Followers will die from poison (at least from traps anyway). And when they kneel on a trap (after being damaged by it) and then get back up, they stagger slightly backwards sometimes, causing them to walk right back over the trap to repeat - this process can kill them as well

Immortal Followers
Followers can be set to never die via Console Commands. From then on the follower will continue to kneel when health drops to zero but never die.
 * 1) Open the ' for console commands.
 * 2) Select the follower then type:
 * 3) setessential 1

Follower Commands


Permanent followers can be given Commands. Initiate conversation (outside of combat), and tell them you have something you want them to do. They can :


 * Attack another NPC or creature;
 * Wait at a given location (or just simply wait);
 * Use an object (that player can use too),
 * Open a locked door or container;
 * Pick up individual items or take everything from containers;
 * Sleep in a bed;
 * Leave your service.

If a follower is asked to perform an illegal activity, any bounty acquired does not affect the player.

If told to wait, a follower will wait for about 3 days before they get tired and leave you. They will then return to their home, or the location you found them on their own.

Inventory and Equipment
Followers can be commanded to pick up items even when they are at their carry limit and their movement rate will not be reduced.

Although you can command your follower to pick up any piece of equipment, giving them the same piece of equipment (trading in conversation menu) has a different result, since your follower might use that particular piece of equipment if it has higher stats (i.e. you can give Glass Battleaxe, Ebony Armor, Steel Plate Helmet, shield and Grimsever to Mjoll the Lioness and she will use them -- she specializes in two-handed weapons, heavy armor, archery and block, but she is also proficient in one-handed weapons).



Followers always equip the best possible weapons or apparel given to them. More specifically, the weapon with the highest damage value and the pieces of apparel with the highest armor value. Followers will not use equipment that is the same as their starting equipment but with the only improvement being smithing or enchantments.

Therefore, sometimes followers refuse to equip an item you gave him/her (like in above example: Mjoll the Lioness prefers two-handed weapons over one-handed, but you can give her a sword and a shield). You can start trade, take an old item from your follower (to prevent him/her using that piece of equipment) and then drop it (by yourself), in order to exchange it with a newer/better piece of equipment.

Followers will retain their inventories after you dismiss them. In this way, it is possible to use them for limited storage, as long as you do not lose access to them somehow by turning them against you. If they are killed the player can loot the stored items off the body.

Effect dismissing has on equipment
If you send your follower away (dismiss) and later you recruit him/her again, it might happened that your follower is using old equipment... You can fix that by leaving the area or if you start trade and take any piece of equipment and give it back immediately. Such action “resets” your follower and he/she will use new/better equipment again.

Placing a just single arrow in a follower's inventory will give them an infinite supply of that type of arrow, so it's a good idea to keep them equipped with one of the best arrows you have. It can backfire against stronger enemy that uses bow, as they can immediately equip the one high end arrow landed on their body and shot back with infinite supply.

Aranea Ienith

 * Aranea Ienith is a priestess at the Shrine of Azura, which is south of Winterhold. It's on a mountain top where you see a huge statue. If you choose to return the broken star to Azura in The Black Star quest, you get Aranea as a follower. She is a good offensive battlemage - she usually summons a Flame Atronach unless the enemy is immune or resistant to fire, in which case she'll summon a Frost Atronach, can heal herself occasionally, and casts Lightning Bolt and sometimes Ice Spike against single enemies and Ice Storm against groups of enemies. She usually opens every fight by casting Oakflesh to help her survivability.
 * Odd behavior - if you draw your weapon, Aranea usually draws a bow and has a quiver of arrows visible even if she has neither in her inventory but when you actually go into combat, she uses destruction spells.

Belrand

 * Belrand is a middle-aged male Nord found in the Winking Skeever tavern in Solitude. He refers to himself as a "spellsword," and generally fights with both magic and one-handed weapons. He can conjure a familiar. He is a mercenary, and can be recruited for 500 . He can also join The Blades.

Brelyna Maryon

 * Brelyna Maryon is a Dunmer mage apprentice at The College of Winterhold. She is very enthusiastic about studying magic at the college, and is guarded when asked her race and magical talents. When asked, she reveals that she is at the college studying conjuration. If the player helps Brelyna experiment with her spells, she agrees to become a Follower. Brelyna opens every fight with Oakflesh and uses Flames and Firebolt in combat and sometimes summons an Atronach to aid in battles.


 * Currently, there is a confirmed bug (not on PC) in which Brelyna Maryon is no longer recruitable after being sent home. When spoken to, she will respond with generic dialogue (much like a guard) and gives no speech options.


 * There may also be a secondary trigger related to the Winterhold quest chain, as in one case she did not become available immediately after her experiment. Being an Arch-Mage seems to suffice, but the exact moment may require testing. If she is killed when she is with you, you will be kicked out of the college and be given the quest to return.
 * Based upon experience, it appears she is unrecruitable sometime near the end of the primary College quest line, sometime between the death of the original Arch-Mage and the player's ascension to the role of Arch-Mage
 * You can marry her.

Eola

 * Eola is a female Breton initially found in the Hall of the Dead (after you accept the quest from Verulus who asks you to investigate the Hall of the Dead, he's located in Understone Keep) in Markarth. She can be recruited as a follower after you help her clear Reachcliff Cave and completing The Taste of Death, agreeing to join her Daedric cult. She is a skilled mage, capable of summoning creatures to her aid and reanimating the bodies of slain enemies.

Erandur

 * Erandur is a male Dunmer. He is a priest of Mara, and can be found in the inn in Dawnstar. He's available as a follower after you solve the nightmare problems that bother the citizens of Dawnstar. During the quest at one point you have a choice whether to let him live or to kill him. Obviously you can't kill him if you want him to follow you. He uses destruction magic with one hand while wielding a mace in the other while occasionally using a bow.

Illia

 * Illia is a female Imperial found in Darklight Tower. She can be recruited after you assist her in killing her mother. You must speak to her after the deed is done. She is a destruction mage that focuses heavily on frost related spells.


 * Currently, there is a confirmed bug in which Illia is no longer recruitable after being sent home. When spoken to, she will respond with generic dialogue and gives no speech options. PC users can work around this by selecting her in the console and typing "setrelationshiprank player 3" whenever they want to recruit her.
 * Despite equipping a full set of Fortify Destruction gear reducing Destruction spell costs to 0, she still somehow runs out of Magicka and begins using her default bow during fights; other followers who run out of Magicka wearing the same set set of Fortify Destruction gear are still able to cast destruction spells.
 * She will follow you in battle, but rush past you. This means that during dragon attacks she will rush straight in.

J'zargo

 * J'zargo is a male Khajiit found in The College of Winterhold, available after you complete his quest to test his scroll's effect on three undead. His specializations are in Heavy Armor, Destruction Magic and Unarmed Combat. He is proficient (Stat wise) in One-Handed combat but will nevertheless use his fists, even when he is given a high level One-handed weapon. He will use higher level destructive spells at a distance like firebolt and is unusually proficient in Unarmed combat due to his race. He will benefit from the Unarmed combat enchantment (Gloves of the Pugilist) found in the Ratway Vaults.


 * He can join the Blades.

For whatever reason, J'zargo is the only follower in Skyrim who is capable of leveling with the Dragonborn all the way to level 81. Equipped with enchanted heavy armor (e.g. Otar, Ebony Mail and Daedric Gauntlets with Unarmed damage enchantment) at such a high level can benefit the Dragonborn immensely. Unfortunately, he still only casts Sparks or other weak offensive spells despite his level. But as soon as his magicka runs dry you can usually find him in the thick of the fight, mostly during his finishing moves where he repeatedly punches someone in the face to subdue them. It is actually more beneficial to make sure his magicka will drain as soon as possible (Making sure he has no armor benefiting Magicka or Magicka regeneration, instead use Heavy Armor and Unarmed enchantments, perhaps Health fortification as well) as he will quickly defeat nearly anyone purely using stat-less unarmed damage (And poison as well assuming he is using Ebony Mail).

Marcurio

 * Marcurio is a male Imperial magician available for hire at the Bee and Barb in Riften for 500 . Marcurio is incredibly powerful on offense. He uses Destruction Magic and generally is very intelligent when it comes to picking and choosing his spots. As a Mage he's very weak defensively, but offensively can kill almost anything in 3-4 spells.


 * Do NOT dismiss him with armor and weapons. His inventory reverts to default after his service is finished.
 * If equipped with a shield he will use it and any weapons when he runs out of magika. As with all other followers, Marcurio uses any sword, bow, or axe given to him, so long as they are stronger than his default weaponry.
 * He seems to pick his spells intelligently and will usually pick a spell that his target is weak against; He has been observed utilizing frost spells against fire dragons, fire spells against trolls, lightning spells against Daedra, etc.
 * He will also utilize multiple staffs (eg. conjure familiar, fireball, firewall, etc.) that you put in his inventory depending on the circumstances eg. number of enemy, type, etc.
 * Exercise caution when having him together with a dog follower; since Chain Lightning is one of his favorite attack spells and the dog always rushes an opponent on sight, it will likely receive friendly-fire and once its tolerance for this is exhausted, the dog will become hostile and attack Marcurio (almost always resulting in the dog's death). Always save before a fight and kill Marcurio's target as soon as possible.
 * You can marry him.
 * He can join the Blades.

Onmund

 * Onmund is a Nord mage apprentice at the College of Winterhold. He is available as a follower after completing the quest Onmund's Request, which can be started after completing a few quests at the college. He will mention that he wants the amulet he traded for a staff from Enthir back and needs your help in retrieving it. He uses magic and occasionally archery in combat. He seems to prefer using lightning attacks. When he runs out of magicka he will assume finishing off the enemy with unarmed attacks instead of going back to his sword. He can wear Heavy Armor, like any follower, yet is highly unskilled in it and won't receive as much protection. If you desire a mage with a high heavy armor skill, J'zargo is the best choice. He can be recruited to join the Blades, and the Dragonborn can marry him.

Aela the Huntress

 * Aela is a female Nord and member of The Circle, leaders of The Companions.
 * To get Aela as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * Aela can train your Archery skill up to 75. After paying for training, you can go to her inventory and take your gold back, essentially making the training free.
 * You can marry Aela after completing The Companions questline.
 * You will acquire a bounty if she is your follower and you steal something from her room in Jorrvaskr.
 * She can be made to join the Blades.
 * Almost all followers, Aela included, are bugged and use their default hunting bow regardless of what bow the player gives them. They will, however, use any arrows you give them, and they will have an unlimited number of arrows. Tested on PS3: will use the Supple Ancient Nord Bow if given and you take away the hunting bow.

Annekke Crag-Jumper

 * Annekke is a female Nord, found at Darkwater Crossing.
 * To get Annekke as a follower, you need to complete a quest she gives you to clear a nearby cave of bandits.
 * Annekke is an archer and can be recruited to join the Blades.

Athis

 * Athis is a male Dunmer found at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, the home of The Companions.
 * To get Athis as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * You can marry Athis after completing The Companions questline.
 * Athis can train your One-Handed skill up to 75. After paying for training, you can go to his inventory and take your gold back, essentially making the training free.

Cicero

 * Cicero is a male Imperial found in the Dark Brotherhood questline. He is available as a follower if you don't kill him during the quest The Cure For Madness. When you finish the final questline Hail Sithis! and take control of Dawnstar Sanctuary, leave the sanctuary and there you will find Cicero, happily jumping that you're the Listener and becomes your follower. Cicero has excellent thief skills but is lacking defensively. Cicero will never use a bow unless it is the only weapon given to him, or the opponent is flying or in an unreachable area. Cicero loves his own voice and will comment on most locations you visit. He can also join the Blades.

Dark Brotherhood Initiate

 * It is possible to have an initiate and another follower simultaneously, but it requires exploiting a small glitch. Basically the player commands an existing follower to stand in close proximity to the initiate and dismisses the existing follower from their service. Then the player asks the initiate to join as a follower and asks the existing follower to rejoin in very quick succession so that neither one can finish their speech before the other accepts. This glitch is widely documented and there are many videos posted which walk through the exact process. It does not seem to work for other combinations of followers.
 * After finishing the main Dark Brotherhood quests you will have the possibility to invite one of the assassins to become your follower. You will find them in Dawnstar Sanctuary. There are both male and female versions of the initiate.

Derkeethus

 * Derkeethus is a male Argonian found trapped inside Darkwater Pass. After you free him and lead him out of the caves, you can choose to have him as a follower. If you do not, he will return to his home of Darkwater Crossing, even after marriage, sometimes found working in the nearby Goldenrock Mine. He will dual wield a one-handed weapon with his pickaxe but favors the bow. At the time of writing he is marked as essential and therefore cannot die.


 * He can join the Blades
 * You can also marry Derkeethus.

Faendal

 * Faendal is a male Wood Elf initially found in Riverwood, and will return there to wait for you if dismissed. To get Faendal as your follower you must complete the "Deliver Sven's Letter to Camilla" quest involving the fake letter from Sven, choosing to reveal the real nature of the letter to Camilla Valerius (i.e. telling her that Sven wanted her to think it came from Faendal). This gains you the gratitude of Camilla as well as Faendal. After completing this quest, you can ask Faendal to follow you and he will readily oblige. If he is encountered before Sven, it is Faendal who will suggest using a fake letter to discredit Sven, mirroring most players' experience.


 * Faendal is also one of the few followers in Skyrim who is also a trainer. He will train you in Archery up to level 50. As a follower, you may receive training from him for free by asking him to follow you, paying him to train you, and then taking your gold from his inventory as soon as the training is done.


 * Faendal seems to have a lawful disposition; if you lockpick your way into residences, he will occasionally say, "You should not be in here" and refuses to enter dialog options preventing the 'trade items' and 'pick up items' commands until you leave the area. Also, if you enter combat with City Guards or Imperial Soldiers, he will stop following you and begin attacking you. Note: if you spend the money to have Faendal train you and then make him your follower, you can access his inventory and take your gold back with no penalty. He can also join the Blades.


 * Faendal is competent with bows but often prefers to use daggers and swords if given to him. He will use the most damaging bow in his inventory at long range, the most damaging blade available at close range, while at mid range (provided no obsticles) he tends to use any weapon with the highest damage.

Ghorbash the Iron Hand

 * Ghorbash is an Orc archer living in Dushnikh Yal, an Orcish fort south of Markarth. He used to serve in the Imperial Legion, and can be persuaded, brawled, or bribed into joining you. A word of caution, healing Gorbash is considered a hostile action and will cause the entire stronghold to become hostile towards the player.


 * Ghorbash is skilled with Bows, One-Handed weapons, and Light Armor. He also has a bit of skill with Heavy Armor and Two-Handed weapons, but he is not nearly as good with them as the dedicated Two-Hand and Heavy armor users like Vilkas or Stenvar.


 * Ghorbash, like most Orcs, "follows to the death," and will resist arrest alongside the player. Ghorbash will use a bow and melee weapons. Can be recruited into the blades.

Jenassa

 * Jenassa is a female rogue-type Dunmer, initially found in The Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun. She has a lust for killing and advertises her shadowy sensibilities to the player. She is a mercenary and charges the standard 500 to recruit each time unless your race is Dunmer, she is a Blade, or the Dragonborn's wife. When dismissed, she lingers in the shadow of the archway between the Wind District and the Cloud District or, if married, to the home you have chosen for her.


 * She has a dark, murderous nature and has no qualms with any similar tendencies present in her employer; she will not interfere with any crime you intend to commit when she is following you, and will even help you kill guardsmen if they catch you in the act.


 * She can use Bows, Shields with One-Handed weapons and Light Armor quite effectively, especially Dragon Scale Armor. She is also one of the very few (she won't equip both right away but will once combat starts) followers who can and will dual wield weapons as a first choice in combat. She can be quite deadly when dual wielding enchanted swords.


 * She can be recruited into the Blades, and is also a potential marriage candidate. Both will waive any subsequent recruitment fees; however, you must first have paid for her services at least once in the past for either of these to become available.


 * On PC versions, her pathfinding seems rather poor compared to other followers; She tends to walk right into you pushing you out of your position, enough to make you to fall down cliffs or other dangerous locales. However, many players have used her on console versions without this problem.


 * Note: As with all mercenaries, after quests which replace your current follower with a required person for the quest, she will have to be re-hired for another 500 . This fee will be waived if you meet certain conditions, in which case she will re-join you for free.

Adelaisa Vendicci

 * Adelaisa is a female imperial available upon completing quests for East Empire Company in Windhelm.

Ahtar

 * Ahtar is a male Redguard usually found in Castle Dour in Solitude. He can be recruited after the player completes his quest to hunt down and kill a bandit leader. He is a powerful melee warrior who specializes in two-handed weapons, block, and light armor. As Solitude's executioner, he comes equipped with the unique weapon Headsman's Axe.
 * He spends his nights in Jala's house. Entering the house causes him to say, "you're not allowed in here", making you a trespasser and not allowing you to start conversation, so having him become a Blade makes it easier to make him a follower. He goes to work in the dungeon around 12pm game time.

Argis the Bulwark

 * Argis the Bulwark is your housecarl in Markarth. He'll become available after you become Thane of Markarth.
 * You can also marry Argis.
 * He will gladly join the blades after becoming available.

Benor

 * Benor is a gruff-sounding nord brawler found in Morthal. He does well with two-handed weapons and does comparably well with a bow. To recruit Benor, the Player must bet 100 on his or herself against him in a bare-knuckle-brawl.


 * Benor can also be married.
 * Can Join the Blades

Borghak the Steel Heart

 * Borghak is a female Orc found in Mor Khazgur. She can be recruited if the player persuades her or pays her dowry. Borghak primarily uses a sword and shield making her a good tank if well equipped. She prefers heavy armor. She will not use the bow unless the enemy is out of range. Surprisingly she is also pretty good at sneak making her slightly more versatile.


 * You can also marry Borgakh.

Calder

 * After Becoming Thane of Windhelm, Ulfric Stormcloak gives the Dragonborn a housecarl named Calder.

Cosnach

 * Cosnach is a male Breton living in Markarth, usually found in the Silver Blood Inn or his home in the Warrens. He can become a follower after the player accepts his bet and defeats him in a brawl. He is proficient in Heavy Armor, One-Handed, Block, and archery.
 * He can be recruited to join the Blades.

Erik the Slayer

 * Erik is a male Nord found in the Frostfruit Inn in Rorikstead. After convincing his father to let him become an adventurer, Erik can be hired for 500.


 * You can also marry Erik.
 * Erik can also join the Blades.
 * WARNING: Erik has the annoying tendency to get himself stuck somewhere on his path to Rorikstead when you dismiss him, so just be sure he isn't carrying anything of value when you send him away.

Farkas

 * Farkas is a male member of The Circle, leaders of The Companions. During the quest "Proving Honor", the Dragonborn is trapped in a cage. Farkas becomes surrounded by members of the Silver Hand, at which point he transforms into a werewolf and kills them.
 * To get Farkas as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * Farkas can train your Heavy Armor skill up to 90. After paying for training, you can go to his inventory and take your gold back, essentially making the training free.
 * You can marry Farkas after completing The Companions questline.
 * He can be made to join the Blades.

Golldir
Golldir is initially found in Hillgrund's Tomb and can be recruited outside the tomb after you have helped him kill the warlock Vals Veran and complete Ancestral Worship without ransacking his family's tomb.
 * He is a Warrior who specializes in heavy armor and one-handed weapons (seemingly so since he starts off with a one handed axe when you first recruit him).
 * He is also exceptional with two handed hammers and axes.
 * Can be recruited to the Blades.

Iona
Iona will be your Housecarl when you became the Thane of Riften, She is skilled in One-Handed, Heavy Armor, and Block.
 * She can be found in your home, Honeyside, in Riften.
 * You can marry her.
 * She can also be recruted into The Blades (PC, Xbox 360 Confirmed)
 * If you use a bow, be warned, she constantly gets in your way during battle and will die. Be sure to save regularly. (Xbox 360)

Jordis the Sword-Maiden
Jordis the Sword-Maiden is a female Nord warrior. She can be found in Solitude and is the housecarl of Proudspire Manor. You have to become the Thane of Solitude in order for her to be available.
 * She can be married.
 * She can become a member of the Blades.

Kharjo

 * To access Kharjo you need to finish a quest where you have to find his moon amulet. The actual location of Kharjo is at a caravan camp which stays in different areas, oftentimes just south of Windhelm. Talk to him to get the quest.


 * Kharjo is an extremely versatile warrior who will use sneak, fights with a shield and one-handed weapon, and even occasionally use a bow. Kharjo tends to use bows if a fight starts far away from him and will not enter melee mode until the foe has reached him.
 * Kharjo can be recruited into the Blades, and is generally a good candidate due to the fact that, once initiated into the Blades, he will no longer wander around Skyrim following the Khajiit Caravans, choosing a stagnant life at Sky Haven Temple instead.

Lob
Lob is an Orc blacksmith living in Largashbur. He may join the player when they have completed the Daedric mission "The Cursed Tribe". He proves to be an effective fighter and often makes use of any and all two handed weapons. He prefers light armor.

Lydia
Lydia is a female Nord warrior from Dragonsreach. She becomes available after the revelation of the Dragonborn when Jarl Balgruuf appoints you as Thane and offers her as your Housecarl. Lydia makes competent use of all equipment given to her, being effective at both ranged and melee combat, and able to switch between the two as required. When dismissed, she will return to the Jarl's hall and linger near the dining table. If you have purchased Breezehome in Whiterun, she will instead return there. She makes a great tank when properly equipped in heavy armor.
 * Her sneak skill is lacking and will often attract the attention of enemies. This give players with sufficient sneaking ability the chance to sneak attack the mob while Lydia has their attention. Unfortunately for low-level, lightly armored players, Lydia, like most melee Followers, has the tendency to draw the attention of many enemies at once, getting K.O.ed and leaving the player to fend off the entire group alone. After being committed as your Housecarl she can be killed.

Mjoll the Lioness

 * Mjoll the Lioness is a female Nord found in Riften. She will be available as a follower after you find and give her back her sword Grimsever. Mjoll is a decent one-hander and shield tank. Mjoll approximates the Knight class, specializing in Heavy Armor and Two Handed Weapons, and her sword Grimsever does excellent damage as well. If well-equipped, Mjoll is fully capable of soloing blood dragons. She will use both staves and bows strategically if equipped.


 * You can also marry Mjoll.
 * She is tagged as 'essential', so unlike other companions, cannot die or be killed by the player, making her one of the more useful warrior Followers.
 * She prefers two-handed weapons over more efficient one-handed weapons and shields. To circumvent this problem, it is best not let her carry two-handed weapons.
 * A potential bug by players report that once you complete her personal quest, any items you give to her and loot from her later will be classified as "stolen items".
 * She can join the Blades.
 * If she joins the Blades, Aerin will sometimes still follow her around like he did in Riften, even when on dragon hunts.
 * Might have the bow bug problem, using her own bow instead of any better given to her. (PC version)


 * You must be level 14 for her to give you her Quest.

Njada Stonearm

 * Njada Stonearm is a female Nord found at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, the home of The Companions. She specializes in the sword and shield.
 * To get Njada as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * Njada can train your Block skill up to 75. After paying for training, you can go to her inventory and take your gold back, essentially making the training free.
 * You can marry Njada after completing The Companions questline.
 * She can be made to join the Blades.
 * As of version 1.1.21.0 she has very passive AI and will not attack any enemy unless she is attacked.

Ogol

 * Ogol is an Orc trader living in Largashbur. He may join the player when they have completed the Daedric mission "The Cursed Tribe". He is a talented fighter who favors heavy armor and one handed weapons and will use them when prompted.

Ria

 * Ria is a female Imperial found at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, the home of The Companions. She specializes in the sword and shield.
 * To get Ria as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * You can marry Ria after completing The Companions questline.

Roggi Knot-Beard


 * Roggi is a male Nord found in Kynesgrove and will join you after you find his family's ancestral shield. He will also train you 1 rank in Block when you complete the quest.

Stenvar

 * Stenvar is a Nord found in Windhelm. He can be hired for 500 as a mercenary from Candlehearth Hall. He is quite skilled with two-handed weapons, which he mentions when you first meet him. He wears steel armor and has a iron greatsword sheathed on his back. He's an excellent warrior, who is ideal to use due to his resiliency. He is also somewhat talkative, making a variety of remarks on locations you visit in your travels together.


 * He is also a potential spouse of the Dragonborn.
 * He can also be recruited into The Blades.

Sven
Sven is a male Nord initially found in Riverwood. He is the alternative companion available to you if you choose to lie to Camilla (as he instructs you) and give her the fake letter claiming it is from Faendal. Alternatively, you may encounter Faendal before you encounter Sven. If that happens, you must tell Camilla that the letter was actually written by Faendal himself to frame Sven. They will both express their gratitude, and Sven will offer to join you on your adventures.


 * He is skilled with Bows, Light Armor, One Handed weapons, Blocking, and Alchemy. He will not dual-wield one handed weapons. Sven can be recruited into the Blades.


 * You can find Sven playing music inside the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood.

Torvar

 * Torvar is a male Nord found at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, the home of The Companions.


 * To get Torvar as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * You may be able to get him to follow you earlier by dropping armor in front of him while he is walking. He then asks the Dragonborn if he can have the item. If the Dragonborn says "Consider it yours.", he becomes available after leaving the area and coming back.
 * You might find that he does not pick up the armor, and it will remain where you drop it. If you pick up the armor, you will still have the option of asking him to follow you (X360).
 * You can marry Torvar after completing The Companions questline.

Uthgerd the Unbroken
Uthgerd is a female Nord who is initially found in the Bannered Mare tavern in Whiterun. Upon meeting her, she will tell you she was rejected by The Companions of Whiterun for accidentally killing her dueling partner during her initiation test. The Companions dismissed her as having too much "heat and fury".
 * To recruit her you must first defeat her in an unarmed brawl. When you dismiss her, she will return to her home in the Cloud district of Whiterun.
 * She will attack you if you transform into a werewolf in front of her.
 * You can also marry her.
 * If you are wearing Ebony Mail, you can get arrested for actually hurting her while she gets close to you.
 * She may also join the Blades

After recruiting her, she can die.

Vilkas

 * Vilkas is a male member of The Circle, the most skilled and respected warriors amongst The Companions.
 * To get Vilkas as a follower, you need to complete Glory of the Dead from The Companions.
 * Vilkas can train your Two-Handed skill up to 90. After paying for training, you can go to his inventory and take your gold back, essentially making the training free.
 * Vilkas is deadly efficient with Heavy Armor and Two-Handed weapons. If your character's playstyle does not utilize Two-Handed weaponry nor stealth, as Vilkas is not a very subtle follower, an effective and efficient strategy is to allow Vilkas to wield Wuuthrad, the legendary axe of Ysgramor himself.
 * You can marry Vilkas after completing The Companions questline.
 * He can be made to join the Blades

Vorstag
Vorstag is a mercenary that can be found in the Silver Blood Inn in Markarth. He costs 500 septims to hire. He joins you equipped with iron armor, an iron shield and a one-handed weapon. He will return to Silver Blood Inn if dismissed, or replaced due to a follower joining for quest.
 * Vorstag makes a great tank, especially equipped with heavy armor and upgraded weapons. He can use close combat weapons, bows and staffs. It seems he chooses the weapon type according to the situation well.
 * He can be recruited to join the Blades, which will also waive the 500 gold fee to recruit him.
 * Vorstag is capable of using two-handed weapons fairly well, yet is not nearly as devastating with them as the dedicated two-handed users such as Erik the Slayer, Mjoll the Lioness, Stenvar, or Vilkas.
 * You can also marry him.

Animal Followers
Animal followers can be used alongside any humanoid follower, so you can have one human and one dog follower simultaneously and Barbas for a total of 2 animals. Barbas does not count as a true follower since he is tied to his quest but unlike other quest forced companions (Farkas) your current animal follower will not be dismissed. Animal followers cannot be given items and thus cannot use equipment. As animal followers die with any killing stroke, they are not recommended late-game nor for use with powerful melee players, as a single attack from a high-level well-equipped player will result in the immediate death of your animal follower.

Stray Dog
Stray Dogs appear in two, potentially recurring, random encounters. In one he will be fighting two wolves which he will eventually kill. In the other he appears as part of a caravan destroyed by a dragon. When talked to they will have the normal animal companion options of following, waiting, and dismissing. As with other followers, killing one with the Ebony Blade will gain a charge. If dismissed they may go to the Ragged Flagon as their "home".

Meeko

 * Meeko is a canine follower that is found wandering near Meeko's Shack. Follow him and he will take you to his master's dead body. Read the note on the body to learn the master's will. Meeko's exact location is about 20 yards south of the shack. He should be sitting at the crossroads waiting.

Vigilance

 * Vigilance is a canine follower that can be purchased outside the city of Markarth, just inside the stables. He cannot carry items for you but will follow you in a similar manner to any follower. Vigilance is technically a mercenary, as you must pay the 500 fee each time you want him to re-join you.DOGGGggg.jpg Vigilance has the highest level cap of the dog followers.

Barbas

 * Barbas is an immortal dog pet with a very interesting secret. He can be found once you enter Falkreath and receive a quest by talking to the blacksmith. Occasionally, this follower fails to stop walking when the player walks, causing the player to be butted out of conversations or off cliffs.


 * He does count as a follower so it is advised that you finish Boethiah's calling before gaining Barbas


 * Note: Barbas only follows you for the duration of the quest. If you want to keep him as a follower then DO NOT complete the quest. (The axe is a quest item, and cannot be dropped, but can however, be put on a weapon plaque in an owned house.)


 * Barbas also doesn't count as a true follower in that you will always be "Detected" when in Barbas's line of sight and acquire bounty for stealing items or picking locks if Barbas is in earshot of local guards, even if you are not in the guards' line of sight.Barbas123.jpg

Followers who are Trainers
If a potential follower can train you in a particular skill, you can access their inventory and recover your spent gold, thus effectively making the training free. The following are followers who can train various skills; note most are Companions and thus you'll need to have significantly advanced that quest-line before they become recruitable:
 * Farkas, Heavy Armor
 * Faendal, Archery (to 50)
 * Aela the Huntress, Archery (to 75)
 * Njada Stonearm, Block
 * Athis, One-Handed (to 75)
 * Vilkas, Two-Handed

Bugs

 * Some Companions are glitched in such a way that they will not use any bow other than their default bow, regardless of the quality of any bow the player might provide them with. Some Companions will only use a "Heavy" bow i.e. dwarven, ebony, daedric. Others wll only use a "Light" bow i.e. glass, or elven. Armor type seems to dictate bow type.
 * Followers can be commanded to pick up items off the ground or from unlocked container that would otherwise exceed their carry capacity and continue to move normally. In this way, followers can carry an "infinite" amount of loot. All items picked up this way will be marked as stolen item however.
 * Followers can get stuck on terrain. In some cases it is possible to free them by using any knockback effect.
 * It may be impossible to get to where the Follower is stuck. In this case the console command TCL can be used to turn off collision and position the player. Press the tilde (~) key to open the console, type TCL, press the tilde key to close the console. Reverse the process to turn collision back on.
 * How to get Multiple Followers: A very easy glitch, this video explains it all - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dFrtkVVedQ
 * In some areas, when you go through a door your follower will spawn from a different door in the same area. Meaning, if there is more than one door to enter somewhere, your follower may enter from a different door than you. This can cause serious problems, especially due to the fact they can get into a fight and you may not be able to get to them.
 * If you give most followers Blades armor before you ask Delphine, to make the follower (if applicable) a member of the Blades, they will not recieve any of the Blades armor, therefore they do not recieve a free set of armor that replaces their natural armor(s).
 * When trespassing in an area, your follower will act like owners of the trespassing area, this means that you cannot open dialog with them (they instead use a generic "You're not supposed to be in here" line for their gender and race), so you cannot perform any actions with them.
 * If selecting them from a distance so the dialogue menu won't show up, you will be able to command them to take, steal, etc., but still will not be able to trade with them since this requires bringing up the dialogue menu.
 * At some point after the quest A Blade In The Dark, potential followers might comment on you having someone with you if you ask them to follow, despite having no one with you no matter where you go or how often you reload a recent save.
 * Dismissing and rehiring Followers can result in their default starting equipment being added again every time you rehire them. Much of this equipment may not be displayed in their invetory. As a result your Follower's carry capacity will diminish every time you rehire them since this default equipment has weight. The speed at which your Followers will ultimately reach an effective zero carry capacity is effected by the weight of their starting equipment and the number of times you rehire them.