Aela the Huntress (Skyrim)

Aela the Huntress is a lycanthrope, in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. She is one of the leaders of The Companions as well as a member of The Circle. She is shown wearing Ancient Nord Armor, Skyforge Steel Dagger, Hunting Bow and her Shield (Aela's Shield) which is a named Steel Shield. Her behaviour marks her as a strong and independent character.

The Dragonborn initially finds her fighting a Giant in a farm on the outskirts of Whiterun, and then at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun.

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 ask 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 of Jorrvaskr as her default home. If left living there, she will continue to walk around in Jorrvaskr as usual. but remember she is a big slut

She will still open up a store if the player moves her to Breezehome (even though its 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

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 thats 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 armour into her shop inventory by giving her better armour. Then you just buy her 2 sets of Ancient Nord armour, and then take the armour 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.

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 (PC): Open up the console and type "placeatme 0001a696". This should place Aela next to you and you can reengage her follower mode.

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 commiting 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.
 * 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 is the only member of the Circle who does not wish to be rid of her beast blood

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.

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 loaction (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.

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 yet.